2 Timothy 2:2

2. Not only must Timothy be strong for the gospel, but he must plan for its future permanence.

Heard… among… witnesses The Greek aorist requires not hast heard, but heardst, that is, heard on a particular occasion, namely, at his ordination. 2 Timothy 1:6; and 1 Timothy 4:14. The Greek is, through many witnesses, referring, perhaps, to the elders present at the laying on of hands, through whom, as testifiers, Paul’s charge was confirmed unto Timothy.

This verse commends successionalism as a method of continuing faith and piety in the Church; a successionalism authenticated by ordination. But the succession and the ordination are a means, and not an end. The end is the transmission of a true doctrine and a genuine piety. Where the ordination would transmit a false doctrine and a spurious piety the ordination loses its power. The ordination is as truly tested by the faith and piety, as the faith and piety by the ordination.

The verse also indicates that a genuine tradition, handed down from apostolic authority, has a valid authority. Only, first, its genuineness is to be completely proved; and, second, it must appear that the tradition was intended by the apostolic authority to be a law for the Church. But as complex doctrinal traditions, orally transmitted, are liable to corruption, we have the written word as the sure ultimate test. This is recorded tradition, and where the text is well verified, this becomes the safe criterion of doctrine. It is notable, that, though Paul claims apostolic authority in delivering sure Christian truth, he claims not, nor seems to realize, that his own written words were to be the future Scripture of the Church. By the mind of the Church it was, that when the spoken words of the apostles began to fade from memory, the written word was placed in the position of Scripture authority.