2 Timothy 2:11-13

‘Faithful is the saying:

For if we died with him, we shall also live with him,

If we endure, we shall also reign with him,

If we shall deny him, he also will deny us,

If we are faithless, he abides faithful,

For he cannot deny himself.’

Paul then declares as ‘a faithful saying’, and thus one to be relied on utterly (compare 1 Timothy 1:15; 1Ti 3:1 ; 1 Timothy 4:9; Titus 3:8), the words of what was probably a Christian hymn, which sums up differing attitudes and responses to Christ. Such hymns would inevitably have arisen during the thirty years or so since the death of Jesus is absurd. The process was inevitable. There would always be some with inventive musical minds who would provide others with a means of worship, especially in churches without a firm Jewish background, so that they could ‘speak to one another with psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs’ (Ephesians 5:19). The problem would not be a shortage of such hymns, but that a tight control would have to be maintained so that heresy did not creep into them.

‘For if we died with him, we shall also live with him.’ This new life is both in the present and in the future, and results from ‘Jesus Christ, risen from the dead’ (2 Timothy 2:8). The point here is that every true Christian sees himself, as a result of having responded to Christ, as having died to himself and as living to Christ (see Romans 6:3-11). This is what is symbolised in his baptism (Romans 6:3; Colossians 2:12, compare 1 Corinthians 12:13), and it is those who thus die, and receive His new life and live accordingly (Romans 6:4; Colossians 3:10), who reveal themselves to be Christians (compare Galatians 2:20). We are therefore called on to die to our old lives (Colossians 2:20; Colossians 3:3; Colossians 3:9-10), dying to the claims of the world (Colossians 3:2-3), and to receive through faith the benefits of His death (Colossians 2:13), as those who have by faith died with Him (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3), and have ‘risen’ with Him (Ephesians 2:5-6), and have commenced walking in newness of life (Romans 6:3-11; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10). Compare Matthew 16:24-26; John 12:24-25. Thus will we be assured of eternal life, both now (John 5:24; 1 John 5:13) and in eternity, and living with Him for ever in His glory (Colossians 1:27; Colossians 3:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:14). ‘The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, ‘ if so be that we suffer with Him, that we might be glorified together ’ (Romans 8:17).

This having died does, of course, also have in mind those who have actually been martyred, they too will live with Him (Revelation 20:4). But it does not refer exclusively to them. All who are truly His have ‘died with Him’.

‘If we endure, we shall also reign with him.’ Here we are called on to remember ‘Jesus Christ of the seed of David’, the One to Whom all dominion will be given (e.g. Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 11:1-4; compare Daniel 7:14). He is the One Who will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 11:15). And the point here is that those who would reign with Christ, both in this life and the next, must first be willing to ‘endure’ whatever is thrown at them. Some have a harder time than others but all those who would reign with Him in life (Romans 5:17; Romans 6:14; Revelation 5:10) must also endure, and those who would share His throne in glory must first share His sufferings (compare 2 Timothy 3:12; Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 24:13; Acts 14:22; Romans 5:3-5; and often). As Paul elsewhere wrote to the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 1:4-5), ‘we ourselves glory in you among the churches of God for your patient endurance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure, which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingly Rule of God, for which you also suffer.’ See also Revelation 2:10; Revelation 2:26-27; Revelation 3:5; Revelation 3:21). Once having suffered with Him, therefore, we will share His throne (Revelation 3:21).

‘If we shall deny him, he also will deny us.’ This was very much a theme of Jesus Who declared that those who denied Him (by not confessing Him) would be denied before His Father in Heaven (Matthew 7:23; Matthew 10:32-33; Matthew 25:12; Luke 9:26; Luke 12:8; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 2:22-23). Denial includes denying Him by not acknowledging Who He rightfully is (1 John 2:22-23), and denying Him by not seeking to live in accordance with His words (Matthew 7:13-27).

‘If we are faithless, he abides faithful, for he cannot deny himself.’ This appears to be describing those who are truly His (‘He cannot deny Himself’) but who have proved weak and faithless in their lives and testimony (compare 2 Timothy 1:15). For these whose hearts are open towards Him in spite of their weakness He remains faithful towards them. If they have been made one with Him He will not deny them. For He knows those who are His (2 Timothy 2:19). However, they are promised no reward. We can compare here those described in 1 Corinthians 3:15.

It should be noted how this hymn summarises the situations described in the letter. Paul knows that he is shortly literally to die with Christ prior to receiving a crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:6-8). Timothy is called on to endure (2 Timothy 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:13; 2 Timothy 2:3) in order that he might receive his reward (2 Timothy 1:10; 2 Timothy 2:5-6), along with Onesiphorus and his household (2 Timothy 1:16-18). Hymenaeus and Philetus are of those who have denied the Lord and will in turn be denied by Him (2 Timothy 2:17-18); Phygelus and Hermogenes are of those who have been ‘faithless’, but not finally rejected, because in spite of their weakness they are still His, and will be restored (2 Timothy 1:15).