Pastoral Epistles 8 (Part 5)

Dr. John Cook / General

2 Timothy 2:6-7

2 Timothy 2:6 KJV 1900

The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

“husbandman”
- Farmer, vinedresser
- Husbandman carries meaning of caring for.
  - Husband: manage prudently and economically; manager
- “that laboureth”
- Ministry is a job, it’s labour (1 Corinthians 3:5–9; 1 Timothy 5:18)
  - Labour belongs to the husbandman. “…planted…watered…”
  - Results belong to God. “…God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6)
- Calls for hard ground broken up: Jeremiah 4:3
- “…fallow ground…”
Calls for cleanup: “…sow not among thorns…” (cp. Matthew 13:42)
Seed spread as we read in Matthew 13; Mark 3; Luke 8
- Parable “Sower and the seed” teach us the job and results seen in time.
Requires patience: Galatians 6:9
- Self-discipline, training, self-denial, alertness
Requires hardness:
- Sweat
- Carefulness “study”
- Prayer
- motivation
Requires faithfulness:
- Stay by the crop, work the ground, weed, guard (Proverbs 27:23–27)
- Keep the foxes out: (Song of Solomon 2:15; Isaiah 5:1–7)
Is entitled to eat of the crop: 1 Corinthians 9:7
- We work for God: “And said unto them; go…” (Matthew 20:4 cp. 28:19)
- God in his grace enables us to partake of the fruits: Galatians 5:22
  - Sample of what is to come.

2 Timothy 2:7 KJV 1900

Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

“Consider”
- Don’t take it lightly.
- Let it sink in!
“Consider what I say”
Consider the job.
Consider the difficulties.
Consider Whose we are.
“and the Lord give thee understanding in all things”
We depend on the Lord for the understanding of the work that is before us.
- We depend on the Lord for source of our strength.
- We depend on the Lord for the crop to come. (Isaiah 28:10, 13)
Time to grow up: 1 Corinthians 14:20
- No longer children, now men
Our Lord Jesus Christ gives us the understanding: 1 John 5:20; 16:13–16
- We are dependent on the Lord for strength, and outcome.
- All by the work of God in our lives.

Conclusion