Endure for the Sake of the Gospel
Endure by Prayer (1-5)
After Paul's normal greeting (1-2), he reminded Timothy to be in constant prayer as a spiritual father (3). He then reminded Timothy his life in Christ was the result of a great legacy of faith that had endured all the way to him, dwelled in him, and would endure beyond him (4-5).
Endure by Stirring Up the Gift (6-7)
Next, Paul urged Timothy to be on fire with the gift he received when hands were laid upon him, and he was to let the Holy Spirit fire so burn in him that he no longer feared for his life, but was instead overcome by power, love, and self-control (6-7).
Endure by Refusing to Be Shamed (8-12)
Paul then turned his attention to Timothy's timid nature and charged him not to be ashamed of his ministry or Paul's imprisonment. Paul called on Timothy to share in the suffering (8) and reminded him that his calling was not based on some good works he had done but on grace (9). Similarly, the suffering he experienced would not be based on some misperformance that displeased God, but rather the persecutions were a result of this very same grace of God revealed in the Person of Jesus Christ. Christ had already abolished death and had brought immortality (10). Paul expressed that this was the very reason for his suffering and why Paul should be convinced God would guard and fulfill the promise entrusted to them until the Day of the Lord. In essence, Paul was making it clear that they were appointed, they were not ashamed, and they were persuaded (11-12).
Endure by Following Paul's Example (13-14)
By the Holy Spirit who was dwelling in Him, Timothy was to guard the deposit of God, following Paul's pattern of faith and love (13-14).
Endure as Others Desert (15-18)
Paul mentioned those who had deserted him in Asia (15), knowing it was unsettling to stand in faith when the faith of others was collapsing. He mentioned the example of Onesiphorus, who took care of Paul when in prison in Ephesus and then was not ashamed of Paul's Roman chains. He searched for Paul once he had entered the city until he found him (16-18).
This chapter begins the third section of Proverbs:.
Purpose of Proverbs (1:1-7)
Parental Proverbs (1:8-9:18)
Perceivable Proverbs (10:1-15:33)
I have defined this section as the “Perceivable Proverbs” because Solomon reveals life as it should or ought to turn out. The principles and views of life articulated are usually and normally true.
These next proverbs are quick and direct; they give no time to footnote qualifications, nor do they list exceptions to the rule. They are quick jabs; they mean to stun and get the attention of the reader. They will clearly state in a concise antithesis the contrast between two “perceivable” outcomes.
At first, it might appear difficult to see any arrangement of subject matter in these chapters, but consider the bookends, meaning the material at the beginning and end of each section of thought within the chapters.
Example: verse 1 contrasts a wise and foolish son, while verse 5 contrasts a lazy and diligent son; thus, what is between these two bookends is to be read and considered, thinking about diligence and laziness.
Verse 6 contrasts the blessings and abuse of the mouth, while verse 11 basically repeats the contrast. Between the bookends, we see the subject Solomon wants to be pondered in light of the blessing and abuse of our tongue.
In verse 12, hatred and love are contrasted, while in verse 18, concealing one's hatred is contrasted with speaking slander. Between these two bookends, we find the subject being considered is a heart lacking forgiveness.
Verse 19 contrasts the restrained and unrestrained tongue, while verse 32 contrasts the mouth of the righteous with the wicked.
Between verses 19 and 32 are four collections of proverbs with a single humorous proverb bridging the two sections. This is known as a “chiasmus” or a poetic form in which something is repeated in reverse order. This form of grammar is common among Hebrew writings. The rest of this chapter would look something like this:
A) Verses 19-21: The Three-Proverb Collection on the Tongue
B) Verses 22-25: The Four-Proverb Collection on Stability of Life
C) Verse 26: The Humorous Proverb on Laziness
B) Verses 27-30: The Four-Proverb Collection on Stability of Life
A) Verses 31-32: The Three-Proverb Collection on the Tongue
All of the material between verses 19 and 32 is to be considered in the light of the tongue.
The writer of the Proverbs was not just throwing subjects into a jar to be read in some kind of disjointed manner. Solomon was structuring his material to be read together, so depth of meaning and understanding could be enhanced.