“And entrust what you heard me say in the presence of many others as witnesses to faithful people who will be competent to teach others as well” (2 Timothy 2:2 NET).
While 2 Timothy 2:2 provides us with valuable counsel for life and ministry, it is possible to take this portion of Scripture to an unhealthy extreme. Two commentators discuss several issues to consider as we seek to apply this verse within our lives and in our relationships with others…
“Here the apostle Paul instructs Timothy, a young pastor, to train other faithful men for the task of leadership in the church. There is no hint of apostolic succession in this verse, nor is there any suggestion that in training these men Timothy would be passing on to them an infallible tradition with authority equal to the Word of God. On the contrary, what this verse describes is simply the process of discipleship.
Far from imparting to these men some apostolic authority that would guarantee their infallibility, Timothy was to choose men who had proved themselves faithful, teach them the gospel, and equip them in the principles of church leadership he had learned from Paul. What Timothy was to entrust to them was the essential truth Paul himself had preached ‘in the presence of many witnesses.'” (1)
“This verse certainly teaches that the gospel is to spread from person to person and from teacher to disciple. But it does not justify a hierarchical or authoritarian relationship. The reference here is to personal discipleship, not to ecclesiastical authority. It speaks of how to teach, not how to exercise authority. Even where the Bible does speak of submission to leaders it does not justify authoritarianism… It is submission out of love, not fear. It is voluntary, not compulsory subservience out of fear.” (2)
Finally, it is important to remember the following message from Jesus to His disciples as we consider this verse…
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you…” (Matthew 28:19-20).
This directive has come to be known as “The Great Commission” and 2 Timothy 2:2 offers an effective strategy for anyone who seeks to implement it: “Take the teachings that you heard me proclaim in the presence of many witnesses, and entrust them to reliable people, who will be able to teach others also” (GNT).
(1) Sola Scriptura: The Protestant Position on the Bible Edited by Don Kistler [pg. 81] © 2009 by Ligonier Ministries
(2) When Cultists Ask A Popular Handbook on Cultic Misinterpretations Norman L. Geisler and Ron Rhodes, [2 Timothy 2:2] Baker Books, 1997