What is your commentary or explanation of 2 Timothy 2:15?
Let’s read that important verse. 2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” This exhortation from the Apostle Paul is one we should all consider. The word ‘study’ does not mean to read or study a book; the Greek word used here is ‘spoudazo’, which literally means to be diligent. In fact, this word is translated ‘diligence’ in several verses like 2 Timothy 4:9 where Paul wrote to Timothy, “Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me.” So, this verse means to be diligent, to endeavor, or strive to present ourselves approved to God. It was said of Appeles in Romans 16:10 that he was, “…approved in Christ…”
The thought here is that we, as believers on the Lord Jesus Christ, should endeavor to please the Lord. The Apostle Paul said of himself in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.” Paul also wrote in Galatians 1:10, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” Our goal should be to be approved of the Lord in our service, so that we are not ashamed in His presence. As laborers of the Lord, we should seek His approval, not the approval of the world. How precious it would be to hear those words of the Lord as we read in Matthew 25:21, “…Well done, thou good and faithful servant…”
How is it that we can be approved workmen and women for the Lord? The remaining part of 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us it’s by, “…rightly dividing the word of truth.” This expression is unique. This is the only place in scripture that this expression is used. It literally means to make a straight cut, discerning properly the Word of God. We need to be so careful that we add nothing to it; neither take anything away from it. We should not misrepresent its truths, but we should use the Word of God correctly. F. W. Grant, a Godly man and gifted writer, had this to say about rightly dividing the truth. He wrote, “How important is this right division, of which the apostle speaks here! Scripture itself is true all through, from cover to cover, and yet how much we may blunder, and what disastrous work we may do, by giving that which is for the sinner to the saint, or that which is for the saint to the sinner; by bringing Judaism into Christianity, or even by carrying back our Christianity into Judaism. We have to learn, not merely the existence of certain truths, but the right use of them.”
So, dear fellow believer may we heed the words of the scripture and strive to show ourselves approved unto God; that we not be ashamed before Him, and present His Word clearly and appropriately. (104.1)