GRACE & PEACE
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11)
“I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well” (2 Tim. 1:3-5).
Paul begins by saying that he serves God with a clear conscience. He has said something similar in other situations as well (Acts 23:1; 24:16). His service of God in this particular instance is that of praying for Timothy constantly. Note that Paul’ prayers for Timothy were a service rendered to God. Paul also says that he shared this clean conscience with his ancestors. This is striking, because in the next breath he points out that Timothy’s had godly ancestors as well — his mother and grandmother. This is all in the context of Paul’s prayers, which is the desire to be reunited to Timothy — he remembered Timothy’s tears and longed to be filled with the joy of reunion.
But there is another aspect to this. The pastoral letters are uniquely situated in the New Testament. They are much more focused on the next generation than other books. Paul is nearing the end of his life, and as we piece together various hints in these letters, we see the institutionalization of the Church occurring. Paul has sought to plan for this time, and he wants faithful men to train faithful men, who in turn will be able to train faithful men (2:2). That would take them well into the second century. It is remarkable that in a letter that is so concerned with the future, Paul begins with a testimony about the past. There is no way to be a helpful futurist without being a true conservative. Honoring the past in the right way is the best way to prepare for the future. Honoring ancestors the right way is the best way to become an honorable ancestor.