You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
Here is the Great Commission in action. Timothy was Paul’s protege. He is encouraging him to pass on the faith Paul had entrusted to him. In this, Paul is a model for us, how we are to make disciples in all the earth. The gospel is intended to be communicated personally. Not just by the preacher, but by the friend. God’s plan for the world has to do with personal relationships. Yet, it’s also not simply a “one on one” individual endeavor. It always involves community. Paul taught Timothy “in the presence of many witnesses.” This wasn’t an isolated event of one random encounter with a stranger, it is personal, it is the church. Just as Paul taught Timothy, so too, Timothy should entrust this same gospel to faithful men. Not one, but many. As a Christian, our goal isn’t to pick one person and work and work and work on them in hopes that one day they will accept. Also, it is not to throw the net so broad as to not target anyone. We need to find those who are willing to listen, the faithful, and entrust this truth to them within the context of the church, the community of the faithful. We are intentionally meant to focus on those who will be able to teach others also. That’s how God is building His church, with the church. What’s your part? Who are your Timothies?
