I Have Fought the Good Fight
At some point, you know that you are going to die unless the Lord comes first. How will you die? From an accidental death, a horrible disease, being murdered, war, or natural attrition of old age? No one knows the answer. Some do not want to talk about their death, the death of loved ones, the death of friends, or even talk about death. A larger and more troubling question is:
“When do you expect to die?” That stings, doesn’t it? Perhaps, everyone that is old enough to think is conscious of the fact that he was ‘not put here to stay’; but still, he isn’t willing to admit that his departure may be soon. It is not a comforting thought to many to engage in the consideration of life’s exit. (McInteer 199)
The topic assigned is one of the great passages from the pen of the great and aged apostle Paul just prior to his martyrdom from 2 Timothy 4:6-8. It reads:
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not to me only but also to all those who have loved His appearing.
“I Have Fought the Good Fight.” These are noble words from “the aged” Christian (Philemon 9) and make for great preaching in motivating Christians to “be faithful until death” (Revelation 2:10). The text is a prominent funeral text, but it is not always an appropriate text to be used at a funeral. Below, I have listed from some of the volumes from my library, various writers’ encapsulation of the above text:
➢ The Crown of Righteousness (Colley 160)
➢ Significant Life (Deaver 119)
➢ The Triumphant Confession (Guthrie 168)
➢ Preparation for Death (Higginbotham 212)
➢ Paul’s Victorious Shout (Jackson 280)
➢ A Final Appeal (Kelly 204)
➢ My Whole Life Testifies” (Lenski 857)
➢ The Valedictory (McInteer 199)
➢ Paul’s Final Testimony (Knight 458; Nicks 168)
➢ A Final Charge to Timothy (Moss 235)
➢ Paul’s Last Will and Testament (Mounce, Pastoral 577)
➢ The Great Test of Sincerity (Plummer 397)
➢ Fulfill Your Ministry (Reese 523)
➢ The Finish of Paul’s Race (Roberts 97)
➢ Staring Death in the Face (Roper 441)
➢ A Backward and Forward Look (Spain 153)
➢ A Trio of Valiant Variants (Taylor 119)
➢ The Threshold of Glory (Ward 210)
➢ Paul’s Crown (Watson 325)
➢ I Am Now Ready to be Offered (Wuest 160)
What a legacy of biblical principles the apostle Paul leaves for the Christian! What great topics he gives to preachers! As with all great men when they die, they leave some saying(s) which continue to exist and motivate others. We hear from Paul as a prisoner anticipating death. We never hear of his death even from the other apostles. We read that his writings are Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-17). Paul claims that “all Scripture” is breathed-out or inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21). Because what Paul wrote is inspired Scripture, twenty-one centuries later, his authorial works continue to live on. Besides preachers, Paul’s life is an example for all Christians. We are reminded: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord . . . that they rest from their labor, and their works follow them” (Revelation 14:15).
Our lesson will approach our study of 2 Timothy 4:6-8 as follows: 1) A Commentary on 2 Timothy 4:6-8; 2) Paul, the Persecutor; 3) Paul, the Persecuted; and 4) Conclusion.
A Commentary on 2 Timothy 4:6-8
One cannot seriously read the final words of Paul without being moved deeply for his situation and resolving, personally, to be faithful until death. Consider the following comments as the setting to our study:
There is a note of sadness because these are the last words of the great apostle. There is sadness because of Paul’s personal circumstances. He was facing a cold winter in a cold prison, and without proper clothing. It was now a crime for one to be a Christian, and, consequently, there was danger to anyone who might be found with the apostle. Tears must have fallen down his rugged cheeks when he said, “At my first defense no one took my part, but all forsook me . . ..” And yet, in the midst of the chapter there is joy and hope and amazing confidence. (Deaver 117)
(2 Timothy 4:6), “For I am already to be poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.” In the first clause, Paul uses figurative language to describe what is about to happen; i.e., his martyrdom in which his blood will be poured as “a drink offering.” Drink offering is used only here in the New Testament and “if I be offered upon the service and sacrifice of your faith” (Philippians 2:17, emp. added). It is used as “the act of being sacrificed in the cause of the Gospel” (Bagster 375; cf. Bloomfield, Annotations 345). He compares his “bloody death . . . to the pouring out of the drink offering (Num. 15:1-10)” (Lenski 858). In his first Roman imprisonment, Paul “thought a martyr’s death was probable” (Lipscomb 271), but in this text it is certain.
The second clause shows the time of Paul’s martyrdom is near. The word departure is a nautical term describing a ship ready to set sail or leave the port. Therefore, Paul’s word “departure” means “to fly away” (my translation). He was soon going “to fly away” from his Roman imprisonment to his martyrdom and to await his crown. Paul’s death is not to be considered immediate, as he requests Timothy to come to be with him (2 Timothy 4:9, 21). Perhaps, Paul was yet to be tried and sentenced to death.
(2 Timothy 4:7), “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” In three graphic clauses, Paul relates his life as a Christian. The construction of the three clauses is parallel. This gives them the force of calling for all Christians to “be ye imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1, ASV; cf. 4:16). The first clause describes Paul’s life in terms of a contest (“fought”) and a struggle (“the good fight”). The only other occurrence of this clause in Paul’s writings is to be found in 1 Timothy 6:12. While these words were used of both military and athletic activities, it is argued that “one need not decide which Paul has in mind” (Knight 409).
It is possible that Paul uses the term “good” so as to remove any suggestiveness of inappropriateness of the struggles in his life and ministry for the cause of Christ. Perhaps, Paul describes his life and ministry as “good” in opposition to the horrible Roman gladiator contests where they battled unprepared combatants in the Roman Colosseum. Christians must “fight the good fight” in advancing the cause of Christ. Perhaps, “the good fight” refers to the fact that any “struggle” in the Christian faith is a good struggle, as earlier, he instructed Timothy to “fight the good fight” of faith (1 Timithy 6:12). From Ephesians 6:10-17, Christians are instructed to clothe themselves in proper battle gear and to be prepared to “fight the good fight of faith” enabling us to finish our course. It may require of us, at times, to struggle greatly; however, it is the “good” fight for God and for the eternal well-being of the soul.
“I have finished the race” (4:7b). In Paul’s second clause, he declares his death is near, but he never directly uses the word death. The word “finished” is from teteleka and means “to complete one activity or process, bring to an end, finish, complete” (Danker 997). Paul had finished “the race” (ton dromon) or the “movement on a path from one point to another” (261). From the beginning of his Christian life, he was ready to move toward his “crown of righteousness.”
God had commissioned John the Baptist to be the herald and forerunner of the Messiah (Luke 3:1-6). In the synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul described John the Baptist having a race or course to finish. “God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose’” (Acts 13:23-25, emp. added). John in “finishing his course” implies that servants of God have a course (race) to finish; i.e., to be faithful to the end.
God had commissioned Paul with the “purpose, to make you a minister and witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you . . .. I now send you to open their eyes [Gentiles], in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:16, 18, emp. added). Earlier, Paul stated his desire to finish his course in Christ. “But I do not count my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24, emp. added, ESV). Paul lived his life faithful to Christ and fulfilled the Lord’s purpose, “I have finished my course.”
“I have kept the faith” (1 Timothy 4:7c). In the third clause, Paul uses two words of tremendous importance to him and all Christians: 1) “kept” and 2) “the faith.” First, the word “kept” is from teteraka meaning “to remain faithful or true” (Rogers and Rogers 517) and “holding on to something so as not to give up or lose it” (Danker 1002). Since Paul became a Christian, he has “kept” and refused “to give up” his personal or subjective faith in Jesus or “the faith.” We all have a subjective faith. The word defining subjective faith is pisteuo means “the faith by which a man embraces Jesus, i.e., a conviction full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah the divinely author of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God, conjoined with obedience to Christ” (Thayer 511, emp. added). We must grow our personal, subjective faith in “the faith.” There will be times when only our personal faith will enable us to handle the vicissitudes of life. Paul remained “faithful and true” in his personal, subjective faith to the objective body of “the faith.” We must remain true imitating Paul.
The second word “the faith” is from ten pistin, but what does Paul mean by this term? “The faith” is the direct object of the verb “kept.” “The faith” is “that which is believed, body of faith, belief, teaching” (Danker 820). It is “the precepts of the Christian faith” (Bloomfield, Greek 446). “The faith means the gospel, the system of teaching which is to be accepted and believed by the church” (Roberts 97). “The faith” is the “one faith” (Eph. 4:4). “The faith” is Jesus, Christianity, and/or the truth which Paul, at one time, tried to destroy, but finally, and after his conversion, he spent his life propagating and defending. Paul is now ready to die for Him!
In the Chart below on 2 Timothy 4:7, there is an interesting trilogy descriptive of Paul’s life as a Christian. Sometimes, we only view Paul’s life as an apostle and ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20) and forget he was required to live the Christian life. These clauses must describe our life.
The Greek Text The Literal Translation
1. ton agona ton kalon egonismai 1. The good fight, I have fought
2. ton dromon teteleka 2. The race, I have finished
3. ten pistin tetereka 3. the faith, I have kept
The order of the words gives us three descriptions of Paul’s objective faith and are basically the same. They are important to him; therefore, they are to be important to all Christians: 1) “the fight,” 2) “the race,” and 3) “the faith.” In the chart, these words are given in the order of appearance in the Greek text. Each word is preceded by the definite article. The definite article is special not to emphasize what Paul had done, but to emphasize that “the fight, the race, and the faith are the Lord’s” (Mounce, Pastoral 579). Inspiration uses the perfect tense verbs, “I have fought,” “I have finished,” and “I have kept,” to emphasize the finality or the certainty of Paul faithfully fulfilling his ministry (Mounce, Greek 162; Moulton and Turner 213; Robertson, Greek 895). Wuest writes the meaning of the perfect tense is that “of an action completed in past time with present results” (161). Paul can now say, “I fought the good fight,” “I finished the course,” and “I kept the faith” in that that which was once only a possibility (Philippians 2:17; 1 Corinthians 9:27) is now inevitable!
Allow us, briefly, to discuss words “the faith” and “faith in Christ Jesus.” Many in academia claim that the terms “the faith” and “faith in Christ” do not refer to the objective faith of the Christian, but refers to “the faithfulness of Christ.” The following four examples show this teaching is erroneous.
First, in Paul’s defense before Agrippa, he relates his conversion and commission from Jesus to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles “that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:18, emp. added). “In Me” is an attributive phrase indicating that Christ is the object of the word “faith.”
Second, Paul, while meeting with the Ephesians elders, speaks of “faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21, emp. added). In this text, the preposition “toward” is the Greek preposition eis.
In researching the use of ‘eis’ in Koine Greek [Greek of the New Testament] it is used only in the Accusative Case. This deals with motion toward a place; and it also designates purpose and sometimes result. The actual meaning of ‘eis’ is unto, into, in, and inwards. Eis always looks ‘forward’ never ‘backward.’ (Martin 8)
Martin’s conclusions are drawn from personal communications with several prominent New Testament Greek grammarians. His study of the use of Greek prepositions is an invaluable tool for Bible students.
Fourth, the inspired apostle Paul writes “the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20b). Many in academia argue that Paul’s faith was/is “Christ’s faithfulness.” The text shows that Paul’s subjective faith is in the object of his faith—Christ. Kevin McFadden has written an interesting study responding to the question of whether “the faith” and “faith in Christ Jesus” refers to the objective faith of the believer or to the faithfulness of Jesus. He writes, “Galatians 2:20b is in fact a statement about Paul’s own [subjective] confident faith in God’s Son [object of his faith], who has loved him and given himself for him” (214).
(2 Timothy 4:8), “Finally, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” The adverb loipon is translated “Finally,” “Henceforth,” (KJV), “In the future,” (NASB), “Hereafter,” (Weymouth), and “awaits” (NEB) as Paul begins to give a picture of his future. In the Bible, there are two Greeks words for “crown.” Diadem, which is used to describe the crown for a king and stephanos, used here, which describes the laurel leaf or victor’s crown coveted by the winner of a contest in their Olympic Games and much akin to the Gold Medal given in today’s games. “The crown of righteousness” is not a unique reward given to Paul but is promised “to all who have loved His appearing.” In the Olympic Games, there was only one winner per contest; whereas, in Christianity all who are faithful in “the good fight,” finish “the course,” and keep “the faith” will be rewarded with same or identical crowns of righteousness.
What is the meaning of “the crown of righteousness”? “It is not a ‘crown’ that is righteous, but that which is bestowed as a reward for ‘righteousness’” (Jackson 282). The Bible describes five crowns applied in various ways belonging to the Christian: 1) “the imperishable crown” (1 Corinthians 9:25); 2) “the crown of rejoicing” (1 Timothy 2:19); 3) “the crown of righteousness” (1 Timothy 4:8); 4) “the crown of life” (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10); and 5) “your crown” (Revelation 3:11). “The crown of righteousness” is a metaphor, as are all the others, relating to “the permanent and perfect ‘state of righteousness’ in the heaven of heavens” (Schronk 210).
The crown of righteousness is “laid up” and is from apokrita. It was “a technical term employed by Oriental sovereigns when decreeing rewards for loyal service” (Kelly 209). The crown is a reward “to be thankfully received, but never to be claimed as a debt” (Fairbairn 392). The crown has been laid up by the Lord and given by Him to all of the faithful. The Father gave Jesus the “authority to execute judgment” (John 5:27). “He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). Is Paul making a contrast between Jesus, the righteous Judge, and the unjust judges before whom he had stood over the years and even the unrighteous Nero before whom he will eventually stand and be sentenced to death? We do not know. It is evident, from the Scripture, that “It matters little to Paul what the decision of Nero and his minions may be. He will appeal this time to the Supreme Judge, [Jesus] to the Highest Court, [the final judgment] whose decisions cannot be reversed” (Robertson, Epochs 314).
The phase “who have loved His appearing” is instructive. The word “loved” is from agapakosin meaning “to have high esteem for or satisfaction with something, to take pleasure in. . . . Hence long for something . . . his appearing” (Danker 5-6). Christians must love His second coming. We must find pleasure in Jesus coming again and not desire for Him to delay His coming.
Paul said, “O Lord, come!” (1 Corinthians 16:22) from marana tha or “Maranatha” (KJV). The phrase “who have loved His appearing” is instructive. The word “loved” means “pleasure in. . . . Hence long for something . . . his appearing” (Danker 5-6). Christians are to love, desire, and take pleasure in His second coming. The early Christians did not know when Jesus would return (Matthew 24:36). Paul said, “O Lord, come” (1 Corinthians 16:22). John wrote, “come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). Faithful Christians should and will find satisfaction in His coming. Jesus says, “Well done, good and faithful servant. . . . Enter into the glory of the Lord” (Matthew 25:31) where there shall be no more death, pain, sorrow, crying, struggles, etc. (Revelation 21:4) and hear Him say “My son” (Revelation 21:4). Come Lord Jesus, come that we may enjoy the fruit of our labors!
The “appearing,” from epiphanein, refers to the visible presence of Jesus. According to Smith, the word occurs five times and is translated four times as “appearing” (1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 1:10; 4:8; Titus 2:13) and once as “brightness” in Titus 2:8 (Greek-English 147). The second coming of Jesus is confirmed as literal, personal, and visible so that “every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7). The verses confirm that Jesus has not yet come “a second time” (Hebrews 9:28) to reward the faithful with “the crown of righteousness” (2 Timothy 4:8), send the sinful to be punished in hell (Matthew 25:41), and destroy the world with fire (2 Peter 3:10-13).
Summary
2 Timothy 4:6-8 serves as an exemplary and summary of Paul’s life and ministry in Christ and his anticipated reward at the judgment. The verses describe his present situation in where he is in prison in Rome awaiting his evident martyrdom (2 Timothy 4:6). In 2 Timothy 4:7, he describes his past struggles as a Christian and an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 26:16-18; 2 Corinthians 11:5-33; etc.). His future (2 Timothy 4:8) is in anticipation of Christ’s return with “the crown of righteousness.”
What made Paul the success that he was? There are many verses which could be given to answer this question, but we believe a key verse is found in Paul writing, “‘For we are God’s fellow workers’ (1 Cor. 3:9). God is the worker and Paul is the coworker. That is his glory and success in the ministry” (Robertson, Glory 209). There is no success for any Christian without this understanding. His closing comments concerning the end of life ought to be those of each Christian. The comments of Christopher Wordsworth, the brother to Henry Wordsworth the English poet, serves as a worthy conclusion to Paul’s closing words.
This triumphant exclamation of the Apostle at the prospect of death was doubtless designed, among other reasons, to show the Heathen that they had not conquered him, or injured the Gospel which he preached, by putting him to death. . . . He shows them that Death to him was Victory. He would also assure the Christians, who might be perplexed and staggered by his sufferings, that their Apostle regarded death as a release, and as the appointed passage to Everlasting Glory, and that it had no bitterness for him, but that he was enabled by God’s grace to rejoice in it. (478)
We have studied the final words of this great apostle. It would be of value to examine briefly, the life of this exemplary Christian, apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, and our fellow-brother in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul, the Persecutor
Paul or Saul (Acts 13:9), was born in Tarsus of Cilicia (Acts 22:3). Scholars believe his year of birth was approximately AD 1. If so, Paul was about 4-5 years younger than Jesus. Paul was born of the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1; Philippians 3:5) and born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25-28). Saul’s citizenship was either through his father or grandfather who earlier was awarded Roman citizenship. Exactly how Saul’s descendants obtained Roman citizenship is filled with much conjecture. Roman citizenship came variously: 1) it was awarded for deeds done on behalf of the empire, 2) it could be purchased by aliens who had proven they were upright citizens, 3) some of the displaced Jews were given citizenship by Pompey when he conquered Jerusalem in 63 BC and were dispersed throughout the Roman Empire. After a period of time many were given Roman citizenship. Scripture informs us that Saul had at least one sibling, a sister, as well as a nephew (Acts 23:16).
At the time of Saul’s birth, Tarsus was a center of a form of Baal worship (Stalker 23). Paul refers to Tarsus as “no mean city” (Acts 21:39). “Mean” (asemon); i.e., “no unimportant city” (Danker 142). The term suggests “a certain wealth” (Bruce, “Paul in Acts” 681). Tarsus was “one of the most important cities in Asia Minor” (Moe 24). The Cyndus River flowed through the city and into the Mediterranean Sea giving Tarsus a way to ship her products by sea. Tarsus was known for the manufacturing of chilice, a coarse cloth used in production of tents, sack clothes, and undergarments. Paul’s physical occupation was a tentmaker who worked his trade alongside with Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus (Acts 18:1-3).
Tarsus was a university town. The people of Tarsus . . .
. . . applied themselves to the study of philosophy, the liberal arts and “the whole round of learning in general”—the whole “encyclopaedia”—so much so that Tarsus in this respect at least surpassed Athens and Alexandria, whose schools were frequented by visitors than by their own citizens. Tarsus, in short, was what we might call a university city. (Bruce, Paul: Apostle 35).
Tarsus was a major university town. Saul’s elementary education would have been in Tarsus with his rabbinic education following in Jerusalem. He explains, “My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know” (Acts 26:4) that I was “brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel” (Acts 22:3). However, we must remember that Tarsus was an Asiatic city in which the Jews enjoyed the results of the Greek and Roman culture. Tarsus was a city thoroughly cosmopolitan and representative of the empire. The Jews in Tarsus were more willing to embrace the best things in the empire. Too often, we fail to recognize the influence and contact of the Greek world culture in which Paul was reared, lived, and worked.
According to David Smith at the age of six or seven a Jewish boy attended elementary school and at the age of 13 Jewish males were expected to select a physical occupation. Apparently and providentially, Saul chose to be trained as a tent maker which he would later often use to support himself in his ministry. At the age of 15 if any chose rabbinical training, they would go to one of the many rabbinical schools in the empire (22-26). Paul chose to bypass the rabbinical schools in Tarsus, and elsewhere, in order to attend Gamaliel’s liberal rabbinical school in Jerusalem. We find but a brief description of Saul’s tirade of persecutions set forth in Acts 7:58 through Acts 9:2. These 45 verses describe the Jews and Paul’s persecution as havoc, death, imprisonments of both our brothers and sisters in Christ, strife, traveling to “foreign cities,” etc., upon Jesus, the early church, and Christianity before his conversion (Acts 8:1, 3; 9;1; 22:4-5; 26:9-11). Paul’s first taste of blood against Jesus came with his consenting to Stephen’s death (Acts 7:58-59). After his conversion, he describes his earlier role of persecution as being done “ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13). While his actions are summarized by Luke in a comparatively few passages of Scripture, they give us insight into his thinking, as well as the current problems against the church by the Jews. Judaism was already persecuting the church before Saul’s persecutions and would do everything in its power to keep Christianity from converting Jews to the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4-7).
Paul, the Persecuted
The sacred record records that Paul was on his way to Damascus, one of the foreign cities in which Paul pursued Christians to persecute, when the Lord confronted him. Jesus asked, “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me. . . . I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5-6, emp. added). Saul’s rabbinical education in Jerusalem gave him the impetus to persecute the Christians and Christianity. Bales states,
. . . when Jesus appeared to Saul, He did not ask Saul why he persecuted the church. Instead, Jesus said: ‘Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me’ (Acts 9:4-5, KJV) . . . the relationship between Christ and His church is so intimate that to persecute the church is to persecute Christ. To persecute the body is to persecute the head. (6)
The question that requires an answer is: “Why did Paul persecute Jesus (Christians or the church)?” There are several answers, in fact more than we list here: 1) He believed that the Jews who obeyed the gospel were lost because they had abandoned God and the Law of Moses (Exodus 20:3-6). 2) He did not understand that Jesus was the long-promised Messiah who defeated Satan (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 14:12-13). 3) He did not understand the Law had been nailed to the cross, for remission of sins, and was no longer in effect (Colossians 2:14). 4) He failed to recognize that Jesus was the promised prophet of the Law (Deuteronomy 18:15-16). 5) He failed to realize that Jesus died for the sins of men one time and then sat down at the right hand of God (Hebrews 9).
Once Paul was converted to Christ, he never looked back with regret, even though he who persecuted Jesus now became Paul the persecuted. He gives one litany of his trials in 2 Corinthians 6 which describes Paul’s sufferings from the time of his confrontation with Jesus on the road to Damascus to persecute Jesus until his execution by Nero.
Is it possible the cause of Christ has not advanced, as it ought, because the Christian failed to live life imitating Christ, believing that it is not necessary, and that it is unchristian to act as Christ or Paul acted? Why do we not struggle stronger to “fight the good fight” in confronting the evil world? Why have Christians so silenced themselves, even our influence, that the world and the souls in sin pay no attention to the Jesus in whom we claim to have our faith? Why do some Christians attempt to find objections to those who try to do as Paul, “fight the good fight” of faith? Why does the world pay little attention to Christianity except to criticize? The Scriptures teach there is a certain way to confront the world with biblical attitudes.
In Antioch, Paul encouraged the Christians, to do as he was doing “that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord” (Acts 11:23, KJV). “Cleave” is from prosmeno and has the meaning of being “steadfast in association, remain/stand with . . . remain true to the Lord” (BDAG 883). Paul has a “death grip” on the Lord because without Him, he would be lost. Christians must have a “death grip” on Jesus or they will be lost. Jesus is the Christian’s lifeline to Heaven (John 15:4-10).
Conclusion
How do we conclude our lesson? Allow us to use Scripture, reasoning (logic), history, geography, and tradition. Most tradition has an element of truth. Paul declared that he was about to be offered as a sacrifice (2 Tim. 4:8) or martyred. We have little indication how he died, though tradition says he died by being beheaded and that would not be a pleasant way to die. We summarize the day of Paul’s death from the marvelous pen of the late A. T. Robertson who was a Greek and Bible professor in Louisville, Kentucky (Epochs 316-317). I recommend preachers and Bible students acquire and study carefully this volume on the life and work of the apostle Paul.
Nero died disgracefully on June 9, AD 68. Paul’s death was by order of Nero. Timewise, it probably occurred in April or May of AD 68. Paul was incarcerated in the famous Mamertine Prison which was built in the seventh century BC. It was a cold, damp, and rodent infested dungeon below the main floor.
On the day of Paul’s martyrdom, the Roman solders marched Paul out of prison, chained him to a chariot, and he began his journey toward the execution site a few miles outside the Imperial City. No band of Christians followed with him on this day as he began the journey to his death, just the soldiers and only Jesus was with him (Hebrews 13:5). No trembling at facing death. Death brings relief from labors, suffering and trial. Death for Christians, and all men, is followed by the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). It is our gain (Philippians 1:21). Die as did Jesus, Paul, and other faithful saints.
On that fateful day, the soldiers and Paul traveled on the Ostian Road to the place where they executed prisoners. On arrival at the place of execution, the soldiers tossed a wooden block to the ground and unchained Paul. Without hesitation he knelt on the ground with his head on the block. The executioner raised the battle ax and with one swift blow he beheaded the apostle. His soul was escorted by angels to the angelic heaven in the Abraham Bosom (Luke 16:22) and placed the soul or spirit of Paul with the other saints of all dispensations to await the great resurrection and judgment (1 Corinthians 15). “Thanks be to our God, who gives us the victory by our Lord Jesus Christ” (my translation).
Tradition says a Christian woman named Lucian buried his body on her own land. No Christian can enter Rome by the Ostian Road, without tender thoughts of Paul, the matchless servant of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Works Cited
Bagster, Samuel. The Analytical Greek Lexicon. 1852. Harper, n.d.
Bales, James D. Saul from Persecutor to Persecuted. Lambert, 1975.
Bloomfield, Samuel T. Additional Annotations, Critical, Philological, and Explanatory of the New Testament Being a Supplemental Volume to the Greek New Testament. Longman, Brown, and Green, 1850.
---. The Greek Testament with English Notes, Critical, Philological, and Explanatory. vol. 2. Longman, Orme, Brown, and Longmans. 1859.
Bruce, F. F. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Zondervan, 1977.
---. “Paul in Acts and Letters.” Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. InterVarsity Press, 1993.
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