First let's get something clear about erroneous notions of Paul and his founding a new religion, which he didn't. True, the halakhah of his Judaism switched from the Pharisaic oral law to the Ruach Hakodesh, but his religion was still one of the Judaisms of the time, not a new non-Judaism Gentile religion.

MOSHIACH'S LETTER THROUGH THE SHLIACH SHA'UL TO TIMOTIYOS (II)

This is Rav Sha'ul's last will and testament, wrtten shortly

before his martyrdom during his second imprisonment in Rome. It

is written to Timothy in Ephesus, with greetings to Aquila and

Priscilla (4:19) who are still there apparently as they have been

since Acts 18:19 many years before (the time is now around 65-68

C.E.).

Candidates for messianic ministry should be trained and tested

(see 1:13-14) and should have regular times devoted to their

strengthening and revival and personal renewal (1:6).

A messianic minister is someone who is willing to bear the

hardships of a sacrificial life style or whatever may be

necessary for the sake of the Besuras Hageulah (1:8; 4:5). Notice

why we suffer-- see 2:10,12. A messianic minister is commanded

to make sure that the work of a kiruv outreach minister gets done

(4:5), which means pioneer outreach among unreached peoples as

well as Brit Chadasha kehillah growth and new Brit Chadasha

kehillah planting.

What is our long-range goal? See 2:15.

Look at 2:19. Since we are delivered, we must act delivered.

All Scripture is inspired by G-d. Therefore, all Scripture is

inerrant. See 3:16. If you don't see that, it's because you are

in error, not G-d.

Ch. 4:1 says that, welcome or unwelcome, we insist on the truth

of G-d's Word, and we don't give up and stop communicating it

because it seems to be unpopular or unreceived.

See The Rabbi From Tarsus, which is a dramatization of this

epistle (VHS Home Video, Word, Inc, 1986). Also see the play

itself in the next section.

Read I Tim 4:13-16; II Tim. 1:6-15. Timothy is reminded that he

is a preacher, a herald (the king's messenger and representative

announcing his coming), a kiruv outreach minister who must face

hostile crowds and dangerous public preaching opportunities, and

this will require a certain amount of suffering. But he has

received a special endowment of the Ruach Hakodesh to fulfill his

ministry, and therefore he must overcome cowardice, resume

preaching, and he must rely on the power of G-d. If he does this,

he will save not only many who hear him, but also himself (I Tim.

4:16). This is not the same doctrine as is believed by many, who

view street ministry as either a neglible option or an esoteric

capacity given only to a few with the calling. For them, a school

which mobilizes people into this function and actually puts them

on the street is either unheard of or nothing to take seriously.

Someday this sin will either be repented of or answered for.

The work of a kiruv outreach minister requires suffering (II Tim.

4:5).

Shliach Sha'ul reminds Timothy in II Tim. 2:3-7 of the special

berucha G-d will bestow on the ministry of a suffering (see II

Tim. 2:9), street-jostled, hard-working, faithful outreach

minister, especially one who trains others to do what he is doing

(i.e. Titus 1:9) and to do it with powerful prophetic preaching

and sound, deep teaching (II Tim. 2:2), which should be the goal

of any Bible School.

Are you doing the work? (See II Tim. 2:6.) There are some people

only you can preach to. You can't hire it done. You can't farm

them out to others. You must get over the shame of the Besuras

Hageulah and get their blood off your hands or you will be

responsible. Look at II Tim. 2:4. The proclamation is a sacred

trust (Titus 1:3) because the Besuras Hageulah can be distorted

or garbled or lost in transmission (II Tim. 1:12)

I and II Timothy can be read as a charge or commission to a kiruv

outreach minister if you see II Tim. 4:5 as the key (see I Tim

4:10; II Tim. 1:12; 2:9,12; 3:12 on suffering as a kiruv outreach

minister plus all the verses on being ashamed of the Besuras

Hageulah or of Rav Sha'ul).

When we preach on the street, we need to keep in mind Titus

3:1-7,9; also Titus 2:5-8; also II Tim. 2:24-26; and beware of

pride--II Tim. 2:26; I Tim 2:6).

Those who preach on the street have to be rescued from the lion's

mouth (II Tim 4:17).

Street preachers need systematic and historical theology because

of Titus 1:9; II Tim. 2:2; I Tim. 5:22; 4:6,16; 6:3-4; II

Tim.2:15,23; Titus 2:1.

Although Shliach Sha'ul knows that the time of his death is

imminent ("the time of my departure has come" 4:6), he is

comforted as he thinks about the the promise of life in Moshiach

Yehoshua (1:1) and the the crown of righteousness (4:8), which

the L-rd will give to him on the Day of His Appearing. II Tim.

1:12 implies that Shliach Sha'ul has entrusted himself, his body,

soul, and spirit, to the safe-keeping of G-d for the day of the

parousia (see also I Thes. 5:23). He has entrusted his work at

Ephesus to G-d and to Timothy, whom Shliach Sha'ul has solemnly

dedicated to G-d's work by the laying on of hands in the sign and

seal of ordination or s'micha (see II Tim. 1:6). This was not

something Shliach Sha'ul had done impetuously or thoughtlessly (I

Tim. 5:22) but rather something that came after Timothy had been

trained (II Tim. 2:15) and properly tested (test them first I

Tim. 3:10) out on the mission field itself, where Timothy did his

apprenticeship (Phil. 2:20-22).

Study the Greek text of II Tim. 2:15. Diligent effort to properly

interpret the inspired Scriptures, "cutting a straight path" and

fitting inerrant texts into proper doctrine (both ideas reside in

orthotomeo) are tasks that require persistent, studious zeal

(spoudazo) and dokimos (approval after examination and testing).

Anyone who does not want to be zealous in study or to bother

getting approval after study and examination should not presume

that they have "s'micha." The maaser is for the properly

consecrated ministers of the mitzbe'ach. We have today people who

want the tithes but don't want the work of getting properly

consecrated. They are too intelligent and spiritually gifted to

study. They don't have time (their very very gifted personages do

not have time for studying Greek grammar) to prepare for an exam,

or they don't know of anyone brilliant enough to examine such a

specimen of giftedness as themselves. Shliach Sha'ul was not

willing to entrust the ministry to such prima donnas. Shliach

Sha'ul himself had studied and been trained to the teeth! He told

Timothy to look for trustworthy believers, not just believers,

who could be entrusted to take what Shliach Sha'ul give Timothy

and hand it on to others also (II Tim. 2:2). Someone who thinks

he or she is too gifted to study and get approval is not

trustworthy. (A medical worker who is too gifted in healing to

graduate from medical school is not a licensed doctor but a witch

doctor. Do we consult witch doctors? Do we pay them?).

On the other hand, anyone who thinks he is studied, approved,

matriculated, graduated, and has s'micha and thinks he is ikanos

(possessing qualifiation II Tim. 2:2) had better examine himself

to see what kind of spirit he has received and what kinds of

pursuits or distractions he may have succumbed to. Study II Tim.

2:1-7 very carefully and prayerfully (Ps. 119:18), reading this

text in a mood of supplication, asking G-d for illumination by

the Ruach Hakodesh (I Cor. 2:12-16) and cleansing (1 Yochanan

1:9). Some have all credentials but none of the Ruach Hakodesh.

Some have the credentials but are more interested in making and

spending money than in doing the work.

The work of properly interpreting the Bible entails entering into

the mind of the author, the historical context of the author's

writing, the context of the passage, and the grammar and

vocabulary of his language, an ancient foreign tongue. Proper

intrepretaion of the Scriptures takes work. To preach correct

doctrine in the right spirit takes prayer, and without

understanding the spirit of the text, one indulges in mere

wrangling about words (II Tim. 2:14). Then to proclaim the word

"in season" takes a prophetic touch. To proclaim the word

fearlessly in situations that bring suffering or danger requires

boldness and courage. To go or remain where G-d commands requires

a sacrificial lifestyle, and that means covetousness disqualifies

any aspiring minister, especially one who is a lover of self

(II Tim. 3:2). The gift of G-d that makes all this possible must

be constantly, repeatedly kindled afresh (anazopureo is a present

infinitive--II Tim. 1:6). This is all part of the messianic

ministry, which is based on anupokritou pisteos, sincere, genuine

faith, which many liberal, lazy, neo-orthodox, double-talking

pharisees do not have, for all their ministerial credentials. One

must be called with a holy calling (II Tim. 1:9). One must be a

clean vessel (II Tim. 2:21), fleeing from youthful lusts (2:22).