[From ws 4/19 p.20 Study Article 14: June 3-9, 2019]
“Keep preaching the good news, fully accomplish your ministry.” – 2 Timothy 4:5
“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.” [bold ours] – 2 Timothy 4: 1-5 (New International Version)
“I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his manifestation and his Kingdom: Preach the word; be at it urgently in favorable times and difficult times; reprove, reprimand, exhort, with all patience and art of teaching. For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled. They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories. You, though, keep your senses in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.” [bold ours]- 2 Timothy 4: 1-5 (New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures)
“I charge thee in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. But be thou sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy ministry.” [bold ours]- 2 Timothy 4: 1-5 (American Standard Version)
Why have we begun this review by quoting 3 different translations of the 2 Timothy 4:1-5?
Context is often important in understanding the intention of a writer. We need to also consider the setting, the circumstances of the writer and the audience the letter is written to, in order to grasp the full intention.
Context and setting
The writer is the Apostle Paul. This was his second letter to Timothy who was now a Christian elder likely still in Ephesus.
Paul writes this letter while imprisoned in Rome. Most bible scholars agree the letter was written between 64 C.E. and 67 C.E. Not much is known about Paul’s death. The Bible is silent on how or when he died. The general consensus among Bible Scholars is that he died (beheaded) between 64 C.E. and 67 C.E. What is clear from 2 Timothy 4:6 is that Paul knew that his death was imminent.
He then asks Timothy to “preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” and “keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
From the quoted text it becomes evident that Paul was not specifically referring to public preaching, though of course, that is part of Christian preaching. He wanted Timothy to protect the congregation from the corruptive influence which would soon infiltrate if following his death. In fully accomplishing his ministry or discharging all his duties, he would need to be correcting, rebuking and encouraging those in the congregation.
Something though is disturbing about the cited theme scripture in this article:
“Keep preaching the good news, fully accomplish your ministry” – 2 Timothy 4:5
Most Witnesses will glance over this and not notice that the first part has been changed to fit a certain narrative.
Where in 2 Timothy 4:5 does it say, “Keep preaching the good news”?
It does not.
Keep this in mind as we go through the article and then conclude on whether the article truly reflects the purpose and context of Paul’s second letter to Timothy.
Paragraph 1 already gives us an idea of the purpose of this article. Note the following:
“After all, this work is more important, more worthwhile, and more urgent than any other occupation in life. However, it can be a challenge to spend as much time in the ministry as we would like”.
We now can see that the article will focus on positioning the ministry as our main occupation. However, it is the ministry as defined by the Organization. The time spent in the ministry will also be considered.
It is worth noting that while Paul placed the ministry first in his life, he was a tent maker. He never referred to the ministry as his occupation and never required ongoing financial support.
“And when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so.” – 2 Corinthians 11:9.
Paragraph 3 ends with the following question: “What does it mean to accomplish our ministry fully?”
The following paragraph (4) gives the Organization’s answer: “Simply put, to accomplish our ministry fully, we must have as full a share as possible in the preaching and teaching work”.
The explanation does not cover all the aspects of Paul’s words we have discussed. The explanation given is yet again only focused on encouraging the JW preaching work.
Footnote to paragraph 4: “EXPRESSION EXPLAINED: Our Christian ministry includes various aspects of preaching and teaching, construction and maintenance of theocratic facilities, and disaster relief work. 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19; 8:4.”
Notice the inclusion of construction and maintenance of theocratic facilities. Is this really what Paul had in mind when you consider the context of 2 Timothy 4:5?
How to Make the Ministry Your Priority (pars.10, 11)
Goals to Help Me Fully Accomplish My Ministry
What are the goals suggested to help publishers fully accomplish their ministry?
- Practice a sample conversation from the current Our Christian Life and Ministry—Meeting Workbook
- Improve my ability to start conversations and witness informally
- Improve my skill in reading and explaining scriptures, making return visits, or demonstrating a Bible study
- Look for opportunities to introduce jw.org and to show videos
- Increase my preaching activity during the circuit overseer’s visit or during the Memorial season
- Make my ministry, return visits, and Bible studies a matter of prayer
You will notice the majority of the suggestions are using or drawing attention to the Organization and its teachings rather than the Bible. However, not one of them encourages the reader to study the Bible more often and more thoroughly, nor to practise fruits of the spirit, both of which would help one to better accomplish our ministry.
Moreover, no attention is paid to Paul's exhortation to Timothy to “correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction”. (2 Timothy 4:5)
The focus of the letter to Timothy is not just about preaching to those who we meet in the ministry. It is also, if not more so, about those within the congregation.
While the suggested goals are a good start, far more is needed.
How to Keep Your Life Simple
Paragraph 14 gives an unattributed experience:
“We reduced our expenses, cut back on what we now view as excessive recreational activities, and asked our employers for a more flexible schedule. As a result, we were able to participate in evening witnessing, conduct more Bible studies, and even share in the midweek field service twice a month. What a joy!”.
There are many other ways to increase our share in the ministry. We need not focus on only formal field service meetings but need to look for other ways to reach the hearts of those inside and outside the congregation.
The experience is a subtle encouragement of the suggested avenues of service in paragraph 8: “Some in the congregation are able to serve as special, regular, or auxiliary pioneers. Others have learned to speak another language or have moved to an area where there is a need for more preachers”.
The Organization would like Witnesses to believe that reducing their secular work and exchanging it for JW.org activities means fully accomplishing their ministry. This is not the case.
How to Improve Your Preaching and Teaching Skills
“How, though, can we continue to make progress in our ministry? By paying close attention to the instruction we receive at the Weekly Life and Ministry Meeting”. (par. 16)
What exactly are we taught in the weekly meeting? There are some useful tips after the sample presentations and student talks about how we can deliver better sermons, arouse the interest of those we meet at the door and how to conduct bible studies; however much of what is taught at the meeting is JW doctrine. Also, we should not assume that applying the suggestions in that meeting is enough to help us fully accomplish our ministry.
In conclusion, this article does have a few good suggestions regarding the preaching aspect of Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4.
To fully accomplish our ministry though, we would need to also improve our ability to “correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction”. While that is the essence of Paul's message to Timothy, it does not conform to the agenda of the Organization, and so it is totally ignored. It seems that Watchtower writers do not worry that Jehovah's Witnesses will read and consider the context critically.
Archived Comments
We have moved to the Disqus commenting system. To post a new comment, go to the bottom of this page.
Comment by Leonardo Josephus on 2019-06-03 12:17:49
Thank you Noblelman, especially for highlighting the distorted application of 2 Tim 4.The correct translation should be "Do the work of an evangeliser, fully accomplish your ministry". But the context is from verse 2, as you have observed, namely inside the congregation.
In the UK, as in the rest of Europe, JWS have been asked to follow Data Protection rules, and not write down names, the house number called or any details about the householder or the conversation. Neither can they write down the numbers of houses where the occupant was not at home.
It's rely on Jehovah and trust your memory, or rely on your memory and trust Jehovah, who will bring at all back to your mind.
At the CLAM meeting, there is basically one presentation for the month and a first and second return visit outline.
Exactly how anyone remembers what they did last time and what is to follow will be interesting to see.
Comment by Leonardo Josephus on 2019-06-03 12:19:00
Sorry to Mis-spell Nobelman. Edit facility not available.
Comment by messenger on 2019-06-04 03:07:40
WT doesn't teach rank and file members to correct other Christians, because it only wants correction coming from the top down,e.g, Bethel to circuit overseers, circuit overseers to elders, elders to publishers. If WT stressed the points you do Nobleman more Witnesses who are lower in that hierarchy might take it upon themselves to offer correction. That is not something Bethel, circuit overseers, and elders want.
Comment by CW117 on 2019-06-04 16:27:15
I had to really research this and viewed the Watchtower study edition for June ,it is interesting that the scriptures is changed at the top of this study,but not in the Bible’s I have including the NWT ,the study refers to a foot note that shows the good news part or the WT interpretation of this scripture,really have to scrutinize every word in these studies which become overwhelming,but maybe that is the point by the organization
Comment by James on 2019-06-05 01:34:57
Thanks for the review.
With respect to 2 Tim 4:5 " keep preaching the good news, fully accomplish your ministry ", its the footnote rendering of the study Bible that's being referenced. So Jws will not see any problem with that.
While the main text says " do the work of an evangelized".
Comment by Bernardbooks on 2019-06-05 12:23:41
Romans 12:4-7
For just as we have in one body many members, but the members do not all have the same function, so we, although many, are one body in union with Christ, but individually we are members belonging to one another. Since, then, we have gifts that differ according to the undeserved kindness given to us, if it is of prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;
or if it is a ministry, let us be at this ministry;
2 Timothy 4:4, 5
They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories.
You, though, keep your senses in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelizer,
fully accomplish your ministry.
It is sad that so many in the org would automatically think of their preaching work when hearing the word “ministry” because that is how it is most often used in the publications, at meetings and in private conversations.
It seems quite possible to me that Paul was telling Timothy something very similar to what he said to certain ones in Rome.
If you have the gift and function of a ministry in the body of Christ, be at it or fully accomplish it.
Rather than being like a living human body with many different parts with different functions, the organization is more like a machine with all members required to be like arms linked in a synchronized motion.Reply by John Well on 2019-06-11 19:40:19
From ca 90 times the word "ministry" appears in the christian greek scriptures, only up to 17 use it in the sense of preaching. So I d say there is more to it than what we could see in this article. Im happy many JWs are able to point that out in their comments.
Comment by messenger on 2019-06-06 02:48:24
I don’t think the Zalkin Law Firm in San Diego, CA will mind me posting this article that I got off the blog page on their website. Make sure to google their San Diego office to read that blog page.
IF YOU PLAN ON SUING BETHEL NEW YORK FOR THIS YOU’D BETTER CONSULT A LAWYER RIGHT AWAY AND GET AN EXPLANATION OF THAT “ONE YEAR LOOK BACK” THAT IS REFERRED TO IN THIS ARTICLE. IF YOU WAIT TOO LONG YOU MIGHT BE OUT OF LUCK DUE TO A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS RUNNING OUT.
ZALKIN LAW IN SAN DIEGO HANDLES A LOT OF THESE CASES.
The New York Child Victim’s Act: It’s About Time
Wednesday, 30 January 2019
Blog
By Irwin M. Zalkin, Esq.
For over a decade, child sexual abuse survivors, survivor advocates and supporters like our law firm, have been battling against powerful institutions like the Catholic Church and elements within the Hassidic Jewish Community and others to amend New York’s archaic child abuse statute of limitations. That persistence of survivors and their advocates has finally defeated the Goliath detractors who have helped to block state legislation year after year that would allow older victims of child sexual abuse access to civil justice. On January 28th, 2019, the New York State legislature almost unanimously approved A 2683, The Child Victims Act, and sent it on to Governor Cuomo for signature.
Under the new law, victims of childhood sexual abuse can now file civil lawsuits until the age 55. There is also a one-year “look-back window” in the new law that gives victims with old claims that had already passed the statute of limitations, the right to sue during that one year period. In addition, the new law now allows prosecutors to bring criminal charges until a victim turns 28.
This access to civil justice is long overdue in New York. As early as May 2009, I wrote an article for Huffington Post titled “States Need to Stop Telling Child Victims They’re SOL”about the brave efforts of New York Assemblywoman Margaret Markey’s efforts to pass the “Child Victims Act” at that time. This was at a time when our law firm was one of the lead firms involved in resolving nearly 1,000 cases against the California Catholic Dioceses for over one billion dollars, as the result of legislation that was passed in California in 2003, a law similar to this new, New York law, that allowed for a one-year window for older victims to be able to file civil lawsuits for monetary damages as a result of the abuse they suffered as children.
The Zalkin Law Firm has been representing child sexual abuse victims in New York for almost a decade, despite the obstacles to civil justice presented by the just changed New York statute of limitations. Finally, ten years after we began representing victims in the state, there is now a pathway to justice for our clients who were victims of childhood sexual abuse in New York, a pathway that has long been open to our clients in California and other states.
The one year “look back window” in the new Child Victims Act means that victims who seek justice and compensation through the courts need to act quickly to secure experienced legal representation. Our firm has been contacted by many victims and we are already moving ahead with their cases. We encourage anyone who was a victim of abuse to contact us as soon as possible so that we can evaluate your case and get started on this pathway to justice
The scourge of child sexual abuse is not limited to the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, we have been called upon to help victims within the Jewish, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Orthodox Greek Church communities. The sexual abuse of children knows few boundaries and is a national problem within our schools, youth sports organizations, Boy Scouts, Big Brothers and Sisters and other youth serving organizations.
As we have learned from our past experiences in California and other states, when restrictive statutes of limitations are removed or amended, and the financial burden shifts to where it belongs, on the backs of the institutions responsible for harboring and protecting pedophiles, change happens. The New York Child Victim’s Act will undoubtedly help protect today’s children from institutional predators, and offer justice and hope to those who have been denied for so long.Reply by lost in space on 2019-06-06 18:40:36
messenger -thankyou for getting this very important message out there. Hopefully this may help someone to be emboldened to act.
Child predators -and those who support them, or turn a "blind eye", need to be exposed and jailed.
Thank you for this write up.Reply by messenger on 2019-06-07 23:35:35
You are welcome lost in space.
Comment by cx_516 on 2019-06-08 21:21:01
Thank you Nobleman.
What did everyone think of pars 5-6. The ‘not so’ subtle irony of comparing the ministry to a youth who loves to practice and play guitar. The take away message being, ‘Of course a JW would never spend that much time on guitar because he should love the ministry instead!’ Everyone remember “Sergei’s Story” a few years ago?! Ditch nurturing talent for the organization.
So many in my congregation privately expressed distaste for that “story”.Reply by John Well on 2019-06-11 19:31:03
That example was actually one of the brighest points of the article for me, although unintentionally Im afraid :)
When you love something as he did practicing guitar, you dont need constant reminders to do it more and more, you do it freely because you love doing it, its your hobby. It comes within you completely! Its the exact opposite you need to be reminded of. A need to not forget to eat (spiritual paralel), sleep properly, help your parents etc..
But the whole article focused on the action the organization can see, while the invisible stuff received little or no space at all. The ministry certainly means more than putting hours on a paper. From my experience, when someone urges me to do something this often, I get discouraged, because it doesnt feel like a decision of mine anymore. Let each of us serve God with the measure of faith we have. Thank you!
Comment by Mara Fayde on 2019-06-10 18:39:53
Paragraph 8: “Some in the congregation are able to serve as special, regular, or auxiliary pioneers. Others have learned to speak another language or have moved to an area where there is a need for more preachers”.
Once again Watch Tower emphasizes the importance of attaining a title to prove love for God and love of ministering. Those who bear these titles will swell their chest with pride, those who do not will be made keenly aware that they just. aren’t. doing. enough!
Of course, the ministry that the Organization has institutionalized is designed to keep everyone busy, busy, busy. No time or energy to think or question. The work is exhausting, I see it on everyone’s faces. Especially the elderly ones who whip themselves into going out, so they can feel like they are winning some sort of approval, and not have to feel like worthless trash when they read articles like these.
Comment by John Well on 2019-06-11 19:52:35
The branch in my country took a rather radical stand on what the part from 2. Timothy means, translating the headline literally "Are you doing everything you can in service/ministry?" and pursuing this view in 1. paragraph, like nowhere as in the english rendition. But I guess they knew what the message should be better than me and they certainly didnt go around :D