Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Timothy 2:12
If we suffer, we shall also reign with [him]: if we deny [him,] he also will deny us:
12. if we suffer ] Rather endure with brave and manly submission; 2Ti 2:10. The submission is followed by sovereignty, as death by life. Cf. Mat 19:28 ‘ye which have followed me shall sit on twelve thrones.’
if we deny him] The ms. authority requires the future if we shall deny him, cf. Mat 10:32-33. The future there and here indicates ‘ethical possibility,’ i.e. what can and may take place, viewed speculatively. Is it not possible that this very phrase of the ‘Oral Gospel’ embodied in Mat 10:33 may have already found a place in this earliest of hymns?
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him – The meaning is, that the members will be treated as the Head is. We become united with him by faith, and, if we share his treatment on earth, we shall share his triumphs in heaven; see the notes at Rom 8:17.
If we deny him, he also will deny us; – see the notes at Mat 10:32-33.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 12. If we suffer – with him] These are other parts of the true doctrine, which the apostle mentions above.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; that is, if we suffer for his names sake, for a constant owning and adherence to his doctrine of faith, or discharge of any trust he hath reposed in us, we shall reign with him in glory.
If we deny him, he also will deny us; but if we, upon prospect of danger, deny his truth, or desert the profession of him, he in the day of judgment will not own us before his Father and the holy angels, Mat 10:33; Mar 8:38; Rom 8:17.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. sufferrather, as theGreek is the same as in 2Ti2:10, “If we endure (with Him)” (Ro8:17).
reign with himThepeculiar privilege of the elect Church now suffering with Christ,then to reign with Him (see on 1Co 6:2).Reigning is something more than mere salvation (Rom 5:17;Rev 3:21; Rev 5:10;Rev 20:4; Rev 20:5).
denywith the mouth.As “believe” with the heart follows, 2Ti2:12. Compare the opposite, “confess with thy mouth”and “believe in thine heart” (Rom 10:9;Rom 10:10).
he also will deny us(Mt 10:33).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
If we suffer,…. With him, with Christ, as in Ro 8:17 all the elect suffered with Christ when he suffered; they suffered in him the whole penalty of the law, all the righteousness, strictness, and severity of it; and they are partakers of the benefits of his sufferings, as peace, pardon, righteousness, redemption, and everlasting salvation. And such being called by grace, and having made a profession of Christ, they suffer shame and reproach, loss of credit and reputation, and sometimes loss of goods, and corporeal punishment, and even death itself: but though they do, and if they should, they may be satisfied of the truth of this,
we shall also reign with him; they reign with him now in the kingdom of grace; grace reigns in their hearts, where Christ, the King of glory, has entered, and has set up his throne, and where he dwells by faith, they being made kings and priests unto God by him; and they shall reign with him in his kingdom here on earth, for the space of a thousand years; and they shall reign with him in glory to all eternity: this is certain, for this kingdom is prepared for them, it is given to them, they are called unto it, and have both a right unto, and meetness for it; see Ro 8:17,
if we deny him, he also will deny us: there is a denying of Christ in words; so it is denied by the Jews that Christ is come in the flesh, and that Jesus is the Messiah; and some that have bore the Christian name, though very unworthily, have denied his true deity, his real humanity, proper sonship, and the efficacy of his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, for pardon, justification, and atonement: and there is a denying of him in works; so some that profess to know him, and do own him in his person and offices, yet in works deny him; their conversation is not becoming their profession of him; they have the form of godliness, but deny the power of it: there is a secret and silent denying of him, when men are ashamed of him, and do not confess him; and there is an open denying of him, by such who set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh throughout the earth; there is a partial denying of Christ, which was Peter’s case, though his faith in him, and love to him, were not lost; and there is a total denying of him, a thorough apostasy, and from which there is no recovery; and if there be any such apostates among those who have named the name of Christ, he will deny them, he will not own them for his another day; he will set them at his left hand; he will declare he knows them not, and will banish them from his presence for evermore. This is another branch of the faithful saying; this will certainly be the case; Christ himself has said it, Mt 10:33.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
If we suffer we shall also reign with him [ , ] . For suffer, rend. endure. Sunbasileuein to reign with, only here and 1Co 4:8. Comp. Luk 19:17, 19; Luk 22:29, 30; Rom 5:17; Rev 4:4; Rev 5:10; Rev 22:5.
If we deny him he also will deny us [ . ] . The verb P o. Him must be supplied. The meaning of the last clause is, will not acknowledge us as his own. Comp. Luk 9:26; Mt 10:33.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” (ei hupomenomen) “If we endure or persevere (in service);” (kai subasileusomen) “We shall also reign with him.” To reign with Christ, not be reigned over by Him, it appears that one must be a member of His church who has suffered for and served Him here, Rom 8:17-18; Luk 22:28-30; Rev 20:4.
2) “If we deny him, he also will deny us” (ei arnesometha kakeinos arnesetai hemas) “If we shall deny (perseverance), faint, or fall out, that one will also deny us,” a reign with Him; Mar 8:38; Mat 24:44-51; Mat 25:14-30. To deny the Lord due services here His children shall at the hour of judgment for rewards “be saved as if by fire,” 1Co 3:13-15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
12 If we deny him, he will also deny us A threatening is likewise added, for the purpose of shaking off sloth; for he threatens that they who, through the dread of persecution, leave off the confession of his name, have no part or lot with Christ. How unreasonable is it, that we should esteem more highly the transitory life of this world than the holy and sacred name of the Son of God! And why should he reckon among his people those who treacherously reject him? Here the excuse of weakness is of no value; (169) for, if men did not willingly deceive themselves with vain flatteries, they would constantly resist, being endued with the spirit of strength and courage. Their base denial of Christ proceeds not only from weakness, but from unbelief; because it is in consequence of being blinded by the allurement of the world, that they do not at all perceive the life which is in the kingdom of God. But this doctrine has more need of being meditated on than of being explained; for the words of Christ are perfectly clear,
“
Whoever shall deny me, him will I also deny” (Mat 10:33.)
It remains that every one consider with himself, that this is no childish terror, but the judge seriously pronounces what will be found, at the appointed time, to be true.
(169) “ On ne gaigne rien yci de se defendre et excuser, en alleguant son infirmite.” — “Here nothing is gained by defending and excusing ourselves on the ground of our weakness.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(12) If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.And the faithful saying went on with this stirring declaration. How, it seems to ask, can a believer in Christ shrink from suffering, when he knows what to him will be the glorious consequences of this present suffering? The word rendered suffer would be better translated, if we endurethat is, if we bravely bear up against sufferings for His sake, and all the while work on with hand and brain for Him and for our brother as best we can. If we do this in this life, we shall, in the life to come, reign with Himmore than merely live with Him, as the last verse told us: we shall even be kings with Him. (See Rom. 5:17; Rom. 8:17; and Rev. 1:6, where Jesus Christ is especially spoken of as having made us kings.) The promise thus woven into the faithful saying, and repeated in these several passages, of the reign of the saints in Christ, gives us a strangely glorious hopea marvellous on-look, concerning the active and personal work which Christs redeemed will be intrusted with in the ages of eternity.
If we deny him, he also will deny us.But there is another side to the words of the Blessed. While to the faithful and the believer He will grant to sit down with Him on His throne, the faithless and unbeliever will have no share in the glories of the life to come. These grave warnings are apparently addressed rather to unfaithful members of the outward and visible Church, than to the Pagan world who have never known Christ. The words, He also will deny us, imply something of a recognition on the part of us who are denied by Himsomething of an expectation on our part that He would recognise us as friends. They are evidently an echo of the Lords own sad reply to those many who will say to Him in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? . . . and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. (Mat. 7:22-23. See too Mat. 10:33 and Mar. 8:33.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him : if we deny him , he also will deny us:
Ver. 12. If we suffer ] No wearing the crown but by bearing the cross first. Ne Iesum quidem audias gloriosum, nisi videris prius crucifixum, saith Luther (Epist. ad Melancthon). Christ himself was not glorified till first crucified. Queen Elizabeth is said to have swam to her crown through a sea of sorrow; so must we.
If we deny him ] See Trapp on “ Mat 10:33 “ God usually retaliates, pays men home in their own coin, proportions jealousy to jealousy, provocation to provocation, Deu 22:21 ; Isa 66:3-4 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ti 2:12 . : See Mat 25:34 ; Luk 22:28-29 ; Act 14:22 ; Rom 8:17 ; 2Th 1:5 ; Rev 1:6 ; Rev 20:4 .
, . . .: An echo of our Lord’s teaching, Mat 10:33 . See also 2Pe 2:1 ; Jud 1:4 . “The future conveys the ethical possibility of the action” (Ell.)
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
suffer. Same as “endure”, 2Ti 2:10.
also reign, to. = reign together also, to. Greek. sumbasileuo . Only here and 1Co 4:8.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Ti 2:12. , we endure) The present and something more significant, and reaching further than to die; therefore also there is a further rewrard than life, viz. the kingdom.- , if we deny) with the mouth. If we do not believe, viz. with the heart, follows in the next verse. The denial is put first, for it extinguishes the faith which had previously existed.-, He also) Christ.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Ti 2:12
if we endure,-It is frequently impressed in the Scriptures that if one would reign with him there, he must suffer with him here. To suffer with him is to suffer for the truth, for the redemption of man as he suffered. To refuse to suffer with and for him is to deny him. When we deny him before men, he will deny us before his Father and the holy angels.
we shall also reign with him:-The union with him in suffering, by enduring hardship and death for him, insures ultimate exultation with him. How must this glorious truth, believingly apprehended, have thrilled the souls of martyrs of Christ in the days of persecution! But it does not come to them only. Every Christian is under obligation to die with Christ through the mortification of his own pleasures and desires, and to put to death his former sins through the martyrdom of the flesh.
if we shall deny him, he also will deny us:-[Perhaps this is an illusion to the Lords own words: But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven (Mat 10:33), to which also is added: But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. (2Pe 2:1). Also: For there are certain men crept in privily, even they who were of old written of beforehand unto this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jud 1:4.)]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
we suffer: Mat 19:28, Mat 19:29, Act 14:22, Rom 8:17, Phi 1:28, 2Th 1:4-8, 1Pe 4:13-16, Rev 1:6, Rev 1:9, Rev 5:10, Rev 20:4, Rev 20:6
if we deny: Pro 30:9, Mat 10:33, Mat 26:35, Mat 26:75, Mar 8:38, Mar 10:33, Luk 9:26, Luk 12:9, 1Jo 2:22, 1Jo 2:23, Jud 1:4, Rev 2:13, Rev 3:8
Reciprocal: Jos 24:27 – deny 2Sa 11:11 – my lord Psa 16:6 – I have Dan 7:18 – the saints Mat 5:10 – are Mat 20:23 – Ye Mat 24:47 – That Mat 25:21 – enter Mat 25:34 – inherit Mar 9:31 – The Son Mar 14:68 – he denied Luk 6:23 – your Luk 12:8 – Whosoever Luk 22:29 – General Joh 14:3 – I will Act 20:23 – the Holy Ghost Rom 5:17 – shall reign Rom 6:8 – Now 1Co 4:8 – ye did 2Co 1:7 – as ye 2Co 13:4 – in him Phi 3:10 – and the fellowship 2Th 1:5 – for 2Th 1:7 – who 2Th 2:14 – to 2Ti 1:8 – be thou 2Pe 2:1 – denying Rev 3:21 – to sit Rev 22:5 – and they
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ti 2:12. Reign with is from SUMBASILEUO, which Thayer defines, “to reign together.” Since Christ is the sole king in the realm of religious government (Mat 28:18; Ephe-sians 1:22, 23), we know this reigning is not in the sense of sharing in His authoritative rule. Thayer explains his definition as follows: “Figuratively to possess supreme honor, liberty, blessedness, with one in the kingdom of God.” But Christians are expected to “take the bitter with the sweet.” Christ had to suffer to establish his kingdom, hence the citizens must be willing to share in the persecutions heaped upon the kingdom by the enemy. To refuse to endure sufferings for the sake Of Christ, is equivalent to denying or disowning Him. Those who do such an unworthy thing will be disOwned by the Lord; not only in this world but in that to come (Mar 8:38).
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Ti 2:12. Shall also reign with him. The thought, though not the words, enters into our Lords teaching: Ye shall sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Mat 19:28).
He also will deny us. The words clearly point to our Lords teaching in Mat 10:33, and, like other passages in these Epistles, indicate that there was a widely-diffused knowledge of it.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Vs. 12 ‘If we suffer, we will also reign with [him]: if we deny [him], he also will deny us:
If we suffer we will reign – not that the reigning is because we suffer – it is that if we suffer for Him it is because we are believers. We are told that we will suffer if we are His. This is a declaration of the right that will be every believers – reigning with Him.
The term suffer actually can be translated endure, which rather implies suffering.
In a way, is not living on in this life suffering, when we know what the next life is going to be like? That is just a thought to contemplate when you have some time. Place yourself in the day of the apostles and the lifestyle they led – not our comfy lifestyle with all our affluence and toys.
If we deny him – he will deny us.
Now, I know this is not the thought of this passage, but I would like to think about this for a moment it is definitely a Scriptural concept, Luk 12:9 mentions But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. If man denies Christ then Christ will deny him this is what the Gospel is all about we have one chance and that be Christ. If we reject Him then there is no help or hope for our lost condition hell is the only result.
That is a scary principle to contemplate! To be denied by Christ – that is automatic hell – He is our only opportunity for avoiding eternal torment.
I have contemplated often the heavenly scene where ALL will bow before Christ and recognize Him as Lord. What a terrible position – to know that He is Lord and know that it is too late to receive Him and His work on the cross – talk about sinking feelings.
When I saw Michelangelos concept of this scene when the boatman is forcing the people off the boat onto the shore of Hell I couldnt help but think of what will go through peoples minds as they are taken off to their final place of abode.
If you can find an art book, take a look at this scene that is depicted in the Sistine Chapel called the last judgment.