2 Timothy 2:11

Faithful is the saying (pisto o logo). The saying which follows here though it can refer to the preceding as in 1 Timothy 4:9 . See 1 Timothy 1:15 . It is possible that from here to the end of 2 Timothy 2:13 we have the fragment of an early hymn. There are four conditions in these verses ( 2 Timothy 11-13 ), all of the first class, assumed to be true. Parallels to the ideas here expressed are found in 2 Thessalonians 1:5 ; 1 Corinthians 4:8 ; 2 Corinthians 7:3 ; Romans 6:3-8 ; Colossians 3:1-4 . Note the compounds with sun (sunapeqanomen, we died with, from sunapoqnesko as in 2 Corinthians 7:3 ; sunzhsomen, we shall live with, from sunzaw as in 2 Corinthians 7:3 ; sumbasileusomen, we shall reign with, from sumbasileuw as in 1 Corinthians 4:8 ). For upomenomen (we endure) see 1 Corinthians 13:7 and for apistoumen (we are faithless) see Romans 3:3 . The verb arneomai, to deny (arnhsomeqa, we shall deny, arnhsetai, he will deny, arnhsasqai, deny, first aorist middle infinitive) is an old word, common in the Gospels in the sayings of Jesus ( Matthew 10:33 ; Luke 12:9 ), used of Peter ( Mark 14:70 ), and is common in the Pastorals ( 1 Timothy 5:8 ; Titus 2:12 ; 2 Timothy 3:5 ). Here in verse 2 Timothy 2:13 it has the notion of proving false to oneself, a thing that Christ "cannot" (ou dunatai) do.