TEACHING 2 TIMOTHY
From Text to Message
By Jonathan Griffiths
Christian Focus. 189 pages. £7.99
ISBN 978 1 781 913 895
The aim of this series from The Proclamation Trust is to give practical help in Bible teaching alongside the more detailed and technical material to be found in commentaries.
Jonathan Griffiths, a tutor on the Cornhill Training Course, has contributed a particularly helpful title. In a short and readable book, he does most of the things a good commentary would do, and more besides. As well as tackling questions such as authorship and date, there are brief notes on each verse and in addition the theme and aim of each passage is identified. There are thoughts on links to contemporary issues and, most usefully, on the message for us today. Griffiths suggests that Paul originally wrote with two readerships in mind, Timothy and the church. So for most of the sections he suggests two different applications – for the church leader and for the believer. Then there are sermon outlines and discussion questions. Anyone wanting to preach through 2 Timothy or lead a study group would find excellent help here.
