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Daily Devotions

2 Timothy

2 Timothy 
Day 
Day 44

"And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel..."

Text: 2 Timothy 2:24

BEING A GOOD SERVANT OF THE LORD

What does it take to be a good servant of the Lord? The apostle Paul first had to prove what it means to be a good servant of the Lord before he could write these words.

“And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel
but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient.”
2 Timothy 2:24

1. “And”

a) The conjunction in the Greek text is better understood and translated as “but”.
b) The context here offers a contrast and thus the word “but” offers a clear alternative.

 

2. “A servant of the Lord”

a) It begins with understanding what it means to serve the Lord.
b) The correct mindset is that of “a bondslave”.
c) This was the mindset of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Philippians 2:7).
d) Only when he has first seen himself as a bondslave could he begin to become a good servant.
e) The good bondservant is most conscious that he serves none other than “the Lord!”

 

3. “Must not quarrel”

a) The word “must” is an important word to bear in mind.
b) This is not an option!
c) The word “quarrel” describes a person who likes battles/ fights.
d) It describes a person who finds fault with others.

 

4. “But be gentle to all”

a) The contrast is offered in the strongest way.
b) The word “but” is translated from a very strong Greek conjunction (“alla”).
c) The servant of the Lord must ever be gentle to all and not quarrelsome.

 

5. “Able to teach”

a) The servant of the Lord must have sufficient knowledge before he can teach.
b) His desire is to teach and to impart vital truths from the Lord’s word. Teaching is a much-needed skill in the Lord’s work.

 

6. “Patient”

This word describes a person who has learned to be tolerant. He then displays this sense of tolerance by exhibiting patience.