Approved Workmen



"Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)



We need to analyze today’s text from the original meanings of the key Greek terms to expose the misunderstandings and otherwise intended misguidance. The first Greek term to consider is Strong's #4704, "spoudazó," meaning "to be diligent, to make every effort, to hasten, to be eager."



The KJV translates it as "study," while the NKJV uses “be diligent.” Today, there are too many unprepared Bible teachers—in addition to the false teachers who intend to lead you astray, even while using this very text! 



James warns, "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment" (James 3:1). The next term to consider is #1384, "dokimos," meaning "approved, tested, tried, genuine." It is important to note that it is God who is doing the testing!



As teachers, passing God's test requires us to spend an adequate amount of time training in the scriptures to understand His doctrines.  Paul uses the Greek term #3718, "orthotomeó," just this once, charging Timothy "to rightly divide, to cut straight." That last phrase is often twisted!



The Greek lexicon puts it this way. "The verb forms part of a triad of imperatives (be diligent, present yourself approved, rightly handle) that frame Timothy’s pastoral calling within the context of false teachers (see 2 Timothy 2:14–19)."



Today’s false teachers twist the phrase, attempting to teach that it means Paul’s writings are the only relevant books of the Bible for “modern Gentiles.”



Our Lord trained His disciples for three years before they began teaching independently, and Paul had three years of preparation after becoming a Christian before he was ready to preach and teach (Galatians 1:15-24).



Three years of intensive study in the scriptures with the Holy Spirit's guidance seems like a fair minimum for an individual to take on the responsibility of teaching from the words of God, but the education must never end. 



Teaching spiritual truths is the ultimate teaching vocation. We must search "the Scriptures daily" (Acts 17:11), as did the believers in Berea. We can’t teach the truth if we don’t understand it. Let us teach by example! Amen.