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unsuitable, bad, whereas poneros is positive and means something dangerous, injurious
or evil. Poneros ascribes quality as regards effects, kakos looks rather to quality as
regards nature. Kakos differs from adikos "as state differs from conduct" (Cremer).
Phaulos (Titus 2: 8) means "light", "worthless". The word used in II Tim. 4: 14 is
kakos, but in II Tim. 4: 18 it is poneros.
"In a moral sense--bad, evil, answering somewhat to the German unnütz, useless,
what is good for nothing. It is therefore in Greek, in the first place, the opposite of
chrestos, as applied to persons who diligently follow their calling, and thus support
themselves, e.g. of a clever housewife, good parents, good citizens" (Cremer).
Paul dreaded those things which would spoil his position as a vessel "meet for the
master's use" euchrestos (II Tim. 2: 21), or render him unprofitable for the ministry
achrestos (4: 11). He had waned against the "striving about words to no profit", in
contrast with showing oneself "approved" (2: 14, 15), and "profit" here is cherismos.
It is evident therefore that when the apostle speaks of "evil work", he has in mind own
perseverance and loyalty to the Lord and His word, unshaken by desertion, betrayal or
death. This "deliverance" is followed by another step along the road to glory:
"And will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom" (II Tim. 4: 18).
The word translated "preserve" is sozo the simple verb "to save". Salvation not only
deals with the initial act of grace whereby sinners are saved (I Tim. 1: 15), it covers the
whole redeeming process from the deliverance from bondage of sin to the final
deliverance from the bondage of corruption. Moreover, there is never absent from sozo
its primary meaning of "health" and "soundness". When Peter said to Israel "Neither is
there salvation in any other" (Acts 4: 12) he referred to the type of their salvation that
was immediately before them, using the verb sozo in the sentence "By what means he is
made whole" (Acts 4: 9).
The three opening references to sozo in the N.T. as we possess it are Matt. 1: 21,
8: 25, and 9: 21, and they give us in turn salvation "from sin", salvation "from peril"
and salvation "from bodily disease". Paul therefore, knowing the full meaning of the
verb "to save", uses it of the end of his course as he does for its beginning (I Tim. 1: 15).
A believer can be "saved, yet so as by fire" (I Cor. 3: 15), he could also obtain that
salvation which is accompanied with "eternal glory" (II Tim. 2: 10). The apostle endured
what he did so that this blessed result may be the lot of those who believed, and he
desired that he might also endure to the end so that after heralding to others, he himself
should not be disqualified (I Cor. 9: 27). Here, in II Tim. 4:, there are no doubts. The
Lord did deliver. He will "save to the uttermost", save right to the full end, as panteles
"uttermost" literally means, save so that Paul shall be able to say I have finished (teleo), I
shall be numbered among those that are "perfect" (Phil. 3: 12, teleioo).
The full sentence in which sozo appears is:
"And will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom" (II Tim. 4: 18).