Fulfill your ministry
In 2 Timothy 4:5 Paul gives Timothy several instructions, ending with “fulfill your ministry” (NET and NASB). It can also be rendered “fully carry out the ministry God has given you” (NLT) or “discharge all the duties of your ministry” (NIV). The common word between all of these is “ministry”, which is what I wanted to take a deeper dive on. What, exactly, is Paul asking Timothy to do?
Let’s look at other instances of the word ministry (greek διακονια) in the New Testament and see what we can learn. The word translated from ‘ministry’ is in bold.*
Verses that give us some general concepts of “ministry.”
Luke 10:40 But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.”
Acts 1:17 for he was counted as one of us and received a share in this ministry.”
Acts 1:25 to assume the task of this service and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”
Acts 6:1 Now in those days, when the disciples were growing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
Acts 6:4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Romans 12:7 If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach;
1 Corinthians 12:5 And there are different ministries, but the same Lord.
1 Corinthians 16:15 Now, brothers and sisters, you know about the household of Stephanus, that as the first converts of Achaia, they devoted themselves to ministry for the saints. I urge you
Revelation 2:19 ‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, service, and steadfast endurance. In fact, your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones.
We can see from the above verses the word ministry is used to talk about physical acts of preparation or serving food, but also about spiritual acts of sharing the word or of Jesus’ work in general.
There is a ministry/service/work that needs to be done to feed the widows AND to share the word of God. Both are important, but the apostles wanted to prioritize their work for the word and delegate the caring for widows.
1 Corinthians 12:5 reminds us there will be many different ministries that the Lord calls his many servants to do. Are we being faithful to complete what he calls us to?
For Everyone
There are two “ministries” that are applicable to every single believer:
2 Corinthians 5:18 “And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Every believer has been given a specific ministry of reconciliation: Helping those far from God find the way to become close to him, Jesus Christ.Ephesians 4:12 “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ,”
Every believer is tasked with the ministry of building up the body of Christ. And every leader is tasked with equipping the believers for that ministry.
Paul’s Ministry
Paul talks several times about his specific ministry.
Acts 20:24 But I do not consider my life worth anything to myself, so that I may finish my task and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace.
Acts 21:19 When Paul had greeted them, he began to explain in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.
Romans 11:13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, just as God has shown us mercy, we do not become discouraged.
2 Corinthians 6:3 We do not give anyone an occasion for taking an offense in anything, so that no fault may be found with our ministry.
2 Corinthians 11:8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so that I could serve you!
1 Timothy 1:12 I am grateful to the one who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful in putting me into ministry,
2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you because he is a great help to me in ministry.
In more than one place in Scripture, we hear that God called him to reach the Gentiles (Acts 9:15 for example). I think most of the references above are in some way related to that specific ministry calling to bring the good news to Gentiles.
Exhortations to Timothy and Archippus
Colossians 4:17 And tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the ministry you received in the Lord.”
2 Timothy 4:5 You, however, be self-controlled in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist’s work, fulfill your ministry.
These two exhortations are very similar. The problem is… we don’t have a clear view of what Paul is talking about. Yes, both men should be involved in the ministries that apply to all believers. Yes, both men participated in Paul’s ministry to reach the Gentiles. But these verses seem to indicate a more specific ‘ministry’ that they had a task to complete.
While we don’t know the specifics of their ministry task/calling, we see one similarity in the charges to the two men: Don’t get distracted. It is such an easy thing to forget our primary calling from the Lord, and Paul tells both Timothy and Archippus to keep focused.
Where do you need to re-focus and re-commit to the calling God has given you?
Endnotes
*I find netbible.org one of the best and easiest places to do a word search on Biblical terms. Hence, all of these Scripture quotations are from the New English Translation.
Bonus uses of ministry that fell outside of this article :)
2 Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministry that produced death—carved in letters on stone tablets—came with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective),
2 Corinthians 3:8 how much more glorious will the ministry of the Spirit be?
2 Corinthians 3:9 For if there was glory in the ministry that produced condemnation, how much more does the ministry that produces righteousness excel in glory!
Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?
Financial Gifts
There are a handful of times that the term ‘ministry’ seems to refer to financial gifts. In these cases covering at least two separate instances, Scripture is talking about Paul and others bringing a financial gift to the Jerusalem church. This is a very narrow use of the word, but it applies it to the task that Paul needs to complete.
Acts 11:29 So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability, decided to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.
Acts 12:25 So Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem when they had completed their mission, bringing along with them John Mark.
Romans 15:31 Pray that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea and that my ministry in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,
2 Corinthians 8:4 begging us with great earnestness for the blessing and fellowship of helping the saints.
2 Corinthians 9:1 For it is not necessary for me to write you about this service to the saints
2 Corinthians 9:12 because the service of this ministry is not only providing for the needs of the saints but is also overflowing with many thanks to God.
2 Corinthians 9:13 Through the evidence of this service they will glorify God because of your obedience to your confession in the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your sharing with them and with everyone.
