As the A.V. stands (2 Tim. 1:12), the apostle appears to be committing

something to the safe keeping of the Lord, and a popular hymn has fixed this

interpretation in the minds of thousands.  The margin of the R.V. reads `or

that which He hath committed unto me.  Gr. my deposit', and over against verse

14 the R.V. margin reads `Gr. The good deposit'.  This entrusted truth is

associated with Paul as the Prisoner of Jesus Christ with a purpose that goes

back before age times, and with himself as the accredited Preacher, Apostle and

Teacher of the Gentiles.  These features link the good deposit with the truth

revealed in Ephesians, where Paul is again spoken of as the Prisoner of Christ

Jesus, where the purpose goes back to before the foundation of the world, and

where the truth entrusted is described as `The Mystery' (Eph. 3:1 -14) for

which he also suffered.

This good deposit was `kept' or `safeguarded', phulasso, (1) by the Lord,

until that day; (2) by the Holy Ghost or pneuma hagion, spiritual power

especially given at the beginning; (3) by holding fast the form of sound words

which Timothy had heard of Paul; and finally, by committing the same to

faithful men who should be able to teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2).  That is the

only `apostolic succession' that is valid, but it is a succession that has had

little or no continuity.  For this good deposit the apostle had been saved and

commissioned.  To make all men see its beauty and its grace he spent his life,

for it he gladly suffered prison and ultimately death, and those of us who have

caught a glimpse of its glory must in our measure hold it faithfully, even

though our faithfulness be limited by our frailty.  We have already seen that a

dispensation is a stewardship, here in this good deposit we have that body of

truth that constituted the dispensation or stewardship of the apostle while

Israel remained in their blindness, while the hope of Israel was suspended, and

while the New Covenant ceased to be operative.  It is in the interest of that

good deposit that this analysis has been prepared, and to safeguard its

teaching is the chief object of its publication.  May 2 Timothy 2:2 in some

measure, however small, be among the blessed consequences of this effort.

For a full examination of this most blessed word, the doctrinal

associations of Redemption7, Forgiveness6 and Justification6 would have to be

included.  See these themes in the volumes of this Analysis which are devoted

to doctrine.  This is beyond our present limits, our concern in this section is

the Dispensational aspect of truth, and the preaching of the Gospel will be

clear and convincing or beclouded and unconvincing largely as the preacher

realizes the dispensational changes that have influenced the gospel that should

be preached.  From one point of view, of course, we can most truthfully say

`there is only one gospel', and by that we mean that all men everywhere,

whether Jew or Gentile, are sinners, that it is one God Who saves, and One

Offering that provides the basis of such salvation.  But if we intend by the

expression `there is only one gospel' to sweep aside all the dispensational

differences that are observable, we shall be hinderers and not helpers, and we

shall give forth an uncertain sound.  Let us first of all tabulate the

different `Gospels' that are spoken of in the New Testament:

The gospel of the Kingdom (Matt. 4:23).

The gospel of Jesus Christ ... the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:1,14).

The gospel preached to every creature with signs following (Mark

The gospel of God (Rom. 1:1).

The gospel of His Son (Rom. 1:9).

The gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16).