An important clarification question (having not read the book):

Does JS actually quote 2 Tim 1.7 in his argument re Timothy’s timidity?

Fair point Sandy.  Preaching under fire is not something that we have to do regularly in Australia.  (More like preaching to the diminishing…)

Another character who gets an unnecessary bad wrap and nickname in the New Testament is Thomas - Doubting Thomas.  Thomas of course, doubted that Jesus had risen until he touched Jesus’ hands, but we forget that he was perhaps Jesus’ most loyal follower.  He was in absolute mourning for the loss of his leader and friend and couldn’t believe that turnaround of events.  He was one of the only disciples willing to lay his life down for Jesus when they were to travel to Samaria… and additionally, when Thomas is ‘doubting’ and all the disciples are looking on awkwardly, we forget that the other disciples had already seen Jesus!  They had no need to doubt!

Thomas is one of my heroes throughout the gospels… one of Jesus most loyal followers! 

Maybe Tom and Tim are hanging out in heaven, commiserating about their seemingly unfair nicknames… together.

...and he was circumcised for the gospel. nothing timid about that. I would’ve reconsidered my calling.

Having said that, I do think Timothy’s inclination was timidity rather than argumentativeness:

1. The exhortation given about the “spirit of power..” etc, is at the begining of the letter and sounds like a very pointed and particular charge for Timothy’s sake. And it’s in the context of Paul remembering Timothy’s tears (v.4). 

2. The exhortation to avoid quarrels, on the other hand, is given in the context of explicit third person references to people who were quarrelling and instructions to Timothy to give them due warning.

I think the most natural read is that Timothy is prone to shrink back -as would most people (I agree with you there)- in the midst of trouble makers and so is being told to take courage and act, but don’t get sucked in.

Thanks for the feedback.

Martin asks

Does JS actually quote 2 Tim 1.7 in his argument re Timothy’s timidity?

and

I have to point out that the quote you supply from Stott doesn’t actually use the word “timid”. “Shy”, yes, but “timid”, no. Some would say (like the person I just asked working next to me) that there is a difference.

Fair question and comment, Martin!

Answer, not in the book I referenced, but certainly in Stott’s BST commentary The Message of 2 Timothy

In his introduction, Stott says

Timothy was timid by temperament. He seems to have been naturally shy. If he had lived in our generation, I think we would have described him as an ‘introvert’. He evidently shrank from difficult tasks… (pp.19-20)

Stott then cites the admonitions in 1 Cor 16:10-11 and 2 Tim 1:7, 8; 2:1, 3; 3:12; 4:5 as the evidence for this.

When commenting on 2 Tim 1:7, Stott says

We have already considered the problems of youth, ill health and temperament with which timid Timothy had to battle. He appears to have been very shy and sensitive creature, to whom responsibility was an onerous burden. (p30, my emphasis)

I think Paul’s exhortations to him might be evidence that Timothy “shrank from difficult tasks” but not in any decisive way about his personality type. I repeat it would be normal especially in light of such vigorous opposition to find these tasks difficult and to be tempted to procrastinate or soft-pedal or otherwise avoid them.

In fact, even that Paul had to give these exhortations still does not prove that Timothy’s track record was to shrink from these tasks but may spring more from Paul’s observation from the known failures of other fine leaders previously (e.g. Peter and even Barnabas) which pre-date his recruitment of Timothy.

Maybe there is a distinction to be drawn between shyness and timidity; although the fuller quotes from Stott appear to show him using them in strongly overlapping ways.

Maybe it would be better to distinguish between timidity as a temperament and timidity as a response to difficult circumstances. I am sure extroverts can be timid about the gospel in the face of opposition. I am sure normally confident people can be timid in the face of opposition.

But Stott and others seem to be making the personality conclusions rather than the situational and attitudinal conclusions, which the evidence does not allow to be drawn so confidently.

Agree with Shane and Stu that the circumcision thing is courageous commitment!

Stu, I agree that the exhortation in 2 Tim 1:6-8 is pointed. I just don’t think we can be so confident this gives us enough evidence to say that Timothy’s “besetting sin was timidity” (Guthrie) or to characterise him as “very shy” or an “introvert” or as “timid Timothy” (Stott) on the context of a personality assessment.

Also remembering Timothy’s tears do not tell us he was timid. Perhaps the two strongest men in the New Testament - Jesus and Paul - are the only other two men of NT times who are explicitly said to shed tears. They speak of strong emotions (Jesus facing the prospect of the cross; Paul warning against false teaching), but not necessarily of timidity in personality.

I think your point about the warning against quarreling is helpful in that it reminds us that 2:14ff shows that others were falling into this trap. Nevertheless, others were also falling into the ‘shame about the gospel’ trap too, as chapter one indicates, and Timothy is directly and personally warned not to be argumentative in 2 Tim 2:23-26 and to rebuke with great patience in 4:2.

It appears - by context - that argumentativeness may be part of the complex of the “evil desires of youth” and as a young man, Timothy had to avoid them.

My point is that in neither case should we read from the exhortations - both to be bold and to be gentle - decisive evidence of Timothy’s personality type or traits.