2 Timothy 2:3-4

2 Timothy 2:3-4

[3] as  a good  soldier  of Jesus  Christ.  [4] No man  that warreth  entangleth himself  with the affairs  of this life;  that  he may please  him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 

What does 2 Timothy 2:3-4 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Paul"s long ministry with Timothy had included many hardships. Now, as Timothy looked forward to training other younger men, he could expect more of the same. Paul urged him to submit to difficulties as a good soldier.
The apostle used three illustrations to help Timothy appreciate the logical consistency of this exhortation (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:7; 1 Corinthians 9:10; 1 Corinthians 9:24). The first illustration is the soldier (cf. Ephesians 6:11-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8). Paul"s emphasis in this illustration was on the importance of remaining free from entanglement with other lesser goals and activities while serving the Lord. This is something about which Paul had previously warned Timothy ( 1 Timothy 6:3-16; cf. Matthew 13:22; Luke 8:14). Obviously Paul did not mean that a minister should always give all of his time to preaching and teaching to the exclusion of any tent-making activities. He meant that he should not let other duties drain off his energies or interests or divert him from his primary responsibilities as a Christian soldier. Demas, whom Paul mentioned later, turned out to be a bad soldier in this respect (cf. 2 Timothy 4:10). As an ordinary soldier must be single-minded in his purpose, rigorous in his self-discipline, and unquestioning in his obedience, so must every soldier of Christ.
"Paul"s appeal shows the importance of developing an ability to distinguish between doing good things and doing the best things. Servants of Christ are not merely to be well-rounded dabblers in all types of trivial pursuits. They are tough-minded devotees of Christ who constantly choose the right priorities from a list of potential selections." [1]