What does "I know whom I have believed" mean (2 Timothy 1:12)?

Two Greek words are used for 'to know' in the New Testament - ginosko and oida. The former signifies objective knowledge, what a man has learned or acquired. The English expression 'being acquainted with' perhaps conveys the meaning. Oida conveys the thought of what is inward, the inward consciousness in the mind, intuitive knowledge not immediately derived from what is external. The difference between the two words is illustrated in John 8:55, 'ye know (ginosko) him not, but I know (oida) him,' in John 13:7, 'What I do thou dost not know (oida) now, but thou shalt know (ginosko) hereafter,' and in Heb. 8:11, 'they shall not teach … saying, Know (ginosko) the Lord; because all shall know (oida) me.' The word oida is used of Christ as knowing the Father, and as knowing the hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees, of Paul's knowledge of 'a man in Christ,' and of the Christian's knowledge that he has eternal life. 'I know whom I have believed,' 2 Tim. 1:12 - I have the inward conscious knowledge of who the person is: see also 1 Cor. 16:15, 2 Tim. 3:14 and 15 - all of these refer to inward conscious knowledge. The difference between the significance of the two words is often slight and objective knowledge may pass into conscious knowledge, but not vice versa. The Greek for conscience is derived from oida: see ch. 4:4, 'I am conscious of nothing in myself,' that is, not conscious of any fault. In the present passage, 'We know that an idol is nothing' is conscious knowledge: 'we all have knowledge' and 'knowledge puffs up' is objective knowledge. 'If any one think he knows (conscious knowledge), he knows (objectively) nothing yet as he ought to know it (objectively):' 'he is known (objectively) of him,' so 'knowledge,' ver. 10.

“I know,” said Paul, “whom I have believed” (2 Tim. 1:12). Notice the order of the words—believing was the first act, and knowing was the result; and the knowledge is inward, it is the fruit of faith and of faithfulness, of walking in rich communion through storm or sunshine, winter or summer, an acquaintance as of one friend with another. Where there is faith there is the knowledge of God, and when there is subsequent faithfulness, that knowledge is intensified and made precious.

In the face of afflictions and persecutions for Christ's sake, bound in prison and anticipating martyrdom, the vibrant joy of the apostle Paul is seen beautifully in his Second Epistle to Timothy. What believer can fail to admire the calm magnificence of his witness in chapter 1:12, "Nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day." No tremor of fear or of discouragement can penetrate the armour of his confidence in the living God. It was not a matter of "what" he had believed, but "Whom." True doctrine is good, but only as it springs from Him who is true, the person who is the foundation of all truth, the living Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer and Upholder of all things.

To Him Paul had committed everything concerning his wellbeing, in every possible aspect, whether for the present time or for eternity. In J. N. Darby's translation the expression is rendered, ". the deposit I have entrusted to Him." It was as though he had deposited everything concerning himself unconditionally with God. Therefore no possible doubt could exist as to its being securely held. In fact we may say more: who can doubt that in such hands the interest from this deposit will multiply immeasurably?

In the face of afflictions and persecutions for Christ’s sake, bound in prison and anticipating martyrdom, the vibrant joy of the apostle Paul is seen beautifully in his second epistle to Timothy; and what believer can fail to admire the calm magnificence of his witness in chapter 1:12, “Nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that Day.” No tremor of fear or of discouragement can penetrate the armor of his confidence in the living God. It was not a matter of “what” he had believed, but “whom.” True doctrine is good, but only as it springs from Him who is true, the person who is the fountain of all truth, the living Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, Upholder of all things.

To Him Paul had committed everything that concerned his well-being in its every possible aspect, whether for the present time or for eternity. This committal of course involves trusting this blessed person. How can we say we trust Him for our eternal welfare, then as regards our present life fail to put this confidence in practical exercise? The expression is rendered in the J.N.Darby translation, “the deposit I have entrusted to Him.” It was as though Paul had deposited unconditionally with God everything concerning himself: therefore no possible doubt could exist as to its being securely held. In fact we may say more: who can doubt that in such hands the interest from this deposit will multiply immeasurably? It is told of John Wesley that in the midst of his diligent labors for Christ, he was falsely made the object of a cruel scandal. But he made no mention of it in preaching, as he went on his service for the Lord. He was chided for this, as to why he did not publicly refute these charges. He simply answered, “When I committed my life to the Lord, I committed my reputation to Him too.” It was not long before the scandalous charges ceased.

"The apostle does not say 'in what I have believed,' but 'whom,'an important difference, which pleases us (as to our confidence) in connection with the person of Christ Himself The apostle had spoken of the truth, but truth is allied to the person of Christ. He is the truth; and in Him truth has life, has power, is linked with the love which applies it, which maintains it in the heart and the heart by it. 'I know,' says the apostle, 'whom I have believed,' He had committed his happiness to Christ. In Him was that life in which the apostle participated; in Him, the power that sustained it, and that preserved in heaven the inheritance of glory which was his portion where this life was developed" (J.N. Darby).

This much for his immediate circumstances. But the scripture heading this paper takes in a wider range yet. It was not merely in the face of death that he could say, "I know," "I am persuaded," but in the face of rapid declension in the church, which would culminate in nothing less than the awful picture so faithfully drawn in 2 Tim. 3:1-5. And why not? Man is at the best but a broken reed, and when the last page of his sad history is read, faith turns towards another, and says, with immense delight, "He is able." Stedfast peace and perfect confidence are thus maintained, the clouds not allowed to weigh the spirit down, nor to dim the light of His blessed countenance. We are so foolish, and so forgetful of our good-for-nothingness, that we often need trials, in the shape of disappointments, to cast us more absolutely upon the Lord. Were our faith stronger, the trials would not take this shape. With Paul it never came to that He was given to witness that which was most painful, and to predict that which was most terrible; yet the peace of his spirit and the confidence of his heart remained unmoved, undisturbed. He knew "WHOM" he had believed. 'The abstract way in which he speaks of the Lord is very telling. It is the peculiar feature of John, and the way of one who is so engrossed with His person, that he cares for naught beside. "Whom" and "Him" convey the thought of profound, yet holy, intimacy.

Paul could say, "I not only know that I have eternal life in Christ, but I know Christ Himself as a living Person before me." Do you know that living Christ as a Man in heaven with all affections in His heart? I do know in whom I have believed; I know His ability to keep me. I could not keep myself for a day. Ah, but there is that Christ. Were He to leave me, I should perish, or fear to turn out a hypocrite some day. But He will keep me. He is my Trustee — a Trustee that cannot change.

The two thoughts are found distinctly here; the counsels of God as characterising the position, and then, the enduring right through to the end. Therefore there must be more and more of individual faith, "unfeigned faith." The One whom he had believed remained always as an object before Paul. And he was suffering because he was carrying this out. Nevertheless, he knew whom he had believed. 'I have laid up all my happiness in Christ and He will keep it; it is all safe, and, when the day comes, I shall get it all; though everything is going against me here, Christ has my all in His safe keeping.' We see Paul enduring to the end, and not giving up the testimony in any way. He is not speaking of what Christ has committed to him, but of what he has committed to Christ. The truth he had received of the Lord, that he did commit to faithful men. This is to individuals in contrast to what was committed at first to the church. It is not, however, a question here of ordained men, nor is it that of office. "The sound words, which thou hast heard of me" were certain grand truths, including the mystery and the rapture, which he was to maintain and keep - a sort of outline of truth.

But of the reproaches, stoning, stripes, and imprisonments he was not ashamed; he rather gloried in these afflictions, for he knew whom he had believed, and he had every confidence that he was able to keep that which He had committed to him against the day of His appearing. His Saviour was well known to him. In His death the deep fountains of eternal love for the poor, benighted, self-willed Saul of Tarsus had been discovered, and in the light of that love the ransomed soul of this devoted servant had walked since the day in which he was arrested by it on his persecuting career almost at the gate of Damascus.

But if the Apostle was in his service encompassed by suffering, he knew where to turn for comfort and strength. On man's part it was trouble and persecution, but when he looked up, all was assurance and confidence; and hence he could say, "Nevertheless I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed"; and he could leave himself and his circumstances entirely in His hands. Moreover, man was powerless as to the eternal issue before his soul. He might apparently succeed in hindering the testimony by shutting up the Apostle in prison; he might, as the tool of Satan, drive away many of his companions; he might even be permitted to make a martyr of Paul; but if so, he would have to learn that he had but been yoked to the chariot wheels of God's purposes, and that he had not been able to touch that which was most precious as to Paul, so also to Christ. Man may kill the body, but can do no more; and knowing this, the Apostle was confident that the Lord could and would keep that which he had committed unto Him against that day — the day when all things will be made manifest, when the Lord will come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that have believed. It is to that period the Apostle looks; and meanwhile he was able to trust the Lord, not only for his own salvation and eternal happiness, but also for the recompense of his service. The enemy could do nothing with such a man, because his hopes and joys were outside of the scene through which he moved.