Hold Fast the Pattern

Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.       2 Timothy 1:13

When my older son was about 3 years old, our family was visiting an arts and crafts festival. We came upon an artist doing charcoal sketches. Though we really couldn’t afford it at the time we had her do a sketch of Nick. I remember clearly the process she followed. She would look at him for a long time and then almost close her eyes for a moment. It was as though she was imprinting the image in her mind. She then would turn to her paper and sketch the features.

The first sketches were very general. But following the patterns she formed in her mind, the picture began to take shape. I loved every minute of the process. It didn’t take all that long until a wonderful picture of my son emerged on the paper. She framed it and we hung the picture on the wall at home.

A few years later our second son was born. I knew that when he was about the same age I wanted to get a similar sketch done. I thought it unlikely to have the same person do it but to my surprise we visited the festival and found the same artist. I told her our story of about 4 years earlier. She was happy to hear our story and glad to do the print of our son Drew. I saw her follow the same process. She looked, closed her eyes forming the pattern, and then sketched.

I was very happy with the result. In a few months, my younger son will turn 30 but as I sit in my study and write I can see these 2 images hanging in an adjacent room. These are treasures of mine and they evoke wonderful memories of years gone by.

Hold fast the pattern. The connection between the artist’s process and the verse from 2 Timothy should be apparent. The pattern. The Greek word translated pattern in the above verse is the word hypotuposis and it perfectly describes the process described above. The meaning is a sketch or a first draft to follow. It is actually made up of two Greek words. Hupo meaning under, and typos meaning a figure, or image, formed by an impression. So the figure is formed and then from the impression the sketch is produced.

It is found only one other time in the New Testament, that being in First Timothy. Most of the Bible translations render this word as pattern, standard, or form. There is a pattern, a standard, to follow. Paul says “hold fast the pattern of sound words.” Follow the standard and hold it dear.

Sound words. This is what should be producing our pattern. Sound words.  This is our standard. The source of sound words is GOD’S word, the Bible.

Imagine if we treated GOD’S word like the artist treated the image of the boys. Imagine if we looked on the Word, closed our eyes, imprinting the word in our minds, and then let our lives follow the pattern we hold. This is exactly what Paul is encouraging Timothy to do. And us as well.

There are countless verses that teach us the same lesson. Psalms 119:11 comes to mind. “Your word have I hidden in my heart…” More than just committing the word to memory. Imprinting this on my heart.

Let us realize that just as there are sound words, there are countless sources of unsound words. Let us hold fast the pattern of sound words.