The Word of God here evidently means His Gospel; for the word Gospel occurs in the preceding verse as the subject about which the Apostle is speaking. And the intention of the Apostle in saying this here is to prevent Timothy from being discouraged by the fact that he, Paul, who had been so actively engaged in promoting the Gospel, who was so closely and entirely identified with it, that he, more than any other, represented it to the world, was now in prison on account of it. There were two ways in which this might discourage Timothy. (1) It was the loss to himself of his most powerful coadjutor in the work to which he had given himself, Paul being emphatically the champion of the Gospel, who had done more for its promotion than any other man. (2) There was the encouraging effect which this state of things was likely to have on opponents. In these circumstances Paul calls the attention of Timothy to the fact that the position and prospects of the truth itself were not to be judged by the position and prospects of its promoters.
I. The Gospel is not bound as regards any human necessity. It is prepared for every requirement of human wellbeing properly understood. In promoting the happiness of man it begins so very far down, and has so true an idea of what that happiness consists in, and such resources for removing all poisonous roots all hindrances whatever, whether relative or moral that it never comes to a standstill from want of power or want of adaptation, or from not possessing the particular thing which is required.
II. The Gospel is not "bound" by the purpose of God. The opposite of this is quite conceivable; for as everything turns on the will of God, it might so happen that God did not intend it to be offered to every one, so that all its adaptation and sufficiency of merit and grace would go for nothing in so far as some were concerned. In that sense, and to that extent, it would be bound. It would not be a universal remedy for the universal disease. But this is very far from being the case. (1) It is not bound geographically. (2) It is not bound morally. The purpose of God does not say that there are certain classes of sinners so wicked that they do not deserve it, or certain other classes of sinners so comparatively good that they do not require it. It tells us that no one deserves it, and that every one requires it.
III. It is not bound by the Providence of God. The prisons of the saints have often been the scenes of the noblest deeds for Christ; and out of their darkness have come the most striking appeals which have ever thrilled the heart of humanity; not only investing with a new halo the truth which inspired God's servants, but showing that however they might be bound His Word was not bound, but rather from these very circumstances the more surely His, and the more certainly on its way to victory.
A. L. Simpson, Sermons,p. 94.
References: 2 Timothy 2:9. Clergyman's Magazine,vol. i., p. 216. 2 Timothy 2:10. G. B. Johnson, Christian World Pulpit,vol. ix., p. 286; F. Ferguson, Ibid.,vol. xvi., p. 168. 2 Timothy 2:11. G. Huntington, Sermons for Holy Seasons,p. 223; Spurgeon, Morning by Morning,p. 301. 2 Timothy 2:12. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. x., No. 547; Ibid., Evening by Evening,p. 186. 2 Timothy 2:13. Ibid., Sermons,vol. xxv., No. 1453; J. Vaughan, Sermons,15th series, p. 222. 2 Timothy 2:15. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxi., No. 1217. 2 Timothy 2:16. J. H. Hitchens, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xvi., p. 328; T. T. Munger, Ibid.,vol. xxxiii., p. 88.