CHAPTER 3
2Ti
3:1-17. COMING EVIL DAYS: SIGNS
OF EVIL ALREADY: CONTRAST IN THE
DOCTRINE AND LIFE OF
PAUL, WHICH TIMOTHY SHOULD FOLLOW IN ACCORDANCE WITH
HIS EARLY TRAINING IN SCRIPTURE.
Verse 1. also--Greek, "but."
last days--preceding Christ's
second coming (2Pe
3:3; Jude 18). "The latter times," 1Ti
4:1, refer to a period not so remote as "the last
days," namely, the long days of papal and Greek
anti-Christianity.
perilous--literally, "difficult times," in which
it is difficult to know what is to be done: "grievous times."
shall come--Greek,
"shall be imminent"; "shall come unexpectedly" [BENGEL].
Verse 2. men--in the professing
Church. Compare the catalogue, Ro
1:29, &c., where much the same sins are attributed to
heathen men; it shall be a relapse into virtual heathendom,
with all its beast-like propensities, whence the symbol of it
is "a beast" (Re
13:1, 11, 12, &c.; 17:3, 8, 11).
covetous--Translate, "money-loving," a distinct
Greek word from that for "covetous" (see on Col
3:5). The cognate Greek substantive (1Ti
6:10) is so translated, "the love of money is a
(Greek, not 'the') root of all evil."
boasters--empty boasters [ALFORD]; boasting of having what they have not.
proud--overweening: literally,
showing themselves above their fellows.
blasphemous--rather,
"evil-speakers," revilers.
disobedient to parents--The character of the times is
even to be gathered especially from the manners of the young
[BENGEL].
unthankful--The obligation to gratitude is next
to that of obedience to parents.
unholy--irreligious [ALFORD]; inobservant of the offices of
piety.
Verse 3. truce-breakers--rather as
the Greek is translated in Ro
1:31, "implacable."
false
accusers--slanderers (1Ti
3:11; Tit 2:3).
incontinent,
fierce--at once both soft and hard: incontinently
indulging themselves, and inhuman to others.
despisers, &c.--"no lovers of good" [ALFORD]; the opposite of "a lover of good" (Tit
1:8).
Verse 4. heady--precipitate in action
and in passion.
high-minded--literally, "puffed up" with pride, as with
smoke blinding them.
lovers of
pleasure . . . God--Love of pleasure destroys
the love and sense of God.
Verse 5. form--outward semblance.
godliness--piety.
denying--rather as Greek,
"having denied," that is, renounced.
the power--the living, regenerating, sanctifying
influence of it.
turn
away--implying that some of such characters, forerunners
of the last days, were already in the Church.
Verse 6. of this sort--Greek,
"of these," such as were described (2Ti
3:5).
creep
into--stealthily.
laden with
sins-- (Isa
1:4); applying to the "silly women" whose consciences are
burdened with sins, and so are a ready prey to the false
teachers who promise ease of conscience if they will follow
them. A bad conscience leads easily to shipwreck of faith (1Ti
1:19).
divers lusts--not
only animal lusts, but passion for change in doctrine and
manner of teaching; the running after fashionable men and
fashionable tenets, drawing them in the most opposite
directions [ALFORD].
Verse 7. Ever learning--some new
point, for mere curiosity, to the disparagement of what they
seemed to know before.
the
knowledge--Greek, "the perfect knowledge";
the only safeguard against further novelties. Gnosticism laid
hold especially of the female sex [ESTIUS,
1.13.3]: so Roman Jesuitism.
Verse 8. Now--Greek, "But"; it
is no wonder there should be now such opponents to the truth,
for their prototypes existed in ancient times [ALFORD].
Jannes
. . . Jambres--traditional names of the Egyptian
magicians who resisted Moses (Ex
7:11, 22), derived from "the unwritten teaching of the
Jews" [THEODORET]. In a point so
immaterial as the names, where Scripture had not recorded
them, Paul takes the names which general opinion had assigned
the magicians. EUSEBIUS [Preparation of
the Gospel], quotes from NUMENIUS,
"Jannes and Jambres were sacred scribes (a lower order
of priests in Egypt) skilled in magic." HILLER interprets "Jannes" from the Abyssinian
language a trickster, and "Jambres" a juggler"
(Ac
13:8).
resist--"withstand," as before. They did so by trying
to rival Moses' miracles. So the false teachers shall exhibit
lying wonders in the last days (Mt
24:24; 2Th 2:9; Re 13:14, 15).
reprobate--incapable of testing the truth (Ro
1:28) [BENGEL]. ALFORD takes passively, "not abiding the test";
rejected on being tested (Jer
6:30).
Verse 9. they shall proceed no
further--Though for a time (2Ti
2:16) "they shall advance or proceed
(English Version, 'increase') unto more ungodliness,"
yet there is a final limit beyond which they shall not
be able to "proceed further" (Job
38:11; Re 11:7, 11). They themselves shall "wax worse and
worse" (2Ti
3:13), but they shall at last be for ever prevented from
seducing others. "Often malice proceeds deeper down, when it
cannot extend itself" [BENGEL].
their folly--literally, "dementation":
wise though they think themselves.
shall be manifest--Greek, "shall be
brought forth from concealment into open day" [BENGEL], (1Co
4:5).
as theirs
. . . was--as that of those magicians was, when
not only could they no longer try to rival Moses in sending
boils, but the boils fell upon themselves: so as to the lice
(Ex
8:18; 9:11).
Verse 10. fully known--literally,
"fully followed up" and traced; namely, with a view to
following me as thy pattern, so far as I follow Christ; the
same Greek as in Lu
1:3, "having had perfect understanding of all
things." His pious mother Eunice and grandmother Lois would
recommend him to study fully Paul's Christian course as
a pattern. He had not been yet the companion of Paul at the
time of the apostle's persecutions in Antioch, Iconium, and
Lystra (Ac
13:50; 14:5, 19), but is first mentioned as such Ac
16:1-3. However, he was "a disciple" already, when
introduced to us in Ac
16:1-3; and as Paul calls him "my own son in the faith,"
he must have been converted by the apostle previously; perhaps
in the visit to those parts three years before. Hence arose
Timothy's knowledge of Paul's persecutions, which were the
common talk of the churches in those regions about the time of
his conversion. The incidental allusion to them here
forms an undesigned coincidence between the history and
the Epistle, indicating genuineness [PALEY, Horæ Paulinæ]. A forger of
Epistles from the Acts would never allude to Timothy's
knowledge of persecutions, when that knowledge is not
expressly mentioned in the history, but is only arrived at by
indirect inference; also the omission of Derbe here, in
the Epistle, is in minute accordance with the fact that in
Derbe no persecution is mentioned in the history,
though Derbe and Lystra are commonly mentioned
together. The reason why he mentions his persecutions before
Timothy became his companion, and not those subsequent, was
because Timothy was familiar with the latter as an eye-witness
and Paul needed not to remind him of them, but the former
Timothy had traced up by seeking the information from
others, especially as the date and scene of them was the date
and scene of his own conversion.
doctrine--"teaching."
manner of life--"conduct," "behavior."
purpose--The Greek is elsewhere
usually used of God's "purpose." But here, as in Ac
11:23, of Paul's determined "purpose of heart in cleaving
unto the Lord." My set aim, or resolution, in my
apostolic function, and in every action is, not my selfish
gain, but the glory of God in Christ.
long-suffering--towards my adversaries, and the false
teachers; towards brethren in bearing their infirmities;
towards the unconverted, and the lapsed when penitent (2Ti
4:2; 2Co 6:6; Ga 5:22; Eph 4:2; Col 3:12).
charity--love to all men.
patience--"endurance";
patient continuance in well-doing amidst adversities
(2Ti
3:11; Ro 2:7).
Verse 11. afflictions--"sufferings."
which--Greek, "such
as."
in Antioch--of Pisidia
(Ac
13:14, 50, 51).
Iconium--
(Ac
14:1-5).
Lystra-- (Ac
14:6, 19).
what--How
grievous.
out of . . .
all . . . Lord delivered me-- (2Ti
4:17; Ps 34:17; 2Co 1:10). An encouragement to Timothy not
to fear persecutions.
Verse 12. Yea, and--an additional
consideration for Timothy: if he wishes to live godly in
Christ, he must make up his mind to encounter persecution.
that will,
&c.--Greek, "all whose will is to live,"
&c. So far should persecution be from being a
stumbling-block to Timothy, he should consider it a mark of
the pious. So the same Greek is used of the same thing,
Lu
14:28, 33, "intending (Greek, 'wishing') to
build a tower . . . counteth the cost."
live godly in Christ-- (Ga
2:20; Php 1:21). There is no godliness (Greek,
"piously") or piety out of Christ. The world easily
puts up with the mask of a religion which depends on itself,
but the piety which derives its vigor directly from Christ is
as odious to modern Christians as it was to the ancient Jews
[BENGEL].
shall suffer persecution--and will not decline it (Ga
5:11). BISHOP PEARSON proves the divine origination of
Christianity from its success being inexplicable on the
supposition of its being of human origin. The nature of its
doctrine was no way likely to command success: (1) it condemns
all other religions, some established for ages; (2) it enjoins
precepts ungrateful to flesh and blood, the mortifying of the
flesh, the love of enemies, and the bearing of the cross; (3)
it enforces these seemingly unreasonable precepts by promises
seemingly incredible; not good things such as afford
complacency to our senses, but such as cannot be obtained till
after this life, and presuppose what then seemed impossible,
the resurrection; (4) it predicts to its followers what would
seem sure to keep most of the world from embracing it,
persecutions.
Verse 13. Reason why persecutions
must be expected, and these becoming worse and worse as the
end approaches. The breach between light and darkness, so far
from being healed, shall be widened [ALFORD].
evil
men--in contrast to the "godly" (2Ti
3:12).
seducers--literally, "conjurers." Magical arts
prevailed at Ephesus (Ac
19:19), and had been renounced by many Ephesians on
embracing Christianity: but now when Paul was writing to
Ephesus, symptoms of a return to conjuring tricks
appeared: an undesigned coincidence [BURTON]. Probably sorcery will
characterize the final apostasy (Re
13:15; 18:23; 22:15).
wax
worse--literally, "advance in the direction of worse" (see
on 2Ti
3:9). Not contradictory to that verse: there the
diffusion of the evil was spoken of; here its
intensity [ALFORD].
deceiving, and being deceived--He who has
once begun to deceive others, is the less easily able to
recover himself from error, and the more easily embraces in
turn the errors of others [BENGEL].
Verse 14. But . . .
thou--Whatever they may do. Resuming the thread begun at
2Ti
3:10.
learned--from me and
thy mother and grandmother (2Ti
1:5; 2:2).
assured
of--from Scripture (2Ti
3:15).
of whom--plural,
not singular, in the oldest manuscripts, "from what teachers."
Not only from me, but from Lois and Eunice.
Verse 15. from a child--literally,
"from an infant." The tender age of the first dawn of reason
is that wherein the most lasting impressions of faith may be
made.
holy scriptures--The Old
Testament taught by his Jewish mother. An undesigned
coincidence with 2Ti
1:5; Ac 16:1-3.
able--in
themselves: though through men's own fault they often do not
in fact make men savingly alive.
wise unto salvation--that is, wise unto
the attainment of salvation. Contrast "folly" (2Ti
3:9). Wise also in extending it to others.
through faith--as the
instrument of this wisdom. Each knows divine
things only as far as his own experience in himself
extends. He who has not faith, has not wisdom or
salvation.
which is
in--that is, rests on Christ Jesus.
Verse 16. All
scripture--Greek, "Every Scripture," that is,
Scripture in its every part. However, English Version
is sustained, though the Greek article be wanting, by
the technical use of the term "Scripture" being so well known
as not to need the article (compare Greek, Eph
3:15; 2:21). The Greek is never used of
writings in general, but only of the sacred Scriptures.
The position of the two Greek adjectives closely united
by "and," forbids our taking the one as an epithet, the other
as predicated and translated as ALFORD
and ELLICOTT. "Every Scripture given by
inspiration of God is also profitable." Vulgate
and the best manuscripts, favor English Version.
Clearly the adjectives are so closely connected that as surely
as one is a predicate, the other must be so too. ALFORD admits his translation to be harsh, though
legitimate. It is better with English Version to take
it in a construction legitimate, and at the same time not
harsh. The Greek, "God-inspired," is found nowhere
else. Most of the New Testament books were written when Paul
wrote this his latest Epistle: so he includes in the clause
"All Scripture is God-inspired," not only the Old
Testament, in which alone Timothy was taught when a child
(2Ti
3:15), but the New Testament books according as they were
recognized in the churches which had men gifted with
"discerning of spirits," and so able to distinguish really
inspired utterances, persons, and so their writings from
spurious. Paul means, "All Scripture is God-inspired and
therefore useful"; because we see no utility in any
words or portion of it, it does not follow it is not
God-inspired. It is useful, because
God-inspired; not God-inspired, because useful.
One reason for the article not being before the Greek,
"Scripture," may be that, if it had, it might be
supposed that it limited the sense to the hiera
grammata, "Holy Scriptures" (2Ti
3:15) of the Old Testament, whereas here the
assertion is more general: "all Scripture" (compare
Greek, 2Pe
1:20). The translation, "all Scripture that is
God-inspired is also useful," would imply that there is some
Scripture which is not God-inspired. But this would
exclude the appropriated sense of the word "Scripture"; and
who would need to be told that "all divine Scripture is
useful ('profitable')?" Heb
4:13 would, in ALFORD'S view, have to
be rendered, "All naked things are also open to the
eyes of Him," &c.: so also 1Ti
4:4, which would be absurd [TREGELLES,
Remarks on the Prophetic Visions of the Book of
Daniel]. Knapp well defines inspiration, "An extraordinary
divine agency upon teachers while giving instruction, whether
oral or written, by which they were taught how and what they
should speak or write" (compare 2Sa
23:1; Ac 4:25; 2Pe 1:21). The inspiration gives the
divine sanction to all the words of Scripture, though
those words be the utterances of the individual writer, and
only in special cases revealed directly by God (1Co
2:13). Inspiration is here predicated of the
writings, "all Scripture," not of the persons. The
question is not how God has done it; it is as to the
word, not the men who wrote it. What we must
believe is that He has done it, and that all the sacred
writings are every where inspired, though not all alike matter
of special revelation: and that even the very
words are stamped with divine sanction, as Jesus used
them (for example in the temptation and Joh
10:34, 35), for deciding all questions of doctrine and
practice. There are degrees of revelation in Scripture,
but not of inspiration. The sacred writers did not even
always know the full significancy of their own God-inspired
words (1Pe
1:10, 11, 12). Verbal inspiration does not mean mechanical
dictation, but all "Scripture is (so) inspired by God," that
everything in it, its narratives, prophecies, citations, the
whole--ideas, phrases, and words--are such as He saw fit to be
there. The present condition of the text is no ground
for concluding against the original text being
inspired, but is a reason why we should use all critical
diligence to restore the original inspired text. Again,
inspiration may be accompanied by revelation or not, but it is
as much needed for writing known doctrines or facts
authoritatively, as for communicating new truths
[TREGELLES]. The omission here of the
substantive verb is,' I think, designed to mark that, not only
the Scripture then existing, but what was still to
be written till the canon should be completed, is included
as God-inspired. The Old Testament law was the
schoolmaster to bring us to Christ; so it is appropriately
said to be "able to make wise unto salvation through
faith in Jesus Christ": the term wisdom being
appropriated to a knowledge of the relations between the Old
and New Testaments, and opposed to the pretended wisdom
of the false teachers (1Ti
1:7, 8).
doctrine--Greek, "teaching," that is,
teaching the ignorant dogmatic truths which they cannot
otherwise know. He so uses the Old Testament, Ro
1:17.
reproof--"refutation," convicting the erring of
their error. Including polemical divinity. As an
example of this use of the Old Testament, compare Ga
3:6, 13, 16. "Doctrine and reproof" comprehend the
speculative parts of divinity. Next follow the
practical: Scripture is profitable for: (1)
correction (Greek, "setting one right"; compare
an example, 1Co
10:1-10) and instruction (Greek,
"disciplining," as a father does his child, see on 2Ti
2:25; Eph
6:4; Heb 12:5, 11, or "training" by instruction, warning,
example, kindnesses, promises, and chastisements; compare an
example, 1Co
5:13). Thus the whole science of theology is complete in
Scripture. Since Paul is speaking of Scripture in general and
in the notion of it, the only general reason why, in
order to perfecting the godly (2Ti
3:17), it should extend to every department of
revealed truth, must be that it was intended to be the
complete and sufficient rule in all things touching
perfection. See Article VI, Common Prayer Book.
in--Greek, "instruction
which is in righteousness," as contrasted with the
"instruction" in worldly rudiments (Col
2:20, 22).
Verse 17. man of God--(See on 1Ti
6:11).
perfect, throughly
furnished--Greek, "thoroughly perfected," and so
"perfect." The man of God is perfectly accoutred out of
Scripture for his work, whether he be a minister (compare 2Ti
4:2 with 2Ti 3:16) or a spiritual layman. No oral
tradition is needed to be
added.
inspired is profitable for
doctrine, and, is omitted by almost all the
versions and many of the fathers, and certainly
does not agree well with the text. The apostle is here, beyond
all controversy, speaking of the writings of the Old
Testament, which, because they came by Divine inspiration,
he terms the Holy Scriptures,