2 timothy 3:12 explained

Irenaeus draws a vivid picture of the methods of just such a teacher in his day. Now I'm not about to say God was wrong. ii. Christianity changed all that and a new set of problems arose. But let not a man who will do this, suppose that he has any claim to be numbered among the martyrs, or even entitled to the Christian name. If Timothy wishes to live godly in Christ, he must make up his mind to encounter. 2 Timothy Greeting. My wife and I eat out quite a bit. They love pleasure more than they love God; that's the indictment. She had waded through book after book and laboured with philosophy after philosophy in an attempt to find satisfaction. Not so the apostle Paul. In Greek writings these two words often went together; and they are both picturesque. Thus the apostle comes to the close of his ministry, and touches upon the line of St. John. He is now looking at the state of disorder in the house of God, instead of contemplating it in its public integrity, as in the first epistle. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Because the true child of God brings the worldly person under conviction. Paul's life contrasted with the world. Consider of whom thou hast learned them; not of evil men and seducers, but good men, who had themselves experienced the power of the truths they taught thee, and been ready to suffer for them, and thereby would give the fullest evidence of their belief of these truths." There is a sense in which slander is the most cruel of all sins. Indeed it may be well to remark here, that we never read of Timothy appointing bishops or elders. At the same time there is not the smallest slight of the only and abiding standard. Men will be disobedient to their parents. When Job was talking to his friends and they were talking to him about the future, and Job said, Oh, I wish I were dead. Confirmed that Noah was a real person and it was a real event. Paul cites three instances when he had to suffer for Christ. Noah, the earth was really flooded? Now we see that when Paul was touching the confines of that difficult and most perilous moment when John was to be left alone, he brings out as his last note that very truth which John was to develop with special care and fulness. That is where you become thoroughly equipped to do the work that God has designed and ordained for you. The study of the Scriptures must never be selfish, never simply for the good of a man's own soul. 2 Timothy Chapter 3 Kjv - King James Bible Online O that we may love our Bibles more, and keep closer to them than ever! This is a very striking word. And yet, it is becoming in this hedonistic society commonplace, all too commonplace, tragically commonplace. This statement does not contradict what Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:9. There is faith, complete belief that God's commands are binding and that his promises are true. It has been pointed out that the writer of Revelation may well have been thinking of Ephesus when he wrote that haunting passage which describes the merchandise of men: "The cargo of gold, silver, jewels and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet, all kinds of scented wood, all articles of ivory, all articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls" ( Revelation 18:12-13). The more the person who lives godly and righteous in Christ stands out. Now, it is doubtless as true as it ever was, that a man who will live as the Saviour did, will, like him, be subjected to some such injury or disadvantage. With his or her commitment to follow Christ faithfully the Christian sets the course of his or her life directly opposite to the course of the world system. The peculiar task confided to the latter was care of doctrine much more than of outward order. The early Church lived in an age when the time was waxing late; they expected the Second Coming at any moment. Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man" ( Luke 17:26 ). So you see, I'm not inerrant in all, but the scriptures are. The prophets and apostles did not speak from themselves, but what they received of the Lord that they delivered unto us. A true insight would have made them recognise in Jesus the Messiah for whom they waited. Titus, we know, did so; but God took care that it should never be positively stated about Timothy. The crumbling away of everything here was before the apostle; and accordingly it is one of the peculiar features of this second epistle, that he brings out that which never can decay which was before there was a world to dissolve namely, that life which was in Christ Jesus before the world began. 2 Timothy 3 - Clarke's Commentary - StudyLight.org Perilous Times 2 Timothy 3:1. The promise of the Messiah, the details of the Messiah, they are all there. Now this is not given to us in the Scriptures but there are other, what are known as apocryphal books, in which these two fellows are named. That is, he must first labour, and then partake of the fruits. And passion shall seize him that is peaceful. The world is full of these braggarts to this day; the clever know-all's who deceive people into thinking that they are wise, the politicians who claim that their parties have a program which will bring in the Utopia and that they alone are born to be leaders of men, the people who crowd the advertisement columns with claims to give beauty, knowledge or health by their system, the people in the Church who have a kind of ostentatious goodness. But continue thou in the things which you have learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus ( 2 Timothy 3:14-15 ). "It shone and glowed with truth," she said, "and my whole being responded to it. That's proper and you should have that desire. In the days between the Old and the New Testaments many Jewish books were written which expanded the Old Testament stories. True, he is telling of something which happened later than this, but the wretched story would be the same (Irenaeus: Against Heresies, 1, 13, 3). 2 To Timothy, d my beloved child:. Observe, The scriptures will make us wise to salvation, if they be mixed with faith, and not otherwise, Hebrews 4:2. The final condemnation of these people is that they retain the outward form of religion but deny its power. That which finishes a man of God in this world is the scripture. (iv) The Scriptures are of use for correction. Regardless of the persecution, it is our duty to live in such a way that the world will know that we are Christians. In vain shall we endeavor to detach Christ from his cross; for it may be said to be natural that the world should hate Christ even in his members. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear" (it was what Timothy was manifesting), "but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2. On his mother's side Timothy was a Jew, although his father had been a Greek ( Acts 16:1); and it is clear that it was his mother who had brought him up. Closely allied with the braggart, but--as we shall see--even worse, is the man who is arrogant. Things were so bad that Tacitus could say: "He who had no foe was betrayed by his friend." For, if we do not believe their truth and goodness, they will do us no good. for it is evident that there have been many godly persons who have never suffered banishment, or imprisonment, or flight, or any kind of persecution. It should be considered as one of the proper qualifications for membership in the church, to be willing to bear persecution, and to resolve not to shrink from any duty in order to avoid it. The Holy Spirit would make it to be most practical and precious. Second, there are the qualities of the apostle. It is often a very great safeguard for the saint of God; for, after all, it makes no small difference who says this or that. But now before his heart just as in principle before the dying Lord Himself, wonderful to say two things come together: a deeper sense of what is in God, as revealed in Christ Himself, before there was any creation at all; and on the other hand so much the deeper sense also of what could be owned in nature. It denotes a savagery which has neither sensitiveness nor sympathy. 10 million Ukrainians without power because of Russia. I think we've gone just about as far as we can. II. The world just exists, no real goal, no real meaning; you're just existing. 2 Timothy 3:12 - KING JAMES BIBLE ONLINE It is an immense blessing that we have the truth not only in a book, but in a practical shape, the truth that comes out of the heart and from the lips of living men of God. Marks of Perilous Times; Excellence of the Scriptures. Even if we look at Him so, He was raised from the dead. Only in the New Testament have we any picture of Jesus, any account of his life and any record of his teaching. He lets Timothy know that while he laid this on others, he must look carefully to his own ways. If what be claims for scripture is true of the Old Testament, how much truer it is of the still more precious words of the New. We should not be any more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive,Ephesians 4:14. Paul's life: one of longsuffering, one of love and one of patience. ", and [as such they are] profitable ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ). Christian life is a life of purpose. 6. The one was suited to upset the young, the other to beguile the old. So God's word, scripture given for inspiration, by the inspiration of God and is profitable.Of course, this morning we pointed out that the inspiration of the Bible is proved by internal evidences, such as its total accuracy with known facts of science, when it happened to cover scientific subjects. He nourishes an all-consuming, all-pervading pride; and in his heart there is a little altar where he bows down before himself. 1 Timothy 3:12 - Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary - StudyLight.org Be assured, that if you do not bring the Spirit of God into these matters, perhaps your cloak, perhaps a book, will become a snare to you. The Greek verb kratein ( G2902) means to control. We have sown the wind, now we're going to reap the whirlwind. The whole concept of redemption is wrapped up in the Old Testament. Godly = adv. But shun profane and vain babblings.". In other words, there is within the Old Testament so much concerning Jesus Christ that through the understanding and the study of the Old Testament you should logically be led to Jesus Christ. These things may be expected in the best times, and under the most favorable circumstances; and it is known that a large part of the history of the world, in its relation to the church, is nothing more than a history of persecution. He says that in them difficult times would set in. of It was a part of his lot. The moment a man makes his own will the centre of life, divine and human relationships are destroyed, obedience to God and charity to men both become impossible. And in the end they shall perish together with them." In the second chapter he turns to another theme, he instructs and exhorts Timothy as to communicating (not authority, or status, or gift, but) truth to others. Therefore it is incumbent for the Christian to look to this gravely, never to be dragged by the fear of breaking unity into accrediting what dishonours the Lord. Men will be inflated with conceit (tetuphomenos, G5187) . Even a dog may be sorry when he has hurt his master, but there are people who, in their treatment of others, can be lost to human sympathy and feeling. Timothy had a great advantage in being trained up under such a tutor, and being apprised of the doctrine he preached. 3:14-17 But as for you, remain loyal to the things which you have learned, and in which your belief has been confirmed, for you know from whom you learned them, and you know that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that will bring you salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus. It is derived from two Greek words which mean to show oneself above. For that very reason it is unanswerable that, whatever a man might argue about the rest of the Bible, it is impossible for the Church ever to do without the Gospels. The word is propetes ( G4312) , precipitate. "Knowing especially the firm foundation upon which thou hast built, namely, that of the scripture (2 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 3:15): That from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures.". 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, There was the road from north Asia Minor and from Galatia which came in via Sardis. But, if one confesses the name of the Lord, the word is imperative: "let him depart from iniquity." "Blessed is he who will come in the name of the Lord" ( Psalms 118:26 ). The best way to overcome and to banish the false is to live in such a way that the loveliness and the graciousness of the truth is plain for all to see. Men will be savage. "That thou hast had good teachers. At the same time he shows also his sense of the kindness of a particular individual and his family. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN. 2 Timothy 3:12 - Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary - StudyLight.org "In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. Boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy ( 2 Timothy 3:2 ). "The cloke," then says he, "that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books," not only the clothing, but even that which he is to read, "especially the parchments;" what he was going to write on, probably. On the other hand, if a soul confesses the name of the Lord, he must have done with iniquity. Paul completes the story of the things in which Timothy has shared, and must share, with him, by speaking of the experiences of an apostle; and he prefaces that list of experiences by setting down the quality of endurance. It was thus Paul treated the proud reasonings and speculations of man; withal briefly touching on those that had gone entirely astray Hymenaeus and Philetus. Braggart has an interesting derivation. Here is the essential conclusion. "Men of corrupt minds. Study Guide for 2 Timothy 3 by David Guzik - Blue Letter Bible Right out of the gate, Second Timothy presents itself as a conservative letter, understanding "conservative" in the most literal sense of the word. We usually try to avoid it on Friday evening if we can, but sometimes our schedules are such that we just don't have time to. ", The Lord said it's "what comes out of the mouth of a man, that defiles a man" ( Matthew 15:11 ). The true leader gives training in living. This world is in rebellion against God. for instruction in righteousness ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ): And righteousness is just actually the act of being right or doing right or living right. III. Look at the rapid deterioration of our society. And then again "the husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits." God is right. Paul met him on his first missionary journey. It is used in Plutarch to describe what we would call an ugly wound. Men can be savage in rebuke and savage in pitiless action. Or life, or death, or life after death? Let me remark, that there are comparatively few indeed that receive truth without help of others directly from God. They will follow after their own wicked devices. (4) Let those who have never been persecuted in any way, inquire whether it is not an evidence that they have no religion. The words that finally decided me were those in John 18:37: 'For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. He is sure that the ungodly man will go from bad to worse and that there is literally no future for the man who refuses to accept the way of God. What am I to believe about man? We must remember that Timothy's work lay in Ephesus, perhaps the greatest market in the ancient world. The cause of this is the present confusion, and accordingly the apostle brings a picture of it before Timothy's mind. The New Testament had not yet been canonized. godly, Godfearingly. THE VALUE OF SCRIPTURE ( 2 Timothy 3:14-17 ). "I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. It describes, not the spirit which accepts life, but the spirit which masters it. Many and many a time we would be saved from hurting ourselves and from wounding other people, if we would only stop to think. he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me." "Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.". For all scripture is given by inspiration of God ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ), Not as some would lead you to believe, some scriptures are given by inspiration of God. When we are tempted to do so, we should hear again the voice of our blessed Lord saying on the Cross: "Father, forgive them.". Note, It is not enough to learn that which is good, but we must continue in it, and persevere in it unto the end. The disorder might be so great that we might make mistakes in our anxiety; but "The Lord knoweth them that are his." The man who is huperephanos ( G5244) , said Theophrastus, has a kind of contempt for everyone except himself. In 2 Timothy 3:13 he meant that evil becomes more intensive as time goes on. I'm afraid that that is also true of us. In these terrible days men would be braggarts and arrogant. The oldest Greek laws disfranchised the man who struck his parents; to strike a father was in Roman law as bad as murder; in the Jewish law honour for father and mother comes high in the list of the Ten Commandments. To many a man and woman has a little bit of dress done no small injury, just because they think it is too little for the Spirit of God to direct them in. Everything today is, you know, for the body beautiful. Now it is interesting that as Paul is referring to the Scriptures here, he is, of course, referring to the Old Testament Scriptures. Now many people have a legitimate and proper desire to be used of God. What we have learned we must labour to be more and more assured of, that, being grounded in the truth, we may be guarded against error, for certainty in religion is of great importance and advantage: Knowing, (1.) Paul kept back nothing from his hearers, but declared to them the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), so that if it were not their own fault they might fully know it. I am reminded of the prophet of God who spoke concerning Israel, and he said, "They have sown the wind, and now they must reap the whirlwind" ( Hosea 8:7 ). 2 Timothy 3 - Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible - StudyLight.org In these terrible days men will be slanderers. Vincente Quiroga of Chile found a few pages of a book washed up on the seashore by a tidal wave following an earthquake. (2) They who are persecuted for their opinions, should consider that this may be one evidence that they have the spirit of Christ, and are his true friends. Paul concludes this section with an appeal to Timothy to remain loyal to all the teaching he had received. Now here observe. 2 Timothy 3:12 NIV - In fact, everyone who wants to live a - Bible Gateway Thus he comforts Timothy at the same time that he admonishes him. 2 Timothy 3 - But understand this, that in the last days there will Thus we have everything cared for here; the state of confusion is clearly depicted, as it then was beginning, and as results have proved yet more. There is little likelihood that Timothy will be easily led astray by false teaching. But no man ought to separate himself from the children of God, unless it be a dire necessity for the Lord; it is clearly not according to Christ. Easy it seems to get sort of distracted and off course. It is easy for a professed Christian to avoid persecution, if he yields every point in which religion is opposed to the world. They will maintain the outward form of religion, but they will deny its power. And so Paul is warning Timothy of certain things that will be transpiring in the last days. Nor do I at all see that any Christians should be above learning, if others can teach. "Perilous times shall come." No man can teach what he does not know, and therefore before a man can teach Christ to others he must know him himself. It is true that these things happened before the young Timothy had definitely entered on the Christian way, but they all happened in the district of which he was a native; and he may well have been an eyewitness of them. Moreover, as soon as zeal for God is manifested by a believer, it kindles the rage of all ungodly men; and, although they have not a drawn sword, yet they vomit out their venom, either by murmuring, or by slander, or by raising a disturbance, or by other methods. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (3) if we are persecuted, we should carefully inquire, before we avail ourselves of this consolation, whether we are persecuted because we "live godly in Christ Jesus," or for some other reason. The adjective used is philautos ( G5367) , which means self-loving. In English we usually associate it with insult against God, but in Greek it means insult against man and God alike. So the Greek word that is used here to describe these that are going around, leading captive the silly women, is the same Greek word that was used to describe quackery, and that's probably they're quacks, Paul is saying. One of my most unfavorite promises in the Bible. They're profitable. So I listened to that voice, and heard the truth, and found my Saviour.". I reply, it is not always in one way that Satan persecutes the servants of Christ. Love of self is the basic sin, from with all others flow. And if you align your life with God, you're going to find yourself out of alignment with the world and persecution will come. Or it can mean that a man is so dishonourable that he breaks the terms of the agreement he has made. And leaving guilelessness, will draw near to malice; And forsaking the commandments of the Lord. 3:2-5 For men will live a life that is centred in self; they will be lovers of money, braggarts, arrogant, lovers of insult, disobedient to their parents, thankless, regardless even of the ultimate decencies of life, without human affection, implacable in hatred, revelling in slander, ungovernable in their passions, savage, not knowing what the love of good is, treacherous, headlong in word and action, inflated with pride, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Now this is in particular a difficulty for saints, when they have revived before the soul the blessedness of maintaining the unity of the Spirit. Few choose to leave behind the elementary teaching about Christ, and press on into maturity.Sadly many believers, although saved by grace through faith in Christ, refuse to move past the elementary principles of the Christian life. Their falsity would be demonstrated and they would receive their appropriate reward. In the Testament of Issachar, one of the books written between the Old and the New Testaments, we get a picture like this: "Know ye, therefore, my children, that in the last times. In Brazil Signor Antonio of Minas bought a New Testament which he took home to burn. It means to follow a person mentally, to attend diligently to his teaching and fully to understand the meaning of what he says. He had fought the good fight of faith. God help us. There is love. false accusers, incontinent ( 2 Timothy 3:3 ). A book with a record such as it has cannot be disregarded. A word altogether unbecoming in one mouth might be most proper in another. turned unto fables. Such is the perversity of sin. We live in a fallen world with a spiritual enemy who prowls around as a roaring lion or appears to us as an angel of light seeking to devour, destroy, or deceive us.Jesus clearly told us that in this world, those who believe in Him would suffer persecution and pain, and Paul expands that truth by adding that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. And that quality of conquering endurance is necessary, because persecution is an essential part of the experience of an apostle. Accordingly, there is a depth of feeling that one may safely say far exceeds the first epistle, although it had shown so much tenderness and care both for Timothy and the faithful of those days. He had fully known his conversation: Thou hast fully know my doctrine, and manner of life; his manner of life was of a piece with his doctrine, and did not contradict it. Verse of the Day , 2 Timothy 3:12 Treasury of Scripture Knowing, God, My Praise (Study In God - All I Need-19). Do you have a hard time with that? When God came on the scene and entered the conversation with his friends? The Greek word (prodotes, G4273) means nothing less than a traitor. This the apostle guards Timothy against, and indeed ourselves, he warns him how seduction would go on more and more, but "from such turn away." Proud member There was infirmity in the character of Timothy. It is a great happiness to know the holy scriptures from our childhood; and children should betimes get the knowledge of the scriptures. If they had been more faithful, and more like their Master, would they have always escaped? The essence of Christianity is not the enthronement but the obliteration of self. There is nothing that more shows God than His ability to combine that which is eternal with care for the smallest things of this life. Didn't you know that's just a myth? How is a man to walk in such a state of things as this? shall suffer persecutionand will not decline it (Ga 5:11). Given the right conditions, such oppositions would be just as deadly as the great Roman persecutions. The fact is that God loves to make His children mutually dependent; and if we are only humble, there are very few saints from whom we may not derive some good, though not always in the same way. They must expect to be despised, and that their religion will stand in the way of their preferment; those who will live godly must expect it, especially those who will live godly in Christ Jesus, that is, according to the strict rules of the Christian religion, those who will wear the livery and bear the name of the crucified Redeemer. The Platonic Definitions defined the corresponding noun (alazoneia, G212) as: "The claim to good things which a man does not really possess." The same tone of mercy is equally promised in this #epistle as in the last. We find a precisely similar kind of combination in Paul. It follows from this: (1) that they who make a profession of religion, should come prepared to be persecuted. Verse 2 Timothy 3:1. This I cannot but consider as a proof of want of faith. Practical Bible study on 2 Timothy 1. We have the practice and treatment of true Christians: they live godly in Jesus Christ--this is their practice; and they shall suffer persecution--this is the usage they must expect in this world. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Et tous ceux aussi qui veulent vivre en la crainte de Dieu, Que rien ne luy est advenu que tous fideles ne doyvent aussi attendre. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? The Jews divided all time into this present age and the age to come. It is the Greek parakolouthein ( G3877) and literally means to follow alongside; but it is used with a magnificent width of meaning. They will be inflated with a sense of their own importance. 2 Timothy 3:12 (KJV) - Forerunner Commentary - Bible Tools Had the Lord Jesus not sent him? Introduction; 2 Timothy 1 Commentary;