2 Timothy 3:1

γίνωσκε. Lachmann reads γινώσκετε with AG g, but nearly all other authorities support the singular γίνωσκε; γινώσκετε, indeed, does not yield any tolerable sense.

1. In this melancholy forecast the Apostle is describing a recrudescence of heathenism, with its attendant wickedness, which he assures Timothy will take place in the ‘last days’ of the Church, rather than the prevalence of forms of heresy. The crying evil of those corrupt times will be that men professing to be Christians (2 Timothy 3:5) will yet be conspicuous for all the worst vices of paganism. The germ of the evil may be seen in the present (2 Timothy 3:5), and he warns Timothy against the methods of the heretical teachers which will ultimately have such disastrous results, by perverting the truth and by enfeebling the consciences of those whom they ensnare.

τοῦτο δὲ γίνωσκε calls special attention to the prediction which follows. See crit. note.

ἐν ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις, in the last days, sc. of the present dispensation. The prospect of the Second Advent of Christ was a vivid reality to St Paul; he seems at times to have expected it soon (esp. see 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2 Thessalonians 2), but at any rate he was not in the habit of contemplating the existing order of things as permanent. For the phrase ἐν ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις, cp. 2 Peter 3:3 and Jude 1:18; and see note on 1 Timothy 4:1.

ἐνστήσονται καιροὶ χαλεποί, will ensue troublesome times, seasons of trial when it will be hard to keep the path of duty. χαλεπός only occurs again in N.T. at Matthew 8:28 (of ‘fierce’ demoniacs).