2 Timothy 3:1-9

PART TWO

Warnings 3:1-4:5

1.

RECOGNIZE THE COMING APOSTASY 2 Timothy 3:1-9

Text 3:1-9

1 But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come, 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away. 6 For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, 7 ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth; men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be evident unto all men, as theirs also came to be.

Thought Questions 3:1-9

146.

Why did Paul want Timothy to know about the grievous times?

147.

To what period of time does the expression, last days, refer?

148.

What is meant by grievous times?

149.

Have such times already occurred, or are we to look for them in the future?

150

Give two or three specific instances of self-love.

151.

How could one identify a money-lover?

152.

What is the difference in being boastful and in being haughty?

153.

What is a railer? Against whom?

154.

Has there ever been a time when children were not disobedient to their parents? Why associate this with a particular time?

155.

Is there any connection in this list of sins? Such as a connection between unthankful and unholy, etc.

156.

How could anyone become without natural affections?

157.

Define implacable.

158.

Is the description here related to church members? If so, in what manner?

159.

What is meant by the word, good, in the expression, no lovers of good?

160.

How would you define headstrong?

161.

How would the expression, puffed up, differ from boastful or haughty?

162.

In this catalog of sins, which would you feel is the most serious in our present-day society?

163.

Why hold any form of godliness if such sins are to be indulged?

164.

From 2 Timothy 3:5 b we learn there was another group besides this one from which Timothy was to turn away; name them.

165.

Who are the silly women of 2 Timothy 3:6? How or why described as silly?

166.

Are these apostates entering households, or physical buildings?

167.

Of what sin do you surmise these women were guilty?

168.

Why would such women be interested in learning? What were they being taught?

169.

Who were Jannes and Jambres? Is the emphasis upon who they were or what they did? What did they do?

170.

Some men have a cancer of the mind. How did such develop? What is the meaning of the term, reprobate?

171.

These men will not get far in their evil efforts. Why not?

172.

To whom does this phrase refer, as theirs also came to be?

Paraphrase 3:1-9

1 Besides what I formerly told thee concerning the apostasy (Ephesians 4:1), this also know, that in the latter days, through the extreme wickedness both of the teachers and of the people, times dangerous to live in will come;

2 For men will be selfish, covetous of money, boasters of their being in favour with God, and proud on that account, blasphemers of God, by the injurious representation which they give of him, disobedient to parents, ungrateful to benefactors, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, avowed covenant-breakers, slanderers of those who oppose their corruptions, immoderately addicted to veneral pleasures, fierce against their opposers, without any love to good men who maintain the truth,
4 Betrayers of trust, headstrong in whatever they undertake, swollen with pride, so that they will hearken to no advice, lovers of sensual pleasures more than lovers of God.
5 These wicked teachers, in order to deceive their disciples the more effectually, will have an appearance of godliness, by their care in performing the external duties of religion, but they will be utterly void of real piety. Now, from these turn away.
6 Of these teachers indeed they are, who go into houses, and, having the appearance of godliness, take the direction of the consciences and purses of ignorant women, who, being laden with sins, and led away by divers lusts, gladly embrace doctrine which reconcile the practice of sin with the hope of salvation.
7 These are devoted to the false teachers, on pretense of always learning; but they are never able to come to the knowledge of truth, because their teachers industriously hide it from them.
8 Now, in the manner that Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so by false miracles these teachers also, contrary to their conscience, will resist the truth; being men wholly corrupted in mind, and utterly incapable of discerning the true faith of the Gospel.
9 However, after deluding mankind for a while, they shall not proceed further: For their imposture shall be made very plain to all; as the imposture of Pharaoh's magicians also was to the Israelites, and even to the Egyptians themselves.

Comment 3:1-9

2 Timothy 3:1. Paul was a true prophet. His predictions began to be fulfilled in the day of Timothy. Indeed, such conditions as described by Paul have been fulfilled a great number of times in these last days. The last days refers to the entire time from the giving of the New Covenant to the Second Coming of Christ. We shall be content to define, in order, the men here described:

2 Timothy 3:2. (1) lovers of selfThis is the parent stem to the tree of evil. How many foul sins are an outgrowth of this attitude? This is the man with ego at the center of his life. (2) Lovers of moneyThis is a natural outgrowth of self-love. We cannot pamper self without money. The sin and the sadness of money-love has been pointed out before in 1 Timothy 6:10. (3) BoastfulAloudmouth braggard. About what does such a one boast? This is but a cover-up for the emptiness of his life. (4) HaughtyOne who looks down on another. When one cannot obtain recognition by good work, his vain fancy will cause him to assume it: the lack of the genuine position and power will make him angry and frustrated. This is expressed in haughtiness. (5) RailersWe could call such persons blasphemers: those who speak against God and man. The ones who need the censure of both man and God are the first to offer censure to others. (6) Disobedient to parentsThis is no light matter, for it indicates a deeper lack; a lack of respect or reverence for the person of God as well as the Law of the Lord. (7) UnthankfulWhen man feels he is sufficient unto himself, he sees no need to thank anyone but himself. How very nearsighted is such a view. (8) UnholyWhen a man has no norm or standard from God as to conduct, nothing is sacred.

2 Timothy 3:3. (9) Without natural affectionThisrefers to the love parents have for their children, and children for their parents. It is called natural in the sense that even animals possess such an affection. Such wicked perverts are worse than brutes in their disobedience. Romans 1:23-31 is a commentary on this condition. (10) ImplacableOr a truce breaker. Such persons will not keep their word or be responsible for any agreement with others. (11) SlanderersThis usually refers to the destruction of the reputation of another by circulating lies. It is always done to the advantage of the one who slanders. (12) Without self-controlHow ironical that the ones who want freedom and self-expression are unable to control themselves. Hiebert has so wisely said, Man's freedom is his freedom to chose his master. (13) FierceThis is the savage attitude toward all who oppose the selfish; animals hold this same attitude toward all who oppose them. (14) No lovers of goodSome translations indicate this means no lovers of goodness, but we choose the thought of a generic application to all virtue. Such men as here described have no time or place in their life for virtue.

2 Timothy 3:4. (15) TraitorsIf betrayal of others is to their advantage, they do not hesitate to betray them. (16) HeadstrongSuch persons plunge ahead regardless of the advice of others, or the apparent consequences, They are like a bull in the arena who rushes to his death. (17) Puffed upKing James version translates this highminded, because it has reference to an exalted opinion of self. Such persons are blinded by the smoke or fog conceit produces. (18) Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of GodThis phrase could summarize the basic attitude of those who serve themselves instead of God; who worship themselves instead of God. Those who love themselves worship at the shrine of sensuality. Whatever can tantalize one of the senses is held up as the object of love. The presence of an all-wise and powerful God is an embarrassment to them,

2 Timothy 3:5. (19) Holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof:After the record of the wicked life of such persons, it comes as somewhat of a shock that they would profess any religion at all. However, from what is here stated, we could even imagine some of these men as members of the churches to which Timothy ministered. All that is left of the Christianity of such men is the outward form; they are dead while they live. There is no power to overcome for they are servants of sin. The form of godliness is only maintained because of its advantage to them. What a tragic picture: the walking dead! It is no wonder Paul instructs Timothy to withdraw fellowship from such persons. This presupposes every effort has been made to restore such ones. It is to no avail; they are reprobate in heart and mind.

2 Timothy 3:6. Here is the reason for withdrawal of fellowship. Such persons are not content to corrupt themselves alone. They ingratiate themselves into the families of some of the church members. In such families they can find certain females who are open prey to their wiles. Such women are called silly women; the expression means little or diminutive women. This has reference to their character or spiritual standing. Such evil men offer lessons in religion; silly women are their students. Such women were themselves laden with sins before these teachers appeared. Their conscience tormented them with guilt; thus were they heaped upon, or burdened down, with sin. Will they turn to the one who said, Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden? No, no, they enjoy their sin; hence they continue to follow after the desires of the mind and body; such desires are aroused by Satan's offers through his servants.

2 Timothy 3:7. Such a tragic battle is the one waged in the heart of these women. On the one hand is some desire to know the truth, and on the other, the stronger desire to follow after the flesh. Such persons do not want a norm of truth, and for this reason they are ready to listen to false teachers. Their desire to know keeps them ever learning from the wrong source; hence they never come to a knowledge of truth.

2 Timothy 3:8. Now a consideration of the teachers themselves. Paul compares them with the two magicians of Pharaoh who opposed Moses when he came to Egypt to deliver Israel. The names of these men are not given in Exodus. They were mentioned often in Jewish traditions and were well-known by Paul and Timothy, as well as the rest of the Jewish nation. Paul makes use of the common traditional knowledge of their names for his own good purpose. Exodus tells of their efforts to oppose the truth of God through Moses. The incident in the court of Pharaoh is doubtless before the mind of Paul when he wrote. Such men were not interested in whether Moses was from God or not; they were there to defend their master. Such dupes are described as corrupt in mind. The very means by which truth is perceived as distinct from error, has been corrupted or infected with disease. They are also described as reprobate or counterfeit concerning the Faith. Their teaching and work, when compared with the truth, are found wanting. Since they are compared with the court magicians, it could have been they were using magical powers in the false teaching. No wonder they had such an interested audience.

2 Timothy 3:9. These false teachers of the latter times will get no further than Jannes and Jambres did in the long ago. The miracles and teaching of Moses proved so far superior to these teachers that they soon began to look foolish to all. This is a most encouraging word: error and evil will be stopped. Even though Simon the sorcerer of the city of Samaria (Acts 8:9-13) practiced his evil art for a long time, there came a day when his folly was made known even to himself. When was that day? In the day when the truth of God, as preached by Philip, was placed squarely along side false practice and preaching. Timothy can be encouraged that error will be rejected as he preaches the truth, but he must preach the truth or there never will be such a victory.

Fact Questions 3:1-9

116.

Why can we say Paul was a true prophet?

117.

To what period of time does the phrase, the last days, refer?

118.

Define and apply in your own words ten of the nineteen characteristics of the evil men of the last days,

119.

Verse six presents the reason for turning away from these men. What is it?

120.

In what sense are we to understand the phrase, silly women?

121.

Why would there be in such women an interest in learning?

122.

Who were Jannes and Jambres?

123.

In what way do these false teachers compare with Jannes and Jambres?

124.

Timothy is assured of victory in spite of opposition, How?