2 Timothy 3 - Introduction

He advertiseth him of the times to come, describeth the enemies of the truth, propoundeth unto him his own example, and commendeth the holy scriptures.

Anno Domini 67.

THE apostle having, in the end of the preceding chapter, informed Timothy, that for wise reasons false teachers were suffered to arise, in the beginning of this chapter foretels, that in future times, through the pernicious influence of the corrupt doctrines propagated by false teachers, many in the Christian church, and among the rest the false teachers themselves, would become so wicked, that it would be dangerous to the faithful to live among them, 2 Timothy 3:1.—Christians, so called, would in general be unmeasurably selfish, scandalously covetous of money, boasting of being high in favour with God on account of mere externals, insolent on that account, blasphemers of God by the injurious representations which they would give of his character and will, disobedient to parents, ungrateful to benefactors, unholy in their disposition; 2 Timothy 3:2.—without the affections natural to mankind, avowed covenant-breakers, slanderers of those who maintained the truth, addicted to all the lusts of the flesh, furious against those who would oppose their corrupt practices, having no love to good men, 2 Timothy 3:3.—betrayers of trusts, headstrong in their errors, swollen with pride, and lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, 2 Timothy 3:4.—And to shew that in this description the teachers of religion were comprehended, the apostle added, that the persons of whom he spake, in order to conceal their enormous wickedness, would make loud pretentious to their being of the true church; they were to have the outward appearance of godliness, but in practice they would deny its power. And because some teachers of this character were then beginning to shew themselves, the apostle ordered Timothy to avoid them, 2 Timothy 3:5.—Of this sort, he told him, those teachers were, who, on pretence of instructing the female part of families, led captive silly women laden with sins, by assuming the direction of their consciences, 2 Timothy 3:6.—and who detained them in bondage, by keeping them always learning, and never leading them to the experimental knowlege of the truth, 2 Timothy 3:7.

This part of the chapter is generally, and I think justly, considered as a prediction of the apostacy from the true faith and practice of the gospel, which early began to take place in the Christian church, but which was not carried to its height, till the Roman empire in the West was overturned by the incursions of the barbarous northern nations.—Of that apostacy St. Paul had prophesied twice before; namely, 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and 1 Timothy 4:1. In the first of these passages, the blasphemous claims of the corrupters of Christianity in later ages, their feigned miracles, and other base arts by which they were to establish their usurped authority in the church, are described. In the second passage, the impious doctrines and superstitious practices which by virtue of that authority they were to introduce, are particularly set forth. But in this epistle, the influenceof the ungodly doctrines and superstitious practices of the promoters of the apostacy, in corrupting the morals both of the teachers and of the people, are more minutely foretold.—These three prophesies, taken together, exhibit such a striking portrait of the characters, pretensions, and practices of the promoters of the apostacy, that no intelligent reader, who is acquainted with the history of the church, can doubt thatthe erroneous doctrines and superstitious practices which were early introduced, and which were supported by persons of the greatest reputation, are in these prophesies foretold to end in that monstrousfabric of spiritual tyranny, which the bishops of Rome, assisted by their clergy, erected; andin that universal corruption of manners which it occasioned. As little can he doubt that the predictions of these evils recorded in scripture, were designed by the Spirit of God to convince the faithful in after-times, who were to be witnesses of the apostacy, that it had happened by the permission of God, who often makes the wickedness of men instrumental in accomplishing his greater purposes.

Lest, however, the knowledge of that great and universal corruption which was to take place in the church, might have led Timothy and the brethren at Ephesus to fear that the church would never recover from such a sad state, the apostle observed, that the opposition of the authors and promoters of the apostacy to the truth, was of the same nature, and would end in the same manner, as the opposition of Pharaoh's magicians to Moses. For as Jannes and Jambres resisted him by false miracles, so the promoters of the apostacy, being men corrupted in mind, would resist the true doctrines of the gospel by feigned miracles and other base arts, 2 Timothy 3:8.—But they would not be permitted to go on in their deceits longer than the time determined. Their wicked practices would at length be made plain to the deluded themselves, as the wicked practices of Pharaoh's magicians were made plain, both to the Israelites and to the Egyptians, 2 Timothy 3:9.—Then to shew what he had done through divine grace for repressing error and wickedness in the world, and promoting holiness of heart and life, the apostle appealed to Timothy's knowledge of his doctrine, manner of life, purpose in preaching, faith, long-suffering, love, patience, persecutions in various places, and deliverances. Wherefore Timothy, having been taught the true doctrines of the gospel by the apostle, and being animated by his example to encounter danger, was, under the grace of God, both qualified to detect, and strengthened to oppose error, 2 Timothy 3:10.—Besides, he was to consider that all the faithful servants of Christ in the first age, were appointed to suffer persecution, 2 Timothy 3:12.—Whereasevil men and false teachers, instead of suffering for the truth, will give up every article thereof, and become more and more corrupt; seducing not only others, but themselves also, through their immoderate love of gain, 2 Timothy 3:13.—In short, the apostle ordered Timothy to maintain with firmness the doctrine which he had learned from him, knowing that he had learned it from an apostle of Christ, 2 Timothy 3:14.—and the rather that from his childhood he had been brought up in the knowledge of the Jewish scriptures; which, by leading him, under the divine blessing, to believe on Christ, were able to make him wise to salvation, 2 Timothy 3:15.—For these scriptures being given by the inspiration of God, they are in all respects agreeable to the gospel revelation, and may be used profitably by Christian ministers, in teaching, correcting, and instructing their people in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16.—Properly understood, therefore, the Jewish scriptures are of great use in fitting the Christian preacher for every part of his duty, 2 Timothy 3:17.