INTRODUCTION TO II TIMOTHY 3 In this chapter the apostle delivers out a prophecy of the last days, showing how perilous the times will be, describing the persons that will live in them, and what will be their end; and in opposition to these men, proposes himself an example in doctrine and suffering... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS KNOW ALSO,.... That not only men of bad principles and practices are in the churches now, as before described in the preceding chapter, but that in succeeding ages there would be worse men, if possible, and the times would be still worse; this the apostle had, and delivered by a spirit of proph... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR MEN SHALL BE LOVERS OF THEIR OWN SELVES,.... Not in a good sense, as men may be, and as such are who love their neighbours as themselves, and do that to others they would have done to themselves; and who take all prudent and lawful care to preserve the life and health of their bodies, and seek i... [ Continue Reading ]
WITHOUT NATURAL AFFECTION,.... To parents, or children, or wife; parents thrusting their children into religious houses, cloisters, c. against their wills children leaving their parents without their knowledge or consent; married bishops and priests being obliged to quit their wives, and declare the... [ Continue Reading ]
TRAITORS,.... To their princes and sovereigns, whose deaths they have contrived and compassed, and whom they have assassinated and murdered; and have been betrayers of the secrets of persons, which they have come at by auricular confession to them; and of their best and nearest friends, to preserve... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS,.... Either a mere external show of religion, pretending great piety and holiness, being outwardly righteous before men, having the mask and visor of godliness; or else a plan of doctrine, a form of sound words, a scheme of truths, which men may have without partaking of t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR OF THIS SORT ARE THEY WHICH CREEP INTO HOUSES,.... Privily and unawares, in a clandestine manner, and insinuate themselves into families, by fawning and flattering, and under specious pretences to knowledge and virtue. The Syriac version uses a word, from whence comes חולדא, "Chulda", which sig... [ Continue Reading ]
EVER LEARNING,.... Some new notion and practice or another: and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; partly because of the teachers, which they heap up to themselves, who are unapt to teach, are blind and ignorant guides, and know not the truth, but are enemies to it, and resist it; and... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW AS JANNES AND JAMBRES WITHSTOOD MOSES,.... These were not Jews, who rose up and opposed Moses, as Dathan and Abiram did, as some have thought; but Egyptian magicians, the chief of those that Pharaoh sent for, when Moses and Aaron came before him, and wrought miracles; and who did in like manner... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THEY SHALL PROCEED NO FURTHER,.... They may proceed to more ungodliness, and wax worse and worse in error; but they shall proceed no further than the magicians of Egypt, who did lying wonders, hardened Pharaoh's heart, and deceived him and the Egyptians; but could not destroy the Israelites, nor... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU HAST FULLY KNOWN MY DOCTRINE,.... This, with what follows, is said in opposition to the characters, principles, and practices of the above wicked men, and for the imitation and encouragement of Timothy, and of others, whether ministers or private believers: the apostle calls the doctrine he... [ Continue Reading ]
PERSECUTIONS, AFFLICTIONS, WHICH CAME UNTO ME AT ANTIOCH,.... In Pisidia; where the Jews that contradicted and blasphemed his doctrine, and envied his success, stirred up the chief of the city, both men and women, against him, and Barnabas; who persecuted them and expelled them out, of their coasts,... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, AND ALL THAT WILL LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS,.... All that live according to the will of God revealed in his word; and to the glory of God, as the end of all their actions; and which the grace of God in the Gospel, and in their own hearts, teaches them; and who have the principles of a godly li... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT EVIL MEN AND SEDUCERS SHALL WAX WORSE AND WORSE,.... By "evil men" are meant, not sinful men in common, as all are by nature and practice; nor only open profane sinners but rather wicked men under a form of godliness, as before; and who are full of wickedness and malice against truly godly perso... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT CONTINUE THOU IN THE THINGS,.... That is, in the doctrines of the Gospel, and not be moved away from them, either through the malice or persecutions, or the cunning sleight of men that lie in wait to deceive; and which is an exhortation suitable to the godly in all ages: and what follow are so m... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT FROM A CHILD THOU HAST KNOWN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES,.... And therefore must know that the doctrines he had learned were agreeable to them; and so is another reason why he should continue in them. The Jews very early learned their children the holy Scripture. Philo the Jew says w, εκ πρωτης ηλι... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD,.... That is, all holy Scripture; for of that only the apostle is speaking; and he means the whole of it; not only the books of the Old Testament, but of the New, the greatest part of which was now written; for this second epistle to Timothy is by some th... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE PERFECT,.... By the man of God may be meant everyone that in a special relation belongs to God; who is chosen by God the Father, redeemed by the Son, and called by the Spirit; but more especially a minister of the Gospel; for as it was usual to call a prophet under the Old... [ Continue Reading ]