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2 Timothy 2: 15-26
January 15, 2009
  
2 Tim 2:15-18
15 Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.
1. Study: Greek: spoudazo: to use speed, to make effort, be prompt or earnest.
2. Workman: Greek: ergates: a toiler; figuratively, a teacher.
3. Correctly handle: the KJV says: rightly dividing: Greek: orthotomeo: to make a straight cut, do dissect correctly.
4. Present yourself to God as one approved: Endeavor to cultivate and improve your heart and mind in order to bring honor and glory to the One (God) who ordained you.
5. Paul is exhorting Timothy to continue in the true doctrine and teach that to every person.
16 But avoid all empty (vain, useless, idle) talk, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.
1. KJ says: shun profane and vain babblings.
2. Profane: Greek: bebelos: heathenish, wicked
3. Vain babblings: Greek: kenephonia: empty sounding, fruitless discussion.
4. This is the character he gives of the preaching of false teachers; whatever is not doctrine of truth is empty, profane, babbling, promoting nothing but ungodliness.
17 And their teaching [will devour; it] will eat its way like cancer or spread like gangrene. So it is with Hymenaeus and Philetus,
1. Gangrene: where the circulation is entirely stopped, and the flesh decays which corrupts all the adjacent flesh, spreading until death takes place, unless stopped by a timely and proper application of medicine.
2. This is how false doctrine spreads and corrupts everything and everybody around it unless it is terminated by the Word of Light, truth, and an acceptance of the truth will end in the bitter pains of an eternal death.
3. This gangrene is what Paul compares the corrupt doctrines of Hymeneus and Philetus.
18 Who have missed the mark and swerved from the truth by arguing that the resurrection has already taken place. They are undermining the faith of some.
1. By saying that the resurrection has already taken place, they are denying the resurrection of the body, and all its benefits; some to their reward, heaven, and some to their punishment, hell.
19 But the firm foundation of (laid by) God stands, sure and unshaken, bearing this seal (inscription): The Lord knows those who are His, and, Let everyone who names [himself by] the name of the Lord give up all iniquity and stand aloof from it. [Num 16:5; Isa 26:13.]
1. Since this true foundation is founded on the authority and power of God, it will stand sure and forever.
2. This building shored up be a firm foundation has an inscription on it which alludes to inscriptions on ancient temples.
a. Above the temple at Delphi there was a Greek word “ei” which means “thou art”
b. Above many of the Mohammedan mosques, the walls are covered with inscriptions, which are ordinarily sentences taken from the Koran, relative to the majesty of God, or the nature of his worship.
c. We know there was an inscription on the mitre of the high priest of the Jews: qodesh la-Yahweh: “Holiness to the Lord.”
3. This inscription may here be represented as being made with the seal of God, for he stamps this on all things belonging to Himself and his worship.
4. Also this could be referring to a covenant by which two parties are to fulfill certain conditions and duties, the obligation to which each takes on him by sealing the instrument with his seal.
5. The Lord knows: He approves, watches over and provides for them that are his true followers, and Let everyone that names Him as Lord, must avoid every appearance of evil.
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also [utensils] of wood and earthenware, and some for honorable and noble [use] and some for menial and ignoble [use].
1. In a great house, with a great foundation, (this is the whole system of Christianity, as Jesus proclaimed “upon this rock” I will build my church.
2. The different vessels mean the different teachers, as well as the different kinds of members.
3. In this sacred house of Ephesus there were vessels of gold and silver; holy, sincere, and useful teachers and members, and also vessels of wood and of earth; false and heretical teachers such as Hymeneus and Philetus, and their followers.
4. There are also in such houses vessels employed some more and some less honorable.
21 So whoever cleanses himself [from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences] will [then himself] be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work.
1. Of one walks with God and will separate himself, not only from false doctrine, but from all wicked men, will be sanctified and thus be employed by the Lord in every good word and work.
22 Shun youthful lusts and flee from them, and aim at and pursue righteousness (all that is virtuous and good, right living, conformity to the will of God in thought, word, and deed); [and aim at and pursue] faith, love, [and] peace (harmony and concord with others) in fellowship with all [Christians], who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart.
1. Timothy is now between thirty and forty years of age, the age in which ambition and the love of power most generally prevail.
2. Carnal pleasures are the sins of youth; ambition and the lover of power the sins of middle age.
3. Peace among all members of the church, as far as possible with all men, but especially those who invoke the Lord out of a pure desire to glorify His Name.
23 But refuse (shut your mind against, have nothing to do with) trifling (ill-informed, unedifying, stupid) controversies over ignorant questionings, for you know that they foster strife and breed quarrels.
1. Original language: avoid foolish and unlearned questions, knowing that they gender strifes.
24 And the servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome (fighting and contending). Instead, he must be kindly to everyone and mild-tempered [preserving the bond of peace]; he must be a skilled and suitable teacher, patient and forbearing and willing to suffer wrong.
1. Not resentful or willing to suffer wrong
2. KJ: patient: from the Greek: anexikakos: enduring of ill, forbearing
25 He must correct his opponents with courtesy and gentleness, in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and come to know the Truth [that they will perceive and recognize and become accurately acquainted with and acknowledge it],
1. His opponents; those that appose the servant of the Lord’s teaching, and his authority to teach it.
2. He was to use every means to reach all, because as bad as they were, they were not out of reach of God’s mercy.
26 And that they may come to their senses [and] escape out of the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him, [henceforth] to do His [God's] will.
1.Notice that the AMP says God’s will, while the NIV says “his will” alluding to the Devil’s will.
2. The KJV says 2 Tim 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
3. Is Paul referring to Christians or unbelievers that are taken captive by Satan’s will?
4. Those that would oppose the servant (Pastor, teacher) are those in the church. Saved or unsaved? I believe he’s talking about both!!!!
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