When God came on the scene and entered the conversation with his friends? But it is asked, Must all men be martyrs? But after giving the characteristics and traits of the godly man, Jesus then in the final Beatitudes said, "Blessed are ye, when men shall persecute you, and revile you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake" ( Matthew 5:11 ). B. Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing; 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands: Many men and women, who would never dream of stealing, think nothing--even find pleasure--in passing on a story which ruins someone else's good name, without even trying to find out whether or not it is true. It is given by inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16), and therefore is his word. ii. A. Characteristics of the last days 3:1-13. 2 Timothy 3:12 - Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; but, when. This world is in rebellion against God. for instruction in righteousness ( 2 Timothy 3:16 ): And righteousness is just actually the act of being right or doing right or living right. Each one of these words in the Greek is an interesting word study. I refer to this just to remark that such links as these, which are connected with nature, all come before the apostle's mind, at the very moment when a spurious feeling would have judged it precisely the time to banish and forget them. Introduction; 2 Timothy 1 Commentary; YEA, AND - an additional consideration. They just are irritated by your love and by your patience and by your goodness because they feel guilty. And a servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle toward all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting those that oppose, if perhaps God may give them repentance for acknowledgment of the truth, and they may for his will wake up out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him." 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Negative and positive illustrations 3:8-13. But you see, if you start whacking away at the story of Jonah, and say, oh, I can't really buy that. 2 Timothy 3 - Clarke's Commentary - StudyLight.org Paul "the aged," as he says, was just about to leave this world. 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 life from Christ, and derive the fresh supplies of grace and life from him, to maintain it; in whom their So the same Greek is used of the same thing, Lu 14:28, 33, "intending (Greek, 'wishing') to build a tower counteth the cost.". For him the light of eternity already shone strongly on present things, instead of taking him completely out of them. In between there was The Day of the Lord, a day when God would personally intervene and shatter the world in order to remake it. They must expect to be despised, and that their religion will stand in the way of their preferment; those who will live godly must expect it, especially those who will live godly in Christ Jesus, that is, according to the strict rules of the Christian religion, those who will wear the livery and bear the name of the crucified Redeemer. It describes, not the spirit which accepts life, but the spirit which masters it. Paul completes the story of the things in which Timothy has shared, and must share, with him, by speaking of the experiences of an apostle; and he prefaces that list of experiences by setting down the quality of endurance. On the whole we here see, [1.] 2 Timothy 3 - Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible - StudyLight.org He must take care of the manner in which he strives. They said, Wait a minute, this is the hand of God, we can't, we can't touch this. He glanced at it as he consigned it to the flames. It is still possible for a teacher to gain an undue and unhealthy influence over others, especially when they are impressionable. And this, I apprehend, is the reason. As Timothy was about to enter upon a new phase of his ministry, without the apostle's presence or living counsel, the latter charges him with great emphasis, "before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." I am not at liberty of course to leave Christendom, I dare not get out of the great house at all; indeed I cannot (at any rate without becoming an apostate) leave the house of God, however bad its state may be. They will not only deceive others, but their sins and other deceivers will deceive them increasingly too. This is God's attitude to men. He was driven from Antioch in Pisidia ( Acts 13:50); he had to flee from Iconium to avoid lynching ( Acts 14:5-6); in Lystra he was stoned and left for dead ( Acts 14:19). As individuals, we should sometimes ask ourselves: what is our aim in life? It should be considered as one of the proper qualifications for membership in the church, to be willing to bear persecution, and to resolve not to shrink from any duty in order to avoid it. It is the sign of a man of honour that he pays his debts; and for every man there is a debt to God and there are debts to his fellow-men, which he must remember and repay. (187) And he says this, partly that believers may prepare themselves for submitting to this condition, and partly that good men may not view him with suspicion on account of the persecutions which he endures from wicked persons; as it frequently happens that the distresses to which men are subjected lead to unfavorable opinions concerning them; for he whom men regard with aversion is immediately declared by the common people to be hated by God. It can never cease to be a Christian's duty to maintain the unity of the Spirit; but it is not maintaining the unity of the Spirit to couple with the name of the Lord that which is fleshly and sinful. In contrast, the sins of "evil people and impostors" can be expected to get worse and worse. Thank You that Your grace is sufficient for any attack that the evil enemy of my soul can throw at me, and that nothing can ever separate me from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. 2. menin the professing Church. But shun profane and vain babblings.". We must remember that Timothy's work lay in Ephesus, perhaps the greatest market in the ancient world. 3:8-9 In the same way as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men whose minds are corrupt, and whose faith is counterfeit. But we, so often, make the mistake of going out ill-equipped or running without a message. It follows from this: (1) that they who make a profession of religion, should come prepared to be persecuted. Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. "It denotes living in the right attitude to God and to things divine. What does 2 Timothy 3:13 mean? | BibleRef.com It is the whole spiritual experience, so to speak, of the apostle. shall suffer persecutionand will not decline it (Ga 5:11). Word Studies in the New Testament. But let him not infer, therefore, that he is to be enrolled among the martyrs, and that he is certainly a real Christian. That persecution which will properly furnish any evidence that we are the friends of Christ, must be only that which is "for righteousness sake" Matthew 5:10, and must be brought upon us in an honest effort to obey the commands of God. They will be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Far more harm is done from want of thought than almost anything else. When we know the afflictions of good people but in part, they are a temptation to us to decline that cause which they suffer for; when we know only the hardships they undergo for Christ, we may be ready to say, "We will renounce that cause that is likely to cost us so dear in the owning of it;" but when we fully know the afflictions, not only how they suffer, but how they are supported and comforted under their sufferings, then, instead of being discouraged, we shall be animated by them, especially considering that we are told before that we must count upon such things (2 Timothy 3:12; 2 Timothy 3:12): All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution: not always alike; at that time those who professed the faith of Christ were more exposed to persecution than at other times; but at all times, more or less, those who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But, if one confesses the name of the Lord, the word is imperative: "let him depart from iniquity." To many a man and woman has a little bit of dress done no small injury, just because they think it is too little for the Spirit of God to direct them in. Timothy, again, winced under trials, too sensitive to slights, disappointments, and the manifold griefs that came upon him. Few choose to leave behind the elementary teaching about Christ, and press on into maturity.Sadly many believers, although saved by grace through faith in Christ, refuse to move past the elementary principles of the Christian life. III. The first is the moral character of the source or channel whence Timothy had derived what he knew. And my full doctrinal concepts are premised upon the scriptures. Then the apostle brings out most important directions for the days that were then coming in, but now come, and more. Braggart has an interesting derivation. And he embraced Christianity, but he was probably standing there in Lystra when the people in the city stoned Paul until they thought he was dead and dragged him out of the city. When children are disobedient to their parents, and break through the obligations which they lie under to them both in duty and gratitude, and frequently in interest, having their dependence upon them and their expectation from them, they make the times perilous; for what wickedness will those stick at who will be abusive to their own parents and God had made Jesus to be Lord and Christ, preached Peter on that day of power, when as yet much lay hid, and the great instrument of the revelation of the mystery was still shrouded in the darkness of midnight. 3:1 You must realize this--that in the last days difficult times will set in. True, he is telling of something which happened later than this, but the wretched story would be the same (Irenaeus: Against Heresies, 1, 13, 3). What does 2 Timothy 3:13 mean? There was a certain heretic called Marcus who dealt in magic. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived ( 2 Timothy 3:13 ). And passion shall seize him that is peaceful. Even an unbeliever is acting unfairly unless he tries to read it. The promise of the Messiah, the details of the Messiah, they are all there. Some of you here are victims of broken covenants. He had not said a word about them before. Besides that, persecutions today are manifested much more indirectly. ", The Bible tells about God giving people over to reprobate minds, men who resist God and the truth of God. It is a duty in the present state of confusion to use scriptural means; and here we have our warrant, as in the epistles we find more. The early Church lived in an age when the time was waxing late; they expected the Second Coming at any moment. They claimed that the law was so imprinted on the heart and mind of a Jewish child that he would sooner forget his own name than he would forget it. He was comparatively alone. "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." You're a pilgrim. At any rate the apostle presses this very strongly on Timothy. Then the apostle puts before them a blessed model of that which he had before his own soul. The defeat of error depends not on skill in controversy but in the demonstration in life of the more excellent way. God said it.They are profitable. It would all be over, where, you know, the miseries would all be gone.What's the first thing God said to Job? Things are very much taking this direction of late, and at the present moment. You know, I mean, talk about lovers of selves, look at the advertising. Barnes' Notes. But now before his heart just as in principle before the dying Lord Himself, wonderful to say two things come together: a deeper sense of what is in God, as revealed in Christ Himself, before there was any creation at all; and on the other hand so much the deeper sense also of what could be owned in nature. It is a great happiness to know the holy scriptures from our childhood; and children should betimes get the knowledge of the scriptures. Even if we look at Him so, He was raised from the dead. 2 Timothy Commentaries & Sermons | Precept Austin As Shakespeare had it: "Good name in man and woman, dear my lord. Activity of service was no longer before him. 2 Timothy Chapter 3 Kjv - King James Bible Online In the terrible times men will be so set on self that even the closest ties will be nothing to them. The whole concept of redemption is wrapped up in the Old Testament. Yet most people today have never heard of John Gill. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Look what they did to Jesus, and Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they're going to persecute you" ( John 15:20 ). "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace." 2 Timothy 3:12 Commentaries: Indeed, all who desire to live godly in 2 Timothy Greeting. There is only one test for falsity--"You will know them by their fruits." "They that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:2, "But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God." It is one thing to start an evil and untrue report on its malicious way; it is entirely another thing to stop it. "To Timothy, my dearly-beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. In this picture which Paul draws he is thinking in terms familiar to the Jews. It is beyond argument that the Scriptures can convict a man of his error and convince him of the power of Christ. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. By this general statement, therefore, Paul classes himself with the children of God, and, at the same time, exhorts all the children of God to prepare for enduring persecutions; for, if this condition is laid down for all who wish to live a godly life in Christ, they who wish to be exempt from persecutions must necessarily renounce Christ. (2 Timothy 2:1.) When the Lord was entering on His ministry He says, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" No amount of intellectual curiosity can ever take the place of moral earnestness. that will, &c.Greek, "all whose will is to live," &c. So far should persecution be from being a stumbling-block to Timothy, he should consider it a mark of the pious. It answers not a little to the kind of thing ,;et forth here. "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise." Men will be lovers of their own selves ( 2 Timothy 3:2 ). I've never found that in one of those little Bible promise books, I mean, promise things yet. VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. In these terrible days men would be braggarts and arrogant. This statement does not contradict what Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:9. It can mean that a man is so bitter in his hatred that he will never come to terms with the man with whom he has quarrelled. Paul suffered as he taught: a single eye to Christ and His grace made him consistent. The reason is manifest: they themselves savour of the things of men, and not of God. 2 Timothy 3 Bible Commentary - Matthew Henry (concise) - Christianity Yet. Don't expect the world to applaud when you speak out against evil. 3. (v) Paul makes a final point. Yet. The woman protests that she has never done so and cannot do so. The numbers of people who flocked to the various athletic contests, loving pleasure. Thus he comforts Timothy at the same time that he admonishes him. There are those who shrink from helping on others in order to the work and doctrine of the Lord. Oh, yeah, I like that one. In other words, it's not going to get better for awhile. These things may be expected in the best times, and under the most favorable circumstances; and it is known that a large part of the history of the world, in its relation to the church, is nothing more than a history of persecution. Includes questions, verse by verse commentary, and applications on 2 Timothy 1 for life transformation. (3.) The scriptures are able to make us truly wise, wise for our souls and another world. godly, Godfearingly. The word is anemeros ( G434) and would be more fittingly applied to a wild beast than to a human being. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, He lit the fire, and then he asked if he might read a little from each book before he dropped it in the flames. There would come a kind of terrible flowering of evil, when the moral foundations seemed to be shaken. shall suffer persecution; it is the will of God, and the appointment of heaven; Christ has foretold it, that so it shall be; and he the head has suffered it himself, and it is necessary that his members should, that they may be conformed unto him; it is the way Christ himself went to glory, and through many tribulations his people must enter the kingdom; and this is the common lot and certain case of all the saints, in one shape or another; for though all do not suffer confiscation of goods, beating, scourging, imprisonment, or a violent death; yet all are more or less afflicted and distressed by wicked men, and are subject to their reproaches and revilings, which are a branch of persecution; and that for professing Christ, and living a godly life in him and under his influence: and since such suffer as Christians, and not as evildoers; and this is the common condition of the people of God, in this world, it should not be thought strange, but be cheerfully endured; to encourage to which is the apostle's view in this passage. These were the names given to the court magicians of Pharaoh who opposed Moses and Aaron, when Moses was leading the children of Israel out of their slavery in Egypt. [ See verse text ] Persecution against godly people is to be expected in this world; it's one of the few constants in life (2 Timothy 3:12). It can sometimes have the meaning of loyalty, or true religion. The Greek word (prodotes, G4273) means nothing less than a traitor.