2 Timothy

Exhortation to Timothy in Contrast to False Teachers. Having focused almost exclusively on the false teachers in 3:1–9, Paul addresses Timothy directly on how he must resist the opponents and remain faithful to the gospel.

Description of the False Teachers. This paragraph opens by signaling a contrast from the previous paragraph (“but”). Although Paul hopes that some false teachers will repent, he does not want to give an unrealistic picture of the situation. While God may grant repentance to some, it is also clear that opposition will continue.

Paul’s reference to the last days (Gk. eschatais hēmerais) puts the present evil situation in solemn eschatological (or “end times”) perspective. As Acts 2:17 indicates, “the last days” began with the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost (see also note on 1 Tim. 4:1). Thus Paul’s prediction of times of difficulty that will occur in “the last days” is already beginning to be fulfilled, even in the present situation.

This “list of vices” vividly describes the negative impact of those who were opposing Paul and Timothy. The list begins and ends with references to misplaced love—i.e., people who are lovers of self, lovers of money (v. 2), and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (v. 4).

Paul uses a common technique, emphasizing an item in a list (vv. 2–5) by placing it either first or last and expanding upon it more than the other items in the list: while Paul and Timothy’s opponents have the external appearance of godliness, they do not have its real essence. Power means the present, effective working of God in and through believers’ lives (see note on Acts 1:8). “Godliness” (Gk. eusebeia) means genuine piety, including holiness, reverence, faith, and love and devotion to God. In 2 Tim. 1:7, Paul linked “power” to the presence of the Holy Spirit, and this power enabled perseverance through suffering (1:8; see 2:1) and faithful defense of the gospel (1:14). The people referenced in 3:1–9 claim to know God, but their lives are devoid of the work of the Spirit, which would have resulted in holiness, perseverance, and effectiveness in advancing God’s kingdom. Avoid such people. This is the only command in vv. 1–9. This avoidance most likely involves excommunication. Although there may appear to be a contradiction between this and the exhortation in 2:24–26, the point in 2:24–26 is to seek the repentance of such people. In 3:5, however, Paul envisions those who remain obstinate and states clearly that there comes a time when such people must be excluded from Christian fellowship.

women, burdened with sins. Due to their guilt from their past, these women are particularly susceptible to both the asceticism (promoting artificial self-denial; see 1 Tim. 4:3) and the antinomianism (teaching that all sorts of sins are really acceptable; see 2 Tim. 3:2–4) set forth by the false teachers.

Although the OT never names the Egyptian sorcerers who opposed Moses before Pharaoh (Ex 7:11-12,22; 8:7,16-19), Paul did not claim to quote the OT directly here. Ancient Jewish traditions (Targum of Pseudo-Jonathan, Qumran Scrolls, and rabbinic writings) also identify the magicians by these names. No good reason exists to question these traditions at this point.

Jannes and Jambres are the names given in early extrabiblical Jewish writings to the Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses in Ex. 7:8–13. In these writings, these men became key symbols of opposition to God’s truth. Though their names do not appear in the OT itself, they would be familiar to Timothy and other Jews; identifying the opponents with these archetypal enemies of God’s truth would have significant rhetorical power. corrupted in mind. Again false teaching is cast in terms of deficient thinking (see note on 2 Tim. 2:26). This is why divine aid is necessary for coming to the “knowledge of the truth” (2:7, 25–26). disqualified regarding the faith. In spite of their claims, these people do not have saving faith, since they oppose the gospel both in their teaching and in their living (see Titus 1:16).

Another note of encouragement similar to 2:19. In spite of the current success of the false teachers, they will ultimately fail.

Call to Hold Fast to Scripture and Paul’s Example. This paragraph opens with a clear, strong contrast: “You, however.” The false teachers live and teach one way (vv. 1–9), but Paul provides a totally different model for Timothy. The repetition of “my” in vv. 10–11 places clear emphasis on Paul as the model for faithful living and ministry, in contrast to that proposed by the opponents. See note on Phil. 3:17.

Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra are cities Paul visited on his first missionary journey (Acts 13–14), prior to Timothy joining him during his second journey (Acts 16:1). Since Lystra was Timothy’s hometown (Acts 16:1–2), he was probably aware of what happened to Paul on this first journey. Thus Timothy would have known from his earliest awareness of Paul that suffering had been a central part of Paul’s work. From them all the Lord rescued me does not mean that God kept Paul from experiencing any harm in these instances, for in Lystra he was stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19–20), and it is possible that Timothy even witnessed this. Instead, Paul is probably referring both to the fact that the Lord preserved him from death so that he could continue preaching, and to the Lord’s work in Paul’s heart to keep him faithful even in suffering. See 2 Tim. 4:18.

Jesus and NT writers warned believers of impending persecution (Mt 5:10-12; 10:16-25; 1Pt 4:12-16). The warning may seem to conflict with texts like Pr 16:7; however, both the warnings and the proverb are true. This warning must be balanced with Paul’s acknowledgment that some unbelievers will respect Christians for their honesty, kindness, and wisdom, all of which produce peace when rightly received (1Tm 2:2; 3:7; 2Tm 2:22-26). The manner in which Christians responded to persecution, suffering, and death was one of the ways in which Christianity undermined paganism in the Roman Empire.

will be persecuted. Suffering is an expected element in Christian living (see 2:3; see also John 15:18–21; 16:33). The actual “persecution” may be less when there has been more Christian influence on the laws and cultural values of a society, but the unbelieving world will always remain deeply hostile to the gospel.

The false teachers will “progress” from bad to worse (see 2:16). Those doing the deceiving are themselves deceived.

from whom you learned. This could refer to Paul but may also refer back to Timothy’s mother and grandmother (1:5), especially since 3:15 mentions the teaching he received in childhood (see esv footnote on v. 14).

to make you wise for salvation. Scripture can lead to the “knowledge of the truth” (2:25; 1 Tim. 2:4). It has the power to bring its readers to faith (cf. James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23). This is in direct contrast to the false teaching which, as stated throughout the letter, leads only to useless disputes and ungodliness.

Some critics argue that all Scripture cannot be divinely inspired since a moral God could not possibly have inspired, say, the story of a horrible rape in Jdg 19:22-30. Scripture does record immoral acts. Inspiration guarantees its accuracy, not its divine approval. God’s approval or disapproval of human acts recorded in the Bible must be inferred from the comments of the biblical narrator, the divine response to the action, the purpose of the book as a whole, and biblical principles stated in other sections of Scripture.

All Scripture would refer first to the OT but by implication also to at least some NT writings, which by this time were already being considered as Scripture (see 1 Tim. 5:18 and note; 2 Pet. 3:15–16 and note). Breathed out by God translates a Greek word (theopneustos) that does not occur in any other Greek text (biblical or otherwise) prior to this letter. Some therefore suggest that Paul coined this term from words meaning “God” and “breathed,” which is certainly possible. The term stresses the divine origin and thus the authority of Scripture. Paul does not point to the human authors of Scripture as inspired people but says that the writings themselves (“Scripture,” Gk. graphē, “writing,” which in the NT always refers to biblical writings) are the words spoken (“breathed out”) by God. Whereas it seems that Paul and Timothy’s opponents stressed certain aspects or portions of Scripture (e.g., genealogies, 1 Tim. 1:4; cf. Titus 3:9), Paul stresses the authoritativeness of all of Scripture. The divine origin of Scripture is the reason for its power to convert (2 Tim. 3:15) and its usefulness in training (v. 17). Because Scripture comes from God himself, “all” of it is profitable in a range of ways, ultimately leading to righteousness.

That (in the sense of “in order that”) refers back to the preceding verse (v. 16), indicating the purpose of Scripture for the believer. man of God. Both the OT background of this phrase (see esv footnote and note on 1 Tim. 6:11–12) and the context show that Paul is thinking specifically of Timothy as his delegate and a leader over the church (see 1 Tim. 1:3–4; 6:11). While this verse applies generally to all believers, Paul’s specific focus here is the preparation of Timothy to continue in his task when Paul is no longer present. equipped for every good work. In a broad sense this includes everything that God calls a believer to do. But, in a specific sense, this also supports the doctrine of the “sufficiency of Scripture,” that is, the idea that the truth contained in Scripture is sufficient in all matters pertaining to doctrine and moral behavior. Although there are no commands outside the Bible that apply to all of God’s people, this does not exclude individual guidance by the Holy Spirit on how to apply the universal commands of Scripture in particular situations (cf. notes on Gal. 5:16; 5:18).