CHAPTER THREE
Grievous Times Coming
(vs 1) "Know this" -- Recognize this, understand this, etc.
"last days" --The entire time, from the coming of Christ into
the world, to the end of this dispensation; the second
coming of Christ to judgment.
"grievous times" -- difficult, hard to bare. Some more than
others.
(vs 2) "lovers of self" -- Selfishness, seeking to satisfy self.
NOTE: This character flaw is the basis for many sins.
One who loves self, will succumb to the other sins
mentioned here.
"lovers of money" -- Greed, improper gain of riches. Without
money one is limited in the sins committed.
Cf. 1 Tim. 6:10.
"boastful" -- A braggart, elevating self.
"haughty" -- Arrogant, despiteful of those below them either
in social position or in wealth. One who looks down on
others.
"railers" -- Blasphemers, those who speak out against God and
their fellow man, scornful.
"disobedient to parents" -- One who does not respect parent
will not respect God. God's law has always expected the
child to obey the parent. (Deut. 21:18-20; Eph. 6:1-4)
"unthankful" -- Not grateful for the many blessings received.
This usually characterizes the one who feels no need
for God. "What do I need with God." The rich fool..
"unholy" -- The absence of God. Nothing is holy.
(vs 3) "without natural affections" -- For parents or children.
"Natural" -- Animal instinct. Even brute animals
posses this affection.
"implacable" -- A truce breaker. Will not honor his word.
Will make a promise without any intent to keep it.
"slanderers" -- Accusations to damage the reputation of
another, usually by lies and untruths.
"without self control" -- Unable to control one's passions
and desires. "How ironical that the ones who want
freedom and self-expression are unable to control
themselves." (Don DeWalt)
To raise us above the brute animal one must be able
to control his own appetites. To the child of God, this
self control is under the guidance of our Lord.
"fierce" -- Savage, untamed. Having no power over one's angry
passions. Animals display this attitude toward all who
would oppose them. (Back an animal into a corner and
see how fierce they can be.)
"no lovers of good" -- Simply no place for good in their
life. No place for virtue or righteousness. Their every
thought is on that which is evil.
(vs 4) "traitors" -- Ready to betray the trust of others, if it is
to their benefit. Undependable.
"headstrong" -- Stubbornly pursuing their own agenda,
regardless of the consequence. Cf. To a bull in the
arena who rushes to its own death.
"puffed up" -- (K.J.-"highminded") -- Exalted opinion of
one's self. Self-conceit.
"lovers of pleasure rather than..." -- Anxious to satisfy
their own sensual lusts, rather than to obey God.
They have no desire to seek to please God. Their every
thought is on satisfying self and their own appetites.
NOTE: This list began with "lovers of self" and
ends with "lovers of pleasure." Thus, we have run the
spectrum from "loving self" to "no love for God."
(vs 5) "holding a form of..." -- These wish to be recognized as God's
people, but their lives deny that they are. Those who
profess godliness, but do not conduct their lives
accordingly.
NOTE: Some who talk the life of a Christian, but do
not allow Christ to govern their lives. There are many
in the religious world who claim to be children of God,
but they have never submitted to the demands nor the
commandments of the Lord.
"having denied the power" -- They do not allow the Spirit to
guide them (through the word). Those who sing, "O How I
Love Jesus," but do not manifest the characteristic of
love which the Lord demands, "If ye love me ye will
keep my commandments."
"from these turn away" -- Do not allow them to influence you.
Reject their divisive teachings. Withdraw from them.
(vs 6) The false teacher is not content to corrupt themselves alone,
but will do all in their power to lead others astray.
"creep into houses" -- secretive, deceptive, they ease
themselves into the company of those who will follow
them.
"silly women" -- "little or diminutive women" -- those whose
character and spiritual condition is questionable.
"laden with sins" -- These women were already overcome with
sins; thus prepared to be led astray. They enjoy their
sin; hence are easy prey for the false teachers.
NOTE: Those who reject the authority of Christ are indeed
"captives." They are slaves, to be led into more sins
and immoralities and "divers (many) lusts."
(vs 7) "ever learning" -- Those who reject the authority of the
Scriptures are ever searching for other explanations,
some "new doctrine." Cf. Acts 17:21. If one wants error
he or she will find it. Yet,
"never come to the knowledge of the truth" -- Because they
have rejected the standard of the truth, God's Word.
(vs 8) "Jannes and Jambres" -- These not mentioned elsewhere in the
Scriptures. Thought to have been magicians in Egypt who
opposed Moses; who did wonders before Pharaoh when Moses
performed miracles. They used their magical arts to
withstand Moses. Cf. Ex. 7:8-14.
"so do these" -- those to whom Paul is referring.
"withstand the truth" -- opposed to Paul and Timothy.
"corrupted in mind" -- It is the mind that must receive the
truth. The very thing which they have corrupted.
"reprobate" -- unworthy, counterfeit, shameless.
"the faith" -- the gospel.
NOTE: Some have suggested that these false teachers were
also using some types of magical powers in their false
teaching. If so, what a dangerous situation. How often
today do people use their subjective feelings as to
what they have seen or felt to prove their connection
to the Lord.
(vs 9) Just as Jannes and Jambres did not succeed against Moses, so
shall these false teachers fail against the gospel.
"they shall proceed no further" -- Timothy's message was by
far stronger than theirs.
"shall be made evident" -- False doctrine cannot avail when
it is laid along side of the truth. Error prevails only
when the truth of God's Word is withheld from the
people. Cf. The Dark Ages.
NOTE: At one time the denominations would conduct
public debates with our brethren, but they learned
that such was not profitable.
(vs 10) "my teaching" -- Timothy's strength was in the gospel; that
which Paul gave to Timothy. cf. 1 Cor. 11:1.
The following list was to remind Timothy of the life that
Paul had lived. To encourage Timothy to follow the same
principles in his life.
"conduct" -- manner of life. Cf. Phil. 1:21.
"purpose" -- Paul's challenge -- Acts 26:15-20; Rom. 1:15.
"faith" -- Paul's trust in Jehovah and His Word. Rom. 1:16.
"longsuffering" -- Indeed, Paul has suffered long and often.
"love" -- Paul reflected the love of God for mankind. The
kind of love as shown in 1 Cor. 13. It was that kind of
love that enabled Paul to suffer as he did.
"patience" -- steadfastness. Faithfulness in the face of
severe persecution. Cf. Job.
(vs 11) "persecutions, sufferings" -- 2 Cor. 11:23-28. What had Paul
done to deserve these things? Nothing, other that
proclaiming the resurrected Lord.
"things..." -- Acts 13:50; 14:19-29. Perhaps Timothy had
witnessed the stoning of Paul.
"persecutions I endured" -- Most likely Paul was preparing
Timothy to face the same persecutions as he had faced.
"Lord delivered me" -- Was not Paul beaten, stoned, jailed,
etc.? In what sense, then, did the Lord deliver him? He
was given the strength to endure these things. We are
not "delivered from," but "out of them." Cf. Rom. 5:3.
(vs 12) Paul's personal sufferings and persecutions lead him to this
conclusion. The child of God is at war with the flesh
and evil. Living a godly life will result in opposition
from those who differ with us. It may not be beatings,
imprisonments, physical abuse; it may be ridicule, or
slander, or evil gossip, but it will come.
(vs 13) "evil men" -- men given over to evil; allowing evil to
control their lives.
"impostors" -- false teachers.
"worse and worse" -- Evil never rests; it is aggressive. Evil
is desirous of dragging others down with it. It grows
from bad to worse.
NOTE: One does not remain in a static position. If
we are not growing, we are going backward. We do not
remain the same. This is why we should take our
spiritual temperature day by day.
"deceiving and being deceived" -- Those who deceive are self-
deceived.
(vs 14) "But abide" -- The only protection against error is to abide
in the truth of God's word. Be faithful, consistent.
There is no fear of error if one abides in the truth.
"which thou hast learned" -- Timothy had not only heard, but
he had learned, understood the truth. He was thus
prepared to teach others.
"of whom..." -- Paul the inspired teacher -- Timothy the
receptive student. Could possibly refer to his mother
and his grandmother.
(vs 15) "from a babe" -- cf. 1:5. Timothy had been taught the word of
God from early childhood.
"sacred writings" -- the Old Testament scriptures, as they
testified and prophesied the coming of the Messiah.
"through faith in Christ Jesus" -- Christ, the fulfillment of
the Old Testament scriptures.
(vs 16) "Every scripture" -- That given by Jehovah. At that time the
Old Testament scriptures, but the New Covenant as it is
being given by inspiration. cf. 1 Cor. 10:11.
NOTE: The term "scripture" or "scriptures" is used
more than 50 times to refer to the Old Testament.
"inspired of God" -- God breathed, God given. Heaven approved
cf. 2 Peter 1:20-21.
"profitable" -- good, beneficial, dependable.
"teaching" -- Whatever the problem, the Scriptures give us
the solution, the answer. It teaches us.
"for reproof" -- Correcting mistakes and errors (in ourself
and in others).
NOTE: Correction comes only after one has accepted
the Scriptures as the inspired Word of God.
"for correction" -- The changes needed to be made. Making one
right with God.
"for instruction...." -- discipline; training.
"righteousness" -- being right with God.
(vs 17) The preceding being true, this is the natural conclusion.
The Scriptures accomplish these two conclusions:
"may be complete" -- whole, full-grown.
"furnished" -- Man has all he needs to please God.
"good work" -- It is not a good work unless there is divine
authority for it. Calling it a good work does not make
it so. There must be Heaven's approval for the Lord to
accept it.
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