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3:1—4:8. —Further appeal to Timothy for boldness and loyalty, based on the thought of the last days and of the Final Judgment.
Remember, times will grow more difficult (1): professing Christians will prefer self and pleasure to God (2-5): false teachers will oppose the truth; their hearers will be at the mercy of each caprice and each novelty: they will have a temporary success (6-9, 4:3. 4). But I trust you to face persecution and to remain loyal to my teaching, for you have my example to guide you (10-14): you have Holy Scripture to fit you for your task (15-17): the thought of the Judgment and the coming Kingdom both to awe and to encourage you (4:1-5), and my approaching death will throw all the responsibility upon you (6-8).
In this paragraph there is still the contrast between empty talk and real work, cf. 3:5, 7, 17 πνἔγνἀαό, 4:5 ἔγν but more markedly that between the source of the teaching—the Apostolic teaching, 3:10, 4:3, and Holy Scripture, 3:15, as opposed to myths, 4:4: that between the character of the teacher, loyalty to tradition, 3:14 μν, as opposed to love of novelty, 3:13, 4:3: that between the result, in the one case, wisdom and salvation, 3:15, in the other, failure to lay hold of the truth, 3:7, and folly, 3:9.
Paraphrase. But things are not yet at their worst: we have been warned that, as the last days approach, there will be moments very difficult to face. Men’s affections will be set not on God, but on self, on money, and on pleasure. This will make them braggarts about what they have, overbearing to those who have not, quick to rail both at God and man, disobedient to parents, with no sense of gratitude to any, no respect for divine things or for human affection, implacable when offended, ready to speak evil of others, with no control over their own passions, no human tenderness, no love for what is good or for those who are good, quite ready to betray their brethren, reckless in speech and action, conceited and puffed up. They will have all the externals of religion, but have long set at defiance its power over their lives. These, too, you must avoid. For it is from a society like this that arise those teachers who creep into private houses and take captive silly women, whose consciences are burdened with past sins, who are at the mercy of caprices of every kind, and so, though always pretending to learn, yet have no power of coming to any knowledge of truth. Yet, though these are their only followers, these men—just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses—oppose the truth, men whose intellect is completely debased, who can stand no test as to their faith. But they will not be able to get far; for their utter folly will be quite clear to every one, exactly as that of Jannes and Jambres was shown to be. But you I can trust, for you heartily became my follower; you listened to my teaching, imitated my manner of life; my aims became your aims, my faith your faith, my forbearance, my love, my endurance passed on to you; you know all my persecutions and sufferings; what sufferings befell me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra; what persecutions I bore up against: yes, and the Psalmist’s words came true, “out of them all the Lord delivered me.” Aye, and all who are minded to live a religious life in union with Christ Jesus will be persecuted. And malicious men will grow more malicious, impostors will get worse and worse, deceiving others and deceived themselves. But I appeal to you—stand firm in those truths that you first learned and in which your past life confirmed you, knowing who your teachers were, knowing, too, that from your cradle you have been taught religious teaching from Scriptures which have it in them, if you have true faith in Christ Jesus, to give you the true wisdom which leads to salvation. All Scripture is inspired by God, and therefore is useful for all your task—for teaching truth, for conviction of sin and refuting of false doctrine, for correction of faults, for discipline of character in the right way. It was given to make every one of God’s men fit for his task, for it can fit him completely for every good work.
1. γνσε] not exactly “know,” as if the writer were communicating a new piece of knowledge, but “recognize,” “realize” the fulfilment of what you have heard; cf. Eur. Alc. 418, γγωκ δ ὡ πσνἡῖ κταενὀελτι ὅι. . . χλπί a semiquotation of some eschatological prediction (cf. I 4:1), of the woes that would precede the πρυί: cf. Mar_13:19, Mat_24:12, 2Th_2:2 ὅιἐέτκνἡἡέα 2 P 3:3, Jud_1:18. This implies that the last days are already present and Timothy has to face them 5.
ἐ ἐχ ἡέας] the days preceding the πρυί, based on Isa_2:2 ἐ τῖ ἐχ ἡ., Act_2:17. The omission of the article perhaps emphasizes the quality of those days “in days which are last and therefore worst”; cf. ἐχτ ὥα 1Jn_2:18; ἐ κίῳἐχτ, 1 P 1:5 (ubi v. Hort). Ign. Eph. 11, ἔχτικιο: cf. also Gen_49:1 of Jacob in anticipation of his death, σνχηεἵαἀαγίωὑῖ τ ἀατσιὑῖ ἐʼἐχ τνἡέω, which suggests little more than “hereafter.”
χλπί] hard for teachers, for the servant of the Lord to keep the spirit of 2:24-26; cf. Eph_5:16 ἐαοαόεο τνκιό, ὅια ἡέα πνρίεσ.
2-5. This list is probably also based on some previous Apocalyptic (cf. Test. XII. Patr., Iss. 6, γγώκτ ον τκαμυ ὅιἐ ἐχτι κιοςκτλίοσνο υο ὑῶ τνἁλττ κὶκληήοτιτ ἀλσί κτλ—Assumption Mos. c. 7, Mat_24:12); perhaps also with a reminiscence of Ro i. ii (cf. 5 with Rom_2:20 ἔοτ τνμρωι τςγώες as though Christian morality was in danger of falling back to the level of heathenism and Judaism. Here, however, there is no stress on individual immorality as in Rom_1: the main thought is that the love of self will lead to neglect of the duty to others and to God, nay more, to active wrong-doing to them.
φλυο . . . φλθο stand in sharp antithesis: φλρυο and φλδνιare subdivisions of φλυο. The true centre of life is changed. Self has taken the place of God, so all sense of the duty to others, whether man or God, disappears. The rest are mainly ranged in pairs: Chrysostom, perhaps fancifully, assumes them to form a climax, each leading to the next after it. φλυο was already a term of reproach in Greek Ethics (cf. Arist. Eth. Nic. ix. 8 for an interesting discussion of the problem in what sense it is a vice), and is placed by Philo in antithesis to the love of God, de Spec. Legg., p. 264 M, ὑὸφλυίςἐλθμνιτῦπὸ ἀηεα ὄτςθο (Wetstein).
φλρυο] suggested by the chief danger at Ephesus, cf. I 6:10. There, it was the root of all evil; here, it is itself traced back to a root deeper down in human nature, the love of self.
ἀαόε (cf. Rom_1:30, Jam_4:16, 1Jn_2:16, “elati,” Vulg.; “insolentes,” Ambros.; gloriosi,” Beza), ὑεήαο (Luk_1:51, Jam_4:6, Jam_4:1 P 5:5), βάφμι, all mainly faults of speech, braggadocio about self, boasting of one’s own gifts or pretending to those we have not (cf. Arist. Eth. N. iv. 7, Rhet. ii. 6 ; Theophr. Char. xxiii.); scornful arrogance in thought and word towards man and God (Theophr. Char. xxiv.); outspoken abuse and evil speaking, both manward and Godward; cf. Trench, Syn. §xxix. ἀαοεαand ὑεηαί are combined in Clem. Rom_1:16, ΧιτςἸσῦ οκἦθνἐ κμῳἀαοεα οδ ὑεηαίς. . . ἀλ τπιορν and the spirit of the two underlies the Pharisee’s prayer, Luk_18:11, Luk_18:12.
γνῦι ἀεθῖ] Rom_1:30; cf. I 1:9, Tit_1:6, Eph_6:1.
ἀάιτι] both to men and God; cf. Rom_1:21, Ecclus 17:28. 29, and contrast Eph_5:20 εχρσονε πνοεὑὲ πνω.
ἀόιι] 1Ti_1:9 “scelesti,” Vulg.; “impii,” Ambros.
ἄτρο] Rom_1:31; cf. 1Ti_5:8 “sine affectione,” Vulg.; “sine dilectione,” Ambros.
ἄπνο] “implacable when offended”; cf. Trench, Syn. §lii. : but it may also include the thought “untrue to σοδίalready made,” “faithless to their pledged word”; cf. ἀυθτυ, Rom_1:31; “sine pace,” Vulg.; “sine fide,” Ambros.
δάοο] cf. 1Ti_3:11, Tit_2:3; it may include the two thoughts “slanderers” and “setters at variance,” promoting quarrels in the hope that they may gain from them.
ἀήεο] cf. κκ θρα Tit_1:12; ὡ τ ἄοαζαJud_1:10.
ἀιάαο] no lovers of what is good (“sine benignitate,” Vulg.), or, of those that are good (“bonorum inimici,” Ambros.), cf. Tit_1:8 note; cf. ἀιόαο (Plut. Qu. Conv. v. I), and the interesting contrast between Antoninus and his father in Pap Oxyr. i. 33, τ μνπῶο ἦ φλσφς τ δύεο ἀιάγρς τ τίο φλγθσ σιτύω τ ἐάταἔκια, τρνί, ἀιααί, ἀαδα(Qy. = ἀαδυί).
ποόα] Cf. Mat_24:10 κὶἀλλυ πρδσυι and Clem. Rom_1:5 for the part which jealousy played in the Neronian persecution.
ποεες] hasty, reckless, either in speech (cf. Suidas, ἡἀαίωο γῶσ) or in action; cf. Act_19:36.
ττφμνι] I 3:6 note, 6:4.
φλδνι] corresponds at the end to φλρυο at the beginning, both expressions of φλυο and pointing the contrast to φλθο: Bengel’s comment is “Epicureorum epitheton,” but Epicurus held that the φλδνιmust be φλκλικὶφλδκιι cf. Cic. ad Fam. xv. 19. For the contrast, cf. Philo, de agric. c. 19, φλδννκὶφλπθ μλο ἢφλρτνκὶφλθο (Wetstein) cf. Php_3:19 ὧ ὁθὸ ἡκιί.
5. μρωι] “speciem pietatis,” Vulg.; “formam,” Ambros.; “deformationem,” Cypr.: having all externals of religion, or, perhaps, a power of showing such externals. This may include (a) having a correct creed; cf. Rom_2:20 ἔοτ τνμρωι τςγώεςκὶτςἀηεα ἐ τ νμ: (b) a form of worship and external expressions of religion, “in habitu vel doctrina,” Pelag.; cf. Philo, de plant. c. 17, εσ τνςτνἐιοφζνω εσβιν(Wetstein).
κὶτύος] those too as well as the controversialists of 2:23-26.
6. ἐδννε] cf. Jud_1:4 πριέυα; cf. Iren. i. 13. 3 of the Valentinian Marcus, μλσαπρ γνῖα ἀχλῖα: ib. 6, ἐααῶτςγνιάι πλὰδέθια.
αχαωίοτς] the Hellenistic form for the Attic αχαωεεν Nä, p. 28; Rutherford, New Phrynichus, ccccvii.
σσρυέα] heaped up, overladen; cf. 4:3, Barnab. 4. 6, ἐιωεοτςτῖ ἁαταςὑῶ. They have become caricatures of true womanhood. ἀόεα; cf. 1Co_12:2 and contrast Rom_8:14, Gal_5:18. πιίας of many kinds, including sensual desires (cf. Iren. l.c.), but also the desire for novelties (cf. 4:3), for the name of learned women, “mentis et carnis” (Bengel).
7. μνάοτ] cf. I 5:13, where there is a similar oxymoron ἀγὶμνάοσ. εςἐίνσνἀη. 2:25. A change of heart might still enable them to know: they would then regain the power which true piety gives, cf. δνμν with τνδνμν5; cf. Hermas, Sim. 9. 22, θλνε πναγνσενκὶοδνὅω γνσοσ.
8. Ἰνῆ κὶἸμρς] (or possibly Μμρς which is found in the Western texts and in the Talmud). An ad hominem illustration. They are fond of their Jewish myths and genealogies: well, the nearest analogy to themselves to be found there is that of magicians whose folly was exposed. ὃ πόο may perhaps imply similarity of method, that these teachers used magic arts like the Egyptian magicians; cf. γηε 13 and Act_19:19. The reference is to Exo_7:11, Exo_9:11. The names are not found in O.T., Philo, or Josephus, but in slightly different forms in late Jewish Targums, one perhaps as early as the first Christian century (Schechter, Documents of Jewish Sectaries, i. p. 5); in heathen writers (Pliny, Hist. Nat. xxx. 1. 11; Apuleius, Apol. c. xc.), and in several Christian Apocryphal writings, e.g. Evang. Nicodemi, c. 5). Origen twice (ad Mat_27:9Mat_27:9 Mat_27:23:37) refers to an Apocryphal book with the title “Jannes et Mambres.” The names are apparently Semitic, perhaps meaning “the rebel” and “the opponent” (so Thackeray, The Relation of St. Paul to Contemporary Jewish Thought, pp. 216-21). For fuller details, cf. Schü H.J.P. (Eng. tr.) ii. 3. 149, Wetstein, Holtzmann, Dibelius, and W.-H. Notes on Select Readings, ad loc.
ἀόιο] contrast 2:15 and cf. Tit_1:16. τνπσι, probably subjective, as parallel to τννῦ; cf. Add. Note, p. 20.
9. ἐὶπεο] “farther”: or, perhaps (not pressing the comparative, cf. 1:18 note), “very far.”
10. Cf. 1:5, 6. There, the appeal was to his start in life; here, to his start in the Christian life.
πρκλύηα is capable of different shades of meaning, to follow in mind, to understand; cf. Epict. i. 9; Marc. Aurel. iii. 1, iv. 9, vii. 4: to imitate; to accompany: here it changes as St. Paul mentions his teaching, his Christian virtues, the events of his life. For the list, cf. 2Co_6:4, 2Co_11:23.
τ δδσ. τ ἀωῇ τ ποέε] possibly all in an active sense—my teaching of you, my training of you (cf. Plutarch, πρ πίω ἀωῆ), my suggestion of tasks for you to perform, cf. Plat. Rep. 413 C, ποεέοςἔγ: Crito, 51 E, ποιέτνἡῶ . . . ἃἂ κλύμν(v. Expositor, Nov. 1919); but could ποέε be so used without an explanatory genitive? If not, we must translate—my doctrine (I 4:6), my manner of life (cf. Est_2:20, Est_2:2 Mac 4:16; Pap. Tebt. i. 24:57 μχηὰ ἀωή, M.M. s.v.; Nä p. 34), my own purpose (cf. Act_11:23, Act_11:27:13, Act_11:2 Mac 9:27 πρκλυονατ ἐῇποιέε).
τ ὑοοῇ] cf. Clem. Rom_1:5 of Paul, ὑοοῆ γνμνςμγσο ὑορμό. “Vivam nobis boni doctoris imaginem depingit nempe qui non oratione modo formet ac instituat suos discipulos sed pectus quoque suum quodammodo illis aperiat ut intelligant ex animo ipsum docere quædocet” (Calvin).
11. οάμιἐέεο] St. Paul enumerates the first only of a long train of persecutions, 2Co_11:30-33. Timothy was not his companion in these; but he doubtless heard of them and followed St. Paul in spite of them. On account of this difficulty Wohlenberg separates this verse from 10, and treats it as an exclamation. Oh, what I suffered! what persecutions I endured from the first—yet the Lord delivered me!
ἐ πνω κτλ] cf. 4:18. There is here perhaps a conscious reminiscence of Psa_33:18 and 20.
ἐέρξνο δκιικὶὁΚρο εσκυε ατν
κὶἐ πσντνθίενατνἐύαοατύ
. . . . . . .
πλα α θύεςτνδκίν
κὶἐ πσνατνῥστιατύ.
12. Cf. 1Th_3:4 μλοε θίεθι Act_14:22 δὰπλῶ θίενδῖἡᾶ εσλενεςτνβσλίντῦθο—words which Timothy probably heard when spoken (Hillard). Probably in each case there is a reminiscence of Mat_5:10, Mat_5:11 or some similar saying of the Lord: Prochorus (Acta Joh., p. 83) quotes the words of Act_14:22 as a saying of the Lord; cf. Resch, Agrapha, pp. l00, 148, 278; Paulinismus und die Logia, p. 452. Pelagius makes the testing comment: “Timendum ergo nobis est ne non pie vivamus, qui nihil patimur propter Deum.”
13 πνρί] “mali,” Vulg.; “nequam,” Ambros.; but better “maligni,” Bengel. The thought is more of malignant harmfulness, willing to persecute, than of moral evil; cf. 4:18, 2Th_3:2, 2Th_3:3, Mat_6:13.
γηε] “seductores,” Vulg.; impostors, as often in Hellenistic Greek (cf. Wetstein): so γηεα, “crafty guile,” 2 Mac 12:24; but it may also imply the use of magical arts; cf. 8 and 15 notes.
ποόοσν] not of external influence as in 9, but of internal downgrade development as in 2:16 q.u.
παώεο] probably passive: deceived by ὁπνρς Mat_6:13, or by other teachers, the phrase being almost proverbial; cf. Philo, de migratione Abraham, c. 15 (cf. the Egyptian magicians), ἀαᾶ δκῦτςἀαῶτι Ovid, Met. xiv. 81, “deceptaque decipit omnes”; Aug. Confess. vii. 2, “deceptos illos et deceptores” (v. Wetstein, Dibelius, for these and other illustrations); cf. 2Th_2:11.
14. σ δ] returning to the appeal of 10 and to the thought of 2:16.
μν] “remain loyal to,” “permane,” Vulg.; “persevera,” Ambros.; cf. Act_14:22 ἐμνι τ πσε, Joh_8:31 ἐνὑεςμίηεἐ τ λγ τ ἐῷ ἀηῶ μθτίμυἐτ: perhaps also with a slight antithesis to ποόοσ “remain stationary”; cf. 2Jn_1:9 πςὁπόγνκὶμ μννἐ τ δδχ.
ἐιτθς] “wert assured of,” “confirmed in by experience”; cf. Clem. Rom. 1:42, πργείςλβνε . . . κὶπσωέτςἐ τ λγ τῦθο μτ πηοοίςπεμτςἁίυ Contrast Psa_77:8 and 37 οδ ἐιτθσνἐ τ δαήῃατῦ
τνν] will include both the Apostle (10) and the home teachers (1:5), and, perhaps, the many witnesses of 2:2. For the reading, cf. Introd., p. xxxvii.
15. ἀὸβέος] The Jewish parent’s duty was to teach his child the Law when in his fifth year; cf. Philo, Leg. ad Caium, p. 562, c. 16, δδδγέοςἐ ατντόο τν σαγννὑὸγνω; cf. Joseph. c. Apion. I. 12; Susanna 3, 4 Mac 18:9.
ἱρ γάμτ] The reference is doubtless to the O.T. (cf. Test. XII. Patr., Levi xiii. 2, infra); but he does not use the full phrase, “the Holy Scriptures,” τ ἱρ γάμτ (common in Josephus), or τςἱρςγαά, but ἱρ γ. (a) Because he is laying stress on Timothy’s knowledge, and uses a technical phrase of education—“religious teaching,” “sacred letters”; cf. Joh_7:15 πςοτςγάμτ οδ, μ μμθκς Isa_29:11 ἀθώῳἐιτμν γάμτ: Test. XII. Patr., Levi xiii. 2, δδξτ δ κὶὑεςτ τκαὑῶ γάμτ ἵαἔωι σνσν. . . ἀαιώκνε ἀιλίτςτννμν For instances from the papyri, cf. M.M. s.vv. γάμ and ἀρμαο.
(b) Possibly also he wishes to hint at an antithesis both to the unwritten myths and genealogies of the false teachers and to the Ἐέι γάμτ, the sacred books and charms of the magicians at Ephesus, Act_19:19 (Encycl. B. ii. col. 1304). Your text-books were Scriptures, not tradition; they were ἱρ, not ββλ.
σφσι] a contrast to ἄοα(9) and παώεο (13), with perhaps a reminiscence of Psa_18:8 ἡμρυί Κρο πσή σφζυανπα(cf. ἀὸβέος
εςστρα] “tuam et aliorum,” Bengel; cf. I. 4:16.
δὰπσες] if combined with faith, not otherwise; cf. Joh_5:39-47.
16. πσ γαή] all Scripture, everything which has become recognized as authoritative Scripture; cf. 2 P 1:20 πσ ποηεαγαῆ. Wohlenberg would include any Christian writings which had become so recognized by this time, cf. I 5:18 note; but this is scarcely consistent with 15, γαήdefining more exactly the γάμτ in which Timothy had been trained from childhood.
θόνυτς] inspired by God, “divinitus inspirata,” Vulg.; but perhaps also, “with its breath given it by God,” so “conveying inspiration,” Scripture being personified, cf. δνμν 15, Heb_4:12; so Bengel, “Non solum dum scripta est Deo spirante per scriptores; sed etiam dum legitur Deo spirante per scripturam et scriptura ipsa spirante”; cf. also Cremer, Wö s.v. Here it is, perhaps, an attribute, “all inspired Scripture is also useful,” but also is not needed in this case; better—a predicate —“All Scripture is inspired by God (contrast ἐτλῖ ἀθώω, Tit_1:14), and therefore useful” (ὠέιο—contrast ἀωεεςTit_3:9). For the Jewish and Christian conceptions of Inspiration, cf. Westcott, Study of the Gospels (Introduction); Ep. Hebrews (Appendix); Sanday, Bampton Lectures, esp. Lecture II.; Armitage Robinson, Some Thoughts on Inspiration. This is no complete definition of the purposes of Holy Scripture, and cannot be quoted as ruling out other purposes; a different purpose, to give men hope, is ascribed to it in Rom_15:4. Here stress is only laid on such as affect the teacher’s task in face of misleading teaching; cf. I 1:8-10. It should be compared with God’s method, as described in Ecclus 18:13, 14 ἐέχνκὶπιεω κὶδδσω κὶἐιτέω ὡ πιὴ τ πίνο ατῦ(Bengel), and with the value attributed by Epictetus to the Greek mysteries, οτςὠέιαγντιτ μσήι . . . ὅιἐὶπιεᾳκὶἐαοθσιτῦβο κτσάηπνατῦαὑὸτνπλιν iii. 21. 15 (Wetstein).
πὸ δδσαίν] for teaching, “ad docendum,” Vulg., rather than “ad doctrinam,” Ambros.; cf. 2:24 δδκιό.
ἐεμν] refutation of false teaching, cf. Tit_1:9, Tit_1:13, and rebuke of sin, I 5:20, Tit_2:15; cf. Eph_5:13, Joh_16:8.
ἐαόθσν] correction, recovery, setting upright on their moral feet; cf. Epict. l.c. and Enchir. 51, 5, τνἐαόθσνπισιτνσατῦ(Wohlenberg); and for illustrations from the papyri, v. M.M. s.v.
πιεα τνἐ δκ.] the final training in an active Christian life; cf. Tit_2:11-14 πιεοσ ἡᾶ κτλ
17. ἄτο] here only in N.T., fit for his task; cf. 2:21 εχητντ δσόῃ εςπνἔγνἀαὸ ἡομσέο.
ὁτῦθο ἄθωο] Is this the teacher fitted for his task by the study of Holy Scripture? or the pupil fitted for his task by the teacher’s training? The context favours the former, cf. I 6:11; but the analogy of 2:21, I 5:10, Tit_3:1, makes the wider reference more probable, by which every Christian is thought of as “a man of God.” The thought of Luk_6:40 κτριμνςδ πςἔτιὡ ὁδδσαο ατῦ supplies a link between the two applications.
ἐητσέο] cf. κτριμνς Luk_6:40, of the pupil trained by the teacher, and πὸ τνκττσὸ τνἁίνεςἔγνδαοίς Eph_4:12, of the training of the Saints by the Ministry for their work of service.
Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, by Archbishop Trench, 8th edition, 1876.
Nä Das Wortschatz des Apostel’s Paulus, von T. Nä 1905.
Schü A History of the Jewish People in the time of Jesus Christ, Eng. tr. 1890.
W.-H The New Testament in Greek, with Introduction and Appendix, by Westcott and Hort, Cambridge, 1881.
Pap. Tebt. The Tebtunis Papyri, ed. Grenfell, Hunt, and Smyly, London, 1902-1907.
M.M. The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, by J. H. Moulton and G. Milligan, 1914-