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2Ti_3:2-5. Ἔσονται γὰρ οἱ ἄνθρωποι ] The article οἱ is not to be overlooked. Luther is inaccurate: there will be men; Nouveau Test. à Mons: il y aura des hommes. The article points to the generality, but, as Matthies rightly observes, not exactly “all without exception, rather taking the average, as a general rule.”
Bengel: majore gradu et numero tales, quam unquam, in ecclesia.
Mack is incorrect: “the people of whom I am speaking.”
φίλαυτοι ( ἅπ . λεγ .). It may be explained from Arist. ad Nicom. ix. 8: τοὺς φιλαύτους ἐν αἰσχρῷ ἀποκάλουσι . Heinrichs, on the analogy of 1Co_10:24, says: ζητῶν τὰ ἑαυτοῦ , μὴ τὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου .
φιλάργυροι ] only elsewhere in Luk_16:14; the substantive occurs in 1Ti_6:10.
ἀλάζονες , ὑπερήφανοι ] Rom_1:30; the first expresses boastfulness without intending contempt for others; the second, pride and haughtiness with contempt for others; see Meyer on that passage. Hofmann’s explanation of ἀλάζων is not appropriate: “he who attributes to himself an honour which is not his.”
βλάσφημοι ] “slanderous;” not quite “blasphemous” (Matthies). In 1Ti_1:13 a definite reference to divine things is given by the context.
γονεῦσιν ἀπειθεῖς ] Rom_1:30.
ἀχάριστοι ] elsewhere only in Luk_6:35 (Sir_16:29; Wis_19:17).
ἀνόσιοι ] 1Ti_1:9. Beza: quibus nullum jus est nec fas.—2Ti_3:3. ἄστοργοι ] Rom_1:31, especially of the natural affection between parents and children: caritate a natura ipsa nobis insita orbati, Heinrichs.
ἄσπονδοι ] Rom_1:31; both those who make no covenant (Luther: “irreconcilable”) and those who do not keep a covenant made, “covenant-breaking.” Hofmann says: “one who is destitute of moral sense of justice;” but that does not give the reference peculiar to the word.
διάβολοι ] 1Ti_3:11.
ἀκρατεῖς ( ἅπ . λεγ .), “having no control over one’s passions;” 1Co_7:5 : ἀκρασία ; the opposite is ἐγκρατής , Tit_1:8.
ἀνήμεροι ] ( ἅπ . λεγ .). Oecumenius makes it equivalent to ὠμοί , ἀπάνθρωποι ; synonymous with ἀνελεήμονες , Rom_1:31.
ἀφιλάγαθοι ( ἅπ . λεγ .); the opposite: φιλάγαθοι , Tit_1:8. Theophylact: ἐχθροὶ παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ . Luther wrongly: “unkindly.”—2Ti_3:4. προδόται ] Luk_6:16; Act_7:52; here: “men among whom there is no fidelity” (Wiesinger).
προπετεῖς ] (Act_19:36), qui praecipites sunt in agendo (Bengel), “foolhardy.” Hofmann’s is too weak: “inconsiderate.”
τετυφωμένοι ] 1Ti_3:6; 1Ti_6:4, “puffed up,” not merely “made stupid” (Hofmann).
φιλήδονοι μᾶλλον ἢ φιλόθεοι (both words ἅπ . λεγ . Philo, de Agricult.: φιλήδονον καὶ φιλοπαθὴ μᾶλλον ἢ φιλάρετον καὶ φιλόθεον ἐργάζεσθαι ); such paronomasia are often found in the N. T.; see Wilke’s Hermeneutik, vol. II. p. 346: “rather hunting after pleasure than seeking after God.”[44]—2Ti_3:5. ἔχοντες μόρφωσιν εὐσεβείας ] μόρφωσις , Rom_2:20, in a different meaning from here; see Meyer on that passage. We must not, like Beza, understand it to be vera forma et effigies pietatis, sicut in lege proponitur; it rather denotes the external form in general. But as Paul contrasts it here with δύναμις , it acquires the signification of mere appearance in distinction from true nature.
τὴν δὲ δύναμιν αὐτῆς ἠρνημένοι ] δύναμις in contrast with μόρφωσις : “the living, powerful nature of genuine blessedness” (Heydenreich).
ἠρνημένοι ] 1Ti_5:8; Tit_1:16; Tit_2:12 : “they show that they do not possess the δύναμις , and do not wish to possess it.”
This ends the enumeration of the characteristics which Paul uses to describe the men in the last times.
Rom_1:30-31 is similar to this passage; Wiesinger (following Olshausen) aptly remarks: “it is a new heathendom under a Christian name which the apostle is here describing.”
A definite connection between the ideas cannot be established,[45] but in both passages kindred ideas are placed together. Thus the two first are compounded with φίλος ; then follow three expressions denoting arrogance; to γονεῦσιν ἀπαθεῖς there is added ἀχάριστοι ; this word begins a longer series of words beginning with ἀ privative, and the series is interrupted by διάβολοι ; the next expressions: προδόται , προπετεῖς , seem to form a paronomasia; to προπετεῖς there is added the kindred notion τετυφωμένοι ; some more general notions close the list. But this very confusion brings out more vividly the varied manifestations of the evil one. It is to be observed, however, that the list begins with φίλαυτοι , that accordingly only such qualities are enumerated as have their root in φιλαυτία , and that hypocrisy is the last mentioned, as the means by which the selfish man seeks to conceal his selfishness by a show of piety.
Heydenreich wrongly tries to establish in the particular expressions a special reference to the peculiar nature of the heretics.
As the closing word, Paul adds the exhortation: καὶ τούτους ἀποτρέπου ] ἀποτρέπου , ἅπ . λεγ . (1Ti_6:20 : ἐκτρέπεσθαι ), is kindred in meaning with παραιτοῦ , 2Ti_2:23 : “from these things turn away, these things avoid.”
This exhortation shows that Paul in single phenomena of the day already recognised the approach of the καιροὶ χαλεποί which were to come fully in the future.
[44] Theod. v. Mopsu.: φίλαυτοί εἰσιν οἱ πάντα πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῶν ὠφέλειαν ποιοῦντες , ἀλαζόνες καυχώμενοι ἔχειν ὃ μὴ ἔχουσιν , ὑπερήφανοι μεγάλα φρονοῦντες ἐπὶ τοῖς οὖσιν , βλάσφημοι κατηγορίαις χαίροντες , ἀνόσιοι ἐπιμέλειαν τοῦ δικαίου μὴ ποιούμενοι , ἄστοργοι περὶ οὐδένα σχέσιν ἔχοντες , ἄσπονδοι οὐ βέβαιοι περὶ τὰς φιλίας , οὐδὲ ἀληθεῖς περὶ ἃ συντίθενται , διάβολοι ταῦτά τε ἐκεῖ , ἐκεῖνα ἐνταῦθα λέγοντις ἐπὶ τῷ κατεργάζεσθαι μάχην , ἀκρατεῖς ἥττους τῶν παθῶν , ἀνήμεροι οὐδεμιᾶς χρησσότητος ἐπιμελούμενοι , τετυφωμίνοι μεγάλα φρονοῦντες ἐπὶ τοῖς μὴ προσοῦσι .
[45] Hofmann does indeed seek to establish an order in accordance with definite points of view, but he does not accomplish this without much ingenuity and many inaccurate interpretations.