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2Timothy Chapter Three
(2) Difficult times for Christian service
Godlessness in the Last Days
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1) What will there be in the last days, what
will people be, and what did Paul tell Timothy about such people?
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Paul's reference to the "last days" reveals
his sense of urgency. The last days began after Jesus' resurrection when the
Holy Spirit came upon the believers at Pentecost. The "last days" will continue
until Christ's second coming. This means that we are living in the last
days. So we should make the most of the time that God has given us (Ephesians
5:16; Colossians 4:5). (The NIV Life Application Study Bible)
Verses 2-4 we find a list of no fewer than eighteen vices that will
characterize people in the last days. These conditions have always existed in
some measure but they have become more marked in recent decades. People will be
selfish and greedy (cf. 1Timothy 6:10), and they will be "boasters" or
braggarts. They will also be "proud" (lit., "showing oneself above others").
Originally used in a good sense in Greek literature for truly superior persons,
this word soon took on the bad connotation that it always has in the New
Testament; a person with this characteristics treats others with contempt.
"Abusive" means slanderous. And it may well be questioned whether children
and young people were ever more "disobedient to their parents" than they are
today.
"Ungrateful" is the opposite of being thankful. "Unholy" (cf. 1Timothy 1:9)
describes the person who has no fellowship with God and so is living a merely
"secular" life. "Without love" (cf. Romans 1:31) means "without family
affection." "Unforgiving" originally indicated one who was irreconcilable.
"Slanderous" is diaboloi. This usually occurs in the New Testament as
a word meaning "the devil." But the adjective connotes "prone to slander" or
"accusing falsely."
"Without self-control" has a wide sense, but it is especially applicable to
no control regarding bodily lusts. It describes the weak person who is easily
led into sin. "Brutal" means one who is savage and fierce. "Not lovers of the
good" is a word that is found nowhere else in the ancient Greek literature.
"Treacherous" is a noun meaning "traitor" or "betrayer"; it is used for Judas
Iscariot (Luke 6:16). "Rash" describes one who is reckless. "Lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God" is a play on two similar Greek words. They describe
those who put self in the place of God as the center of their affections.
Yet they are religious-"having a form of godliness but denying its power."
Timothy is told to turn away from such hypocrites. (taken from The NIV Bible
Commentary, Zondervan Publishers)
The "form" or appearance of godliness includes going to church, knowing
Christian doctrine, using Christian clichés, and following a community's
Christian traditions. Such practices can make a person look good, but if the
inner attitudes of belief, love, and worship are lacking, the outer appearance
is meaningless. Paul warns us not to be deceived by people who only appear to be
Christians. It may be difficult to distinguish them from true Christians at
first, but their daily behavior will give them away. The characteristics
described in 3:2-4 are unmistakable. (The NIV Life Application Study Bible)
2) What kind of people are these, who do they
take control over, what are these women loaded down with, how are these women
swayed, and even through they are always learning, what are these women never
able to do?
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Because of their cultural background, women in
the Ephesian Church had had no formal religious training. They enjoyed their new
freedom to study Christian truths, but their eagerness to learn made them a
target for false teachers. Paul warned Timothy to watch out for men who would
take advantage of these women. New believers need to grow in their knowledge of
the Word, because ignorance can make them vulnerable to deception.
Verse 7 is not opposing study and learning; it is warning about ineffective
learning. It is possible to be a perpetual student and never graduate to putting
theory into practice. But honest seekers and true students look for answers.
Remember this as you study God's Word. Seek to find God's truth and will for
your life.
3) Who opposed Moses, what do these men
oppose, what kind of minds does Paul say they have, as far as the faith is
concerned, what are these men, and why will they not get very far?
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According to tradition, Jannes and Jambres
were two of the magicians who counterfeited Moses' miracles before Pharaoh
(Exodus 7:11, 12). Paul explained that just as Moses exposed and defeated them
(Exodus 8:18, 19), God would overthrow the false teachers who were plaguing the
Ephesian church.
Sin has consequences, and no one will get away with it forever. Live each
day as if your actions will one day be known to everyone. Now is the time to
change anything you wouldn't want revealed later.
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Paul's Charge to Timothy
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4) What did Paul say Timothy knows about him,
where was Paul persecuted, and who rescued Paul from all of them?
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In sharp contrast to the above-mentioned
people, Paul now addresses Timothy directly. "Know all about" means to follow
closely; Timothy has been faithfully following the life of the apostle. He was
familiar with Paul's "teaching," his "way of life," God's "purpose" in him, his
"faith," his "patience" shown toward his opponents, the constant, steadfast
"love" that God implanted in his heart, and his "endurance" or brave patience
with which he handled the various hindrances and persecutions that happened to
him. (NIV Bible Commentary, Zondervan Publishers)
In Lystra, Timothy's hometown, Paul had been stoned and left for dead (Acts
14:19); and this was only one incident among many. In 2Corinthians 11:23-33 Paul
summarized his lifetime of suffering for the sake of the gospel. Paul mentioned
his suffering here to contrast his experience with that of the pleasure-seeking
false teachers.
5) Who will be persecuted, and who will
go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived?
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In this charge, Paul told Timothy that people
who obey God and live for Christ will be persecuted. Don't be surprised when
people misunderstand, criticize, and even try to hurt you because of what you
believe and how you live. Don't give up. Continue to live as you know you
should. God is the only one you need to please.
Don't expect false teachers and evil people to reform and change on
their own. Left alone, they will go from bad to worse. If you have the
opportunity, correct them so as to bring them back to faith in Christ. Fight for
the truth, especially to protect younger Christians.
6) Why did Paul tell Timothy to continue in
what he has learned and has become convinced of, what has Timothy known since he
was an infant, and how will Scripture make Timothy wise?
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Besieged by false teachers and the inevitable
pressures of a growing ministry, Timothy could easily have abandoned his faith
or modified his doctrine. Once again Paul counseled Timothy to look to his past,
and to hold to the basic teachings about Jesus that are eternally true. Like
Timothy, we are surrounded by false teachings. But we must not allow our society
to distort or crowd out God's eternal truth. Spend time everyday reflecting on
the foundation of your Christian faith found in God's Word, the great truths
that build up your life.
Timothy was one of the first second-generation Christian: he became a
Christian not because an evangelist preached a powerful sermon, but because his
mother and grandmother taught him the holy Scriptures when he was a small child
(1:5). A parent's work is vitally important. At home and in church, we should
realize that teaching small children is both an opportunity and a
responsibility. Jesus wanted little children to come to him (Matthew 19:13-15).
Like Timothy's mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois, do your part in leading
children to Christ.
For Timothy, the "holy Scriptures" was the Old Testament-Genesis to Malachi.
The Old Testament is important because it points to Jesus Christ. At the same
time, faith in Christ makes the whole Bible intelligible.
7) What did Paul say all Scripture is, what is
Scripture useful for, and what may man be thoroughly equipped for?
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The Bible is not a collection of stories,
fables, myths, or merely human ideas about God. It is not a human book. Through
the Holy Spirit, God revealed his person and plan to certain believers, who
wrote down his message for his people (2Peter 1:20, 21). This process is known
as inspiration. The writers from their own personal, historical, and
cultural contexts. Although they used their own minds, talents, language, and
style, they wrote what God wanted them to write. Scripture is completely
trustworthy because God was in control of its writing. Its words are entirely
authoritative for our faith and lives. The Bible is "God-breathed." Read it, and
use its teachings to guide your conduct.
The whole Bible is God's inspired Word. Because it is inspired and
trustworthy, we should read it and apply it to our lives. The
Bible is our standard for testing everything else that claims to be true. It is
our safeguard against false teaching and our source of guidance for how we
should live. It is our only source of knowledge about how we can be saved. God
wants to show you what is true and equip you to live for him. How much time do
you spend in God's Word? Read it regularly to discover God's truth and to become
confident in your life and faith. Develop a plan for reading the whole Bible,
not just the familiar passages.
In our zeal for the truth of Scripture, we must never forget its
purpose-to equip us to do good. We should not study God's Word simply to
increase our knowledge or to prepare us to win arguments. We should study the
Bible so that we will know how to do Christ's work in the world. Our knowledge
of God's Word is not useful unless it strengthens our faith and leads us to do
good.
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Answers 2Timothy Chapter Three
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1) terrible times...lovers of themselves, lovers
of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful,
unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not
lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God-having a form of godliness but denying its power...have nothing to
do with them
2) those who worm their way into homes...weak-willed women...sins...by all kinds
of evil desires...acknowledge the truth
3) Jannes and Jambres...the truth...depraved minds...rejected...because, as in
the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone
4) my teachings, way of life, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,
persecutions, sufferings...Antioch, Iconium and Lystra...the Lord
5) anyone who wants to live a godly life...evil men and impostors
6) because you know those from whom you learned it...the scriptures...for
salvation through faith in Christ Jesus
7) God-breathed...teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in
righteousness...every good work
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Taken from The NIV Life Application Study Bible,
Zondervan Publishers
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