II Timothy 3 · The Lantern

But this know, that in [the] last days difficult times shall be there;

But as the conquering power of things evil is on the increase-which is the characteristic of the last times -things good are now not allowed either to be born, so corrupted are the seminal principles; or to be trained, so deserted are studies; nor to be enforced, so dined are the laws.

We do not think that in this passage he used his verbs in the present tense for the future, because, in fact, he was warning his correspondent to avoid these persons. Yet he had a purpose in saying: "In the last times shall come on dangerous days." He demonstrates that the times will be dangerous by prophesying that evil men will become more numerous as the end draws near.

Above, he instructed him how to handle present tribulations and dangers; here he shows him how to stand against future ones: first, he predicts some dangers that are to come; second, he shows his fitness to resist them, at but you have fully known my doctrine (2 Tim 3:10); third, how to resist, at I charge you before God (2 Tim 4:1).

for men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, evil speakers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, profane,

And the apostle says, "Which things we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth." For of the prophets it is said, "We have all received of His fulness," that is, of Christ's. So that the prophets are not thieves.

lovers of themselves. This is the root of wickedness, to consider only oneself. And those who are such, neglecting their brothers, first destroy their own. arrogant. From lovers of themselves are lovers of money. From these offspring are the boastful and the proud, then from these, blasphemers. For evil types cling to each other just as those who are good do.

The cause of this is the abundance of iniquity, and because iniquity has abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold (Matt 24:12), because faith and charity will be annihilated and perish utterly: for the further away a thing is from its beginning, the weaker it gets.

without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, of unsubdued passions, savage, having no love for what is good,

The apostle also showed how much incontinency is to be dreaded by including it among the signs of apostasy, when he said, "In the last days shall come dangerous times.

without natural affection. Like those who are hostile towards their own. uncommitted. It shows that they have made no agreement with anyone. devilish. Like slanderers. For he who is conscious of no good in himself curses and slanders everyone, finding some comfort for himself in this. without self-control.

Then he lists the evils which relate us to equals and our neighbor. He mentions three. The first pertains to work: hence he says, wicked, i.e., those who commit grievous crimes against their neighbor: woe to the sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a wicked seed, ungracious children (Isa 1:4).

traitors, headlong, of vain pretensions, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers ofGod;

...the victory over death was obtained in Christ, whom the children of perdition, the enemies of the Saviour, deny, "whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things," who are "lovers of pleasure, and not lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." These make merchandise of Christ, corrupting His word, and giving up Jesus to sale: they are corrup…

traitors. One who betrays friendship and companionship. reckless. That is, rash and having nothing stable. snobbish. That is, full of arrogance. lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Exchanging the love of the divine for something shameful. Indeed, the very form of holiness exposes both hypocrites themselves and deceivers.

Then he lists the vices which flow from the degeneration of the rational appetite. This appetite is made perfect by prudence, to which one vice is opposed by way of abuse, and another by way of privation. And he lists both.

having a form of piety but denying the power of it: and from these turn away.

Now for both parties-namely, for those who endure a famine of the word of God, and for bishops who endure straits, when they are installed in other cities for the common good -no small degree of mercy is shown. And they who deny this, although they have the form of godliness, do yet deny the power thereof.

But if, again, they say that as being uncircumscribed it pervades all things both within and without, let them not blind themselves to the fact that they are both introducing polytheism and imagining an equality with God. For this property pertains to none except the uncreated Deity who created and fashioned the universe.

Then he mentions simulation, saying, having an appearance indeed of godliness: for such false apostles are deceitful women (2 Cor 11:13); but denying the power thereof, namely, the power of godliness, which is described in two ways here; hence he says, denying, i.e., not possessing the virtue: they profess to know God, but in their works deny him (Titus 1:16).

For of these are they who are getting into houses, and leading captive silly women, laden with sins, led by various lusts,

Wherefore, as children of light and truth, flee from division and wicked doctrines; but where the shepherd is, there do ye as sheep follow. For there are many wolves that appear worthy of credit, who, by means of a pernicious pleasure, carry captive those that are running towards God; but in your unity they shall have no place.

For from these are those who enter into households and lead captive young women burdened with sins, who are driven by various lusts: always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Behold, all their secret and shameless plotting was revealed by the saying, those who enter into households and lead captive young women burdened with sins.

Then he shows that even now such men are to be found: first, he describes the damage they do; second, the defects from which they suffer, at men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith; third, the impediment with which they are straitened: but they shall proceed no farther.

always learning, and never able to come to [the] knowledge of [the] truth.

Those, therefore, who desert the preaching of the Church, call in question the knowledge of the holy presbyters, not taking into consideration of how much greater consequence is a religious man, even in a private station, than a blasphemous and impudent sophist.

Let us give our mind's best attention, and, with the Lord's help, seek after God. The language of the divine hymn is: "Seek God and your soul shall live." Let us search for that which needs to be discovered, and into that which has been discovered.

In regard to the fourth he says, ever learning, and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth. For curiosity is ever on the alert for news, and refuses to concentrate; hence he says, ever learning: a foolish woman and clamorous and full of allurements and knowing nothing at all (Prov 9:13). Yet his description, ever learning, can be applied to those who creep into houses.

Now in the same manner in which Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, thus these also withstand the truth; men corrupted in mind, found worthless as regards the faith.

But they shall not advance farther; for their folly shall be completely manifest to all, as that of those also became.

But thou hast been thoroughly acquainted with my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, endurance,

"But thou hast fully known my doctrine." Wherefore be strong; for thou wert not merely present, but didst follow closely. Here he seems to imply that the period had been long, in that he says, "Thou hast followed up my doctrine"; this refers to his discourse. "Manner of life"; this to his conduct. "Purpose"; this to his zeal, and the firmness of his soul.

Those, he says, are such, but you know well our relationship, and it is not like that: you did not simply attach yourself to me, but also "followed," that is, spending a long time and sharing everything with me, you attended to all that was mine and became practiced in it. Be then steadfast and fight against the adversaries. "In teaching," that is, in the word.

Then when he says, but you have fully known my doctrine, he shows that Timothy is ready to resist in the face of such dangers: first, he shows that he was fit to be appointed an apostle; second, from his familiarity with the Scriptures, at because from your infancy (2 Tim 3:15).

persecutions, sufferings: what [sufferings] happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra; what persecutions I endured; and the Lord delivered me out of all.

And all indeed who desire to live piously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

When you flee Egypt, you come to these steep ascents of work and faith. You face a tower, a sea and waves. The way of life is not pursued without the waves of temptation. The apostle says, "All who wish to live piously in Christ will suffer persecution." Job also, no less, declares, "Our life upon earth is a temptation."

"All who want to live piously in Christ suffer persecution," says the apostle. They are under attack from the enemy. For this reason, with Christ's help, everyone who travels the journey of this life should be armed unceasingly and always stand in camp.

Above, the Apostle proposed to Timothy as an example the persecutions he himself was experiencing; here, lest it seem that he alone was undergoing such sufferings, he shows that they are the common lot of the saints: first, he shows how the saints are able to endure these sufferings; second, that wicked men prosper in their guilt, at but evil men and seducers shall grow worse a…

But wicked men and juggling impostors shall advance in evil, leading and being led astray.

These spirits, therefore, are lurking under the statues and consecrated images: these inspire the breasts of their prophets with their afflatus, animate the fibres of the entrails, direct the flights of birds, rule the lots, give efficiency to oracles, are always mixing up falsehood with truth, for they are both deceived and they deceive;

Make progress, make progress in well-doing, for, according to the apostle, there are certain people who go from bad to worse. If you are progressing, you are advancing. Progress in well-doing, progress in good faith, progress in good deeds. Keep singing. Keep advancing. Do not wander. Do not return. Do not remain stationary.

Then when he says, but evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse, he shows that evil men fall into worse evils, namely, of guilt.

But thou, abide in those things which thou hast learned, and [of which] thou hast been fully persuaded, knowing of whom thou hast learned [them];

"But continue thou in the things that thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through the faith which in Christ Jesus." What is this?

But you remain in the things you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. But you remain in the things you have learned. Likewise said David, Do not envy the wicked, nor desire to be with those who do evil.

Then when he says, but continue in those things which you have learned, he urges him to remain true to his training; and he exhorts him on three sides: first, on the side of his teacher; second, on the side of Timothy himself; third, on the side of what he learned.

and that from a child thou hast known the sacred letters, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation, through faith which [is] in Christ Jesus.

Paul here lays out four reasons why Timothy ought to be steadfast, if he will recall them: first, because of the teacher from whom he learned; second, the time when he learned it; third, the source from which the teaching came; and finally, the sublime purpose for which he learned it.

External knowledge makes a person clever at deceiving others with various sophisms; hence the ruin of the soul. But divine knowledge is not like this: it makes one wise unto salvation. What kind? Salvation not through works, not through words, but through faith in Jesus Christ. For the Sacred Scriptures lead a person to believe in Christ, Who accomplishes salvation for him.

Second, on the part of Timothy himself. For it is a scandal for a man nourished in the good from infancy to depart from it in old age: he that passes over from justice to sin God has prepared such a one for the sword (Sir 26:27). But Timothy was nourished in that way: a young man according to his way, even when he is old he shall not depart from it (Prov 22:6).

Every scripture [is] divinely inspired, and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;

But since Enoch in the same Scripture has preached likewise concerning the Lord, nothing at all must be rejected by us which pertains to us; and we read that "every Scripture suitable for edification is divinely inspired. By the Jews it may now seem to have been rejected for that (very) reason, just like all the other (portions) nearly which tell of Christ.

The Scriptures are holy, they are truthful, they are blameless.… So we have no grounds at all for blaming Scripture if we happen to deviate in any way, because we haven't understood it. When we do understand it, we are right. But when we are wrong because we haven't understood it, we leave it in the right.

Then he discloses the reason, saying, all Scripture, inspired of God, is profitable. And he does three things. He commends Scripture by reason of its principle, by reason of its useful effect, and by reason of its final fruit and success.

that the man ofGod may be complete, fully fitted to every good work.

Here is why meditation on the law is necessary, my beloved, along with an uninterrupted conversion with virtue: "that the saint may lack nothing but be perfect to every good work." For by these things comes the promise of eternal life, as Paul wrote to Timothy, calling constant meditation exercise, and saying, "Exercise yourself unto godliness."

Correction, he says, comes through Scripture, so that the man who lives according to God may lack nothing good. So if you too desire to become equally well-fitted (artios), that is, perfect, sound, and always even in all things, not despairing in sorrowful circumstances and not becoming proud in favorable ones—for this is characteristic of an uneven disposition of soul—then hav…

But its final effect is to lead men to the perfect good; for it produces not just any good, but a perfect good: let us go on to things more perfect (Heb 6:1). Hence he says, that the man of God may be perfect, because he cannot be perfect, unless he is a man of God. For that is perfect which lacks nothing.

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