PERILOUS TIMES FOR PREACHERS – 2 Timothy 2:22-26

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on December 31, 2014 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group; December 31, 2014

2 Timothy 3:1-9

Theme: Paul seeks to inspire faithful preaching in Timothy by warning him of the times to come.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

So far in this letter, Paul has been exhorting Pastor Timothy to be a faithful minister of the word. In Chapter 1, his emphasis was on encouraging Timothy to accept the hardship and affliction that must attend the ministry—and in this, Paul presented himself to Timothy as an example to follow. And in Chapter 2, his emphasis was on exhorting Timothy to diligently pursue a ministry that was acceptable in the sight of God—giving him many examples and illustrations of what an acceptable ministry would look like.

And now, with Chapter 3, Paul reveals to Timothy why it is that he needs to be so devoted and diligent in ministry. The times to come would be hard for the faithful preacher of God’s word. In Chapter 3, he makes Timothy aware of the times of ‘falling away’ that will come (see also similar warnings in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:3-4)—and how much opposition faithful preaching would encounter in those latter times. It’s important to see this description of the difficult times to come not merely as a thing in and of itself; but to see it in the light of the practical exhortation that follows afterward to “continue” in the things Timothy had been taught (3:14), and to thoroughly commit to “preach the word” (4:1) no matter what may come.

God tells us the things to come in order to help us set our hearts even more devotedly to a faithful declaration of the word of His gospel in our time. Notice how Paul speaks of . . .

I. THE DANGER THAT IS COMING (vv. 1-5a).

A. After setting before Timothy the kind of godly behavior that ought to characterize his ministry, Paul writes, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come . . .” (v. 1). The phrase “last days” may refer to the very specific “great tribulation” that the Lord Jesus spoke of (see Matthew 24:21), or it may speak of the various times of difficulty that would precede that day (see Matthew 24:4-14). Because Paul speaks of “perilous times”—or literally “dangerous periods”—it may be best to see this as a reference to the unspecified periods of time in Timothy’s future—immediate or distant—that will be characterized as dark and dangerous for the preaching of God’s revealed truth.

B. The reason for the danger is because of the character of the people who occupy the times. One of the characters in John Bunyan’s little-known book, “The Life and Death of Mr. Badman”, was asked if he thought the times were bad. He responds in the story by saying, “Why, I think, as you say, to wit, that they are bad times, and bad they will be, until men are better; for they are bad men that make bad times; if men, therefore, would mend, so would the times.” It’s not the calendar that makes the times bad. It’s the people who are living in the times. And Paul here characterizes the badness of the men that makes for the badness of the times; and he details their characteristics in a way that sounds very much like the dreadful description in Romans 1:28-32:

1. “For men will be lovers of themselves” (v. 2). “Self” will be the ruling ethic of the day.

2. “lovers of money” (v. 2). Materialism, and the lust for “stuff” will rule the heart.

3. “boasters” (v. 2). This speaks of bragging of one’s self far beyond the realm of truth.

4. “proud” (v. 2). The meaning of the word here reflects the idea of arrogant haughtiness.

5. “blasphemers” (v. 2). The people of the times will delight in slandering sacred things.

6. “disobedient to parents” (v. 2). This describes a complete disrespected for authority.

7. “unthankful” (v. 2). People will show gratitude to neither their fellow man nor God.

8. “unholy” (v. 2). People will lack a sense of reverent fear and respect for God or for the sacred things of God.

9. “unloving” (v. 3). This speaks of a loss of affection that is natural and normal—even of the members of one’s own family.

10. “unforgiving” (v. 3). People will be irreconcilable—holding grudges indefinitely.

11. “slanderers” (3). People will be willing to say anything—true or not—that will destroy those they hate.

12. “without self-control” (v. 3). People will give complete free reign to their passions.

13. “brutal” (v. 3). This speaks of untamed and uncivilized behavior—without care or consideration for others.

14. “despisers of good” (v. 3). They will call good ‘evil’ and evil ‘good’ (Isaiah 5:20), and will declare a hearty approval of those who do what the Bible condemns (Romans 1:32).

15. “traitors” (v. 4). A spirit of ‘betrayal’ will characterize the times. No one will prove to be trustworthy.

16. “headstrong” (v. 4). This describes a reckless attitude; not acting wisely or prudently; doing whatever one wants at the moment without care of what might happen as a result.

17. “haughty” (v. 4). This speaks of ‘being filled with smoke’; that is to say, conceited without cause.

18. “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (v. 4). Between loving God or loving sin, they will choose the pleasures of sin. Their ‘god’ is their belly (Philippians 3:19).

19. “having a form of godliness but denying its power” (v. 5a). This is what makes such people so dangerous. All of the above characteristics are deep within them; but they pretend to possess a holiness and justness that they do not have. When found out, they boast that they can be truly “righteous” and “just” and “moral” without having to resort to a faith in God.

II. THE CAUTION THAT IS TO BE TAKEN (vv. 5b-7).

A. Paul urges Timothy not to engage such people. He is specifically speaking of people who are thoroughly characterized by such sin—showing that there is no life of God in them; and who yet who pretend to be ‘godly’. He writes, “And from such people turn away!” (v. 5b). The word that Paul uses here speaks of rejecting such people and avoiding them with a sense of horror. Elsewhere, Paul urges believers not to even eat with someone who professes to be a believer and who yet is characterized with a consistent habit of gross sin (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

B. To show the insidious nature of such people, Paul says, “For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (vv. 6-7). He is not speaking here in a degrading way of women. He is using a very specific word found only here in the Bible—a word that does not speak of women in general, but that basically means “little women” in a diminutive sense. The historian William M. Ramsay believed this word spoke specifically of “society women” who are capricious and idle and easily led astray. And because the word is given here in the neuter gender, it may be seen as referring to either males or females. An ancient writer used this same word in reference to men with delicately trimmed beards. It speaks of the kind of person who is vain and superficial; someone childish and fickle in their morals and beliefs; someone who is easily lead away by these false teachers who creep into their homes by insidious methods (see Titus 1:10-11), and deceive them with false promises of “enlightenment” and “liberty” (see 2 Peter 2:18-19)—flattering them, and gratifying their insatiable passion for “new” and “novel” things, but never leading them to God’s sure word. No wonder times such as those will be difficult for the preacher of revealed truth!

III. THE OUTCOME THAT IS TO BE EXPECTED (vv. 8-9).

A. Such fickle people—and the teachers who lead them astray—have a biblical precedent. Paul writes; “Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith” (v. 8). This speaks of the magicians of Pharaoh’s court who sought to undo God’s teaching through Moses. Where Paul got these names is unknown. It may be that they were a part of the Jewish tradition of teaching in the Targums—Jewish oral traditions about the Scriptures. The ancient church father Origen said that Paul drew their names from a book called by their name—one that was available and known in his day, but that now no longer exists.

B. But Timothy should not despair in his ministry. Paul goes on to say, “but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was” (v. 9). Jannes and Jambres succeeded for a time (Exodus 7:11, 12, 22; 8:7); but God made their folly horribly obvious in time (Exodus 9:11); and so also will He do to these. The word of God will prove itself; and those who oppose it will not destroy it. They will only destroy themselves in the attempt.

* * * * * * * * * *

In such times as Paul described, that which is most needed—the word of God—is that which is most despised and rejected. But as this passage clearly encourages, faithful preachers of God’s word should remain faithful—in season and out! God’s sure word will prevail.