2 Timothy 2:4 - No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
No man that is warring entangles himself with the affairs of this life; Ouch! A person who is in the military belongs to the government. They belong to the military. If one night you decide to go somewhere off base, but the military says that you are not getting off base because we have some things for you to do, you're stuck. That's just the way it is. They own you!
Can you imagine this? No one who is involved in the war entangles himself with the affairs of this life. The word affairs is PRAGMA, the various issues of life. We experience them. The word entanglement is interesting. It's the word for the braiding of hair. So, you interweave and get caught up into the various issues of life.
And pretty soon you find yourself saying to the Lord, "Lord, I don't have time because now the affairs of life own me, and they won't let me go study the word!" And Paul is saying that it should be the other way around. Once that once you are saved, Satan cannot get your soul. But he will do everything he can to distract a believer (MERIMNA) into staying away from the word of God because the second part of the Christian life in Romans Chapter 12 says is the renewing of the mind.
He says no man wars, or entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who has chosen him as a soldier, literally enlisted him. How many of us have been convicted many times in our walk with the Lord that we are not making decisions that are pleasing to Him? He called us. He set us apart for Him. He made us one of His children. He made us a soldier for Christ. We're in the Lord's army.
We're fighting the winning battle, which is great, but we can tell by the conviction of God's Spirit when we make decisions that are not pleasing to Him, and it takes us away from the very purpose and reason for Him calling.
There are some that are doing that who are not doing it as boasters, but most people do. In our society people strive for things. When young people get cars, they try and pick one that fits their image, and that's why they roll the window down and crank up the stereo so you can hear it three miles away. So, boasters are people who use material things to boast.
Proud, blasphemers, and the word blasphemy, first of all when it's towards God, it is anything that is against God. But when it's towards people, it is the same word that is used for slander.
Sixthly, disobedient to parents. The word disobedience means a refusal to be persuaded. Now we know in Ephesians 6:1, it says children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. The word obey is HUPAKOUO which means put your hearing under.
That's what obedience is. Children are to put their hearing under their parents as the parents are leading and guiding them, especially in the things of the Lord. Well, in the last days children will be disobedient. They will refuse to be persuaded by the parents.
Seventhly, unthankful. In the Greek text, this is the word grace, CHARIS, with the alpha-privative in front of it. Thankfulness is actually a response to God's grace. That's what it means. Thankfulness does not originate with me thanking God. It's my response to the grace of God upon my life.
Unholy, that is, profaning the holy things of God.
2 Timothy 3:2 - For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Number one, for men shall be lovers of their own selves. Secondly, covetous, which literally means lovers of money, PHILARGUROI. It is the same word that is found in 1 Timothy 6:10 where it says for the love of money is the root of all evil.
So, the first two have to do with love, lovers of their own selves, and lovers of money. The word love is PHILOS, which means to be fond of or to be friendly towards. It means to rearrange one's life to make these things a priority, first our own selves, and then money.
Thirdly, boasters. This word is found in 1 John 2:15-16. John says love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
Pride of life is the same word. And the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. So, when it has to do with material things, it has to do with using one's material things to boast. In other words, I go out and buy two or three expensive cars, and I build a multimillion-dollar house up on a hill and try to get the best of everything. It's a status thing!
2 Timothy 2:17 - And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
The word canker (GAGGRAINA) is the Greek word for gang green. If you listen to enough people who are not teaching the truth, your soul will not be healthy. It will be diseased. Hymenaeus and Philetus were two people who began to teach something that was different than what Paul said.
2 Timothy 2:21 - If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
The word purge is the word cleanse, himself from these things, that is, these iniquities, he shall be a vessel for honor,
3 things: Having been sanctified (set apart). And meet (more literally useful), for the master. And thirdly, prepared unto every good work. Again, the word good is AGATHOS which has to do with spiritual good. The one who comes for cleansing and confessing his sins, will be a vessel of honor, set apart by God for His use, and prepared for every good work that God has for them.
2 Timothy 3:1 - This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
He says this know. That's a command. In the last days perilous times shall come. The word perilous is translated variously by the word danger or difficult, and the Greek word itself, CHALEPOS, means more than just difficult times.
The other place in which this word perilous is found is in Matthew 8:28. This is when Jesus came across the lake to the other side of the country of the Gergesenes. And there met Him two possessed with devils coming out of the tombs. These were two men who were demon possessed, exceeding fierce (CHALEPOS). It means to be fierce, or harsh. It describes the activity of demons. In the last days, it's not just going to be difficult times. It's going to be fierce. It's going to be harsh. He gives the reason starting in Verse 2, as he lists for us 18 characteristics of people in the last days.
2 Timothy 2:7 - Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
He says consider what I say; And the word consider is the Greek word NOEO for perception. Perceive what I am saying to you, and the Lord give you understanding in all things. Now I'll share this with you literally because there is no word "that" in Verse 8. He says remember Jesus Christ. Perceive what I am saying. May the Lord give you understanding.
2 Timothy 2:9 - Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
Wherein I suffer trouble, again because of the gospel. I suffer as an evil doer. He's in prison like a criminal, even unto bonds; and that's the Greek word for chains.
Here it is: but the word of God is not bound. There's an old saying that comes from this verse, "You can bind the messenger, but you cannot bind the message."
2 Timothy 2:10 - Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
He says, therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, and the word endure is HUPOMENO which means to remain under. I remain under all of my difficult circumstances because I can be bound, but the gospel can't. Therefore, I endure all these things.
Paul didn't have the attitude of if I can just get out of here, I could preach down at the coliseum and have a big crusade going. Paul says I endure everything because even though I am limited, the gospel's not. I preach the gospel wherever I am enduring the hardships, so that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
2 Timothy 2:5 - And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
We have to sort of dissect this because it really doesn't bring out what it is saying. The term strive for masteries is the word ATHLEI, where we get our word athletic from. So, if a man becomes involved in the athletic discipline, yet he's not crowned, except he ATHLEI lawfully. If you don't keep the rules, you get eliminated.
He's talking here about the disciplines. Paul's not talking about salvation here. He's talking about influence. So, he's telling Timothy that a person who is involved in the athletic process, he is not crowned, except that he participates lawfully, according to the rules.
2 Timothy 2:6 - The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
The husbandman (farmer) that labors. The word labor is a Present Participle and it means to labor to the point of exhaustion. The farmer will get started at three or four in the morning and not get back home until dark. All that work, all that plowing, and they have to take care of the cows, and the harvesting, and all these various things. There were no rules about taking breaks or time off. They just worked!
Well, the farmer that continually labors to the point of exhaustion, he looks forward to the harvest. He looks forward to the participation of the fruits. He's telling Timothy, as a farmer labors to the point of exhaustion, look forward to the fruit, the harvest that's going to come. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't come right away. There's a season for it. It is necessary that the farmer first be partaker of the fruits of the harvest.
2 Timothy 2:4 - No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
No man that is warring entangles himself with the affairs of this life; Ouch! A person who is in the military belongs to the government. They belong to the military. If one night you decide to go somewhere off base, but the military says that you are not getting off base because we have some things for you to do, you're stuck. That's just the way it is. They own you!
Can you imagine this? No one who is involved in the war entangles himself with the affairs of this life. The word affairs is PRAGMA, the various issues of life. We experience them. The word entanglement is interesting. It's the word for the braiding of hair. So, you interweave and get caught up into the various issues of life.
And pretty soon you find yourself saying to the Lord, "Lord, I don't have time because now the affairs of life own me, and they won't let me go study the word!" And Paul is saying that it should be the other way around. Once that once you are saved, Satan cannot get your soul. But he will do everything he can to distract a believer (MERIMNA) into staying away from the word of God because the second part of the Christian life in Romans Chapter 12 says is the renewing of the mind.
He says no man wars, or entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who has chosen him as a soldier, literally enlisted him. How many of us have been convicted many times in our walk with the Lord that we are not making decisions that are pleasing to Him? He called us. He set us apart for Him. He made us one of His children. He made us a soldier for Christ. We're in the Lord's army.
We're fighting the winning battle, which is great, but we can tell by the conviction of God's Spirit when we make decisions that are not pleasing to Him, and it takes us away from the very purpose and reason for Him calling.
2 Timothy 3:2 continued
There are some that are doing that who are not doing it as boasters, but most people do. In our society people strive for things. When young people get cars, they try and pick one that fits their image, and that's why they roll the window down and crank up the stereo so you can hear it three miles away. So, boasters are people who use material things to boast.
Proud, blasphemers, and the word blasphemy, first of all when it's towards God, it is anything that is against God. But when it's towards people, it is the same word that is used for slander.
Sixthly, disobedient to parents. The word disobedience means a refusal to be persuaded. Now we know in Ephesians 6:1, it says children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. The word obey is HUPAKOUO which means put your hearing under.
That's what obedience is. Children are to put their hearing under their parents as the parents are leading and guiding them, especially in the things of the Lord. Well, in the last days children will be disobedient. They will refuse to be persuaded by the parents.
Seventhly, unthankful. In the Greek text, this is the word grace, CHARIS, with the alpha-privative in front of it. Thankfulness is actually a response to God's grace. That's what it means. Thankfulness does not originate with me thanking God. It's my response to the grace of God upon my life.
Unholy, that is, profaning the holy things of God.
Verse 3 gives us the ninth characteristic:
2 Timothy 3:2 - For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Number one, for men shall be lovers of their own selves. Secondly, covetous, which literally means lovers of money, PHILARGUROI. It is the same word that is found in 1 Timothy 6:10 where it says for the love of money is the root of all evil.
So, the first two have to do with love, lovers of their own selves, and lovers of money. The word love is PHILOS, which means to be fond of or to be friendly towards. It means to rearrange one's life to make these things a priority, first our own selves, and then money.
Thirdly, boasters. This word is found in 1 John 2:15-16. John says love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
Pride of life is the same word. And the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world. So, when it has to do with material things, it has to do with using one's material things to boast. In other words, I go out and buy two or three expensive cars, and I build a multimillion-dollar house up on a hill and try to get the best of everything. It's a status thing!
2 Timothy 2:17 - And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
The word canker (GAGGRAINA) is the Greek word for gang green. If you listen to enough people who are not teaching the truth, your soul will not be healthy. It will be diseased. Hymenaeus and Philetus were two people who began to teach something that was different than what Paul said.
2 Timothy 2:21 - If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
The word purge is the word cleanse, himself from these things, that is, these iniquities, he shall be a vessel for honor,
3 things: Having been sanctified (set apart). And meet (more literally useful), for the master. And thirdly, prepared unto every good work. Again, the word good is AGATHOS which has to do with spiritual good. The one who comes for cleansing and confessing his sins, will be a vessel of honor, set apart by God for His use, and prepared for every good work that God has for them.
2 Timothy 3:1 - This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
He says this know. That's a command. In the last days perilous times shall come. The word perilous is translated variously by the word danger or difficult, and the Greek word itself, CHALEPOS, means more than just difficult times.
The other place in which this word perilous is found is in Matthew 8:28. This is when Jesus came across the lake to the other side of the country of the Gergesenes. And there met Him two possessed with devils coming out of the tombs. These were two men who were demon possessed, exceeding fierce (CHALEPOS). It means to be fierce, or harsh. It describes the activity of demons. In the last days, it's not just going to be difficult times. It's going to be fierce. It's going to be harsh. He gives the reason starting in Verse 2, as he lists for us 18 characteristics of people in the last days.
2 Timothy 2:7 - Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
He says consider what I say; And the word consider is the Greek word NOEO for perception. Perceive what I am saying to you, and the Lord give you understanding in all things. Now I'll share this with you literally because there is no word "that" in Verse 8. He says remember Jesus Christ. Perceive what I am saying. May the Lord give you understanding.
2 Timothy 2:9 - Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
Wherein I suffer trouble, again because of the gospel. I suffer as an evil doer. He's in prison like a criminal, even unto bonds; and that's the Greek word for chains.
Here it is: but the word of God is not bound. There's an old saying that comes from this verse, "You can bind the messenger, but you cannot bind the message."
2 Timothy 2:10 - Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
He says, therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, and the word endure is HUPOMENO which means to remain under. I remain under all of my difficult circumstances because I can be bound, but the gospel can't. Therefore, I endure all these things.
Paul didn't have the attitude of if I can just get out of here, I could preach down at the coliseum and have a big crusade going. Paul says I endure everything because even though I am limited, the gospel's not. I preach the gospel wherever I am enduring the hardships, so that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
2 Timothy 2:5 - And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
We have to sort of dissect this because it really doesn't bring out what it is saying. The term strive for masteries is the word ATHLEI, where we get our word athletic from. So, if a man becomes involved in the athletic discipline, yet he's not crowned, except he ATHLEI lawfully. If you don't keep the rules, you get eliminated.
He's talking here about the disciplines. Paul's not talking about salvation here. He's talking about influence. So, he's telling Timothy that a person who is involved in the athletic process, he is not crowned, except that he participates lawfully, according to the rules.
2 Timothy 2:6 - The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.
The husbandman (farmer) that labors. The word labor is a Present Participle and it means to labor to the point of exhaustion. The farmer will get started at three or four in the morning and not get back home until dark. All that work, all that plowing, and they have to take care of the cows, and the harvesting, and all these various things. There were no rules about taking breaks or time off. They just worked!
Well, the farmer that continually labors to the point of exhaustion, he looks forward to the harvest. He looks forward to the participation of the fruits. He's telling Timothy, as a farmer labors to the point of exhaustion, look forward to the fruit, the harvest that's going to come. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't come right away. There's a season for it. It is necessary that the farmer first be partaker of the fruits of the harvest.
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