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2 Timothy 3:1 Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. Since there were many evil people in those days, so that Timothy would not be embarrassed by this, the apostle first told him: “in a big house” and so on, and now he says that there will be evil people later. Even under Moses there were Jannes and Jambres. Therefore, this phenomenon is not new and it will continue not only until you. Therefore, do not be indignant. Times are hard, that is, very bad. It is not the days that need to be understood (for what are bad days?), but the bad deeds and people committed on these days. Likewise, we are in the habit of calling times bad and not bad, according to the nature of the things that happen on these days, or according to the nature of the people. 2 Timothy 3:2 For men will be lovers of themselves. He immediately points out the cause of all evil: this is caring not about the affairs of one’s neighbor, but only about one’s own. A proud person loves only himself, which means that in fact he does not love himself either. For just as in the members of the body the harm done to one spreads to the rest; or what happens in buildings, so in the Church: whoever despises his brother and cares only about himself harms himself. Having indicated the root, in particular he lists the branches from it, of which the first and greatest is the love of money. For just as all good comes from love, so all evil comes from self-love, which is the opposite of love. Love is wide and spreads everywhere; and self-love restricts its breadth and focuses on itself alone. They exalt themselves and rise above people. When evil grows, it comes to rebellion against God. For if someone is vain before people, he will then attribute to himself all perfection, and not to the grace of God; then he becomes a blasphemer. Parents are disobedient, ungrateful, wicked, unfriendly, unforgiving. This is fair: for whoever blasphemes God, how will he honor his parents? He who does not respect his parents will be ungrateful to other people. Such a person is unrighteous, because he puts holiness and duty aside, but he is also unfriendly. For who else will a man love who has rejected his benefactor! “And they are irreconcilable,” they do not make peace with anyone, even with their benefactor. That is, slandering everyone. A person who is not aware of anything good behind himself slanderes everyone, inventing and finding in this, it would seem, some consolation for himself. And in the tongue, and in the womb, and in everything else. Do you see what pride and love of money make? Animals instead of people. That is, unsteady, unstable. More voluptuous than God-loving. It cannot be otherwise: for where there is love for worldly sweets, there is no place for the desire of the divine. 2 Timothy 3:5. Having a form of godliness, but denying its power. That is, they only accept the appearance of piety and pretend, but by deeds they reject it. Notice that the strength of piety and, as it were, its nerves, lie in deeds. Why is it rightly said that without works it is dead. The apostle uses the word “image” in another place (Rom. 2:20) in a good sense. The teacher has the image of knowledge, that is, he creates and forms knowledge in his students. If there will be such people in the last times, then how does he say: “Away from such people”? Probably, even then there were several of these: although not to a greater extent, there were still some; therefore, as it were, the apostle says this: such people will still be found today; if you turn away from such people, it will be good. That’s why he adds: “to them belong those who creep into houses.” Or Paul calls the last days the days that will immediately follow his death, and Timothy will still be alive. Or, what is closer to the truth, as St. John Chrysostom judges, through Timothy the Apostle exhorts everyone to move away from such people. 2 Timothy 3:6 To these belong those who steal into houses. The word “creep in” indicates their shamelessness and deceit. He did not say: they deceive, but: they captivate, use them as slaves. For such is he who is deceived. Note that it is common for women to indulge in seduction. Consequently, a seduced man can also be called by this name. This means multitude, disorder, and a mixture of sins. They deceive not just women, for nature should not be condemned, but women who have many sins. For whoever does not recognize anything good in himself is more likely to lean towards false dogmas, consoling himself with the fact that he will not be punished for his deeds. Driven by various lusts. That is, greed, love of fame, passion for luxury, for clothes. It also indicates shameful wishes. Look: “led” seems to be talking about the dumb. 2 Timothy 3:7 Always learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Perhaps they deserve leniency? No, on the contrary, they certainly don’t deserve it. Since they were mired in sins and lusts, their minds also became dull, so that their inability to recognize the truth is not a natural defect, but a consequence of the wrong direction of their will. 2 Timothy 3:8 As Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth. These were the wise men of the time of Moses. How did Paul know their names when Scripture doesn't say so? Their names are borrowed from unwritten tradition, or, probably, Paul learned about them from the Holy Spirit. People who are corrupt in mind are ignorant in faith. When someone has corrupted his mind with passions, then he is inexperienced in faith. “The fool said: There is no God” (Ps. 52:2). Why? Because they were corrupted and became vile in iniquities. Therefore, to accept faith, an uncorrupted mind is required. So, let us be attentive to ourselves, so that we are not corrupted by passions and so that corruption of faith does not find a place in us. 2 Timothy 3:9 But they will not achieve much. How does the apostle say in another place: “they will abound even more in wickedness” (2 Tim. 2:16)? There he argues that the heretics, having begun to introduce news and errors, do not stop, but constantly invent new ones. Here he asserts that they will not deceive and captivate many, although at first they seem to seduce some, but they themselves will soon be exposed. Therefore he adds the following. For their madness will be revealed to everyone, just as it happened to them. If you don't believe, learn from what happened to those wise men. They were exposed for doing illusory miracles and deceiving when Moses performed a true miracle. Therefore, everything that is essentially bad only seems good for a while. 2 Timothy 3:10 But you followed me in doctrine. Those, he says, are like this, but you know our relationship well, but they are not like this: you not only pestered me, but also “followed”, that is, staying for a long time and sharing everything with me, you listened to everything I had and learned. Be strong and fight your opponents. “In teaching,” that is, in the word. That is, in life and morals. That is, in jealousy and courageous inspiration. For, he says, I not only taught, but also performed. That is, firmness in true dogmas, or faith, which does not allow one to fall into despair in danger, but to believe in God that He will deliver. In relation to heretics. For I was not indignant, but accepted everything with meekness. 2 Timothy 3:11 In persecution, suffering. I, he says, not only was persecuted, but also suffered. Two circumstances especially confuse the teacher - namely, that there are heretics and that one has to suffer. Much was said regarding heretics when the apostle urged Timothy not to be embarrassed by them. Now he talks about his own suffering to encourage the student. "Those who befell me in Antioch, Iconium, Lystra 6." He speaks of Pisidian Antioch, of Lystra, where Timothy came from. Why does he only mention them? Since they were better known to Timothy, or were recent compared to other events. Look, he does not list them separately, for he writes about them not for glorification, but out of necessity, for the comfort of his student. What persecutions I endured, and the Lord delivered me from them all. He inspires Timothy with both: “I too,” he says, “had zeal to suffer, and God did not forsake me.” Therefore, be ready and you will not be abandoned. 2 Timothy 3:12 And all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. And this is a very great consolation. What am I saying, the apostle continues, about myself alone? All who want to live godly and according to the Gospel will be persecuted. The apostle here calls persecution not only persecution by infidels, but also simply sorrow and sorrow to which those who follow the path of virtue are subjected. For human life is a test, as Job says, and whoever walks a narrow path necessarily grieves. 2 Timothy 3:13 But evil people and deceivers will continue to do evil, deceiving and being deceived. Do not be at all embarrassed if they prosper and temptation befalls you: this is the order of things. Having undressed to fight, you need to use effort. It is unwise to seek rest while fighting. Even if they seem to succeed, in reality this is deception, not success. For the apostle, defining what evil is, said: to deceive and to be enticed. 2 Timothy 3:14-15 But continue in what you have been taught and entrusted to you. Be, he says, unchangeable and “do not be jealous of evildoers, do not envy those who do iniquity” (Ps. 37:1). You not only learned, but also made sure, that is, you accepted the teaching with conviction. Therefore, even if you see the opposite of what you are convinced of, do not be embarrassed: for Abraham, having heard that his seed would be called in Isaac (Gen. 21:12), was not embarrassed when he received the command to slaughter him. Knowing who you are taught by. Moreover, you know the sacred scriptures from childhood. The Apostle Paul presents two incentives for Timothy to remain steadfast: the first is that you, he says, learned not by chance from someone, but from Paul, and this is the same as from Christ; the second is that you did not learn yesterday, but from childhood, and have divine knowledge deeply rooted in yourself. And it will not allow you to do anything unreasonable, which happens to most people. For whoever knows the Scriptures properly will never be led astray. The apostle calls all Divine Scripture sacred scriptures. This is directed against Simon and Manes, and all who spoke ill of the Old Testament. 2 Timothy 3:15 Who are able to make you wise for salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. External knowledge makes it possible for a person to seduce others with various sophisms; hence the destruction of the soul. But divine knowledge is not like this: it makes wise for salvation. Which? Salvation is not through works, not through words, but through faith in Jesus Christ. For the Holy Scriptures lead man to believe in Christ, who works out salvation for him. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. Having indicated many ways of consoling Timothy, the apostle now offers the most - in the reading of the Holy Scriptures. For he intends to tell him something regrettable, namely, that he is ending his earthly career. So, so as not to lose heart, like one who is deprived of fellowship with Paul, he says: instead of me, you have the Scriptures that can be useful to you. Some ask the question: as the apostle said: “all Scripture is inspired by God.” Are the Hellenic scriptures also inspired by God? And finding it difficult to solve it, they translate not: “God-inspired,” but God-inspired, so that there is an idea: every scripture that is inspired by God is also useful. But they should have taken into account that, having said above: “you know the sacred scriptures.” The Apostle now says: “all Scripture.” Which? about which he spoke above and about which he said that it was sacred. So, it is “God-breathed and profitable Scripture” for everything that he lists next. It is useful, he says, in that it teaches us what we need to know. And there is nothing that has not been resolved through the Holy Scriptures. If you need to expose a lie, you can learn it from here. For correction, for instruction in righteousness. If you need, he says, to correct yourself and receive instruction, that is, to come to your senses of justice, that is, to act justly, then the Holy Scripture provides you with this. 2 Timothy 3:17 Let the man of God be perfect. Correction, he says, happens through Scripture, so that a person who lives according to God will not lack anything good. So, if you also want to become just as composed (άρτιος), that is, perfect, healthy and always equal in everything, not despondent in sad circumstances and not proud in favorable ones - for this is characteristic of an uneven spiritual mood - then have Scripture as an adviser instead of me. If the apostle wrote to Timothy, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, about reading, how much more to us? Note that without Scripture you cannot be perfect. Prepared for every good deed. Don’t just take part in good deeds, but be “prepared,” that is, completely ready; and not only ready for one thing, not for another, but for everything. Further in the text it reads: “love”. But bl. Theophylact omits this word. You might be interested in: