CHAPTER 3

(A.D. 66)

APOSTASY

¹This know also, that in the last days (the days in which we now live) perilous times shall come. (This speaks of difficult dangerous times, which Christians living just before the Rapture will encounter.)

²For men (those who call themselves Christians) shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

³Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those who are good,

⁴Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God (and remember, this is describing the Endtime Church, which has been totally corrupted [Mat. 13:33; Rev. 3:14-22]);

⁵Having a form of Godliness (refers to all the trappings of Christianity, but without the power), but denying the power thereof (the modern Church, for all practical purposes, has denied the Cross; in doing this, they have denied that through which the Holy Spirit works, and in Whom the power resides [Rom. 8:1-2, 11; I Cor. 1:18]): from such turn away. (No half measures are to be adopted here. The command is clear! It means to turn away from Churches that deny or ignore the Cross.)

⁶For of this sort are they which creep into houses (proclaims the methods of false teachers), and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts (due to Eve succumbing to temptation and deception, women are the easiest prey for these false teachers; the idea is that silly women will support these false teachers, and do so grandly; they are drawn to these false Preachers through divers lusts),

⁷Ever learning (proclaims learning that which is wrong), and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth. (This proclaims the fact that they really do not want the Truth.)

⁸Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses ([Ex. 7:11-12], the names of these men are found in the Targum of Jonathan), so do these also resist the Truth (they have been shown the Truth, but have rejected the Truth, which they did purposely; it pertains to a rejection of the Cross of Christ): men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the Faith. (If its not Christ and Him Crucified, then it is corrupt and reprobate [I Cor. 2:2].)

⁹But they shall proceed no further (means the Holy Spirit will allow this error to go so far, and no further): for their folly shall be manifest unto all men(error will ultimately manifest itself for what it really is because the True Gospel is more powerful), as theirs also was (referring to the two men who attempted to withstand Moses).

PAUL

¹⁰But you have fully known my doctrine (better translated, But as for you, in distinction from others, have fully known my Doctrine), manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, charity, patience (Timothy knew Pauls example, which the Gospel had wrought in his life),

¹¹Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra (presents Churches being built in these areas at great personal price); what persecutions I endured (the persecutions were necessary in order that these Churches be built): but out of them all the Lord delivered me. (The Lord will always deliver until the persons work is finished.)

¹²Yes, and all who will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. (It is because of the offence of the Cross [Gal. 5:11].)

¹³But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse (this problem of seduction in the last days is so acute that the word Paul uses here [seducers] occurs no where else in the New Testament; this means that such an effort is unique to this particular time), deceiving, and being deceived. (Truth opens the door to even more Truth, while deception opens the door to even more deception.)

THE SCRIPTURES

¹⁴But you continue in the things which you have learned and have been assured of (the Message of the Cross), knowing of whom you have learned them(Timothy had learned the Word of God from Paul, even as all others did, in fact, at that particular time, including the original Twelve. The meaning of the New Covenant was given to Paul, so it had to be learned from him);

¹⁵And that from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures (presents the greatest education any boy or girl could ever have), which are able to make you wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus. (The entirety of the Word of God points directly to Christ and what He did on the Cross. The Old Testament points forward to His Coming and what He would do. The New Testament points backward to what He has already done. And at the center of it all is the Cross.)

¹⁶All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God (the Greek says, all Scripture is God-breathed, which means it is the Word of God, and, thereby, infallible!), and is profitable for Doctrine (all we believe, teach, and do must be based squarely on the Scriptures), for reproof (proclaims the use of the Word of God in setting direction), for correction (refers to restoration to an upright state), for instruction in Righteousness (presents the Bible as the only guide for such instruction):

¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect (refers to maturity), throughly furnished unto all good works (properly understands the Word, which then produces good works, i.e., godly lives).