“Don’t be ashamed or Rude” – 2 Timothy 2:14-26
Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus to “do the work of an evangelist” (4:5); yet, he has called Timothy to leave Ephesus and come see him in prison in Rome (4:9). There is a very present danger, however, in that false teachers are popping up all over the place, including Ephesus. Paul had warned the elders in Ephesus back in Acts 20 about these false teachers and here, Paul issues a very clear warning to Timothy.
False teaching always has its appeal. That’s a part of its deceitfulness. False teaching tells us what we want to hear, not what God wants us to hear. We always create gods after our own image and so-called Christians have created a gospel after their own image and a “Jesus” after their own image and a “Holy Spirit” after their own image (Cf. 2 Corinthians 11:4).
So, in responding to false teaching, Paul gives Timothy three more imperatives from here to the end of the chapter…
Verse 22 – “Flee!” youthful lusts – whatever might be appealing when it comes to false teaching – flee those desires. Is it more money? Prestige? Popularity? Ambition? Novelties? Nothing is worth the price of destroying the Gospel of Christ which destroys the faith of other people and, of course, will cause one to lose his/her own soul.
“Pursue!” (another imperative) Christian virtues as: righteousness, faith, love, and peace (quiet composure) in the atmosphere of the church, described here as those who “call on the Lord from a pure heart.” Spend time with those whose hearts are pure in the eyes of God, fellow Christians, people of “like precious faith” (cf. 2 Peter 1:1).
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God does not place a premium on “quarreling.” Yet, we are to “contend earnestly” for the faith (Jude 3). The difference is in our motivation and our attitude. Is our motivation to win an argument or to win a soul? Is it to show ourselves superior to someone else or are we honestly trying to defend the honor of Jesus Christ?
Verse 24 – The slave of the Lord must not be quarrelsome. Rather, he is to be kind to all, able to teach, patient (or tolerant) when wronged (Eph. 4:15). “Even if the listener is angry and rude, the Christian teacher must try to not retaliate in kind” (Jackson, 249).
Verse 25 – Paul further says we are to be gentle in correcting those who are in opposition to the truth, if perhaps God may give them repentance, leading to knowledge of the truth. The goal of our education is to lead to repentance through knowledge of the truth. “Gentle” can be translated as “meek” and it carries the idea of approachability; in other words, one humble enough to be taught something new.
Verse 26 – Additionally, they might just “come to their senses” and escape the snare laid out by Satan through his deception, who had previously been held captive by Satan to do his will – that is, leading others astray through deception (cf. 3:13). These false teachers are pawns of Satan, doing his will be deceiving people. What is the defense against false teachers? Paul will tell us in chapter 3 – the inspired word of God.
–Paul Holland
