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| 2 Timothy 3:4 |
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers
of pleasures more than lovers of God;
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Note:
before doing a study on any
single verse, read all the verses from the beginning
of the chapter to this point and maybe a verse or
two beyond. Do this so you have the verse in context
before you begin.
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This section of Chapter 3 consists of 4 verses.
2 Timothy 3:2-5
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient
to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false
accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those
that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures
more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away.
We usually begin in the Barclay commentary, but the
commentary on these verse, though essential to our
study of these scriptures, is somewhat long and I do
not want to present it here for all four verses.
You may wish to pause here and go to the text of the
Lesson on
Verse 2 and review this commentary.
Continuing now...
We will begin with the general commentaries and move
to the specific.
First to the F. B. Meyer covering verses 1-9
The last days of the present age are to be black [gloomy,
pessimistic, dismal] and sorrowful.
Sinful rejection of Christ will come to a head. We
must not be misled by the wide-spread profession of
the forms of religion; this may co-exist with the
rankest apostasy. When women are conscious of sins
against God, society, and themselves, they are very
liable to the seduction of false teachers, who
promise peace and condone impurity.
Tares and wheat grow together unto the harvest. The
devil has always set himself to counterfeit God’s
handiwork: the Holy City by Babylon; the Son of man
by the man of sin; blessedness by the worldling’s
giddy merriment. Thus the Egyptian conjurers
repeated the miracles of Moses by resorting to
sleight of hand. So there is a pure gospel and a
specious mimicry of it. Wait for the inevitable
unfoldings of God’s purpose. Time will show what is
true and what is false. In the meantime, examine
yourselves whether ye be in the faith.
~F. B. Meyer
Now to the Matthew Henry Concise which also covers
the first nine verses of the chapter.
Even in gospel times there would be perilous times;
on account of persecution from without, still more
on account of corruptions within. Men love to
gratify their own lusts, more than to please God and
do their duty. When every man is eager for what he
can get, and anxious to keep what he has, this makes
men dangerous to one another. When men do not fear
God, they will not regard man. When children are
disobedient to their parents, that makes the times
perilous. Men are unholy and without the fear of
God, because unthankful for the mercies of God. We
abuse God's gifts, if we make them the food and fuel
of our lusts. Times are perilous also, when parents
are without natural affection to children. And when
men have no rule over their own spirits, but despise
that which is good and to be honoured. God is to be
loved above all; but a carnal mind, full of enmity
against him, prefers any thing before him,
especially carnal pleasure. A form of godliness is
very different from the power; from such as are
found to be hypocrites, real Christians must
withdraw. Such persons have been found within the
outward church, in every place, and at all times.
There ever have been artful men, who, by pretences
and flatteries, creep into the favour and confidence
of those who are too easy of belief, ignorant, and
fanciful. All must be ever learning to know the
Lord; but these follow every new notion, yet never
seek the truth as it is in Jesus. Like the Egyptian
magicians, these were men of corrupt minds,
prejudiced against the truth, and found to be quite
without faith. Yet though the spirit of error may be
let loose for a time, Satan can deceive the nations
and the churches no further, and no longer, than God
will permit. ~Matthew Henry
Concise
Let us go now to the Biblical Illustrator for
something on self-love, which is mentioned in verse
2 but is the basis of verses 2-5. As you remember we
spoke to this concept of self love then. What we are
about to review goes a bit deeper.
Self-love
1. Self-love is vicious, when it leads us to judge
too favorably of our faults.
(1) Sometimes it finds out other names for them, and
by miscalling them endeavors to take away their bad
qualities.
(2) Sometimes it represents our sins as weaknesses,
infirmities, the effect of natural constitution, and
deserving more pity than blame.
(3) Sometimes it excuses them upon account of the
intent, pretending that some good or other is
promoted by them, and that the motive and the end
sanctify the means, or greatly lessen the faultiness
of them.
(4) It leads us to set our good in opposition to our
bad qualities, and to persuade ourselves that wharfs
laudable in us far outweighs what is evil.
(5) It teaches us to compare ourselves with others,
and thence to draw favorable conclusions, because we
are not so bad as several whom we could name; it
shows us the general corruption that is in the
world, represents it worse than it is, and then
tells us that we must not hope, and need not
endeavour to be remarkably and singularly good.
2. Our self-love is irregular, when we think too
well of our righteousness, and overvalue our good
actions, and are pure in our own eyes.
3. Our self-love is blamable when we overvalue our
abilities, and entertain too good an opinion of our
knowledge and capacity; and this kind of self-love
is called self-conceit. One evil which men reap from
it is to be disliked and despised. The reason why
self conceit is so much disliked is that it is
always attended with a mean opinion of others. From
self-conceit arise rash undertakings, hasty
determinations, stubbornness, insolence, envy,
censoriousness [sen-sawr-ee-uh
s] [severely
critical; faultfinding] confidence,
vanity, the love of flattery, and sometimes
irreligion, and a kind of idolatry, by which a man
worships his own abilities, and places his whole
trust in them. The unreasonableness of this conceit
appears from the imperfections of the human
understanding, and the obstacles which lie between
us and wisdom.
4. Our self-love is irregular when we are proud and
vain of things inferior in nature to those before
mentioned, when we value our selves upon the station
and circumstances in which not our own deserts, but
favour or birth, hath placed us, upon mere show and
outside, upon these and the like advantages in which
we surpass others. This conceit is unreasonable and
foolish; for these are either things which the
possessors can hardly call their own, as having done
little or nothing to acquire them, or they are of
small value, or they are liable to be irrecoverably
lost by many unforeseen accidents.
5. Lastly, our self-love is vicious when we make our
worldly interest, convenience, humor, ease, or
pleasure, the great end of our actions. This is
selfishness, a very disingenuous and sordid kind of
self-love. It is a passion that leads a man to any
baseness which is joined to lucre, and to any method
of growing rich which may be practiced with
impunity. ~Biblical
Illustrator
Some other things from the Biblical Illustrator.
Self-love a manifold disease
This is a disease that hath many other diseases
included in it, and so is more hard to cure. Hence
spring all those errors and heresies which are so
rife in these last days.
~Biblical Illustrator
Self-love self-deceptive
As a man that is in love doth think the very
blemishes in his love to be beautiful, so those that
are in love with themselves, and dote on their own
opinions, think their heresy to be verity, and their
vices virtues. This will bring vexation at last; it
troubles us to be cheated by others in petty
matters, but for a man to cheat himself willfully,
and that in a matter of the highest concernment, is
the trouble of troubles to an awakened conscience.
~Biblical Illustrator
Self-love a primary sin
This sinful self-love is set in the front, as the
leader of the file, and the cause of all those
eighteen enormities which follow: ‘tis the root from
whence these branches spring, and the very fountain
from whence those bitter streams do issue.
~Biblical Illustrator
On vain-glory
When a regard to the opinion or desire of the esteem
of men is the main principle from which their
actions do proceed, or the chief end which they
propound to themselves, instead of conscience of
duty, love and reverence of God, hope of the rewards
promised, a sober regard to their true good, this is
vain-glory. Such was the vain-glory of the
Pharisees, who fasted, who prayed, who gave alms,
who “did all their works that they might be seen of
men,” and from them obtain the reward of estimation
and applause: this is that which Paul forbiddeth:
“Let nothing be done out of strife or vain-glory.”
~Biblical Illustrator
Quoted verse:
Philippians 2:3
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but
in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better
than themselves.
Regarding vain-glory:
1. It is vain, because unprofitable. Is it
not a foolish thing for a man to affect that which
little concerns him, and by which he is not
considerably benefited? Yet such is the opinion of
men; for how do we feel the motions of their fancy?
2. It is vain, because uncertain. How easily
are the judgments of men altered I how fickle are
their conceits!
3. It is vain because unsatisfactory; for how
can one be satisfied with the opinion of bad judges,
who esteem a man Without good grounds, commonly for
things which deserve not regard?
4. It is vain, because fond. It is ugly and
unseemly to others, who despise nothing more than
acting on this principle.
5. It is vain, because unjust. If we seek
glory to ourselves, we wrong God thereby, to whom
glory is due: if there be in us any considerable
endowment of body or mind, it is from God, the
author of our being, who worketh in us to will and
to do according to His good pleasure.
6. It is vain because mischievous. It
corrupts our mind with a false pleasure that chokes
the purer pleasures of a good conscience, of
spiritual joy and peace, bringing God’s displeasure
on us, and depriving us of the reward due to good
works performed out of a pure conscience, etc.
“Verily they have their reward.”
~Biblical Illustrator
I want to share with you one more item from the
Biblical Illustrator:
Some general remedies of self-love
1. To reflect on ourselves seriously and
impartially, considering our natural nothingness,
infirmity, unworthiness; the meanness and
imperfection of our nature, the defects and
deformities of our souls, the failings and
misdemeanors of our lives.
2. To consider the loveliness of other beings
superior to us; comparing them with ourselves, and
observing how very far in excellency, worth, and
beauty they transcend us.
(1) If we view the qualities and examples of other
men, who in worth, in wisdom, in virtue, and piety,
do far excel us; their noble endowments, what they
have done and suffered in obedience to God, their
self-denial, their patience, how can we but in
comparison despise ourselves?
(2) If we consider the blessed angels and saints in
glory [meaning the
firstfruits we read of in the Bible]—their
purity, their humility, their obedience—how can we
think of ourselves without abhorrence?
(3) Especially if we contemplate the perfection, the
purity, the majesty of God; how must this infinitely
debase us in our opinion concerning ourselves, and
consequently diminish our fond affection toward
things so vile and unworthy?
3. To study the acquisition and improvement of
charity toward God and our neighbor. This will
employ and transfer our affections; these drawing
our souls outward, and settling them on other
objects, will abolish or abate the perverse love
toward ourselves.
4. To consider that we do owe all we are and have to
the free bounty and grace of God: hence we shall see
that nothing of esteem or affection is duo to
ourselves; but all to Him, who is the fountain and
author of all our good.
5. To direct our minds wholly toward those things
which rational self-love required us to regard and
seek: to concern ourselves in getting virtue, in
performing our duty, in promoting our salvation, and
arriving to happiness; this will divert us from
vanity: a sober self-love will stifle the other fond
self-love. ~Biblical
Illustrator
Here is something from the Biblical Illustrator on
the term, "Heady."
Heady.—In the last days men will be heady,
hasty, rash, inconsiderate; they will be carried by
the violence of their lusts without wit or reason.
They will set upon things too high and too hard for
them, like young birds which, flying before they are
fledged, fall to the ground, and so break their
bones: so much the word implies. They will make
desperate adventures; they will be rash in their
words and works, precipitate and inconsiderate in
all their undertakings; what they do will be raw,
rude, indigested, unconcocted. Hence the word is
rendered “rash” and unadvised.
~Biblical Illustrator
The Biblical Illustrator has another piece on
pleasure I want to share with you.
The poison of pleasure
1. That sensual pleasures are the very poison and
bane of all grace in the soul; they war against the
peace and purity of it (1 Peter 2:11); they blind
the eye, that it cannot attain to saving knowledge
(chap. 3:6, 7); the love of pleasures eats out the
love of God and goodness out of the soul.
Quoted verse:
1 Peter 2:11
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and
pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war
against the soul;
2. It is these sensual pleasures which stop the ears
against God’s call, so that no reason nor religion
can work on men. These choke the good seed of the
Word, that it cannot grow (Luke 8:14). That is the
best pleasure which springs from the knowledge and
love of God. We call not upon you to forsake, but to
change your pleasures. Change your sordid, sinful,
sensual delights, into sublime, spiritual, and noble
delights.
Quoted verse:
Luke 8:14
And that which fell among thorns are they, which,
when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with
cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and
bring no fruit to perfection.
3. The better to wean your hearts from carnal
pleasures, consider the vanity and shortness of
them. They are like a fire of straw—a blast, and
gone. Do not, then, for a mite of pleasure, purchase
a mountain of misery; for momentary joys, endure
eternal sorrows.
4. They do emasculate and weaken the mind. Whoever
was made more learned, wise, courageous, or
religious by them? They rob man of his reason, and
besot him (Hosea 4:11); they take away the man, and
leave a swine or beast in his room.
Quoted verse:
Hosea 4:11
Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
5. This world is a place of weeping, conflicting,
laboring, to all the godly, and not of carnal mirth
and rejoicing; carnal mirth must be turned into
mourning (James 4:9-10); the way to [The
Kingdom] lies
through many afflictions.
Quoted verse:
James 4:9-10
9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your
laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to
heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and
he shall lift you up.
6. Consider those sensual pleasures end in sorrow.
The end of such mirth (what ever the beginning is)
is sorrow. Men call them by the name of pleasures,
pastimes, delights; but in God’s dictionary their
name is Madness (Ecclesiastes 1:17; Ecclesiastes
2:2), Sorrow (Proverbs 14:13), and is attended with
poverty.
Quoted verse:
Ecclesiastes 1:17
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know
madness and folly: I perceived that this also is
vexation of spirit.
Ecclesiastes 2:2
I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What
doeth it?
Proverbs 14:13
Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end
of that mirth is heaviness.
~Biblical Illustrator
Now to the specific commentaries.
We are still in the list of terms that speak to the
description and cause of the, "perilous times shall
come." Verse four is in four parts.
1] Traitors.
2] Heady
3] Highminded
4] Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.
1] Traitors.
Traitors - This word is
used in the New Testament only here and in Luke
6:16; Acts 7:52. It means any one who betrays -
whether it be a friend or his country. Treason has
been in all ages regarded as one of the worst crimes
that man can commit.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verses:
Luke 6:16
The law and the prophets were until John: since that
time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man
presseth into it.
Acts 7:52
Which of the prophets have not your fathers
persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed
before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye
have been now the betrayers and murderers:
Traitors -
Προδοται· From προ, before, and διδωμι, to deliver
up. Those who deliver up to an enemy the person who
has put his life in their hands; such as the Scots
of 1648, who delivered up into the hands of his
enemies their unfortunate countryman and king,
Charles the First; a stain which no lapse of ages
can wipe out. ~Adam Clarke
2] Heady
Heady - The same word
in Acts 19:36, is rendered rashly. It occurs only
there and in this place in the New Testament. It
properly means “falling forwards; prone, inclined,
ready to do anything; then precipitate, headlong,
rash.” It is opposed to that which is deliberate and
calm, and here means that men would be ready to do
anything without deliberation, or concern for the
consequences. They would engage in enterprises which
would only disturb society, or prove their own ruin.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
Acts 19:36
Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken
against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing
rashly.
Heady - Προπετεις· From
προ, forwards, and πιπτω, to fall; headstrong,
precipitate, rash, inconsiderate.
~Adam Clarke
3] Highminded
High-minded -
Literally, “puffed up;” compare the notes at 1
Timothy 3:6, where the same word is rendered “lifted
up with pride.” The meaning is, that they would be
inflated with pride or self-conceit.
~Barnes Notes
Quoted verse:
1 Timothy 3:6 [See
Lesson]
Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he
fall into the condemnation of the devil.
High-minded -
Τετυφωμενοι· From τυφος, smoke; the frivolously
aspiring; those who are full of themselves, and
empty of all good. ~Adam
Clarke
4] Lovers of pleasures more than
lovers of God.
Lovers of pleasures more than
lovers of God - That is, of sensual
pleasures, or vain amusements. This has been, and
is, the characteristic of a great part of the world,
and has often distinguished even many who profess
religion. Of a large portion of mankind it may be
said that this is their characteristic, that they
live for pleasure; they have no serious pursuits;
they brook no restraints which interfere with their
amusements, and they greatly prefer the pleasures to
be found in the gay assembly, in the ball-room, or
in the place of low dissipation, to the friendship
of their Creator. ~Barnes
Notes
Lovers of pleasures more than
lovers of God - This is nervously and
beautifully expressed in the Greek, φιληδονοι μαλλον
η φιλοθεοι lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of
God; i.e. pleasure, sensual gratification, is their
god; and this they love and serve; God they do not.
~Adam Clarke
We have just reviewed four words and
phrases that not only define the perilous times to
come but also demonstrate the cause of those
perilous times and that is the lesson of verse four. |
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