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| 2 Timothy 3:17 |
That the man of God may be perfect,
throughly furnished unto all good works.
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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 consists of four verses.
2 Timothy 3:14-17
14 But continue thou in the things which
thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing
of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works.
Let us begin in the Barclay.
The Value of Scripture
2 Timothy 3:14–17 ...in
paraphrase
But as for you, remain loyal to the things which you
have learned, and in which your belief has been
confirmed, for you know from whom you learned them,
and you know that from childhood you have known the
sacred writings which are able to give you the
wisdom that will bring you salvation through the
faith which is in Christ Jesus. All God-inspired
Scripture is useful for teaching, for the conviction
of error, for correction, and for training in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete,
fully equipped for every good work.
PAUL concludes this section with an appeal to
Timothy to remain loyal to all the teaching he had
received. On his mother’s side, Timothy was a Jew,
although his father had been a Greek (Acts 16:1);
and it is clear that it was his mother who had
brought him up. It was the glory of the Jews that
their children from their earliest days were trained
in the law. They claimed that their children learned
the law even from birth and drank it in with their
mother’s milk. They claimed that the law was so
imprinted on the hearts and minds of Jewish children
that they would sooner forget their own name than
they would forget it. So, from his earliest
childhood, Timothy had known the sacred writings. We
must remember that the Scripture of which Paul is
writing is the Old Testament; as yet, the New
Testament had not come into being. If what he claims
for Scripture is true of the Old Testament, how much
truer it is of the even more precious words of the
New.
We must note that Paul here makes a distinction. He
speaks of ‘all God-inspired Scripture’. The Gnostics
had their own fanciful books; the heretics all
produced their own literature to support their
claims. Paul regarded these as manufactured things;
but the great books for the human soul were the
God-inspired ones which tradition and experience had
sanctified.
Let us then see what Paul says of the usefulness of
Scripture.
(1) He says that the Scriptures give the wisdom
which will bring salvation. In The Bible in World
Evangelism, A. M. Chirgwin tells the story of a ward
sister in a children’s hospital in England. She had
been finding life, as she herself said, futile and
meaningless. She had waded through book after book
and labored with philosophy after philosophy in an
attempt to find satisfaction. She had never tried
the Bible, for a friend had convinced her by subtle
arguments that it could not be true. One day, a
visitor came to the ward and left a supply of
gospels. The sister was persuaded to read a copy of
John’s Gospel. ‘It shone and glowed with truth,’ she
said, ‘and my whole being responded to it. The words
that finally convinced me were those in John 18:37:
“For this I was born, and for this I came into the
world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs
to the truth hears my voice.” So I listened to that
voice, and heard the truth, and found my Savior.’
Again and again, Scripture has opened for men and
women the way to God. In simple fairness, no one
seeking for the truth has any right to neglect the
reading of the Bible. A book with a record such as
it has cannot be disregarded. Even unbelievers are
acting unfairly unless they attempt to read it. The
most amazing things may happen if they do, for there
is a saving wisdom here that is in no other book.
(2) The Scriptures are of use in teaching. Only in
the New Testament have we any picture of Jesus, any
account of his life and any record of his teaching.
For that very reason, it is undeniable that,
whatever might be argued about the rest of the
Bible, it is impossible for the Church ever to do
without the gospels. It is perfectly true – as we
have so often said – that Christianity is founded
not on a printed book but on a living person. The
fact remains that the only place in all the world
where we get a first-hand account of that person and
of his teaching is in the New Testament. That is why
the church which has no Bible class is a church in
whose work an essential element is missing.
(3) The Scriptures are valuable for reproof. It is
not meant that the Scriptures are valuable for
finding fault; what is meant is that they are
valuable for convincing people of the error of their
ways and for pointing them on the right path. A. M.
Chirgwin has story after story of how the Scriptures
came by chance into the hands of people whose lives
were changed by them.
In Brazil, Signor Antonio of Minas bought a New
Testament, which he took home to burn. He went home
and found that the fire was out. Deliberately, he
lit it. He flung the New Testament on it. It would
not burn. He opened out the pages to make it burn
more easily. It opened at the Sermon on the Mount.
He glanced at it as he consigned it to the flames.
His attention was caught; he took it back. ‘He read
on, forgetful of time, through the hours of the
night, and just as the dawn was breaking, he stood
up and declared, “I believe.”’
Vincente Quiroga of Chile found a few pages of a
book washed up on the seashore by a tidal wave
following an earthquake. He read them and never
rested until he obtained the rest of the Bible. Not
only did he become a Christian; he devoted the rest
of his life to the distribution of the Scriptures in
the forgotten villages of northern Chile.
One dark night in a forest in Sicily, a robber held
up at gunpoint a man who distributed Bibles. He was
ordered to light a bonfire and burn his books. He
lit the fire, and then he asked if he might read a
little from each book before he dropped it in the
flames. He read the twenty-third psalm from one; the
story of the good Samaritan from another; from
another the Sermon on the Mount; from another 1
Corinthians 13. At the end of each reading, the
robber said: ‘That’s a good book; we won’t burn that
one; give it to me.’ In the end, not a book was
burned; the robber left the bookseller and went off
into the darkness with the books. Years later, that
same robber turned up again. This time, he was a
Christian minister, and it was to the reading of the
books that he attributed his change.
It is beyond argument that the Scriptures can
convict people of their error and convince them of
the power of Christ.
(4) The Scriptures are of use for correction. The
real meaning of this is that all theories, all
theologies and all ethics are to be tested against
the Bible. If they contradict the teaching of the
Bible, they are to be refused. It is our duty to use
and stimulate our minds; but the test must always be
agreement with the teaching of Jesus Christ as the
Scriptures present it to us.
(5) Paul makes a final point. The study of the
Scriptures trains people in righteousness until they
are equipped for every good work. Here is the
essential conclusion. The study of the Scriptures
must never be selfish, never simply for the good of
an individual’s own soul. Any conversion which makes
someone think of nothing but the fact that he or she
has been saved is no true conversion. We must study
the Scriptures to make ourselves useful to God and
to other people.
~Barclay Commentary
Let us go now to the other commentaries. As always
we will work from the general to the specific.
We will begin with the Matthew Henry Main. I am
jumping in to a long commentary where it begins
speaking to verse 17.
That the man of God may be perfect, 2 Timothy 3:17.
The Christian, the minister, is the man of God. That
which finishes a man of God in this world is the
scripture. By it we are thoroughly furnished for
every good work. There is that in the scripture
which suits every case. Whatever duty we have to do,
whatever service is required from us, we may find
enough in the scriptures to furnish us for it.
(3.) On the whole we here see,
[1.] That the scripture has various uses, and
answers divers ends and purposes: It is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction of all
errors in judgment and practice, and for instruction
in righteousness.
[2.] The scripture is a perfect rule of faith and
practice, and was designed for the man of God, the
minister as well as the Christian who is devoted to
God, for it is profitable for doctrine, etc.
[3.] If we consult the scripture, which was given by
inspiration of God, and follow its directions, we
shall be made men of God, perfect, and thoroughly
furnished to every good work.
[4.] There is no occasion for the writings of the
philosopher, nor for rabbinical fables, nor popish
legends, nor unwritten traditions, to make us
perfect men of God, since the scripture answers all
these ends and purposes. O that we may love our
Bibles more, and keep closer to them than ever! and
then shall we find the benefit and advantage
designed thereby, and shall at last attain the
happiness therein promised and assured to us.
~Matthew Henry Main
Note: Item
number 4 here is not an admonition to refrain from
reading anything. Clearly we should avoid
philosophies, fables, legends and unwritten
tradition but there have been a number of things
that have been written that link back to the Bible
and present biblical principles and truths. From
these we can glean
any number of things to enhance our study of
scripture. The more you are immersed in scripture,
the easier it will be to separate the wheat from the
chaff. You have seen me do this with famous quotes
on a number of subjects.
Let us now read from the Matthew Henry Concise:
Those who would learn the things of God, and be
assured of them, must know the Holy Scriptures, for
they are the Divine revelation. The age of children
is the age to learn; and those who would get true
learning, must get it out of the Scriptures. They
must not lie by us neglected, seldom or never looked
into. The Bible is a sure guide to eternal life. The
prophets and apostles did not speak from themselves,
but delivered what they received of God, 2 Peter
1:21. It is profitable for all purposes of the
Christian life. It is of use to all, for all need to
be taught, corrected, and reproved. There is
something in the Scriptures suitable for every case.
Oh that we may love our Bibles more, and keep closer
to them! then shall we find benefit, and at last
gain the happiness therein promised by faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ, who is the main subject of both
Testaments. We best oppose error by promoting a
solid knowledge of the word of truth; and the
greatest kindness we can do to children, is to make
them early to know the Bible.
~Matthew Henry Concise
Quoted verses
2 Peter 1:21
...mentioned above
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of
man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost [Spirit].
Notice what Paul is saying to Timothy in this verse
and what the commentaries here are showing us. Verse
15 is saying that the scriptures; the Holy Word of
God is able to make us wise unto
something...salvation. However, just reading them or
embracing them is not enough. It takes the Holy
Spirit in a called individual in the Salvation
Process to understand. Without the Holy Spirit, we
do not become wise by the scriptures. In addition,
this can only take place in the Salvation Process
which has all the elements and tools in which the
Holy Spirit is manifested. God is, through this
letter to Timothy showing us just how spiritual
things work. It is a holistic approach. Every
element must be present. We learned this
specifically from Hebrews 4:2 which I read earlier.
Hebrews 4:2
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto
them: but the word preached did not profit them, not
being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
..."it was not mixed with faith." That is, not all
the elements were present. Remember the words we
read in the Matthew Henry:
The scriptures we are to know are the holy
scriptures; they come from the holy God, were
delivered by holy men, contain holy precepts, treat
of holy things, and were designed to make us holy
and to lead us in the way of holiness to happiness;
being called the holy scriptures, they are by this
distinguished from profane writings of all sorts,
and from those that only treat morality, and common
justice and honesty, but do not meddle with
holiness.
We must labor each and every day to have, hold,
manifest and invoke every element and aspect of the
Salvation Process.
Now to the specific commentaries.
As you will remember from the previous two studies,
Verse 15 is a key scripture. It is the scripture
that describes precisely how we gain salvation and
Eternal Life.
2 Timothy 3:15
And that from a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Verses 16 and 17 are confirmation of this great
promise of God. They further explain just how
scripture is able to make us wise unto salvation.
Verses 16 and 17 are actually one complete thought:
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness: That
the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works."
Notice this from the Biblical Illustrator:
The man of God’s equipment:—
I. The man of God is instructed—
1. Concerning God.
2. Concerning man.
3. Concerning duty.
4. Concerning responsibility.
II. The man of God is disciplined.
1. Joy in prosperity.
2. Hope in adversity.
3. A cheerful submission to the will of God at all
times.
III. The man of God is inspired.
1. The mind is illumined.
2. The affections are sanctified.
3. The whole life is made the reflex of revelation.
~The Biblical Illustrator
Now to the specific commentaries. As one can readily
see, the scripture is in two parts:
1] That the man of God may be perfect.
2] Throughly furnished unto all good works.
1] That the man of God may be
perfect.
May be perfect - Fully
fitted for his work. The sense is "complete."
~People's New Testament
That the man of God may be
perfect - The object is not merely to
convince and to convert him; it is to furnish all
the instruction needful for his entire perfection.
The idea here is, not that any one is absolutely
perfect, but that the Scriptures have laid down the
way which leads to perfection, and that, if any one
were perfect, he would find in the Scriptures all
the instruction which he needed in those
circumstances. There is no deficiency in the Bible
for man, in any of the situations in which he may be
placed in life; and the whole tendency of the book
is to make him who will put himself fairly under its
instructions, absolutely perfect.
~Barnes Notes
That the man of God -
The preacher of righteousness, the minister of the
Gospel, the person who derives his commission from
God, and always appears as his herald and servant.
~Adam Clarke
May be perfect - to fit
or adapt. It properly signifies an integer or whole
number in arithmetic, to which nothing needs to be
added to make it complete.
~Adam Clarke
That the man of God may be
perfect - By the man of God may be meant
everyone that in a special relation belongs to God;
who is chosen by God the Father, redeemed by the
Son, and called by the Spirit; but more especially a
minister of the Gospel; for as it was usual to call
a prophet under the Old Testament by this name, it
seems to be transferred from thence to a minister of
the New Testament, see 1 Timothy 6:11 [See
Lesson] and the design of the Scriptures and the
end of writing them are, that both preachers of the
word, and hearers of it, might have a perfect
knowledge of the will of God; that the former might
be a complete minister of the Gospel, and that
nothing might be wanting for the information of the
latter: ~John Gill
That the man of God may be
perfect - In the sense of being complete at
all points. The participle ‘thoroughly furnished’ is
in the Greek formed from the same root, so that the
effect answers to that of the English, ‘that the man
of God may be complete, completely equipped.’ The
explanation which has been given of this verse
refers it primarily to the work of Scripture in
fitting the minister of Christ, such as was Timothy,
for his appointed work. But it is obvious that the
work is not limited to this, and that this is the
end for which Scripture was given in relation to
each individual soul. It is obvious that Paul refers
chiefly, many would say exclusively, to the
Scriptures of the Old Testament; and it may well be
believed that he had no thought at the time that
this letter of personal counsel and strong emotion
would come under the category of the Scripture of
which he thus speaks. ~
Popular New Testament
2] Throughly furnished unto all
good works.
Thoroughly furnished unto all
good works. - Completeness aimed at. "That
the man of God may be complete, furnished completely
unto every good work." The man of God is man
according to the Divine idea. Many excellences go to
make the complete man, intellectual, emotional,
practical. God desires to see the complete man; and
he has given the Bible for that end. The
completeness thought of is that of man as a worker,
producing good thoughts, good words, good actions.
God desires to see the completely furnished worker,
and he has given the Bible for that end. It is true
that we come very far short of the Divine ideal of
our humanity; the reason will be found to be that we
neglect the help provided for us. We do not consult
God, but our own prejudiced thoughts. Let us go back
to the Bible, to be convicted of our error, and
corrected, and severely exercised toward the
complete man. ~Pulpit Bible
Thoroughly furnished unto all
good works. - Fully equipped. If he is master
of the Holy Scriptures, he is so equipped. If this
was true when Paul wrote, with only a part of the
New Testament written, with what emphasis may it be
said now when we have both the Old and New
Testaments in full!
~People's New Testament
Thoroughly furnished unto all
good works - Margin, “perfected.” The Greek
means, to bring to an end; to make complete. The
idea is, that whatever good work the man of God
desires to perform, or however perfect he aims to
be, he will find no deficiency in the Scriptures,
but will find there the most ample instructions that
he needs. He can never advance so far, as to become
forsaken of his guide. He can never make such
progress, as to have gone in advance of the volume
of revealed truth, and to be thrown upon his own
resources in a region which was not thought of by
the Author of the Bible. No new phase of human
affairs can appear in which it will not direct him;
no new plan of benevolence can be started, for which
he will not find principles there to guide him; and
he can make no progress in knowledge or holiness,
where he will not feel that his holy counsellor is
in advance of him still, and that it is capable of
conducting him even yet into higher and purer
regions. Let us, then, study and prize the Bible. It
is a holy and a safe guide. It has conducted
millions along the dark and dangerous way of life,
and has never led one astray [speaking of those
called]. The human mind, in its investigations of
truth, has never gone beyond its teachings; nor has
man ever advanced into a region so bright that its
light has become dim, or where it has not thrown its
beams of glory on still far distant objects. We are
often in circumstances in which we feel that we have
reached the outer limit of what man can teach us;
but we never get into such circumstance in regard to
the Word of God. ~Barnes
Notes
Throughly furnished -
Εξηρτισμενος· From εξ, intensive, and αρτιος,
complete. Not only complete in himself as to his
integrity, religious knowledge, faith in Jesus, and
love to God and man, but that he should have all
those qualifications which are necessary to complete
the character, and insure the success of a preacher,
of the Gospel. Timothy was to teach, reprove,
correct, and instruct others; and was to be to them
a pattern of good works.
From what the apostle says here concerning the
qualifications of a Christian minister, we may well
exclaim: Who is capable of these things? Is it such
a person as has not intellect sufficient for a
common trade or calling? No. A preacher of the
Gospel should be a man of the soundest sense, the
most cultivated mind, the most extensive experience,
one who is deeply taught of God, and who has deeply
studied man; one who has prayed much, read much, and
studied much; one who takes up his work as from God,
does it as before God, and refers all to the glory
of God; one who abides under the inspiration of the
Almighty, and who has hidden the word of God in his
heart, that he might not sin against him. No
minister formed by man can ever be such as is
required here. The school of Christ, and that alone,
can ever form such a preacher.
~Adam Clarke
Thoroughly furnished unto all
good works - or "every good work";
particularly to the work of the ministry, which is a
good one; and to every part and branch of it, a
thorough furniture for which lies in the holy
Scriptures; from whence, as scribes well instructed
in the kingdom of heaven, do Gospel ministers bring
forth things new and old, both for delight and
profit: though this may be also applied to all good
works in common, which the Scriptures point unto,
give directions about, as well as show where
strength is to be had to perform them.
~John Gill |
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