Fathers

2 Timothy 3

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But know this: that in the last days, grievous times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, not lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also. For some of these are people who creep into houses and take captive gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Even as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind, who concerning the faith are rejected. But they will proceed no further. For their folly will be evident to all men, as theirs also came to be. But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, steadfastness, persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you remain in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. From infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

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What the Fathers say

2 Timothy 3:4

Eastern Fathers

Theophylact of Ohrid

Betrayers of friendship. That is, unsteady, inconstant. Filled with arrogance. Otherwise it cannot be but so: for where there is love of worldly pleasures, there is no place for the desire of divine things.

Commentary on 2 Timothy ↗

Ignatius of Antioch

...the victory over death was obtained in Christ, whom the children of perdition, the enemies of the Saviour, deny, "whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things," who are "lovers of pleasure, and not lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." These make merchandise of Christ, corrupting His word, and giving up Jesus to sale: they are corrupters of women, and covetous of other men's possessions, swallowing up wealth insatiably; from whom may ye be delivered by the mercy of God through our Lord …

Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians ↗

Oecumenius

Traitors. One who betrays friendship and companionship. reckless. That is, rash and having nothing stable. snobbish. That is, full of arrogance. lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Exchanging the love of the divine for something shameful. Indeed, the very form of holiness exposes both hypocrites themselves and deceivers.

Commentary On 2 Timothy ↗

Western Saints

Thomas Aquinas

Then he lists the vices which flow from the degeneration of the rational appetite. This appetite is made perfect by prudence, to which one vice is opposed by way of abuse, and another by way of privation. And he lists both. In regard to the first he says, traitors; for prudence depends on sagacity which some abuse unto evil, and these are called traitors: he who walks deceitfully reveals secrets (Prov 11:13). …

Commentary on 2 Timothy ↗