Fathers

2 Timothy 4

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I command you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom: preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all patience and teaching. For the time will come when they will not listen to the sound doctrine, but having itching ears, will heap up for themselves teachers after their own lusts, and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn away to fables. But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry. For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. From now on, the crown of righteousness is stored up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing. Be diligent to come to me soon, for Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come, and the books, especially the parchments. Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his deeds, of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words. At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear. So I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the house of Onesiphorus. Erastus remained at Corinth, but I left Trophimus at Miletus sick. Be diligent to come before winter. Eubulus salutes you, as do Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers. The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.

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What the Fathers say

2 Timothy 4:3

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine." Before they grow stiffnecked, preoccupy them all. For this reason he says, "in season, out of season"; do everything, so as to have willing disciples. "But after their own lusts," he says, "shall they heap to themselves teachers." Nothing can be more expressive than these words. For by saying "they shall heap to themselves," he shows the indiscriminate multitude of the teachers, as also by their being elected by their disciples. …

Homily on 2 Timothy 9 ↗

Gregory of Nazianzus

I am to speak against persons who pride themselves on their eloquence; so, to begin with a text of Scripture, "Behold, I am against thee, O thou proud one," not only in thy system of teaching, but also in thy hearing, and in thy tone of mind. For there are certain persons who have not only their ears and their tongues, but even, as I now perceive, their hands too, itching for our words; who delight in profane babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called, and strifes about words, which tend to no profit; for so Paul, the …

Orations 27.1 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

So, warn them before they plunge into calamity. This is why he also said above: "in season and out of season"; while you still have the opportunity to persuade, do everything. The Apostle indicates by the expression "they will choose" a disorderly crowd of teachers, and also that they are chosen by the people, who will act not according to sound reason, but will choose those who will indulge their lusts and only say and do what is pleasing to them. Those who always want to hear what is pleasant, delightful, and flattering to the ear.

Commentary on 2 Timothy ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

And yet all these utterly senseless heretics, who wish to be styled Christians, attempt to color the audacities of their devices, which are perfectly abhorrent to every human feeling, with the chance presented to them of that gospel sentence uttered by the Lord, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now:" as if these were the very things which the apostles could not then bear, and as if the Holy Spirit had taught them what the unclean spirit, with all the length he can carry his audacity, blushes to teach …

Tractates On John 97.3-4 ↗

Hilary of Poitiers

Not unmindful of this sin of wilfulness, the Apostle, writing to Timothy, after many injunctions to bear witness to the faith and to preach the word, adds, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but having itching ears will heap up teachers to themselves after their own lusts, and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. …

On The Trinity 10.2 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, "there shall be a time," he shows why this admonition is necessary. But there is a threefold need for the abovementioned advice: first, on the part of the hearers; second, on Timothy's part, at "but be vigilant"; third, on the part of the Apostle, at "for I am even now ready" (2 Tim 4:6). …

Commentary on 2 Timothy ↗