2 Timothy 2:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In that passage he points to nature itself, not to the kind of material. The meaning of his words is this. Our body is an earthen vessel. As an earthen vessel is nothing other than baked clay, so our body is nothing other than earth held together by the warmth of the soul.

That it is an earthen vessel is clear. As an earthen vessel falls, breaks, and crumbles, so the body, when subjected to death, is dissolved. How do our bones, which are also hard and dry, differ from shards? How does flesh differ from clay? Is it not also made of water?

Why then, as I said, does he not demean the earthen vessel there? There he speaks of the nature of our body, but here of free will.

"If," he says, "anyone cleanses himself from these." He did not say, "is cleansing," but "cleanses," that is, cleanses completely. "He will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful to the Master." Therefore those vessels are unfit, though they serve some use.

"Prepared for every good work." Even if he is not yet acting, he is fit and capable. Therefore one must be ready for everything, even for death, even for martyrdom. One must prepare oneself for virginity and for all such things.

As an earthen vessel is nothing other than baked clay, so our body is nothing other than earth held together by the warmth of the soul. Here, however, the Apostle speaks of free choice.

"And useful to the Master." Earthen vessels, then, are unfit for the guiding purpose of the Lord God, who wills that all be saved. Yet, as has been said, these vessels appear useful for another use.

"Prepared for every good work." That is, even if the time for action has not yet come, he will be fit and ready even for martyrdom or virginity.

Elsewhere the Apostle also means bodies by vessels, when he says, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels" (2 Cor 4:7). There he speaks of the body, not condemning its nature, but presenting its fragility and perishability. He calls it what it is.

As a shard, or vessel, is baked clay, so our body is the same clay, only held together by the warmth of the soul. There, in speaking of vessels, he speaks of the law of nature. Here, in speaking of people, he speaks of free choice.

"Sanctified and useful to the Master." Useful means more valuable than merely serviceable.

"Prepared for every good work." He is fit for the work, even if the time for action has not yet come. With these last words the Apostle explains more fully the word useful.

"Firm souls stand firmly and unshakably," says Saint John Chrysostom. "On their works such words are inscribed, that God knows them. As an inscription is made on a stone to mark it, so this inscription is expressed in their works.

"The sign of this seal is not to do unrighteousness. Therefore let us not deprive ourselves of this royal seal and sign. Otherwise we may remain unsealed and unstable, instead of standing on firm foundations and not being carried away. This is the sign of those who belong to God: to depart from unrighteousness.

"In nature an earthen vessel cannot become golden, but here, in the spiritual life, there is a great change and transformation. Paul was an earthen vessel, but became golden. Judas was a golden vessel, but became earthen.

"Thus impurity makes people earthen. The adulterer and the covetous man are earthen."

"The Apostle likened to golden vessels those who shine with piety and virtue. To silver vessels he likened those who, with faith and righteousness, loved civil life. To wooden and earthen vessels he likened those who live in impiety and wickedness. The choice of what is better depends on our resolve" (blessed Theodoret).

From impious words the latter will quickly pass to impious deeds. Their teaching will spread more and more, as gangrene spreads through the fatty parts of the human body.

"But," the Apostle adds for Timothy's consolation, "the firm foundation of God," that is, the Church, which forms as it were the foundation of salvation for the whole world, stands unshaken despite every effort of the heretics to shake it.

It bears an inscription that provides full assurance of the whole building's firmness. One side of the inscription points to the highest consolation of believers, the nearness to them of God Himself. The other points to their holy calling, by which they themselves must avoid everything that can harm the Church's firmness.

Yet from the Apostle's words Timothy could clearly see that unrighteousness and evil had already crept into the Church of God. Thinking of this, the question naturally arose why the Apostle did not command him at once to remove this evil from the Church.

As though answering this question, the Apostle says that in so large a society as the Church there must necessarily be great difference among its members.

Some Christians are like vessels of gold and silver, held in honor and appointed for honorable use. Others resemble fragile wooden and earthen vessels, which are not highly valued and cannot serve long in the house.

Thus the Apostle shows, on the one hand, the necessity of tolerating even evil people in the Church. On the other hand, he shows that these people will not always remain in the Church. In time they will be cast out when their unfitness becomes manifest.

Good vessels, or Christians in general, must keep away from these bad vessels, so that they may not be defiled by contact with them.

“The vessels,” Theodoret writes, “were condemned by nature itself if they are not for honor. But it is the will that made men honorable or dishonorable.” Yet this will, now corrupt, can at once change into a corrected will. “The choice of the better depends on our resolve” (Blessed Theodoret). Let the wicked man resolve with God’s help, and he will begin to be good.

Awaiting this very moment, God’s goodness spares the unbelieving and the bad, and restrains God’s righteousness, which is ready to punish them. This is what the Apostle means when he says: “If anyone cleanses himself from these.” “From these” means from what makes him resemble a vessel not for honor, from passions and sins.

To cleanse oneself means to recognize the ugliness of what is bad in oneself, to turn away from it, and to form a firm intention not to do it any more. It means to confess it to one’s spiritual father, receive absolution, and then no longer permit oneself to fall into the same guilt.

One who has become established in this manner of life, pure from every evil outwardly and inwardly, will no longer resemble a vessel in the house that is not for honor. He will become a vessel for honor, useful and fit for every good work. Moreover, he will be sanctified. He will become in some way a sacred thing, as indeed he is. For then he will not be ordinary, but filled with grace and bearing God within himself.

For the sake of this change and this passing from dishonor into such a radiant state, the wicked are tolerated. Saint Chrysostom says: “Do you see that being gold or clay does not depend on nature or material necessity, but on our will? In nature, a clay vessel cannot become golden, and a golden vessel cannot become as low as a clay one. But here, in human souls, great change and transformation occur.

“Paul was a clay vessel, but he became golden. Judas was a golden vessel, but became clay. Thus uncleanness makes men clay. The adulterer and the covetous man are clay.”

There is no need to attempt to define in detail what these words mean in application: “a vessel sanctified, useful, prepared for every good work.” In general. They mean that the one who has been cleansed by faith and grace from everything bad, unclean, and passionate, and who has handed himself over to God’s all-active working, becomes an instrument in God’s hands. He is useful for fulfilling His providential actions concerning the world and men.

Such a person knows how to attend and to hear God’s commands intelligently in his heart. Then, not sparing his life, he fulfills them. Therefore, in his actions he always finds the track of God’s will. This is most precious for every Christian, and still more for a chief pastor.

Since such a state makes the one who has attained it most wise, one may conclude that the Apostle’s discourse from verse 19 indicates the path to attaining prudence. He began giving the chief pastor lessons about this from verse 14. After this, the following verse, verse 22, will have the meaning of a concluding warning against what can cause one to lose this gift, and of an indication of what secures and roots it.