2 Timothy 2:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Flee youthful desires." Youthful desires are not only those joined to fornication. Every inappropriate desire is a youthful desire.

Let the elders hear this. They must not do what belongs to the young. If someone is irascible, ambitious for power, covetous, pleasure-loving, or devoted to some similar thing, all this is youthful and irrational desire. It belongs to an unstable heart and to a mind that is not deep, but easily carried away.

Therefore, so that no one may give himself to this, what does the Apostle urge? Flee youthful imaginings. "But pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with all who call upon the Lord from a pure heart."

By righteousness he means virtue in general, piety in life, faith, love, and meekness.

"Flee youthful lusts." Youthful lusts are not only the lust of fornication, but every improper desire, love of power, or love of gain. These passions and fantasies are irrational and belong to unstable souls. See how old age also becomes like youth. "But pursue righteousness." By righteousness he means virtue in general. "Faith." True and firm faith, and a disposition toward those whom you love. It is as though he says: do not be faithless and unstable. Therefore he adds what follows. "Love, peace with all who call on the Lord from a pure heart." That is, trust only those who call on the Lord without pretense and without hypocrisy, who love peace and are not inclined to quarrels. Associate with them.

Flee youthful desires that pursue you, but pursue righteousness, that is, works of righteousness. Pursue true faith toward God and perfect love toward men. Let peace be here and there with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart and do not turn aside from their true faith.

Great is purity in the love of Christ, and fornication is great dishonor. Why do you love adorning yourself with such fearlessness? Hear what the Apostle says: "Flee youthful desires."

Do you not know with what enemy you are fighting? Do you not know how grievous it is to be a snare for another soul? Why do you not consider what rottenness and corruption those who do such things inherit?

Let piety develop in you justice, restraint, and meekness, so that you may avoid youthful amusements (cf. 2 Tim 2:22). Strengthened and rooted in grace (cf. Eph 3:17), contend for the faith without entangling yourself in worldly affairs, for you are God's soldier.

"Flee youthful lusts," that is, amusements, immoderate laughter, vainglory, and the like. "But pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with all who call on the Lord from a pure heart." It is possible to love everyone. The Gospel law also commands this: "Love your enemies" (Mt 5:44). But it is impossible to be at peace with everyone, for this requires a common disposition. Such are all who "call on the Lord from a pure heart."

"Flee youthful desires." Not only luxury or fornication, but every other inappropriate and useless impulse exposes youthfulness in a person, when the heart has not yet become settled and thoughts have not acquired steadiness.

"But pursue righteousness." Strive with all zeal for every virtue, or for every good thing.

"Faith." Unswerving and unshaken faith.

"Love." Faith toward God and love toward men. Although Timothy already possessed all this, the Apostle expresses the desire that he reach the highest measure in all of it.

"Peace with all who call upon the Lord from a pure heart." Pursue sincere peace with those who truly and without hypocrisy call upon the Lord, but not with false apostles. They are wicked and deceitful people, and one cannot entrust oneself to them.

Still, one must live in peace even with them when piety suffers no harm from them. Yet even then one must deal with them cautiously, as with malicious people.

If someone defends his own unjust and false cause with far greater zeal than he sympathizes with another person's just and true cause, this comes only from a tendency toward conceit and pride. Foreseeing this very thing, the blessed Apostle Paul writes to Timothy and teaches that a bishop must not be quarrelsome or fond of disputes, but teachable and gentle. The one capable of teaching is he who, being patient himself, possesses meekness and quietness while being instructed. For a bishop must not only teach, but also learn. He teaches best who daily grows and advances in the study of what is better.

Flee youthful lusts. From the image of various vessels in the Church, the Apostle turns directly to Timothy. Preparing him as a chosen vessel, honorable and pleasing to the Lord, he first advises him to avoid the vices proper to his age. Then he requires him to pursue righteousness, that is, a pious life (Rom 6:13, 16), faith in contrast to doubt, which is so characteristic of youth, and love and peace as the conditions of union with believers and with the Church.

"Therefore, be clean from this," Saint Paul concludes his exhortations to Timothy concerning false teachings, "so that you may be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful to the Master." Be clean also from their vices: "flee youthful lusts," and so on. Be clean also from their disputes about words: "avoid foolish and ignorant controversies," and so on (see 2 Tim 2:16).

The means for good abiding in the Church of God are these: withdrawal from thoughtless impulses proper to the young, and firm abiding in the virtues of justice, faith, love, peace, and prayer.

"Whether someone is sharp in words, or displays insistence and domination in deeds, or permits himself something similar, all these are youthful, irrational impulses," says Saint John Chrysostom.

"All this is apt to happen when the heart is not yet moderated and settled, and when the thoughts of the mind are not deepened, but lightly skim the surface. Therefore, so that no one be carried away by this, what does the Apostle urge? Flee youthful fantasies."

"To youthful desires the Apostle opposes firm virtues, to which the servant of God must give himself entirely," says one modern interpreter.

But to be a vessel for honor, Timothy must not only cleanse himself from defilement coming from outside. He must also overcome everything impure within him and cultivate Christian virtues in himself, especially meekness and gentleness. Only with these is successful activity in converting those who err possible.

Flee that, and hold fast to this, and you will be a useful vessel for the Master of the house. That is, you will be a useful instrument in the Lord’s hands for establishing salvation among men. Saint Timothy, of course, already was such. He is only being reminded. Perhaps the reminder is directed not so much to him as, in his person, to all pastors and chief pastors.

By youthful desires one should understand not bodily impulses. One must suppose that it was unnecessary to warn Saint Timothy against these. Rather, the phrase means youthful impetuosity, which does not allow one to deliberate calmly and pushes one toward imprudent steps. For example, it may push one toward disputes, and in disputes toward irritating sharpness and the like.