2 Timothy 3:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

And the prophet says: "Man walks like a shadow" (Ps 38:7). Likewise, by the word lion Scripture sometimes expresses royal dignity: "He crouched as a lion, and as a lioness; who shall rouse him?" (Gen 49:9).

At other times it expresses rapacity: "Like a lion greedy for prey and roaring" (Ps 21:14). We do the same. Since things are complex and varied, they are rightly portrayed by many examples and likenesses.

For example, when we wish to praise a beautiful woman, we compare her to a painting. When we wish to praise a painting, we affirm that it speaks and explains itself.

But in these cases we do not do the same thing. In the first, we express that the woman comes close to an image. In the second, we express that the image comes close to beauty.

So also by the word form the Apostle there expresses a pattern, image, teaching, and archetype of piety. Here he expresses something soulless and dead, a mere exterior, appearance, and hypocrisy.

Therefore faith without works is only an outward appearance without power, and rightly so. As a beautiful and blooming body that has no strength is like a painted image, so also is right faith without works.

Let us suppose that some lover of money, traitor, or insolent man holds the right faith. What benefit is there if he has nothing fitting for a Christian?

What benefit if he does nothing proper to piety, but surpasses the pagans by his impiety? What benefit if he becomes an infection to those near him and an occasion for blasphemy against God?

What benefit if he disgraces the teaching by his deeds? "From such," says the Apostle, "turn away."

But if such people will exist in the last times, how does he say, "From such turn away"? Probably there were some such people even then, though not impious to such a degree.

It is beyond doubt that through Timothy he exhorts everyone to turn away from such people.

Therefore the Apostle speaks as though saying: such people will also be found now. Turn away from them, and this will be good.

For this reason he adds: "For of these are those who creep into households." Or Paul calls the last days the days that will follow immediately after his death, while Timothy will still remain alive.

Or, what is closer to the truth, as St. John Chrysostom judges, through Timothy the Apostle exhorts everyone to turn away from such people.

Let us not love the world, lest the mysteries remain in us for our condemnation instead of as a stronghold for salvation. The stronghold of salvation is to have the root of love, cf. Eph 3:17, to have the power of piety and not only the form.

For a mere form is something dead, deprived of active power. Even faith, according to the Apostle’s word, is dead without works (Jas 2:21).

Therefore there is no benefit from the name of Christian alone, when it is not joined to those distinctive features in life and deeds by which a man is recognized as such.

"And from such turn away."

Such people certainly existed also in the times of the Apostle, though in small number. Yet chiefly, through Timothy, the Apostle warns his successors against such people.

How long shall we walk in the vanity of our mind, not taking to ourselves the evangelical way of thought? How long shall we fail to know the life lived according to conscience, so that with all diligence we may advance in it?

Through this we should find boldness in our conscience. Yet we still rest upon the mere imagined righteousness of the outward man, because we lack true knowledge.

We deceive ourselves only with external training, wishing to please men and seeking glory, honor, and praise from them.

Truly, "the Lord will come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts" (1 Cor 4:5).

He is the Judge who cannot be deceived. He is neither abashed before the rich nor moved by pity for the poor. He will take away the outward form and reveal the truth hidden within.

Those who live according to conscience, the true ascetics and sufferers, He will crown in the presence of the Angels before His Father.

But those who are false, and clothed in the form of piety, who show men only an outward life, vainly resting upon it and deceiving themselves in mind, He will expose before the heavenly Church of the saints.

He will expose them before the whole heavenly host, and will send them, bitterly ashamed, into the outer darkness.

Our interpreters, understanding piety here as faith, write about this as follows. Oecumenius says: “If they are judged by what they say, they are pious. If they are judged by what they do, they are shown and exposed as contrary to their own words.” Theophylact says: “They accept only the appearance of piety and pretend, but by their deeds they deny it. Note that the power of piety, or as it were its nerves, lies in deeds. Therefore it is rightly said that without deeds it is dead.”

Saint Chrysostom says: “By the word ‘form,’ the Apostle here expresses something soulless and dead, an exterior, appearance, and hypocrisy. Faith without works is only an outward appearance without power. As a beautiful and flourishing body without strength resembles a painted image, so right faith without works is.

“Let us suppose that some covetous man, traitor, or insolent man holds the right faith. What benefit is there in this, if he is distinguished by nothing proper to a Christian? What benefit, if he does nothing characteristic of piety, but surpasses pagans by his impiety, serves as a contagion to those near him and as an occasion for blasphemy against God, and dishonors the teaching by his deeds?”

Blessed Theodoret concludes this whole section about the wickedness that will be revealed as follows: “I think the present time was foretold by the Apostle. For our life is filled with these evils, and while clothing ourselves in the outward appearance of piety, by our deeds we prepare from ourselves an idol of wickedness. Instead of lovers of God, we have become lovers of money, and we love slavery to the passions. In a word, one can find in us the rest that the divine Apostle foretold.”

One cannot deny that such an application is still more fitting in our own time.

“From such,” that is, both from those who teach otherwise and are contentious, and from these wickedly disposed people, turn away. Or else: turn away from these hypocrites, and as for those wicked people, nothing need even be said. “But if such people will be in the last days, how does he say, ‘from such turn away’? Probably there were some such even then. Though not in a great degree, still they existed” (Saint Chrysostom).

Or he speaks in this sense: as soon as they appear. It must be supposed that, according to the Apostle, Saint Timothy will live to see the indicated last days. They will begin after Saint Paul’s death, and Saint Timothy himself will see them. Therefore, for that occasion, this commandment is given to him: turn away from such people (cf. Oecumenius, Blessed Theophylact).

Whichever of these thoughts one takes here, the application from this to later times and persons is very natural. Saint Chrysostom says: “It is beyond doubt that through Timothy the Apostle exhorts all to keep away from such people.” Not only all who were contemporaries of Saint Timothy, but especially “those who will live after him” (Oecumenius).

On verses 5-7. Who are those having the appearance of piety but denying its power? And who are the others, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth?

The first are those who keep all the external orders in which pious life is expressed. Yet they do not have a will strong enough to keep their inner dispositions as true piety requires. They go willingly to church and willingly stand there. Yet they make no effort also to stand with their mind before God, remaining there without departure, and reverently falling down before Him.

After praying a little, they let go the reins of the mind’s governance, and it soars, ranging over the whole world. The result is that, although by outward position they are in church, by their inner state they are not there. They have only the form of piety, but not its power. Understand the same about everything else.

The second are those who, having entered the realm of faith, do nothing but invent questions: what is this, what is that, why is it so, and why is it otherwise? They are people suffering from empty curiosity. They do not pursue truth, but only questioning and more questioning.

Even after finding an answer to their questions, they do not remain with it long. Soon they feel the need to seek another answer. Thus they whirl day and night, questioning and questioning, and never being fully satisfied with what they have found out. One man pursues pleasures, while they pursue the satisfaction of their curiosity.