2 Timothy is Paul’s last Letter, written roughly in the early 60’s or so and at a time when Paul knows his end is near 2 Tim. 4:6. Paul’s KG (Koine Greek) word translated death is actually a euphemism for it. In KG, it means a “loosening, departure” and is like a soldier breaking camp, accord to Koine Greek lexicons.
Paul’s KG form speaks of his “loosening, departure” and he may have used it to indicate a sense of “absolutely” his death is impending.
Paul’s emphasis in 2 Tim. 4:6 is not on his departure. He begins for emphasis by speaking of seeing himself in the present – i.e., right now – (in KG) “…poured out as a drink offering…”.
This is remarkable. Why? 2 Timothy is written after 15+ years of ministry for Yeshua Hamashiach. 15+ years! Shouldn’t Paul be “free from the Law” and be the “ex-Pharisee (but cf. Acts 23:6!), ex-Jew, converted to Western Tradition/the founder of Western Tradition”, as Western Tradition portrays him?
If Paul actually sees himself as Western Tradition historically portrays him to followers of Yeshua, we have a “key” question to ask.
Why does Paul see himself, and the service he has rendered Mashiach, as something from the Torah and done at the Temple in Jerusalem?
Isn’t “Paul the Christian” and “theologian” suppose to have put “all that Jewish stuff” behind him?
Why draw on that; shouldn’t he have “cleaned out” that Old Testament” thinking?
As a quick but very “key” note: as shocking as it may well be, Paul never uses Xristianos “Christians” – period – period. He never says “ego Xristianos eimi” “I (a) Christian am”, nor uses the word period. Cf. Acts 23:6!
Paul does use forms of adelphoi brothers (and KG for sisters also) 125-150 times.
In 2 Tim. 2:17-21, Paul addresses the problem of false/incorrect teaching. Here, two men teach that the resurrection has already occurred! As Paul writes, this (naturally!) is upsetting some followers!
In short in 2 Tim. 2:17, Paul speaks of the following, following v.16.
Paul very Hebraically sees all this false teaching as a whole. He opens 2 Tim. 2:17 Hebraically connecting it with v. 16 by and (KG “kai”; the 2nd most used word in KG in the RCS). This indicates Hebraic thought and expression. Classic Greek (Attic Greek) is not like this. That of, Hebrew’s connectedness of all things.
Paul calls the false teachers’ talk literally “the word” (KG “o logos”). Paul though uses an Hebraic type metaphor to refer to it. Paul says – and he’s specific – “the word” of these “talkers” is “os gangraina nomen”, or “as gangrene spreads”.
“Spread” here refers to feeding. Gangrene is well known as dead tissue. However, the problem with gangrene is that if it is not cut out of the body, it continues to spread – and if not cut out it eventually leads to death!
Here is the “key” that Paul speaks of regarding false “gangrene” teaching such as that the resurrection had already happened (for all people).
First though the Bigger Picture. With no modern means of communication – no cell phone, internet, social media, TV, radio – within two decades of Yeshua, much false teaching had already spread among the nations! Cf. Judah (not “Jude”) v. 3, vss. 3-16.
1 Corinthians – written in the early 50’s – makes this all too clear! Cf. especially 2 Cor. 11:3-4!
In short, the Corinthians turning from Paul to more “attractive” charismatic “teachers” and the Corinthians ungodly attitude and character, lead Paul to challenge them with this.
In 2 Cor. 13:5 near the Letter’s end, Paul asks them collectively – not individualistically – to test themselves to see if their steadfastness was genuine.
Paul’s KG word dokimon means to test if something is genuine. (Not testing to see if it works).
To return; in 2 Tim. 2:21 Paul tells his beloved Timothy what people need regarding false teaching. However, it is not, as we learned together above, merely “false teaching”. It is gangrene that spreads.
Paul uses an Hebraic metaphor, that is, something physical used to illuminate great spiritual truth.
Yeshua also – very much so – does the same. Does Yeshua speak in terms of theological abstraction and “positions”, i.e., “concepts”; or, does he speak in terms of what is concrete?
That is, “shepherd-sheep”, “houses built on rock or sand”, “oil”, “lampstands”, “fields”, “doors”, etc.?
In 2 Tim. 2:21 Paul, not the “ex-Pharisee ex-Jew theologian converted to Western Tradition”, but rather Paul the Pharisee Hebrew (Acts 23:6; they never taught you this verse; why?), and Jew (Acts 21:39, 22:1-3, cf. 21:20-26, 28:17 et al., 2 Cor. 11:22, Phpn. 3:5), also uses physical metaphors to illuminate great spiritual truth. This is why Paul speaks of household vessels.
Paul – again – shows his Hebrew heart and the thinking of a P’rush (“Separate One”, “Pharisee”). How?
Paul again draws on something very “key” in the Torah, in Leviticus, and an Hebraic type metaphor – household vessels.
In 2 Tim. 2:21 does Paul say false teaching should “simply be ignored”? Does he say, “as long as they are saved, it does not matter; false teaching cannot/will not negatively impact followers”?
Does Paul say, “People should/need to do nothing about it”? Does Paul say, “It may be false teaching, but don’t worry, it has no consequences”?
No! The idea that perhaps the resurrection had already taken place obviously was an idea that people found very plausible. Obviously, it impacted enough followers that Paul feels he must address it; though his focus seems more on “empty talks” (“kenophonics”) than just on the false resurrection teaching itself.
That said, given how extremely “key” resurrection is in 1 Cor. 15:1-20 (cf. v. 17-19!) and following, Paul must address this specific wrong teaching.
Paul prefaces 2 Tim. 2:21 with an Hebraic metaphor in v. 20; referring to various types of household vessels.
Paul was a very well-trained Pharisee cf. Acts 22:1-3. Paul sat at the feet of Gamliel, “Gamaliel” cf. Acts 5:34), one of the greatest of first-century teachers. With the Gentile followers of Yeshua who will be lead to him by the Jewish Brothers remaining Gentiles, problems and questions would arise. Decisions regarding Jews as Jews and Gentiles as Gentiles as followers of Yeshua would have to be made.
Paul had the training and knowledge to be able to make those necessary decisions. This is probably one reason why Yeshua chose Paul. Cf. Acts 9, 26:14-15. Paul would have known what the Torah says in Leviticus 11 about vessels.
However, here now is the “key”; Paul’s reference to a very “key” Torah concept and practice, found overwhelmingly in Leviticus.
In 2 Tim. 2:21 you find “clean”. This is why we learn together from the original languages. “Clean” does not touch the surface of what Paul thinks of!
Paul thinks with the Hebrew heart of the Torah-observant Pharisee and Jew he is. (Approximately 20 references in Acts 21-28!)
However, of course though not a “Greek”, Paul must use KG for a KG-speaking 1st-century Roman Empire.
Though not always the case – especially when it comes to the Hebrew words for Torah and steadfastness, the KG word “clean” for the Hebrew does at least somewhat convey what is “key”. KG as a whole is not close to matching the much deeper meaning in Hebrew.
“Clean” KG “kathariso” indicates a ceremonial cleaning out as well as everyday cleaning.
However, we are about to see again why we – and very carefully (Jacob not “James” 3:1) – learn together only from the original languages.
Paul’s specific word “clean” (“ekkathairo”) is an action defined as, “remove in (the) interest of purification”, of inward purifying.
Paul is not talking about merely a change in thought or idea or having “the correct doctrinal position”.
We believe Paul – very deliberately – chose this particular form of the main word (“kathariso”) – altogether found 68 times in the RCS – because it is the closest to the deeper Hebrew that he could get in KG.
In Hebrew, “clean” means “absolutely pure and spiritually balanced”, from the verb “purify; free of foreign elements”. Its deeper meaning includes “free” in the sense of being able to ascend the highest spiritual heights; this is because there are no pollutions or contaminations that entangle us “like an animal caught in a net”.
An animal caught in a net has lost its freedom because it became entangled by the net. (Hebrew is concrete – not “concept” oriented – and uses word pictures).
Spiritual pollutions or contaminations entangle us.
Being absolutely pure and spiritually balanced allows us to ascend the highest spiritual heights!
The very specific form of kathariso (“katharos” “pure”) Paul uses in 2 Tim. 2:21 actually begins with “out from within”.
Paul speaks of the need of an inner purifying by purging “out from within” wrong teaching. In this specific instance, it pertained to resurrection.
Paul goes on totally Hebraically and Torah-based (cf. Lev. 11:32, 36-37; cf. vss. 44-45) in 2 Tim. 2:21 as follows.
First, we need to quickly point out: the act of inner purifying by purging wrong teaching “out from within” is done eauton – by oneself. It is not a continuous process but rather a one-time action the individual does on themself. We don’t “wait” to have it done for us. We do it ourselves!
There is the need to, in KG, “separate off from the outside of these” (either wrong teaching or the two individuals named).
Paul continues his Lev. 11 based model of polluted vessels becoming purified as follows in 2 Tim. 2:21.
That is, that the individual in the future in fact will be a vessel that results and has a purpose of honor, having received a completed state or condition of being useful for the Mater for the purpose and result of all good work “…having been prepared”. Paul puts this last for emphasis in 2 Tim. 2:21. His KG form indicates that one has received a state or condition of, already now prepared, for the totality/entirety of good work!
Imagine the positive potential possibilities for oneself of having acted upon themselves to have the inner purity and be in a condition to be a fully useful vessel for the Master (in KG idea of the Master of the household)!
Imagine the positive potential possibilities of being free from any false teaching and free then to ascend the highest spiritual heights!
God willing going forward we will take a close look and ask, “Is there actually false teaching that looks/sounds correct but really is not? Why something can look “correct” when it is not – and most importantly, this; if not careful, we can be deceived about something in Scripture done very subtly, cf. 2 Cor. 11:1-15, esp. vss. 13-15.
What accurately and authentically based Biblical teaching helps make us as useful a vessel for the Master as possible? What helps make us an even more honorable vessel (2 Tim. 2:21 KG “timon”, “honor”)?
If what we learn together helps us to do so then praise God (!), we have succeeded for you.
Doing an inner purification of false teaching is something oneself does “eauton” “upon oneself”. It is something oneself is capable and equipped to be able to do for oneself!
Imagine the tremendous potential positive possibilities of not being entangled in pollutions and contaminations because of false teaching.
Imagine the tremendous potential positive possibilities of being free to ascend the highest spiritual heights, and to do – along with others of similar heart – 2 Tim. 2:22 – the good work our wonderful Master has already prepared for us to do!
Imagine being free from pollutions and contaminations, and ascending the highest spiritual heights so that everything we do brings even more weightiness of glory (the deeper meaning of the main Hebrew word for Glory) to the Master!