2 Timothy 2.16-Paul Orders Timothy to Continue Make it His Habit of Avoiding False Teaching Because It Promotes More Ungodliness
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday May 12, 2015
Second Timothy: Second Timothy 2:16-Paul Orders Timothy to Continue Making it His Habit of Avoiding False Teaching Because It Promotes More Ungodliness
Lesson # 44
2 Timothy 2:16 But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness. (NASB95)
“But avoid worldly and empty chatter” stands in contrast with the means by which Timothy was to fulfill the command which appears in Second Timothy 2:15.
Therefore, the contrast is between Timothy accurately teaching the message of truth and getting involved in worldly and empty chatter.
“Avoid” is the second person singular present middle imperative form of the verb periistēmi (περιΐστημι), which pertains to keeping oneself away from something or someone and refraining from getting involved in a particular practice.
The present imperative form of the verb periistēmi is a customary present imperative whose force is for Timothy to simply continue making it his habit of avoiding worldly and empty chatter.
The middle voice of the verb periistēmi is an indirect middle which indicates that Timothy was for his own benefit spiritually avoid worldly and empty chatter.
“Worldly and empty chatter” is composed of the following: (1) accusative feminine plural form of the adjective bebēlos (βέβηλος), “worldly” (3) articular accusative feminine plural form of the noun kenophōnia (κενοφωνία), “chatter.”
In First Timothy 6:20 and Second Timothy 2:16, kenophōnia is in the plural and means “the words, lacking content” and describes the false doctrine taught by the Judaizers and those pastors in the Ephesian Christian church who were adhering to their legalistic teaching.
In each instance, the word describes this teaching as senseless and therefore useless, thus having no godly purpose.
It describes this false doctrine as lacking significant content because it is not the Christian gospel.
In First Timothy 6:20 and now here in Second Timothy 2:16, the adjective bebēlos means “worldly” and is modifying the noun kenophōnia, “the words lacking content,” which is a reference to the false doctrine taught by the Judaizers and the apostate pastors in Ephesus.
In each instance, this adjective bebēlos describes their teaching as directly opposed to God’s plan for the Christian and originating from Satan and his kingdom.
This is all indicated by the fact that Paul is contrasting Timothy being faithful in accurately teaching and obeying the gospel, which Paul had entrusted to Timothy with that of those teaching false doctrine.
“For it will lead to further ungodliness” presents the reason for the previous prohibition which Paul issued.
“It will lead to further” is composed of the following: (1) preposition epi (ἐπί), “further” (2) accusative neuter plural form of the adjective pleion (πλεῖον), “further” (3) third person plural future active indicative form of the verb prokoptō (προκόπτω), “it will lead to” (4) genitive feminine singular form of the noun asebeia (ἀσέβεια), “ungodliness.”
The verb prokoptō means “to promote” in the sense of contributing to the growth of something indicating that the teaching of the Judaizers and those apostate pastors in Ephesus who adhered to this teaching and which teaching Paul describes as “the words lacking content which are worldly” will “promote” ungodly living.
The future tense of the verb prokoptō is a predictive future indicating that it will come to pass or will happen in the future that adherence to the teaching of the Judaizers and those apostate pastors in Ephesus who adhered to this teaching will promote ungodly living.
The noun asebeia means “ungodliness” since it pertains to living in a manner which dishonors God and is irreverent towards Him.
With regards to the Christian, it speaks of the Christian conducting himself or herself in a manner which is out of fellowship with God as a result of not appropriating by faith the Spirit’s teaching in the Word of God that one is crucified, died, buried, raised and seated with Christ.
It refers to conduct that dishonors God because it is not based upon an accurate knowledge of His character, ways and will.
It also denotes that this conduct dishonors God because it is in disobedience to His commands and prohibitions.
This conduct expresses one’s irreverence towards God and is thus an act of refusing to worship Him.
This noun asebeia is modifying the comparative adjective pleion which is related to the adjective polus and typically refers to something “more” or “greater” in number or magnitude.
When combined with the preposition epi which we have here in Second Timothy 2:16, the two words means “greater depth of involvement with” ungodliness since together they pertain to a degree which surpasses in some manner a point on an explicit or implicit scale of extent.
Here this prepositional phrase is used in relation to the concept of ungodliness indicating that the false teaching of the Judaizers and those apostate pastors in Ephesus who adhered to their teaching promotes “a greater depth of involvement with” ungodliness.
Second Timothy 2:16 But for your own benefit, continue to make it your habit of avoiding the words lacking content which are worldly because they will, as a certainty, promote a greater depth of involvement with ungodliness. (My translation)
The false teaching of the Judaizers and those apostate pastors in Ephesus who adhered to their teaching promotes a greater depth of involvement with ungodly living since it steers the Christian further away from obeying and serving God.
In other words, it leads them further away from faith and obedience to the gospel, i.e. Paul’s apostolic teaching which is inspired by the Spirit and promotes godly living.
False doctrine originates with the devil and his cosmic system and seduces people away from the truth of the gospel whereas sound doctrine which is the gospel and Paul’s apostolic teaching produces godly living when it is obeyed.
So Paul is reminding Timothy in this prohibition that the false doctrine of the Judaizers and those apostate pastors in Ephesus who adhered to their teaching originates with Satan and his cosmic system.
This Satanic world view permeates the thinking of mankind, molding, corrupting and degrading and in the process affecting all culture and every institution of man.
The cosmic system of Satan refers to a vast system and arrangement of human affairs, earthly goods, godless governments, conflicts, riches, pleasures, culture, education, world religions, the cults and the occult dominated and negatively affected by Satan who is god of this satanic cosmos.
This system is promoted by Satan, conformed to his ideals, aims, methods, and character, and stands perpetually in opposition to God the cause of Christ.
This world system is used to seduce men away from God and the person of Christ and is anti-God, anti-Christ, and anti-Bible, and very anti-humanity though it often appears as humanitarian as part of Satan’s masquerade as an angel of light.
The prohibition in Second Timothy 2:16 echoes his command to First Timothy 6:20 since both are related to the false doctrine of the Judaizers and those apostate pastors who adhered to their legalistic teaching and both passages use much of the same language.
First Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, I solemnly charge you to make it your top priority to guard the deposit with the result that you cause yourself to avoid the words lacking content, which are worldly, specifically, the contradictions, which are falsely called ‘knowledge’ 21 which because certain individuals are asserting for themselves, have deviated with regards to the Christian faith. May His grace cause itself to be manifested among of all of you as a corporate unit. (My translation)
First Timothy 6:3-10 gives us further insight into the phrase “the words lacking content which are worldly,” which appears in Second Timothy 2:16.
1 Timothy 6:3 If and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that someone does teach false doctrine, in other words, they do not agree with sound words, namely that which originates from our Lord who is Jesus who is the Christ, specifically, that teaching which is for the purpose of godliness. And we agree that there are some who do. 4 Then, they are arrogant. Consequently, they understand absolutely nothing. But rather he possesses a sick obsession with pointless debates, yes in fact pointless arguments about words from which he does cause envy, dissension, slanders, evil suspicions. 5 Men incessantly arguing, who are corrupt with regards to their mind as well as defrauded of the truth who are presuming a religious form of godliness is a means of gaining wealth. 6 However, combined with contentment, godliness is, as an eternal spiritual truth a means of superior gain. 7 Because we brought absolutely nothing into this world so logically neither we, for our own benefit, are, as an eternal spiritual truth able to take anything out. 8 However, because we possess supplies of food as well as clothes, we must be content. 9 However, those who desire to be rich, as an eternal spiritual truth, fall into temptation which is a trap resulting in many foolish as well as harmful lusts, which indeed by virtue of their evil and sinful nature, as an eternal spiritual truth, plunge these men into experiencing destruction, yes and a sudden one at that! 10 For you see, the love of money is, as an eternal spiritual truth, the root cause, which produces all types of evil actions. Certain individuals, because they selfishly possess an insatiable desire for it, wandered away from the Christian faith. Consequently, they impaled themselves with many intense sufferings. (Author’s translation)
Titus 3:9 gives us insight as to what exactly Paul is referring to when he speaks of “the words lacking content which are worldly” that appear in Second Timothy 2:16.
Titus 3:8 This is, as an eternal spiritual truth a trustworthy statement. Therefore, concerning these things, I myself always want you to discipline yourself in making it your habit of confidently communicating in order that those who have placed their absolute confidence in God would be intent on disciplining themselves in making it their habit of performing excellent works. These things are as an eternal spiritual truth excellent, indeed, beneficial for the human race. 9 However, for your own benefit continue to make it your habit of avoiding foolish pointless debates, genealogies, dissensions as well as quarrels about the Law because they are, as an eternal spiritual truth characterized as being unprofitable, yes, useless. (Author’s translation)
The prohibition in Second Timothy 2:16 echoes Paul’s orders to Timothy in First Timothy 1:3-11.
First Timothy 1:3 As I urgently requested you to stay on in Ephesus when I myself was about to depart for Macedonia in order that you may command certain individuals not to teach at any time, false doctrine 4 nor, at any time be occupied with myths as well as useless genealogies because the nature of which, as an eternal spiritual truth, promotes pointless arguments rather than the administration of God’s household, which is through faithfulness. 5 However, the result, which this command produces is, as an eternal spiritual truth, divine-love from a pure heart as well as a conscience that is divine good in quality and character and in addition a sincere faith. 6 Certain individuals, because they have deviated away from these things, have turned aside to pointless talk 7 by desiring unsuccessfully to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either the things which they are making a habit of communicating or the things concerning which they make a habit of confidently asserting for the benefit of only themselves. 8 But we affirm that the Law does, as an eternal spiritual truth exist in the state of being useful, if one at any time does for their own benefit make use of it lawfully. 9 For you see, one must affirm this fact, namely that the Law is, as an eternal spiritual truth, by no means established for the benefit of the righteous but in fact, for the benefit of those who break the Law, for the benefit of those who are insubordinate, for the benefit of those who are irreverent and for the benefit of those who are sinful by nature and practice, for the benefit of those of those who are unholy and for the benefit of those who are worldly, for the benefit of those who murder their father and mother, for the benefit of murderers, 10 for the benefit of those who are fornicators, for the benefit of those who are homosexuals, for the benefit of those who are kidnappers, for the benefit of those who are liars, for the benefit of those who are perjurers and in addition, if, and let us assume that it is true for the sake of argument that any other does oppose itself to that which is sound doctrine and we agree that there is. 11 This (sound doctrine) is in accordance with the proclamation of the gospel about the Glory who is the blessed God, which I myself was entrusted with. (Author’s translation)