The character of heretics of latter days. He exhorts Timothy to constancy. Of the great profit of the knowledge of the scriptures.
He prophecieth of Heretikes to come, 6 and noteth certaine then also for such, bidding him to auoid them, 10 and (vvhatsoeuer persecution befall for it) to cōtinue constant in the Catholike doctrine, both because of his Maister (S. Paul him self) 15 and also because of his ovvne knovvledge in the Scriptures.
1Know also this, that in the last days shall come dangerous times.Or sappi tu questo, che negli ultimi giorni sorverranno dei tempi pericolosi:AND this knovv thou, that in the last daies shal approache perilous times.Hoc autem scito, quod in novissimis diebus instabunt tempora periculosa: 2Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, wicked,Imperocché vi saranno degli nemici amanti di loro stessi, avari, vani, superbi, maldicenti, disubbidienti a' genitori, ingrati, scellerati,and men shal be louers of them selues, couetous, hautie, proud, blasphemous, not obedient to their parents, vnkinde, vvicked,erunt homines seipsos amantes, cupidi, elati, superbi, blasphemi, parentibus non obedientes, ingrati, scelesti, 3Without affection, without peace, slanderers, incontinent, unmerciful, without kindness,Senza amore, senza pace, calunniatori, incontinenti, crudeli, senza benignità,vvithout affection, vvithout peace, accusers, incontinent, vnmerciful, vvithout benignitie,sine affectione, sine pace, criminatores, incontinentes, immites, sine benignitate, 4Traitors, stubborn, puffed up, and lovers of pleasures more than of God:Traditori, protervi, gonfi, ed amanti de' piaceri più, che di Dio:traitours, stubburne puffed vp, and louers of voluptuousnes more then of God:proditores, protervi, tumidi, et voluptatum amatores magis quam Dei: 5Having an appearance indeed of godliness but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid.Ed aventi l'apparenza della pietà della quale però hanno rigettata da se la sostanza. Fuggì anche costoro:hauing an appearance in deede of pietie, but denying the vertue thereof. And these auoid.habentes speciem quidem pietatis, virtutem autem ejus abnegantes. Et hos devita: 6For of these sort are they who creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins, who are led away with divers desires:Imperocché di questi sono coloro, i quali si intrudono per le case, e schiave si menano delle donnicciuole cariche di peccati, mosse da varie passioni:For of these be they that craftely enter into houses: and leade captiue •eely vvomen loden vvith sinnes, vvhich are ledde vvith diuers desires.ex his enim sunt qui penetrant domos, et captivas ducunt mulierculas oneratas peccatis, quæ ducuntur variis desideriis: 7Ever learning, and never attaining to the knowledge of the truth.Le quali sempre imparando, non arrivano mai alla scienza della verità.alvvaies learning, and neuer attaining to the knovvledge of the truth.semper discentes, et numquam ad scientiam veritatis pervenientes. 8Now as Jannes and Mambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith.Ma nella stessa guisa, che Gianne e Mambre resisterono a Mosè: così anche questi resistono alla verità, uomini di guasta mente, reprobi riguardo alla fede,But as Iannes & Mambres resisted Moyses, so these also resist the truth, men corrupted in minde, reprobate cōcerning the faith.Quemadmodum autem Jannes et Mambres restiterunt Moysi: ita et hi resistunt veritati, homines corrupti mente, reprobi circa fidem;
9But they shall proceed no farther: for their folly shall be manifest to all men, as theirs also was.Ma non anderanno più avanti: conciossiachè si farà manifesta a tutti la loro stoltezza, come fu già di quelli.But they shal prosper no further: for their folly shal be manifest to al, as theirs also vvas.sed ultra non proficient: insipientia enim eorum manifesta erit omnibus, sicut et illorum fuit. 10But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience,Ma tu hai seguito d'appresso la mia dottrina, la mia maniera di vivere, le intenzioni, la fede, la longanimità, la carità, la pazienza,But thou hast attained to my doctrine, institution, purpose, faith, longanimitie, loue, patience,Tu autem assecutus es meam doctrinam, institutionem, propositum, fidem, longanimitatem, dilectionem, patientiam, 11Persecutions, afflictions: such as came upon me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra: what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered me.Le persecuzioni, i patimenti: quali mi avvennero in Antiochia, in Iconio ed in Listri: le quali persecuzioni io ho sostenute, e da tutte mi ha liberato il Signore.persecutions, passions: vvhat maner of things vvere done to me at Antioche, at Iconium, at Lystra: vvhat maner of persecutiōs I sustained. and out of al our Lord deliuered me.persecutiones, passiones: qualia mihi facta sunt Antiochiæ, Iconii, et Lystris: quales persecutiones sustinui, et ex omnibus eripuit me Dominus. 12And all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.E tutti que', che vorranno piamente vivere in Cristo Gesù, patiranno persecuzione.And al that vvil liue godly in Christ IESVS, shal suffer persecution.Et omnes, qui pie volunt vivere in Christo Jesu, persecutionem patientur. 13But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse: erring, and driving into error,Ma i mali uomini, e i seduttori anderanno di male in peggio; ingannati ed ingannatori.But euil men and seducers shal prosper to the vvorse: erring, and driuing into errour.Mali autem homines et seductores proficient in pejus, errantes, et in errorem mittentes. 14But continue thou in those things which thou hast learned and which have been committed to thee, knowing of whom thou hast learned them:Ma tu attienti a quello, che hai apparato, ed a quello, che ti è stato affidato: sapendo, da chi tu abbi imparato:But thou, continue in those things vvhich thou hast learned, and are committed to thee: knowing of vvhom thou hast learned:Tu vero permane in iis quæ didicisti, et credita sunt tibi: sciens a quo didiceris: 15And because from thy infancy thou hast known the holy scriptures which can instruct thee to salvation by the faith which is in Christ Jesus.E che dalla fanciullezza apprendesti le sagre lettere, le quali possono istruirti a salute, mediante la fede, che è in Cristo Gesù.and because from thine infancie thou hast knovven the holy Scriptures, vvhich can instruct thee to saluation, by the faith that is in Christ IESVS.et quia ab infantia sacras litteras nosti, quæ te possunt instruere ad salutem, per fidem quæ est in Christo Jesu.
16All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice:Tutta la scrittura divinamente ispirata è utile ad insegnare, ad redarguire, a correggere, a formare alla giustizia:All Scripture inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to argue, to correct, to instruct in iustice:Omnis Scriptura divinitus inspirata utilis est ad docendum, ad arguendum, ad corripiendum, et erudiendum in justitia: 17That the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good work.Affinchè perfetto sia l'uomo di Dio, disposto ad ogni opera buona.that the man of God may be perfect, instructed to euery good vvorke.ut perfectus sit homo Dei, ad omne opus bonum instructus.
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Know. Do not be troubled at the many evils, persecutions, and heresies, which rise up against the Church. There have ever existed such since the Church was first established, and such ever will exist. Did not Jannes and Mambres rise up against Moses? (Calmet) See 1 Timothy 4:1.; 2 Peter 3:3.; Jude 18.
Witham
That in the last days. It only signifies hereafter. And the advice St. Paul gives to Timothy, (ver. 5.) now these avoid; shews that some of those false teachers should come in St. Timothy's days. We may observe that few agree exactly in translating or expounding the sense of so many Greek or Latin words, which express the vices of such heretics; but the difference is so small, that it need not be taken notice of. (Witham)
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St. Cyprian, expounding these words, says: "Let no faithful man, who keepeth in mind our Lord's and apostle's admonition, marvel, if he see in latter times proud and stubborn men, enemies of God's priests, go out of the Church to attack the same, since both our Lord and his apostle have predicted that such things would be."
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Witham
Having an appearance indeed of piety, in some things, as we may see heretics affect to be thought more exact than the Catholics in some things, by which the devil more easily deceives souls, but denying by their lives the power, virtue, and force of piety. (Witham)
St. Chrysostom
These avoid. St. Paul having in the preceding verses described the vices and enormities which were to reign in the world in the latter days, here warns Timothy, that already people given to such extravagancies were in the world, and that consequently in regard to Timothy, those days were already come. (St. Chrysostom; Theophylactus, etc.)
How many crimes are covered with the cloak of knowledge, and the exterior of piety, and what mischief arises to religion from such base and hypocritical conduct: it cannot be too severely attacked, as we see in Christ's comportment towards the Pharisees.
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Calmet
Of this sort, etc. Here St. Paul gives a true description of heretics, and evil men; such as they have existed in every age. For there never existed a time, either under the Old or New Testaments, in which such have not appeared. Even in the apostle's time, we behold heresies and disorders in the Church. We see them increase rapidly after their decease. Simon, the magician, seems to have been dead when St. Paul wrote this epistle, which was but a short time before his martyrdom. But he had left a great number of disciples behind him, known by the numerous sects, the Gnostics, the Simonians, the Encratians, etc. etc. into which, after the death of their master, they were split. (Calmet)
Witham
Who creep[Ver. 6. Qui penetrant, endunontes.] into houses and lead captive silly[Ver. 6. Mulierculas, gunaikaria: nunquam pervenientes, medapote dunamena, which agrees with gunaikaria.] women, etc. That is the custom of almost all heretics. See St. Jerome to Ctesiphon, tom. 4:part 2. p. 477. Nov. edit., where he brings a number of instances, from Simon Magus to his time. (Witham)
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Witham
Never attaining to the knowledge of the truth. These words, in construction, agree with the aforesaid women. (Witham)
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Witham
Jannes and Mambres. The names of the magicians, who in Egypt, resisted Moses, says St. Chrysostom, and though not mentioned in the Scriptures, their names might be known by tradition. (Witham)
Calmet
Since the Old Testament does not mention these magicians of Pharao, who opposed Moses, it seems probable that St. Paul either learnt their names by a particular revelation, as St. Chrysostom, Theophylactus, and Tirinus think, or by some tradition of the Jews, agreeably to the opinions of Theodoret, Grotius, Estius, etc. Others think he might have found their names in some ancient histories, which have not reached our time; or perhaps from the apocryaphal book of Jannes and Mambres, mentioned by Origen and Ambrosiaster. Certain it is, that in St. Paul's time the names of these two famous magicians were very well known; thus it is by no means necessary in this instance to have recourse to a particular inspiration. The Orientals say there were many magicians who opposed Moses. Among others, they mention Sabous and Gadous, who came from Thebias; Graath and Mospha, from some other country. They wished, as they inform us, to imitate the miracle by which Moses turned his rod into a serpent, by throwing their canes on the ground, and ropes filled with quicksilver. These ropes began to move a little, one twisting with another, on account of the heat of the earth warmed by the sun. But the rod of Moses in a moment broke them to pieces. (Calmet)
Calmet
These magicians are called by different names. The Greek has Jannes and Jambres. Some ancient writers, Jannes and Mambres; as St. Cyprian, Optatus, (chap. 7.) Born. etc. The Jews call that Joanne, or Johanna, whom the Greeks name Jannes; and that called by the Jews Jambres, the Greeks name Mambres. The Hebrews would have them to be the sons of Balaam, the soothsayer, and the masters of Moses in the sciences of the Egyptians. (Calmet)
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Witham
But they shall proceed no farther. How doth this agree with ver. 13., where it is said, that seducers shall grow worse and worse? or with what he said in the last chapter, (ver. 17.) that their talk spreadeth like a cancer? We may answer, that the heretics became worse, and seduced very many in all ages, but the providence of God always put a stop to their progress, so that they could never prevail against the Church, as they hoped and proposed to do. (Witham)
St. Paul shews what will be the fate of all heresies; and the annals of the Church prove good his words, that they will appear to flourish for a time, and then will die away and be forgotten.
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Witham
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, etc. St. Paul here gives particular advice to his disciple, St. Timothy, who had been long since instructed in all the truths and mysteries of the Christian faith, who had received the gifts of the Holy Ghost, of prophecy, of interpreting the Scriptures, who was a priest, a bishop of Ephesus, the metropolis of Asia, whose office it was to instruct, direct, and convert others. He tells this great bishop, that the holy Scriptures are able, and may conduce or can instruct him unto salvation, (ver. 15.) unto his own salvation and that of others. (Witham)
The apostle here entreats his disciple, and in him all future Christians, to adhere to the true deposit of doctrine. He teaches with Catholics, that all Scripture is profitable; but not with Protestants, that Scripture alone is necessary and sufficient.
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Witham
All scripture divinely inspired is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, or admonish, to instruct others in justice, and in the ways of virtue, that thus he who is a man of God, a minister of the gospel, may be perfect and instructed unto every good work. But when our adversaries of the pretended reformation, undertake from these four verses to shew, first, that every ignorant man or woman is hereby warranted to read and put what construction his or her private spirit, or private judgment, suggests upon all places of the holy Scriptures; and secondly, that the Scriptures alone contain all truths which a Christian is bound to believe; or at least, that the Scriptures teach him all things necessary to salvation, without regard to the interpretation and authority of the Catholic Church: I may at least say (without examining at present any other pretended grounds of these assertions) that these consequences are very remote from the text and sense of St. Paul in this place. As to the first, does this follow; the Scriptures must be read by Timothy, a priest, a bishop, a man of God, a minister of the gospel, whose office it is to instruct and convert others, therefore they are proper to be read and expounded by every ignorant man or woman? Does not St. Paul say elsewhere, (2 Corinthians 2:17.) that many adulterate and corrupt the word of God? does not St. Peter tell us also, (2 Peter 3:16.) that in St. Paul's epistles are some things....which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as also the other scriptures, to their own perdition? See the preface to the Gospel of St. John, where reasons are brought for which it was requisite that the Church should put some restraint to the abuse which the ignorant made of reading the Scriptures in vulgar tongues. As to the second consequence, does it follow: every Scripture divinely inspired is profitable for St. Timothy, for a priest, a bishop, a man of God, a minister and preacher of the gospel, to teach and instruct, and conduce to bring both him and others to salvation; therefore they contain all things that a Christian need to believe? etc. Is not every Christian bound to believe that the books in the canon of the New and Old Testament are of divine authority, as in particular these two epistles of St. Paul to Timothy? Where does the Scripture assure us of this? But of this elsewhere. (Witham)
Challoner
Every part of divine Scripture is certainly profitable for all these ends. But if we would have the whole rule of Christian faith and practice, we must not be content with those Scriptures which Timothy knew from his infancy, (that is, with the Old Testament alone) nor yet with the New Testament, without taking along with it the traditions of the apostles and the interpretation of the Church, to which the apostles delivered both the book and the true meaning of it. (Challoner)
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Jannes and Mambres.... The magicians of king Pharao.
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All scripture, ... Every part of divine scripture is certainly profitable for all these ends. But, if we would have the whole rule of Christian faith and practice, we must not be content with those Scriptures, which Timothy knew from his infancy, that is, with the Old Testament alone: nor yet with the New Testament, without taking along with it the traditions of the apostles, and the interpretation of the church, to which the apostles delivered both the book, and the true meaning of it.
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Concordance 1 Timot. 4, 1.
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2. Men shal be.] Al these wordes S. Cyprian expoundeth of such as by pride and disobedience resist Gods Priests. Let no faithful man, saith he, that keepeth in minde our Lordes and the Apostles admonition, maruel if he see in the later times some proud and stubburne fellowes and the enimies of Gods Priests, goe out of the Church or impugne the same: vvhen both our Lord and th Apostle foretold vs that such should be. Cypr. ep. 55. nu. 3.
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6. Women loden.] Women easily seduced by heresie. Women loden with sinnes, are for such their deseruings, and through the frailtie of their sexe, more subiect to the heretikes deceites, then men: the enemie attempting (as he did in the fall of our first parents) by them to ouerthrovv men. See S. Hierem vpon the 3 chapter of Ieremie. Where he addeth that euery heresie is first broched propter gulam & ventrem, for gluttonie and belly-cheere.
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; That those Magicians vvhich resisted Moyses, were thus called, it is not written in al the old Testamēt, therfore it came to the Apostles knowledge by tradition, as the Church novv hath the names of the 3 kings, of the penitēt theefe, of the souldiar that pearced Christes side on the Crosse, and of the like.
Concordance Exo. 7.
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9. Folly manifest.] The folly of Heretikes in time appeareth. Al heretikes in the beginning seeme to haue some shew of truth, God for iust punishment of mens sinnes permitting them for some vvhile in some persons and places to preuaile: but in short time God detecteth them, and openeth the eies of men to see their decei tes: in so much that after the first brunt they be mainteined by force onely, al wise men in maner seing their falshod, though for troubling the state of such common weales vvhere vnluckely they haue been receiued, they can not be so sodenly extirped.
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12. Al that vvil liue.] Persecution. Al holy men suffer one kinde of persecutiō or other, being greeued and molested by the vvicked, one way or an other: but not al that suffer persecution, be holy, as al malefactors. The Church and Catholike Princes persecute heretikes, and be persecuted of them againe, as S. Augustine often declareth. See ep. 48.
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13. Prosper.] Though heresies and the authors of them be after a while discouered & by litle and litle forsaken generally of the honest, discrete, and men careful of their owne saluation, yet their authors and other great sinners proceede from one errour and heresie to an other, and finally to plaine Atheisme and al Diuelish disorder.
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; In al danger and diuersitie of false sectes, S. Paules admonition is, euer to abide in that vvas first taught & deliuered, neuer to giue ouer our old faith for a new fansie. This is it which before he calleth depositum. 1. Tim. 6. and 2. Tim. 1.
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16. Al Scripture.] Besides the Apostles teaching and tradition, the reading of holy Scriptures is a great defense and helpe of the faithful, aud specially of a Bishop, not onely to auoid and condemne al heresies, The great profit of reading the Scriptures. but to the guiding of a man in al iustice, good life and vvorkes. Vvhich commendation is not here giuen to the bookes of the new Testament onely (vvhereof he here speaketh not, as being yet for a great part not vvritten) but to the Scripture of the old Testament also, yea and to euery booke of it. For there is not one of them, nor any part of them, but it is profitable to the end aforesaid, if it be read and vnderstood according to the same Spirit vvherewith it vvas vvritten.
The Heretikes vpon this commendation of holy Scriptures, The Heretikes folish argumēt: Al Scripture is profitable, ergo only Scripture is necessarie & sufficient. pretend (very simply in good sooth) that therfore nothing is necessarie to iustice and saluation but Scriptures. As though euery thing that is profitable or necessarie to any effect, excluded al other helpe, and vvere onely ynough to attaine the same. By vvhich reason a man might as vvel proue that the old Testament vvere ynough, and so exclude the new: or any one peece of al the old, and thereby exclude the rest. For he affirmeth euery Scripture to haue the foresaid vtilities. and they might see in the very next line before, that he requireth his constant perseuêrance in the doctrine vvhich he had taught him ouer and aboue that he had learned out of the Scriptures of the old Testament, vvhich he had read from his infancie, but could not thereby learne al the mysteries of Christian religion therein. Neither doth the Apostle affirme here that he had his knowledge of Scriptures, by reading onely, vvithout helpe of maisters and teachers, as the Aduersaries herevpon (to committe the holy Scriptures to euery mans presumption) do gather: but affirmeth onely that Timothee knevv the Scriptures and therfore had studied them by hearing good readers and teachers, as S. Paul him self did of Gamaliel and the like, and as al christian students doe, that be trained vp from their youth in Catholike vniuersities in the studie of Diuinitie.
Concordance 2. Pet. 1, 21.
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Modesty 1
But as the conquering power of things evil is on the increase—which is the characteristic of the last times
St Hippolytus † AD 235 Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 27
27. As these things, then, are in the future, and as the ten toes of the image are equivalent to (so many) democracies,
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Unity of the Church 16
… ever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of the truth. And as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth; but they shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, even as theirs also was.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 123.5
… lovers of pleasures more than of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 53
… he admonishes us even now, and says to those who are (sailing) on this sea, “take heed unto yourselves: for after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you” ( Acts xx. 29 ): and again, “In the last times perilous times shall come: and men shall be lovers of their own selves, lovers of money, boasters.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 188.2
2. Since these things are so, no one may charge us with presuming, if, on the ground of this closer spiritual relation, we manifest our solicitude for your welfare by warning you to avoid opinions opposed to the grace of God. For though the apostle commands us in preaching the word to be “instant in season and out of season,”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 14.7
… And if any one demands an instance of amor being used in a bad sense (for we have already shown its use in a good sense), let him read the words, “For men shall be lovers ( amantes ) of their own selves, lovers ( amatores ) of money.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 46.2
… and would not have been turned to the neglect of His will, and the doing his own will. For this is to love one’s self, to wish to do one’s own will. Prefer to this God’s will; learn to love thyself by not loving thyself. For that ye may know that it is a vice to love one’s self, the Apostle speaks thus, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 107.9
… because he speaketh as if of the same, because of the sacraments they have in common. For they belong to the people of God, though not by the virtue, yet surely by the appearance of piety: for concerning them we have heard the Apostle, “In the last times there shall come grievous times, for there shall be men lovers of themselves.”
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Magnesians: Shorter and Longer Versions 9
… “To the end, for the eighth day,” on which our life both sprang up again, and the victory over death was obtained in Christ, whom the children of perdition, the enemies of the Saviour, deny, “whose god is their belly, who mind earthly things,” who are “lovers of pleasure, and not lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
St Alexander of Alexandria † AD 326 Epistles on the Arian Heresy and the Deposition of Arius 1.13
… They go about the cities, attempting nothing else but that under the mark of friendship and the name of peace, by their hypocrisy and blandishments, they may give and receive letters, to deceive by means of these a few “silly women, and laden with sins, who have been led captive by them,”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 22.1
… The Christian ought not to be enslaved by wine; nor to be eager for flesh meat, and as a general rule ought not to be a lover of pleasure in eating or drinking,
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 23
… then after they have learnt, quite changing from one sort to another, they jeer, mock and deride us, as deceived persons. Therefore Paul also said to Timothy, “Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words;” and again in another place, “From such turn away,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
Ver. 5 . “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 19.12
12. It is true, the ungodly may partake in the visible sacraments of godliness, as we read that Simon Magus received holy baptism. Such are they of whom the apostle says that "they have the form of godliness, but deny the power of it."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 21.32
… For “this form of godliness” was not wanting to them even when they were without; but there is added to them “the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace,” which cannot be given but within. Before they were Catholics indeed, they were as they of whom the Apostle says, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John 2.9
… we also some years ago were born again of water and of the Spirit. Good is it for us that we love not the world, lest the sacraments remain in us unto damnation, not as means of strengthening unto salvation. That which strengthens unto salvation is, to have the root of charity, to have the “power of godliness,” not “the form” only.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 48.8
… Now forsooth all are reckoned the people of God, who carry His Sacraments, but not all belong to His Mercy. All forsooth receiving the Sacrament of the Baptism of Christ, are called Christians, but not all live worthily of that Sacrament. There are some of whom saith the Apostle, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 48.12
12. “Set your hearts upon her might” ( ver. 12 ). Not that ye may have the form of godliness, deny the power thereof,
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 169
… For of such the Holy Ghost speaks by the Apostle, “having an appearance of godliness, but denying the power thereof,” and again elsewhere, “they profess that they know God , but in deeds they deny Him
Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) The Epistle of Pope Anterus 1
Now for both parties—namely, for those who endure a famine of the word of God, and for bishops who endure straits, when they are installed in other cities for the common good—no small degree of mercy is shown. And they who deny this, although they have the form of godliness, do yet deny the power thereof.
Pseudo-Clement The First Epistle of the Blessed Clement, the Disciple of Peter the Apostle 3
… For our Lord called such virginity as that “foolish,” as He said in the Gospel; and because it had neither oil nor light, it was left outside of the kingdom of heaven, and was shut out from the joy of the bridegroom, and was reckoned with His enemies. For such persons as these “have the appearance only of the fear of God, but the power of it they deny.”
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St Ignatius of Antioch † AD 108 Epistle to the Philadelphians: Shorter and Longer Versions 2
Wherefore, as children of light and truth, flee from division and wicked doctrines; but where the shepherd is, there do ye as sheep follow. For there are many wolves that appear worthy of credit, who, by means of a pernicious pleasure, carry captive
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.13.7
7. Such are the words and deeds by which, in our own district of the Rhone, they have deluded many women, who have their consciences seared as with a hot iron.
Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 6.24
… Now, as we have always been animated by a love of learning, we have fallen in with this diagram, and we have found in it the representations of men who, as Paul says, “creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts; ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Archelaus † fl. AD 278 The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes 38
… for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” How, then, does this man stand up and try to persuade us to emigrate his opinions, importuning every individual whom he meets to become a Manichæan, and going about and creeping into houses, and endeavouring to deceive minds laden with sins?
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
Ver. 6 . “For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lust.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 22.28
… All these things are tokens of the devil. Such an one Rome groaned over some time back in Antimus; and Sophronius is a still more recent instance. Such persons, when they have once gained admission to the houses of the high-born, and have deceived “silly women laden with sins, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth,”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 75.3
… Irenæus goes on to say that subsequently Mark crossed the Pyrenees and occupied Spain, making it his object to seek out the houses of the wealthy, and in these especially the women, concerning whom we are told that they are “led away with divers lusts, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 191
… the weaker and simpler sheep of the Lord, most strenuous precautions be used against those who more covertly, indeed, and timidly, but perseveringly, and in whispers, as it were, teach this error, “creeping into houses,” as the apostle says, and doing with practised impiety all those other things which are mentioned immediately afterwards in that passage.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 68.36
… whence hath been written, “In a people grave I will praise Thee:” but only the cows which they may have found among those peoples. “For of these are they that steal into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, who are led with divers lusts, alway learning, and at the knowledge of the truth never arriving.”
St Vincent of Lérins † AD 445 The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies 7
… For they that are such serve not the Lord Christ, but their own belly, and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple,” “who enter into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth;”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret 1.3
… They are deceivers, and propagate lies, and they never adhere to the truth. They go about to different cities with no other intent than to deliver letters under the pretext of friendship and in the name of peace, and by hypocrisy and flattery to obtain other letters in return, in order to deceive a few ‘ silly women who are laden with sins
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 4.9.3
… and from this, again, to another and another: and thus he who thinks that he is always making progress of such a kind, will never rest in one God. For, being driven away from Him who truly is [God], and being turned backwards, he shall be for ever seeking, yet shall never find out God;
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 5.20
… the truth, so that by following those things already mentioned, proceeding on their way variously, inharmoniously, and foolishly, not keeping always to the same opinions with regard to the same things, as blind men are led by the blind, they shall deservedly fall into the ditch of ignorance lying in their path, ever seeking and never finding out the truth.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
Ver. 7 . “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 130.17
… Of women who are thus presumptuous the apostle says that they “are carried about with every wind of doctrine, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 2.1
… for so you would become like those silly women of whom the apostle says that they are “always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on the Soul and its Origin 3.8
… For a time will come when God will not give souls, although He will not therefore Himself cease to exist. Your phrase, “is ever giving,” might be understood “to give without cessation,” so long as men are born and get offspring, even as it is said of certain men that they are “ever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of the truth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 63.1
… and makes the finder still more capable, that he may seek to be filled anew, according to the growth of his ability to receive. Therefore it was not said, “Seek His face evermore,” in the same sense as of certain others, who are “always learning, and never coming to a knowledge of the truth;”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen Against Celsus 4.51
… He relates also the account respecting Moses, and Jannes, and Jambres.
Archelaus † fl. AD 278 The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes 36
… And yet beyond that he shall proceed no further; for his folly shall be made manifest to all men, as was the case with Jamnes and Mambres.
Archelaus † fl. AD 278 The Acts of the Disputation with the Heresiarch Manes 45
… as Paul also gives us to understand when he writes in the following terms in his second Epistle to Timothy: “As Jamnes and Mambres withstood Moses, so have these also resisted the truth: men of corrupt mind, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly is manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.”
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 60
… For whence has this new mischief of theirs sprung forth? How have they even ventured to utter this new blasphemy against the Saviour? But the impious man, it seems, is a worthless object, and truly ‘reprobate concerning the Faith
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 2.41
41. But what is to be said of those who, from vain glory or arrogance, speak unrighteousness against the most High, arming themselves with the insolence of Jannes and Jambres,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 4.6
… For that only is called demonstration which shows what is unknown from what is acknowledged; but to reason fraudulently and fallaciously, to conceal your own reproach, and to confound by superficial deceits the understanding of men, as the Apostle says, “of corrupt minds
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 24
… Its dissolution. And so, universally, corruption is a change which takes place for the worse, a change into another state, to the utter extinction of the former one. For hear what the Scripture saith, “All flesh had corrupted his way” ( Gen. vi. 12 .); and again, “In intolerable corruption” ( Ex. xviii. 18 .); and again, “Men corrupted in mind.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
Ver. 8 . “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 55.29
… men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest to all men, as theirs also was.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Reply to Faustus the Manichæan 13.12
… and as the apostle describes these heretics in the words: "As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so they also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest to all men, as theirs also was."
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Lectures or Tractates on the Gospel According to St. John 81.2
… Let the self-complacent answer it, who think they have no need of God for the performance of good works. Fight they not against such a truth, those men of corrupt mind, reprobate concerning the faith,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 37.2.9
… “But the enemies of the Lord, when they shall begin to glory, and to be lifted up, immediately shall consume away utterly even as the smoke.” Of such as these was it said, “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the Truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.”
St Vincent of Lérins † AD 445 The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies 7
… of the simple,” “who enter into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with diverse lusts, ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth;” “vain talkers and deceivers, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake;” “men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith;”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus 1
Orth. —Yes, if their revilings are vain. Sometimes the divine Apostle himself opportunely uses this mode of speech. He calls the Galatians “foolish,” and of others he says “men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith,”
Early Popes (Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals) The Epistle of Pope Anterus 1
… for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.” What is lawful is with them not lawful, and what is not lawful is lawful. Even as Jannes and Mambres
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 Exposition of the Christian Faith 5.11
… “Ye do what ye have seen your father doing;” though they are reproved not because they saw the work of the devil, but because they did his will, since the devil unseen works out sin in them in accordance with their own wickedness. We have written this, as the Apostle did, because of the folly of these traitors.
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
Ver. 9 . “But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifested unto all men, as theirs also was.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 55.26
… They shall make progress for the worse: not however for long. For a little before he hath said, “But further they shall not make progress:”
St Vincent of Lérins † AD 445 The Commonitory of Vincent of Lérins, For the Antiquity and Universality of the Catholic Faith Against the Profane Novelties of All Heresies 7
… “But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.”
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
… I did not say these things, he says, and not do them; nor was I a philosopher in words only. “Faith, longsuffering.” He means, how none of these things troubled me. “Charity,” which those men had not; “patience,” nor yet this. Towards the heretics, he means, I show much longsuffering; “patience,” that under persecution.
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Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.5
… Paul. When he declares that “Every Scripture is inspired of God and profitable,” does he include his own writings? Or does he not include his dictum, “I say, and not the Lord,” and “So I ordain in all the churches,” and
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence of His Flight. (Apologia de Fuga.) 20
… And he too was preserved, so that he anointed Elisha in his own stead, and became a pattern of discipline for the sons of the prophets. And the blessed Paul, after writing these words, ‘what persecutions I endured; but out of them all the Lord delivered me, and will deliver
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Against the Arians. (Orationes contra Arianos IV.) 3.25
… the Lord is my strong rock and my defence and deliverer .’ And Paul, after enduring many persecutions, to none other than God gave thanks, saying, ‘Out of them all the Lord delivered me; and He will deliver in Whom we trust
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
Ver. 11 . “Persecutions, afflictions.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 10
… But he who is injured by a vile and abject person, suffers the greater annoyance. “He did me much evil,” he says, that is, he persecuted me in various ways. But these things will not go unpunished! For the Lord will reward him according to his works. As he said above: “What persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” (
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Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 10.18
… And they, too, were dishonoured in their own country among the Jews who went about “in sheep-skins, in goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted,” and so on; “For all that will to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Mortality 8
… It disturbs some that this mortality is common to us with others; and yet what is there in this world which is not common to us with others, so long as this flesh of ours still remains, according to the law of our first birth, common to us with them? So long as we are here in the world, we are associated with the human race in fleshly equality,
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 To the Bishops of Egypt 2
… For we know that, as it is written, ‘in the latter times some shall depart from the sound faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, that turn from the truth
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence of His Flight. (Apologia de Fuga.) 21
… so that even while they fled, they preached the Gospel, and gave warning of the wickedness of those who conspired against them, and confirmed the faithful by their exhortations. Thus the blessed Paul, having found it so by experience, declared beforehand, ‘As many as will live godly in Christ, shall suffer persecution
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… hold as doth a canker, of whom are Hymenæus and Philetus .’ In what their wickedness consisted he declares, saying, ‘Who have erred from the faith, saying that the resurrection is already past .’ But again, desirous of shewing that faith is yoked with godliness, the Apostle says, ‘And all those who will live godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 24
… Seest thou not the Martyrs, in how short a time they accomplished the whole work? “But martyrdom is not to be had nowadays.” True, but there are contests to be had, as I have often told you, if we had the mind. “For they that wish,” says the Apostle, “to live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on First Thessalonians 3
But what stupidity is this, not to think the present a season of war, when Paul is crying out, “Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
Ver. 12 . “Yea, and all those that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 5
[7.] Let us not then seek relaxation: for Christ promised tribulation to His disciples and Paul says, “All Who will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 18.51
For it is not to be thought that what the same teacher says can at any time fail, “Whoever will live piously in Christ shall suffer persecution.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 4
… says, “Be ye sober and righteous, and sin not;” and again, “As ye have a readiness to will, so also let there be a prompt performance;” then he remarks to Timothy about the younger widows, “When they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they choose to marry.” So in another passage, “All that will to live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution;”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament 20.1
… since the Apostle also saith, “All who will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 55.7
… in order that he may know that there are not wanting to the Church persecutions, even in this time, when a calm is seen in the Church, at least with respect to those persecutions which our Martyrs have suffered. But there are not wanting persecutions, because a true saying is this, “All that will godly to live in Christ, shall suffer persecution.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 56.4
… Let no one say to himself, There have been troubles in our fathers’ time, in our time there are not. If thou supposest thyself not to have troubles, not yet hast thou begun to be a Christian. And where is the voice of the Apostle, “But even all that will live godly in Christ, persecutions shall suffer.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 70.2
… And amid these things we groan, and this is our persecution, if there is in us the love which saith, “Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I burn not?” Not any servant of God, then, is without persecution: and that is a true saying which the Apostle saith, “But even all men that will to live godly in Christ, shall suffer persecution.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 86.18
… but if it is without suffering, let it also be without the voice; but that it may not be without suffering, let it walk along the narrow way, and begin to live godly in Christ: it must of necessity suffer this persecution. For “all,” saith the Apostle, “who will live godly in Christ, suffer persecution.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 123.5
5. “For we have been much filled with contempt” ( ver. 3 ). All that will live piously according to Christ, must needs suffer reproof,
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 81
… Once the thrice blessed Paul was compelled to act in the same way to stop the mouths of his accusers. Yet I put up with seeming ignominy and count it high honour, for I hear the voice of the Apostle crying, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
Theodoret of Cyrus † AD 458 Letters of the Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyprus 109
… The divine Apostle too speaks in the same strain. “Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, but evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Letters 167
… But since the Lord says, “blessed is he who shall persevere unto the end ,” whence shall come this blessed perseverance, except from the strength of patience? For as the Apostle proclaims, “All who would live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution
Pope St Leo I the Great † AD 461 Sermons 85
… By his prayer and intercession we trust at all times to be assisted; that, because all, as the Apostle says, “who wish to live holily in Christ, suffer persecution
Pope St Gregory I the Great † AD 604 Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great 7.30
… but afterwards they were found among many letters from other persons, your Sweetness, therein telling me of your afflictions and tribulations of spirit, and making known the oppositions to you of bad men. But, I pray you, in all this recall to your mind what I believe too that you never forget, That all who will live godly in Christ suffer persecution. (
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St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 On the Vanity of Idols: Showing that the Idols are Not Gods, and that God is One, and that Through Christ Salvation is Given to Believers 7
7. These spirits, therefore, are lurking under the statues and consecrated images: these inspire the breasts of their prophets with their afflatus, animate the fibres of the entrails, direct the flights of birds, rule the lots, give efficiency to oracles, are always mixing up falsehood with truth, for they are both deceived and they deceive;
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 13
7. ‘But evil-doers and sorcerers will wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
Ver. 13 . “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 8.5
… My will was the enemy master of, and thence had made a chain for me and bound me. Because of a perverse will was lust made; and lust indulged in became custom; and custom not resisted became necessity. By which links, as it were, joined together (whence I term it a “chain”), did a hard bondage hold me enthralled.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 55.26
… For he is that partridge, whereof hath been said, “In the half of his days they shall leave him, and in his last days he shall be an unwise one.” They make progress, but for a time. For what saith the Apostle? “But evil men and seducers shall make progress for the worse, themselves erring, and other men into error driving.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 69.28
… not in wounding, but in not making whole. For in like manner as thou increasest a fever, increasest a disorder, not by adding disorder, but by not relieving: so because they were of such sort as that they merited not to be healed, in their very naughtiness in a manner they advanced; as it is said, “But evil men and wicked doers advance for the worse:”
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… The Apostle therefore, as was meet, sent to different people, but his own son he especially reminded, ‘that he should not despise the things in which he had been instructed by him,’ and enjoined on him, ‘Remember Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my Gospel
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 4
… again he says, “The Lord’s servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing;” and he proceeds to say, “But abide thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them, and that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation,”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
Ver. 14 . “But continue thou in the things that thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through the faith which in Christ Jesus.”
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 53.3
… and being in a readiness to revenge all disobedience.” He writes to Timothy who had been trained in the holy writings from a child exhorting him to study them diligently
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Christian Doctrine 4.16
… “Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God.” And so the same apostle says to Timothy himself, speaking, of course, as teacher to disciple: “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.”
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 1
6. And indeed that which I am about to say is wonderful, yea it is of those things which are very miraculous; yet not far from the truth, as ye may be able to learn from the sacred
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 34
… Or if not so, I suppose he was born after the preaching of the Gospel but this is perhaps not so. ( c ) He was about to make him a bishop, and it was not meet that he should be uncircumcised. (e) And this was not a small matter, seeing it offended after so long a time: ( b ) “for from a child,” he says, “thou hast known the Holy Scriptures.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 1 Timothy 10
… For if youth only was an objection, why did he himself appoint Timothy, a young man? (and this he proves by saying to him, “Let no man despise thy youth.”) ( 1 Tim. iv. 12 .) Because he was aware of his great virtue, and his great strictness of life. Knowing which he writes, “From a child thou hast learned the holy Scriptures.” (
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Tertullian † AD 220 On the Apparel of Women 1.3
But since Enoch in the same Scripture has preached likewise concerning the Lord, nothing at all must be rejected by us which pertains to us; and we read that “every Scripture suitable for edification is divinely inspired.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 1.5
… and who see them to be vouched for by the testimonies deposited in the law and the prophets, that the apostolic writings are to be pronounced wise and worthy of belief, and that they have great authority, but that they are not on the same level with that “Thus sayeth the Lord Almighty.” Consider on this point the language of St. Paul. When he declares that
St Basil the Great † AD 379 De Spiritu Sancto 21
… Do you not, O man, fear the Apostle when he says “Ye are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you”? Could he ever have brooked to honour with the title of “temple” the quarters of a slave? How can he who calls Scripture “God-inspired,”
St Basil the Great † AD 379 The Letters 42.3
… Never neglect reading, especially of the New Testament, because very frequently mischief comes of reading the Old; not because what is written is harmful, but because the minds of the injured are weak. All bread is nutritious, but it may be injurious to the sick. Just so all Scripture is God inspired and profitable,
St Gregory of Nyssa † AD 395 Against Eunomius 7.1
… For “every scripture,” he says, “is given by inspiration of God and is profitable”; and the profit is varied and multiform, as the Apostle says—“for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 4
… been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them, and that from a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation,” and again, “Every Scripture is inspired of God, and also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John 40
[4.] And from these too let us also, when we war against heretics, arm and fortify ourselves. For “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 8
… x. 11 .) And again Christ said, “Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures” ( Matt. xxii. 29 ): and again Paul said, “That through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we may have hope.” ( Rom. xv. 4 .) And again, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable.” (
Rufinus of Aquileia † AD 411 A Commentary on the Apostles' Creed 36
This then is the Holy Ghost, who in the Old Testament inspired the Law and the Prophets, in the New the Gospels and the Epistles. Whence also the Apostle says, “All Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable for instruction.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 City of God 17.23
So also in the kingdom of Judah pertaining to Jerusalem prophets were not lacking even in the times of succeeding kings, just as it pleased God to send them, either for the prediction of what was needful, or for correction of sin and instruction in righteousness;
St John of Damascus † AD 749 An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith 4.17
All Scripture, then, is given by inspiration of God and is also assuredly profitable
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… and where lust is first removed, there can be no accusation of adultery. Hence meditation on the law is necessary, my beloved, and uninterrupted converse with virtue, ‘that the saint may lack nothing, but be perfect to every good work
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1. Know this, that in the last days there shall come dangerous times. — The Apostle continues to forewarn and confirm Timothy lest he be amazed when he sees heretics arising in the Church, who eliminate the faith and Christian virtue, such as were Simon, Menander, Carpocrates, Cerinthus and the Gnostics: concerning whom St. Epiphanius understands this passage of the Apostle, in heresy 26. For these were most wicked men, and plainly addicted to the delights and lusts of the flesh; and these displayed the appearance of piety, but denied its power. For that the Apostle speaks concerning heretics will be evident from verses 6, 8 and the following. Note: Some understand the last times to mean the times of Antichrist; for then both heretics and men shall be most wicked, and especially Antichrist himself, the arch-heresiarch. But that not only those times, but also the times immediately following Paul are called here the last days, is evident from the fact that he commands Timothy in verse 5, saying: "And from these turn away"; and from what follows in verse 6: "For of these sort are they that creep into houses," etc., by which words he denotes times present or already beginning. You may ask, how then does he call those times the last days? I answer, by a Hebraism: for the Hebrew אחרי achare, which our Interpreter is accustomed to translate as "last," signifies that which is following and posterior, whether it follows immediately or remotely, as if the Apostle said: "In the last days," that is in the following, and indeed already beginning times, there shall be dangerous days. Therefore he calls the last times here those which from his own time were to pass and follow until the end of the world. Add that the Prophets call the time of the Messiah, or of Christ, the last, because it is the final age of the world, the final law, religion and Church of Christ, to which no other shall succeed. Thus it is said from Joel, Acts II: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh." And I John II, 18: "Little children, it is the last hour," that is the last time, the final state of the Church and world is now. Note secondly: For dangerous times, in Greek it is kairoi chalepoi, that is difficult and troublesome times; because namely the men of those times shall be difficult and troublesome, indeed worst, as follows. Thus Chrysostom.
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2. And men shall be lovers of themselves. — Note: The conjunction and here is not so much copulative as causal, and signifies the same as because: for it gives the reason why those times shall be dangerous, namely because men shall be lovers of themselves. Thus the Hebrews often take the copulative vau for כי ki, that is because. The Roman Bible does not have = and. Note secondly: For lovers of themselves, in Greek it is philautoi, that is lovers of themselves, devoted to their own glory, gains, advantages. This self-love or philautia is the origin of all evils. "For the self-lover," says Plato, in book V of the Laws, "when he thinks himself more worthy of honor than truth, judges badly what is just, good, and beautiful." And Plato adds: "It is fitting indeed for him who is to be a great man to love neither himself nor his own things; but always to do what is just, whether by himself or by another." Hence St. Augustine, at the beginning of book I of the City of God, establishes two cities, one of God, the other of the devil. "The City of God," he says, "begins and is built from the love of God, and grows by the hatred of itself: but the city of the devil begins from the love of itself, and grows even to the hatred of God through contempt of neighbors. For he who hates and despises his neighbor will soon also hate and despise God." For these two things are most contrary to each other, namely charity and philautia, or self-love. For charity dilates and spreads itself toward God and neighbor, but self-love constrains all its own things into a narrow space and reflects them back upon itself, as Theophylactus notes. Whence St. Anselm, applying and explaining each of the vices that follow here to the pastors of the Church from St. Augustine, shows that all flow from philautia, or self-love. See him, if you please. Wherefore St. Augustine rightly concludes, tract. 123 in John, that self-love is not love, but hatred of self. "I know not," he says, "by what inexplicable manner, whoever loves himself and not God, does not love himself; and whoever loves God and not himself, loves himself. For he who cannot live from himself, certainly dies by loving himself: but when he is loved from whom one lives, by not loving himself more does he love himself, who therefore does not love himself, that he may love him from whom he lives." Covetous. — In Greek philargyroi, that is lovers of money, avaricious. Boastful. — In Greek alazones, that is vain, arrogant, braggarts, so that they extol and boast their own learning, eloquence and virtues even above truth.
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3. Without affection. — In Greek astorgoi, that is, as Primasius says, without piety, inhuman, impious toward parents, wives, servants, relatives, benefactors, so that they appear to have cast off the natural affection and compassion which the Greeks call storgē, and to have become insensible and barbarous, having assumed the hardness and stupor of brutes or stones. Thus Theophylactus. Whence from St. Augustine Anselmus translates it, without the bowels of compassion. Without peace. — In Greek aspondoi, that is without covenant, namely covenant-breakers, so that, just as they do not preserve piety with their own, so with outsiders they neither enter into the rights of friendship and covenants, or having entered into them do not observe them, but violate them. St. Augustine, tract. 123 in John, understands by it the restless, who do not allow others to be at peace, but everywhere disturb the peace. Incontinent. — In Greek akrateis, that is intemperate, namely gluttonous and lustful. Chrysostom however understands more generally those who know not how to moderate and restrain any immoderate pleasures and desires of the mind; but prone, like beasts, they follow them. For restraining these things, the general virtue, namely continence, is placed by Aristotle. Without kindness. — In Greek aphilagathoi, that is not loving the good, namely haters of the good, as Vatablus translates it. For these are privative vices, by meiosis, signifying the positive vice opposite to the virtue by which they are deprived, as I have already explained in each case.
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4. Rash. — In Greek propeteis, that is, as Vatablus translates, precipitate and reckless; Theophylactus translates it, light and unstable. Puffed up. — tetyphōmenoi, that is those who swell and are inflated with the pride of arrogance. Lovers of pleasures rather than of God. — The Greeks express this more elegantly and significantly in one word, philēdonoi mallon ē philotheoi. Epiphanius, heresy 36, thinks that here the Apostle censures the most foul pleasures and lusts of Simon and the Gnostics. The same ones are censured by Jude in his epistle, in that they "turn the grace of our Lord into wantonness." Thus heresiarchs and heretics everywhere were voluptuous, and for that reason had very many followers, just as Epicurus had more disciples than other philosophers. "The discipline of Epicurus," says Lactantius, lib. III Div. Instit., cap. XVI, "has always been much more celebrated, not because it brings forth anything true, but because it invites many to the popular name of pleasure: for no one is not prone to vices, and it is most difficult to overcome them. For, as Cyprian says, lib. De Bono pudicitiae, to have overcome pleasure is the greatest pleasure: nor is there any greater victory than that which is gained from desires. For he who has conquered an enemy was stronger, but than another; but he who has repressed lust was stronger than himself." Theophylactus notes that those who love the pleasures of the body cannot be affected by God and divine things; for spiritual pleasures which lift the mind to heavenly things are contrary to carnal pleasures which depress and enervate the mind. Hence that noble pagan, when he was being enticed by his own to the allurements of the flesh: "God forbid," said he, "that I should so debase my noble mind, and make myself the slave of my body."
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5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. — For "form of godliness," St. Cyprian, in the book On the Unity of the Church, reads "deformation of religion," that is, the form and appearance of religion, so that they may seem to wish to introduce a reformation, and call themselves reformed religion, when in reality they introduce a deformation of the same, and are deformers. For, as follows, "the power," in Greek δύναμις, that is, the force and the thing itself, namely piety itself, which they simulate, they do not have, nor do they show it in their works, but "deny" it, that is to say, they are hypocrites, who cover hidden impiety with the appearance of virtue. "They profess," says Ambrose, "themselves to be Christians, when they are both most wicked in deed, and perverted in mind." Concerning whom Christ says, Matt. chapter vii, verse 15: "Beware," He says, "of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." For, as Cyprian says to Jubaianum: "Heretics imitate Catholics, just as apes imitate men, and just as wolves imitate dogs, to which they are similar." Hence St. Augustine, sermon 41 on Matthew, teaches that heretics indeed have the form of piety, but without the virtue and fruit thereof, unless they be reconciled to the Church. "Just as," he says, "there can be a visible form of a branch even outside the vine, but nevertheless it cannot have the life of an invisible root unless it be in the vine." The Apostle therefore censures here properly heretics, who by their flattery, smooth speech, hypocrisy, habit and external appearance seem pious and religious, and speak piously and holily, but meanwhile instil their impious dogmas gradually and imperceptibly, and at the same time draw others, and especially women laden with sins, as follows, to the fulfilling of their vices and lusts. "For," says Ambrose, "they defend sanctimoniousness, and live shamefully with their law favoring them; they praise mercy, when they are found to be unjust among themselves; they assert that the world is to be despised, and always proceed carefully; they boastfully preach that they persist in fastings, when all appear well-fed, only that they may appear pale by a certain art, so as to deceive." And avoid these, — ἀποτρέπου, that is, turn away from them. For it is not enough for a bishop to avoid heretics, but he ought to turn away from them, indeed he ought to be opposed to them.
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6. For from these are they who creep into houses (in Greek ἐνδύνοντες, that is, they enter, and, as Ambrose says, they steal in), and lead captive silly women laden with sins (St. Cyprian reads, they plunder), who are led away with divers desires. — For "laden" in Greek it is σεσωρευμένα, that is, heaped up and buried under a heap of sins; who are driven about like brute beasts by divers desires of curiosity, novelty, glory, delights, adornment, luxury. "A marvelous thing," says Cyprian, in the book On Good Chastity, "women who are delicate in all things are stronger than men for the burdens of vices." These, as it were a cover worthy of such a dish, the heretics easily lead away captive into their heresies, both because woman is a soft, pliant and inconstant animal; and because they indulge their desires and accommodate themselves to them; and because they teach the license of the flesh and turn away the fear of punishments and hell. Hence Theophylactus and Oecumenius teach that a man who allows himself to be seduced by a heretic ought not to be held to be a man, but a woman. St. Jerome notes, in his letter to Ctesiphon, vol. II, that all heresies began to be propagated through women: "Simon Magus," he says, "founded a heresy aided by the help of Helen the harlot. Nicolaus of Antioch, the founder of all uncleanness, led choirs of women. Marcion also sent a woman before him to Rome for greater lasciviousness. Apelles had Philomena as his companion. Montanus first corrupted Prisca and Maximilla with gold, then polluted them with heresy. Arius, in order to deceive the world, first deceived the sister of the prince. Donatus was aided by the wealth of Lucilla. Elpidius the blind was led by Agape the blind. Priscillian was joined with Galla not by race, but by name."
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7. Always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth,—that is, able to come: for this is the Greek δυνάμενα, and this both through the fault of the teachers and through their own fault. For heretics especially, who called themselves Gnostics as if wise and knowing, are able to teach nothing true and of genuine piety. Again, these little women, burdened with sins and full of desires, are incapable of truth and piety, both because they have little critical judgment and are inconstant, so that before they perceive the solution of one question, they slip away to another; and because they wish to know and understand out of curiosity only, not however to be wise and to act practically; and because they are driven by their own desires and blinded. "For how will minds burdened with sins be able to walk in the straight way, much less to make progress, which, blinded, are not able to see and to enter the very way itself?" says Anselm from Augustine.
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8. Just as Jannes and Mambres resisted Moses, so also do these resist the truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning faith. — Thus, namely "Jannes and Mambres," read the Roman, Plantin, Anselm and others. But the Royal, Greek, Syrian and Numenius in Eusebius, lib. IX of the Preparation for the Gospel, read Jannes and Iambres. Note: These are the names of two magicians of Pharaoh, who are narrated in Exodus to have resisted Moses and to have contended with him in producing miracles and portents; and although Moses does not express their names, Paul nevertheless learned them from elsewhere, and here expressed them. You will ask, whence did Paul learn them? Ambrose and Origen answer, hom. 35 in Matthew: from an apocryphal book published on this matter, which is inscribed Jannes and Mambres. For Gelasius, dist. 15, counts this among the apocryphal works. But this cannot be said; for Paul could not have asserted these names with certainty from a book of uncertain authority. I say therefore that Paul learned these names from tradition, or certainly from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who dictated them to him. Thus Chrysostom, Theophylactus and others. Indeed, that these magicians were truly called thus is also taught by Numenius the Pythagorean, in Eusebius in the place cited. Note: He calls them corrupted in mind, because they corrupted the integrity of mind by various desires and vices, and from this they became reprobate concerning faith, so that namely they would likewise reject faith, reprobate it, corrupt it, and become heretics, indeed heresiarchs. Where note: Just as a good and uncorrupted mind easily drinks in faith and sound doctrine, so a bad and corrupted mind will easily drink in heresy, magic and other errors; and so heresy is no other cause than a bad life and corrupted morals, concerning which see Alphonsus a Castro in the preface of the book Against Heresies.
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9. But they shall proceed no further. — That is, so that beyond the little women laden with sins and similar light and inconstant men, whom they have seduced and seduce (of whom he speaks, vers. 13: "Erring and leading into error"), they may continue to seduce others, who are of sound and solid mind. Secondly, as Theophylactus says, "they shall proceed no further," namely in their hypocrisy and feigned appearance and mask of piety, without that being uncovered, discovered and exposed—their fraud and falsity. Whence it follows, Their folly (ἄνοια, that is madness) shall be manifest to all, just as that of those was. — Just as Jannes and Mambres resisting Moses succumbed in the third plague of gnats and were forced to say: "This is the finger of God," Exodus viii, 19; so every error does not long endure without its fallacy and falsity at length becoming plain, and like smoke vanishing. Hence the proverb of the Hebrews is, "Truth has stable feet, falsehood weak feet:" because the former always lasts, the latter for a short time. And the same thing is signified by the Hebrew letters שקר seker, that is of falsehood, which have pointed, and therefore weak, feet, and אמת emet, that is of truth, which have square, and therefore solid and constant feet. The Apostle, says Primasius, speaks of Simon and the Gnostics, that is heretics of his time, whose heresy and impurity of life was soon exposed and vanished. But in like manner we see the heresies of Photinus, Nestorius, Sabellius, Manes, Pelagius and all the others to have vanished, some sooner than others. The same thing we see happening gradually in our time, and we shall see more clearly in a short time, Lutheranism and Calvinism growing old and dying out among many, passing into atheism among others, and their followers becoming plainly Politicians and Libertines. And to omit others, a clear example is Manes himself, the father of the Manichaeans, who, when he had promised to cure the son of the king of Persia from disease, and on the contrary had killed him, was discovered and punished with death. "Manes is apprehended," says Cyril of Jerusalem, catech. 6, "and led away to the king: to whom the king reproached his lying and flight, mocked his servitude, accused him of the death of his son, condemned him for the death of the guards caused by him. And so the king ordered Manes to be flayed according to Persian law, and delivered the rest of his body to beasts to be devoured, but his skin, which contained so much of his wickedness, he caused to be hung like a wineskin before the gates."
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10. But thou hast followed my doctrine, instruction, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity. — Erasmus, Vatable and others translate, but thou hast followed my doctrine, that is, from the beginning to the end thou wast present to me evangelizing, thou wast my inseparable companion. But this does not seem true, nor suited to this place: for Timothy was not present with Paul from the beginning of his preaching; indeed those persecutions which Paul endured at Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, of which Acts xiii and xiv, occurred before Timothy adhered to him, indeed before he became known to Paul. For he first became known to him Acts xvi, verse 1. Again, it is incongruously said that someone follows another's persecutions, sufferings, longsuffering, devotion, as if we were to say that someone is a companion to another, and present in his persecution, suffering, devotion. I say therefore properly, "but thou hast followed," that is, thou hast known and understood either by being present and observing, or by hearing from trustworthy sources, my doctrine: for this also is what the Greek παρακολουθῶν signifies, namely to follow something with the mind and to follow it, that is to understand it, for example when a disciple follows and understands the opinion and mind of his teacher, as Budaeus rightly noted. Whence δυσπαρακολούθητα are called those things which can be understood and comprehended with difficulty. Note: For instruction the Greek is ἀγωγή, that is, morals, and the conduct of life, and, as the interpreter of Theophylact translated it, my conversation. Secondly, "purpose," that is, alacrity and promptitude of mind, says Theophylact; but better Theodoret, "purpose," he says, that is, the end and aim which I set before myself and my evangelization, namely that I might propagate the faith and glory of Christ throughout the whole world among all nations, as if to say: Follow therefore, O son, O disciple Timothy, this purpose of mine, who am thy teacher, that thou mayest strenuously labor with me in propagating the Gospel of Christ. Thirdly, "faith," that is, constancy in faith, says Theophylact. Again "faith," that is, firm confidence, by which relying upon and trusting in God I bravely undertook and overcame so many labors, dangers and hardships. Fourthly, "longsuffering," namely in tolerating both the infirmities and sins of the brethren, says Theodoret; and also the enemies of the faith, such as Jews, Gentiles and heretics. For when they resisted me, "I was not tumultuous, nor did I stir up crowds, but I received all and everyone with gentleness," says Chrysostom. Fifthly, "charity," by which namely I loved all both enemies and friends; both the wicked and the good; both Gentiles and Jews, as brothers and sons of mine, and I strove to help all, to join them to Christ, and to lead them to salvation.
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11. What things were done to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra: what persecutions I endured, and from all of them the Lord delivered me. — Erasmus reads by way of interrogation, as if Paul exclaims in wonder: Good God! what and how great things did I endure? But the Roman, Greek, Syriac and Latin Bibles read everywhere without interrogation. "What things" therefore, that is, what persecutions and sufferings. Whence more plainly Vatable for what things, translates which, namely sufferings, happened to me. For the Greek οἷα μοι, is put for ἃ μοι. Note: This Antioch is not of Syria, but of Pisidia, near Iconium and Lystra, where, the Jews stirring up sedition, Paul was stoned and nearly killed, Acts xiii and xiv. Paul adds: "And from all of them the Lord delivered me," so that he might encourage Timothy to similar things, tacitly suggesting to him that God would be with him likewise in persecutions, as he was with himself; and from them would deliver him, or crowned with martyrdom would translate him to heaven, thus Chrysostom.
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12. All who wish to live piously in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. — You may ask how this is universally true? For many pious persons among Christians live piously and peacefully without persecution. Chrysostom answers that by "persecution" here is understood all difficulties, labors, pains and anguishes which those suffer who strive for piety, while they endeavor to restrain their desires, to pursue continence, humility, temperance, and to apply themselves to pious labors. "And therefore tribulation of persecution never ceases, if the observance of piety never ceases. Just as therefore it is the whole time to live piously, so it is the whole time to bear the cross," says St. Leo, sermon 9 on Lent. Secondly, St. Augustine, sermon 24 on the Words of the Apostle, concerning these same words of the Apostle, says that the pious suffer persecution, while they grieve and are tormented by the evil life of the impious by whom they are hated, so that with David they may say Psalm 118: "I saw transgressors, and I pined away." As St. Peter, epistle II, chapter ii, verse 8, says of the Sodomites, that they "tormented the just soul (Lot) with wicked works." "Lot therefore," says Augustine, "suffered persecution not by being beaten, but by seeing the wicked." "For it is a great labor for the good to tolerate contrary customs," says St. Prosper in the Sentences. Thirdly, the same Augustine in Psalm 55, by "persecutions" understands any tribulations of the present life, concerning which Augustine himself says: "If you think you have no tribulations, you have not yet begun to be a Christian." Fourthly, and more properly, the same Augustine, in Psalm 127, by "persecutions" understands the temptations of the devil. "For not," he says, "because the devil now does not rage through kings, therefore Christians do not suffer persecution. If the devil is dead, persecutions are dead. But if that adversary of ours lives, whence does he not suggest temptations? whence does he not rage? whence does he not procure threats and scandals?" Certainly let the Christian know that he is not called to leisure, delights, peace and joys, but let him always set before his eyes that saying of the Wise Man, Ecclesiasticus ii, 1: "My son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation." Fifthly, and most literally, "all," that is most, "all who wish to live piously," properly "will suffer persecution" from men, whether Christian relatives and friends, or from infidels and heretics, or from the envious and other perverse and wicked persons: for from such Paul properly suffered such persecution at Antioch and Lystra. And this is what the Greek διωχθήσονται properly signifies. This opinion was most true and most clear in the time of St. Paul, when those who were converted from paganism to Christ were immediately deprived by both their own and by outsiders, especially by magistrates, of goods, country, liberty and often life itself. The same is still seen today, when someone converts from a worldly and more licentious life to a Christian, modest and holy, and especially a perfect and religious life. For such a person is vexed by his own, by his associates, and by outsiders, mocked, tempted, torn by injuries and insults, and deprived of goods not rarely either entirely or in great part: for which with the Apostle outstanding patience and constancy is necessary, so that, when they are assailed from all sides and constantly, they may say that saying of Tertullian, book on Patience: "Let your patience tire out the wickedness of others." And that of Chrysostom here: "It is impossible that he who has declared war on evils should lack pressures; it is unlawful for a fighter of God to be idle in delights, it is not permitted to feast while struggling: for all present things are a struggle, a contest, a war, pressure, anguish, a stadium; another time is for rest, this is appointed for hardships and labors; no one who has stripped himself for a contest and is anointed seeks rest: for if you seek it, why did you strip yourself, why did you declare war on lusts and nature (the world and men)?" Hence St. Gregory infers, book VI, epistle 191 to Narses: "In which matter I," he says, "confidently say, that you live less piously if you have endured less persecution." For, as he himself adds, "the very adversity increases the zeal of good works. Thus seeds of harvests covered with frost germinate more fruitfully. Thus fire is pressed by a blast so that it grows." Note here that this sentence of the Apostle is as it were a proverb or maxim signifying not what happens to all the pious absolutely and always, but what happens to most, and often: such sentences are many in Proverbs, as when it is said: "All seek their own things"; all, that is, most: for Paul and the Apostles did not seek their own things. Thus in Proverbs xvi, 10, it is said: "Divination is in the lips of the king, his mouth shall not err in judgment." The sense is, as if to say, The judgments and precepts of a just king are to be received as oracles of God, in whose place he presides, and who stands by him as his vicar intent and fixed upon God and justice, lest he err in judging or commanding; and yet we know that even just kings have sometimes in their judgments and commands departed from the true and just, and do depart. Thus in chapter xvii, verse 24, it is said: "In the face of the prudent shineth wisdom, the eyes of fools are in the ends of the earth," as if to say, As the mind of fools is, so also are their eyes wandering, turning hither and thither, even to the ends of the earth to look about: but the eyes and face of the wise are grave, constant, and composed to wisdom, namely for the most part. For sometimes we see even fools composing their eyes and face to wisdom and gravity; and on the contrary wise men loosening and relaxing their eyes and face to jests and cheerfulness. Many similar things are in Proverbs, as I said there.
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13. Evil men and seducers shall advance to worse, erring, and leading into error. — In Greek πλανῶντες καὶ πλανώμενοι, that is, seducing into error and seduced by error, as if to say, The pious suffer persecution, but the impious, says Chrysostom, are in ease and quiet, and freely indulge their impiety, so that daily they grow in impiety, with no one resisting them; for this is the power of evil and especially of error, that it always devises something new, and from one false principle deduces other and other false conclusions. You will say: this passage is opposed to verse 9 of this chapter where he said: "They shall not advance further." I answered in that place that it is said, "they shall not advance further," namely so as to seduce men of sense: for their fraud and impiety will soon be manifest to them; but here it is said that they themselves shall advance in themselves and their impiety, and shall draw into their errors light, inconstant men and those addicted to their own desires.
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14 and 15. Thou remain in those things which thou hast learned, and which have been committed to thee: knowing of whom thou hast learned them, and because from thy infancy thou hast known the holy scriptures. — "Committed," that is, entrusted to thee as a bishop to be preserved and promulgated. Otherwise Chrysostom, "which have been committed to thee," or by thee, that is, which thou hast believed, which thou hast received by faith, as if to say: Thou hast believed among other things that the pious will suffer persecution; remain therefore in this faith of thine, and according to it suffer persecution for piety. But the former sense is clearer and more genuine: for in Greek it is not ἃ ἐπίστευσας, that is, which thou hast believed, but ἃ ἐπιστώθης, that is, which thou hast been entrusted with, that is, as our Interpreter has clearly translated it, which have been committed and entrusted to thee and to thy faith. Moreover, Paul urges upon Timothy two spurs to remain in the doctrine by which he has been taught. The first is that he has received it from the greatest teacher, namely Paul, who was constituted by God the teacher of the Gentiles and doctor of the world. Paul himself understands this here, but for the sake of modesty he passes over his own name in silence; indeed the authority of the teacher most greatly commends faith in the doctrine among disciples. Thus Pythagoras was venerated by his followers, so that when his disciples' followers demanded a reason for his doctrine, they gave no other answer than αὐτὸς ἔφα, he himself, namely Pythagoras, thus says, thus judges. The second spur is that from infancy Timothy has learned the holy Scriptures, namely the Old Testament, the Law and the Prophets, which have clearly prophesied concerning Christ and Christ's life and mysteries, as if to say: Remain in those things which thou hast sucked in as it were with milk. Thus Chrysostom, Ambrose, Theophylactus. Thus Plato, lib. VI of the Laws: "I assert," he says, "that those who are going to become excellent men in something ought from earliest childhood to meditate upon it both in play and in study in all matters befitting it." And hence it is that Jeremiah says, Lamentations III, 27: "It is good for a man when he hath borne the yoke from his youth: he shall sit alone, and hold his peace: because he hath lifted (himself?) upon him." Thus the greatest Saints began from tender years a holy, austere, religious and perfect life; such as St. John the Baptist, of whom we sing: The caves of the desert in tender years Fleeing the crowds of citizens thou didst seek: Lest even lightly thou couldst stain thy life By famine. Thus Samson and Samuel were consecrated as Nazarites from boyhood. Thus John the Evangelist, a young man, and still immune from the corruption of the world, followed Christ, and therefore was "that disciple whom Jesus loved," to whom also he revealed the greatest mysteries. Thus also Paul the first Hermit, and St. Antony, and St. Hilarion, at the age of 15, having sold all things and distributed them to the poor, gave themselves wholly to the Lord in the desert. St. Benedict was very young when he abandoned all things, namely at 10 or 12 years of age. St. Maurus was 12 years old. St. Placidus and many others were entrusted to St. Benedict as children. St. John Calybita, when he was about 14 years old, leaving his father's house and wealth, unknown to his parents, hid himself in a distant monastery, to devote himself to prayer and fasting. St. Romuald began the monastic life at the age of 20, St. Thomas at 14, St. Francis of Paola at 13, St. Antony at 13 turned his mind, at 14 was received, St. Vincent Ferrer at 18, St. Lawrence Justinian at 19, St. Bonaventure at 22, the Venerable Bede was educated in Religion from the age of 7. See more examples of Saints who began from boyhood in the Mirror of Youth, which Bernard Dorhoff recently published, and which is entirely about this matter. Which (holy Scriptures) can instruct thee (σοφίσαι, that is, make thee wise) unto salvation, by the faith that is in Christ Jesus, — that is, in Christ Jesus, as if to say: The holy Scriptures instruct thee unto salvation in this very way, in that they teach that one must believe in Christ, and through faith in Christ, and his Sacraments and precepts instituted by Christ for this purpose, we ought to obtain justice and salvation. "For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved," Acts iv, 12. Wherefore the end of the Law and the Prophets is Christ, whom because the Jews reject, hence they do not understand the Law and the Prophets, nor the faith of Christ, and consequently do not attain salvation, as if Paul were saying: I am now dying, and I am hastening to martyrdom, thou wilt no longer hear me as a teacher, O Timothy; thou wilt grieve at my removal, just as Elisha grieved when Elijah his master was taken up into heaven: but come, take heart again, in my stead I leave to thee the holy Scriptures as a teacher and counselor, so that in them thou mayest hear God speaking and teaching, and so that from them thou mayest learn neither to contract thy spirit in sorrows nor to be puffed up in joys. Thus St. Chrysostom. For, as St. Augustine says, serm. 112 On the Seasons, tom. X: "When we pray, we speak with God: but when we read the divine Scriptures, God speaks with us."
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16. All Scripture divinely inspired is useful for teaching, for reproving, for correcting, for instructing in justice. — The Greeks insert καί, that is and, so that the sense is: All Scripture, namely sacred, is divinely inspired, is also useful for teaching: more elegantly in Greek sacred Scripture is called θεόπνευστος, that is inspired by God, as if to say: Not by their own instinct, judgment, guidance, as profane historians and philosophers wrote their own works, but "being inspired by the Holy Ghost, they spoke," and wrote "holy men of God," II Peter i, 21. Note: Hence sacred Scripture is called the word of God and of the Holy Ghost; the Prophets moreover and other hagiographic writers are called pens and instruments of the Holy Ghost, as it were scribes writing swiftly, inspiring and dictating the sacred Letters. Note secondly, The Holy Ghost did not dictate all the sacred Letters in the same manner: for the law and the prophecies He revealed and dictated word for word to Moses and the Prophets; the histories moreover and moral exhortations, which the hagiographic writers themselves had learned beforehand either by sight, or by hearing, or by reading, or by meditation, it was not necessary that they be inspired, or dictated by the Holy Ghost, inasmuch as the writers themselves already knew and were skilled in them. Thus St. John, cap. xix, vers. 35, says he writes what he saw; St. Luke moreover, cap. i, vers. 2, says he writes the Gospel, which he heard and received by tradition from the Apostles. Yet the Holy Ghost is said to have dictated it also to them, first, because He stood by those writing, lest they deviate from the truth even in a point. Secondly, because He stirred them up and suggested that they write these things rather than those. The conception therefore and memory of those things which they knew, the Holy Ghost did not instill in them, but inspired that they write this conception rather than that one. Thirdly, because the Holy Ghost ordered, arranged and directed all their conceptions and sentences, for example that they place this sentence first, that one second, another third, and thus consequently, and commit to writing. For this properly is to compose and write some book; and by this reasoning the Holy Ghost is properly said to be the author of the sacred books. And this is what St. Gregory teaches in the preface to Job, cap. ii, that Job himself wrote his deeds not his own, but by the higher hand, sense and guidance of the Holy Ghost, and therefore he speaks of them not as of his own, but as of others' deeds: "The writers," he says, "of sacred eloquence, because they are filled with the Holy Ghost are drawn above themselves, as it were become outside themselves, and thus they utter God's sentences as if of others." Note thirdly: From the fact that the sacred Letters are inspired by God, St. Chrysostom infers that they have profound and divine senses, and therefore they are not obvious and clear to anyone; but contain many mysteries like a river, of which only the outer surface of the waters appears, beneath which a greater and far greater quantity of waters lies hidden, "in which both the lamb (humble) may swim, and the elephant (proud) may be submerged," says St. Gregory, epist. to Leander, which is prefixed, as in Job. Note fourthly: Sacred Scripture is "useful": first, "for teaching," namely sound doctrine; secondly, "for reproving," namely Simonians and other heretics; thirdly, "for correcting," Greek πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, that is for correction; Ambrose translates it, for restoration, by which namely you correct Catholics wandering from good and Christian life, and restore them to the integrity of life; fourthly, "for instructing in justice," by which namely we instruct others in all justice, that is in all honesty of morals, sanctity and perfection.
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17. That the man of God may be perfect, furnished unto every good work. — He calls the teacher and Bishop "man of God," as I said in the first epistle, chapter vi, verse 11. Secondly, for "furnished" the Greek is ἐξηγμένος, that is, adorned, composed, prepared, instructed. But the Syrian, Ambrose and Theophylactus read ἐξηρτισμένος, that is, completed and perfected; and thus our Interpreter appears to have read it, as if to say: The Holy Scriptures are useful for this purpose, that they may make you perfect, O Bishop, so that for every good work, especially teaching, reproving, correcting and instructing, as has been said, which is proper to a Bishop, and for undergoing martyrdom for it, you may be instructed and prepared. For Paul foresaw that both for himself and for Timothy martyrdom for the Gospel was imminent. Note: The Apostle does not say that Scripture alone makes a man perfect: for thus he would exclude the Sacraments, grace, teachers and traditions, which nevertheless he requires in II Thessalonians ii, 14. Nor again does the Apostle say that sacred Scripture is sufficient, but "it is useful that a man be perfect." Just as therefore if you say: The sun is useful, that all living things may be produced and perfected; you do not deny that for this work the concurrence of a secondary cause generating is likewise necessary: so similarly when the Apostle says that Scripture is useful for this purpose, that a man be perfect; he does not deny that for the perfection both of doctrine and of Christian life, traditions, Sacraments, acts of virtues and other things prescribed by Christ elsewhere are required. Add that, when the Apostle wrote these things, the Apocalypse had not yet been written and some epistles of the Apostles, which therefore Timothy could not read, which nevertheless as they belong to the perfect Scripture, so for this purpose, that from it a man may become perfect, are required. Yet the Apostle hints, as Chrysostom rightly noted, that no one can be perfect in faith and Christian and divine life without Scripture. For to this utility and use Scripture was given by God. Hence St. Basil, epistle I to Gregory of Nazianzus, compares Scripture to the workshop of an apothecary, which is furnished with all medicines for driving away any diseases whatsoever. "If anyone," he says, "labors and you desire to help him, for example if you are troubled, it consoles you, saying: A contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. If you rejoice, for future hope it heaps joy upon you, saying: Rejoice in the Lord and exult, ye just. If you are angry, it softens you, saying: Cease from anger and forsake wrath. If you are in pains, it heals you, saying: The Lord healeth all thy infirmities. If you are consumed by poverty, it consoles you, saying: The Lord lifteth up the needy from the earth. Thus therefore the manna of the word of God renders in your mouth whatever flavor you wish." Appositely therefore Origen, homily 7 on Exodus, compares Scripture to manna: "If you," he says, "receive the word of God with all faith and devotion, it will become for you itself the word which you desire, for example if you labor under concupiscence and desire chastity, let him read the history of Joseph assiduously, from it he will learn and draw the love of modesty and spirit. If anyone is impatient and desires patience, let him read the deeds of St. Job. If anyone desires fortitude, let him read the acts of David. If anyone seeks gentleness, let him peruse and imitate Moses." Thus St. Paula in every matter and temptation armed herself with sacred Scripture, and instructed herself unto perfection, as St. Jerome testifies in her epitaph, so that she seemed to be the ark of the covenant and an armory of Scripture. "In dangers," says Jerome, "Paula spoke: Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. When the overthrow of her whole patrimony was announced, she said: Naked came I out of my mother's womb. In frequent infirmity: We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency may be of the power of God, and not of us. In sorrow she sang: Why art thou sad, O my soul? hope in God. When by excessive fervor of virtues she seemed to some to be mad: A theatre, she said, we are made to the world, and to angels, and to men; we are fools for Christ's sake," etc.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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Supra instruxit eum quomodo resistat tribulationibus et periculis praesentibus, hic ostendit quomodo stet contra futura. Et primo praenuntiat futura pericula; secundo ostendit idoneitatem suam ad resistendum, ibi tu autem assecutus; tertio ostendit qualiter resistat, ibi testificor. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo praenuntiat pericula novissimorum temporum; secundo ostendit quomodo eorum vitia sunt etiam modo vitanda, ibi et hos devita. Item prima in duas, quia primo praenuntiat esse futura pericula in novissimis temporibus; secundo causam periculorum, ibi et erunt homines. Dicit ergo: dixi, devita profana, etc., non solum autem sunt haec modo vitanda, sed in futuro restant etiam quaedam alia vitanda. Et dicuntur novissimi dies, quia sunt propinqui novissimo diei. Io. V, 55: ego resuscitabo eum in novissimo die. Gen. c. XLIX, 1: congregamini ut annuntiem quae ventura sunt vobis diebus novissimis. Et addit instabunt tempora periculosa, et cetera. Matth. c. XXIV, 9: eritis odio omnibus gentibus propter nomen meum. Causa horum est iniquitatis abundantia, Matth. XXIV, 12: quoniam abundavit iniquitas, refrigescet charitas multorum, quia fides et charitas vel annullabitur vel totaliter peribit; quia quanto magis aliquid elongatur a suo principio, tanto plus deficit. Et ideo in tempore illo magis deficient fides et charitas, quia plus elongantur a Christo. Lc. XVIII, 8: filius hominis veniens, putas, inveniet fidem in terra? Et circa hoc primo ponit iniquitatis radicem; secundo diversas eius species. Radix autem totius iniquitatis est amor sui ipsius. Duplex autem amor duplicem civitatem facit. Sed contra: quilibet naturaliter diligit se. Respondeo. Dicendum est quod in homine duo sunt, scilicet natura rationalis et corporalis. Quantum ad intellectualem seu rationalem, quae interior homo appellatur, ut dicitur II Cor. IV, 16, homo debet plus se diligere quam omnes alios, quia stultus esset qui vellet peccare ut alios a peccatis retrahat; sed quantum ad exteriorem hominem, laudabile est ut alios plus diligat quam se. Unde illi qui se sic tantum amant, sunt vituperabiles. Phil. II, 21: omnes quae sua sunt quaerunt, non quae Iesu Christi. Ex hac radice diversae sunt species iniquitatis. Unde dicit cupidi, elati, et cetera. Et circa hoc tria facit, quia primo ponit peccata, quae sunt in abusu rerum exteriorum; secundo, quae pertinent ad inordinationem hominis ad alios, ibi blasphemi; tertio, quae ad seipsum, ibi incontinentes. Duo autem sunt in rebus exterioribus, scilicet abundantia divitiarum, et excellentia bonorum. Quantum ad primum dicit cupidi. Et cupiditas primo ponitur, quia est radix omnium malorum. Vel est propinqua amori sui ipsius, quae est ad bona exteriora. Quantum ad secundum dicit elati. Elatio est species superbiae, quae sunt quatuor: una quando aliquis attribuit sibi quo caret. Secunda quando quod ab alio habet attribuit sibi, ac si haberet a se. I Cor. IV, 7: quid habes quod non accepisti, et cetera. Tertia quando attribuit sibi quod habet ab alio, sed meritis propriis. Lc. XVIII, 12: ieiuno bis in sabbato, et cetera. Quarta quando singulariter vult videri supra omnes, et haec est elatio. Ps. CXXX, 1: domine, non est exaltatum cor meum, et cetera. Quod dicit superbi, reducitur ad alias species superbiae. Iac. IV, 6: Deus superbis resistit, humilibus autem dat gratiam. Consequenter ponit vitia quantum ad alios. Et primo quantum ad superiores; secundo quantum ad aequales, ibi scelesti. Superior est triplex, scilicet Deus; et contra hunc dicit blasphemi. Is. I, 4: dereliquerunt dominum, blasphemaverunt sanctum Israel, abalienati sunt retrorsum.
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Item parentes; et quantum ad hoc dicit parentibus non obedientes. I Reg. XV, 23: quasi peccatum ariolandi est repugnare, et quasi scelus idololatriae nolle acquiescere. Prov. c. XXX, 17: oculum qui subsannat patrem, et qui despicit partum matris suae, effodiant eum corvi de torrentibus, et comedant eum filii aquilae. Item benefactor inquantum huiusmodi; et quantum ad hoc dicit ingrati. Ps. XXXVII, 21: qui retribuunt mala pro bonis, et cetera. Col. III, 15: grati estote. Sap. XVI, 29: ingrati enim spes tamquam hybernalis glacies tabescet, et disperiet tamquam aqua supervacua. Tunc ponit mala quae sunt ad aequalem et proximum, et sunt tria. Primum pertinet ad opus; unde dicit scelesti, id est, qui scelera gravia perpetrant in proximos. Is. I, 4: vae genti peccatrici, populo gravi iniquitate, semini nequam, filiis sceleratis, et cetera.
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Secundum ad affectum; unde dicit sine affectione, id est, sine affectu charitatis, et sine pace. Tertio quantum ad verbum; unde dicit criminatores. Lev. XIX, v. 16: non eris criminator, nec susurro in populis. Item quantum ad seipsum ostendit quaedam alia tripliciter. Primo quantum ad corruptionem concupiscibilis, secundo irascibilis, tertio rationalis. Quantum ad primum dicit incontinentes. Unde dicitur incontinens qui se non tenet in bono proposito propter pravas concupiscentias. Eccli. XXVI, 20: omnis autem ponderatio non est digna continentis animae. Quantum ad irascibilem dicit proprie immites, id est, non mansueti; haec enim mansuetudo moderatur passiones irae. Matth. c. XI, 29: discite a me, quia mitis sum et humilis corde. Ps. XXIV, 9: docebit mites vias suas. Item ponit aliud quod pertinet ad effectum irascibilis, scilicet benignitatis exclusio; unde dicit sine benignitate. Hoc enim est naturale quod quando dominatur unum contrariorum, excludit aliud. Eph. IV, 32: estote invicem benigni. Deinde ponit vitia, quae sunt ad corruptionem rationalis. Haec autem potentia perficitur per prudentiam; prudentiae autem opponitur aliquod vitium per abusum prudentiae et aliquod per eius privationem, et utrumque ponit. Quantum ad primum dicit proditores. Ad prudentiam autem pertinet sagacitas, qua quidam abutuntur in malum, et hi sunt proditores. Prov. XI, 13: qui ambulat fraudulenter, revelat arcana. Item constantia qua quidam abutuntur dum in malo proterviunt; unde dicit protervi. Prov. III, 5: ne innitaris prudentiae tuae. Deinde ponit vitia, quae sunt ad privationem prudentiae. Et primo ponit privationis causam; unde dicit tumidi. Superbi enim inflantur in agendis, quia non metiuntur vires suas, et ideo deficiunt. Prov. XI, 2: ubi superbia, ibi erit et contumelia: ubi autem humilitas, ibi et sapientia.
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Secundo ponit privationis effectum, quia temporalia praeponunt aeternis; unde dicit voluptatum amatores magis quam Dei. Is. XIII, 22: Syrenae in delubris voluptatis. Sed numquid est idem esse incontinentem, et voluptatum amatorem? Respondeo. Dicendum est quod non, quia proprie incontinens dicitur qui habet spem fugiendi, sed vincitur ab eis; sed proprie amator earum est intemperatus qui habet corruptam aestimationem. Consequenter ponit simulationem, dicens habentes quidem speciem pietatis II Cor. c.
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XI, 13: operarii subdoli, virtutem autem eius abnegantes, virtutem scilicet pietatis, quae dicitur hic dupliciter. Uno modo ipsa vis pietatis, id est, eius virtus; unde dicit abnegantes, id est, veritatem non habentes. Tit. I, 16: confitentur se nosse Deum, factis autem negant. Alio modo, quia virtus rei dicitur illud, ex quo dependet tota res. Tota autem virtus pietatis dependet ex charitate, ideo dicit virtutem eius, scilicet charitatem abnegantes.
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Supra apostolus descripsit pericula novissimorum temporum, et causam assignavit, hic docet huiusmodi etiam in praesenti esse vitanda. Et primo praemittit monitionem de horum vitatione; secundo ostendit in quibus hominibus in praesenti appareant praedicta, ibi ex his enim. Dicit ergo: dixi quod in novissimis temporibus erunt homines pessimi. Sed non credas te in praesenti esse tutum; sed etiam nunc hos, et tales homines devita, scilicet ne in similem errorem labaris. Tit. ult.: haereticum hominem post unam et secundam correptionem devita. Et licet quantum ad aliqua vitandi sint, sed non quantum ad sermonem exhortationis. Et tunc ostendit quod etiam modo sunt aliqui tales. Et primo ostendit nocumentum quod inferunt; secundo defectum quem patiuntur, ibi homines reprobi; tertio impedimentum quo arctantur, ibi sed ultra. Circa primum duo facit, quia primo ostendit impedimentum quod inferunt subditis; secundo impedimentum quod inferunt praelatis, ibi quemadmodum autem. Iterum prima in duas; quia primo ostendit eorum imprudentiam; secundo eorum astutiam, ibi et captivas. Quantum ad primum dicit: devita hos, quia iam sunt aliqui tales, nam ex his enim, id est, eorum numero, sunt. I Io. c. II, 18: nunc Antichristi multi sunt, et cetera. Nec debetis intelligere quod ex his fuerunt, sed sunt, scilicet scelesti et ingrati, etc., quia peccatores iam conversi non debent dici peccatores. Ps. XV, 4: nec memor ero nominum eorum per labia mea. Deinde cum dicit qui penetrant domos, ostendit eorum malitiam. Et ad litteram potest exponi, quasi inordinate ingerentes se, et circumeuntes propter lucrum. Contra quod Eccli. XXI, 25: pes fatui facilis in domum proximi. Sed propter hoc non prohibentur aliqui visitare afflictos in domibus. Iac. I, 27: religio munda et immaculata apud Deum et patrem, haec est, visitare pupillos et viduas in tribulatione eorum, et cetera. Vel metaphorice potest exponi domus, id est, conscientia. Sap. VIII, 16: intrans in domum meam, conquiescam, et cetera. Illi ergo penetrant domos, qui cum astutia volunt scire secreta conscientiae, ut decipiant alios. Eccli. c. XIII, 14: ex multa loquela tentabit te, et subridens interrogabit te. Nihilominus tamen illis qui curam habent, licet inquirere statum conscientiae. Prov. XXVII, 23: diligenter agnosce vultum pecoris tui, tuosque greges considera. Deinde cum dicit et captivas ducunt, ostendit eorum astutiam. Et primo tangitur eorum malitia, quia abducunt a libertate et statu gratiae. Iac. I, 25: qui autem prospexerit in lege perfectae libertatis, et cetera. Et ducunt in statum servitutis, qui est status peccati. Ps. CXXV, 1: in convertendo dominus captivitatem Sion, et cetera. Hoc enim nomen captivitatis importat. Is. V, 13: propterea captivus ductus est populus meus, quia non habuit scientiam. Secundo ostendit in quas personas exercent malitiam, quas describit primo a fragilitate sexus; secundo ex malitia conversationis; tertio ex vanitate affectionis; quarto ex defectu discretionis. Quantum ad primum dicit mulierculas, quae sunt minoris discretionis et sexus fragilioris. Et dicit mulierculas, quia magnae dominae habent aliquos consiliarios, unde non possunt seduci. Sed hae sunt tali auxilio destitutae. Matth. XXIII, 14: comeditis domos viduarum. I Mach. I, 34: captivas duxerunt mulieres, et cetera. Quantum ad secundum dicit oneratas peccatis. Peccatum est onus, quia non permittit libere incedere, nec erectum esse et stare, sed incurvat. Ps. XXXVII, 5: sicut onus grave, gravatae sunt super me. Et ideo istas specialiter decipiunt, quia peccatum parat viam seductioni. Item, quia malae sunt, timent resistere, ne perdantur. Quantum ad tertium dicit quae ducuntur variis desideriis, id est, aptae sunt, ut seducantur propter varia desideria, quae habent. Iac. I, 8: vir duplex animo inconstans est in omnibus viis suis. Et ideo prima mulier fuit seducta quia non stetit constanter in verbis domini, sed dixit: ne forte moriamur. Eccli. IX, 3: ne respicias mulierem multivolam.
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Quantum ad quartum dicit semper discentes, et numquam, et cetera. Curiositas semper nova nititur quaerere, et non vult insistere. Unde dicit semper discentes. Prov. IX, 13: mulier clamosa, et cetera. Tamen hoc quod dicit semper discentes, potest reduci ad penetrantes domos. Deinde cum dicit quemadmodum, ostendit nocumentum quod afferunt praelatis, et nocumentum resistendi eorum doctrinae. Et inducit exemplum de Exodo, ubi magi Pharaonis restiterunt Moysi, quia a principio mundi semper fuit pugna inter veritatem et falsitatem. II Petr. II, 1: fuerunt vero et pseudoprophetae in populo, sicut et in vobis, et cetera. Sed in Exodo isti magi non nominantur, sed hic sic, quod forte habuit ex aliquibus verbis Iudaeorum.
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Ita et resistunt veritati, scilicet quam nos praedicamus. Iob XXIV, 13: ipsi fuerunt rebelles lumini. Act. XVII: semper spiritui sancto restitistis. Consequenter cum dicit homines, etc., ostendit eorum defectum in fide et in opere. In opere, homines reprobi. Glossa: in operibus, id est, qui per opera sua, se reprobos ostendunt. Ier. VI, 3: argentum reprobum vocate eos. Item in fide corrupti mente, id est, potentia rationali. Unumquodque enim tunc dicitur corruptum, quando deficit a propria virtute. Propria autem mentis perfectio est cognitio veritatis. Unde dicitur corruptus mente, qui deficit a cognitione fidei. Consequenter cum dicit sed ultra, ostendit quomodo arctantur; et primo ostendit eos esse impediendos; secundo docet modum impediendi, ibi insipientia. Sciendum est autem circa primum quod voluntas nocendi est homini a seipso, sed potestas nocendi est a Deo permittente. Et Deus non permittit ut noceat quantum vult malus, sed imponit terminum. Iob c. XXXVIII, 11: et hic confringes tumentes fluctus tuos. Sic et Diabolus non laesit Iob, nisi secundum quod permissus fuit a Deo. Sic Arrius non nocuit in Ecclesia, nisi quantum dominus permisit. Apoc. VII, 3 dicit Angelus: nolite nocere terrae et mari, neque arboribus, quoadusque signemus servos Dei in frontibus eorum, et cetera. Et dicit ultra, scilicet quam Deus permittit, non proficient. Modus impediendi est, ut tollatur eorum pallium et occultatio, quae sunt tollenda, quia nocent. Iob XLI, 4: quis revelabit faciem indumenti eius, et cetera. Et ideo dicit insipientia eorum manifesta erit, Deo detegente, quando illuminabit abscondita tenebrarum, etc., ut dicitur I Cor. IV, 5. Sicut et illorum, scilicet magorum Pharaonis, quae fuit manifesta, quia non potuerunt facere signa. Deinde cum dicit tu autem, etc., ostendit idoneitatem Timothei ad resistendum huiusmodi periculis. Et primo ostendit quod erat idoneus ex institutione apostoli; secundo ex experientia Scripturarum, ibi ab infantia. Item, primo ostendit quomodo erat instructus sufficienter ab apostolo; secundo quomodo universaliter instrui ab aliis poterat, ibi omnis qui, et cetera. Circa primum, primo ostendit quomodo instructus erat verbo; secundo quomodo exemplo, ibi propositum. Sed sciendum est quod verbo aliquis instruitur dupliciter: uno modo de veritate agnoscenda; alio modo de iustitia operanda.
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Quantum ad primum dicit tu autem assecutus es meam doctrinam, id est, instructus es in fide Catholica; ideo bene potest vitare eos. Quantum ad secundum dicit meam institutionem. Institutio est eruditio, quae est de aliquibus agendis, quae subduntur operationi humanae. Phil. IV, 12: ubique et in omnibus institutus sum. Item quomodo institutus erat exemplo. Et primo quantum ad bona agenda; secundo quantum ad mala toleranda, ibi patientiam. In bonis faciendis ponit duo. Primum est intentio recti finis; et quantum ad hoc dicit propositum, quod est de fide. Sap. VIII, 9: proposui ergo hanc adducere mihi ad convivandum. Et ad hoc pervenitur per bona opera, quae derivantur a tribus virtutibus, scilicet fide, spe, et charitate. Et primo ponit fidem, cum dicit fidem. Hebr. XI, 6: sine fide impossibile est placere Deo. Secundo spem, cum dicit longanimitatem, quae in longum expectat. II Cor. VI, 6: in longanimitate. Tertio charitatem, cum dicit dilectionem. I Io. III, 14: qui non diligit, manet in morte. Deinde de malis tolerandis instruit eum quantum ad tria, ea reducendo ad memoriam. Primo patientiam quam habuit; item mala quae sustinuit; item divinum auxilium quod sibi affuit. Primo ergo ponit patientiam, quae opus perfectum habet, Iac. I, 4. Et primo ponit patientiae materiam, scilicet persecutiones in generali. Matth. X, 23: si vos persequuntur in una civitate, fugite in aliam. Item in speciali, cum dicit passiones, quas scilicet passus est in proprio corpore. II Cor. XI, 25: ter virgis caesus sum, et cetera. Tertio in particulari, cum dicit qualia facta sunt mihi Antiochiae, etc., Act. XVI et XVII. Iudaei persecuti sunt eum, praesente Timotheo. Sed affuit divinum auxilium.
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Et ideo dicit et ex omnibus eripuit me dominus. II Cor. c. I, 4: qui consolatur nos in omni tribulatione nostra.
Supra, proposuit Timotheo in exemplum persecutiones quas ipse passus fuit. Et ne videatur ipse solus per huiusmodi passiones transisse, ostendit eas esse communes sanctis. Et primo docet quomodo sancti patiuntur hic defectus poenales; secundo quomodo mali proficiunt per defectum culpae, ibi mali autem homines. Dicit ergo: persecutiones sustinui, et non solum ego, sed et omnes. Pie sumitur dupliciter, quandoque pro virtute pietatis ad cultum divinum, supra eodem habentes speciem pietatis, quandoque pro misericordia ad proximum, I Tim. IV, 8: pietas ad omnia valet.
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Omnes ergo qui pie volunt vivere in Christo, etc., id est, volunt observare cultum religionis Christianae. Tit. II, 12: sobrie, et iuste, et pie vivamus in hoc saeculo, et cetera. Et tales persecutionem patientur, et maxime in primitiva Ecclesia, quando Christus undique impugnabatur a Iudaeis et gentibus. Et ideo Io. XVI, 2: venit hora ut omnis qui interficit vos, arbitretur obsequium se praestare Deo. Matth. XXIV, 9: eritis odio omnibus gentibus propter nomen meum. Item omnes qui pie volunt, etc., id est, volunt per fidem Christi servare misericordiam ad proximum, necesse est eos persecutionem pati, et si non ab extra, tamen ab intus, quando scilicet compatiuntur defectibus proximorum, quorum culpas et poenalitates vident. II Cor. XI, 29: quis scandalizatur, et ego non uror? et cetera. II Petr. II, 8: habitans apud eos, qui de die in diem animam iustam iniquis operibus cruciabant. Ps. CXVIII, v. 158: vidi praevaricantes, et tabescebam, et cetera. Item sunt aliae persecutiones, quae sanctis omnibus deesse non possunt, scilicet carnis, mundi, et Daemonis: quia, ut habetur Gal. c. V, 17, caro concupiscit adversus spiritum. Rom. VII, 24: infelix ego homo, quis me liberabit de corpore mortis huius? Ps. XXXIII, v. 2: multae tribulationes iustorum.
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Deinde cum dicit mali autem homines, ostendit quod mali incidunt in peiora mala, scilicet culpae. Dicit mali in se, scilicet inquantum peccatis inhaerent. Matth. XXI, v. 41: malos male perdet, et cetera. Et seductores, scilicet in proximorum nocumentum, inquantum seorsum ducunt eos a via veritatis, quae communis est. Rom. ult.: per dulces sermones et benedictiones seducunt corda innocentium. Sed isti non contenti malis quae fecerunt, proficient in peius. Apoc. c. ult.: qui sordidus est, sordescat adhuc. Sed contra supra eodem: ultra non proficient. Dicendum est, quod qui proficiunt in peius, sunt permissi a Deo, vel sic quod proficiunt in peius ex intentione malitiae eorum, quae semper est ad malum; sed secundum providentiam divinam prohibentur, ne possint implere quod coeperunt. Proficiunt autem in peius mali in seipsis, inquantum errant circa veritatem. Matth. XXII, 29: erratis nescientes Scripturas, neque virtutem Dei. Item opere errant, et hoc modo omnes mali errant. Prov. XIV, 22: errant omnes qui operantur malum. Item in proximis, quia seductores, unde dicit in errorem mittentes, suadendo scilicet quod possint per prosperitates venire ad regnum caelorum, contra illud, supra III, 12: qui pie volunt, et cetera. Et Is. III, 12: popule meus, qui beatum te dicunt, ipsi te decipiunt. Deinde cum dicit tu vero, monet eum, ut maneat in sua institutione. Et hortatur eum tripliciter, scilicet ex parte doctoris, ex parte ipsius Timothei, et ex parte eorum quae accepit. Dicit ergo: assecutus es meam doctrinam, etc., ut supra III, 10: ergo permane in his; Eccli. X, 4: si spiritus potestatem habentis ascenderit super te, locum tuum ne dimiseris. I Cor. XV, 58: stabiles estote, et immobiles.
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Dicit ergo quae didicisti, et credita sunt tibi, quia quilibet Christianus discit quae fidei sunt; et haec est doctrina salutaris. Io. VI, v. 45: omnis qui audivit a patre meo, et didicit, venit ad me, et cetera. Sed specialiter documenta fidei sunt credita praelatis, inquantum debent aliis ea dispensare. Gal. II, 7: cum vidissent quod creditum est mihi Evangelium praeputii. Et quare oportet permanere? Quia ego a magistro scientiae habui, qui errare non potuit. II Cor. XIII, 3: in me loquitur Christus. Et ideo in his firmiter permane, sciens a quo didiceris, quia a Paulo, qui non ab homine, neque per hominem didicit, etc., Gal. II. Secundo ex propria conditione. Turpe enim est homini nutrito in bono a pueritia, in senectute deficere. Eccli. XXVI, 27: qui transgreditur a iustitia ad peccatum, Deus paravit eum ad rompheam. Timotheus autem sic fuit nutritus. Prov. XXII, 6: adolescens iuxta viam suam, etiam cum senuerit, non recedet ab ea.
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Unde dicit et quia ab infantia sacras litteras nosti, quae sunt litterae veteris testamenti, quas didicit ab infantia, quia filius mulieris Iudaeae, Act. XVI, 1. Unde mater sua fecit eum erudiri in eis. Quod est contra Manichaeum, quia apostolus vetus testamentum hic nominat sacras litteras, quae non possunt intelligi de novo testamento, quia ab infantia sua non erat edoctus litteras novi testamenti. Tertio ex parte eorum quae accepit, et est tertia ratio. Nam si aliquis habet aliquam scientiam in qua non est utilitas, deserit eam, et transit ad aliam. Sed si scientia est valde utilis, stultum est eam dimittere. Et primo facit rationem; secundo manifestat eam, ibi omnis Scriptura. Dicit ergo: dico quod accepisti litteras sacras, quae non sunt contemnendae, quia sunt utiles. Is. XLVIII, 17: ego dominus Deus tuus, docens te utilia. Unde subdit dicens quae te possunt instruere. Io. VI, v. 69: domine, ad quem ibimus? Verba vitae aeternae habes. Io. V, 39: scrutamini Scripturas, in quibus putatis vitam aeternam habere, illae sunt quae testimonium perhibent de me. Et hae litterae te possunt instruere ad salutem; sed non nisi per fidem quae in Christo Iesu. Rom. X, 4: finis enim legis est Christus ad iustitiam omni credenti. Hebr. XI, v. 6: sine fide enim impossibile est placere Deo. Rationem autem manifestat, dicens omnis. Ubi ostendit quod sacrae litterae sunt via ad salutem. Et tria ponit. Nam commendat Scripturas ratione principii, ratione effectus utilis, et ratione ultimi fructus et profectus. Si enim consideres eius principium, habet privilegium super omnes, quia aliae sunt traditae per rationem humanam, sacra autem Scriptura est divina; ideo dicit Scriptura divinitus inspirata. II Petr. I, 21: non enim voluntate humana allata est aliquando prophetia, sed spiritu sancto inspirati locuti sunt sancti Dei homines. Iob XXXII, 7: inspiratio omnipotentis dat intelligentiam. Sed dices: quomodo non alia omnis Scriptura divinitus inspiratur, cum secundum Ambrosium, omne verum, a quocumque dicatur, a spiritu sancto est? Dicendum est quod Deus dupliciter aliquid operatur, scilicet immediate, ut proprium opus, sicut miracula; aliquid mediantibus causis inferioribus, ut opera naturalia, Iob X, 8: manus tuae, domine, fecerunt me, etc. quae tamen fiunt operatione naturae. Et sic in homine instruit intellectum et immediate per sacras litteras, et mediate per alias Scripturas. Effectus huius Scripturae est duplex, scilicet quia docet cognoscere veritatem, et suadet operari iustitiam. Io. XIV, 26: Paracletus autem spiritus sanctus docebit, scilicet cognoscenda, et suggeret operanda. Et ideo utilis est ad cognoscendam veritatem, et utilis est ad dirigendum in operatione. Est enim ratio speculativa, et est etiam ratio practica. Et in utroque sunt duo necessaria, scilicet quod veritatem cognoscat, et errorem refellat. Hoc enim opus est opus sapientis, scilicet non mentiri, et mentientem refellere.
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Quantum ad primum dicit utilis est ad docendum, scilicet veritatem. Ps. CXVIII, v. 66: bonitatem et disciplinam et scientiam doce me. Quantum ad secundum subdit ad arguendum. Tit. I, 9: ut sis potens exhortari in doctrina sana, et eos qui contradicunt arguere. Item quantum ad practicam sunt duo necessaria, scilicet ut reducat a malo, et ad bonum inducat. Ps. XXXIII, 15: declina a malo, et fac bonum. Quantum ad primum dicit ad corripiendum, quod est corripere a malo. Matth. XVIII, 15: si peccaverit in te frater tuus, vade, et corripe eum inter te et ipsum solum. Iob V, 17: beatus homo qui corripitur a domino. Quantum ad secundum dicit ad erudiendum in iustitia. Et haec omnia sacra Scriptura facit. Is. VIII, 11: in manu forti erudivit me, et cetera. Sic ergo quadruplex est effectus sacrae Scripturae, scilicet docere veritatem, arguere falsitatem: quantum ad speculativam; eripere a malo, et inducere ad bonum: quantum ad practicam. Ultimus eius effectus est, ut perducat homines ad perfectum. Non enim qualitercumque bonum facit, sed perficit. Hebr. c. VI, 1: ad perfectionem feramur.
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Et ideo dicit ut perfectus sit homo Dei, quia non potest homo esse perfectus, nisi sit homo Dei. Perfectum enim est, cui nihil deest. Tunc ergo homo est perfectus, quando est instructus, id est, paratus, ad omne opus bonum, non solum ad ea quae sunt de necessitate salutis, sed etiam ad ea quae sunt supererogationis. Gal. cap. ult.: bonum autem facientes, non deficiamus.
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1. Hoc autem scito, quod in novissimis diebus instabunt tempora periculosa. Prophetia est apostolica, spectans eodem quo superiora. Num ne Timotheus seu quisquam alius miretur aut orTendatur, quod in Ecclesia mali, improbi, hypocritae multiplicentur, praemonet hoc ipsum futurum. Non enim de iis, qui plane foris sunt, loquitur, sed de iis, qui saltem externa professione in ipsa Ecclesia sint futuri, ut ex sequentibus est manifestum. Dies novissimos, sive ut alii vertunt extremos, Hebraea phrasi vocat non eos solum, qui futuri sunt in fine saeculi, sed in genere tempus futurum, sive brevi, sive in longinquum. Nam quod hic praedicitur, etiam ad Pauli et Timothei tempora pertinet, dicit enim Timotheo: et hos devita. Sed et alia subjicit, quae probant, dies illos non longe abesse. Qua de re nonnulla jam diximus ad illud 1. epist. 4. ln novissimis temporibus discedent quidam a fide. Ut autem Hebraismum subesse intelligas, ita Jacob ad nlios sr.os Genes. 49. Congregamini, inquit, ut annuntiem, quae ventura sunt vobis in diebus novissimis; ubi tamen multa praedicat, quae longe ante Chrisri adventum impleta sunt. Item Daniel ad regem Nabuchodonosor: Est, inquit, Deus in coelo revelans mysteria, qui indicavit tibi, quae ventura sunt in novissimis temporibus, Dan. 2. Quod tandem repetit his verbis: Deus magnus ostendit regi, quae ventura sunt postea. Ita Luc. 14. Incipies cum rubore novissimum locum tenere. Vide, quae diximus ad illud 1 Cor. 15. Novissimus Adam in spiritum vivificantem.
Tempora periculosa Graece xatpot yjx- XstcoI, tempora dura, acerba, difficilia. His enim modis vertunt alii interpretes. Tribuuntur autem tempori istiusmodi epitheta metonymice propter ea, quae in tempore contingunt, maxime propter hominum mores ac studia. Sensus est: Ut ne turberis, quum vides errorum magistros, qualesHymenaeus et Philetus, suboriri in Ecclesia, in universum scire te volo, periculosa et pessima tempora instare. Id declarat verbis sequentibus, quibus corruptissimos hominum quorumdam in Ecclesia mores futuros describit, eo quidem ordine, ut prius agat de malis in genere, deinde de falsis doctoribus.
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2. Et erunt homines seipsos amantes. Graece: Erunt enim homines, (piXauTOi, id est amantes sui. Hoc vitium primo loco ponit, quia caeterorum fons est et origo. Quod non solum Augustinus in opere de civitate Dei graviter testatum reliquit, statim in principio, verum etiam Plato philosophus censuit. Non quidem simpliciter vituperabile est seipsum amare, quin vero jubetur quisque diligere proximum sicut seipsum. Amat enim, qui bene cuiquam vult et bene facit; hoc inprimis sibi quisque debet, deinde proximo. Sed sui amantes hic dicuntur, quos alibi vocat quaerentes, quae sua sunt, id est eos, qui privatis student commcdis, posthabita salute et utilitate aiiorum. Unde Ambrosianus legit cum exclusione: sui tantum amatores. Quidam exponunt de amantibus seipsos secundum exteriorem hominem, id est secundum vitam sensitivam, sed praeter mentem Scripturae, quae amantes seipsos et quaerentes, quae sua sunt, opponit quaerentibus ea, quae sunt aliorum et quae Jesu Christi. Quare phrasis haec exponenda est, sicut dixi, de amore inordinato, quo bona privata communibus anteponuntur, quemadmcdum et Augustinus in regula exponit illud 1 Cor. 13. Charitas non quaerit, quae sua sunt. Adde, quod amor iste perversus saepe non est secundum vitam sensitivam, ut in diabolo, qui propriam gloriam quaerit, etinhomine, quatenus hac in re diabolum imitalur. Nam superbiae vitium completur in interiori homine. Denique, 6eipsum amare secundum vitam sensitivam non est malum, nisi fiat inordinate.
Cupidi. Graece <p».Aa'pyupoi. id est amantes pecuniarum, uno vocabulo avari. Elati, superbi. Pro elatis Ambrosianus insolentes legit. Graeca vox significat fastuosos, arrogantes, jactabundos. Itaque differunt haec duo, quae Apostokis conjunxit tam hoc loco quam Rom. 1., quod alterum sit alterius causa. Nam a superbia latente in animo, procedit fastus et arrogantia in verbis et moribos externis. Blasphemi, Latine maledici seu contumeliosi. Hoc quamvis multi exponant de maledictis in Deum prolatis, Graeci tamen vocabuli significatum generale est, etiam in Scripturis, quod et alibi admonuimus. Nota sunt autem haereticorum insana maledicta et contumeliae in Catholicos.
Parentibus non obedientes. Graece ocrcstfrslg, insuasibiles. Quod hoc loco recte vertunt: inobedientes, immorigeri. Interim ex specie genus colligendum est. Huc enim pertinent quicunque praefectis suis qualibuscunque, modo veris, obedire detrectant. Id quod Syriaca versio significat: Hominibus suis non obtemperantes. Idem vitium habes inter ea, quae commemorantur Rom. 1.
Ingrati. Vel hinc conjicere licet, quam grave sit vitium ingratitudo, quod eam Paulus annumeret iis peccatis, quae reddunt tempora periculosa.
Scelesti. Graece avoaioi, id est profani, nefarii, sive ut habet Ambrosianus impii. Ita Graecis vocantur, qui recti et sancti nullam habent rationem, quo minus audeant quaelibet mala perpetrare.
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3. Sine affectione, sine pace. Haec duo quoque vitia ad Rom. 1. recenset Apostolus et conjungit. Sine affectione, Graece ceaTOpyoi, qui nullo tanguntur aflectu amoris ergo proximos, ne ecs quidem, ad quos amandos maxime natura solet incitare, ut parentes, liberos, uxorem, cognatos. Sine pace, Graece aa~ov- &Ot, quod ad Rom. dixit interpres sine foedere, vel ii dicuntur, qui pacta non servant, id est foedifragi, perfidi; unde Ambrosianus legit sine fide; vel qui sunt implacabiles, nec reconciliationem admittunt. Utrumque vox Graeca significat.
Criminatores. Graece Stafta&OL, id est calumniatores, qui mendaciis et conrictis criminibus aliorum innocentiam vexant. Ab hoc vitio cacodaemonnm princeps nomen accepit.
Incontinentes. Alii vertunt intemperantes. Verum Aristoteles lib. 7. Moral. cap. 1. et sequentibus inter incontinentem et intemperantem, quod ad Graeca vocabula attinet, distinguit: quod incontinens vincitur a vehomentia passionum, intemperans peccat ex habitu, ideoque pejor est incontinente. Sed cum Philosophus ipse fateatur, illa duo saepe confundi: recte cum Chrysostomo eos hic intelHgimus generatim significari, qui in quodcunque genus carnalium voluptatum sese effundunt, sive consuetudine id faciant, sive a passionibus superati.
Immites. Graeca vox etiam significat inhumanos et feros, bestiarum more. Sine benignitate, Graece acpiXayauoi, quasi dicat: non amici bonis; pro quo Ambrosianus bonorum inimici. Syrus bonorum osores. Quibusdam placet per liptoten significari omnium bonorum hostes, sive ad personas referatur, quod noster fecit interpres, sive ad res et opera, juxta illud Tit. 1. ad omne bonum opus reprobi. Tametsi de personis probabilius accipitur, ut ii significentur, qui ob merum discrepantiam abhorrent ab amicitia bonorum eosque oderunt. Vide, quae dicimus in illud Tit. 1. Benignum, Graece cpiXayafrov.
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4. Proditores. Graeci interpretantur amicitiae desertores. Quo in genere pessimi sunt, qui instar Judae proditoris amicos ac bene meritos periculis vitae objiciunt.
Protervi. Graece icpcnceTetCj praecipites sive temerarii, qui feruntur, quoeunque rapit impetus cupiditatum. Quanquam etiam protervi Graeco vocabulo significantur. Tumidi, id est inflati prae superbia. Significantur ii, qui sibi placent et alios despiciunt, propter opinionem excellentiae, quam de seipsis animo conceperunt.
Et voluptatum amatores magis quam Dei. Graeca jucundius sonant, propter respondentes sibi compositas dictiones. Erasmus ita reddit: Et voluptatum amantes potius quam amantes Dei. Faciunt id, quicunque suis voluptatibus Dei voluntatem et praecepta postponunt. Peculiariter autem id quadrat in familiam Simonis, turpitudine voluptatum infamem. Certe Epiphanius in haeresi 26. affirmat haec ab Apostolo dicta propter Gnosticos. Nam ii quamvis hoc nomen postea sibi imposuerunt, tamen similia cum Simone docuerunt. Incipit enim nunc Apostolus descendere ad depingendos eorum mores. qui falsa docturi erant.
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5. Habentes speciem quidem pietatis, virtutem autem ejus abnegantes. Graece inficiati. Est enim praeteriti temporis participium. Alii sic vertunt: Sed qui virtutem ejus abnegarint. Virtutem autem seu vim dixit pro veritate. Nam veritas naturae rei cujusque ex vi et operatione deprehenditur. Porro quod nos habemus: speciem, Graece est u6p<pu>oiv, formationem. Ambrosianus legit formam. Quod quidem plerique, tam Graeci quam Latini, de specie, imagine, similitudine pietatis velut contra hypocritas dictum interpretantur, prout nostra versio sonat, ut sensus sit: Verbis et cultu prae se ferunt pietatem, quam in veritate non habent, imo a qua sunt usque adeo alieni, ut abnegasse eam et abjurasse videantur; haud secus atque statua lignea aut lapidea figure.m habet hominis aut leonis, cum reipsa nihil sit minus quam verum animal. At vero, si Graecam vocem pressius urgeamus, quae non figuram aut speciem, sed ut dixi, formationem significat; videbitur Apostolus eos notare, qui quid factu opus sit, pulcre aliis praescribunt, cum ipsi minime ea praestent juxta id, quod Dominus dicit de Scribis et Parisaeis Matth. 23. Dicunt et non faciunt. Et iterum: Digito autem suo nolunt ea movere. Nam uopcpojaic apud Graecos significat instituendi forraandique rationem, ut quum praeceptor discipulo praescribit, quemadmodum loqui aut gerere se debeat. Qua significatione idem Apostolus eam vocem usurpavit Rom. 2., sic Judaeum legisperitum compellans: Confidis teipsum esse eruditorem insipientium, magistrum infantium, habentem formam scientiae et veritatis in lege. Hanc enim Scripturam etiam Chrysostomus et Theophylactus huc adducunt, ut eam, quam dixi, probent illius vocabuli significationem, licet eam putent praesenti loco non convenire.
Et hos devita. Graece a7ioxp£7ioo, id est, aversare-, verbum diversum ab eo, quod alibi vertit devita, tametsi vicinae significationis. Ostendit haec admonitio, Paulum ita loqui de futuris temporibus, ut tamen jam tum ipsius aetate genus hoc homimim, quale depingit, non omnino defuturum, imo nec deesse, ostendat. Alioqui nihil attinebat Timotheo praecipere, ut eos aversaretur. Quaeres, quomodo praeceptum hoc non pugnet cum doctrina superioris capitis, ubi servum Dei vult esse 8t8axxixov, et cum modestia corripientem etiam eos, qui resistunt. Id enim, qui facit, non aversatur. Respondeo, Paulum hoc praecepto non excludere correptionem praeviam; est enim hic locus ex alio interpretandus, ubi ait: Haereticum hominem post unam et secundam correptionem devita, Tit. 3. Ubi et rationem praecepti subjungit: Sciens, inquit, quia subversus est etc. Quae ratio etiam huc transferenda est. Neque enim existimaverim idcirco praeceptum hoc dari Timotheo, ne colloquiis eorum inficeretur, sed ob causam cum Tito communem, quam dixi.
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6. Ex his enim sunt, qui penetrant domos. Graece: Qui subeunt domos seu familias. Ambrosianus: Qui irrepunt in domos. Notatur eorum impudentia, qui callide sese insinuant et ingerunt in alienas familias ventris causa, quos et ad Tit. 1. designavit his verbis: Qui universas domos subvertunt, docentes, quae non oportet, turpis lucri gratia. Erant autem ii potissimum ex Judaeis, ut ibidem dicitur. Est et hic notandum, de re praesenti loqui Apostolum: sunt, qui penetrant. Idem ex sequentibus patet.
Et captivas ducunt mulierculas. Id est, doctrinis suis faciunt eas sibi tam obnoxias, ut velut captivas quolibet ducere videantur. Nam se eis venditant, ut doctores; quo titulo, simul et verborum blanditiis ac lenociniis, facile sibi auctoritatem parant apud sexum judicio ac ratione minus valentem. Qua quidem in re serpentis antiqui sunt imitatores; qui tentationis initium fecit a muliere, nec tamen dicit mulieres; sed diminutive, mulierculas; ut de iis se loqui significet, quae in genere mulierum leviores sunt et inconstantiores. Confer sanctum Irenaeum lib. 1. cap. 9.
Oneratas peccatis. Graece, cumulatas peccatis, quemadmodum vertit Theophylacti interpres, hoc est, magno peccatorum acervo gravatas ac depressas. Latere videtur Hebraismus, quo multitudo peccatorum, velut in fascem colligata et cervici imposita, dicitur hominem deprimere; propter gravitatem poenae imminentis a Deo. Sic Threnorum 1. loquitur Jerusalem: Vigilavit jugum iniquitatum mearum: in manu Dei convolutae sunt, et impositae collo meo. Caeterum peccatis oneratas intellige, vel ab ipsis errorum magistris, quod scilicet eas doctrina sua et consuetudine corruperint, uti Cajetanus exponit: vel a seipsis, quod nimirum jam ante, tametsi Christum professae, vitam egissent inquietam et inhonestam, multisque peccatis, praesertim carnalibus, inquinatam; et per hoc opportunas sese reddidisser.t imposturis haereticorum. Nam a mala conscientia ad fidei naufragium proclivis est gradus, 1 Tim. 1. et, ut ait S. Thomas, peccata viam parant seductioni. Quae res etiam hodie nimium multis exemplis comprobatur. Hunc posteriorem sensum Chrysostomus ejusque sequaces tradunt; quasi dicat Apostolus: Mulieres peccatis onustas adeo non exonerant et a peccatis liberant, quamvis id promittant; ut etiam captivas ducant, ac majori servitute gravent.
Quae ducuntur variis desideriis. Quae ducuntur, Graece afoueva, quae aguntur. Annotant enim Graeci interpretes, Apostolum uti verbo agendi, tanquam luquatur de brutis animalibus, quae ratione carent, et proinde aguntur potius quam agunt. Sic enim mulierculas variis affectibus, quos moderari nequeunt, impelli ad varia peccata.
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7. Semper discentes, et nunquam ad scientiam veritatis pervenientes. Graece, venire valentes. Liquet autem ex Graeco, partem hanc non ad magistros, ut Latini quidam exponunt, sed ad mulierculas, esse referendam: quas dicit semper discere, nec tamen unquam veritatis notitiam assequi posse: quia hoc demum discebant quod docebantur, magistri vero earum non vera docebant sed falsa, superstitiosa et impia. Quare ipsae eorum discipulae non veritatem hauriebant, sed errores. Aut certe significat, eas, quamvis semper discendi cupidas, idcirco non pertingere ad notitiam veritatis, quae ad salutem ducit; quod non contentae doctrina ab Apostolis accepta, prae curiositate et instabilitate animi semper nova quaererent, eaque suis desideriis accommoda: videlicet facientes id, quod sequenti capite de similibus dicitur: Ad sua desideria coacervabunt sibi magistros, prurientes auribus. Eos enim, qui tali modo sunt affecti, quantumvis discere velle videantur, impossibile est ad scientiam salutiferae veritatis pervenire.
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8. Quemadmodum autem Jannes et Mambres restiterunt Mosi. Tn Graeco et Syro non Mambres, sed Jambres legitur. At nostrae lectioni suffragatur Thalmud Hebraeorum in tract. de oblationibus, et ex Hebraeorum R,abbinis R. Nathan, Genebrardo citante lib. 1. Chronologiae. Apud Hieronymum vero in Hebraicorum nominum interpretatione, legimus utrumque expositum, Jambres et Mambres: et quidem eodem modo, quasi inter haec nomina nihil interesset. Porro Jannes et Mambres magi fuerunt Pharaonis, iidemque magorum principes; et quidem fratres, ut opinatur Ambrosianus; qui Mosi et Aaroni fratribus admirabilia signa coram Pharaone cdentibus restiterunt, similia quaedam arte magica patrantes: donec in tertio signo victi succumberent: ut scribitur Exod. 7. et 8. Horum magorum nomina cum non inveniantur sacris literis prodita; non aliunde quam ex traditione Paulus accepisse putandus est. Quod enim dicunt quidam, Apostolum ea ex Spiritu sancto revelante habuisse; non est probabile, cum non magnopero referret magorum nomina nosse. Sed ea recitanda putavit; quia Timotheo scribebat Judaeo, qui cum sacris literis etiam traditiones non scriptas Hebraeorum didicerat. Docet igitur hic locus, etiam antiquitus apud Judaeos exstitisse, extra scripturam sacram, veras quasdam et a piis agnitas atque receptas traditiones. Quo magis Ecclesiae fides habenda est, dum a Christo vel Apostolis acceptas traditiones in medium profert. Quod vero de his duobus magis narrat Palladius in Lausiaca sua historia, in vita S. Macarii Abbatis, eos sibi in Aegypto sumptuosum et mirabile sepulcrum exstruxisse, ad quod videndum S. Macarius Alexandrinus itinere longissimo ac difiicillimo, daemonibus invitis, aliquando accesserit: fabulosum arbitramur, ut alia nonnulla ejusdem historiae. Repetit autem Apostolus ab antiquitate exemplum; ut doceat non esse mirandum, si nunc contradictores patiantur veri doctores veritatis, cum etiam Moses et prophetae quondam suos passi fuerint adversarios. Idipsum et Petrus admonet 2 Epist. 2. Fuerunt, inquit, et pseudoprophetae in populo: sicut et in vobis erunt magistri mendaces, qui introducent sectas perditionis.
Ita et hi resistunt veritati. Non dicit, resistu?it nobis; quamvis dixisset, restiterunt Mosi, sed resistunt veritati, scilicet Evangelicae; quia resistentia eorum et pugna non tam est contra homines veritatem praedicantes, q uam contra veritatemipsam, quam ii praedicant: et proinde contra Deum, quo revelanteetjubente praedicatur. Unde et Moses populo murmuranti dicebat: Non contra nos est murmur vestrum, sed contra Dominum. Exod. 16. Obiter adverte, Graecum verbum, quod hoc loco propriissime vertit interpres, restiterunt et resistunt, diversum esse ab eo, quo usus est Apostolus sub finem capitis praecedentis, ubi legebamus, corripientem eos, qui resistunt. Nam quod hoc loco legitur, vehementius est.
Homines corrupti mente. Id est, qui mentis judicium vitiosis affectibus corruptum habent ac depravatum. Sic in priori epist. cap. 6. dixit conflictionos hominum mente corruptorum.
Reprobi circa fidem. Ita vocantur eo quod viam ad fidem rectam et sanam corrupto mentis judicio et animi obstinatione sibi praecluserint: quomodo Tit. 1. quidam dicuntur: ad omne opus bonum reprobi. Nam et de mulierculis superius dixit ob similem causam, eas ad scientiam veritatis nunquam posse pervenire.
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9. Sed ultra non proficient. Consolatio est Timothei et omnium veritatis praeconum; ne despondeant animum, quod tam graves patiantur adversarios. Non enim, inquit, proficient amplius, sed futurum est, ut eorum amentia, magno cum ipsorum pudore, manifesta fiat omnibus. Hic statim quaestio occurrit. Nam superiori capite dixit, profanorum dogmatum auctores multum profecturos ad impietatem, utpote quorum sermo serpat ut cancer: et hic rursum paulo inferius: Mali homines, inquit, et seductores proficient in pejus, errantes, et in errorem mittentes: quomodo igitur id negat hoc loco, dicens: quod non yroficient ultra? Sunt qui respondeant, ipsos quidsm seductores in dies fore deteriores; non amplius tamen aliis nocituros: quod eorum insipientia sit omnibus manifestanda. Sed hanc solutionem Apostoli verba respuunt. Diserte enim addit, et in errorem mittentes. Alia responsio est, haec verba: Sed ultra non proficient, et quae sequuntur, ad diem judicii pertinere: tunc enim adeo non poterunt ultra proficere, ut etiam tofi mundo eorum impietas patefiat; quando et Antichristum eorum principem Christus interfecturus est spiritu oris sui, 2 Thess. 2. Hanc solutionem B. Thomas indicat. Verum nec ea satis convenit; cum sit supervacaneum, dicere de malis magistris, quod tunc ultra non proficient, quando nec boni amplius proficere poterunt: erit enim illud retributionis tempus, non operis aut profectus. Cajetanus ita exponit: Sed non proficient amplius quam seducendo mulierculas; nam ad mulieres cordatas et ad viros malum hoc non progredietur. Alius quidam sic: Ultra non proficient in bonum, sed ibunt de errore in errorem. Tn quibus expositionibus refellendis nihil opus est imruorari. Probabile est, Apostolum hac sententia non excludere omnem ulteriorem proiectum decipiendi seu viros seu mulieres; sed significare velle, quod non ita proficient, quin a sinceris fidei doctoribus illorum errores et fraudes ita detegantur, ut passim et palam eorum insipientia traducatur; ac multi ab eis seducti agnito errore resipiscant; quantumvis interim alios atque alios veneno suae doctrinae pergant inficere. Haec responsio consentanea est Graecorum commentariis, atque ipsi experientiae. Eodem ferme recidit, si dicamus, quod proficient quidem ratione contagii serpentis, ita nimirum ut multos seducant; non tamen adeo proficient, ut Ecclesiam evertant, ejusve regnum obscurent, et haereditatem Christi evacuent; quia portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam. Valent enim, sed non praevalent; premunt, sed non opprimunt; oppugnant, sed non expugnant. Itaque seductores proficiunt quidem, sed non ultra. Quamvis enim ea canceris sit natura, cui sermo haereticorum comparatur, ut semper ultra proserpat, donec totum corpus absumat; vis tamen illa canceris spiritualis divina virtute, quae ex promissione Christi assistit Ecclesiae usque ad consummationem saeculi, cohibetur, ne totum ejus corpus pervadat atque corrumpat. S. Cyprianus in lib. de Unit. Eccles. ita allegat: Sed non proficient plurimum; exprimens quod Graece legitur.
Insipientia enim eorum manifesta erit omnibus. Graece a\oia, id est amentia, seu dementia. Sensum jam diximus; scilicet futurum, ut eorum errores et imposturae statim proferantur in apertum, et quam plurimis innotescant, non sine gravi eorum ignominia.
Sicut et illorum fuit. Scilicet magorum Januae et Mambrae. Hi enim amentiae et imbecillitatis ter manifesto convicti leguntur. Primum quando virga Aaron devoravit virgas eorum. Exod. 7. Deinde, quando in tertio signo deficientes, compulsi sunt dicere: Digitus Dei est hic. Ibidem cap. 8. Tertio, quando ad sextum signum stare non poterant coram Mose propter ulcera, quae in ipsis erant. Ibidem cap. 9.
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10. Tu autem assecutus es meam doctrinam, institutionem, propositum. Corruptis haereticorum doctrinis et moribus suum objicit exemplum, eoque proposito Timotheum excitat animatque ad peragendum constanter ofncium. Pro assecutus es, alii vertunt, affectatus es. Non enim sensus est Timotheum assecutum, id est adeptum esse Pauli doctrinam, institutionem etc. Nam quae deinceps commemorat, persecutiones, passiones, huic intelligentiae non possunt aptari. Quare nec iste sensus congruit: Studio et ingenio assecutus es me docentem, tanquam discipulus praeceptorem: sed, assectatus es doctrinam meam, et caetera quae sequuntur; id est, ita mihi fuisti perpetuus comes et actionum socius, ut omnia mea tibi perspecta sint: ac proinde in me habeas, quod sequaris et iruitandum sumas. Nosti quae mea fuerit doctrina, quam integra et sincera. Nosti meam institutionem, id est, vivendi modum ac rationem, id enim vox Graeca aycoyTj significat, licet alii instituendi rationem interpretentur. Nostietiam propositummeum, id est, quid in munere meo Apostolico et in omni actione spectaverim ac spectem, scilicet non privata mea commoda, sed gloriam Dei per Christum: non quaerens, quod mihi utile est; sed quod multis. 1 Cor. 10. Denique omnibus omnia factus, ut omnes facerem salvos. Ibidem cap. 9. De verbo Graeco dictum est nonnihil ad illud 1 Epist. 4. Enutritus verbis fidei et bonae doctrinae, quam assecutus es.
Fidem, longanimitatem, dilectionem, patientiam. Nosti insuper, inquit, fidem meam, id est, animi con3tantiam ac fiduciam in rebus agendis. Item longanimitatem seu lenitatem erga persecutores et veritatis adversarios: charitatem erga quoscunque: patientiam in tolerandis adversis, de quibus subjungit:
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11. Persecutiones, passiones. Inter alia, persecutiones et afflictiones suas, quas Evangelii causa passus fuerat, Timotheo ad memoriam revocat; quo discipulum ad similia perferenda suo exemplo reddat alacriorem.
Qaalia mihi facta sunt Antiochiae, Iconii, Lystris. Graecum ola quod interpres vertit, qualia, potest specialiter ad passiones referri, quae Graecis neutri sunt generis, TiaO^uaxa. Atque ita vertendum esset, quales, vel ut aliis placet, quae mihi acciderunt Antiochiae etc. Non semper enim qualitatis aut emphasis nota est, sed saepe pro relativo ponitur. Tametsi, quales, hic non male quadrat; ut sensus sit, quam graves afHictiones mihi fuerint illatae. Nominat autem tres civitates suarum passionum conscias: Antiochiam, quam Pisidiae, non Syriae constat intelligi, Iconium et Lystram; non quod hae solae essent: nam et in aliis multis urbibus multa passus fuerat, ut ex Actis apostolicis liquet: sed harum meminit, vel quod notiora Timotheo essent, quae illis in iocis passus fuerat Paulus, erat enim Timotheus ex Lystris oriundus, urbe reliquis duabus vicina; quam rationem Theodoretus et Theophylactus adferunt: vel quod horum locorum persecutiones pecu- Kariter a Judaeis fuerint in ipsum concitatae; quemadmodum patet legenti Apostolorum Acta cap. 13. et 14. Erant autem Judaei in Paulo persequendo gentilibus longe vehementiores.
Quales persecutiones sustinui. Alii malunt relativum quas; de qua re jam diximus. An autem respiciat ad persecutiones in memoratis urbibus toleratas, an vero ad alias quoque, non liquet. Certe Timotheus multas alias Pauli persecutiones viderat, et quarundam etiam particeps fuerat.
Et ex omnibus eripuit me Dominus. Hoc addit, ut Timotheum ad similia fortiter ferenda cohortetur. Nam etsi Deus non semper eripiat suos a manibus persecutorum: dum tamen saepenumero, atque interdum mirabiliter, eripit; ostendit, sibi curae esse eorum salutem, nec se passurum, ut occidantur, nisi id majori bono compenset.
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12. Et omnes, qui pie volunt vivere in Christo Jesu, persecutionem patientur. Si, inquit, talia quoque tibi accidant, non est, quod mireiis. Est enim id commune omnibus piis et bonis, ut persecutionem patiantur a malis, licet alii aliis graviorem. Addit autem in Christo Jesu, non quod aliqui sint pie viventes non in Christo Jesu, sed potius, ut modum exponat, sine quo non contingit pie vivere. Nam pie vivunt in Christe, qui Deo serviunt in fide Christi. Quae quidem sola hiter omnes hominum credulitates est vera pietas. Dicit autem: volunt, ut omnis, qui vitam hanc Christianam aggreditur, intelligat, persecutiones sibi esse exspectandas. Sed dices: An ergo, qui persecutionem non patitur, sed trauquillani et placidam agit vitam, vel solitarius, vel cum paucis aliis iisque bonis, non pie vivit in Christo? Respondeo, duplicem esse persecutionem, aliam manifestam, aliam occultam. Manifesta persecutio non ad omnes pertinet, qui pie vivunt, sed ad paucos caeterorum comparatione. Occulta persecutio piis omnibus est communis, non 6olum propter occultam pugnam carnis adversus spiritum, et perpetuam omnium piorum colluctationem adversus spiritualia nequitiae; verum etiam propter societatem hominum malorum, inter quos quisque jnstns cogitur non sine dolore et molestia conversari; quantumvis ab iis abstrahere se conetur. Hinc ait Psalmista: Vidi praevaricantes et tabescebam. Et Petrus Apostolus de Lot apud Sodomitas morante 2 epist. 2. Qui, inquit, de die in diem animam justam iniquis operibus cruciabant. Nemo autem vere pius est, qui non tale quid patiatur. Ad hoc genus persecutionis extendit Apostoli sententiam Augustinus et alii nonnulli, ut persecutionem pati sit inquietari ac molestia aflSci, a quocunque sive palam sive occulte. Nam et boni bonis per infrrmitatem aut ignorantiam aliquando molestiam exhibent. Augustini loca sunt epist. 145., lib. 2. contra Gaudent. cap. 13. et 14. et de civit. Dei lib. 18. cap. 51. Eundem seneuin puicre explicat Leo serm. 9. de quadrag., ubi et hanc eodem adducit Domini sententiam: Qui non accipit crucem suam, et sequitur me, non est me dignus, Matth. 10. Quanquam verisimilius est, Apostolum non ita generaliter de persecutione loqui, sed duntaxat de ea, qua mali bonos afliciunt cum voluntate nocendi. Nam de tali loquebatur in superioribus, atque ea passim in Scripturis nomine persecutionis significari solet, ita tamen, ut odia, criminationes, calumnias, detractiones et id genus injurias comprehendat. Qui sensus universalem nihilominus habet veritatem. Cum enim mali nusquam desint, nusquam profecto piis hujusmodi persecutionis materia deficit. Nam et Abel in tanta hominum paucitate sine persecutione non fuit, invidiam et caedem passus a fratre malo, de quo Joan. 1. epist. 3. Propter quid occidit eum? Quoniam, inquit, opera ejus maligna erant, fratris autem ejus justa. Quae ratio communis est omnibus bonis viventibus inter malos. Porro non inepte quidam, quamvis praeter mentem Pauli, propterea dicunt neminem piorum a persecutione liberum esse, quia nunquam Ecclesia sine persecutionibus est, pius autem matris Ecclesiae persecutiones tanquam suas reputat. Hoc, inquam, praeter Apostoli mentem, qui de persecutionibus agit proprie ad unumquemque pertinentibus.
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13. Mali autem homines et seductores proficient in pejus. Seductores, Graece yo^Tsq, quae vox proprie significat incantatores seu praestigiatores, quamvis etiam generalius usurpari soleat, ut verti possit impostores, aut ut Ambrosianus legit deceptores. Porro tale est, quod dicit: Nec vero sperandum nobis est, ut persecutiones, quas mali piis inferunt, hac vita durante aliquando cessent: nam mali ac pravi homines et seductores, nisi si quos eorum divina bonitas singulari beneficentia ab errore revocet, in pejus semper proficient, quae causa erit, ut odia et persecutiones in pios nunquam finiantur. Quomodo autem profecturi sint in pejus, explicat sequentibus verbis:
Errantes, et in errorem mittentes. Participia sunt transposita ab interprete. Nam Graece est: errare facientes et errantes, quod ita verti potest: Seducentes et seducti. Erasmus periphrasi reddidit haud inepte: dum et in errorem inducunt, scilicet alios, et errant ipsi. Videtur autem figura, quam vocant ootspov rcpoTSpov. Prius enim est errare, quam alios in errorem inducere. Atque ea res fortasse movit Latinos, ut ordinem commutarent, nisi sic intelligas: Dum alios seducunt, ipsi justo Dei judicio hoc patiuntur, ut subinde in graviores incidant errores. Sicut autem dupliciter proficiunt errando et seducendo, ita duplici nomine poenas dabunt, et quod ipsi non acquieverunt veritati, et quod alios ab ea retraxerunt.
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14. Tu vero permane in iis, quae didicisti. Quasi dicat: Nihil te moveat illorum, quos dixi, successus et profectus in malo. Tu permane ac persiste in iis, quae semel edoctus es. Nulla vis tentationis tibi ea extorqueat. Noli aemulari in malignantibus etc.
Et credita sunt tibi. Nonnulli sic exponunt, quae credita sunt a te, id est, quae credidisti ac plena fide suscepisti. Sed rectius alii, quae concredita tibi sunt et commendata. Sic ad Gal. 2. Cum vidissent, quod creditum est mihi Evangelium praeputii. Et 1 Tim. 1. Secundum Evangelium gloriae beati Dei, quod creditum est mihi. Monet igitur Timotheum, ut custodiat depositum sibi concreditum, de quo jam aute semei et iterum eum admonuerat, scilicet 1. epist. 6. et hujus epist. cap. 1., ex quo licet animadvertere, quantopere solicitus fuerit Apostolus pro ejus depositi conservatione. Quod autem sit illud depositum, ad eadem loca a nobis explicatum est.
Sciens, a quo didiceris. Duas adfert causas, cur Timotheo permanendum sit in doctrina accepta, quarum prior principalis est et fundamentum posterioris. Constanter, inquit, retine ea, quae didicisti, cum scias, a quo magistro didiceris, videlicet a me Christi Apostolo, quod perinde tibi esse debet, atque si Christo ipso magistro usus fuissos. En quomodo necessaria est auctoritas magistri! Alioqui dicere poterat Timotheus: Quid refert, a quo didicerim, quando Scripturas habeo, ex quibus discere poss!m, magistrum habens Spiritum sanctum? Sicut hodie superbi haeretici loquuntur, dum sua proferunt sine magistro somnia. Nam Timotheum fuisse sacrarum literarum studiosum, probant sequentia.
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15. Et quia ab infantia sacras literas nosti. Haec altera est causa, sed accessoria, cur Timotheo non sit a doctrina semel accepta recedendum. Cum et istud, scias, hoc est, apud te cogitare debeas, quod non leviter imbutus es scientia Scripturarum, quandoquidem a prima aetate discere eas coepisti. Qui enim in aliqua disciplina totam aetatem trivit, non facile admissurus est magistrum novos sensus et placita adferentem, praesertim si ipse praestantium magistrorum auctoritate fulciatur. Imo potius habebit, unde diversa dogmata refellat. In phrasi ab infantia, nonnulla hyperbole subesse videtur. Quas vocet sacras literas paulo post ipse explicat, nempe scripturam divinitus inspiratam. Loquitur autem de scriptura veteris instrumenti: nam scripta apostolica nondum erant in canonem scripturarum relata: imo multa eorum necdum extabant Timotheo juvene. Porro locus hic docet, nec pueros arcendos esse a lectione Scripturae sacrae. Quin ex eo quod Timotheus non a patre fuerit institutus in sacris literis, utpote qui gentilis crat, nec passu.s fuerat eum circumcidi, sed, ut verisimile est, a matre et avia; quarum fidei sinceritatem laudavit Apostolus cap. 1., colligitur, nec mulieres a lectione Scripturae sacrae prohibendas esse. Quod tamen ita intellige, modo secundum regulam ecclesiasticam tales sint personae, quae cognoscantur ex hujusmodi lectione non damnum, sed fidei atque pietatis augmentum capere posse: quemadmodum praescribit Pontifex regul. 4. Indici lib. prohibit. praefixa. Si dicas, Timotheum ex matre Judaea natum pro more gentis a magistro quopiam legisperito institutum fuisse; quomodo Paulus secus pedes Gamalielis eruditum se refert Act. 22., respondeo, non pugnare quominus accesserit aut etiam antecesserit institutio quaedam domestica parentum, tunc ei adhibita, quando per aetatem puerilem nondum aptus esset, qui magistro traderetur.
Quae te possunt instruere ad salutem. Instruere, Graece, aocpiaai, id est sapientem seu doctum reddere. Ne putet Timotheus, sibi sufficere sciontiam scripturarum, quam perceperat: tacite eum adhuc ad studium earum hortatur. Non enim dicit: Quae te satis instruxerunt ad salutem; sed, quae te possunt instruere, scilicet amplius; modo pergas incumbere earum lectioni; sicut aperte ei praecipit in 1 Epist. cap. 4. Dum venio, attende lectioni. Dicens autem, ad salutem; ostendit scopum lectionis et studii scripturarum. Quem quidem plenius expressit loco memorato, cum ait: Hoc enim faciens, et teipsum salvum facies, et eos, qui te audiunt. Hic observa, non solum parochis ecclesiarum, verum etiam episcopis, quantumcunque doctis, adhuc opus esse studio sacrarum literarum.
Per fidem, quae est in Christo Jesu. Id est per ndem, qua in Christum creditur. Hoc addit, vel ut doceat contra Judaizantes, scientiam legis sine fide Christi nihil valere ad salutem; vel ut significet, ex scripturis sacris, cum ob earum obscuritatem, tum ob intellectus nostri coecitatem et hebetudinem, atque affectuum, quibus laboramus, pravitatem, non posse quenqnam haurire do«trinam sanam et incorruptam, nisi fide Christi praemunitus sit, eaque ductrice ad illas intelligendas utatur. Ita demum futurum, ut lectio scripturarum et fidem ei augeat et salutem adferat. Confer quae diximus ad illud Rom. 12. Sive prophttiam, secundum rationem fidei.
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16. Omnis scriptura, divinitus inspirata, utilis est. Quoniam ad Scripturae sacrae lectionem hortabatur; nunc eam insigci encomio commendat: primum ab auctoritate, mox ab utilitate, quae ex ea provenit. Quod expressius apparet in Graeco: Omnis scriptura divinitus inspirata, et utilis. Subaudi est. Itaque duo arBrmantur, omnem scripturam esse divinitus inspiratam, et eandem esse utilem ad ea, quae sequuntur. Scripturam, intelligit sacram, de qua dixerat: Sacras literas nosti: nam Scripturae nomine passim in bibliis sacra Scriptura per antonomasiam significatur, ut Matth. 22. Erratis nescientes Scripturas. Joan. 5. Scrutamini Scripturas, et 10. Non potest solvi Scriptura. Recte igitur, et verissime, ex hoc loco stataitur, omnem scripturam sacram et canonicam Spiritu sancto dictante esse conscriptam; ita nimirum, ut non solum sententiae, sed et verba singula, et verborum ordo, ac tota dispositio sit a Deo, tanquam per semetipsum loquente, aut scribente. Hoc enim est Scripturam esse divinitus inspiratam. Utilitatem vero deinceps explicat.
Ad docendum, ad arguendum, ad corrigendum, ad erudiendum in justitia. Pro gerundiis in Graeco sunt nomina; ad doctrinam, ad redargutionem, ad correctionem, ad institutionem, quae est in justitia. Significantur quatuor praecipua ofHcia pastoris et doctoris eccltsiastici: quorum primum est docere veritatem fidei Christianae. Secundum, refellere errores ei contrarios. Tertium, corrigere mores depravatos, quod potissimum fit admonitionibus, increpationibus, et correptionibus, tametsi non est hic legendum, ad corripiendum, ut quidam codices habent, sed ad corrigendum. Nam Graece non est, ad correptionem, sed, ut dixi, ad correctionem, vel ut Ambrosianus legit, ad redintegrationem. Quod etiam referri potest ad restituendum verum ac sincerum Dei cultum, sicubi per negligentiam collapsus fuerit. Quartum, instituere ad justitiam, id est, ad justam et sanctam vitae conversationem. Neque enim astipulamur Cajetano, particulam, in justitia, repetenti post singula superiora membra: ad docendum in justitia, ad arguendum in justitia, ad corrigendum in justitia: qui sermo partim incommodus est, partim nimium restrictus, atque adeo membra coDfundit, maxime primum et ultimum. Tantum igitur ea particula postremum membrum, cui subjungitur, afficit. Atque id sane exigit Graecus articulus ei praefixus, ttjv iv dixaiooovig. Porro cum non dicat Apostolus, scripturam ad haec omnia sufficere, sed utilem esse; nihil agunt adversarii, quum ex hoc loco moliuntur efficere, quod Scriptura sacra per se sufficiat ad omnem plenitudinem doctrinae fidei, ita ut traditionibus non scnptis nihil sit opus. Ac certe si consequens id esset: sequeretur, solam veteris instrumenti scripturam sufficere, nec opus esse quatuor EvangeHis, nec reliquis novi testamenti libris. Nam de Scriptura veteris testamenti Paulum hic loqui constat, tum quia novi testamenti Scriptura nondum agglutinata erat canoni sacrorum librorum, imo quadam etiam ex parte nondum erat conscripta; tum ex eo quod praecedit: ab infantia sacras literas nosti. Non enim potuit Timotheus ab infantia nosse libros novi testamenti, qui eo infante, aut puero, nondum exstabant. Denique notandum, non id velle Apostolum, quod unaquaeque pars scripturae sacrae sit utilis ad ista quatuor, hic enim sensus liquido falsus est: sed quod in universa scriptura hae quatuor utilitates reperiantur, ita nimirum, ut alia Scripturae pars aliam adferat utilitatem, quodque nulla sit Scriptura, quae non ad aliquid istorum valeat.
3:17
17. ZJt perfectus sit homo Dei. Quem vocet hominem Dei, jam diximus in priori epist. cap. 6., scilicet eum, qui Dei nomine, et in his, quae Dei sunt, populo praeest, maxime si mores et actiones officio respondeant. Ejusmodi sunt impiimis episcopi, quos hic instruit Apostolus; deinde omnes animarum curatores. Minus recte Cajetanus hominem Dei interpretatur eum, qui totum seipsum Deo dat. Hoc enim etiam laicis et idiotis multis convenit, de quibus hic non agitur. Perfectum autem, sive integrum, quod Graece est apxiov, appellat eum, qui tenet omnes partes sui officii. Integrum enim est, quod omnibus partibus constat. Hic sensus explicatur per id quod sequitur:
Ad omne opus bonum instructus. Sive ut alii vertunt: apparatus. Id enina proprie significat participium Graecum, tametsi Theophylactus ct Oecumenius i^pTtousvov exponunt per aTtrpTtouevov, id est perfectum et absolutum. Quod tamen haud videtur quadrare. Nam sicuti inepte quis dicitur absolutus aut perfectus ad aliquam artem aut scientiam; dicendum enim erat in arte aut scientia, verbi gratia, medica aut mathematica: ita nec commode dicitur ad omne opus bonum absolutus aut perfectus. Sentit igitur Apostolus, hominem Dei, id est Episcopum studio Scripturae sacrae id consequi, ut ad omne opus bonum, id est, ad omnem partem officii sui probe comparatus sit atque in3tructus. Nam opus bonum ad hominem Dei, id est Episcopum refertur, tanquam opus ab Episcopo, pastore et doctore, quatenus est ejusmodi, faciendum. Hoc autem est officium. Verum hic quoque insurgunt haeretici. Si enim, inquiunt, Scriptura sacra praestat, ut perfectus sit homo Dei, et ad omnem officii sui partem instructus, ergo quidquid populum docere debet, sacris literis est comprehensum, nec quidquam opus ei est doctrinis aut traditionibus non scriptis. Respondeo, Apostolum dicentem: ad omne opus bonum, eo signo universali non velle comprehendere singula, sed genera singulorum, ut loquuntur. Id quod ex praecedentibus est manifestum, ubi genem duntaxat boni operis, id est, officii episcopalis enumeravit. Hoc igitur est, quod dicit: Cum Scriptura sit utilis, partim ad docendum, partim ad redarguendum, partim ad corrigendum, denique partim ad erudiendum in justitia: quorum primum ad doctrinam et confirmationem fidei Christianae pertinet, seccmdum ad refellendos et exstirpandos errores, tertinra ad vitia corrigenda, quartum ad doctrinam vitae secundum Dei legem instituendae: cumque ad haec quatuor genera facile caetera omnia hominis Dei officia revocentur: consequens est, ut homo Dei lectione et studio Scripturae sacrae perfectus quoad officium suum evadat; utpote ad omne genus officii instructus. Cujusmodi genera sunt quatucr jam enumerata. Nonposse autem Apostoli verba in eam sententiam trahi, quam volunt adversarii: rursus evidenti hoc argumento constat, quia, sicut ante dictum est, de sola loquitur Scriptura veteris instrumenti. Eam autem solam ad universa fidei dogmata stabilienda sufficere, sic ut Evangelicis et Apostolicis literis non s!t opus, nec ipsi haeretici dicere audent.
3:1
… The A. is like the ideal type; in reality he manifests himself in a plurality of opponents of Christ, authors of the final "apostasy" (cf. I Tim. 4, 1-2; II Tim. 3, 1-5; 4, 3-4; Tertullian, De praescriptione, 4, 33). Polycarp (Ad Phil., 7, 2) echoes his master John.
… and 14; Mk. 16, 15-16; Lk. 21, 24; Rom. 9, 25), the appearance of the Antichrist (v.), the conversion of Israel (Hos. 3, 4-5; Rom. 11, 25-27; II Cor. 3, 14-17), the great apostasy (II Thess. 2, 3; Mt. 24, 11-12; Lk. 17, 26-30; 18, 8; I Tim. 4, 1; II Tim. 3, 1), cosmic disturbances (in the sky: Joel 2, 30; Mt. 24, 29, 30; Lk. 21, 25-26, and on the earth: Mt. 24, 7-8; Lk. 21, 25-26).
3:2
… its first part (chaps. 1-6), which under the form of the "two ways" (cf. Mt. 7:13 f.) contains the principal norms of Christian life, with long lists of sins that find a counterpart in the apostolic letters (cf. Rom. 1:29; Gal. 5:19 f.; I Tim. 1:9 ff.; II Tim. 3:2 ff.).
… Affirming: "Radix autem totius iniquitatis est amor sui ipsius," the Angelic Doctor (In II Tim. 3,2: cap. 3, lect. 1) repeats St. Bernard, according to whom self-love, having become self-will, or will not conformed to that of God, is the root of all sins (Sermo in Resurrect. …
3:3
The term is used there 30 times in this technical sense of enemy of God and of his faithful, except in 3 cases where διάβολοι (plural) is the attributive "accuser" (1 Tim. 3:11 [detrahentes]; 2 Tim. 3:3 and Tit. 2:3 [criminator]; cf. St. Polycarp, 5:2). It also occurs 36 times as ὁ σατανᾶς (Mt. 4:1 a diabolos = Mk. 1:13 a satana; Vulgate always satanas and never satan), besides the …
3:5
I. LIFE. - Religiously educated and initiated into the Holy Scriptures by his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois (II Tim. 1:5; 3:5), T. was circumcised by Paul, but only to facilitate his work among the Jews, when he took him as a partner in the apostolate (Acts 16:1-3). His conversion to Christianity could have …
3:8
… Now very few give weight to the assertion of Origen (Comm. series 117 in Mt., 27, 9, ed. Klostermann: CB, XI, p. 250) that Paul cited (I Cor. 2, 9) the Apocalypse of Elijah (in secretis Eliae) as an inspired writing and that he drew the detail of Jamne and Mambre (II Tim. 3, 8) from an apocryphon (Liber Jamnes et Mambres). …
… St. Paul mentions them in II Tim. 3:8. In the Greek, however, the second name is Ἰαμβρῆς.
… Thus 1 Cor. 10:4 and Jude 9 ff. contain references to Jewish legends: cf. 2 Tim. 3:8; Mt. 23:35; Heb. 7:3, etc. Thus the liturgy wishes the soul eternal peace "with Lazarus who was once poor." A body of indications favors the parabolic interpretation, which is increasingly …
3:10
… The A. and the Epistles agree in presenting Paul as a Pharisee, son of Pharisees (26, 5; cf. Phil. 3, 4), as a persecutor marvelously transformed into an apostle of Christ, who escaped from Damascus in a basket (II Cor. 11, 32 f.), persecuted at Antioch, Iconium, Lystra (II Tim. 3, 10). In the A. and in the Epistles Paul's doctrine concerning Judaism coincides, both in the principle that faith and not the Mosaic law justifies, and in the practice that permitted …
All the faithful are called to holiness, at least in a general way. This truth is established by Sacred Scripture (Mt. 5:48; Lk. 14:25; Phil. 4:8; I Cor. 7:29-31; Eph. 1:4; II Tim. 3:10; I Pt. 1:15; I Io. 2:15; Apoc. 22:11), by the holy Fathers (St. Augustine, Sermo 96, 7; PL. 38, 588; St. Basil, Sermo de renunciatione saeculi; PG 31, 628), by constant tradition (cf. …
… facilitate his work among the Jews, when he took him as a partner in the apostolate (Acts 16:1-3). His conversion to Christianity could have occurred on Paul's first passage through Lycaonia, when T. witnessed the labors and persecutions he endured (II Tim. 3:10 ff.). …
3:11
… They departed for Iconium "shaking the dust from their feet against them." But they passed through A. again on their return, reviving and organizing the community hierarchically (Acts 14, 20-23). At the end of his life, Paul (II Tim. 3, 11) recalls the persecutions suffered there; in all likelihood, among these are to be included some of the 5 scourgings and 3 beatings mentioned in II Cor. 6, 5; 11, 23-25.
3:12
… Their character of exclusivity (B. Lanwer, p. 156; cf. 94, 99, 106) is clear from Lk. 6:24-26 and from other passages of the New Testament (Mt. 10:38; 16:24; Acts 14:22; Rom. 8:17 f.; 1 Cor. 1:26-28; 2 Tim. 3:12): the fortunate of this world will not enjoy the recompense (or "reward") in heaven (Mt. 5:12; 6:1-2, 5; Lk. 6:23), since they have already received it here below. …
3:15
Both these women must have contributed to the formation of Timothy, who, instructed from childhood in the Holy Scriptures (II Tim. 3:15), attached himself to the Apostle at a very young age. E. was the wife of a pagan (Acts 16:1): for this reason Paul, out of regard for the Jews of the region, circumcised Timothy. …
Other passages call the Old Testament writings τὰ λόγια τοῦ Θεοῦ (= "oracles of God": Rom. 3, 2); λόγια ζῶντα (= "living oracles": Acts 7, 38); λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ (= "word of God": Mk. 7, 13) etc. The biblical Books are designated as "holy" (Rom. 1, 2) and "sacred" (II Tim. 3, 15), that is, of divine origin.
3:16
III. EXTENT. — Catholic doctrine, based on 2 Tim. 3:16, on tradition, on the notion of God as the author of Sacred Scripture, on its dignity, etc., holds that all parts of the Bible, without exception or distinction, are divinely inspired, …
… The principal doctrines of Christianity are touched upon in them with some development, especially the universality of the Redemption, the Church, the Sacraments, biblical inspiration (v. vol. VII, col. 320) (II Tim. 3, 16); above all the fundamental principles of ecclesiastical law; the power of the hierarchical grades emanates not from the assembly of the faithful but from apostolic authority through …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Rheims 1582), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.