2 Timothy 2:25 - Exposition

Correcting them for instructing those, A.V.; peradventure God for God peradventure, A.V.; may for will, A.V.; unto the knowledge for to the acknowledging, A.V. Correcting ( παιδεύοντα ), παιδεύειν means properly to "educate," "bring up," or "train" a child. Hence sometimes the idea of teaching predominates, sometimes that of correcting or chastising. Here the context shows that the idea of teaching is pre-dominant—partly because the word suggests something contrary to the ἀπαίδευτοι ζητήσεις of 2 Timothy 2:23 , and partly because the end of this παιδεία is to bring them to the knowledge of God's truth. The A.V. "instructing" is therefore the right word here. Them that oppose themselves ( τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθέμενους ) ; only here in the New Testament or the LXX ., or in classical Greek. Literally, those who arrange or set themselves in opposition; or, in one word, "opponents," referring, no doubt, chiefly to such ἀντιλέγοντες as are mentioned in the very similar passage, Titus 1:9 (see too Titus 2:8 ). If peradventure ( μήποτε ). " ΄ήποτε , in later Greek, loses its aversative meaning ('lest at any time'), and is almost equivalent to εἴποτε " (Alford, in loc. ) —equivalent to "in case God should," etc. Repentance ( μετανοία ) ; such a change of mind as shall lead them to embrace the truth. Knowledge ( ἐπίγνωσις ); almost invariably used of the knowledge of God or of God's truth ( Titus 3:7 ; Romans 1:28 ; Ephesians 1:17 ; Ephesians 4:13 ; Colossians 1:9 , Colossians 1:10 ; Colossians 3:10 ; Titus 1:1 ; Hebrews 10:26 , etc.). The truth ; that truth which before they set themselves to oppose, disputing against it and resisting it. The servant of the Lord must never despair of any one, never throw an additional obstacle in any one's way by roughness or harsh speech, and never allow unkind feelings to be roused in his own breast by the perverseness or unreasonableness of them that oppose themselves to him.