Verses 20-26

Verse 20 In the great house of God, the church, there are only two types of vessels, those for honor (eis time), and those for dishonor (eis atimia).  The gold and silver vessels are responsive believers, reflecting the glory of Christ, whom the Lord is proud to display.  The vessels of wood and clay are those believers living an earthly lifestyle.  The Lord can still use these believers, but it will be behind the scenes or in spite of their actions, and they will not receive honor. 

Verse 21 Paul encourages us with the fact that it is possible to be cleansed, to become a golden vessel of honor through repentance, turning from dishonor or sin and actively seeking to live a holy, righteous life.  The sanctified believer is set apart from the other vessels because he is prepared to be used in whatever way God chooses. For a vessel of honor, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

The phrase “the latter” is referring to the “vessels for dishonor.”  This is first seen by the use of “therefore” (oun), indicating the follow sentence is an inference from the final clause of v. 20.  If the possibility exists to be an honorable vessel, then one should seek after that goal while avoiding other dishonorable vessels.  Secondly, the nearest antecedent for “these things” (touton) is “vessels for dishonor” in v. 20.²⁸  Therefore the first step for a believer to be set apart is to flee ungodly companions, for “bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33)

Verse 22 The next, deeper step for a believer to become a vessel for honor is to “flee also youthful lusts.”  Paul always uses the word “flee” when one should avoid a particular sin, not simply sin in general.²⁹  Once we have removed ourselves from ungodly influence, then we must remove sinful motivations from our hearts.  The responsive believer must literally run from temptation and sinful situations.  This is well illustrated by the use of “flee” in the Septuagint.  It is the same word used in Genesis 39:12-13 for Joseph fleeing the lustful advances of Potiphar’s wife.³⁰

The next step in becoming a vessel for honor is to “pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace,” all common virtues for Christians to seek after.  As we are running from temptation and ungodly influence, we must at the same time be pursuing this righteous living “with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”  Thus we see the final ingredient in the recipe for being useful to the Master: being involved in godly relationships that aid us in growing spiritually.  Christ did not send out the disciples alone, but sent them out in pairs in order to strengthen and encourage one another ().  While the believer is still responsible for the condition of his heart and his individual relationship to God, he is to pursue this righteousness in the company of other strong believers.

“But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. ²⁴And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, ²⁵in humility correcting those who are in opposition...” – 2:23-25a

Verse 23 Paul returns to what was apparently a “youthful lust” or temptation for Timothy, the urge to engage in arguments with other believers.  Paul characterizes these particular types of disputes as “foolish and ignorant.”  Thus, they are not a healthy debate that ends with the believers feeling edified, understanding the importance of relationship over non-essentials.  On the contrary, these disputes would “generate strife,” that is, they would leave the participants feeling bitter, angry, estranged, and further from the Lord.  Those to whom Timothy ministers must know him as a loving shepherd, seeking to unify the body of Christ (Eph. 4:3).

Verse 24a Paul continues with his definition of a useful servant of God, the standard that Timothy was to remember in his ministry.  The minister must not seek to be involved in arguments, especially avoiding the temptation to have the last word.  It is important to correct, rebuke and to speak truth, but if we encounter an argumentative person, someone who does not honestly hunger for the truth, we must disengage and turn them over to their error rather than mar our character by becoming like them.  Dwight Edwards comments on Paul’s use of “quarrel”:

The word used for "quarrel" (machomai) normally refers to "fighting or combat."  There is also an interesting use of this word in secular Greek to describe a wind of such high intensity that it leveled everything in its path, much like a hurricane.  The servant of the Lord must not "blow away" those who block his path in one way or another.³¹

Verse 24b Setting aside aggressive argumentation, the minister must thus be gentle to all, both those who we naturally get along with as well as foes and those with conflicting personalities.  The use of the word “but” indicates a contrast with the previous phrase, further defining quarrelling as harsh and unkind.  When a dispute arises in the church that demands the minister’s attention, he must approach all in gentleness and always speak with love (1 Cor. 13).  Additionally, the servant of the Lord must be able to teach others.  This may range from individual discipleship to small groups, and even large conferences.  Paul’s concern is not with the recipient of the teaching, but with the minister’s ability to communicate God’s truth intelligibly in any circumstance.  Finally, the servant is to remain patient with those who may seek to quarrel or who do not understand his teaching.  The word that Paul here uses for “patient” is anexikakos, which means "to bear evil without resentment."³²  Certainly the servant of the Lord will have to bear much evil if he is an honorable vessel in the Lord’s house.

Verse 25a Although the minister is patient and gentle, the time will arise when he must contend for the truth.  Certainly this would involve an essential issue to the faith, such as the deity of Christ or the fact of the resurrection, an issue that could “upset the faith of some.”  The word here translated humility (praotes) is better translated “meekness.”  Dwight Edwards describes its usage:

In the Greek language, this was a graphic word.  It was used to describe a gentle breeze or voice.  Aristotle put it as the midpoint between great anger and no anger at all.  It describes the person who is never angry at the wrong time but always angry at the right time.  It was used also of a wild horse which had been tamed and brought under control.  One man has well defined it as "strength under control."³³

The minister must learn to “be angry, and do not sin” (Eph. 4:26), adequately representing the patience and strength of character that Jesus Himself showed while on earth. 

 “…if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, ²⁶and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” – 2:25b-26

Verse 25b Paul changes the subject here from the Timothy’s responsibility as a minister to God’s sovereignty in ministry.  These words are extremely important for the minister to understand, for Paul is reminding us that our only responsibility is to communicate the truth.  It is up to God to effect a change in the individuals.  However, it is still vitally important to speak the truth patiently, gently, and meekly.  Paul knew this truth well when he wrote to Corinth that “neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1 Cor. 3:7).

It is important to understand who Paul is referring to when he speaks of the “opposition.”  (v. 25a) Paul uses the same phrase “knowledge of the truth” (NASB) in Titus 1:1, and notes that it is “according to godliness.”  This truth, then, is necessary for believers to live godly, sanctified lives.  The context of the passage is Timothy’s relationship as a minister to those in the church, both the vessels for honor and those for dishonor.  Thus men such as Hymenaeus, believers in Christ, had abandoned the truth (1 Tim. 1:20), and needed to

repent³⁴ concerning their incorrect teaching³⁵ in order to become a useful vessel in the house of the Lord. Most importantly, Paul emphasizes the restoration of the false teachers and their followers, to always be working toward their repentance.

Verse 26 Paul concludes with two powerful metaphors for understanding the condition of those in opposition to the truth.  First, the word for “come to their senses” (ananepho) is more accurately translated as “to be sober again.”³⁶  Paul compares those opposing truth to drunkards in order to illustrate the blinded and foolish state of mind of one who actively counters truth.  Secondly, Paul illustrates their condition with a hunting metaphor.  The words “and escape” do not appear in the Greek text, so this phrase should more accurately be translated “come to their senses from the snare of the devil.”³⁷  After alluring a believer into a snare of drunken, willful error, they are then the devil’s captive until the Lord frees them. Paul’s use of the phrase “snare of the devil” is significant, for it further identifies these men as believers.  The other New Testament occurrence of this phrase is in 1 Timothy 3:7, as part of the qualification for elders.  Paul speaks of the possibility of an elder falling “into reproach and the snare of the devil.”  It is therefore consistent to interpret this passage as referring to true believers being deceived by Satan.³⁸ 

Finally, some debate exists over whose will is being accomplished by those caught in the snare.  Some take it to be God, so that they have been taken captive by the devil to do God’s will.³⁹  This view concentrates on the use of significantly different pronouns to refer to “him” (autou) and “his” (to ekeinou), and emphasizes the sovereignty of God in the life of the believer and over Satan.  So to ekeinou  refers all the way back to “God” in v. 25.  Although ekeinou often refers to a distant antecedent, it is not grammatically necessary and is not always used in that fashion.  So then others accept the interpretation that the believer does the will of the devil until he is freed from his snare by God.⁴⁰