2 Timothy 2 (KJV) - Bible Truth Library

• The vessels to dishonor will mean not a class, but those, whether Christians or simply professors, who are defiled with evil of any kind, or engaged in anything that dishonors the Lord’s name. And let the reader observe, that the responsibility is not to judge the personal state and condition of such vessels, but to purge himself from them, because he is under the obligation as naming the name of the Lord, to depart from iniquity. (“Exposition of 2 Timothy: 2 Timothy 2:20-26” by E. Dennett)

• Then, when once qualified, it is His to take us up and use us how, where, and when He will; for by it we are “prepared unto every good work.” (“Exposition of 2 Timothy: 2 Timothy 2:20-26” by E. Dennett)

• Discipline for individual faults is not the subject here, nor the restoration of souls in an assembly that has in part lost its spirituality; but a line of conduct for the individual Christian in respect of that which dishonors the Lord in any way. (“2 Timothy 2” by J.N. Darby)

• God may gather the faithful together. It is grace on His part; it is also His mind. But individual responsibility remains-responsibility not to break the unity, feeble as it may be, wherever it is possible according to God: but responsibility to preserve the divine character of Christianity in our walk and to respond to the revelation we have received of His nature and of His will. (“2 Timothy 2” by J.N. Darby)

• To apply this language indeed to the separate assemblies of the saints would be to falsify the teaching of the apostle in other scriptures, and to justify the tolerance of almost any and every kind of evil in the midst of the saints. On this account it cannot be too earnestly insisted that the apostle is dealing with the external form of Christianity, of which the believer himself forms part (article #86511)

• The word "purge out" is only found in one other place, where it is, "Purge out therefore the old leaven" (1 Cor. 5:7), which was to be done by the Corinthians in "putting away from among themselves that wicked person." But here -and it is in the contrast the teaching lies- we are to purge ourselves out from the vessels of dishonor. The Corinthians had to put away evil from their midst, because it was sin in the assembly; we have to separate ourselves from evil (because it is instruction for the individual, and not, as in their case, for the assembly), in order to be approved for the Lord's service. (article #86511)

• the vessels to dishonor will mean, not a class, but those, whether Christians or simply professors, who are defiled with evil of any kind, whether from their evil ways, or from their public associations, whether ecclesiastical or secular; those, in a word, who, claiming to be Christians, are contaminated by association with, or engaged in, anything that dishonors the Lord's name. (article #86511)

• Do any, then, desire to be used of the Lord? Here is His own qualification for service (article #86511)

J. N. Darby Translation

If therefore one shall have purifiedb himself from these, in separating himself from them, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, serviceable to the Masterc, prepared for every good work.

JND Translation Notes

The word for "purified" is only found here and 1 Cor. 5.7, "Purge out." There it was to get rid of the old leaven out of the lump; here the one who names the name of the Lord has to purge himself from among the vessels. Hence we have an additional preposition which is rendered by "separating from." Lit. "purified himself away from these."

Despotes, as Acts 4.24.

W. Kelly Translation

If one therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctifieda, serviceable for the master, prepared unto every good work.

WK Translation Notes

The copulative "and" is wrongly inserted by many authorities, as in the T. R