The profession of Christianity has become the reproduction, under the name of Christ, of all the horrors and wickedness of heathenism. (Compare ch. 3:1-4 with Rom. 1:29-3129Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: (Romans 1:29‑31).)
We are never able to judge rightly as to what we have to do and to meet in the last days, unless we are conscious that we have to do with Satan’s power actually, “as Jannes and Jambres,” &c. But their folly will be shown up, perhaps now, perhaps by and by.
The expression “silly women” is applicable to men of effeminate mind as well as to women. It is the turn and bent of the mind of the persons who are thus beguiled.
We here get Paul’s doctrine (v. 10) and the manner of life which flowed from it. “Thou hast fully known” i.e., had perfect understanding of it. It is a like expression to that in Luke 1:33It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, (Luke 1:3): “Having had perfect understanding,” &c. He had fully followed up his teaching, as having learned it thoroughly. The manner of life goes with it.
In v. 12 The emphasis is on “godly;” they will suffer. Things would get worse and worse. It was the old story with the world-either deceiving itself or being deceived.
He now casts us upon Scripture specially. In v. 15, it is the Old Testament Scriptures which Timothy had known. In 16 he embraces “all Scripture.” Scripture is the point—that which was written. Peter stamps Paul’s writings with the authority of the other Scriptures. He says they are Scripture (2 Peter 3:1616As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16)). The man who can do this was conscious he was writing Scripture himself. The Lord endorses the great division of the Old Testament Himself “the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms” (Luke 24). Samuel and the Kings were amongst the prophetic books. There is a difference of character in the inspiration of the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament it was “Thus saith the Lord,” &c. There was in the Old Testament Scriptures a distinction in the character of the inspiration—1St, as God spake to Moses “ face to face;” 2nd, to the prophets “in a dream,” &c.; and 3rd, the Holy Ghost spake in the circumstances and events through which the people were passing—as in the Psalms, &c.,—so that the personal experience of the speaker was brought in.
One may say, “How do you know that Scripture is the Word of God?” I reply, “How do you know that the sun shines”? If you say “It does not,” you manifest the ground you are on, as denying it. If you say “It does,” you admit it. God has spoken so as to make Himself known, and to make people know He is speaking.
In the New Testament the Holy Ghost comes down and vitalizes all the circumstances through which the new man has to pass. He takes up the little things of everyday Christian life. It is a mistake to suppose the Holy Ghost only engages Himself with great ecclesiastical things. As there is nothing too great for God to give us, so there is nothing too little for God to take up and interest Himself in for us. There is nothing so common as eating and drinking and dress. These things are taken up most strongly. Even these things become an opportunity for the glory of God. God would never have us to act as a man; but always, by the power of the Holy Ghost, to act as a Christian. Thus the Holy Ghost enters upon the circumstances of daily Christian life, and vitalizes them. When the apostle writes of these things therefore, the words in which he wrote are the words of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor. 2:1313Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:13)), as much as when the prophet of old uttered his magnificent strains with “Thus saith the Lord,” and then sat down to study his own prophecies, to see what they meant and of whom they spake. (See 1 Peter 1; 2.)