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will convince us that the "lust" of those who heap up "teachers", has no reference to
impurity of life. This therefore brings us back to II Tim. 2: 22, prepared to interpret the
apostle's meaning not so much with reference to the possibilities of a lapse from personal
purity, but in connection with "those vehement, impetuous and headstrong passions" that
so often mar earnest contention for the faith; passions that are by no means absent from
those of mature years, but very closely associated with youth in a position of trust. The
context also influences the shade of meaning which we must attach to epithumia. The
verb epithumeo moreover is used in a good sense in the statement that if a man seeks the
office of a bishop "he desireth a good work". This shows that the "lust" against which
Timothy was warned, could easily comprehend "desiring" office, which in itself be good.
When we look at the alternatives that follow in II Tim. 2: 22-25 we fail to discover the
alternatives to sensual impurity, but instead we find the characteristics of the true leader
and teacher.
"But follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace with them that call on the name of the
Lord out of a pure heart."
The word translated "follow" is a word very much like the one translated "lust", in
that it can have both a bad and a good meaning. Dioko occurs in I Tim. 6: 11 in a good
sense, and in II Tim. 3: 12 in a bad sense.
". . . . . But thou O man of God flee these things (the love of money, &100:); and follow
after righteousness, godliness, faith, love patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of
faith" (I Tim. 6: 11, 12).
Here the word is used in a good sense and the context also throws light upon the
parallel passage in II Tim. 2: 22, 25. An example of the bad sense of the word dioko is
found in II Tim. 3::
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (II Tim. 3: 12).
Here the word is translated "shall suffer persecution". The context of this reference
has to do with purity of doctrine also, and not with purity of mind and body. We should
be sorry to be misunderstood however in this endeavour to see just exactly what the
Apostle meant by his reference to "youthful lusts". Even though it be established that the
Apostle referred to passions that operated within the circle of service and public office,
he himself insisted throughout his teaching that purity of mind and body were the
necessary accompaniments of soundness in doctrine.
Continuing our examination of the context, we read on:
"But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes"
(II Tim. 2: 23).
Here, once more, we have an atmosphere of debate and strife associated with doctrine
and its interpretation. The word apaideutos, translated "unlearned", does not suggests
that only "learned" folk were permitted to raise a question, but rather does it refer to
"undisciplined" questions flung out at random that were far more likely to gender strife
than to edify.