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#32. The abiding, and the assurance of
the true successor to Paul (3: 12 - 14).
pp. 211 - 214
Paul had reminded Timothy of his own experiences at Antioch, Iconium and at Lystra,
and had added the comforting comment that "out of them all the Lord delivered me".
Before he proceeds to the next great theme of this section, he adds a word for us all.
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (II Tim. 3: 12).
"Will" and "shall" are often the indications of the future tense in an English sentence,
and the casual reader may see no more in the "will" and the "shall" of verse eleven than
this. Upon examination however, we find that "will live godly" employs the verb thelo
"to will", and Weymouth goes so far as to translate the passage, "Every one who is
determined to lead a godly life". Conybeare and Howson give a similar rendering, "Yea,
and all who determine to live a godly life". Alford renders the passage, "All who are
minded to live piously", and comments:
"Hardly so strong as determine (Conyb.). Nor can it be said that thelontes is emphatic
as Huth. It requires its meaning of purpose to be clearly expressed not slurred over; but
that meaning is not especially prominent."
Thelema, the noun, is found in two passages of II Timothy:
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the Will of God" (1: 1).
"Taken captive by him at his will" (2: 26).
The verb occurs in I Timothy three times, and in the first occurrence it is
translated "desire", "Desiring to be teachers of the law" (1: 7). The apostle's meaning in
II Tim. 3: 12 seems to be expressed in the rather wide interpretation suggested by
Alford "All who are minded", so long as we remember the original and do not build
false arguments from the word "mind". Why does the apostle open his next sentence
with "but"?
"But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived"?
There does not seem to be much sense in reading:
"But on the other hand evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,"
for there is no real contrast. May it not be that the real contrast is found in the word
translated "wax" in contrast by anticipation with the word "continue" of verse 14? For
the word translated "wax" is prokopto, and has already been used by the apostle in the
epistle.
"For they will increase unto more ungodliness" (2: 16).
"But they shall proceed no further" (3: 9).
"Evil men . . . . . shall wax worse and worse" (3: 13).