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to be borne in its own times" (R.V.); ". . . . . the knowledge (or acknowledging) of the
truth which is according to godliness . . . . . but in its own seasons (margin) manifested
His Word in the message, wherewith I (Paul) was intrusted". There is a right and fitting
season or time for the revelation of God's truth which must be recognized.
The Apostle now turns away from error to the firm foundation of God that stands sure
and unchanging and likens it to a seal or coin whose two sides represent (1) the infallible
Lord and His knowledge, "the Lord knoweth them that are His"; the tares and the wheat
are all known to Him; and (2) "Let everyone that nameth the name of the Lord depart
from unrighteousness" (II Tim. 2: 19). The first is internal and unseen by men and may
be likened to a root. The second is external and can be seen by all and may be compared
with fruit. "By their fruits ye shall know them." We should be thankful that the final
sorting out between the true and the false will be accomplished by the Lord Who will
make no mistakes.
An allusion is made to Numb. 16: 5 and 26 in which the Israelites are reminded of
this fact. God unerringly knows His own children and while we have both Divine
sovereignty and human responsibility here, it is the fact of responsibility that the Apostle
wished to bring home to Timothy. Consequently he now brings forward the illustration
of a great house and its furniture:
"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood
and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour (or no honour). If a man
therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet
for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work" (II Tim. 2: 20, 21).
The vessels unto honour may be likened to the ornaments of beauty in the
drawing-room or lounge; the baser vessels, those of a lack of honour or beauty, in the
kitchen. The stress here is not the use of these articles, but on their quality or worth.
Paul is urging Timothy to aspire to be a vessel of real worth to the Lord, one who can
bring glory to His Name.
Hymenaeus and Philetus and those who followed them could be compared with
vessels of dishonour, and there was only one course open to Timothy, namely to purge
himself and separate himself from such. Only then could he be true to the name Timothy,
which means `one who honours God' or is `honoured by God'. The tenses of the verb
here should be rendered, `having been sanctified' and `having been prepared', that is by
God, `unto every good work'. The root meaning of sanctification is separation, and here
we have separation for service (the Master's use). By separating himself from all who
taught false doctrine, Timothy would be taking to a practical conclusion the sanctification
which was his in Christ. Only by so doing could he be loyal to the Lord and the truth
committed to him and thus be a vessel of beauty and honour, a vessel that the Lord could
use to His glory. Doubtless by so doing he would render himself open to the charge of
being narrow and unchristian, but there must be no compromise whatever the cost.
All who wish to become honoured servants of the Lord must follow the same
pathway. Such must choose whether they wish to please men or please the Lord,