2 Timothy 2:25, commentary and pictures

The Lord's servant must not quarrel but be gentle to everyone, able to teach and patient, correcting in meekness those whose opposition harms themselves. Those who oppose themselves put stumbling blocks in their own way, turn from truth to fables, and brace themselves against light and evidence. Such opposers are to be taught calmly, wisely, patiently and gently, never with excitement, strife, retaliation or an antagonistic spirit. Repentance that leads to acknowledging the truth is a gift only God can grant, and its aim is recovery out of the devil's snare in which opposers are held captive at his will. Done in this meek spirit the work wins souls and opens blind eyes, while harshness even in defense of right points turns people away and leaves them more stumbled and beyond reach.

Wording and Immediate Context

The servant of the Lord must not strive or quarrel but be gentle to all, apt to teach and patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves and the truth, in hope that God will grant them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. This meek instruction is the appointed means by which opposers may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, where they are taken captive at his will. It is to be done without striving or self-assertion, in the meekness of Christ and the love of God, defending points of faith while giving spiritual help to neighbors and strangers, so that even those strong in faith bear testimony to the power of the truth, make a favorable impression, and depend on God to use them by His Spirit to break the enemy's power over souls. When obeyed in a converted, teachable spirit with self dead and the mind of Christ, in humbleness and undying love to win souls and bring them to light, it lets light shine in good works to glorify the Father; when disobeyed through combativeness, firmness, self-esteem, bigotry, extreme views, fault-finding, desire to control others, or a boasting triumphant manner, even correct points become disagreeable and disgusting, the light is called darkness, honesty is questioned, and more souls are turned away and made to stumble than are brought in. The same charge directs personal labor among all kinds of minds and characters by visiting families, learning difficulties and spiritual hindrances, and giving needed counsel, cautions, warnings and reproof not in human words but in the words of the living oracles.

Being apt to teach and patient means studying to be approved unto God by rightly dividing the word of truth, gaining scriptural knowledge with experience in faith and patience, and giving each his portion in due season as one studied, approved and qualified for the ministry. Ministers of Christ in these last days of peril must do the work of wise generals in warfare not merely against men but against Satan and his angels, becoming Bible students able to give strong arguments for the reasons of the faith, yet never in a boisterous manner or with striving, but gentle, apt to teach and patient, presenting truth in meekness and in the fear of God, since convincing power lies in strong arguments so presented. Cleansed lips are required that speak pure, sanctified, unselfish words bearing God's approval, seeking right principles and purposes, praying more and talking less, and in council meetings and private conversation giving no chance for words to be misinterpreted and used to hurt brethren. Correcting those who oppose the truth is to be with gentleness, patience and readiness to teach, leaving it to God to grant repentance leading to acknowledgment of the truth.

The command stands together with avoiding foolish and unlearned questions, striving about words to no profit, and schisms in the church, because they gender strifes, subvert the hearers, and draw away from Scripture and spiritual welfare to what does not save. Soundness in principle requires rightly dividing the word of truth and refusing disputes of human invention, since salvation does not depend on side issues but on returning to Scripture. Applied to health reform, this rebukes criticizing and fault-finding toward what is not known experimentally and instead requires standing shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart with those working in right lines.

Those that oppose themselves are those whose resistance harms themselves, places stumbling blocks in their own way, and leaves them caught in the devil's snare and captivity until freed. This includes objecting even to keeping the Lord's Sabbath, turning from truth to fables under subtle reasonings, deceptive errors and strong delusions, and bracing against light and evidence while opposing God's counsel and their own good. Recovery is only by acknowledging the truth God sent but was refused, which is acknowledging the movings of the Spirit, casting away unbelief, confessing refused light, and coming into the light to be healed of spiritual disease, humiliating to the soul but unto salvation. God gives sufficient evidence on which to base faith without removing all occasion for doubt, and He will not be trifled with; light unconfessed, unacknowledged and unimproved becomes darkness, the path grows darker, and afterward it becomes much harder to go back and gather up the scorned rays of light.

With its context the verse declares that the foundation of God stands sure and calls everyone naming Christ's name to depart from iniquity, turning from human revealings to the deep searching of the sure word of prophecy as the only safety and counselor, which Word must speak to the soul and be taught and impressed upon every mind. The passage in 2 Timothy 2:19-26 is practical instruction to be studied and lived for gaining a sense of the exceeding sinfulness of sin by beholding Jesus and being changed into His image, with discernment to see sin's character, for resisting the devil and drawing nigh to God, for standing guarded every moment against temptations and sins that debase mind and character and break down the barriers of the soul, for refusing the path of those who do wickedly without building up self in self-righteousness over those overcome, and for being fully on God's side as a co-worker with Him to rescue souls from death and hide a multitude of sins.

Meek Manner of Instruction

Those who oppose the truth are to be instructed in meekness, gently, patiently, calmly and wisely, leaving room for God to grant repentance unto acknowledging the truth and recovery from the devil's snare in which they are held captive. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle to all, apt to teach and patient, serving people's spiritual welfare and avoiding foolish disputes and striving over words. Those who walk in the light do not answer error with excitement or strife but present truth calmly and wisely, showing wisdom sought and received from God. This counsel applies both to those ignorant of the Lord's way and to erring believers who depart from Christ's principles, and patient gentle personal conversation can bring opponents to see truth as it is in Jesus.

Quarreling, harshness, severity, censure, blame, condemnation, ridicule, jesting, contempt, sharp retaliatory answers, unfair sharpness, using truth as a club or weapon, denunciatory speeches, and boastful triumph are forbidden. Those defending points of faith where they disagree must be calm and self-possessed, kind and courteous, never betrayed into harsh language, never regarding themselves as infallible, never looking with contempt on those who differ, never counting them as enemies, and never meeting them with ridicule or jesting. Objections are to be considered fairly and answered with the light and power of truth rather than dismissed or met with a harsh spirit, so opponents may recognize they were deceived. Sharp, retaliatory, condemnatory answers give no light and add no intelligence, cannot convert but only create hardness of heart and may prove fatal, while pitying tenderness can open blind eyes and help recover some ensnared by Satan.

Meek instruction requires a converted, teachable spirit with self dead, the mind and lowliness of Christ, humbleness, undying love for souls, pitying tenderness, sympathy, long-suffering, calm dignity, prayer, and wisdom sought and received from God. It must not be done in a self-sufficient manner, in combativeness, firmness, self-esteem, bigotry, extreme views, fault-finding, desire to control others, or a boasting triumphant manner, but in meekness, patience, grace and wisdom, in the meekness of Christ and the love of God. Done this way, even those strong in faith bear testimony to the power of truth, make a favorable impression, reveal the meekness and gentleness of Jesus, and depend on God so He can use them by His Spirit to break the enemy's power over souls.

The method is to present strong arguments and precious truth in its native force without a boisterous or forceful manner, for convincing power lies in strong arguments so presented in meekness and the fear of God. Error is to be exposed and removed by faithful use of Scripture and truth rather than by harshness or mere assertions, keeping to the affirmative, meeting opposition with humility and love, and laboring for salvation. Teaching should be skillful and simple, letting God's word rather than the teacher's words reach the heart, since poor tact can turn people away, and objections should be patiently considered, truth taught repeatedly, and counsel, cautions, warnings and reproof given privately and with grace in the words of the living oracles.

Labor must continue with hope even when people seem beyond influence through stubborn rebellion, without despairing when work is rejected. Everything possible should still be done in hope that God will give repentance, since persevering workers may succeed where others give up. Saving one soul can lead through that person's influence to many others being saved, and in cooperation with divine intelligences this work reveals God's perfections in Jesus Christ to those not so absorbed in the world that they cannot discern Him.

Repentance as God's Gift

Repentance that leads to acknowledging the truth is something God Himself may grant, and meek instruction leaves room for Him to give it rather than trying to force it by strife. The Lord's servant must not strive but be gentle to all, apt to teach and patient, avoiding foolish and unlearned questions that gender strifes, studying to be approved by rightly dividing the word of truth, and teaching calmly, patiently and wisely as one who has sought and received wisdom from God. This applies both to those ignorant of the Lord's way and to erring believers who depart from Christ's principles, who also need conversion so they may return rather than lead others astray. Patient, gentle personal conversation can help opponents see the truth as it is in Jesus, trusting God to work where excitement and discourteous controversy cannot.

The aim of such labor is recovery out of the snare of the devil, in which opposers are taken captive at his will and held in captivity until freed. That captivity is darkness and spiritual disease, and instruction is to serve their spiritual welfare by bringing them to recognize the truth and repent through the change God may grant, so they can escape. Gentle, patient teaching therefore looks beyond winning an argument to seeing souls loosed from Satan's hold and restored to acknowledgment of the truth.

Repentance is begotten by the Holy Spirit and means falling upon the Rock and being broken, having mind and thoughts brought into captivity to the will of Christ, and by beholding Christ being changed from glory to glory and from character to character. It requires drinking the Holy Spirit of God instead of fables and error, taking a decided position for the right with thorough work, breaking from Satan's snare, and coming to the light, which Christ alone can effect in thoughts, words and actions. Those who press earnestly to the light and stand firmly for the right are helped by the Holy Spirit and glorify the Lord in them, feeling the power of Christ and standing to the front under God's controlling influence, while questioning and doubt neither change the truth nor remove responsibility to seek it through God's Word. Even those who once knew the Father's love but allowed the tempter to lead them captive, like the prodigal son, are still loved strongly, with influences set in operation to bring them back to the Father's house, where upon repentance they are received with joy, covered with the robe of righteousness, and restored so their capabilities are exercised for good in a life honoring God and blessing others, to Satan's disappointment.

Accepting reproof and warnings opens the way to that recovery, while refusing correction, closing to counsel, treating warnings as an idle tale, and refusing to come to the light lest deeds be reproved leaves a person captive. Hearts steeled against counsel and unwilling to admit even the possibility of error remain united to walk in the sparks of their own kindling, and indulging doubt and unbelief leaves them unaware of danger under evil influence until awakened to make a determined effort to escape. Response must therefore be immediate, thorough and determined, going to Jesus without delay to confess sin and repent, confessing refused light and casting away unbelief, heeding God's warnings, drawing near to God, purifying the soul through obedience to the truth, and seeking Him in humility so sins may go beforehand to judgment. Unacknowledged light becomes darkness and return grows harder, for refusing correction can prevent the Holy Spirit from changing the character.

Who Opposers Are

Opposers are both those who do not know the Lord's way and erring believers who have departed from Christ's principles and need conversion that they may return rather than lead others astray. This includes those who resist the truth by objecting even to keeping the Lord's Sabbath, placing stumbling blocks in their own way and remaining caught in the devil's snare until God grants repentance unto acknowledging the truth. It also includes those who have departed from the faith, who are to be instructed with truth and strong evidence in patient labor that may lead some to acknowledge the truth as God grants repentance. All such are to be persuaded with prayer, meekness, and a lowly spirit, in order to reform, reclaim, and rescue them from error and bring them to Christ.

They include youth born into a world of temptation and those in darkness to whom the truth sounds strange and who cannot distinguish truth from error, who must be met with great patience, long-suffering, gentleness and tenderness. They include children whose salvation is the object of instruction, for which parents and teachers are to be prepared and consecrated workers. An erring child caught in Satan's snare is to be held fast with faith and tenderness rather than met with withdrawn love or abandoned hope, so the sinner may be turned from error and saved from death. Neglected children who oppose correction are likewise to be reformed by firm, calm decision without harshness, condemnation, or an overbearing, provoked spirit, even when lack of parental cooperation makes the work disagreeable.

Their inward state is that of having turned from truth to fables under subtle reasonings, deceptive errors, and strong delusions, led captive and ensnared by Satan. Hearts become steeled against counsel and unwilling to admit even the possibility of error, so that warnings are treated as an idle tale and light is refused lest deeds be reproved, leaving the person captive and walking in sparks of his own kindling. Indulging doubt and unbelief leaves such a one unaware of danger and under evil influence, needing to be awakened, to come to the light, to seek God's strength, and to make a determined effort to resist Satan and escape the snare. Even teachers of the word who have had the most light may oppose themselves by linking arms with Satan when he works unexpectedly as an angel of light in assemblies of workers and churches, speaking earnestly of things needing change until his words are repeated as clearer perception and better methods, clothing sin with garments of righteousness and leading many astray. Those who have braced themselves against light and evidence oppose themselves and are caught in Satan's snare, and recovery comes only by acknowledging the truth and the movings of God's Spirit, casting away unbelief, confessing refused light, and coming into the light to be healed of spiritual disease, for light unconfessed and unimproved becomes darkness, the path grows darker, and return afterward becomes much harder.

Those who once knew the Father's love but allowed the tempter to lead them captive at his will are pictured in the prodigal son. God's love remains strong toward the one who chose separation, and He sets influences in operation to bring him back to the Father's house. Though he has grieved the Lord, if he repents the Father will receive him with joy and cover him with the robe of righteousness, and the Saviour's love can find and restore him so his powers are exercised for good and his life spent honoring God and blessing others, a thorough restoring work that disappoints Satan.

Such souls are worth saving through repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, needing to drink in the Holy Spirit instead of fables and error, to have mind and thoughts brought into captivity to Christ, to fall upon the Rock and be broken, and by beholding Christ to be changed from glory to glory until they feel His power and stand under God's controlling influence. Their danger and how grievous their course is toward Christ must be shown without censure, blame, condemnation, or ridicule, by unveiling error while presenting precious truth in its native force, so blind eyes are opened and souls are attracted and recovered from Satan's power. Those who understand the danger should make renewed loving efforts to help persons in trouble escape the snare rather than drive them deeper, dealing with them with the loving care Christ showed, to God's glory and the enemy's frustration. Patient, gentle, humble, loving instruction from Scripture is the appointed means of laboring for their salvation. That meek, persevering labor must not despair when rejected, for workers who persist may succeed where others give up, and in cooperation with divine intelligences the saving of one soul may lead through his influence to many others, revealing God's perfections in Jesus Christ to those not too absorbed in the world to discern Him.

Ministry and Daily Application

The verse directs ministers, overseers and conference presidents to do personal labor suited to every conference's need. In these last days of peril they are to work as wise generals in warfare not merely against men but against Satan and his angels. That work is done by becoming Bible students able to give strong arguments for the faith, by studying to be approved through rightly dividing the word of truth, and by avoiding foolish and unlearned questions that gender strife. It is done by becoming acquainted with church members through visiting families, learning their difficulties and spiritual hindrances, and giving needed counsel, cautions, warnings and reproof not in human words but in the words of the living oracles. All who know the truth are likewise to give spiritual help to neighbors and strangers and to defend points of faith without striving, quarreling or self-assertion, in the meekness of Christ and the love of God, revealing the meekness and gentleness of Jesus and depending on God so He by His Spirit can break the enemy's power over souls.

Applied to health reform, the verse rebukes criticizing and fault-finding toward what is not known experimentally and requires standing shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart with those working in right lines, standing forth sound in principle, rightly dividing the word of truth, without striving about words to no profit, foolish questions, or schisms that subvert hearers. It calls for home missionary work in families and neighborhoods and among workmen, giving precept backed by example, explaining prophetic history and the nearness of the end and pressing the sacred claims of the law of God, instead of putting temporal business and gain first and neglecting salvation, and instead of using truth as a club to beat neighbors. It makes the canvasser a gospel worker to help those lacking knowledge of Christ escape Satan's snare and be brought into dependence on God through Jesus Christ.

Parents and teachers are to instruct children for the salvation of their souls, with teachers prepared and consecrated for that work. An erring child caught in Satan's snare is to be held fast with faith and tenderness rather than with love and hope withdrawn, so the sinner may be turned from error and saved from death. In reforming neglected children who oppose correction, firm decision is necessary, but harshness, condemnation and an overbearing spirit are forbidden, and the teacher must keep calm and reveal the better way by refusing to be provoked even when lack of parental cooperation makes the work disagreeable.

When obeyed, meek instruction wins souls to truth and light, lets light shine in good works that lead men to glorify the Father in heaven, opens blind eyes, commends truth to intelligent minds, and makes a favorable impression. It requires a correct religious experience with self-knowledge, teachability, self-culture, piety, devotion and spiritual life, refined manners, pleasing deportment, careful words, discrimination to know when to speak and when to keep silent, ability to read correctly, and ability to rightly divide the word and give each his portion in due season. Without that meekness a man cannot fill the minister's place nor be accepted as a representative of truth, the cause is brought into disrepute, and while some may be convinced, more are turned away and placed where proper judicious labor cannot reach them, a lasting crippling that must be learned before one can become even an unassuming acceptable follower in private life. When disobeyed through combativeness, self-esteem, bigotry, extreme views, fault-finding, desire to control, boastful triumph, censure, blame, condemnation, ridicule, or sharp retaliatory answers that create hardness of heart, even correct points become disagreeable and disgusting, light is called darkness, honesty is questioned, poor tact turns people away, influence is severed, and more souls stumble than are brought in, with danger to Christ's cause to be shown instead in a proper manner with pitying tenderness so some may be recovered from Satan's power.

Faithful work demands the Holy Spirit's control of influence and conduct, without which an unruly spirit becomes oppressive rather than faithfully serving Christ. It demands cleansed lips speaking pure, sanctified, unselfish words bearing God's approval, seeking right principles and purposes, praying more and talking less, and in councils and private conversation giving no occasion for words to be misinterpreted and used to hurt brethren. It demands looking well to one's own soul before condemning others, giving the compassion one desires to receive, humbling self before God, putting away harshness and severity that crush, searching the heart until broken by Christ's love, being willing to spend and be spent, examining the soul, keeping baptismal vows with a clear record in heaven, loving God supremely and neighbor as self, and bearing clear decided testimony in the Spirit's power while prepared for the Lord's coming. Stirring up strife and accusing, condemning and gossiping breaks that meekness and gives the enemy a snare to destroy usefulness, while heeding warnings, drawing near to God, purifying the soul through obedience, and seeking Him in humility lets sins go beforehand to judgment and leaves room for God to grant repentance to the acknowledging of the truth now while He may be found.