2 Timothy 4:3, commentary and pictures

Paul gave this as part of his solemn dying charge to preach the word and to reprove, rebuke and exhort with patience and teaching, because a time would come when people would not put up with healthy teaching but would gather teachers to suit their own desires and turn from truth to invented stories. Sound teaching is Bible truth suited to the time, which builds up devotion, confirms faith, and makes wise to salvation, and it matters deeply both to those who hear it and to those who teach it as messengers of the Lord. Having itching ears means wanting teaching that pleases and flatters rather than crosses the way and rebukes sin, because sound teaching condemns pleasure-seeking and indulgence and calls for self-denial, humility and obedience. That foretold time is now fully come in the last days, seen especially in setting aside God's law and His Sabbath for Sunday, in denying Christ's divinity and atonement, and in turning to fanciful doctrines, human philosophy, spiritualism and light reading without Scripture foundation. Therefore ministers must preach the word faithfully whether welcomed or not, keep to the plain affirmative of truth and meet error decidedly, while safety for all is only by digesting Scripture, learning what is written, and contrasting truth with fables through sure prophecy.

Context and Wording

Paul's solemn dying charge to Timothy was given before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom, to preach the word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine, and to watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist and make full proof of the ministry. The reason for this urgency is that a time comes when people will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and turn away from truth to fables. This charge lays out every minister's work to hold forth the word of life and preach the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, not vain philosophy and science falsely so called, and the work can be done through fulfillment of the promise of power after the Holy Spirit comes to make witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth. The same charge demands the greatest faithfulness from physicians in every sanitarium, who must exercise full faith in dealing with the sick, pray and talk with them, follow Bible methods, act as evangelists, give full proof of genuine conversion, and speak words received from the great Teacher under the Holy Spirit's guidance, because suffering often softens hard, unimpressible minds so they may be turned from fables to truth if wisely managed.

The warning is that a time will come when people will not endure sound teaching but after their own lusts will heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, choosing teachers who satisfy their desires and tell them what they want to hear, and turning away from truth to fables. It warns against fanciful doctrines unsupported by Scripture, when people prefer strange teachings and pleasing messages to the Word of God from appetite for novelty, and those deeply influenced by false impressions can become difficult to lead back to the truth. The warning applies to churches throughout the world at this time, and ministers are called to uphold the truth and faithfully preach and teach it even when people resist it rather than cater to those desires.

Sound doctrine is Bible truth, truth suited to the time and kept before the people to promote piety and devotion and confirm God's people in the most holy faith. It is healthy teaching in marked contrast to Christless preaching, the sincere milk of the word by which growth comes, and Scripture study prized as making wise unto salvation, with safety only by eating and digesting the Word and learning to live by what is written and how to use it. Sound doctrine matters greatly both to the receiver and to the teacher as the Lord's messenger, for wherever the gospel is preached every laborer in whatever line of service is either true or untrue to responsibility, and the warning calls ministers to reprove, rebuke and exhort patiently, to show professed followers where they are deficient, and to place truth before minds in plain simplicity when workers dishonor truth or lower its standard.

After their own lusts, heaping teachers, and having itching ears mean people unwilling to have their way crossed gather many teachers to suit themselves, with ears eager for pleasing, amusing teaching that flatters them and approves their desires rather than rebukes sin. Professing Christians whose lives stand in contrast to practical piety and true godliness will not put up with healthy teaching but turn ears from hearing truth, refusing sound teaching when it condemns their conduct and pleasure-seeking, guided by selfish desires and passions, with pride in human wisdom, contempt for the Holy Spirit's influence, and dislike of God's humbling truths leading them to turn from God's requirements. Hearers must therefore not rise up against reproof, be jealous of the reprover, or dissect and discount the message sent, but receive it, reform, repent, seek God, be converted and thankful not to be left to blindness and hardness, for entering heaven is not by following one's own way and spirit but by choosing God's way and having Christ's spirit, while those bearing the last message must preach the Word and not the science of phrenology or productions from human speculations or wisdom from worldly authors, but drink from the pure fountain flowing from the throne of God, teaching faithfully and remaining watchful and committed to Christ.

Time Foretold Fulfilled

The foretold time is the present, the last days, and is now fully come, when multitudes will not tolerate sound Bible teaching but follow their own desires and gather teachers who tell them what they want to hear. It is the peril of the last days when people puffed up with self-sufficiency unsettle minds by urging false plans and teaching false theories as truth, and when even professed believers with knowledge of the Word, light, and position as expositors of Bible truth depart from the faith, resist the warnings of the Spirit, turn their ears from truth to fables, and stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken. Professed Christians whose lives stand in marked contrast to Christlike preaching of practical piety and true godliness will not put up with healthy teaching but prefer teachers in the pulpit who serve up fables that suit their taste over being fed with the sincere milk of the word so they may grow. They run for teachers to oppose present Bible truth with endless theories, and therefore those who have the truth for the last days must press in whether times are favorable or adverse, and when there is no opening must make one, losing no chance to let heaven's light shine through the human instrument because the Judge standeth before the door and sinners are all around and every soul is precious. The church must have the light and the oil which God alone can give to burn and send forth divine truth and knowledge of what is truth, and must bear the Word to the fallen churches where many precious souls are, flashing Bible light before the people and sowing beside all waters, while preaching the Word, being instant in season and out of season, reproving, rebuking and exhorting with all longsuffering and doctrine, watching in all things, enduring afflictions, doing the work of an evangelist and making full proof of ministry before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom.

The same refusal has been seen in history, repeating what happened long before the first advent when rabbis made truth of none effect by endless fables and childish traditions, cheap inconsistent sayings, trivial forms, fabrications, unnecessary duties and false tests, darkening minds and restraining Christ's teaching because disciples mingled eternal truth with traditions and commandments of men. Religious teachers mixed strange ideas with parts of the truth while appearing to worship truly, substituting human opinions for Scripture teaching, and the same condition marks opposers in Luther's day who preferred theories and traditions to the word, when those employed to present present truth specially applicable to this time meet opposition and are received with no greater favor than earlier reformers in the great controversy between truth and error which will increase to the close of this world's history. It was fulfilled when superstitious multitudes kept the friars as religious guides because the friars amused them with marvelous tales, legends and jests and kept them as dupes, teaching that acknowledging the supremacy of the pope, adoring the saints and making gifts to the monks was sufficient religious duty to secure Heaven, and it applies to the papacy's gain of power through deception and to any who favor doctrines demanding little self-denial or humility and neglect God's word for convenience or acceptance by the world. Coldness came in the nominal churches when they would not endure humbling simple truth, and when truth is brought into a place the alarmed ministers of the different churches gather many teachers and send at once for ministers to hold revival meetings called conferences for weeks with ten or more ministers and the very best talent enlisted to pour out warnings and threatenings against seventh-day keepers, classing them with Mormons and accusing them of breaking up churches and causing divisions. This makes it very hard to get hold of the people and requires far greater missionary effort to bear truth to other nations, especially because of poverty in Europe, while teachers and young ministers are called not to manufacture cheap suppositions, fanciful interpretations and guesswork to make an impression but to keep within It is written, preaching the Word, being instant in season and out of season, reproving, rebuking and exhorting with longsuffering and doctrine, watching, enduring afflictions, doing the work of an evangelist and making full proof of ministry.

In the closing work the prophecy looks down to the last days and is now fully fulfilled in multitudes rejecting true Bible teaching because it interferes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart, turning to fables that Satan supplies to suit what they love. It describes refusal to heed God's important warnings proclaimed by holy angels flying in heaven and refusal to study the prophecies diligently to learn the fearful judgments against worshiping the beast and his image and to learn what the mark of the beast is and how to avoid receiving it. In the time of the loud cry, ministers who reject the warning against Babylon's errors will offer soothing teachings to calm fears and consciences, while many hearers will demand clear teaching from God's word. Openness to pleasing fables and false conclusions includes the claim that calamities come because Sunday is not honored, by which the deceived become ensnared by Satan.

Reasons for Rejection

Sound teaching is refused because it clashes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart and interferes with what people love. It rebukes sin, condemns pleasure-seeking and indulgence of base passions including gluttony, exposes hypocrisy, and calls for self-denial, humility and obedience to God's requirements. People unwilling to be crossed in their way therefore want an easier path and turn from truth to fables and deceptions supplied to suit them. Guided by their own desires they greedily accept even ridiculous falsehoods that flatter them and approve what they want, choosing teachers who tell them what they want to hear rather than faithful teachers who rebuke sin.

The refusal shows itself in resistance to correction, for hearers rise up against reproof, become jealous of the reprover, and dissect and discount the message sent for their reform. They become impatient and angry when truth is presented, having turned from God's Word toward deceptive ideas, and they reject words that do not coincide with their feelings, opinions, plans and judgments. Those who will not accept reproof may turn against those who correct them, withdraw support even after seeing faithful labor blessed, use influence to draw others away, and oppose those who proclaim Bible truth while feeding on human maxims, customs and commandments. They insist they are never wrong and blame the obedient for division, when the duty is to respect correction through ministers, believe and obey Scripture, repent, seek God, be converted and be thankful not to be left to blindness of mind and hardness of heart.

They crave novelty, sensational religion, smooth things and pleasing fables from eloquent lips, desiring to hear what satisfies carnal desire rather than endure searching truth. In spiritual sleep they want something new and startling rather than arousing truth, drifting with changing teachings and sensational religious excitement that diverts attention from central teachings. They prefer lengthy human wisdom, suppositions, speculative doctrines and theories to the sincere milk of the word, and need not new and fanciful doctrines but spiritual-minded firmness in principle and practice of truth. Pure and undefiled religion is not a sensational religion, and pure truth that would expose hypocrisy is refused while pleasing falsehoods that keep carnal listeners are readily accepted.

Fables and False Teachers

The fables to which ears turn are fanciful doctrines without foundation in Scripture, human suppositions and guesswork, vain and speculative theories, endless theories set against present truth, beautiful scientific sophistries, pleasing theories that lull to sleep, poisonous errors that kill spiritual life, heresies that sanctify sin, and claims that the Bible cannot be depended upon and must be changed. That turning repeats what was done long before the first advent, when rabbis made truth of none effect by endless fables and childish traditions, cheap inconsistent sayings, trivial forms, fabrications, unnecessary duties and false tests that darkened minds and restrained true teaching by mingling eternal truth with traditions of men, and it is repeated now when teachers and young ministers manufacture cheap suppositions and fanciful interpretations to make an impression instead of keeping within what is written. What is needed is not new and fanciful doctrine, sensational religion, or appetite for novelty, but spiritual-minded men firm in principle with a clear understanding of the truth, who know and practise the truth, obey the charge to preach the word, reprove, rebuke and exhort with longsuffering and doctrine, watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist and make full proof of ministry, and walk firmly and decidedly, for pure and undefiled religion is not sensational.

The fables also include storybooks and light reading that give no real strength to the mind and no solidity to character. The lusts and itching ears are the cultivated appetite for such reading that intoxicates, and recommending and publishing such fables encourages the danger. The answer is more earnest, diligent study of God's Word, which makes wise unto salvation, with fewer fable books recommended and with no encouragement for publication of books of that character.

The fables further include vain philosophy and science falsely so called, phrenology, productions from human speculation, wisdom from the study of the world's authors, Satan's scientific problems, spiritualistic theories and false science. Those engaged in the solemn work of bearing the last message must preach the Word and not these things, but drink from the pure fountain flowing from the throne of God. Ministers are sent to hold forth the word of life and preach the gospel as the power of God unto salvation rather than philosophy and vain deceit, a work done only through the promised power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth, and finite minds cannot comprehend or interpret Jehovah so speculation about Him is not to be pursued nor human science put above God.

Turning to fables is giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Satanic agencies come working miracles and every conceivable deception to carry the impression that they are Christ, clothing deadly soul-destroying error attractively as in Eden, imitating truth, stealing the garments of truth to hide heresy, and using counterfeit religion to deceive, while the deceitful, desperately wicked human heart leaves men open to be carried away. That time comes when delusive sentiments and specious errors enter the ranks to palsy faith and assurance, such as the fallacies mingled in Living Temple and fascinating spiritualistic sentiments that tear down foundation pillars, repeating the same ground of refuting false doctrines met in the early days of the message, honoring finite man who refuses counsel and seeks to exalt himself and causing the medical missionary work to deteriorate under an impure spirit, and a mind so perverted as to present ideas contrary to the light given by the Holy Spirit works under another spirit. Those who believe now are in danger of being ensnared, so it is best to be sensible and understand whether one is worked by the seducing party or united with Christ and His angels, calling sin sin and righteousness by its right name, with the only hope for the sinful race to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, standing in defense of truth by keeping to the affirmative, preaching the word, reproving, rebuking and exhorting with longsuffering and doctrine, calling error error and showing its evil without personal raid or tirade and without opening opposition charges before the world, and not keeping silent while fables are brought in and taught as truth.

The heaped teachers are multitudes of false teachers in the world and in the last days. They profess to be Christians, have the form of godliness, appear to labor for the good of souls, while at heart they are avaricious, selfish, ease-loving, following their unconsecrated hearts, in conflict with Christ and His teachings and destitute of His meek and lowly spirit. Professed Christians who give in to passion and pleasure-seeking reject sound teaching when it rebukes sin, condemns conduct, exposes hypocrisy, and presents humbling truth, and guided by their own desires they choose teachers who flatter them, approve their desires, and tell them what they want to hear. To keep carnal members listening, such ministers preach smooth, pleasing teachings and pleasing fables readily accepted, dilute or alter God's truth to fit prejudice and opinion, substitute human opinions and commandments for God's word, shape Scripture to their views, neglect prayer and study, warn members not to listen to the messengers God sends, and mislead those seeking guidance, whereas preaching Jesus and the cutting, searching truths of the Bible would drive hypocrites and sinners from the church, with pride in human wisdom, contempt for the Holy Spirit's influence, and dislike of God's requirements turning them from truth.

Doctrinal Truths at Stake

The turning foretold is the setting aside of God's law, and above all the fourth commandment, by honoring Sunday on the authority of the papacy instead of the seventh day that God blessed and sanctified. Long age and general custom do not make that error truth, for those taught by the clergy that Sunday is the Sabbath cling to it while heaping up teachers with itching ears and turning from truth to fables. That false worship is worship of an idol sabbath, the first day of the week in place of God's Sabbath, with which there is to be no compromise and no waste of time in controversy. The same rejection reaches the foundations of Bible doctrine, denying creation, the fall, the atonement, and the enduring authority of the law, even to ridiculing those who accept the law's claims. It is the present age of infidelity and disloyalty, where inherited and cultivated evil dispositions oppose the gospel and refuse to make God's law the standard of character, bringing depravity and overflowing profligacy, while Satan works with pleasing fables upon professed Christians to make the law that exposes sin of none effect. It also opens minds to pleasing fables and false conclusions, such as that calamities come because Sunday is not honored, by which Satan deceives.

The same refusal of sound teaching appears in teachers who deny Christ's divinity and miraculous incarnation while exalting themselves to win followers. Everywhere that class is met as opposers showing enmity against God's law and seeking to draw attention away from truth. Deceptive theories are put forward as fables to replace the third angel's message, to turn minds from truth by satanic deception and control, so that those not grounded on the true foundation are swept away to believe a lie. Against them the charge joined to the warning stands: to preach the Word, be urgent in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke and exhort with patience and teaching, presenting Bible arguments and preaching Christ and Him crucified. That work is aggressive and on Bible principles, to convince and not to condemn, standing on eternal truth, exalting God's law as binding all who love Christ and keep His commandments, uplifting Christ and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world in Christlike simplicity, patience, forbearance and love for souls.

The warning also exposes intemperance and indulgence, for in the last days the world is given to gluttony and indulgence of base passions and flooded with bewitching errors and pleasing fables. Multitudes see no special importance in the unpopular truth for this time and are hard to arouse to earnest effort for it, turning their ears from truth to enjoy pleasing fables, spending money for that which is not bread and labor for that which does not satisfy. Money is lavishly spent to gratify perverted appetite with alcoholic liquor and tobacco that stupefy the senses and bring inexpressible misery on themselves and their loved ones, while they will not pay to obtain the light of saving, sanctifying truth that would elevate, ennoble and sanctify them and give them hold on the better life. Uncontrolled conduct and ignorance of God and Christ illustrate the rejection, and even ministers who smoke show how religious teachers can lend influence to harmful practices instead of upholding Christian temperance. Because a great apostasy and falling away in spirituality is coming when many refuse truth and accept fables, sound doctrine must be taught clearly, showing why truth is believed and why strict temperance in all things matters, studying to avoid every harmful practice and influence, with virtue and holiness practiced. Health reform holds appetite and passion under control of the higher powers of the mind, as John's abstemious life rebuked intemperance and made ready a people for the Lord, giving mental strength and clearness to discern the sacred chain of truth, turn from errors and fables, present the pure doctrine of the Bible, and prepare for the second appearing of Christ.

Safety is only by eating and digesting the Word, for the time comes when healthy teaching will not be tolerated as men follow their own desires and gather pleasing teachers. Scripture study must therefore be prized as making wise unto salvation, students must learn to live by what is written and how to use the Word, and truth must be placed before minds in plain simplicity. The fables include storybooks and light reading that give no real strength to mind and no solidity to character, fed by a cultivated appetite for such reading that intoxicates, so more Bible reading and less story reading is required, with fewer fable books recommended or published. The multitudes reject true Bible teaching because it interferes with the desires of the sinful, world-loving heart, refusing to heed the warnings proclaimed by holy angels and to study prophecy diligently to learn what the mark of the beast is and how to avoid receiving it, while Satan supplies the deceptions they love. Error blinds the mind and leads away from God, while truth gives light to the mind and life to the soul, and only those who contrast truth with fables through the sure word of prophecy, watch in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist and fully prove their ministry will stand as overcomers who watch and pray.

Faithful Ministry Response

Faithful ministry in the face of this turning away means preaching the word whether it is welcomed or not, being urgent in season and out of season, reproving, rebuking and exhorting with all longsuffering and doctrine, watching in all things, enduring afflictions, doing the work of an evangelist and making full proof of the ministry. This charge is given because the time comes when hearers constantly harassed by temptation and wrestling with the adversary will refuse sound teaching and gather teachers to suit their own desires, and it applies to churches throughout the world at this time. Ministers therefore must uphold truth rather than cater to desire, dwelling upon the Word with softened, humble heart so the Master can speak through them to strengthen others for the conflict, keeping the gospel elevated in its sacred character without weaving finite human imperfection into it, and laboring to elevate, ennoble, refine and purify imperfect character. The people need not new and fanciful doctrines, human suppositions, sensational religion, or speculative doctrines and theories, and such things must be kept out of teaching and experience by spiritual-minded men firm in principle with clear understanding who know and practise the truth and obey it and walk firmly and decidedly, for pure and undefiled religion is not sensational. The appeal accompanying the charge is to present truth and Bible arguments and preach Christ and Him crucified without prejudice or condemnation, uplifting Christ rather than using hostile methods.

The work is to be done affirmatively by preaching on and letting the light of the Word shine undimmed in sharp contrast with error to uncover darkness and expose human fallacies, plans and assumptions, rather than meeting evildoers by controversy or debate. It requires standing in defense of the truth and exalting truth by keeping to the affirmative, calling error error and showing the evil of false sentiments that must not be received, without making a raid or tirade or personal drive against men and women and without opening opposition charges before the world. When those who have departed from the faith come into congregations to divert attention from the work God would have done and to turn ears from truth to fables, believers cannot afford that exchange and must not stop to argue with or try to convert the one speaking reproach, but must speak as inspired by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, trusting angels of God to put words in their lips that reach the hearts of opposers and make clear to sensible minds that Christ speaking through them is the higher standard. Toward those educated by the clergy that Sunday is the Sabbath and clinging to that error, long cherishing hoary with age not making it truth, heaping teachers with itching ears and turning to fables being the holding of Sunday for the Sabbath, the work is aggressive and conducted on Bible principles to convince not to condemn, standing on the platform of eternal truth and exalting the law of God as binding with Jesus Christ and all who love Him and keep His commandments. It must not build a wall between God's commandment-keeping people and the world but remain in the world kept from evil, not bringing itself down to Satanic weapons, not hurling thunderbolts, not storming ears with prejudice, not giving loose rein to strong personal feeling, but working with Christlike simplicity, patience, forbearance and love for God and Christ, uplifting Christ and the Lamb of God who takes away sin, revealing love for souls for whom Christ died, provided with spiritual weapons mighty to pull down strongholds, with hearts supplied from God's word that makes wise unto salvation, presenting truth in plain simplicity with a few strong proofs in an easy style.

Error must be met decidedly and the instruction of 2 Timothy 3 and 4 heeded, for the peril of the last days is present when people puffed up with self-sufficiency will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts heap teachers with itching ears, unsettling minds by urging false plans and teaching false theories and fables as truth. Ministers and teachers must therefore preach the Word faithfully, correct and warn with patience, guard their people from error rather than cater to them, raise the danger signal against falsehood, and heed God's counsel and the messengers who reprove error instead of accepting false doctrines. Watchmen must not be silent while sophistries invented by the human mind encourage unbelief and skepticism in the messages God is giving, carried on by opposers who use falsehood to make those messages of no effect and seek to prevent the Lord's messengers from staying the work of unbelief, for if earnest efforts are not put forth to counteract this work believers will be left as ready dupes of Satan. Ministers of the Word have an important work to humbly seek wisdom and be led and instructed by God, to make clear the evidences of truth, and their efforts will not be without results, remaining faithful to truth and speaking in the Spirit of Christ rather than letting diverting voices draw them from their calling. The same faithfulness is demanded of physicians in every sanitarium under the solemn charge given before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom, exercising full faith in dealing with the sick, praying and talking with them, following Bible methods, acting as evangelists, giving full proof of genuine conversion, and speaking words received from the great Teacher under the Holy Spirit's guidance, because the enemy is close beside them to impress minds and men in danger must not be left to their own will and unsanctified devising. Those under teachers with itching ears have hard, unimpressible minds, yet suffering often softens them and turns them to serious things, so that in sanitariums they may be turned from fables to truth if their cases are wisely managed.

When there is no opening one must be made, pressing in whether times are favorable or adverse, losing no chance to let heaven's light shine through the human instrument and to flash Bible light before the people and sow beside all waters, because the Judge standeth before the door and sinners are all around and every soul is precious. The church must be careful to have the light and oil which God alone can give to burn and send forth divine truth and knowledge of what is truth, bearing the Word to the fallen churches where many precious souls are, watching, enduring afflictions, doing the work of an evangelist and proving the ministry, and losing no opportunity to teach truth to those not of the faith, including ministers, physicians, teachers and others who know little of present truth, letting sacred light penetrate erroneous theories. Many listen only to fables presented by men claiming to understand the word and to be qualified to instruct those in darkness, running for teachers to oppose present Bible truth with endless theories, yet God will give those who have listened only to fables opportunity to hear the sure word of prophecy and truth so all who take heed can contrast truth with fables. That opportunity comes through those sharing salvation through Jesus Christ serving as His missionaries, bodies of light and living epistles whose faith and works testify to the near approach of the coming Saviour and warn to prepare for judgment, showing they have not received grace in vain.

Those who turn from truth to fables oppose those who accept truth, and every insult, reproach and false accusation against Christ's followers is charged as an offense against Christ because He identifies Himself with His saints. Some turned in this way will be lost unless something breaks their spell, for spiritualistic theories and false science are corrupting ideas that must not be mixed with Christ's teaching, and God's Word alone safeguards through coming trials. The truth rejected will judge hearers at the final reckoning bringing life or death, yet ministers must still make every effort to reach them and present God's truth faithfully. Those receiving the warning of pardon and salvation but refusing light and truth and accepting fables cannot be justified after probation closes, having no second call to the heavenly feast, and those accepting fables instead of obeying truth will face judgment.