2 Timothy 3:16–4:4

For if the days of a man should be as many as all the days of the world from Adam to the end of the ages and he should sit and meditate upon the holy Scriptures, he would not comprehend all the force of the depth of the words. And man cannot rise up to the wisdom of God.

The Scriptures are holy, they are truthful, they are blameless.… So we have no grounds at all for blaming Scripture if we happen to deviate in any way, because we haven't understood it. When we do understand it, we are right. But when we are wrong because we haven't understood it, we leave it in the right. When we have gone wrong, we don't make out Scripture to be wrong, but it continues to stand up straight and right, so that we may return to it for correction.

For us these writings are 'holy', or 'inspired', or, as St Paul says, 'the Oracles of God'. But this has been understood in more than one way, and I must try to explain how I understand it, at least so far as the Old Testament is concerned. I have been suspected of being what is called a Fundamentalist. That is because I never regard any narrative as unhistorical simply on the ground that it includes the miraculous. Some people find the miraculous so hard to believe that they cannot imagine any reason for my acceptance of it other than a prior belief that every sentence of the Old Testament has historical or scientific truth. But this I do not hold, any more than St Jerome did when he said that Moses described Creation 'after the manner of a popular poet' (as we should say, mythically) or than Calvin did when he doubted whether the story of Job were history or fiction.

I take it that the whole Old Testament consists of the same sort of material as any other literature—chronicle (some of it obviously pretty accurate), poems, moral and political diatribes, romances, and what not; but all taken into the service of God's word. Not all, I suppose, in the same way. There are prophets who write with the clearest awareness that Divine compulsion is upon them. There are chroniclers whose intention may have been merely to record. There are poets like those in the Song of Songs who probably never dreamed of any but a secular and natural purpose in what they composed. There is (and it is no less important) the work first of the Jewish and then of the Christian Church in preserving and canonising just these books. There is the work of redactors and editors in modifying them. On all of these I suppose a Divine pressure; of which not by any means all need have been conscious.

The human qualities of the raw materials show through. Naïvety, error, contradiction, even (as in the cursing Psalms) wickedness are not removed. The total result is not 'the Word of God' in the sense that every passage, in itself, gives impeccable science or history. It carries the Word of God; and we (under grace, with attention to tradition and to interpreters wiser than ourselves, and with the use of such intelligence and learning as we may have) receive that word from it not by using it as an encyclopedia or an encyclical but by steeping ourselves in its tone or temper and so learning its overall message.

The hermits used to say, 'God demands this of Christians: to obey the inspired Scriptures, which contain the pattern of what they must say and do, and agree with the teaching of the orthodox bishops and teachers.'

The Scripture is "given by inspiration of God," as the apostle says. The Scripture is of the Holy Spirit, and its intention is the profit of men. For "every Scripture," he says, "is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. "The profit is varied and multiform, as the apostle says—"for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Such a gift as this, however, is not within any man's reach to lay hold of. Rather, the divine intention lies hidden under the body of the Scripture, as it were under a veil, some legislative enactment or some historical narrative being cast over the truths that are contemplated by the mind.

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." All what Scripture? all that sacred writing, he means, of which I was speaking. This is said of what he was discoursing of; about which he said, "From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures." All such, then, "is given by inspiration of God"; therefore, he means, do not doubt; and it is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." "For doctrine." For thence we shall know, whether we ought to learn or to be ignorant of anything. And thence we may disprove what is false, thence we may be corrected and brought to a right mind, may be comforted and consoled, and if anything is deficient, we may have it added to us. "That the man of God may be perfect." For this is the exhortation of the Scripture given, that the man of God may be rendered perfect by it; without this therefore he cannot be perfect. Thou hast the Scriptures, he says, in place of me. If thou wouldest learn anything, thou mayest learn it from them. And if he thus wrote to Timothy, who was filled with the Spirit, how much more to us! "Thoroughly furnished unto all good works"; not merely taking part in them, he means, but "thoroughly furnished."

To search the sacred Scripture is very good and most profitable for the soul. For, "like a tree which is planted near the running waters," so does the soul watered by sacred Scripture also grow hearty and bear fruit in due season. This is the orthodox faith. It is adorned with its evergreen leaves, with actions pleasing to God.

All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for criticism, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

All Scripture is God-breathed [θεόπνευστος] and profitable. Having spoken many ways of comfort, Paul now speaks of the greatest, that which comes from the reading of the Scriptures. For he is about to say something sad, namely about his own death. But if Timothy must read, how much more must we?

for teaching. Since good things teach both lessons and actions.

for criticism. Concerning the refutation of falsehoods.

for correction. To correct the brothers.

for training in righteousness. For the training and leading into righteousness. For from these things, Paul says, something perfect [ἄρτιον] comes to be. A perfect person is one who is always equal, neither leaning downwards with a saddened spirit nor rising and swelling in prosperity, but always remains the same in unequal circumstances.

equipped for every good work. Not merely participating but being equipped and complete.

But since Enoch in the same Scripture has preached likewise concerning the Lord, nothing at all must be rejected by us which pertains to us; and we read that "every Scripture suitable for edification is divinely inspired. By the Jews it may now seem to have been rejected for that (very) reason, just like all the other (portions) nearly which tell of Christ.

The usefulness of Scripture lies in its detailing of what one ought to do, either to convict sinners or to clarify what correction is necessary for penitents or to teach what can bring persons to righteousness.

Having pointed out many ways of comforting Timothy, the apostle now offers the greatest one as well – in the reading of Holy Scripture. For he intends to communicate to him something sorrowful, namely, that he is finishing his earthly course. So, lest he lose heart as one being deprived of communion with Paul, he says: in place of me you have the Scriptures, which can be profitable to you. Some raise the question: how did the apostle say, "all Scripture is God-breathed"? Are even the Greek writings God-breathed? And being perplexed by its resolution, they translate not "God-breathed," but rather "that which is God-breathed," so that the meaning would be: every writing which is God-breathed is also profitable. But they ought to have taken into account that, having said above, "you know the sacred writings," the apostle now says, "all Scripture." Which? That of which he spoke above and of which he said that it is sacred. Therefore, it is indeed "Scripture God-breathed and profitable" for all that he enumerates further.

It is useful, he says, in that it teaches us what we ought to know. And there is nothing that cannot be resolved by means of Sacred Scripture.

If it is necessary to expose a lie, this too can be drawn from here.

If it is necessary, he says, to be corrected and to receive instruction, that is, to be brought to one's senses toward righteousness, that is, to act righteously, then the Sacred Scripture provides this to you as well.

Then he discloses the reason, saying, all Scripture, inspired of God, is profitable. And he does three things. He commends Scripture by reason of its principle, by reason of its useful effect, and by reason of its final fruit and success.

For if you consider its principle, it has a special place above all writings, because others are given through human reason, while Sacred Scripture is divine. Therefore he says Scripture is inspired of God. For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time; but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet 1:21); the inspiration of the Almighty gives understanding (Job 32:8).

But you will say: how is it that not all writings are divinely inspired, since Ambrose says that every truth, no matter who utters it, proceeds from the Holy Spirit? I answer that God works in two ways: either immediately, as his own work, when he works miracles; or mediately, by using secondary causes, as in the works of nature: your hands have made me (Job 10:8), although they were formed by the activity of nature. And so in man he instructs the intellect both immediately by the Sacred Writings, and mediately by other writings.

The effect of these Scriptures is twofold, namely, they produce knowledge of the truth, and they persuade unto justice: but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things that are to be known and done (John 14:26). Therefore, they are useful for knowing the truth and for directing us in our actions.

For there is a speculative reason and a practical reason; and in each, two things are necessary: namely, recognition of the truth and rejection of error. For this is the mark of a wise man, namely, he does not lie and he refutes one who does lie. In regard to the first he says, is profitable to teach, namely, the truth: teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge (Ps 118:66). In regard to the second he adds, to reprove: that you may be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to convince the gainsayer (Titus 1:9).

Furthermore, in regard to the practical reason two things are necessary, namely, that it withdraw from evil and persuade one toward the good: decline from evil and do good (Ps 33:15). In regard to the first he says, to correct, which is to snatch one from evil: if your brother shall offend against you, go, and rebuke him between you and him alone (Matt 18:15); blessed is the man who is corrected by the Lord (Job 5:17). In regard to the second he says, to instruct in justice. And all these things the Sacred Scripture does: with a strong arm he has taught me (Isa 8:11).

Consequently, there are four effects of Sacred Scripture, namely, to teach the truth, to reject falsity, as far as the speculative intellect is concerned; to snatch evil and induce to good, as far as the practical intellect is concerned.

Here is why meditation on the law is necessary, my beloved, along with an uninterrupted conversion with virtue: "that the saint may lack nothing but be perfect to every good work." For by these things comes the promise of eternal life, as Paul wrote to Timothy, calling constant meditation exercise, and saying, "Exercise yourself unto godliness."

Jesus wished and desired this service, so that all the children of men might arrive at perfection. And His coming into the world took place that He might deliver to the children of men the life and rule of spiritual beings, even as also the holy Apostle taught that it was meet that the man of God should be in all perfection, saying, "The man of God shall be perfect to do every good and perfect thing."

Correction, he says, comes through Scripture, so that the man who lives according to God may lack nothing good. So if you too desire to become equally well-fitted (artios), that is, perfect, sound, and always even in all things, not despairing in sorrowful circumstances and not becoming proud in favorable ones—for this is characteristic of an uneven disposition of soul—then have Scripture as your counselor instead of me. If the apostle wrote to Timothy, who was filled with the Holy Spirit, about reading, how much more so to us? Note that without Scripture it is impossible to be perfect.

Do not simply take part in good works, but be "prepared," that is, completely ready; and not only ready for one thing but not for another, but for every kind.

But its final effect is to lead men to the perfect good; for it produces not just any good, but a perfect good: let us go on to things more perfect (Heb 6:1). Hence he says, that the man of God may be perfect, because he cannot be perfect, unless he is a man of God. For that is perfect which lacks nothing. Consequently, a man is perfect when he is furnished, i.e., prepared, to every good work, not only to those that are necessary for salvation, but even to those that are of supererogation: and in doing good let us not fail (Gal 6:9).

Concerning the coming judgment of human beings, living and dead, the blessed Paul says this, "I bear witness in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power." At his coming, from the body of the first man which God fashioned from the earth, up until the bodies of all human beings which began to live when they were infused with a soul, all will be raised by him by whose action they were created. In the resurrection, individual bodies will be restored to their individual souls, which they began to have in the wombs of their mothers, in order that they might begin to live—in order that, in the examination of the just judge, souls might receive in their very same individual bodies their reward, of the kingdom or of punishment, in those bodies in which they had led a good or evil life in this world.

...I desire to guard you beforehand, that ye fall not upon the hooks of vain doctrine, but that you may rather attain to a full assurance in Christ, who was begotten by the Father before all ages, but was afterwards born of the Virgin Mary without any intercourse with man. He also lived a holy life, and healed every kind of sickness and disease among the people, and wrought signs and wonders for the benefit of men; and to those who had fallen into the error of polytheism He made known the one and only true God, His Father, and underwent the passion, and endured the cross at the hands of the Christ-killing Jews, under Pontius Pilate the governor and Herod the king. He also died, and rose again, and ascended into the heavens to Him that sent Him, and is sat down at His right hand, and shall come at the end of the world, with His Father's glory, to judge the living and the dead, and to render to every one according to his works. He who knows these things with a full assurance, and believes them, is happy; even as ye are now the lovers of God and of Christ, in the full assurance of our hope, from which may no one of us ever be turned aside!

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead." He either means the wicked and the just, or the departed and those that are still living; for many will be left alive. In the former Epistle he raised his fears, saying, "I give thee charge in the sight of God, Who quickeneth all things" (1 Tim. vi. 13): but here he sets before him what is more dreadful, "Who shall judge the quick and the dead," that is, Who shall call them to account "at His appearing and His kingdom." When shall He judge? at His appearing with glory, and in His kingdom. Either he says this to show that He will not come in the way that He now has come, or, "I call to witness His coming, and His kingdom." He calls Him to witness, showing that he had reminded Him of that appearing.

After giving comfort and encouragement for everyone, he brings up great things at the close of his writing. Now reasonably he brings up such great things, because he was destressed about what he was going to say to the disciple about his own death. So the Scriptures say, from which he said, that "From childhood you have known the Scriptures. (2 Tim 3:15)"

I therefore seriously charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, at his appearing and his kingdom.

The continuous exhortation and command produces three effects: it makes the command more formidable and undeniable, and it presents what is useful in speech. For if it were not such, it would not be necessary for it to be preached with such great determination. Moreover, what belongs to him who urgently announces it is done, no longer subject, as is likely, to the negligence that usually occurs in preaching.

who is to judge the living and the dead, at his appearing. Paul speaks of the sinners and the righteous, or those who have passed away, and those still living, or that many will be left alive then. Paul also says elsewhere, "Indeed, we shall not all sleep." (1 Cor. 15:51)

at his appearing. When is the future to be judged? At the Lord's arrival, which will be after the kingdom and glory have come. For he will not come in the same way as he came before.

The Apostle instills fear in Timothy in another place as well, having said: "before God, Who gives life to all things, I charge you" (1 Tim. 6:13); but here he makes his speech more fearful by reminding him of that judgment. Him, he says, Who will demand an account, I call as witness that I have not hidden even this from you. By "the living and the dead" he means either sinners and the righteous, or those who have died and also those who will then remain alive. Some, however, understand this as referring to souls and bodies.

When is He who is to judge coming? At the time of His coming, which will be with glory and royal majesty. For the second coming will not be as humble as the first.

Having mentioned the dangers that will appear in the last days, and Timothy's ability to resist them, the Apostle here shows him how to resist: first, he gives the advice; second, its need, at "for there shall be a time." In regard to the first he does two things: first, he adjures him; second, he advises him, at "preach the word."

In the adjuration are two things: first, those before whom one is adjured; second, the one by whom. Now one is adjured before two witnesses, namely, before him who is our beatitude and before him who leads us to it. But our beatitude is God: "blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Ps 32:12). He says, therefore, "I charge you before God," i.e., I call on God to witness that I am giving this exhortation; for this witness cannot be deceived: "but I call on God to witness upon my soul" (2 Cor 1:23).

"And Jesus Christ," who will lead us to beatitude: "by whom also we have access through faith into this grace" (Rom 5:12). Or another way: he leads us because he shall judge the living and the dead. Then by "living," he means those who are still alive when he comes; for they will of course die, but because they will rise shortly they are called living: "we who are alive, who remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them who have slept" (1 Thess 4:14). Or "living" refers to the good, namely, who live the life of grace, and "the dead" refers to the wicked: "he that loves not abides in death" (1 John 3:14). These also will he judge: "it is he who was appointed by God to the judge of the living and of the dead" (Acts 10:42).

But since Christ is God, why does he use the conjunction, "before God and Christ"? I answer that this could mean before God, namely, the Father, and Christ, i.e., the Son: for the Father is the font of divinity.

Then when he says, "by his coming and his kingdom," he adjures him through two things that the saints desire: the first is the coming of Christ: "like to men that wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding" (Luke 12:36); "come, Lord Jesus" (Rev 22:20). The second thing is his kingdom: "your kingdom come" (Matt 6:10). He reigns according to his general power over all creatures: "all power is given to me in heaven and in earth" (Matt 28:18), but according to his special and spiritual power he reigns in the saints at present by grace, and in the future by glory; because the saints are not of this world: "my kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). But this kingdom begins here and will be completed in the future, when all kingdoms will be subjected to him willing and unwilling: "until I make your enemies your footstool" (Ps 109:1).

Hence the Apostle says, "What will ye, shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness." First he speaks of a rod, and as with the rod of an almond tree had smitten the wanderers, that he might afterwards comfort them with the spirit of meekness. Just so did meekness restore the man whom the rod had driven from the Divine sacraments. To his disciple too he gave the same injunctions, "Reprove, beseech, rebuke." Here are two harsh terms and one gentle; but they are only harsh, that they may themselves be softened. For like as bitter food or drink becomes sweet to these bodies which are laden with excess of gall, and on the other hand sweet repasts are bitter to them, so also when the mind is wounded it languishes under the flattering touch of pleasure, but is healed again by the bitterness of correction.

It is our duty and obligation to remember and heed the special day of Easter Sunday every year. St. Paul taught his disciple Timothy to be aware of dates, saying, "Stand ready in season and out of season." Paul wrote that, of course, so that Timothy would do things when they were supposed to be done and avoid the blame for doing things at the wrong time.

I know that it is written, "In the multitude of words you shall not avoid sin." But would that I were to speak only by preaching your word and by praising you, Lord! Not only would I avoid sin, but I would obtain a good reward, no matter how many words I spoke in this way. For the blessed Paul would not command a sin to his own true son in the faith, to whom he wrote, "Preach the word, be urgent in season, out of season." For are we to say that a man did not speak many words, who not only in season but also out of season did not keep silent, O Lord, respecting your word? But they were not many, therefore, because they were only what was necessary.

In his teaching the abbot is ever to observe this rule of the apostle: "Reprove, beseech, correct." This consists in a judicious timing: to mix gentleness with sternness—at one time to show the severity of a master, at another the tenderness of a father. Use rigor with the irregular and the turbulent, but win to better things the obedient, mild and patient.

Rulers ought also to guard with anxious thought not only against saying in any way what is wrong, but against uttering even what is right overmuch and inordinately; since the good effect of things spoken is often lost, when enfeebled to the hearts of hearers by the incautious importunity of loquacity; and this same loquacity, which knows not how to serve for the profit of the hearers, also defiles the speaker. Hence Paul also, in admonishing his disciple to be instant in preaching, when he says, I charge thee before God and Christ Jesus, Who shall judge the quick and the dead by His appearing and His kingdom, preach the word, be instant opportunely, importunely, being about to say importunely, premises opportunely, because in truth importunity mars itself to the mind of the hearer by its own very cheapness, if it knows not how to observe opportunity.

Therefore, let food, and bathing, and banqueting, and the other necessities of life have a definite time. But let instruction about the love of truth from above have no set hour—let all the time belong to it. "In season, out of season, reprove, entreat, rebuke," Scripture says. And the prophet, "On his law he will meditate day and night." And Moses too asked the Jews to do this continually.

"Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." What means "in season, out of season"? That is, have not any limited season: let it always be thy season, not only in peace and security, and when sitting in the Church. Whether thou be in danger, in prison, in chains, or going to thy death, at that very time reprove. Withhold not rebuke, for reproof is then most seasonable, when thy rebuke will be most successful, when the reality is proved. "Exhort," he says. After the manner of physicians, having shown the wound, he gives the incision, he applies the plaster. For if you omit either of these, the other becomes useless. If you rebuke without convicting, you will seem to be rash, and no one will tolerate it, but after the matter is proved, he will submit to rebuke: before, he will be headstrong. And if you convict and rebuke, but vehemently, and do not apply exhortation, all your labor will be lost. For conviction is intolerable in itself if consolation be not mingled with it. As if incision, though salutary in itself, have not plenty of lenitives to assuage the pain, the patient cannot endure cutting and hacking, so it is in this matter. "With all longsuffering and doctrine." For he that reproves is required to be longsuffering, that he may not believe hastily, and rebuke needs consolation, that it may be received as it ought. And why to "longsuffering" does he add "doctrine"? "Not as in anger, not as in hatred, not as insulting over him, not as having caught an enemy. Far be these things from thee." But how? As loving as sympathizing with him, as more distressed than himself at his grief, as melted at his sufferings? "With all longsuffering and doctrine." No ordinary teaching is implied.

That is to say, do not think its not time to preach, always let it be that time for you, not just in peace or in gladness, nor should you teach only in Church while you are being censored, but even if you are in prison laying in chains, do not cease preaching.

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Preach the word. But what then is the obstacle? Do not hide the message, but proclaim it.

be prepared. That is, repeat, look around and watch that no one sins. And do this promptly, untimely, that is, do not have a fixed and definite time for this, but at all times, even if it is not convenient, manage. And if you find, Paul says, someone sinning, correct. For nothing ought to be done before you have convinced: and after you have shown him to be guilty, rebuke.

Find fault, blame. Then after the wound, apply a remedy. For Paul says, "encourage," so that such a person is not swallowed up by excessive grief.

with great patience. For the matter requires patience, so that one should not simply trust those who speak, but come through every investigation and the test of time to the truth.

and careful instruction. Paul says to admonish along with the rebuke, as one lays it upon a child, not as one punishing an enemy, for he knows when encouragement has more power than rebuke.

About those who were devising new things to oppose Timothy.

Preaching is always appropriate, whether to those who hear willingly or not.

The opportune time for preaching and teaching is when the sinner needs the prophylaxis that will lead him to repentance. The sinner will be helped at exactly the right moment between the intention to sin and the commission of sin and will turn to penitence instead.

"Reprove" applies to those who persist in their sin, that they might be led to understand it as sin. "Rebuke" is aimed at those actually engaging in sin. "Exhort" is directed to those who might be led back to their former state after penitence.

Every occasion constitutes an opportune time for preaching.

Every occasion is appropriate for teaching, so long as this is done boldly and with forethought.

To what exactly does the apostle adjure? What does this mean? "Preach the word," do not hide, or do not bury in the ground, the gift that is in you. Oh, let us be frightened by this, we who are lazy to preach.

Preach unceasingly, speak tirelessly, not once but always. Let there be no set time for you, but "in season," that is, in time of peace, tranquility, and being in church, and "out of season," that is, in dangers and outside the church—speak and preach. The apostle said "in season" and "out of season" in the same sense in which these expressions are used in ordinary speech. A favorable time for preaching is considered a time of peace and calm, and an unfavorable time for it is a time of calamities. Others again consider preaching in church to be timely preaching, and preaching outside the church to be untimely. Or yet another way: do not wait for the time of someone's fall, but teach before anyone falls.

When you see that this must be done, that is, when you find someone sinning or intending to sin, do not let it pass without consequence.

Rebuke him, that is, impose a penance and punishment, after you have exposed and proven to the one erring his error.

Prohibition with punishment is like cutting, while consolation is like a pleasant plaster. Therefore, apply the plaster of consolation, lest cutting alone, producing extreme pain, cast one into despair.

Combine this with all preventive measures. For one must also reprove with all longsuffering, so that the one reproved may believe everything not without reason; "and edification," explaining how he sinned and wherein the sin lies. Thus, one must also rebuke with longsuffering, imposing penalties not as upon an enemy, but as upon a son—correction. And in teaching, that is, instructing him of the benefit of punishment. Exhortation most of all requires longsuffering and teaching. With longsuffering not occasional, but "with all," that is, manifested on every occasion—in deeds, in words, and in outward appearance.

Then when he says, "preach the word," he exhorts him to be instant in doctrine, which is twofold: one is for all men; the other for some, at "reprove." First, therefore, he urges him to engage in general teaching; second, how to do so.

He says, therefore, "preach the word" of the Gospel: "go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). For there are two elements in preaching: the announcement of the truth and instruction in morals; and the preacher should do both: "beginning at Moses and all the prophets he expounded to them in all the Scripture, the things that were said concerning him" (Luke 24:27).

The manner is persistence and continuance; hence he says, "be instant in season, out of season": "my daily instance, the solicitude for all the churches" (2 Cor 11:28). But he says, "out of season," which is against what is said: "a parable coming out of a fool's mouth is rejected; for he speaks it not in due season" (Sir 20:22) and in Proverbs: "a word in due time is best" (Prov 15:23). I answer that a preacher according to truth should preach in season; but according to the false opinion of his hearers, he should preach out of season, because for the preacher of truth every season is in season for the good, but out of season for the wicked: "he that is of God hears the words of God; therefore you hear them not, because you are not of God" (John 8:47); "how very unpleasant is wisdom to the unlearned" (Sir 6:21). For if a man were to take advantage of an opportunity to speak only to those who are willing to hear, he would benefit the just alone; but it is his duty to preach also to the wicked, that they may be converted; that is why he adds, "out of season": "cry, cease not, lift up your voice like a trumpet and show my people their wicked doing, and the house of Jacob their sins" (Isa 58:1).

Then when he says, "reprove," he gives his advice in detail: first, he gives it; second, he describes the manner, at "in all patience." For a person who instructs anyone in detail can instruct him regarding the faith, so as to instill the truth and remove error; in regard to this he says, "reprove," namely, their errors: "rebuke with all authority" (Titus 2:15). Or he can instruct in matters pertaining to good morals, to which he should sometimes exhort good men, who are in lofty positions; and then he should speak calmly and gently; hence he says, "entreat": "an ancient man rebuke not, but entreat as a father" (1 Tim 5:1); "you who are spiritual should instruct such a one in a spirit of meekness" (Gal 6:1), and especially if they do not sin from malice. But if he instructs an evil person, he should rebuke him; hence he says, "rebuke": "wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in faith" (Titus 1:13); "refuse not the chastising of the Lord" (Job 5:17).

But how shall he rebuke? "In all patience," lest you seem to be angry and to be rebuking from anger; but calmly: "the learning of a man is known by patience" (Prov 19:11); "they shall be patient that they may show" (Ps 91:15); "and doctrine," namely, in matters pertaining to the faith and to morals: "they shall feed you with knowledge and doctrine" (Jer 3:15).

All the most foolish heretics who want themselves to be called Christians try to color the impertinencies of their inventions. At this human sensibility especially shudders, with the occasion of the sentence of the Gospel where the Lord says, "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now." These were the very things that at that time the disciples could not bear, and the Holy Spirit taught such things as an unclean spirit pales to teach and preach openly, by whatever impertinence he may be moved. These are the ones that the apostle foresees in the Holy Spirit and says, "For there will be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine, but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, itching to hear, and will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth but will be turned to fables."

[On "Life-Force philosophy" or "Creative Evolution" as a way of getting the comforts of belief in God without the demands]

One reason why many people find Creative Evolution so attractive is that it gives one much of the emotional comfort of believing in God and none of the less pleasant consequences. When you are feeling fit and the sun is shining and you do not want to believe that the whole universe is a mere mechanical dance of atoms, it is nice to be able to think of this great mysterious Force rolling on through the centuries and carrying you on its crest. If, on the other hand, you want to do something rather shabby, the Life-Force, being only a blind force, with no morals and no mind, will never interfere with you like that troublesome God we learned about when we were children. The Life-Force is a sort of tame God. You can switch it on when you want, but it will not bother you. All the thrills of religion and none of the cost. Is the Life-Force the greatest achievement of wishful thinking the world has yet seen?

[On his adolescent drift from Christianity into occultism and "Higher Thought"]

The vagueness, the merely speculative character, of all this Occultism began to spread — yes, and to spread deliciously — to the stern truths of the creed. The whole thing became a matter of speculation: I was soon (in the famous words) "altering 'I believe' to 'one does feel'". And oh, the relief of it! From the tyrannous noon of revelation I passed into the cool evening twilight of Higher Thought, where there was nothing to be obeyed, and nothing to be believed except what was either comforting or exciting. I do not mean that Miss C. did this; better say that the Enemy did this in me, taking occasion from things she innocently said.

Paul, in the second to Timothy: "There will be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine; but according to their own lusts will heap to themselves teachers itching in hearing, tickling their ears; and shall turn away their hearing indeed from the truth, but they shall be converted unto fables."

Why on earth do the newspapers, in describing a dynamite outrage or any other political assassination, call it a "dastardly outrage" or a cowardly outrage? It is perfectly evident that it is not dastardly in the least. It is perfectly evident that it is about as cowardly as the Christians going to the lions. The man who does it exposes himself to the chance of being torn in pieces by two thousand people. What the thing is, is not cowardly, but profoundly and detestably wicked. The man who does it is very infamous and very brave. But, again, the explanation is that our modern Press would rather appeal to physical arrogance, or to anything, rather than appeal to right and wrong.

At last, in an hour of desperation, they formed themselves into a club or conspiracy with the object of inventing some story which even the king could not swallow. They called it The League of the Long Bow; thus attaching themselves by a double bond to their motherland of England, which has been steadily celebrated since the Norman Conquest for its heroic archery and for the extraordinary credulity of its people.

At last it seemed to the four archers that their hour had come. The king commonly sat in a green curtained chamber, which opened by four doors, and was surmounted by four turrets. Summoning his champions to him on an April evening, he sent out each of them by a separate door, telling him to return at morning with the tale of his journey. Every champion bowed low, and, girding on great armour as for awful adventures, retired to some part of the garden to think of a lie. They did not want to think of a lie which would deceive the king; any lie would do that. They wanted to think of a lie so outrageous that it would not deceive him, and that was a serious matter.

The first archer who returned was a dark, quiet, clever fellow, very dexterous in small matters of mechanics. He was more interested in the science of the bow than in the sport of it. Also he would only shoot at a mark, for he thought it cruel to kill beasts and birds, and atrocious to kill men. When he left the king he had gone out into the wood and tried all sorts of tiresome experiments about the bending of branches and the impact of arrows; when even he found it tiresome he returned to the house of the four turrets and narrated his adventure. "Well," said the king, "what have you been shooting?" "Arrows," answered the archer. "So I suppose," said the king smiling; "but I mean, I mean what wild things have you shot?" "I have shot nothing but arrows," answered the bowman obstinately. "When I went out on to the plain I saw in a crescent the black army of the Tartars, the terrible archers whose bows are of bended steel, and their bolts as big as javelins. They spied me afar off, and the shower of their arrows shut out the sun and made a rattling roof above me. You know, I think it wrong to kill a bird, or worm, or even a Tartar. But such is the precision and rapidity of perfect science that, with my own arrows, I split every arrow as it came against me. I struck every flying shaft as if it were a flying bird. Therefore, Sire, I may say truly, that I shot nothing but arrows." The king said, "I know how clever you engineers are with your fingers." The archer said, "Oh," and went out.

The second archer, who had curly hair and was pale, poetical, and rather effeminate, had merely gone out into the garden and stared at the moon. When the moon had become too wide, blank, and watery, even for his own wide, blank, and watery eyes, he came in again. And when the king said "What have you been shooting?" he answered with great volubility, "I have shot a man; not a man from Tartary, not a man from Europe, Asia, Africa, or America; not a man on this earth at all. I have shot the Man in the Moon." "Shot the Man in the Moon?" repeated the king with something like a mild surprise. "It is easy to prove it," said the archer with hysterical haste. "Examine the moon through this particularly powerful telescope, and you will no longer find any traces of a man there." The king glued his big blue idiotic eye to the telescope for about ten minutes, and then said, "You are right: as you have often pointed out, scientific truth can only be tested by the senses. I believe you." And the second archer went out, and being of a more emotional temperament burst into tears.

The third archer was a savage, brooding sort of man with tangled hair and dreamy eyes, and he came in without any preface, saying, "I have lost all my arrows. They have turned into birds." Then as he saw that they all stared at him, he said "Well, you know everything changes on the earth; mud turns into marigolds, eggs turn into chickens; one can even breed dogs into quite different shapes. Well, I shot my arrows at the awful eagles that clash their wings round the Himalayas; great golden eagles as big as elephants, which snap the tall trees by perching on them. My arrows fled so far over mountain and valley that they turned slowly into fowls in their flight. See here," and he threw down a dead bird and laid an arrow beside it. "Can't you see they are the same structure. The straight shaft is the backbone; the sharp point is the beak; the feather is the rudimentary plumage. It is merely modification and evolution." After a silence the king nodded gravely and said, "Yes; of course everything is evolution." At this the third archer suddenly and violently left the room, and was heard in some distant part of the building making extraordinary noises either of sorrow or of mirth.

The fourth archer was a stunted man with a face as dead as wood, but with wicked little eyes close together, and very much alive. His comrades dissuaded him from going in because they said that they had soared up into the seventh heaven of living lies, and that there was literally nothing which the old man would not believe. The face of the little archer became a little more wooden as he forced his way in, and when he was inside he looked round with blinking bewilderment. "Ha, the last," said the king heartily, "welcome back again!" There was a long pause, and then the stunted archer said, "What do you mean by 'again'? I have never been here before." The king stared for a few seconds, and said, "I sent you out from this room with the four doors last night." After another pause the little man slowly shook his head. "I never saw you before," he said simply; "you never sent me out from anywhere. I only saw your four turrets in the distance, and strayed in here by accident. I was born in an island in the Greek Archipelago; I am by profession an auctioneer, and my name is Punk." The king sat on his throne for seven long instants like a statue; and then there awoke in his mild and ancient eyes an awful thing; the complete conviction of untruth. Every one has felt it who has found a child obstinately false. He rose to his height and took down the heavy sword above him, plucked it out naked, and then spoke. "I will believe your mad tales about the exact machinery of arrows; for that is science. I will believe your mad tales about traces of life in the moon; for that is science. I will believe your mad tales about jellyfish turning into gentlemen, and everything turning into anything; for that is science. But I will not believe you when you tell me what I know to be untrue. I will not believe you when you say that you did not all set forth under my authority and out of my house. The other three may conceivably have told the truth; but this last man has certainly lied. Therefore I will kill him." And with that the old and gentle king ran at the man with uplifted sword; but he was arrested by the roar of happy laughter, which told the world that there is, after all, something which an Englishman will not swallow.

For there are certain persons who have not only their ears and their tongues but even, as I now perceive, their hands too, itching for words. They delight in profane babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called, and strifes about words, which tend to no profit. Paul is the preacher and establisher of the "Word cut short." The teacher of the fishermen calls to question all that is excessive or superfluous in discourse.

The apostle was cognizant of these sinful tendencies of the will, and besides his numerous admonitions to defend the faith and to preach the word, he said in his epistle to Timothy: "There will come a time when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but having itching ears, will heap up to themselves teachers according to their lusts, and they will turn away from hearing the truth and turn aside rather to fables." When they will no longer endure sound doctrine in their eagerness for godlessness, they will gather teachers together for these things which they desire. They will compile a doctrine that fits in with their desires, since they are no longer eager to be taught. They want to bring together teachers for that which they already desire in order that this large number of teachers whom they have sought and assembled may satisfy the doctrines of their own passionate desires.

For their Mother—that is, Leto—secretly stirred them up (whence also she is called Leto, according to the meaning of the Greek word, because she secretly stirred up men), without the knowledge of the Demiurge, to give forth profound and unspeakable mysteries to itching ears.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine." Before they grow stiffnecked, preoccupy them all. For this reason he says, "in season, out of season"; do everything, so as to have willing disciples. "But after their own lusts," he says, "shall they heap to themselves teachers." Nothing can be more expressive than these words. For by saying "they shall heap to themselves," he shows the indiscriminate multitude of the teachers, as also by their being elected by their disciples. "They shall heap to themselves teachers," he says, "having itching ears." Seeking for such as speak to gratify and delight their hearers. "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and be turned unto fables." This he foretells, not as willing to throw him into despair, but to prepare him to bear it firmly, when it shall happen. As Christ also did in saying, "They will deliver you up, and they will scourge you, and bring you before the synagogues, for My name's sake." (Matt. x. 17.) And this blessed man elsewhere says, "For I know this, that after my departures shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." (Acts xx. 29.) But this he said that they might watch, and duly use the present opportunity.

That is to say, they delight in their ears.

For there will be a time when they will not endure sound teaching; but according to their own desires they will accumulate for themselves teachers, having their ears tickled; and they will turn away their hearing from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Therefore, before they rush headlong, occupy them in the meantime while they obey you. For this reason, Paul says "in season and out of season," (2 Tim. 4:2) as long as they endure. For they must be accustomed to persuasion before they revolt. But observe the absurdity of the teachers, that the desires of the people serve as a pretext for them to protect themselves.

having their ears tickled. That is, delighting in hearing things that excite desire, and always longing to hear things that please.

and they will turn away their hearing from the truth. Paul foretells these things, not to cause sorrow, but teaching that it is necessary for the disciples, until they become obedient and reasonable, to be properly shaped and to be burdened, and so that when this comes to pass, they do not lose heart. "For I was prepared," he says, "and I was not disturbed." (Ps. 119:60) Do you see that they do not err as if unaware, but willingly? For they will turn away their hearing, he says, and be turned aside, so that the evil is voluntary.

You can understand the desire of the prodigal son to be sated with pods in this way. When rational nature exists in irrationality, it simply desires. If it does not get more convincing reasons, then it accepts any reason at all. Since the pods taste sweet and make the body fat, they do not bind the bowels. They are the specious words of lovers of matter and the body, who say that pleasure is a good, "itching at their ears and running after myths."

So, warn them before they plunge into calamity. This is why he also said above: "in season and out of season"; while you still have the opportunity to persuade, do everything.

The Apostle indicates by the expression "they will choose" a disorderly crowd of teachers, and also that they are chosen by the people, who will act not according to sound reason, but will choose those who will indulge their lusts and only say and do what is pleasing to them.

Those who always want to hear what is pleasant, delightful, and flattering to the ear.

Then when he says, "there shall be a time," he shows why this admonition is necessary. But there is a threefold need for the abovementioned advice: first, on the part of the hearers; second, on Timothy's part, at "but be vigilant"; third, on the part of the Apostle, at "for I am even now ready" (2 Tim 4:6). In regard to the first he does two things: first, he describes the need; second, he explains the statement, at "and will indeed turn."

The first need arises from the perversity of those who hear, for they desire to hear not what is useful, but what is new. He says, therefore, in regard to the first: be instant, when they refuse to listen to sound doctrine. "For there shall be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine," when their teachers are wicked: "I know that after my departure, ravening wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock" (Acts 20:29); hence he says, "they will not endure," i.e., your doctrine will be hateful to them, namely, Christ's doctrine: "all my words are just, there is nothing wicked nor perverse in them" (Prov 8:8).

Another perversity is that they wish to hear strange and harmful things: "O children, how long will you love childishness, and fools covet things which are hurtful to them, and the unwise hate knowledge?" (Prov 1:22). He says, therefore: "but they will heap to themselves teachers," i.e., they will multiply teachers unto themselves. Against this it is said: "be you not many masters, my brethren, knowing that you receive the greater judgment" (Jas 3:1). And there is a heaping up when unbecoming and unsatisfactory things are multiplied. Furthermore, there is more of a heaping up if they accept four who are unworthy, than if they accept a hundred who are good, because "the multitude of the wise is the welfare of the whole world" (Wis 6:26); "speak unto us pleasant things" (Isa 30:10).

And this is according to their desires, because one wishes to hear one, and another, and another; consequently, they search for different teachers. And he says, "teachers having itching ears," namely, their hearers. For an itch is present in the feet, when one cannot stay put; but it is present in the ears, when a person wishes to hear only unusual and curious and sometimes harmful news: "now all the Athenians, and strangers that were there, employed themselves in nothing else, but either in telling or in hearing some new thing" (Acts 17:21). In this way heretical doctrines were spawned: "stolen waters are sweeter, and hidden bread is more pleasant" (Prov 9:17).

Do you see? They are not led astray out of ignorance, but willingly. "They will turn away," he says, "their hearing and will turn to fables." Therefore their evil is voluntary. The Apostle says this not in order to cast his disciple into despondency, but to persuade him to make proper use of the present time of safety, and so that he would courageously endure when this happens; just as Christ also says: "they will deliver you up to councils and will beat you" (Matt. 10:17). And Paul himself elsewhere: "after my departure savage wolves will come in among you" (Acts 20:29).

Then he says, "and will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth," he explains his advice. First he explains what he had said, namely, that they will not endure sound doctrine, when he says, "they will turn away their hearing from the truth." For doctrine is sound when it is not an alloy of truth and falsity. Therefore, they will not endure sound doctrine, because they do not wish to hear the truth: "there is no truth and there is no mercy and there is no knowledge of God in the land" (Hos 4:1); "if I speak the truth, why do you not believe me?" (John 8:46).

"They will heap to themselves teachers" is explained when he says, "but will be turned unto fables." For a fable is composed of unusual details which are untrue, but men with itching ears love to hear them: "but avoid foolish and old wives' fables" (1 Tim 4:7).