Shall they heap to themselves teachers (éavrois émricwpev- govolv didacKkaddouvs). A vigorous and graphic statement. "Emicopevev to heap up, N. T.°. Comp. cecwpevpéva laden, ch. iii. 6. The word is ironical; shall invite teachers en
Cu. IV.] THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 821
masse.* In periods of unsettled faith, scepticism, and mere curious speculation in matters of religion, teachers of all kinds swarm like the flies in Egypt. The demand creates the supply. The hearers invite and shape their own preachers. If the people desire a calf to worship, a ministerial calf-maker is readily found. ‘The master of superstition is the people, and in all superstition wise men follow fools” (Bacon, ss. Xvii). :
Having itching ears (cyn@duevor THY axonv). Or, being tickled in their hearing. KvnOev to tickle, N.T.°. 0LXX. KynOdpevor itching. Hesychius explains, “hearing for mere gratification.” Clement of Alexandria describes certain teachers as “ scratch- ing and tickling, in no human way, the ears of those who eagerly desire to be scratched” (Strom. v). Seneca says: “Some come to hear, not to learn, just as we go to the theatre, for pleasure, to delight our ears with the speaking or the voice or the plays” (Hp. 108). ’Axony, A. V. ears, in N.T. a report, as Matt. iv. 24; xiv. 1; xxiv. 6: in the plural, ears (never ear in singular), as Mk. vii. 85; L. vii. 1: hearing, either the act, as Acts xxviii. 26; Rom. x. 17, or the sense, 1 Cor. xii. 17, here, and ver. 4.
4. Shall be turned unto fables (ézi rods uiOous éxtparn- covrat). More correctly, will turn aside. The passive has a middle sense. For fables see on 1 Tim. i. 4.
5. Watch thou (cv vide). _ See on 1 Th. v. 6, and on avavyoow recover, 2 Tim. ii. 26.
Endure afflictions (xaxord@ncov). Or suffer hardship. See on ch. ii. 9, and comp. ch. iv. 5.
Of an evangelist (evayyeArorod). Here, Acts xxi. 8 and Eph. iv. 11. In the last passage, a special function, with
* Weizsicker’s sich herzieht isfeeble. Better von Soden, sich aufsammeln ; or Bahnsen, in Masse herbei schaffen ; or Hofmann, hinzuhdufen. VoL. Iv. —21 Jes eae
322 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. IV.
apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers. A travelling minis- ter. whose work was not confined to a particular church. So Philip, Acts viii. 5-18, 26-40. A helper of the apostles. An apostle, as such, was an evangelist (1 Cor. i. 17), but every evangelist was not an apostle. In The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (about 100 A.D.) it is prescribed that an apostle shall not remain in one place longer than two days, and that when he departs he shall take nothing with him except enough bread to last until his next station (ch. xi).
Make full proof of thy ministry (77 d:axoviay cov mAnpo- gdépnoov). Letter, fulfil or fully perform. In Pastorals only here and ver. 17. See on L. i. 1. In LXX once, Eccl. vili. 11, ¢s fully persuaded. Only in this passage in the active voice. Comp. mAnpocartes tiv Staxoviay having fulfilled their ministration, Acts xii. 25: émdnjpov tov Spcuov was fulfilling - his course, Acts xill. 25, and rov dpduov rerérXexa TI have finished the course, ver. 7. For dtaxoviav ministry, see on 1 Tim. i. 12.
6. For | am now ready to be offered (éya yap 78n omé- Sowa). J, emphatic contrast with od thou, ver. 5. Already. What he is now suffering is the beginning of theend. rrév- decPat to be poured out as a libation, only here and Philip. ii. 17 (mote). In the active voice quite often in LXX.
Departure (avadvcews). N.T.°. CLXX. Comp. avarica to depart, Philip. i. 28.. The figure is explained by some of loosing a ship from its moorings; by others of breaking camp. In Philippians the Jatter is the more probable ex- planation, because Paul’s situation in the custody of the Praetorians at Rome would naturally suggest a military metaphor, and because he is habitually sparing of nautical metaphors. Comp. 2 Cor. v. 1, and Clement of Rome, ad Corinth. xliv: “Blessed are the presbyters who have gone before, seeing that their departure (4vdAvow) was fruitful and ripe.”