The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Timothy — Section 48

extend. 'I'hey are to embrace distinct timP.B, hnt all characterized by grievo11Bne~9. From what follows we may infer that the grievousness of the times will consist in the )'revalence or moral evil, and in the strange coexiste11ce of moral evil with Chri.tian forms. There will be difficulty in knowillg how to act, anrl also in ac•ing according to knowledge in the fooe of Htrong, quasi-Christian solidarities of evil. From II source of revelation open to him, the apostle was able to write with certaint_v regarding the coming of grievous times in the lastd11ys. There is not excluded the ultim11te triumph of religion in this world which is taught elsewhere, I. CBABAOTEBISTIOS OF THE MEN IN THE GRIEVOUS TIMES, " For men shall be !oven of selr." "Such men ae the apostle here describes there have been at all times, and the apostle does not uy that they will be then snch for the first time, nor that all men without exception shall be such, but he describes the moral-spiritual physiognomy of the times which he behol<ls approaching." We are not to include in this first part of the description all who &re influenced by self-love; for it is only right before God that we should be influenced by an intelligent regard to our interest. The persons intended are the selfish-a word which was only brought in by the Puritan divines toward the middle of the seventeenth ceutury, 'fhey are those who exclude God from the central place to which he is entitle<l in their life. They are those who Pxclude others from the place of interest to which they are entitled. They thus put self in a false position-make it the beginning and end of all their thoui,:hts and actions. Tht1y properly take the place of pre-eminence in the apostle's list; for all classes of sinners are after the selfish type, i.e. put forward self in some way or other that does not accord with eternal truth. In the grievous times will be large developments of selfishness. "Lovers of money." From similarity of composition in the Greek words, the aµostle passes on from lovers of self to lovers of money. Under this head are nut to be included all seekers of money; for it is right to seek money for good ends. Neither are there to be included e.11 who seek money for selfish ends. But we are to think rather of the avaricious, i.e. those who 8et'k to retain money in a selfish way. They look upon it as that which will make them self-sufficient in the future; and therefore they grudge to spend it even on present necessity. The times will be grievowi when the avaricious increase. "Boastful." Derived from a word signifying "a wandering about," this word designated first the vagabond mountebanks, conjurors, quacksalvers, or exorcists, "full of empty and boastful professions of cures and other feats which they could accomplish." Men do not need to go about crying up, advertising, that which is of great value, What men generally boast of is some external advantage which is of little consequence in comparison with the moral worth which 11hould be associated with it, The times will be grievous when the gift is exalted aboYe the moral use to which it is put. "Haughty." The haughty are literally, in the Greek, those who aAow themselves above their fellow,. In the glass of their own minds, they behold themselves standing along with others; and the comparison they make is in their own favour. Their estimate is false in respect of the importance attached to that in which they pride themselves, and in respect of the importance attached to that for which they despise others. Birth is an advantage, but not the only advantage, nor the greatest advantagt', and must be taken along with service and character. In the grievous times there will be a great amount of pride. " Railers." 'l'he word is "blasphemers," but it would be inconsistent with holding the form of godliness to think of blasphemers in the usual eense in English. It is better, therefore, to think of those who use evil words to each other, i.e. words of contempt, or words of bitterness. There is to be a large develoµment of evil-speaking in the grievous times. "Disobedieut to parents." Selfishness is early to show itself in the form of self-will. The youni,: generation nre to show impatience of being ruled by their parents, which is sure to grow into impatience in respeot of all rightful rule. In the grievous times there is to be a large dcvulopment of lawlessness, beginning in the fiimily circle. "Unthankful." Those who are allowed to have their own way in early life are not likely to grow up to show gratitude to parents for what they have sacrificed for them, nor are they likely to show gratitude in the ordinary i11teroours11 of life, nor can we think of them showing gratitude to God for his mercies. Ingratitude is to be a striking feature of the grievous times. "Unholy." There are cate.in sanctities which are everlasting, which are anterior to all law and custom, which blllong to ~h:.i Divine constitution of things, e.,q. the sanctities of the marriage bond. 'l'he  52 THE SEOOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. (oa. m. 1-17.