2Ti 3:1-4 | JFB | e4.org | 1. also — Greek, "but." last days —preceding Christ's second coming ( ). "The latter times," , refer to a period not so remote as "the last days," namely, the long days of papal and Greek anti-Christianity. perilous —literally, " difficult times," in which it is difficult to know what is to be done: "grievous times." shall come — Greek, "shall be imminent"; "shall come unexpectedly" [BENGEL ].

‏ 2 Timothy 3:1-4

1. also—Greek, "but."

last days—preceding Christ's second coming (2Pe 3:3; Jude 18). "The latter times," 1Ti 4:1, refer to a period not so remote as "the last days," namely, the long days of papal and Greek anti-Christianity.

perilous—literally, "difficult times," in which it is difficult to know what is to be done: "grievous times."

shall come—Greek, "shall be imminent"; "shall come unexpectedly" [BENGEL].

2. men—in the professing Church. Compare the catalogue, Ro 1:29, &c., where much the same sins are attributed to heathen men; it shall be a relapse into virtual heathendom, with all its beast-like propensities, whence the symbol of it is "a beast" (Re 13:1, 11, 12, &c.; 17:3, 8, 11).

covetous—Translate, "money-loving," a distinct Greek word from that for "covetous" (see on Col 3:5). The cognate Greek substantive (1Ti 6:10) is so translated, "the love of money is a (Greek, not 'the') root of all evil."

boasters—empty boasters [ALFORD]; boasting of having what they have not.

proud—overweening: literally, showing themselves above their fellows.

blasphemous—rather, "evil-speakers," revilers.

disobedient to parents—The character of the times is even to be gathered especially from the manners of the young [BENGEL].

unthankful—The obligation to gratitude is next to that of obedience to parents.

unholy—irreligious [ALFORD]; inobservant of the offices of piety.

3. truce-breakers—rather as the Greek is translated in Ro 1:31, "implacable."

false accusers—slanderers (1Ti 3:11; Tit 2:3).

incontinent, fierce—at once both soft and hard: incontinently indulging themselves, and inhuman to others.

despisers, &c.—"no lovers of good" [ALFORD]; the opposite of "a lover of good" (Tit 1:8).

4. heady—precipitate in action and in passion.

high-minded—literally, "puffed up" with pride, as with smoke blinding them.

lovers of pleasure . . . God—Love of pleasure destroys the love and sense of God.