Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Timothy 2:17
And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
17. their word ] As opposed to ‘the word of truth’ above, the fictions and heresies in which the Gnostic scheme expressed itself.
will eat ] Lit. ‘will have pasture.’ The word occurs Joh 10:9 ‘will find pasture.’ Cf. Latimer Serm. p. 525 quoted in the Bible Word Book ‘In another place St Paul compareth their doctrine unto a sickness which is called a canker; which sickness, when she once beginneth at a place of the body, except it be withstood will run over the whole body, and so at length kill.’
as doth a canker ] Or more exactly a gangrene or ‘eating sore,’ the root notion of ‘gangrene’ as of the common word ‘grass’ being ‘to devour’ ‘to eat.’ Galen defines it as a tumour in the state between inflammation and mortification.
of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus ] Or ‘among whom’; the partitive genitive. Hymenus is probably the same as in 1Ti 1:20; see note. Philetus is not mentioned elsewhere.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And their word – The word, or the discourses of those who love vain and idle disputations.
Will eat as doth a canker – Margin, gangrene. This word – gangraina – occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It is derived from graio, graino, to devour, corrode, and means gangrene or mortification – the death of a part, spreading, unless arrested, by degrees over the whole body. The words rendered will eat, mean will have nutriment; that is, will spread over and consume the healthful parts. It will not merely destroy the parts immediately affected, but will extend into the surrounding healthy parts and destroy them also. So it is with erroneous doctrines. They will not merely eat out the truth in the particular matter to which they refer, but they will also spread over and corrupt other truths. The doctrines of religion are closely connected, and are dependent on each other – like the different parts of the human body. One cannot be corrupted without affecting those adjacent to it, and unless checked, the corruption will soon spread over the whole.
Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus – In regard to Hymenaeus, see the notes at 1Ti 1:20. Of Philetus nothing more is known. They have gained an undesirable immortality, destined to be known to the end of time only as the advocates of error.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Ti 2:17
Their word will eat as doth a canker.
Gangrene
The substitution of gangrene for cancer is an improvement, as giving the exact word used in the original, which expresses the meaning more forcibly than cancer. Cancer is sometimes very slow in its ravages, and may go on for years without causing serious harm. Gangrene poisons the whole frame, and quickly becomes fatal. The apostle foresees that doctrines, which really ate out the very heart of Christianity, were likely to become very popular in Ephesus, and would do incalculable mischief. The nature of these doctrines we gather from what follows. (A. Plummer, D. D.)
Unsound opintions
I. The Church in all ages hath been pestered with vain babblers,
II. Unsound opinions are of a spreading nature. And this is true of all sin, original and actual.
1. For doth not corruption, like a disease, disperse itself, and pollute every power of the soul and member of the body? What part is not infected with that leprous contagion? Hath it not spread also, by natural propagation, to all Adams posterity?
2. Will not all actual sin spread also? For unbelief, hath it not run into atheism? fear, into despair? anger, into fury? and that, to revenge? Foolish mirth will become madness; temporary faith, high presumption; and speculative lust, actual whoredom. Were not images, in the beginning, for civil use, to put men in mind of deceased friends; and are they not at this day, by the Romanists, religiously adored?
3. Shall we not see one error beget another?
4. Moreover, unsound opinions spread from person to person.
III. Sin will destroy, if not destroyed. (J. Barlow, D. D.)
Justification by faith
This is a most striking and accurate description of the nature of heresy–it never remains inactive–it is sure to spread; an error in any essential point is sure, eventually, to corrupt the whole body of truth, just as a gangrene in the human body appearing, at first, as a small spot, gradually spreads, eating into the sound parts near it, and they, in their turn, infecting the rest, until the whole body is destroyed. The reason for this is very simple. The truths of religion are not a set of independent and unconnected notions bound up together in a creed, as men bind loose sticks into a bundle; they are closely connected parts of a great whole, arising one out of the other, so that you cannot deny one without denying or perverting a great many others; for once you admit a truth, you admit all its consequences; once you deny a truth, you must be prepared to deny, in like manner, all its consequences. God declares that false doctrine eats into the faith of the Church like a canker. Sacramental justification does this–therefore it is false. In order to show the injurious results of this false doctrine, we will take, for our example, that Church which most strongly holds it. The Church of Rome gives us the most awful instance of its effects. The Church of Rome holds that, at his baptism, every one is made perfectly holy; that if he remain in this state of grace, or if, after falling from it, he is restored to it again, so that he be in it at his death, then he is saved. Now let us suppose a church, as yet sound upon all other points, adopting this opinion. We shall see how it eats its way. And firstly, it must lead to the perversion of the doctrine of original sin. But further; every one knows that he is constantly committing little faults. In many things we offend all. But Rome affirms that some sins are venial, while others are mortal. But the law of God commands as welt as forbids, and they must, by their good works, continue to deserve Gods favour! Now, in such a system, every work must have its own proper value, it must be just so much merit towards justification: a man who works because he has been justified, does not stop to reckon or to price his good works; he works from love–he cannot do too much; but he who works that he may be justified, must keep count of his good deeds, and try to ascertain their value, that he may be sure he has really done enough to secure his justification. But this is not all. In such a system of external observances, it is clear that the man most remarkable for his lastings and his many prayers is the holiest man. But we may trace it further still. These holy men, who dwell apart from the common crowd, have clearly attained a degree of holiness greater than is necessary for their own salvation. May they not, then, bestow some of it on others? So far we have been tracing the effects of this false doctrine on those who believe that they are still in a state of justification because they have retained their baptismal purity. We have now to see its effects upon those who have reason to fear that they have lost their justification. Even when men have raised their own righteousness to the utmost, and lowered Gods law to the lowest, still the uneasy doubt will intrude itself–What if, after all, I have not done enough? what if I have fallen into mortal sin? Now, in such a case, of whom would the anxious sinner seek advice and consolation? who shall decide for him each nice case of conscience, and say what is venial and what is mortal sin? what are good works and what are not? Who but his pastor, Gods minister, whose province it is to study such matters? He wilt naturally ask him to decide for him what his state may be; but if so, he must confess all his sins to him: this spiritual physician must know all the symptoms of his case before he can give his opinion upon it; and, accordingly, the penitent will soon acquire the habit of auricular confession of all his sins to his priest. But what if this adviser, when consulted, shall decide that he has fallen from grace and is even in mortal sin? The priest cannot re-baptize him; how shall he regain his justification? This confessor has a right to declare Gods forgiveness; he preaches remission of sins; what if he have a right to give it? it is but a step from saying You are forgiven, to I forgive you. The fears of the penitent, the ambition of the priest, soon take it; the inquisitor becomes a judge, the ambassador assumes the authority of the king, the minister of Christ attempts to give the sinner the peace he needs, by usurping the office of his Lord and Master, who alone tins power on earth to forgive sins. The canker eats its way! There may, however, be cases where time is too short for the performance of penance–death may be imminent. For such a state another provision must be made–it is ready. There is a scriptural and primitive custom, that the elders of the Church should pray over a sick man, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. All that is necessary is, to make of this rite, a sacrament conveying to the insensible, sick man remission of sins, as baptism was supposed to have given it to the insensible infant; and then his salvation is secured. Mark, now, how the true doctrine of justification preserves from all this error. Being justified by faith I have peace; what need have I then to confess to man? I may come boldly into the holy of holies, through the new and living way; I need no man to tell me how great my sins may be; I can ask God to pardon my iniquity, for it is great! If I address myself to my fellow man, it is for counsel and consolation, not for pardon. I have no need of extreme unction, I have an unction from the Holy One; I have no need of purgatorial fire, for the blood of Christ cleanses from all sin. Being justified by faith I have peace with God. (W.G. Magee.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 17. Their word will eat as doth a canker] . As a gangrene; i.e. as a mortification in the flesh, where the circulation is entirely stopped, and putrefaction takes place, which continues to corrupt all the circumjacent flesh, spreading more and more till death takes place, unless stopped by a timely and judicious application of medicine. Such is the influence of false doctrine; it fixes its mortal seed in the soul, which continues to corrupt and assimilate every thing to itself, till, if not prevented by a timely application of the word of life, under the direction of the heavenly Physician, it terminates in the bitter pains of an eternal death. To such a gangrene the apostle compares the corrupt doctrines of Hymeneus and Philetus.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And their word will eat as doth a canker; in the Greek it is: And their word will have pasture (or place to feed upon) as a gangrene: we have ill translated the word a canker, for it signifieth a gangrene; both our English word gangrene and the Latin word are derived from the Greek. There is a great difference between a canker and a gangrene, in the causes of those two diseases, and the nature of them, and the time in which they destroy the body of a man; only they both agree in their infecting the parts contiguous, the canker eating them, the gangrene mortifying them; and for this, the words of erroneous persons are here compared to this disease, because either of them will have something to feed upon; so signifieth, Joh 10:9. Most errors in matters of faith are contagious and infectious; the reason is, because ordinarily an error is broached by some, and entertained by others, in satisfaction to some lust, as favouring some evil desire and inclination of our minds, and so naturally pleaseth those who have the same evil propensions.
Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus: of Hymenaeus we read before, 1Ti 1:20, there he is joined with Alexander; but not of Philetus, nor do we find him further mentioned in holy writ.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. will eatliterally, “willhave pasture.” The consuming progress of mortification is theimage. They pretend to give rich spiritual pasture to theirdisciples: the only pasture is that of a spiritual cancerfeeding on their vitals.
cankera “cancer”or “gangrene.”
Hymenaeus(See on 1Ti1:20). After his excommunication he seems to have been readmittedinto the Church and again to have troubled it.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And their word will eat as doth a cancer,…. Or “gangrene”, which gnaws and feeds upon the flesh, inflames and mortifies as it goes, and spreads swiftly, and endangers the whole body; and is therefore to be speedily taken notice of, and stopped. It is better rendered “gangrene”, as in the marginal reading, than “cancer”.
“The word “gangrene” is Greek g, and is derived by some authors from the Paphlagonian “gangra”, a goat; it being the character of a goat to browse the grass all around without shifting. It is more correct, perhaps, to derive it from the Greek word , , “manduco”, “consumo”, I eat, I consume. The “gangrene” is a disease in the flesh of the part which it corrupts, consumes, and turns black, spreading and seizing itself of the adjoining parts, and is rarely cured without amputation. By the microscope, a gangrene has been discovered to contain an infinite number of little worms engendered in the morbid flesh; and which continually producing new broods, they swarm, and overrun the adjacent parts: if the gangrene proceed to an utter sphacelation (or mortification), and be seated in any of the limbs, or extreme parts, recourse must be had to the operation of amputation”
And so the errors and heresies of false teachers worm and spread, and feed upon the souls of men, and eat up the vitals of religion, or what seemed to be such, and even destroy the very form of godliness; and bring destruction and death, wherever they come; and when they get into Christian churches, threaten the ruin of them; and therefore are to be opposed in time, and those infected with them to be cut off.
Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; these were some of the principal among the false teachers, the chief authors and spreaders of error and heresy: the former of these is mentioned before in 1Ti 1:20 along with Alexander, as guilty of blasphemy, and as delivered up to Satan for it. Philetus is a Greek name as well as the other, though it is sometimes found in Roman inscriptions h: it is very likely that these were both in Asia, and probably in Ephesus, or near to it, since the apostle mentions them by name to Timothy, that he might beware of them.
g See Chambers’s Cyclopedia in the word “Gangrene”. h Vid. Kirchman. de Funer. Roman. l. 3. c. 10. p. 390.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Will eat ( ). “Will have (future active of ) pasturage or increase” (, old word from , to pasture, in N.T. only here and Joh 10:9).
As doth gangrene ( ). Late word (medical writers and Plutarch), only here in N.T. From or , to gnaw, to eat, an eating, spreading disease. Hymenaeus is probably the one mentioned in 1Ti 1:20. Nothing is known of Philetus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Will eat [ ] . Lit. will have pasturage, and sO grow. Nomh purov a spreading of fire : a sore is said nomhn poieisqai to spread. Comp. Act 4:17, dianemhqh spread, of the influence of the miracle of Peter, from the same root, nemein to distribute or divide; often of herdsmen, to pasture. Nomh only here and Joh 10:9 Canker [] . Transliterated into gangrene. An eating sore; a cancer. N. T. o. o LXX Comp. Ovid :
“Solet immedicabile cancer Serpere, et illaesas vitiatis addere partes.” Metam. 2 826
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And their word will eat as doth a canker” (kai ho logos auton hos gangraina nomen eksei) “And their word will have a gangrene feeding,” or will eat like gangrene on the congregation or church life, hurting the usefulness of others.
2) “Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus” (on estin Hymenaios kai Philetos) “Of whom is (are) Hymenaeus and Philetus,” men who were vain babblers, profane talebearers, stink-raisers. Paul named church wreckers, 1Ti 1:20; as did John, also, 2Jn 1:9-11.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
17 And their word will eat as a gangrene I have been told by Benedict Textor, a physician, that this passage is badly translated by Erasmus, who, out of two diseases quite different from each other, has made but one disease; for, instead of “gangrene,” he has used the word “cancer.” Now Galen, in many passages throughout his writings, and especially where he lays down definitions in his small work “On unnatural swellings,” distinguishes the one from the other. Paul Aegineta, too, on the authority of Galen, thus in his sixth book defines a “cancer;” that it is “an unequal swelling, with inflated extremities, loathsome to the sight, of a leaden color, and unaccompanied by pain.” Next, he enumerates two kinds, as other physicians do; for he says that some “cancers” are concealed and have no ulcer; while others, in which there is a preponderance of the black bile from which they originate, are ulcerous.
Of the “gangrene,” on the other hand, Galen, both in the small work already quoted, and in his second book to Glauco, Aetius in his fourteenth book, and the same Ægineta in his fourth book, speak to the following effect; that it proceeds from great phlegmons or inflammations, if they fall violently on any member, so that the part which is destitute of heat and vital energy tends to destruction. If that part be quite dead, the Greek writers call the disease σφάκελος the Latins sideratio , and the common people call it St. Anthony’s fire.
I find, indeed, that Cornelius Celsius draws the distinction in this manner, that “cancer “is the genus, and “gangrene” the species; but his mistake is plainly refuted from numerous passages in the works of physicians of high authority. It is possible, also, that he was led astray by the similarity between the Latin words “ cancer “ and “ gangræna.” But in the Greek words there can be no mistake of that kind; for κάρκινος is the name which corresponds to the Latin word “ cancer,” and denotes both the animal which we call a crab, and the disease; while grammarians think that γάγγραινα is derived ἀπο τοῦ γραίνειν which means “to eat.” We must therefore abide by the word “gangrene,” which Paul uses, and which best agrees with what he says as to “eating” or “consuming.”
We have now explained the etymology; but all physicians pronounce the nature of the disease to be such, that, if it be not very speedily counteracted, it spreads to the adjoining parts, and penetrates even to the bones, and does not cease to consume, till it has killed the man. Since, therefore, “gangrene” is immediately followed by ( νέκρωσις) mortification, which rapidly infects the rest of the members till it end in the universal destruction of the body; to this mortal contagion Paul elegantly compares false doctrines; for, if you once give entrance to them, they spread till they have completed the destruction of the Church. The contagion being so destructive, we must meet it early, and not wait till it has gathered strength by progress; for there will then be no time for rendering assistance. The dreadful extinction of the gospel among the Papists arose from this cause, that, through the ignorance or slothfulness of the pastors, corruptions prevailed long and without control, in consequence of which the purity of doctrine was gradually destroyed.
Of the number of whom are Hymenaeus and Philetus He points out with the finger the plagues themselves, that all may be on their guard against them; for, if those persons who aim at the ruin of the whole Church are permitted by us to remain concealed, then to some extent we give them power to do injury. It is true that we ought to conceal the faults of brethren, but only those faults the contagion of which is not widely spread. But where there is danger to many, our dissimulation is cruel, if we do not expose in proper time the hidden evil. And why? Is it proper, for the sake of sparing one individual, that a hundred or a thousand persons shall perish through my silence? Besides, Paul did not intend to convey this information to Timothy alone, but he intended to proclaim to all ages and to all nations the wickedness of the two men, in order to shut the door against their base and ruinous doctrine.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) And their word will eat as doth a canker.Better rendered, as in the margin of the English translation, as doth a gangrene, the usual rendering of the various English versions. Cancer, which is adopted also by Lutherkrebsfails to express the terrible and deathly nature of the word of these false teachers. The life of the sufferer afflicted with cancer may be prolonged for many years; a few hours, however, is sufficient to put a term to the life of the patient attacked with gangrene, unless the limb affected be at once cut away. To translate this Greek word here by cancer is to water down the original, in which St. Paul expresses his dread of the fatal influence of the words of these teachers on the lives of many of the flock of Christ. Perhaps Jeromes words, a perverse doctrine, beginning with one, at the commencement scarcely finds two or three listeners; but little by little the cancer creeps through the body (Jerome. in Epist. ad Gal.), has suggested the rendering of the English Version.
Of whom is Hymenus and Philetus.Of these false teachers nothing is known beyond the mention, in the First Epistle to Timothy, of Hymenus, who, regardless of the severe action which had been taken against him (1Ti. 1:20), was apparently still continuing in his error. Vitringa thinks they were Jews, and probably Samaritans. Their names are simply given as examples of the teachers of error to whom St. Paul was referringfamous leaders, no doubt, in their cheerless school of doctrine.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Canker A gangrene; called by some “an incipient mortification.” A corrupted spot, eating in every direction from its centre, until it corrupts and destroys the whole. So one fatal error or sin may spread its influence over the whole character, destroying the moral nature. And so, collectively, (as St. Jerome quoted by Huther says,) “a perverse doctrine, commencing with one individual, at first scarce finds two or three listeners, but by degrees it creeps like a canker over the whole body.”
Philetus Only mentioned here.
Hymeneus Note, 1Ti 1:20.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And their word will eat as does a gangrene, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus,’
But their ‘word’, in contrast with ‘the word of truth’ (2Ti 2:15), which feeds the soul (Jas 1:21; 1Pe 2:2; Heb 5:12-14), will be like a gangrene, eating into and destroying those who are affected by it. And in order that Timothy might be sure whom he particularly has in mind, he mentions two of the false teachers by name, Hymenaeus and Philetus. For Hymenaeus compare 1Ti 1:20.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2Ti 2:17-18. Of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus; Among the various conjectures concerning the opinions of Hymeneus and Philetus, it seems most probable that they insisted, that the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead was to be understood only in a spiritual or figurative sense; or that it was the same with regeneration, or being born of God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ti 2:17 . The increase of the is closely connected with the further spread of the heresy. On this point the apostle says: ] , an eating ulcer, like cancer, called in Galen the cold burn ( ); = (Act 4:17 : ), “ eat into the flesh, spread ;” comp. Polybius (Exo 2 , Tauchnitz), i. 4, viii. 5: is equivalent to the spreading of fire; 2Ti 1:8 ; 2Ti 1:16 , used of an ulcer (Pape, s.v. ).
Jerome, Ep. ad Galat. : doctrina perversa, ab uno incipiens, vix duos aut tres primum in exordio auditores reperit, sed paulatim cancer serpit in corpore. The body on which the gangrene is found, and in which it spreads ever wider, is the church. He is therefore speaking here not so much of the intensive increase of the evil (Mack, Wiesinger) in those attacked by it, as of its extensive diffusion (so most expositors), thinking, at the same time, of the ever deepening mark which it is making on the inner life of the church. Chrysostom rightly says: ; but his further explanation is not apposite: , for the apostle does not say here that the heretics are beyond amendment.
Of these heretics Paul mentions two: Hymenaeus and Philetus, of whom nothing further is known, except that the former is possibly the same as the one named in 1Ti 1:20 (see on that passage).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
Ver. 17. Eat as doth a gangrene ] Which presently overruns the parts, and takes the brain, pierceth into the very bones, and if not suddenly cured by cutting off the part infected, kills the patient. Lo, such is heresy and error, which made Placilla the empress earnestly beseech her husband Theodosius senior, not to confer with Eunomius the heretic, lest he should be perverted by his speeches. (Sozom. vii. c. 7.) Anasius II, bishop of Rome, A.D. 497, while he sought to win Acacius the heretic, was seduced by him. (Jac. Revius, de Vit. Pont.) Error is exceeding infectious, and for most part mortal, as the leprosy in the head was held to be. Jealousy, frenzy, and heresy can hardly be cured, saith the Italian proverb.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ti 2:17 . : spread , R.V.m., ut cancer serpit , Vulg. Ell. compares Ovid. Metam . ii. 825, “solet immedicabile cancer Serpere, et illaesas vitiatis addere partes”. Alf. supplies many illustrations of as “the medical term for the consuming progress of mortifying disease”.
Harnack ( Mission , vol. i., pp. 114, 115) illustrates copiously this conception of moral evil from the writings of the early fathers.
. This Hymenaeus is perhaps the same as he who is mentioned in 1Ti 1:20 . Of Philetus nothing is known from other sources.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
eat. Literally have pasture (Greek. nome. Only here and Joh 10:9),
canker = gangrene. Greek. gangraina. Only here.
Hymenesus Compare 1Ti 1:20
Philetue, Nothing is known of him.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Ti 2:17. , Hymenus) who continued pertinacious; comp. 1Ti 1:20.- , and Philetus) who assented to Hymenus.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Ti 2:17
and their word will eat as doth a gangrene:-Gangrene poisons the whole frame and quickly becomes fatal. So does the introduction of things not taught by God-the doctrines of men. These doctrines spread rapidly, corrupt the whole church till spiritual death ensues to the church of God. [Error is a diffusive poison rapidly spreading through the whole body and tending to vital decay and ultimate destruction.]
of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;-[Of these false teachers nothing is known beyond the mention of Hymenaeus, who, regardless of the severe action which had been taken against him, was apparently still continuing in his error. (1Ti 1:20.) Their names were simply given as examples of the teachers of errors to whom Paul was referring-fearless leaders, most likely, in their cheerless, destructive school of doctrine.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
their word: Nah 3:15, Jam 5:3
canker: or, gangrene
Hymenaeus: 1Ti 1:20
Reciprocal: Lev 13:3 – deeper Lev 13:7 – General Lev 13:35 – General Lev 14:36 – be not made Deu 20:18 – General Pro 10:16 – the fruit Jer 23:27 – think Jer 27:15 – that I Mat 16:6 – the leaven Mar 4:17 – have Luk 20:27 – the Sadducees Act 17:21 – spent Act 20:30 – of your Rom 6:19 – unto iniquity 1Co 5:6 – a little 2Co 11:13 – false Gal 5:9 – General Eph 4:14 – tossed Col 2:8 – philosophy 2Th 2:7 – doth 2Ti 3:13 – evil Heb 12:15 – and thereby
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ti 2:17. Canker is from GAGGRAINA which Thayer defines, “a gangrene.” He explains the word as follows: “A disease by which any part of the body suffering from inflamation becomes so corrupted that unless a remedy be seasonably applied, the evil continually spreads, attacks other parts, and at last eats away the bones.” An evil influence, whether it is in the form of false teaching or sinful conduct, is sure to spread and increase. This truth is illustrated by various figures in the Bible. The spread of bad leaven is used in 1Co 5:6, and the eating of a gangrenous infection is the illustration in our verse. Hence it should be attacked and destroyed as soon as it is discovered. Hymenaeus is mentioned in 1Ti 1:19-20 as one who had given up the faith, but nothing is specified. In our chapter (verse 18) his false doctrine is revealed. Philetus is called a heretic by Thayer.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Ti 2:17. Canker. Another medical word-Literally gangrene, the state between inflammation and entire mortification. The word is used by Hippocrates sometimes in this special sense, sometimes of cancer.
Hymenus and Philetus. The former has been mentioned already (1Ti 1:20). Of the latter nothing more is known.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 17
Their word; their influence.–Will eat as doth a canker; corrupting and destroying the spirit of piety.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
“And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;”
Now Paul gets personal – these babblings are like a canker and then he names two men that were cankers. Not sure I would ever want to be called a canker, but these two men have that distinction.
Canker is not even as pleasant as it might sound. It is the term for gangrene, that malady which kills living flesh. If you have serious injury the tissue can start dying and this death if not excised promptly will continue right on its path until the person dies.
This seems to be some serious babbling that Paul is speaking of.
Hymenaeus means belonging to marriage. Now, I wouldnt comment on that if someone begged me to! Philetus means beloved. The meanings do not seem to relate to the lives of the men. Names usually, in the Bible, relate to the qualities of the person – this would indicate that these two have left their appointed life with God.
The lexicon lists Philetus as a disciple of Hymenaeus, but did not list any reference to back this up. From the text Im not sure if we could determine if one were the leader over the other or if they were cooperating members in their error.
Hymenaeus is mentioned in 1Ti 1:19-20 Holding faith, and a good conscience, which some, having put away concerning faith, have made shipwreck; 20 Of whom are Hymenaus and Alexander, whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. Since Philetus is not mentioned here, it might indicate that he is a later addition to the error of Hymenaeus.
The next verse gets into the error of these two, and some translations mention they were part of a group, thus there may have been more than the two.
We see that it is of major doctrinal concern that they have erred – Paul is quite pointed in his pointing out of the error.
Some in the church say we should be respective of diversity, but Paul says when it comes to doctrine you are dealing with gangrene! Not something you cover up and not talk about!
Barnes relates quite well. mortification – the death of a part, spreading, unless arrested, by degrees over the whole body. The words rendered will eat, mean will have nutriment; that is, will spread over and consume the healthful parts. It will not merely destroy the parts immediately affected, but will extend into the surrounding healthy parts and destroy them also. So it is with erroneous doctrines. They will not merely eat out the truth in the particular matter to which they refer, but they will also spread over and corrupt other truths. The doctrines of religion are closely connected, and are dependent on each other – like the different parts of the human body. One cannot be corrupted without affecting those adjacent to it, and unless checked, the corruption will soon spread over the whole.
If you think of false doctrine, it usually starts in one small area where there is a divergence from truth. This in turn requires other changes of doctrine to remain consistent with what is believed. From one to the next to the next doctrines will be affected.
He goes on to mention of the cankerous pair They have gained an undesirable immortality, destined to be known to the end of time only as the advocates of error.
Gill seems to agree with the thought of the word canker And their word will eat as doth a cancer,…. Or “gangrene”, which gnaws and feeds upon the flesh, inflames and mortifies as it goes, and spreads swiftly, and endangers the whole body; and is therefore to be speedily taken notice of, and stopped.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
Paul cited concrete examples of two men, probably from Ephesus (cf. 1Ti 1:20), whose verbal speculations were derailing other sincere Christians from the track of God’s truth.
"Perhaps due to some confusion over the Pauline teaching that believers even now participate in the death and resurrection of Christ (Rom 6:4-5; Rom 6:8; 2Ti 2:11), they believed and taught that the resurrection of believers had already occurred in a spiritual sense . . .
"That such a mistake could be made may seem strange to us. But the fervency of the first-generation church’s hope of Christ’s return and certain carryovers from the pagan religions out of which believers came . . . could have led some to the conclusion that all of salvation’s blessings were to be experienced now. A modern parallel is what we might describe as Christian triumphalism (or the ’health and wealth’ gospel), which tends to present the Christian message as the quick solution to all of life’s problems. The same basic mistake seems to be involved." [Note: Towner, 1-2 Timothy . . ., pp. 44-45. Cf. also pp. 158-59, and 183; and Knight, p. 414. Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:12.]