Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Timothy 2:26
And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
26. and that they may recover themselves ] Omit ‘that,’ the verb depending on ‘if perchance.’ The verb ‘recover themselves’ is literally ‘return to soberness.’ Constructed with the preposition ‘out of’ it has the pregnant force very frequent in Greek ‘become sober and escape out of.’ Cf. Winer, Gr. 66, 2, p. 547. The simple verb occurs ch. 2Ti 4:5 ‘be sober’; another compound in 1Co 15:34 ‘awake out of’ drunkenness ‘righteously.’ This compound is only here in N.T.
the snare of the devil ] Has occurred 1Ti 3:7, where, as here, it is the snare laid by the devil, a state of proud self-will morally and intellectually, the very opposite to a state of obedience to God’s will.
who are taken captive by him at his will ] The A.V. rendering is a mere enlargement of the idea of ‘snare,’ requires the aorist part. and refers the two different pronouns to the devil. But (1) St Paul’s use of the perfect passive participle, held captive, is very strongly in favour of a reference to the final state of ‘recovery,’ not to the previous state of ‘entanglement.’ The final clause in 2Ti 2:21, where this participle ends the sentence, expresses the final state of ‘the vessel unto honour.’ The final clause in 2Ti 3:5 where the false teachers are described, has the same participle to shew their permanent rejection of vital godliness. The final clause in 2Ti 3:17, where the man of God is described, is ended in the same weighty form, ‘for every good work in a state of perfect preparedness.’ Hence the force of the perfect participle (as distinguished from the aorist) required here is ‘that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, continuing in the state of willing captivity into which they have been brought,’ ‘held willing captives.’
(2) St Paul’s use of the first pronoun here, rendered ‘by him,’ is strongly in favour of a reference to the ‘servant of the Lord.’ A certain person or thing is in his mind as his chief subject; and he refers to him or it after an interval, short or long, merely with this pronoun. Cf. 1Ti 4:16, ‘continue in them’ the words of the faith and of the good doctrine; Tit 3:1, ‘Put them in mind’ the aged men and women, the younger men and servants of ch. 2; 2Ti 2:17, ‘their word will eat’ ‘those who strive about words,’ 2Ti 2:14.
(3) St Paul’s use of the preposition ‘unto’ for ‘into a state of,’ ‘into conformity with’ is strongly in favour of the last clause being intended to express the resulting state and condition; cf. ‘unto honour,’ ‘unto every good work,’ 2Ti 2:21; ‘unto full knowledge,’ 2Ti 2:25.
Render, therefore, held willing captives henceforth by their deliverer (the servant of the Lord) to do the will of God. So substantially the R.V. The participle is from a verb to ‘capture alive.’ Cf. Luk 5:10 the only other N.T. passage where the word occurs, and see Farrar’s note, ‘The word seems to imply the contrast between the fish that lay there glittering in dead heaps, and men who should be captured not for death (Jas 1:14) but for life.’ Both places refer to the evangelising work of the ministry.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And that they may recover themselves – Margin, awake. The word which is rendered recover in the text, and awake in the margin – ananepsosin – occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly means, to become sober again, as from inebriation; to awake from a deep sleep, and then, to come to a right mind, as one does who is aroused from a state of inebriety, or from sleep. The representation in this part of the verse implies that, while under the influence of error, they were like a man intoxicated, or like one in deep slumber. From this state they were to be roused as one is from sleep, or as a man is recovered from the stupor and dullness of intoxication.
Out of the snare of the devil – The snare which the devil has spread for them, and in which they have become entangled. There is a little confusion of metaphor here, since, in the first part of the verse, they are represented as asleep, or intoxicated; and, here, as taken in a snare. Yet the general idea is clear. In one part of the verse, the influence of error is represented as producing sleep, or stupor; in the other, as being taken in a snare, or net; and, in both, the idea is, that an effort was to be made that they might be rescued from this perilous condition.
Who are taken captive by him at his will – Margin, alive. The Greek word means, properly, to take alive; and then, to take captive, to win over Luk 5:10; and then, to ensnare, or seduce. Here it means that they had been ensnared by the arts of Satan unto ( eis) his will; that is, they were so influenced by him, that they complied with his will. Another interpretation of this passage should be mentioned here, by which it is proposed to avoid the incongruousness of the metaphor of awaking one from a snare. It is adopted by Doddridge, and is suggested also by Burder, as quoted by Rosenmuller, A. u. n. Morgenland. According to this, the reference is to an artifice of fowlers, to scatter seeds impregnated with some intoxicating drugs, intended to lay birds asleep, that they may draw the snare over them more securely. There can be no doubt that such arts were practiced, and it is possible that Paul may have alluded to it. Whatever is the allusion, the general idea is clear. It is an affecting representation of those who have fallen into error. They are in a deep slumber. They are as if under the fatal influence of some stupefying potion. They are like birds taken alive in this state, and at the mercy of the fowler. They will remain in this condition, unless they shall be roused by the mercy of God; and it is the business of the ministers of religion to carry to them that gospel call, which God is accustomed to bless in showing them their danger. That message should be continually sounded in the ears of the sinner, with the prayer and the hope that God will make it the means of arousing him to seek his salvation.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Ti 2:26
And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will–And that they may return to sobriety from the benumbing intoxication of false philosophy and bad habits, here represented as a snare of the devil, in which, though held captive, they were not yet killed–out of the snare of the devil, being made living captives of by him.
So far, there is no difficulty, but the last clause, according to the will of Him, leaves the reader in doubt as to its meaning, since two pronouns are used which generally, if not universally, refer to two different subjects. De Wette, Huther, and Davidson disregard the difference of the pronouns, and make them both refer to the devil. But the contrast of the two pronouns is remarkable, and the sense of the passage very obscure, the will of the devil being an otiose addition, unless it he translated, as by Davidson, to do his will. If refers to the more remote antecedent, then Gods will is suggested as the gracious accompaniment and occasion of this gift of repentance, or as the exposition of the state of new life, into which such penitents may be brought. The passage will read as follows:–Whether haply God would grant them repentance, and also whether haply they may return to society, into harmony with His will, out of the snare of the devil, seeing they have been made living captives by him. (H. R. Reynolds, D. D.)
Satans temptations are like snares
The devil is a fowler, beholds the world like a great and spacious forest full of all kinds of beasts and birds, and setteth snares and gins in every corner to catch them.
1. In a snare there is subtlety, so in Satans temptations.
(1) He never propounds a temptation in his own name. No, should he do so, his plot would be discerned prevented. How cunningly crept he into the serpent and seduced the woman? He conveyed himself into such things as we are least suspicious of. Who would have thought that any snare had been in the words of the apostle, Master pity thyself? Yet doth not Christ reply, Get thee behind Me, Satan?
(2) He can lay a snare in the very Scriptures. Though they be milk for babes, strong meat for grown men, he can poison all. Let Christ answer him by Scripture, straight he replies, tempting him by a place of Scripture. Cast thyself down; for it is written, God shall give His angels charge over Thee that thou dash not Thy foot against a stone.
(3) He can convey a temptation in the frame of a mans spirit. He conceives that some are apt to pride, malice, coveteousness, melancholy, mirth, silence, liberalness of speech, and according to our natural inclination he sets his gins for us. Thus he provides a wanton object in the time of idleness, a beautiful woman washing herself, and so the good king is caught in his net. What way the tree leans he thrusts it, and where the fence is weakest he seeks to enter. So subtley will he here lay a snare that we will hardly be brought to believe it is a temptation of Satan, but think rather it proceeds solely from our natural disposition.
2. In a snare there is cruelty; so here. He is called Abaddon, Apollion, a murderer, a destroyer.
3. In a snare is strength, and is it not to be found in Satans temptations?
4. You shall find in Satans temptations, as in snares, pleasures and suddenness. Were it not thus they were not snares properly. Was not the tree, in the eye of Eve, good for meat, pleasant, and to be desired to get knowledge (Gen 3:6)? Were not the daughters of men fair (Gen 6:2)? And in these was not a bait to catch the beholders? Have not fowlers a lure and call, as if they were birds themselves, to allure and deceive? Will they not scatter corn and all to seduce and bring within danger the little-suspicious birds? Do they not creep on their hands and knees, stand in close and secret places, and when the fowl is within reach how suddenly is the net pulled! Per adventure, when she is singing, playing, suspecting nothing, she is wound in. When Satan assaults, how eagerly, busily, and suddenly will he follow the prey? He sets a mans affections on fire, kindles such a heat within him that for the present the object of temptation seems wonderful fair, delightful, honourable; though when he is ensnared he perceives no such thing, but the direct contrary. (J. Barlow, D. D.)
The deluded captives
These words are the concluding portion of a solemn address to Timothy, in reference to the instruction of the ungodly, and is the end pointed out as resulting from that instruction–And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil. They present to the thoughtful mind a sad picture, bringing before us on the one hand the devil, in the character of fowler; and on the other hand his victims, as deluded, taken alive, under a hard bondage.
I. The characters spoken of.
II. The means by which they are held in bondage.
III. The means by which they may be recovered from that bondage.
I. They are spoken of as those who are ensnared by Satan, and taken captive by him at his will.
1. We must notice who is the captor. It is the devil, the murderer and liar, the destroyer of souls; represented here under the character of a snarer or fowler. It is very important to notice Satan in his character, because it manifests his subtlety. The fowler must be subtle in hiding his net, or otherwise he would miss his prey. It is plain from Scripture that sin was introduced through Satans subtlety.
2. In the next place, see the awful force of the language. The expression, taken captive, is rendered in the margin taken alive; it is an idea derived from fowling, in which the prey is taken alive in snares: so the devil takes mens souls alive by his subtlety: nay, more, unless they be recovered out of his snares, they must be alive for ever under his sway: lost, yet alive; hopeless, yet alive; tormented, yet alive; ever desiring to die, but never able. The other expression, at his will, may bear a double interpretation. It may mean that they have been ensnared by Satans arts unto his will; i.e., they were so influenced by him that they complied with his will. It is most important to notice this, because it at once brings out the humiliating truth, that the ungodly comply with Satans will: The man who lives in drunkenness, who is a sensualist; or to pass on to sins which are thought little of in the world, the man who is untruthful, a backbiter, a slanderer or deceitful, is complying with Satans will. The man who is a neglecter of salvation, who never prays, who is putting off the thought of eternity to a convenient season, is complying with Satans will. Again, the expression at his will, may have reference to the devils will concerning his victims–viz., their destruction. Hence those who are taken alive by Satan at his will are taken alive by him for their destruction, he is leading them on, step by step, with the one end and the one object of dragging them alive into that pit of darkness and agony prepared for himself and his angels. Our look upon this other picture–while Satan wills your destruction, God wills your salvation. He would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
3. In the next place, notice the bondage itself. It is worse than Egyptian bondage. A sinner, taken captive by Satan, has his immortal soul in captivity, bound in fetters which none can break but the Lord of glory. But we may see the fearfulness of this bondage by looking at it in a threefold point of view.
(1) The master whom the captive serves. Dread thought! it is not Jesus, the sinners great Deliverer, but it is the devil, the sinners great destroyer. Ah! and what a master! one who hates him; one who watches closely to prevent his victims escape, binding around him every day tighter and tighter the cords of his destruction. Look again–
(2) At the state of the captive. It is one of misery and wretchedness. The way of transgressors is hard. It is utterly impossible to experience true peace and happiness while walking in the pathway of the devil. Christs yoke in opposition to Satans; the one is perfect liberty while the other is the most galling bondage. Look again–
(3) At the end of this bondage. Now, Satan does not make his bondage felt, for fear of alarming the victim, and leading him to seek deliverance from it: but in eternity, when all hope of deliverance is past, he will make his bondage felt in all its overwhelming force.
II. The means by which Satan keeps sinners captive. He does so by his snares. We must look at some of those principle snares by which he deludes and holds captive the unwary.
1. The first snare of Satan which I shall mention is, his making sin pleasant, and hiding its awful consequences. He makes the sinner believe the command not to sin, to be a restriction of his liberty, and, therefore, one which he has no right to listen to. It is the present, and the present only, which the devil seeks to force on the captives mind; the present and its gain; but the awfully mysterious future he puts out of sight, veiling from the sinners mind his dread connection with it.
2. A second snare of Satans is, his insinuating doubts into the mind as to the truth of Gods Word.
3. A third snare of Satans is, his presenting God to the soul as one made up of all mercy.
4. A fourth snare of Satans is, by persuading the soul that the work of repentance is an easy work: that it need not be thought of till laid on a bed of sickness or a bed of death: and he will suggest to the sinners mind examples from Gods Word to bear out this delusion.
5. Another snare of Satan, by which he takes souls captive, is by making himself an object of ridicule. This is one of the depths of Satan: he knows that the Bible puts him forward as an object of dread; he takes care, therefore, to put himself forward as an object of ridicule, so as to blind the ungodly, and keep them captive at his will. Mark the consequence: all the warnings of Scripture concerning him, all the representations of him as an adversary, a murderer, fall on the ear of his captives as unmeaning titles, they cannot comprehend why he is to be dreaded. And why is this? Just because they are ignorant of the real reason why they cannot comprehend it–viz., Satan has deceived them, deceived them as to his character, deceived them as to his object, deceived them as to their danger, deceived them as to their end, and, will deceive them to that very hour when, as lost and wretched, they shall open their eyes, to learn then, but, alas I too late, that though the devil appeared to them an angel of light, yet he was indeed a deceiver, a liar, and a murderer.
6. Another snare by which Satan takes souls captive at his will is, by making them rest in outward forms instead of true conversion.
III. The means by which souls may be recovered from his bondage. And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil. The word which is rendered recover is in the margin, awake. It properly means to become sober again, as from intoxication; to awake from a deep sleep; and then to come to ones self, or to a right mind. The idea is, that while men are under the bondage of the devil, they are like men intoxicated, or in a deep slumber, unconscious of their danger. How are they to be roused to a sense of their danger? The answer is given in the previous verse, we are to set before them the truth, the simple truth of Christ, If peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of it. Acknowledging, implying not merely confession of the truth, but a vital reception of it as it is in Jesus. It is the truth of Christ borne home to the heart by the Holy Ghost, which is the means of conversion. As long as Satan can spread over us the veil of darkness, so long are we his captives, but no sooner does the light of Christs truth break in on the soul, than the darkness is dispersed, Satan is vanquished, and the sinner delivered out of darkness into light, and from the power of sin and Satan unto God. But mark you, it is God alone who can effect this transformation; it is God alone who can bear home the word to the heart, and make it a converting word. (A. W. Snape, M. A.)
The snare of the devil
Forbidden fruit is sweet. It is sweetened by the devil. One forbidden tree in Eden seemed better than a thousand trees allowed. That terrible magician has power to concentrate our gaze upon one object–power to withdraw our eyes from the pure and wholesome fruits of many trees, and rivet them upon that one forbidden thing. He so intensifies our thought upon that one desire that it outgrows all desires, and perhaps life itself for the time seems stale and flat unless that one desire be gratified. That is one of the supernatural powers of the serpent to charm his victims. This dreadful delusion, this deadly fascination, fills common objects with dazzling beauty. The coloured lights of hell are reflected upon earthly things and make them appear heavenly. Thus the gaming-table is made to assume attractions which make money and land and houses insignificant trifles in comparison. Thus a glass of liquor grows in beauty and power that will out-dazzle the love of family, or the joys of home, or even the hopes of heaven. (R. S. Barrett.)
Snared through over-confidence
Naturalists tell us that amongst birds and butterflies, the swiftest, strongest fliers approach man much nearer than those with weaker wings, feeling confident that they can dart away from any threatened danger, and this misplaced confidence brings them into the net of the collector. (W. L. Watkinson.)
Caution necessary
In mountain ranges there is often a loose detritus especially dangerous to mountaineers; these loose or crumbling stones being called the devils stones, for, owing to their treacherous character, if you step on one incautiously you may be precipitated into the depths. There are many such stones in the path of life. False maxims with sophistical colourings; license stealing the name of liberty; harmful speculations, luring as grand chances; methods of trade outlined square, yet full of betrayal; sandy doctrines simulating the rock; friendships which are flowery graves; occupations, recreations which promise rest and serve only to slip us into mire; these are the things of peril: life is full of them; and he only walks surely who walks discreetly. (W. L. Watkinson.)
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Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 26. And that they may recover themselves] The construction of this verse is extremely difficult, though the sense given by our translation is plain enough. I shall set down the original, and the principal English translations: –
, ‘ .
And thei rise agein fro snaaris of the debyl, of whome thei ben holde captyffis at his wille. – WICLIF. First translation into English, 1378.
And to turne agayne from the snare of devell, which are holden in prison of him at his will. – COVERDALE. First printed English Bible, 1535
That they may come to themselves agayne out of the snare of the devyll, which are now taken of him at hys will. – EDWARD VIth’s Bible, by Becke, 1549.
And they may recover their senses to perform his will, after being rescued alive by the servant of the Lord out of the snare of the devil. – WAKEFIELD; who refers , him, to the servant of the Lord, 2Tim 2:24.
And being caught alive by him out of the snare of the devil, they may awake to do his will. – MACKNIGHT; who remarks that , the relative, means the servant of the Lord; and , the demonstrative, refers to God, mentioned 2Tim 2:15.
I leave these different translations with the reader.
I HAVE referred, in the preceding notes, to inscriptions which appear on the buildings and coins of the Asiatics; such inscriptions are, in general, very curious, and carry with them a considerable show of piety to God, in the acknowledgment of his providence and mercy. I shall quote one merely as a curiosity, without supposing it to be immediately applicable to the illustration of the text.
There is extant a gold circular coin of the Great Mogul Shah Jehan, struck at Delhi, A. H. 1062, A. D. 1651, five inches and a half in diameter; on each side of this coin is a square, the angles of which touch the periphery; within this square, and in the segments, there are the following inscriptions: –
1. Within the square, on one side,
The bright star of religion, Mohammed (a second Sahib Kiran) Shah Jehan, the victorious emperor.
2. In the segment on the upper side of the square,
The impression upon this coin of 200 mohurs, was struck through the favour of God.
3. On the lateral segment to the left,
By the second Sahib Kiran, Shah Jehan, the defender of the faith.
4. On the bottom segment,
May the golden countenance from the sculpture of this coin enlighten the world.
5. On the lateral segment to the right,
As long as the splendid face of the moon is illuminated by the rays of the sun!
1. On the reverse, within the square,
There is no god but God; and Mohammed is the prophet of God. Struck in the capital of Shah Jehanabad, A.H. 1062.
2. On the top of the square,
Religion was illuminated by the truth of Abu Beker.
3. On the left hand compartment,
The faith was strengthened by the justice of Omar.
4. On the bottom compartment,
Piety was refreshed by the modesty and mildness of Othman.
5. On the right hand compartment,
The world was enlightened by the learning of Aly.
On these inscriptions it may be just necessary to observe that Abu Beker, Omar, Othman, and Aly, were the four khalifs who succeeded Mohammed. Abu Beker was the father of Ayesha, one of Mohammed’s wives. Othman was son-in-law of Mohammed, having married his two daughters, Rakiah, and Omal-Calthoom. And Aly, son of Abi Taleb, Mohammed’s uncle, was also one of the sons-in-law of Mohammed, having married Fatima, the daughter of his favourite wife, Ayesha. The Ottoman empire was not so called from Othman, the third khalif, but from Ottoman, the successful chief, who conquered a small part of the Grecian empire in Asia, and thus laid the foundation for the Turkish.
Grotius and others have supposed that the apostle alludes to the custom of putting an inscription on the foundation stone of a city or other building, giving an account of the time in which it was founded, built, c. Sometimes engraved stones were placed over the principal gates of cities and fortresses, particularly in the east, specifying the date of erection, repairs, c., and containing some religious sentiment or verse from the Koran. But I do not think it likely that the apostle refers to any thing of this kind. There appears to be an allusion here to the rebellion of Korah and his company against the authority of Moses, Nu 16:5, where, it is said: The Lord will show who are his: here the words of the Septuagint are nearly the same that the apostle uses in this verse, God knoweth or approveth of them that are his. And the words in Nu 16:26, Depart from the tents of these wicked men, are similar to those of the apostle, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. We may therefore take it for granted that those false teachers, the chief of whom were Hymeneus and Philetus, had risen up against the authority of St. Paul and he, in effect, informs Timothy here that God will deal with them as he did with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and their company. And as the true Israelites were to separate themselves from the tents of those wicked men, so he and the believers at Ephesus were to hold no sort of communion with those workers of iniquity. This subject he farther illustrates by a contract between two parties, each of which sets his seal to the instrument, the seal bearing the motto peculiar to the party. This I conceive to be the meaning but the common mode of interpretation will, it is probable, be most commonly followed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And that they may recover themselves; the Greek word properly signifieth to awake out of a drunken sleep. A state of sin is a kind of drunkenness, in which men have lost the use of their reason.
Out of the snare of the devil; by the snare of the devil he means his temptations, which like snares are set covertly to catch souls.
Who are taken captive by him; word signfies persons taken captive in war; in such a miserable captivity are sinners.
At his will; , which we translate at his will, may as well be translated to his will; and so the will of God may be meant, and the whole referred to the first sentence thus, may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil to the will of God; and that is the sense some make of it: but it seems more proper to refer it to the participle, taken captive, for that is next it; and so it signifieth the miserable state of sinners, who are captives at the devils command and will, that if he saith to them, Go, they go; if he saith, Come, they come; if he saith, Do this, they do it.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
26. recover themselvesGreek,“awake to soberness,” namely from the spiritualintoxication whereby they have fallen into the snare of the devil.
the snare (Eph6:11, “the wiles of the devil”: 1Ti 3:7;1Ti 6:9).
taken captive by him at hiswillso as to follow the will of “THAT”(the Greek emphatically marks Satan thus) foe. However,different Greek pronouns stand for “him” and “his”;and the Greek for “taken captive” means not”captured for destruction,” but “for beingsaved alive,” as in Lu5:10, “Thou shalt catch men to save them unto life”;also there is no article before the Greek participle, whichthe English Version “who are taken captive,” wouldrequire. Therefore, translate, “That they may awake . . . takenas saved (and willing) captives by him (the servant of the Lord, 2Ti2:24), so as to follow the will of HIM(the Lord, 2Ti 2:24, or “God,”2Ti 2:25).” There are heretwo evils, the “snare” and sleep, from which theyare delivered: and two goods to which they are translated, awakingand deliverance. Instead of Satan’s thrall comes the free and willingcaptivity of obedience to Christ (2Co10:5). It is God who goes before, giving repentance (2Ti2:25); then the work of His servant following is sure to becrowned with success, leading the convert henceforth to “live tothe will of God” (Act 22:14;1Pe 4:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And that they may recover themselves,…. Or “awake”, and come to themselves, and appear to be sober, and in their right mind: the metaphor is taken from drunken men, who are overcharged, and are not in their senses, and being stupified fall asleep; and like these are persons intoxicated with errors and heresies, who when their minds are enlightened, and they are convinced of their evil tenets, repent of them, come to themselves, and acknowledge the truth, and so escape
out of the snare of the devil; for as carnal lusts and pleasures are the snares and nets, in which Satan, who may be compared to a fowler, catches some; so errors and heresies are those with which he ensnares others: “who are taken captive”, or “alive”,
by him at his will; such are taken in his nets and snares, as creatures are taken alive, by fowlers, and huntsmen; and they are held fast, and become his captives, and his slaves, and do his will, being led by him to whatsoever he pleases; he works powerfully in them, and they readily comply with him, and obey his lusts. Though some understand this, not of the will of the devil, but of the will of God; and that the sense is, that such persons are held captive by Satan, as long as it is the pleasure of God, and no longer; when the prey is taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive is delivered; and so it is an encouragement to the ministers of the word to go on in instructing, hoping this may be the case. Others connect this phrase, “to his will” or “according to his will”, as they differently render it, with the word, “recover”: and then the meaning is, that such, repenting of their errors, might escape out of the snare of Satan, in which they were taken alive; that so they might do the will of God, by professing and holding fast his truths; or that their repentance, recovery, and escape out of Satan’s snare and captivity, are according to the will of God, and his sovereign good pleasure.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They may recover themselves (). First aorist active subjunctive of , late and rare word, to be sober again, only here in N.T., though is in 1Th 5:6.
Out of the snare of the devil ( ). They have been caught while mentally intoxicated in the devil’s snare (1Ti 3:7). See Ro 11:9 for .
Taken captive (). Perfect passive participle of , old verb, to take alive (, ), in N.T. only here and Lu 5:10 (of Peter). “Taken captive alive.”
By him unto his will (‘ ). This difficult phrase is understood variously. One way is to take both and , to refer to the devil. Another way is to take both of them to refer to God. Another way is to take of the devil and , of God. This is probably best, “taken captive by the devil” “that they may come back to soberness to do the will of God.” There are difficulties in either view.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
May recover themselves [] . Lit. may return to soberness. N. T. o. See on be sober, 1Th 5:6. A similar connection of thought between coming to the knowledge of God and awaking out of a drunken stupor, occurs 1Co 14:34.
Out of the snare of the devil [ ] . Comp. Psa 124:7. The phrase snare of the devil, only here and 1Ti 3:7 (note). The metaphor is mixed; return to soberness out of the snare of the devil.
Who are taken captive [] . Or, having been held captive. Only here and Luk 5:10 (note on thou shalt catch!.
By him [ ] . The devil.
At his will [ ] . Better, unto his will : that is, to do his (God ‘s) will.
The whole will then read : “And that they may return to soberness out of the snare of the devil (having been held captive by him) to do God ‘s will.”
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And that they may recover themselves” (kai ananepsosin) “And they may return to soberness; Those in doctrinal and moral error, ; Rom 13:11; 1Pe 4:3-6.
2) “Out of the snare of the devil” (ek tes tou diabolou pagidos) “Out of the snare (pagoda) of the devil.” The devil and his demon spirits seek to entrap, ensnare, trip up the child of God, to destroy his influence, Jas 4:7-8.
SATAN’S SNARE
Satan keeps sinners captive by his snares. 1) The first snare of Satan which I shall mention is, his making sin pleasant, and hiding its awful consequences; 2) A second snare of Satan’s is, his insinuating doubts into the mind as to the truth of God’s Word; 3) A third snare of Satan’s is, his presenting God to the soul as one made up of all mercy; 4) A fourth snare of Satan’s is, by persuading the soul that the work of repentance is an easy work: that it need not be thought of till laid on a bed of sickness or a bed of death; 5) Another snare by which Satan takes souls captive at his will is, by making them rest in outward forms instead of true conversion.
-Snape
3) “Who are taken captive by him at his will” (ezogremenoi hup’ autou eis to ekeinou thelema) “Having been captured by him with reference to his will,” 1Pe 5:8-9; 1Jn 3:8; 1Jn 3:10. By the power of the spirit of God every child of His should often use our Lord’s “Get thee behind me, Satan,” in the context of obedience to the Lord, Mat 4:10-11; Mat 16:23; 1Co 11:13-14; Zec 13:1-2. To resist Satan by the Spirit and the Word is the path that every Christian should daily follow.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
26 And deliverance from the snare of the devil Illumination is followed by deliverance from the bondage of the devil; for unbelievers are so intoxicated by Satan, that, being asleep, they do not perceive their distresses. On the other hand, when the Lord shines upon us by the light of his truth, he wakens us out of that deadly sleep, breaks asunder the snares by which we were bound, and, having removed all obstacles, trains us to obedience to him.
By whom they are held captive A truly shocking condition, when the devil has so great power over us, that he drags us, as captive slaves, here and there at his pleasure. Yet such is the condition of all those whom the pride of their heart draws away from subjection to God. And this tyrannical dominion of Satan we see plainly, every day, in the reprobate; for they would not rush with such fury and with brutal violence into every kind of base and disgraceful crimes, if they were not drawn by the unseen power of Satan. That is what we saw at Eph 2:2, (181) that, Satan exerts his energy in unbelievers.
Such examples admonish us to keep ourselves carefully under the yoke of Christ, and to yield ourselves to be governed by his Holy Spirit. And yet a captivity of this nature does not excuse wicked men, so that they do not sin, because it is by the instigation of Satan that they sin; for, although their being carried along so resistlessly to that which is evil proceeds from the dominion of Satan, yet they do nothing by constraint, but are inclined with their whole heart to that to which Satan drives them. The result is, that their captivity is voluntary.
(181) See Calvin’s Com. On Galatians and Ephesians, p. 220.— Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(26) That they may recover themselves.The literal meaning of the Greek word rendered that they may recover themselves is. that they may awake from drunkenness. The English version, however, gives the meaning with great exactness. Those taken in the snare of the devil are represented as not only captives in the snare of the devil, but as also helplessly wrapped in slumber.
The deadly peril of all captives of sin is here well painted. These unhappy ones, before they can free themselves from the toils of the evil one, must awake from the deep slumber in which they are wrapped: in other words, must first be conscious of their awful danger.
Who are taken captive by him at his will.These words have been variously interpreted by commentators. The meaning that, on the whole, seems most satisfactory, represents the captive to sin waking up from his deathly slumber and escaping the toils of the evil one, for the purpose of carrying out for the future the will of God. The rendering of the whole verse would be as follows: And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devilbeing held captive by himto do His (Gods) will.
It must be remembered that the first pronoun in this sentence, being held captive by him, referred here to the devil, and the second pronoun in the sentence, to do His will, referred here to God, are represented in the Greek by two distinct words: the first by , the second by .
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
26. That Supplied by the translators, is superfluous.
May recover themselves Literally, may awake in soberness; a metaphor taken from persons who have been asleep in drunkenness. By a slight but not ungraceful mixture of metaphor the drunkenness is a snare of the devil. They awake sober from the devil’s snare.
Taken captive Carrying out the image of a snare.
By him The devil. At Captured by him into (into obedience to) his own will.
From the fact that him and his in this last clause are different pronouns, ( and ) Ellicott, Alford, and others refer the last his to God; captured by the devil into God’s will! The only reason for this preposterous perversion is, that such a use of different pronouns, though confessedly referable to the same person, requires that the last pronoun should be emphatic. Yet that requirement is amply satisfied (as Huther truly notes) by the rendering: Captured by the devil at his own will.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And they may recover themselves (or ‘return to sober thinking’ or ‘awaken from sleep’) out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him (either the devil or the Lord’s servant) unto his will.’
The object of the Lord’s servant should be to recover them out of the snare of the Devil. The word for recover means ‘sober up, awaken’. The point is that they have been in a state of stupefaction. They have been led astray and deceived by the Devil (the god of this world who has blinded their eyes lest they see the glory of Christ – 2Co 4:4), and, stumbling along, have been caught in his trap (see also 1Ti 3:7; 1Ti 6:9). The idea of the Devil as a deceiver is a common one (2Ti 3:13; Joh 8:44 ; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14; Rev 12:9; Rev 13:14; Rev 20:8).
‘Having been taken captive (‘taken alive’) by him (either the Devil or the Lord’s servant) unto his (either God’s or the Devil’s) will.’ The problem here is the significance of the pronouns ‘autou’ (him) and ‘ekeinou’ (his). Is the intention of the change in order to indicate two different persons? Is the ‘him’ the instrument of recovery (the Lord’s servant seen as ‘taking them alive’ as in Luk 5:10) and bringing them back to the will of God (see 2Ti 2:24), or is it simply indicating that they have been taken alive by the Devil in his snare so that he can lead them in his will. In this regard the restoration by the Lord’s servant of those who had gone astray would fit in well with 2Ti 2:19, which begins the chiasmus, and with God giving them repentance to the knowledge of the truth (2Ti 2:25).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2Ti 2:26. And that they may recover themselves And that they may awaken out of the snare of the devil, who have been taken captive by him at his pleasure. In order to understand the beautiful image before us, it is proper to observe, that the word ‘ properly signifies “to awake from a deep sleep, or from a fit of intoxication;” and refers to an artifice of fowlers, to scatter seeds impregnated with some drugs, intended to lay birds asleep, that they may draw the net over them with the greater security. Some, however, read and connect this verse with the foregoing: God, peradventure, will give them repentance,that they may recover themselves to his will, out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him.
Inferences.There is not perhaps a single precept in the whole sacred volumes which would be more extensively useful to ministers, or to private Christians, than that of the apostle in this chapter, taken in all its extent,Remember Jesus Christ. Many a sweet memorial has he left us of himself. Often, very often, have we been called solemnly to survey them, and yet how ready are we to forget him, and by a natural consequence to forget ourselves, our duty and interest on the one hand, and our danger on the other! “Blessed Jesus! may we daily and hourly remember thee! that thou hast died, that thou art raised from the dead, and that thou art ever near to thy believing people, to protect, to comfort, and to bless them. If, for thy cause, we should be called to suffer evil, as evil doers, whether in our persons, or reputations, may we not be discouraged, but rather rejoice in the honour thou doest us in appointing for us such a conformity to thyself! The enemies of thy gospel may indeed oppose it, they may bind its most faithful preachers; but their opposition, their persecution, is vain.” The word of God is not bound; and divine grace, operating by it, will sooner or later give it the intended, the promised, triumph; that all the faithful saints of God may obtain salvation by Jesus Christ, and may not only escape the condemnation and ruin of the impenitent world, but may finally be crowned with eternal glory.
May we ever be mindful of this faithful word, that if we suffer with Christ, we shall reign with him too; and may we endure the greatest hardships to which we can be called out, as considering that the sufferings are momentary, but the reign will be eternal. Never may we, for any allurements or terror, deny him, as we would not finally be denied by him; when no other honour will remain but that which he confers, no other happiness but that which he bestows.
In the mean time, as we desire the prosperity of his kingdom, let us earnestly pray that he will raise up to his church a multitude of faithful ministers, who may govern themselves by these truly apostolical canons; ministers, who may not contend about words in a manner unprofitable and vain, who may not amuse their hearers with empty harangues about insignificant curiosities or perplexing subtleties; but may, in the integrity of their hearts, endeavour to approve themselves to God, as workmen who need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. And may divine grace preserve the church from those seducing teachers, whose doctrine, like a secret gangrene, might spread itself so that the faith of many might be overthrown.
But how affecting a representation is here made of the wretched state of sinners! they are described as sleeping in Satan’s snare, like birds in a net, taken alive, and at the fowler’s mercy; while they imagine they can spring up whenever they please, and range at full liberty. Alas! they will soon perceive their fatal captivity: but they will perceive it too late, if they be not quickly awakened. Who would not wish to do something for their recovery? Let the ministers of the gospel pity them. Let us pray that God would give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth. Let us try every gentle method which the sincerest compassion can dictate, toward effecting so happy a design, and not suffer ourselves to be transported to undue severities of language, or of sentiments, even though we should receive the greatest injuries where we intend the most important kindness.
Let those that have the honour to bear the most holy character, which any office can devolve on mortal man, avoid, with the greatest care, every thing that would bring a stain, or even a suspicion upon it. Let them revere the voice of the great apostle, while it animates them to pursue righteousness and faith, love and peace, with all their fellow-Christians of every denomination, with all that invoke Christ, and that trust in him. So shall they be vessels of honour; so may they humbly hope that their Lord will condescend to make some special use of them, for the purposes of his own glory, and the salvation of their fellow-creatures.
To conclude. What is it to us, that the Lord knows, distinguishes, and favours his saints, and that his almighty power protects them, if we are ourselves found among the wicked, with whom he is angry every day,among the workers of iniquity, whom he will publicly disown, and to whom he will say, I know not whence you are. To name the name of Christ with dispositions like these, will be to injure and profane it; and our profession itself will be interpreted as an act of hostility against him, whom we have presumed so vainly to call the Foundation of our hopes, and the Sovereign of our souls.
REFLECTIONS.1st, The apostle in this chapter continues his exhortations. Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, sensible of thy own weakness, and dependant upon him who alone can enable thee for the arduous work. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, publicly declared, and proved by numerous testimonies of the law and prophets, the same commit thou to faithful men, whose sincerity and abilities have been tried and approved, who shall be able to teach others also, and preserve the glorious truths of gospel grace unadulterated. Thou therefore endure hardness, all those persecutions and afflictions to which, in the gospel warfare, thou mayest be exposed, acquitting thyself as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, fighting manfully under his banners with such courage, patience, and perseverance, as may effectually secure the crown. No man that warreth, entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; his military service is incompatible with the pursuit of any other trade or profession; he must be at the General’s call, and ever ready to obey his orders, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier; so must every minister of Christ be disengaged from worldly concerns, that he may be wholly employed in the service of the great Captain of our salvation, and make it his whole study and care to please him, and advance the interests of his kingdom. And if a man also strive for mysteries in the Olympic games, yet is he not crowned with that fading crown the reward of victory, except he strive lawfully, according to the rules prescribed; and much more should they, who have before them a crown of glory incorruptible, exert every effort according to the orders of their divine Master, to win the eternal prize. The husbandman that laboureth, must be first partaker of the fruits; or the husbandman must labour first, before he partakes of the fruits: so must the faithful minister labour for the good of immortal souls, and patiently wait for the success of his ministry, and the expected reward in the day of Christ. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things, enabling thee to make deep application of these things to thy own soul; and, as a valiant soldier, a brave combatant and laborious husbandman, to acquit thyself in thy ministerial office. Note; Let all who look to the ministry, consider these things, and count the cost before they presume to appear candidates for the service.
2nd, To encourage him boldly to suffer, the apostle suggests,
1. The grand foundation of their hope, as built upon the resurrection of Jesus. Remember that Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah, of the seed of David, in his human nature, was raised from the dead, shewing thereby the complete atonement he had made for the sins of the world, and the full redemption which he had obtained for all his faithful saints, according to my gospel which I preached unto you.
2. He sets before him his own example: wherein, that is, for preaching which gospel, I suffer trouble as an evil doer even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound: even in my prison the gospel still runs and is glorified in the conversion of many souls, and others boldly labour at large, though I am confined. Therefore, dependant upon the power of God, I endure all things for the elect’s sake, willing to endure, if I am called thereunto, even death itself, that they may also obtain (confirmed in the faith by my unshaken steadfastness in suffering for it) the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory, of which he is the author, finisher, and bestower, on all those, and only those, who perseveringly believe in him. Note; A noble example is a powerful encouragement to follow on.
3. The reward of faithful suffering should engage him boldly to take up the cross. It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, as vitally united to him in death, or if called to die for his cause, as he died for us, we shall also live with him, planted also in the likeness of his resurrection, and raised up to immortal life and glory: if we suffer for him, we shall also reign with him, sitting down on his throne: but if we prove faithless, and deny him in the hour of temptation, he also will deny and disown us in the great day of his appearing: if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful; his promises and threatenings will surely be accomplished, whether men believe them or not: he is immutable, and cannot deny himself, or falsify his word. Note; (1.) It is our privilege to suffer, when we see that the issue will be so glorious. (2.) The hope of life with Jesus, should raise us superior to all the fears of death, though in its most tremendous form. (3.) They who, for any worldly interest or advantage, or to avoid shame, reproach, or suffering, disown the Lord Jesus, his gospel, and suffering servants,they shall bear in eternity their burden, and be driven from his presence with everlasting contempt.
3rdly, The apostle proceeds to give further exhortations to Timothy:
1. To seek the edification of those who were under his charge. Of these things put them in remembrance; charging them, with all solemnity and authority before the Lord, as in his presence, that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers, drawing them from the purity of the gospel, instead of promoting godly edifying. Note; Any trivial matter will afford occasion of strife to a contentious spirit.
2. He enjoins him to shew himself an able minister of Jesus Christ. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, diligent, faithful, laborious, skilful, rightly dividing the word of truth, and giving to each his portion in due season, according to the various cases and conditions of the people’s souls. But shun profane and vain babblings, the dreams of the Judaizing teachers, for they will increase unto more ungodliness, and lead to the most pernicious errors in principles and practice. And their word will eat as doth a canker, corroding the hearts of the hearers, and threatening their eternal death: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus, the chief heretical seducers; who concerning the truth have erred, saying, that the resurrection is past already; probably they asserted, that the resurrection was only mystical and spiritual, not of the body but of the soul; and have overthrown the faith of some. Note; (1.) Error is as spreading as a gangrene; and, though it may appear little at first, threatens the most fatal consequences. (2.) They who love to hear themselves talk, will be sure to prove the truth of that scripture, that in the multitude of words there wanteth not folly. (3.) A true minister will labour to speak ever to the purpose, not curious about a fine harangue, but careful to apply the word of truth to the consciences of his hearers.
4thly, Among all the errors of deceivers, this is nevertheless our comfort:
1. That the foundation of God standeth sure. Let not these and the like false, impious, heretical teachers move you; for God will certainly perform his promise to all his faithful saints: his bill of contract in Christ with such, his decree and purpose towards them, remains unchangeable, being under seal; and the seal of this contract has two impresses: on one side this, The Lord knoweth them that are his, God is sure to all those that are faithful to him, to reward them both in body and soul to all eternity. The impress on the other side is, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity; every Christian obliges himself to a holy life (quite contrary to the experience and practices of the deceivers here referred to) by undertaking the faith of Christ.
2. But as in a great house there are not only vessels of gold, and of silver, but also of wood, and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour, so it need not be thought strange, that in the visible church, while some professors adorn the gospel, others appear a scandal to the name they bear, a dishonour to the Redeemer, and will at last be rejected by him. If a man therefore purge himself from these errors and practices of the seducing teachers, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work, employed by him on earth with approbation, and, after having finished the work which he hath given him to do below, shall be removed to shine in his better temple of eternal glory above. Lord, may my lot be with these!
5thly, Some personal directions are here given to the young evangelist.
1. Flee youthful lusts, not merely those of the flesh, but the still more dangerous ones of pride, love of pre-eminence, and popular applause, those fatal rocks against which so many make shipwreck, and which need to be shunned with peculiar care. But,
2. Follow righteousness towards God and men, faith, charity, peace, with all the other train of heavenly tempers which abide in them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Note; They who are Christians indeed, are constant at a throne of grace, and, in purity of heart and life, prove their professions sincere.
3. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes, and open a field of endless and unprofitable controversy. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; the follower of the Lamb of God should copy the pattern of his meekness, not be quarrelsome, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach in the most inoffensive way, patient under the provocations of the most untractable, and the prejudices of the weak; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves against the gospel doctrines; mildly arguing, and gently remonstrating, desirous to win them by love, and overcome them with kindness; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, as it is in Jesus; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will, as the birds in the snare of the fowler, where they must lie and perish, unless through the power of divine grace they turn to God, and yield themselves to his holy will and service. Note; (1.) Nothing is more necessary for a minister than unwearied patience and meekness. (2.) The gospel word is the great instrument which the Lord employs for the conversion of the heart. (3.) They are the vilest of slaves who are led by the devil’s beck to the service of divers lusts and pleasures; and happy is it for the soul that is delivered from this dreadful servitude by the power of divine grace, and brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
BLESSED Lord Jesus how sweetly hath thy servant taught the Church, and every humble member of it like myself, to seek strength only in thee, and the grace in my Lord; and not from anything in our own attainments. Oh! for grace in a daily, hourly communication from Christ to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus, that I may abide in thee, as thou hast said, convinced that without thee, I can do nothing. And may God the Spirit continually teach me my need, then lead to thee for a supply; then open a communication between my full Lord and my empty soul; and then keep it everlastingly open, to my joy, and my Lord’s glory.
Glory to a faithful Covenant God and Father in Christ Jesus! may my soul never for a moment lose sight of thy faithfulness, amidst all my unbelievings. Oh! the preciousness of that scripture. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself: Lord I see nothing but evil, unbelief, and emptiness in all I do or say. I am content that it should be so. I am nothing, yea worse than nothing: that my poverty may make me hunger more for the riches of thy grace. Oh! to be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meat for the master’s use, and prepared by grace for every good work.
Lord the Spirit! do thou seal my soul, unto the day of eternal redemption. This will form a blessed nevertheless to all my unworthiness. The foundation of God standeth sure. And in proclaiming this foundation, and this assurance, let all thy sent servants show themselves approved unto God; and workmen which need not to be ashamed; and let all thy people follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord, out of a pure heart.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Ver. 26. Recover themselves ] . Put away their spiritual drunkenness, 1Sa 1:14 , and go forth and shake themselves, as Samson, out of sin’s lethargy. “Out of the snare of the devil,” i.e. heretical doctrines or sensual pleasures; both which do intoxicate men’s brains and make them dead drunk.
Taken alive ] But to be destroyed,2Pe 2:122Pe 2:12 , without repentance unto life, Act 11:18 . , taken alive, and in hunting.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ti 2:26 . is to be connected with . Compare , 1Co 15:34 . then refers to , and will have its usual force as the Will of God (see 1Pe 4:2 ): That they who had been taken captive by the devil may recover themselves ( respiscant , Vulg.) out of his snare, so as to serve the will of God . This is Beza’s explanation and that of von Soden (nearly), who compares , 2Co 10:5 . It has the advantage of giving a natural reference to and respectively, which are employed accurately in 2Ti 3:9 . The paradoxical use of in Luk 5:10 must not be taken as determining the use of the word elsewhere. Of the other explanations, that of the A.V. and Vulg., which supposes an inelegant but not impossible reference of both and to , is preferable to the R.V., following Wetstein and Bengel, which refers back to , and dissociates from , with which it is naturally connected. The reference of and to the same subject, as given in the A.V., is paralleled by Wis 1:16 , , .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
recover themselves. Literally become sober again. Greek. ananepho. Compare 2Ti 4:5.
snare. See 1Ti 3:7.
taken captive. Greek. z ogreo, See Luk 6:10.
by. App-104.
at = unto. App-104.
will. App-102. The pronouns “him” and “his” have not the same reference. The first refers to the servant, the second to God, and the meaning of the passage is, the distill stirs up those lie has ensnared to oppose, lest God should give them repentance, and lest, having been taken captive by God’s servant, they should escape the snare, to do the will of God.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Ti 2:26. ) and so.-) This depends on if at any time: if they may awake, and shake off sleep.- -, from the snare) There are here two evils, captivity and sleep; and there are two good things, awaking and deliverance. An abbreviated expression.-) Luk 5:10; taken captive willingly.- , by him[11]) by the servant of the Lord. Where God goes before, 2Ti 2:25, the work of His servant (2Ti 2:24) is successful. God rouses: His servant draws them out of the snare.- ) Construed with, if at any time they may awake. marks the terminus from which they set out, that to which they are to go. The former terminus is, oppose themselves, 2Ti 2:25, and the snare of the devil, 2Ti 2:26 : the latter is the acknowledgment of the truth and the will of God.-, of Him[12]) God.-, will) which is entirely free, and gives freedom; 1Pe 4:2. The opposite is, from the snare. Paul himself was awakened to conversion, so that he might know the will of God; Act 22:14.
[11] Not, by the devil, as in the Engl. Vers. They are taken so as to be saved alive, as literally means. So our Lord uses the same word, and of the same thing, to Peter, Luk 5:10.-ED.
[12] being evidently distinct from ; the latter referring to the servant of God, the former to God. Not as Engl. Vers., both referring to the devil.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Ti 2:26
and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil,-[The sin which issues in unbelief is here represented as a kind of drunkenness, and by repentance a man becomes sober again, so Jesus calls it when he came to himself. (Luk 15:17.) Again sin, so far from freedom to do as one likes, is a state of being ensnared by the devil, from which he is to be captured alive-to do the service of him whose service is perfect freedom. Here we have the thought frequently enunciated by Paul that man being a creature cannot have real independence; his only freedom is to choose whom he will serve. He must cast down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2Co 10:5) or fall under the dominion of the devil. There is no other alternative. He cannot serve two masters, but he must serve one and his wisdom is to choose the service of the Father who created him and the Savior who died to redeem him.]
having been taken captive by him unto his will.-Men who turn from God and his ways to follow the ways of men are led by the devil. Under specious pretext of following their own wisdom, they are taken captive by him at his own will.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
recover: Gr. awake, Luk 15:17, 1Co 15:34, Eph 5:14
out: Psa 124:7, Isa 8:15, Isa 28:13, Act 26:18, 2Co 2:11, Col 1:13, 2Th 2:9-12, 1Ti 3:7, 1Ti 6:9, 1Ti 6:10, Rev 12:9, Rev 20:2, Rev 20:3
who are: Isa 42:6, Isa 42:7, Isa 49:25, Isa 49:26, Isa 53:12, Mat 12:28, Mat 12:29, Luk 11:21, 2Pe 2:18-20
taken captive: Gr. Taken alive
at: Job 1:12, Job 2:6, Luk 22:31, Luk 22:32, Joh 13:2, Joh 13:27, Act 5:3, 1Ti 1:20
Reciprocal: Exo 23:33 – it will surely Jos 23:13 – snares Jdg 5:12 – lead Neh 9:24 – as they would Job 18:8 – he is cast Psa 25:15 – out Psa 31:4 – Pull Psa 80:7 – we shall Psa 91:3 – snare Pro 29:6 – the transgression Ecc 9:12 – as the fishes Isa 61:1 – to proclaim Jer 36:3 – may be Mat 4:17 – Repent Mat 9:13 – but Mat 11:20 – because Mat 13:15 – and should be Mar 1:15 – repent Mar 6:12 – preached Luk 5:32 – General Luk 8:29 – caught Luk 13:16 – whom Luk 15:5 – he layeth Luk 15:15 – he went Joh 8:32 – and the Joh 17:17 – word Act 5:31 – to give Act 8:22 – Repent Act 11:18 – granted Act 20:21 – repentance Act 26:20 – repent Rom 7:23 – and 2Co 7:10 – repentance Heb 6:1 – repentance 1Pe 3:15 – with 2Pe 2:19 – overcome Rev 2:22 – except
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ti 2:26. These people engaged in opposition to the truth are compared to a victim caught in a snare or trap. The trap has been set by the devil (from DIABOLOS) , who uses various means to capture the people of the Lord. Sometimes he is overt and vicious after the manner of a roaring lion (1Pe 5:8), at other times he captures them with his wiles or snares. Taken captive is from ZOGREO which Thayer defines, “to take alive.” The last clause is a very interesting use of an illustration. It pictures a scene where the Lord finds a human being who had once been His servant, but was caught in the trap of the devil. The victim is released and taken captive by the Lord, who originally had possession of him anyway, and who now will again be turned into the kind of service that is in harmony with His will.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Ti 2:26. That they may recover themselves. Literally, that they may awake as from a drunken sleep.
Taken captive by him at his will. The English presents no difficulty, but in the Greek the two possessive pronouns are not the same, and are, apparently at least, presented in direct contrast. If we accept them as pointing to different agents, then the probable meaning is, that they may awake sobered from the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him (the devil), unto (i.e. awaking unto) His will (the will of God); and this rendering is adopted by many commentators, and appears in the Revised Version of the New Testament. There seems, however, sufficient reason for supposing that the change of pronoun was determined by the desire of avoiding the repetition of the same word rather than by any purpose to distinguish between the two.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
“And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”
Again, it is clear that these are some serious questions that lead to destruction.
This reinforces what has already been said – it is up to God and the person to extract themselves from their wayward way, the teachers responsibility is to teach the truth.
Truth is the only antidote to false teaching and even it must be accepted for it to be effective.