Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Timothy 3:3
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
3. without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers ] Or, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, another triad which starts from another breach of the same fifth commandment, the rending of the family ties of love, and advances to a breach of the sixth commandment in a refusal to make peace, and further of the ninth commandment in calumnious attacks and slanders. The threefold contrary spirit is in the same Sermon on the Mount, Luk 6:27, ‘ love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you.’ The word for ‘unloving’ occurs only in Rom 1:31, the other similarities of which seem to suggest that St Paul may have it in his mind, and be sadly tracing the decline and fall of Christian men back to the old heathen state. The word for ‘unforgiving,’ means ‘unwilling to make a truce,’ the opposite of ‘peacemakers,’ Mat 5:9. It has been wrongly introduced in Romans 1 from this place where only in N. T. it is found, though an ordinary classical word.
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good ] Vicious or uncontrollable, unapproachable, unkindly to all good, a descending triad, in which the characters of the libertine, the churl, the worldling are painted. The three words occur nowhere else in N.T. But the exact opposites are found together in Tit 1:8, ‘temperate, a lover of hospitality, a lover of good.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Without natural affection – see the notes at Rom 1:31.
Trucebreakers – The same word in Rom 1:31, is rendered implacable; see the notes at that verse. It properly means without treaty; that is, those who are averse to any treaty or compact. It may thus refer to those who are unwilling to enter into any agreement; that is, either those who are unwilling to be reconciled to others when there is a variance – implacable; or those who disregard treaties or agreements. In either case, this marks a very corrupt condition of society. Nothing would be more indicative of the lowest state of degradation, than that in which all compacts and agreements were utterly disregarded.
False accusers – Margin, makebates. The word makebate means one who excites contentions and quarrels. Webster. The Greek here is diaboloi – devils – the primitive meaning of which is, calumniator, slanderer, accuser; compare the notes at 1Ti 3:11, where the word is rendered slanderers.
Incontinent – 1Co 7:5. Literally, without strength; that is, without strength to resist the solicitations of passion, or who readily yield to it.
Fierce – The Greek word used here – anemeros – does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament. It means ungentle, harsh, severe, and is the opposite of gentleness and mildness. Religion produces gentleness; the want of it makes men rough, harsh, cruel; compare the notes at 2Ti 2:24.
Despisers of those that are good – In Tit 1:8, it is said of a bishop that he must be a lover of good men. This, in every condition of life, is a virtue, and hence, the opposite of it is here set down as one of the characteristics of that evil age of which the apostle speaks.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. Without natural affection] . Without that affection which parents bear to their young, and which the young bear to their parents. An affection which is common to every class of animals; consequently, men without it are worse than brutes.
Truce-breakers] . From , negative, and , a libation, because in making treaties libations both of blood and wine were poured out. The word means those who are bound by no promise, held by no engagement, obliged by no oath; persons who readily promise any thing, because they never intend to perform.
False accusers] . Devils; but properly enough rendered false accusers, for this is a principal work of the devil. Slanderers; striving ever to ruin the characters of others.
Incontinent] . From , negative, and , power. Those who, having sinned away their power of self-government, want strength to govern their appetites; especially those who are slaves to uncleanness.
Fierce] . From , negative, and , mild or gentle. Wild, impetuous, whatever is contrary to pliability and gentleness.
Despisers of those that are good] . Not lovers of good men. Here is a remarkable advantage of the Greek over the English tongue, one word of the former expressing five or six of the latter. Those who do not love the good must be radically bad themselves.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Without natural affection; having no kindness for such as nature obligeth them to love and honour.
Truce-breakers; men that will be held by no bonds or leagues. Or rather, implacable; so we translate the same Greek word, Rom 1:31; men so full of malice that they will admit no terms or covenants of peace.
False accusers; Greek, devils, venting their malice by informing against and accusing others, without any regard to truth.
Incontinent; intemperate, drunkards, gluttons, unclean persons, &c.
Fierce; men without any gentleness, cruel.
Despisers of those that are good; men that have no kindness for any good men, haters of them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. truce-breakersrather asthe Greek is translated in Ro1:31, “implacable.”
false accusersslanderers(1Ti 3:11; Tit 2:3).
incontinent, fierceatonce both soft and hard: incontinently indulging themselves, andinhuman to others.
despisers, c.”nolovers of good” [ALFORD]the opposite of “a lover of good” (Tit1:8).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Without natural affection,…. To parents, or children, or wife; parents thrusting their children into religious houses, cloisters, c. against their wills children leaving their parents without their knowledge or consent; married bishops and priests being obliged to quit their wives, and declare their children spurious; with many other such unnatural actions.
Trucebreakers; or covenant breakers; stirring up princes to break through their treaties and covenants with one another; dissolving the allegiance of subjects to their sovereigns, and moving them to rebellion against them; loosing the marriage bond between husband and wife; making void all oaths, contracts, and agreements, among men, which stand in the way of their designs; teaching that no faith is to be kept with heretics.
False accusers; or devils, being like Satan, the accuser of the brethren, charging all that depart from their communion with schism and heresy.
Incontinent; though they pretend to the gift of continency, yet give themselves up to all lasciviousness, and work all uncleanness with greediness; or “intemperate” in eating and drinking, indulging themselves in rioting and drunkenness: “she hath lived deliciously”, Re 18:7.
Fierce; like beasts of prey; such was Rome Pagan, in the times of the ten persecutions; and such has been Rome Papal, exercising the greatest cruelties and barbarities on the saints, being drunk with their blood.
Despisers of those that are good; or without love to good; both to good works, to which they are reprobate, notwithstanding all their pretensions to them, and bluster about them; and to good men, whom they hate.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Implacable (). Truce-breakers. Old word, only here in N.T. though in MSS. in Ro 1:31 (from privative and , a libation).
Slanderers (). See 1Tim 3:11; Titus 2:3.
Without self-control (). Old word ( privative and ), here only in N.T.
Fierce (). Old word ( privative and , tame), only here in N.T.
No lovers of good (). Found only here ( privative and , for which see Tit 1:8). See also Php 4:8. A papyrus describes Antoninus as and has .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Without natural affection [] . Only here and Rom 1:31. o LXX See on ajgaph love, Gal 5:22, under stergein to love with a natural affection.
Truce – breakers [] . N. T. o. o LXX Rend. implacable. From aj not, and spondai a treaty or truce. The meaning is, refusing to enter into treaty, irreconcilable. 140 Incontinent [] . Or intemperate, without self – control. N. T. o. Once in LXX, Pro 27:20. Akrasia incontinence, Mt 23:25; 1Co 7:5; 1 Macc. 6 26; Ps. of Solomon. 4 3.
Fierce [] . Or savage. N. T. o. o LXX Comp. ajnelehmonev merciless, Rom 1:31.
Despisers of those that are good [] . Better, haters of good. N. T. o. o LXX, o Class. Comp. the opposite, filagaqon lover of good, Tit 1:8.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Without natural affection” (astorgoi) or “Apart from natural affections” — homosexuals, lesbians, sex perverts, Rom 1:26-27; sodomy and sex relations with animals, Lev 18:22-24.
a) “Trucebreakers” (aspondoi) “Implacable,” who can not be turned from their wrong, Rom 1:31.
b) “False accusers” (diaboloi) “Slanderers,” character assassin.
c) “Incontinent” (akrateis) “Incontinent” or without sexual self-control as well as with tongue and appetite uncontrolled, 1Co 9:26-27.
d) “Fierce” (anemeroi) “Untamed,” vicious, like a wild lion, Job 4:10; Job 10:16; 1Pe 5:8.
e) “Despisers of those that are good” (aphilagathoi) “Haters of good things or good men,” as approved Php_4:8; Tit 1:8, as required of Bishops. True ministers shall be despised, hated more and more as end times pass on; Pro 1:7; 2Pe 2:10; Jud 1:8; Joh 15:18; Joh 15:24; Rom 1:30.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(3) Without natural affection.Careless and regardless of the welfare of those connected with them by ties of blood.
Trucebreakers.Better rendered, implacable.
False-accusers.Or, slanderers. (See 1Ti. 3:11.)
Incontinent.Having no control over the passions.
Fierce.Inhuman, savage, or merciless.
Despisers of those that are good.Better rendered, no lovers of goodthat is, hostile to every good thought and work.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Truce-breakers Who would seldom form any treaty, and disregard it if formed.
Incontinent Uncontrolling of themselves.
Fierce The reverse of mild, passionate and cruel.
Despisers good With no sympathy or respect for the pious and excellent.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ti 3:3. Without natural affection The word , signifies that natural affection which even the brute creatures, as well as men, manifest, in cherishing, feeding, and taking care of their young ones; and the word signifies persons divested of that natural tenderness. The apostle does not mean that God would not implant such a principle in those apostates, as well as in other men; but that they would, by their cruelty and other wickedness, do all they could to root it out; or at least they would refuse to act as such a principle would dictate. The word , rendered truce-breakers, signifies not only implacable, but treacherous persons; and may be applied to men, who, when once offended, will come to no treaty of reconciliation;and also to those, who will not think themselves bound by such treaties, when they may accomplish any purposes of their own by a violation of them.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Ver. 3. Without natural affection, &c. ] True Christians live soberly, as touching themselves, righteously toward men, and godly towards their God, Tit 2:12 . But these antipodes a are, as touching themselves, self-lovers, silver lovers, pleasure mongers, incontinent, boasters, proud, heady, high minded. As for their carriage towards others, they are blasphemers, disobedient to parents, without natural affection, truce breakers, or irreconcileable, , false accusers, or devils, fierce or savage, despisers of those that are good, traitors, &c. And as to God, they are not lovers of God, but unthankful, unholy. And such dust heaps as these a man may find in every corner of the Church.
a Those who dwell directly opposite to each other on the globe, so that the soles of their feet are as it were planted against each other; esp. those who occupy this position in regard to us. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ti 3:3 . : without natural affection, sine affectione . This and the three preceding adjectives appear to have teference to domestic relations.
: implacable, sine pace ( absque foedere , Rom 1:31 ); not truce-breakers (A.V.), which would be , Rom 1:31 ; the refuses to treat with his foe at all.
: A.V.m. here and in Tit 2:3 , has makebates . See note on 1Ti 3:11 .
: without self-control (R.V.) rather than incontinent (A.V.). The latter word has a purely sexual reference, whereas , as Chrys. notes, is used “with respect both to their tongue, and their appetite, and everything else”. It is naturally coupled with , fierce, immites . “Simul et molles et duri” (Bengel).
: No lovers of good (R.V.), the good being “things true, honourable, just, pure, lovely, and of good report” (Phi 4:8 ). The positive , Tit 1:8 , has the same reference. It is a characteristic of the heavenly Wisdom ( Wis 7:22 ). The A.V. in both places narrows the reference to persons: Despisers of those that are good; A lover of good men . The Vulg. sine benignitate, benignum , does not express the active positive force of the Greek. and are applied to the Emperor Antoninus in a papyrus of ii. A.D. which also uses the term (perh. = ) of Marcus Aurelius (Moulton and Milligan, Expositor , vii., vi. 376).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Without, &c. See Rom 1:31.
trucebreakers. Greek. aspodos. See Rom 1:31, where it is rendered “implacable”.
false accusers = slanderers. Greek. diabotos.
incontinent. Greek. akrates. Only here. Compare 1Co 7:5.
fierce. Greek anemeros, Only here.
despisers, &c. Literally not lovers of the good. Greek aphilagathos. Only here.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Ti 3:3. , , incontinent, fierce) at once both soft (yielding as to self-indulgence) and hard.-, haters of those that are good) Its contrary is a lover of good, Tit 1:7, note 3.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Ti 3:3
without natural affection,-Without affection for parents or children. The attachment of parents to children is one of the strongest in nature, and nothing can overcome it but the most confirmed and determined wickedness. [An affection which is common to every class of brutes, consequently men and women without it are worse than brutes.]
implacable,-Those who will not be bound by any oath or held by any engagement or obligated by any promise. They readily promise anything, but never intend to perform. Nothing could be more indicative of the lowest state of degradation than that in which all compacts and agreements are utterly disregarded.
slanderers,-Accusations maliciously uttered with the purpose or effect of damaging the reputation of another. As a rule, it is a false charge (Mat 5:11), but it may be a truth treacherously circulated with the purpose of destroying the good reputation of another.
without self-control,-Persons of unbridled appetites and passions who do not control their evil propensities. [This seems to mean that in a mans soul there are two elements, a better and a worse, and when the better controls the worse, then he is said to be a master of himself. The lowest bodily pleasures are a sphere in which this virtue of self-control is specially displayed; that is those bodily pleasures which the other animals share with man and which are consequently shown to be slavish and brutal-pleasure of touch and taste. It is manifest that in order to be a virtuous man at all one must at least have control over ones own appetites. When this virtue is illuminated by the gospel its meaning is intensified. Its sphere is not confined to the lowest sensual enjoyments, self-mastery with regard to such things is still included; but other things are included also. There is a spiritual frenzy, and there are spiritual self-indulgencies analogous to spiritual madness and there are spiritual self-indulgencies analogous to bodily indulgence. For these things self-mastery is needed.]
fierce,-[In this resembling savages and wild beasts, the denial of godliness ending in their having no power over their angry passions.]
no lovers of good,-Hostile to every good thought and work.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
natural: Mat 10:21, Rom 1:31
trucebreakers: 2Sa 21:1-3, Psa 15:4, Eze 17:15-19, Rom 1:31,*Gr.
false accusers: or, make-bates, Mat 4:1, Joh 6:70, 1Ti 3:11, Tit 2:3, All in Gr
incontinent: 1Co 7:5, 1Co 7:9, 2Pe 2:14, 2Pe 2:19, 2Pe 3:3, Jud 1:16, Jud 1:18
fierce: Gen 49:7, Dan 8:23, Rev 13:15, Rev 13:17, Rev 16:6, Rev 17:6
despisers: Psa 22:6, Isa 53:3, Isa 60:14, Luk 10:16, Luk 16:14, 1Th 4:8, Jam 2:6
Reciprocal: Exo 20:16 – General Exo 23:1 – an unrighteous witness Lev 19:16 – talebearer 1Ki 3:26 – give her 2Ch 16:3 – break Pro 14:2 – but Eze 17:16 – whose oath Hos 10:4 – swearing Mic 3:2 – hate Mic 7:6 – son Rom 11:20 – Be Eph 4:31 – evil speaking Tit 3:3 – living Jam 4:11 – Speak
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ti 3:3. Without natural affection. These words all come from the Greek word ASTORGS, and the only other place it is used is in Rom 1:31, and in each place the translation is the same, which is also according to Thayer’s lexicon. The word is derived by inflection from the Greek word STORGE which means “love of kindred,” the inflection giving it a negative meaning. The thought is that children should be inclined to obey their parents from the motive of the close kindred if from no other. But if they do not have such love, that will help to explain their disobedience to parents mentioned in the preceding verse. Trucebreakers is from the same word as “implacable” in Rom 1:31, and Thayer defines it. “without a treaty or covenant; that cannot be persuaded to enter into a covenant.” Such people are so unwilling to be at peace with others that they will not even talk about “terms” of agreement. False accusers is from DIABOLOS which is one of the names or Satan, and is elsewhere translated “devil.” This is an appropriate name since he is the father of lies (Joh 8:44). Incontinent means “without self-control, intemperate.” Fierce is from a Greek word that is defined “savage” in the lexicon of Thayer. Such a characteristic does not necessarily mean bodily attacks, but is a vicious attitude toward those who oppose their unrighteous ways. Despisers of those that are good. There is no personal pronoun in the original, but:the statement means they despise or belittle anything that is good. Not being good themselves, they pretend to have no respect for anything that is good.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Ti 3:3. Truce-breakers. Better, implacable,not the persons who break a truce, but those with whom no truce can be made.
False accusers. Better, slanderers, as in 1Ti 3:11.
Fierce. More definitely, untameable or inhuman.
Despisers of them that are good. Better, having no love of good.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
2Ti 3:3-5. Without natural affection Even to their own children, as well as of piety toward their parents. The clergy of the Church of Rome, being forbidden to marry, can have neither wives nor children openly; and so are without the affections natural to mankind. At least they dare not avow their having these affections. It may likewise be meant of the laity, who shut up their female children in nunneries, on pretence of superior sanctity; but in reality from interested motives. Truce, or rather, covenant breakers For this sin the Roman Catholic clergy have been remarkable, having not long ago professedly held it as a principle of religion, that no faith is to be kept with heretics; and having set subjects free from their oaths of allegiance to their princes. But may signify persons who, being offended, will enter into no treaty of reconciliation, and so may be translated implacable, as in Rom 1:31. False accusers Or slanderers, as may be properly rendered; in which, as the word implies, they will imitate that diabolical malignity which renders the great enemy of mankind so justly odious. Thus the Romish clergy have imputed all manner of crimes to those who have resisted their corruptions. Incontinent Or intemperate in their pleasures. Fierce Against their opposers, and in their resentments cruel in their revenge. Despisers of those that are good That is, of those who maintain the truth, and are real followers of Christ. Or, as may be translated, without love to goodness, or good men. Traitors To those that place the greatest confidence in them; yea, such base traitors as to give up their brethren into the hands of persecutors, and even their nearest relations, who oppose their corrupt practices, to death. Heady Rash in enterprising things which can only issue in the disturbance of society, or the ruin of those that undertake them. High-minded Puffed up with such insolence and self-sufficiency as to despise any remonstrance which can be made to bring them to a wiser and more decent conduct. Lovers of pleasure Namely, sensual pleasure, rather than lovers of God And who will therefore sacrifice all considerations of religion to the gratification of their appetites. Indeed, the love of pleasure naturally extinguishes all sense of God and love to him. It is observable, that the apostles description begins with mentioning extreme selfishness as the root, and concludes with the excessive love of sensual pleasure as the end, of all the corruptions that were to prevail in the latter times. Hence we may learn what a pernicious thing the excessive love of sensual pleasure is! It has been the source of those monstrous perversions of religion which took place among Christians in the dark ages. And, governed by it, many, in every age, destroy their health, their fortune, their reputation, the comfort of their families, and every thing valuable in life, for the sake of gratifying their appetites. Macknight. Having a form Or appearance; of godliness In observing with exactness the rituals and external ordinances of religion, but not regarding, nay, even denying and blaspheming the inward power and reality of it. A prediction too evidently fulfilled even at this day and that not only among the Papists. From such Even from all in whom thou discernest a temper like that here described; turn away Avoid all intimacy with them, lest they should avail themselves of it as an advantage for doing further mischief. Let it therefore evidently appear that thou givest them no countenance. Or, as some would render the original expression, , these turn away; that is, turn out of the church all teachers who have any resemblance to the persons I have mentioned. For they are introducing the corruptions which, in after times, their successors will carry to the height I have described.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Furthermore, they would be (9) heartless, callous, hateful (astorgoi), (10) unforgiving (aspondoi) and consequently irreconcilable, and (11) slanderous of others (diaboloi), speaking with malicious gossip. They would be (12) lacking in self-control, especially self-restraint (akrateis), (13) brutal, brutish, uncivilized (anemeroi), and (14) antagonistic toward whatever is good (aphilagathoi).