Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Timothy 4:4
And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
4. shall turn away their ears ] Better will. The word for ‘ears’ here and above is literally ‘the hearing’; it is used in classical Greek for ‘ear’ when there is reference to the act of hearing, not merely as a member of the body. See Alford on Heb 5:11, who quotes Philo i. 474, ‘they have ears but no hearings in them.’ Hence the exact propriety of our word in the plural, Mar 7:35, and the significance of Bengel’s comment, ‘non unus in aure meatus.’
shall be turned unto ] The verb Isaiah 2 nd fut. passive, but middle in sense, ‘will turn themselves aside.’ So with R.V. will turn aside. The aor. pass. from which this future is formed has occurred 1Ti 1:6 ; 1Ti 5:15, the pres. part. 1Ti 6:20, the last with an accusative of the object turned from. Cf. Winer, Gr., 38. 2, b; 38. 4.
unto fables ] The article has the same force as above, 2Ti 2:22-23, ‘these fables’ which are now being invented and circulated. Cf. Tit 1:14.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth – That is, the people themselves will turn away from the truth. It does not mean that the teachers would turn them away by the influence of their instructions.
And shall be turned unto fables; – See the notes at 1Ti 1:4.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth] The truth strips them of their vices, sacrifices their idols, darts its lightnings against their easily besetting sins, and absolutely requires a conformity to a crucified Christ; therefore they turn their ears away from it.
And shall be turned unto fables.] Believe any kind of stuff and nonsense; for, as one has justly observed, “Those who reject the truth are abandoned by the just judgment of God to credit the most degrading nonsense.” This is remarkably the case with most deists; their creed often exhibits what is grossly absurd.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth; either in contempt, or scorn of it, as being delivered in too plain notions or style; or through impatience, not enduring their lusts should be touched, and the evil of their ways showed them.
And shall be turned unto fables; delighting to hear fables, any idle stories, or impertinent discourses, provided they touch not their lusts. Missa non mordet, The mass will not bite, was an old saying of the popish faction.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. The ear brooks not what isopposed to the man’s lusts.
turnedGreek,“turned aside” (1Ti 1:6).It is a righteous retribution, that when men turn away fromthe truth, they should be turned to fables (Jer2:19).
fables (1Ti1:4).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,…. The solid truths of the Gospel, not being able to bear the hearing of them:
and shall be turned unto fables; things idle, trifling, useless, and, unprofitable; and which are no better than old wives’ fables; some respect may be had either to Jewish fables, or to the miraculous mythologies of the Gentiles, or of the Gnostics, and others: but in general, it includes everything that is vain, empty, and senseless; and this is to be considered as a just judgment upon them; that since they like not to retain the knowledge of the truth, but turn away their ears from it, God gives them up to a reprobate mind, a mind void of sense and judgment, to attend to things idle and fabulous.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Will turn away their ears ( ). Future active of old verb . See 1Co 12:17 for this use of . The people stopped their ears and rushed at Stephen in Ac 7:57.
Will turn aside (). Second future passive of . They prefer “myths” to “the truth” as some today turn away to “humanism,” “bolshevism,” “new thought” or any other fad that will give a new momentary thrill to their itching ears and morbid minds.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Shall be turned unto fables [ ] . More correctly, will turn aside. The passive has a middle sense. For fables see on 1Ti 1:4.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And they shall turn away their ears from the truth” (kai apo men tes aletheias akoen apostrepsousin) “And from the truth, on the one hand, the ear will turn away;” by influence of ear-tickling teachers, 2Ti 3:1-8; with great swelling words, 2Pe 2:18-19.
2) “And shall be turned unto fables” “To, on the other hand, myths (the ear) will be turned aside,” or fables, being continually invented and circulated by false teachers, Jer 2:19; Gal 6:7-8. Such are like backslidden Israel who asked her prophets and seers to tell them lies, to speak deceitfully, and prophecy smooth things to them, See Isa 30:8-11.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth.This was the punishment of those who would only listen to what was pleasing to them, and which flattered instead of reproved their way of life. They became involved in the many various errors in doctrine which were then taught in the schools of the heretics, and they ended by turning away from every Christian truth. On the fables which they substituted for those great and eternal truths, see 1Ti. 1:4.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. From the truth Which does not soothe the above itch; they turn away their ears towards the fables which do.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Ver. 4. Turn their ears from the truth ] Aristotle writeth (De Mirabil. Auscult.) that vultures are killed with oil of roses. Sweet smells enrage tigers. Swine cannot live in some parts of Arabia, saith Pliny, by reason of the pleasant scent of aromatic trees there growing in every wood.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ti 4:4 . The ears serve as a passage through which the truth may reach the understanding and the heart. Those who starve their understanding and heart have no use for the truth, and do not, as they would say, waste hearing power on it.
: See note on 1Ti 1:4 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
ears = hearing, as in 2Ti 4:3.
from. App-104.
turned. See 1Ti 1:6.
unto. App-104.
fables = myths. See 1Ti 1:4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Ti 4:4. , their hearing) The ear of man does not brook teachers who are opposed to the lusts of the heart.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
2Ti 4:4
and will turn away their ears from the truth,-They turn away their ears wholly from the truth, and will give up wholly to fables. A man begins to leave the plain and simple truth of God and to turn from it and ends in wholly rejecting it. Hence, the necessity of holding fast the form of sound words.
and turn aside unto fables.-These fables were no doubt purely rabbinical. It was said in the Jewish schools that an oral law had been given on Mount Sinai, and that this law a succession of teachers, from the time of Moses, had handed down. This law that is upon the lip, as it was termed, was further illustrated and enlarged by the sayings and comments of the more famous Jewish rabbis, and in the time of the Lord Jesus Christ constituted a supplement to the written law of Moses. For centuries this supplementary code was preserved by memory or in sacred rolls and doubtless was constantly receiving additions. It contained, along with many wild and improbable legendary histories, some wise teachings. This strange collection of tradition and comment was committed to writing in the second century by Rabbi Jehuda under the general name of the Mishna or repetition of the
law. Round this compilation a complement of discussions-the Gemara-was gradually formed and was completed at Babylon somewhere about the end of the fifth century A.D. These works-Mishna and the Gemara together with a second Gemara formed somewhat earlier in Palestine-are generally known to us as the Talmud. The influence of these traditions is alluded to by the Lord. (Mat 15:3.)
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
turn: 2Ti 1:15, Pro 1:32, Zec 7:11, Act 7:57, Heb 13:25
unto: 1Ti 1:4, 1Ti 4:7, Tit 1:14, 2Pe 1:16
Reciprocal: Deu 13:5 – turn you Deu 30:17 – heart 1Ki 18:22 – Baal’s prophets Job 21:14 – for we Psa 50:17 – hatest Pro 17:4 – General Pro 28:9 – turneth Ecc 9:18 – sinner Jer 5:31 – my people Jer 27:15 – that I Mat 13:15 – ears Mat 13:47 – and gathered Mat 18:7 – for Luk 14:18 – I have Joh 8:45 – General Act 20:30 – of your 1Co 14:38 – General 2Co 2:17 – which 2Co 11:3 – so 2Co 11:13 – false Gal 1:7 – pervert Phi 3:2 – evil 2Th 2:3 – except 1Ti 1:19 – concerning 1Ti 4:1 – depart 2Ti 3:7 – learning Tit 1:10 – there Heb 12:25 – turn away 1Jo 2:18 – ye have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ti 4:4. These teachers with lusts like the people who employed them, would naturally be disposed to furnish the kind of speeches that were acceptable. Hence they (the lustful teachers) will turn away their (the people with itching ears) ears from the truth. In place of the truth, they will entertain them with fables or fictions.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Ti 4:4. Unto fables. The Greek has the article, which, though it cannot well be given in English, implies that the fables will be such as have been named before.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
“And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
How sad – to leave that which is true for that which is false, though that is what believers do every day. Isnt that what theistic evolution is progressive evolution? Fables.
Believers fall into the lies of the cults, of the liberal/false religions and never think about it – the obvious fact might be that they did not realize truth when they held it. Otherwise why would they leave it?
It is significant that they leave sound doctrine for things that satisfy their lust – leaving Godly truth for sensual falsehood.
Might I suggest one further thought – leaving sound doctrine for things that make them feel good? Hate to keep knocking the church, but this is right where many churches are today.
They put in feel good programs so that the folks like to come to church to get their feel good for the week fix, no matter whether truth is beheld while they are there or not.
Recently I heard a pastor decrying the current worship climate by mentioning that we often concentrate on people and things rather than the Lord. This right after the get up and greet people time – a PEOPLE oriented THING!
We are in the middle of it and don’t even realize it – we want to feel good rather than hear good doctrine that will cleanse our souls. Indeed, many pastors put out drivel thinking it is meat and their people starve.
The next time you hear someone knocking sound doctrine or theology or anything relating to the study of truth, please think of this passage and be sure you find someone with ears that don’t itch!
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
4:4 And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto {a} fables.
(a) To false and unprofitable doctrines which the world is now so bewitched with, that it would rather have the open light of the truth completely put out, than it would come out of darkness.