2 Timothy 2:18

2 Timothy 2:18

Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

a. NLT: They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.

b. NIV: who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

c. Young’s Literal Translation: who concerning the truth did swerve, saying the rising again to have already been, and do overthrow the faith of some;

d. Amplified Bible: Who have missed the mark and swerved from the truth by arguing that the resurrection has already taken place. They are undermining the faith of some.

e. Worrell Translation: who erred concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and are overthrowing the faith of some.

f. Wuest Translation: The very ones who are of shuch a character as to have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection already has taken place, and are overthrowing the faith of certain ones.

1. “Who concerning the truth have erred…”

a. Who [Strong: 3748 hostis hos'-tis, including the feminine hetis hay'-tis, and the neuter ho,ti hot'-ee from 3739 and 5100; which some, i.e. any that; also (definite) which same:--X and (they), (such) as, (they) that, in that they, what(-soever), whereas ye, (they) which, who(-soever).]

b. concerning [4012 * peri] [Strong: properly, through (all over), i.e. around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive case denoting the subject or occasion or superlative point; with the accusative case the locality, circuit, matter, circumstance or general period):--(there-)about, above, against, at, on behalf of, X and his company, which concern, (as) concerning, for, X how it will go with, ((there-, where-)) of, on, over, pertaining (to), for sake, X (e-)state, (as) touching, (where-)by (in), with. In comparative, it retains substantially the same meaning of circuit (around), excess (beyond), or completeness (through).]

c. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

d. truth [225 aletheia al-ay'-thi-a] [Strong: truth:--true, X truly, truth, verity.] [Vine: objectively, signifying "the reality lying at the basis of an appearance; the manifested, veritable essence of a matter"… in Ephesians 4:21, where the RV, "even as truth is in Jesus," gives the correct rendering, the meaning is not merely ethical "truth," but "truth" in all its fullness and scope, as embodied in Him; He was the perfect expression of the truth; this is virtually equivalent to His statement in John 14:6;]

e. have erred [Strong: 795  astocheo as-tokh-eh'-o from a compound of 1 (as a negative particle) and stoichos (an aim); to miss the mark, i.e. (figuratively) deviate from truth:--err, swerve. ]

2. “…saying that the resurrection is past already…”

a. saying [Strong: 3004 lego leg'-o a primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas 2036 and 5346 generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while 4483 is properly to break silence merely, and 2980 means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean:--ask, bid, boast, call, describe, give out, name, put forth, say(-ing, on), shew, speak, tell, utter.]

b. that the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

c. resurrection [Strong: 386 anastasis an-as'-tas-is from 450; a standing up again, i.e. (literally) a resurrection from death (individual, genitive case or by implication, (its author)), or (figuratively) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth):--raised to life again, resurrection, rise from the dead, that should rise, rising again.]

d. is past [Strong: ginomai ghin'-om-ahee a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.]

e. already [Strong: 2235  ede ay'-day apparently from 2228 (or possibly 2229) and 1211; even now:--already, (even) now (already), by this time.]

1). The doctrine of the resurrection is one of the foundational doctrines of Christianity.

a). Hebrews 6:1, 2 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

3. “…and overthrow the faith of some.”

a. and [Strong: 2532 kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. overthrow [Strong: 396 anatrepo an-at-rep'-o from 303 and the base of 5157; to overturn (figuratively):--overthrow, subvert.] [Zodhiates: to subvert, overturn.]

c. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

d. faith [Strong: 4102 pistis pis'-tis from 3982; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:--assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.]

e. of some [Strong: 5100 tis tis an enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object:--a (kind of), any (man, thing, thing at all), certain (thing), divers, he (every) man, one (X thing), ought, + partly, some (man, -body, - thing, -what), (+ that no-)thing, what(-soever), X wherewith, whom(-soever), whose(-soever).]

1). A foundation of faith can be eaten away by profane secular words similar to gangrene to the extent it will be overthrown. Lester Sumrall used to say, “Feed your faith and starve your doubts to death!”  As has been previously mentioned, Hymeneus had already been excommunicated, probably out of the Ephesian church. The only two times he is mentioned is in both of Paul’s epistles to Timothy and Timothy was the overseer of the Ephesian church. Looking at the context of his first mention in 1 Timothy, he was probably a leader in the church of Ephesus.

a). 1 Timothy 1:18-2:2  This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

1:20 Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.

2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

2:2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

2). Notice that after Paul mentioned Hymenaeus being excommunicated in verse 20, Paul begins to exhort Timothy and us about prayer for our leaders. The probable reason is Hymenaeus was a leader in the Ephesian church.