2 Timothy 2:21

If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21) If a man therefore purge himself from these.—Again the reference is general, but there was a special thought for Timothy when St. Paul wrote this. If he would separate from all that was evil in his Church at Ephesus, then would he indeed be one of those golden vessels unto honour. The image of the great house, and its many and varied vessels, though still not quite lost sight of, is passing out of sight. This verse changes into a note of direct exhortation. The good and faithful must separate themselves from the evil and faithless. The thought of those deniers of the resurrection of the body was uppermost in St. Paul’s mind. There must, as it has been well said, be no communion on the part of God’s servants with impugners of fundamentals. It was imperatively necessary for Timothy—and, by implication, for all members of Christ’s Church—if they aimed at becoming vessels for honour in the great Temple, to break off from all Church fellowship, from all intimate friendship, with those above referred to under the image of wooden or earthen vessels.

He shall be a vessel unto honour.—Chrysostom’s note upon these words is somewhat remarkable. He points out the possibility of the vessel for dishonour becoming a vessel for honour, and the reverse; and refers to St. Paul, once an earthen vessel, who became a vessel of gold, and to the traitor Judas, who, on the other hand, from being a vessel of gold became an earthen vessel.

Meet for the master’s use.—Or, useful for the master (of the house). “Useful,” as the next sentence shows us, through those good works by means of which others’ needs are ministered to, and the salvation of others is furthered, and the glory of God is increased.

Prepared unto every good work.—“Prepared”—that is, ready to take advantage of any opportunity which may offer itself to do a generous, noble action. So, too, Chrysostom, who would have the “vessel unto honour” ready for every emergency which would enhance the glory of the Lord—ready even for death, or (any painful) witness.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:14-21 Those disposed to strive, commonly strive about matters of small moment. But strifes of words destroy the things of God. The apostle mentions some who erred. They did not deny the resurrection, but they corrupted that true doctrine. Yet nothing can be so foolish or erroneous, but it will overturn the temporary faith of some professors. This foundation has two writings on it. One speaks our comfort. None can overthrow the faith of any whom God hath chosen. The other speaks our duty. Those who would have the comfort of the privilege, must make conscience of the duty Christ gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, Tit 2:14. The church of Christ is like a dwelling: some furniture is of great value; some of smaller value, and put to meaner uses. Some professors of religion are like vessels of wood and earth. When the vessels of dishonour are cast out to be destroyed, the others will be filled with all the fulness of God. We must see to it that we are holy vessels. Every one in the church whom God approves, will be devoted to his Master's service, and thus fitted for his use.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour - If a man "cleanse" or "purify" himself; compare the notes on John 15:2. The word "these" refers, here, to the persons represented by the vessels of wood and of earth - the vessels made to dishonor, as mentioned in the previous verse 2 Timothy 2:20. The idea is, that if one would preserve himself from the corrupting influence of such men, he would be fitted to be a vessel of honor, or to be employed in the most useful and honorable service in the cause of his Master. On the word "vessel," see the notes at Acts 9:15.

And meet for the master's use - Suitable to be employed by the Lord Jesus in promoting his work on earth.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21. If a man … purge himself from these—The Greek expresses "If one (for example, thou, Timothy) purify himself (so as to separate) from among these" (vessels unto dishonor).

sanctified—set apart as wholly consecrated to the Lord.

and meet—Some oldest manuscripts omit "and."

the master's—the Lord's. Paul himself was such a vessel: once one among those of earth, but afterwards he became by grace one of gold.

prepared unto every good work—(2Ti 3:17; Tit 3:1). Contrast Tit 1:16.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

If a man therefore purge himself from these; from these wicked men that subvert the faith of others, or from their wicked opinions and courses.

He shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use; God will honour him; and he will by it be set apart, and made fit for Christ’s use in his church.

And prepared unto every good work; and made fit for every good work; which men are not, while they are either tainted with pernicious, damnable errors relating to the doctrine of faith, or the companions of those fools.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

If a man therefore purge himself from these,.... That is, if a man clears himself, and keeps himself clear from such men as Hymenaeus and Philetus, who are comparable to wooden and earthen vessels, and are dishonourable ones; if he shuns their defiling company, and polluting principles; if he keeps clear of their heresies, and is not carried away with the errors of these wicked men, and is not drawn aside by them into immoral practices, but stands fast in the faith, and departs from iniquity:

he shall be a vessel unto honour; he will be made manifest, and appear to be a vessel chosen to honour; and will be an honourable member of the church here, and will be honoured by Christ hereafter:

sanctified: he will appear to be one that is set apart by God the Father, and whose sins are purged away by the blood of Christ, and who is sanctified internally by the Spirit of God; for external holiness springs from internal holiness, and is, an evidence of it:

and meet for the master's use: the use and service of Christ, who is the master of the house; either for the ministry of the word, the administration of ordinances, or for some service or another, which he calls him to, and employs him in.

And prepared unto every good work; which an unregenerate man is not; he is to every good work reprobate; he is not capable of performing good works; he is not prepared for them, nor ready at them; but a true believer, one that is regenerated, and sanctified by the Spirit of God, he is created in Christ Jesus unto good works; and has in the performing of them right principles, aims, and ends, as well as a supply of grace, by which he is enabled to do them.

Geneva Study Bible

If a man therefore {h} purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

(h) By these words is meant the execution of the matter, and not the cause: for in that we purge ourselves, it is not to be attributed to any free will that is in us, but to God, who freely and wholly works in us, a good and an effectual will.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

2 Timothy 2:21. Without explaining the figure, the apostle carries it on, but in such a way as to show to the members of the church how each one may become a vessel to honour.

ἐὰν οὖν τις ἐκκαθάρῃ ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ τούτων] ἐκκαθαίρειν, according to classic Greek (also 1 Corinthians 5:7), is an intensive form of καθαίρειν (N. T. καθαρίζειν). Chrysostom rightly says: οὐκ εἶπε· καθάρῃ, ἀλλʼ ἐκκαθάρῃ, τουτέστι, παντελῶς καθάρῃ. The opinion (formerly expressed in this commentary) was incorrect, that ἐκ only foreshadows the ἀπὸ τούτων. The translation is inaccurate: “if one keeps himself pure” (Heydenreich, equivalent to καθαρὸν, ἁγνὸν ἑαυτὸν τηρεῖν); Luther rightly: “purifies himself.” The word indicates the departure from impure companionship; comp. 2 Timothy 2:19, ἀποστήτω, and 1 Timothy 6:5 (according to Rec.), ἀφίστασο ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων.[40] Wiesinger makes the construction pregnant: “separate oneself from these by self-purification;” it is more correct, however, to regard the separation itself as the purification.

ἈΠῸ ΤΟΎΤΩΝ] cannot according to the context be taken as a collective neuter: “from such things,” ἈΠῸ ΤῶΝ ΕἸΡΗΜΈΝΩΝ, ἨΓΟῦΝ ἈΔΙΚΊΑς, ἈΤΙΜΊΑς, or even ἈΠῸ ΤῶΝ ΒΕΒΉΛΩΝ ΚΕΝΟΦΟΝΙῶΝ, 2 Timothy 2:16; it refers rather to Ἃ ΔῈ ΕἸς ἈΤΙΜΊΑΝ. Luther: “from such people;” comp. the passage quoted, 1 Timothy 6:5. Hofmann is altogether mistaken in his curious idea that ἈΠῸ ΤΟΎΤΩΝ means “from that time forward,” and is to be connected with what follows. This reference is nowhere in the N. T. expressed by ἈΠῸ ΤΟΎΤΩΝ (comp. Matthew 26:29 : ἈΠʼ ἌΡΤΙ); besides, this more precise definition of ἜΣΤΑΙ is quite superfluous, whereas ἘΚΚΑΘΆΡῌ ἘΑΥΤΌΝ without more precise definition is too general.

ἜΣΤΑΙ ΣΚΕῦΟς ΕἸς ΤΙΜῊΝ, ἩΓΙΑΣΜΈΝΟΝ] Lachmann has wrongly deleted the comma between ΤΙΜ. and ἩΓΙΑΣΜ. ΕἸς does not depend on ἩΓ., but ΣΚ. ΕἸς ΤΙΜ. forms here, like Ἃ ΜῈΝ ΕἸς ΤΙΜΉΝ in 2 Timothy 2:20, one idea to which various attributes, ἡγιασμένον being the first, are added in order to describe the nature of such a ΣΚ. ΕἸς ΤΙΜ.

ἩΓΙΑΣΜΈΝΟΝ] is not = ΣΚΕῦΟς ἘΚΛΟΓῆς, Acts 9:15 (Heydenreich), but: “sanctified;” as belonging to the Lord. Εὔχρηστον = “good for using;” τῷ δεσπότῃ, “the master of the house;” εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἡτοιμασμένον (comp. Revelation 9:7), “prepared for every good work.” While all expositors join τῷ δεσπότῃ with ΕὔΧΡΗΣΤΟΝ, Hofmann prefers to refer it to what follows, without giving any reason for so doing. Elsewhere in the N. T. ΕὔΧΡΗΣΤΟς occurs only in connection with the dative of more precise definition (2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 1:11).

[40] Bengel remarks: Activum cum pronomine reciproco indicat liberrimam facultatem fidelium.—Beza seeks, on the other hand, to save the doctrine of predestination: Volumus et efficimus, sed per eum qui gratis et in solidum efficit in nobis bonam et efficacem voluntatem, turn quod ad διάθεσιν, tum quod ad ἐνέργειαν attinet.

Expositor's Greek Testament

2 Timothy 2:21. St. Paul drops the metaphor. The general meaning is clear enough, that a man may become “heaven’s consummate cup,” σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς (Acts 9:15), if he “mistake not his end, to slake the thirst of God”. When we endue the vessels with consciousness, it is seen that they may “rise on stepping-stones of their dead selves to higher things”. The τις has been, it is implied, among the “vessels unto dishonour”. “Paul was an earthen vessel, and became a golden one. Judas was a golden vessel, and became an earthen one” (Chrys.). Bengel supposes that the ἐάν τις is an exhortation to Timothy himself. This is suggested in R.V. of 2 Timothy 2:22, “But flee,” etc. The reference in τούτων is not quite clear. It is best perhaps to explain it of the false teachers themselves, “vessels unto dishonour,” rather than of their teaching or immoral characteristics, though of course this is implied. The thoroughness of the separation from the corrupting environment of evil company is expressed by the ἐκ- and ἀπό. Where ἐκκαθαίρω occurs again, 1 Corinthians 5:7, the metaphor (leaven) also refers to the removal of a corrupting personal element. There the person is to be expelled; here the persons are to be forsaken. ἡγιασμένον is the equivalent in actual experience of the simile σκεῦος εἰς τιμήν, as εἰς πᾶν—ἡτοιμασμένον is of εὔχρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ. Compare 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you: but ye were washed [lit. washed yourselves], but ye were sanctified” (ἡγιάσθητε).

ἡτοιμασμένον: “Even though he do not do it, he is fit for it, and has a capacity for it” (Chrys.). Cf. Ephesians 2:10, κτισθέντες … ἐπὶ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς οἶς προητοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς ἵνα ἐν αὐτοῖς περιπατήσωμεν, and reff.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. If a man therefore purge himself from these] That is, as Bengel puts it, ‘if any one shall by purifying himself have gone out of their number.’ The compound verb ‘purge out’ only occurs besides in 1 Corinthians 5:7 where the preposition gives the force ‘purge out from your houses the old leaven.’ Wordsworth forcibly notes here; ‘a man may at one time of his life be numbered among vessels to dishonour, and yet may become a vessel to honour, by cleansing himself out from their number and condition. Mark this assertion of Free Will.’ And again, ‘a Christian man may not go out of the great house which is the Visible Church of God: he cannot separate himself wholly from sinners, but he must cleanse himself from them as sinners; that is, he must not communicate with them in their sins.’

sanctified] Or perhaps better ‘purified.’ ‘Sanctified’ belongs to metaphor, the implied Christian life and service; but in form the sentence remains a simile to the end. Hence R.V. rightly renders the master’s use, i.e. the master of the house, not with some printed copies of A.V. ‘the Master’s,’ which would imply an immediate reference to God. ‘Meet for use’ is the same word as in 2 Timothy 4:11 ‘serviceable,’ and in Philemon 1:11, where Onesimus formerly ‘unprofitable’ is ‘now profitable.’

prepared] This word and ‘sanctified’ are both perfect passive participles, and are more expressive than our English can shew of the resulting final state reached. See note on 2 Timothy 2:26.

Bengel's Gnomen

2 Timothy 2:21. Ἐὰν οὖν τις, if a man therefore) for example, Timothy.—ἐκκαθάρῃ ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ τούτων) by purging himself, shall go forth from the number of these vessels, to dishonour. The active voice with the reciprocal pronoun indicates the utmost freedom of power on the part of believers.—ἡγιασμένον, sanctified) The peculiar property of God, and entirely devoted to Him.—καὶ, and) εἰς τιμήν—ἡτοιμασμένον, for honour—prepared, forms four clauses; of which the first is explained by the second, the third by the fourth. Therefore and connects these two pairs. Comp. 2 Timothy 3:17, ἄρτιος—ἐξηρτισμένος.—τῷ δεσπότῃ, truly-serviceable to the Master) viz. God, whose house Paul in his epistles to Timothy calls the church.—πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν, every good work) ch. 2 Timothy 3:17; Titus 1:16.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - Meet for and meet, A.V. and T.R.; prepared for and prepared, A.V. Purge himself from these (ἐκκαθάρῃ); stronger than the simple καθάρῃ, "thoroughly purge himself," as in 1 Corinthians 5:7 (the only other place in the New Testament where it occurs) and as in classical Greek. It is used also by the LXX. in Judges 7:4, as the rendering of צָרַפ, to try metals. The idea, therefore, seems to be that of separation, and, if so, "from these" may certainly mean from the false teachers described under the image of the vessels unto dishonour, as usually explained. At the same time, the image is better sustained if we understand "from these" to mean the babblings, and ungodliness, and eating words of the heretics denounced. It is hardly natural to imply that one vessel in the house will become a golden vessel by purging itself from the wooden and earthen vessels. Neither is separation from the false teachers the point which St. Paul is here pressing, but avoidance of false doctrines. Meet for...use (εὔχρηστος); only here and ch. 4:11 and Philemon 1:11. Also Proverbs 29:(31) 13, LXX. Common in classical Greek. The master (τῷ δεσπότῃ); the master of the house, the οἰκοδεσπότης. 2 Timothy 2:21

Vincent's Word Studies

Purge (ἐκκαθάρῃ)

Only here and 1 Corinthians 5:7. The meaning is, separate himself from communion with.

From these (ἀπὸ τούτων)

From such persons as are described as "vessels unto dishonor." Some attempt to relieve the awkwardness of this figure by referring these to persons mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:16, 2 Timothy 2:17.

Unto honor (εἰς τιμήν)

Const. with vessel, not with sanctified.

Sanctified (ἡγιασμένον)

Comp. 1 Timothy 4:5. Set apart to noble and holy uses, as belonging to God. See on ἁγιασμός sanctification, Romans 6:19. For ἅγιος holy, see on 1 Timothy 5:10.

Meet (εὔχρηστον)

From εὐ well and χρᾶσθαι to use. Hence, easy to make use of, useful. The A.V. meet, is fit, suitable. Rend. serviceable. In contrast with to no profit, 2 Timothy 2:14. See Plm 1:11, where the contrast with ἄχρηστος useless is brought out. Only here, 2 Timothy 4:11, Plm 1:11.

For the master's use (τῷ δεσπότῃ)

Use is superfluous. Rend. for the master. The master of the household. See on 1 Timothy 6:1.

Prepared (ἡτοιμασμένον)

In Paul, 1 Corinthians 2:9; Plm 1:22. Only here in Pastorals. Comp. Titus 3:1.

continued...