Thomas Aquinas Commentary 2 Timothy 2:21-26

"If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master`s use, prepared unto every good work. after righteousness, faith, love, pace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and ignorant questionings refuse, knowing that they gender strifes. And the Lord`s servant must not strive, but be gentle towards all, apt to teach, forbearing, in meekness correcting them that oppose themselves; if peradventure God may give them repentance unto the knowledge of the truth, and they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him unto his will." — 2 Timothy 2:21-26 (ASV)

1. Previously, the author showed that profane chatter must be avoided, drawing his reason from the harm it causes. Here he shows the same thing, but he draws his reason from the fruit it produces. First, he tells Timothy to avoid these things; second, he discloses their fruit, beginning with he shall be a vessel.

2. He says, therefore, that some vessels are for dishonorable use. If any man therefore shall cleanse himself from these, he will be a vessel for honorable use, because their company brings defilement: he that touches pitch, shall be defiled with it . Therefore, they must be avoided: go out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing (2 Corinthians 6:17).

3. But the fruit produced is of four kinds. The first is ordination to glory, because he shall be a vessel for honorable use. For if he is defiled by them, he will be a vessel for dishonorable use; if he cleanses himself, he will be one for honorable use: but to me your friends, O God, are made exceedingly honorable (Psalms 138:17); take away the rust from the silver and there shall come forth a most pure vessel (Proverbs 25:4).

   The others are the effects of grace. The first of these is a person’s sanctification, the second is a person’s ordination by a right intention, and the third is the performance of works. Regarding the first, therefore, he says, sanctified: but you are washed, but you are sanctified (1 Corinthians 6:11). Regarding the second, he says, profitable to the Lord. But does God need our service? Not at all: you have no need of my goods (Psalms 13:2). He says, profitable to the Lord, meaning, this profit contributes to the Lord’s glory: to carry my name before the gentiles, and kinds, and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15). Regarding the third, he says, prepared for every good work: I am prepared and am not troubled (Psalms 118:60).

   And he says, for every good work, because affirmative commands do not oblige us to observe them at every moment. Therefore, one must be prepared to fulfill them when the time comes.

4. Then when he says, but flee youthful desires, he shows which profane things must be avoided, and he mentions two:

   • perverse conversation,
   • and evil doctrine, at avoid foolish and unlearned questions.

   Regarding the first, he does two things:

   • First, he indicates what should be avoided.
   • Second, what should be pursued, at but pursue justice.

5. He says, therefore: I say that you should avoid certain things so that you may be a cleansed vessel; therefore, flee youthful desires.

   It should be noted that he says this because Timothy was still a youth. These desires are the pursuit of outward vanities and carnal pleasures, both of which young men naturally desire: youth and pleasure are vain (Ecclesiastes 11:10). There are two reasons for this: one, because they have not experienced some of them; the other is because such natural pleasures act as a good medicine after labor. But the nature present in young people is restless; therefore, it is inclined toward such pleasure.

6. Then when he says, pursue justice, faith, hope, charity and peace, he shows him what things he should pursue, listing four things. The first of these directs him toward his subjects, and this is justice, because a ruler is the keeper of justice: the king that sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his look (Proverbs 20:8). The second directs him toward God, and this is faith, without which it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). The third is hope. The fourth directs him toward each of his neighbors, namely, charity and peace, which extends even to enemies: if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2). From love follows peace, which implies a well-ordered concord.

   What he says next, namely, with those who call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart, can be explained in one way by relating it to what he had just said. As if to say: pursue peace with those who call on the Lord. He says, out of a pure heart, because praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner .

   But in Hebrews he says: follow peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14). Why, then, does he now say, with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart? I answer that we should be at peace with everyone, as far as it is in our power; but there cannot be peace between good and evil persons, because peace implies concord, which cannot be maintained with evil people.

   It may be read another way: with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart, connecting this with what came before. As if to say: pursue peace, justice, and the rest, just as those do who call upon the Lord from a pure heart.

7. Then when he says, avoid foolish and unlearned questions, he urges him to avoid evil doctrine:

   • First, he teaches him what to avoid.
   • Second, what to pursue, at but be mild.

   Regarding the first, he does two things:

   • First, he gives the advice.
   • Second, the reason behind it, at knowing that they generate strife.

8. Foolish questions must be avoided because their subject matter deals with foolish things—that is, with things contrary to wisdom, namely, with matters contrary to divine wisdom. A person should not raise such questions, but resist them: every man is become a fool for knowledge (Jeremiah 10:14).

   But he says, unlearned questions, because of the manner in which they are proposed, namely, by shouting. Or, unlearned, regarding the matters under doubt; for example, if someone calls into doubt an article which the entire Church holds: but Job has spoken foolishly and his words sound not discipline (Job 34:35).

   Questions should be loved to the extent that they lead one to the truth, for all should believe one and the same thing. But foolish questions do not lead to the truth but to strife, which must be avoided: behold, you fast for debates and strife, and strike with the fist wickedly (Isaiah 58:4). Therefore, he says, but the servant of the Lord, meaning, a person dedicated to the Lord’s service, must not wrangle: not quarrelsome (1 Timothy 3:3).

9. Then when he says, but be mild toward all men, he shows what must be pursued:

   • First, he gives the advice.
   • Second, the reason behind it: if perhaps.

   Regarding the first, he does two things:

   • First, he proposes something for all.
   • Second, something necessary for each one, at apt to teach, patient.

10. The general advice is that anyone who desires to dispute must be mild: he will teach the meek his ways (Psalms 24:9). For meekness is a virtue that restrains anger, which disturbs the judgment of reason, whereas calm reason is required in questions and judgments of truth: learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart (Matthew 11:29).

    The specific advice is that he should have docility in relation to his superiors, patience in the face of persecutions, and correction in dealing with false teachers. Regarding the first, he says, apt to teach, meaning, prepared to be corrected by anyone; and this is heavenly wisdom: but the wisdom which is from above is, first of all, chaste, then peaceable, modest, easy to be persuaded (James 3:17). Regarding the second, he says, patient: they shall be patient that they may show (Psalms 91:15); the learning of a man is known by patience (Proverbs 19:11). Regarding the third, he says, with modesty admonishing, because one who admonishes should be moderate: you who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness (Galatians 6:1).

11. Then when he says, if perhaps, he gives the reason for this instruction, and he answers a tacit question. For someone could say: they resist the truth and should be corrected. I answer that God the Father is able to lead them to repentance, which is something for which a just person should strive.

    • First, he mentions the repentance he should seek for his adversaries.
    • Second, its fruit.
    • Third, its necessity.

12. He says, therefore, if perhaps, meaning, God sometimes may give them repentance, because they resist out of pride, which makes it difficult for them to accept repentance.

    Here the error of Pelagius is rejected, who said that the gifts of grace spring from our works. But this is shown to be wrong, because even the beginning of a good work—namely, repentance—is given by God: convert us, O Lord, to you, and we shall be converted (Lamentations 5:21); we have conceived, and been as it were in labor (Isaiah 26:18).

13. The fruit of repentance is twofold: knowledge of the truth and freedom from the devil’s power.

    Regarding the first, he says, to know the truth, because when one resists the truth out of wickedness, the wickedness itself blinds him. Therefore, when the wickedness is removed, he knows the truth: and they shall know the truth (John 8:32).

    Regarding the second, he says, and they may recover themselves from the snares of the devil, meaning, from the causes of error in the intellect (such as false imaginings) and in the will (such as envy, pride, and the like).

14. But the need for repentance is pressing, because if a person rejects it, the devil will rule him. Therefore, he says, by whom they are held captive, because he who sins is the servant of sin (John 8:34). And he says, at his will, meaning, such a person does the devil’s will.

    But one might object that the devil does not command all he would wish at the beginning. I answer that he gets only as much as he is permitted, but it is difficult to wrench from him what he has grasped: shall the prey be taken from the strong? Or can that which was taken by the mighty be delivered? (Isaiah 49:24).