Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

MAKROTHUMIA* - Part 4 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
Patience, longsuffering, forbearance

Please note that all Biblical quotes, in this and all other lessons posted to Greek Thoughts, are from The Literal English Translation of the Bible produced by BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America.

We are continuing with the fourth part of our study of the Greek noun μακροθυμὶα (Strong's #3115), which means patience, longsuffering, forbearance, and its verb form μακροθυμὲω (Strong's #3114), which means to persevere, to endure, to suffer long. Μακροθυμὶα is used to express a slow human reaction toward another human being or to express God's waiting long to bring judgment upon man.

In the first part of our present study, we focused on Galatians 5:22-23 to learn that μακροθυμὶα is part of the fruit of God's Spirit and is used to describe the controlling of human reaction toward others for the purpose of allowing the Spirit of God to perform His will. Part Two of our study was taken from Ephesians 4:1-6, which taught us the necessity of μακροθυμὶα in Christian fellowship. We saw that true fellowship within the Church and successful ministry to other believers happens only when the Holy Spirit is in control of the human reaction, so that it is God's Spirit ministering, not the fleshly reactions and opinions of others. Last week we studied from 2 Timothy 3:10-12, focusing on the necessity of μακροθυμὶα in the lives of those Christians who are in public ministry. This week we continue our study of the necessity of μακροθυμὶα in the life of anyone serving the Lord in a ministry capacity, our text being 2 Timothy 4:1-4.

In the fourth chapter of II Timothy, Paul pens his last words of ministry. Knowing that his own death is eminent, Paul instructs Timothy on how he must function in ministry while facing false teachers and false believers in the church.

The Confirmation

1)

Therefore I solemnly testify before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who is about to judge the living and the dead according to His appearing and His kingdom,

Paul gives his complete testimony to Timothy before God and Jesus Christ. Paul then reminds Timothy that Jesus Christ is the One who is the judge of the living and the dead, and that this judgment will happen when the Lord and His kingdom appears. Until then, Timothy is to function in ministry according to the priorities Paul gives here in a series of commands.

The Commands

2)

Proclaim the Word, be ready conveniently and inconveniently, convict, rebuke, encourage in all longsuffering (μακροθυμὶα) and teaching.

In Paul's list of five prioritized commands; the first is to proclaim the Word. Proclaiming the truth, as it is established in God's Word, is the primary function of any servant of the Lord; because false teaching and false spiritual experiences are revealed through the established truth of God's Word.

Next Paul tells Timothy to be ready at all times — whether it is convenient or inconvenient. A soldier of Christ must not be caught off guard; he is always on duty. He is to be ready at all times with the truth and ministry of God's Word.

Paul then lists three commands that Timothy must not shy away from. Paul tells him to proclaim the Word of God so that it produces conviction, rebuke, and encouragement. Paul uses a compound propositional phrase to emphasize how Timothy is to be ready to proclaim God's Word: "…in all longsuffering (μακροθυμὶα) and teaching." The adjective "all" modifies both longsuffering and teaching. Paul instructs that Timothy must be under the control of God's Spirit while ministering, not only in proclaiming God's Word, but also in restraining his reactions to others. Doing so enables the Word of God to produce conviction, rebuke, and encouragement without the quenching of God's Spirit that comes through the interference of human reactions. Paul also writes that Timothy must proclaim the Word of God in all teaching. It is through this faithfulness of teaching God's Word that right doctrine is established.

The Condition

3)

For time will be when they will not tolerate sound teaching, but according to their own desires they will accumulate teachers to themselves, while looking for their hearing to be scratched.

Timothy must be faithful to teach God's Word because the time will come when people will not tolerate sound teaching. The Greek word translated "sound" is ὑγιαὶνω (Strong's #5198) and means "to be healthy." Paul is putting Timothy on alert that a day is coming (and now is) when people will not be able to tolerate healthy teaching. Instead, they will look to accumulate teachers who will serve their physical desires.

Paul then describes what he means by accumulating teachers who will teach to satisfy their own desires: "…while looking for their hearing to be scratched." The Greek word translated "scratched" is κνὴθω (Strong's #2833), which means to scratch an itch. Paul uses picturesque language to describe those who will be attending church fellowship in the latter times: everyone will be trying to find a church fellowship that will scratch their itch. The question is: "What is a person's itch; what is a person trying to satisfy?" If it is something other than healthy teaching, a person will be looking to satisfy a personal, human desire of the flesh. Timothy is not to bend to satisfy any person's desire for something other than the teaching of the Word of God.
The Cause

4)

And on the one hand they will turn their hearing away from the truth, and on the other hand they will turn aside upon the basis of myths.

The Greek text expresses the cause of people not tolerating healthy teaching by indicating two simultaneous actions. They will turn their hearing away from the truth, while at the same time turning aside to follow teachings that are based upon myths or stories. Paul is telling Timothy that people will turn to stories of so-called spiritual experiences, as well as to myths that accompany religious practices.

We have seen in this study that Paul's final advice to this young pastor is to be ready for the proclamation of God's Word at all times, whether it is convenient or inconvenient. He is to stay true to God's Word, so that God's Spirit can bring about conviction, rebuke and encouragement. To assure that God's Word will be effective in bringing conviction, rebuke, and encouragement, Timothy is to look to God's Spirit to control his human reaction and response in times when the Word of God is attacked and even abandoned. He is to be faithful to base all doctrine and teaching upon God's Word, not upon stories and/or myths.

Next week we will conclude the study of μακροθυμὶα. Our text will be taken from I and II Peter with a focus on the longsuffering of God, in that He is holding back judgment so that more people may be saved.

*MAKROTHUMIA is the English font spelling of the Greek word μακροθυμὶα.

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