structure of 2 Timothy as a whole is consulted.  This comparison but

intensifies the seriousness of the subject.  A doctrine that `eats like a

gangrene' and is in any sense allied with such characters as Jannes and

Jambres, must be evil, however it be presented and in whatever connection it

may stand.  What is this baneful doctrine that merits such censure from the

`Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is

past already; and overthrow the faith of some' (2 Tim. 2:18).

`The resurrection'.  Omitting the epistle to the Hebrews and confining

ourselves to the epistles of Paul to the churches or to individuals, we

observe that this word anastasis, occurs eight times in Paul's writings, as

A

Rom. 1:4.

The resurrection from the dead.

B

Rom. 6:5.

In the likeness of His resurrection.

C

1 Cor. 15:12,13.  a  There is no resurrection of the dead?

If there be no resurrection of the

1 Cor. 15:21,42.

b  Also the resurrection of the dead.

So also is the resurrection of the

B

Phil. 3:10. The Power of His resurrection.

A

2 Tim. 2:18.  The resurrection is past already.

The doctrine of the resurrection seems to have been attacked or

distorted from earliest times.  Keeping within the bounds of the New

Testament we find that the Sadducees `say that there is no resurrection'

(Matt.  22:23); that the Athenian philosophers `when they heard of the

resurrection of the dead ... mocked' (Acts 17:32); and the questions that are

dealt with in 1 Corinthians 15, reveal how much speculation there was in the

Church itself regarding the great subject.  The apostle says that HymenAEus

and Philetus had `erred' regarding the doctrine of the resurrection.  The

word used by the apostle to indicate the character of this error is astocheo

and is found only in the epistles to Timothy:

`From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling'

(1 Tim. 1:6).

`Which some professing have erred concerning the faith' (1 Tim. 6:21).

The background of these three occurrences of astocheo is similar.

Timothy is exhorted to charge them that they teach `no other doctrine' (1

Tim. 1:3), and warns against `fables and endless genealogies' which militate

against `a dispensation of God' (1 Tim. 1:4 revised text).  Those in view in

1 Timothy 1 `swerved' from the doctrine of pure grace to the desire to become

teachers of the law, making it very evident that they had entirely missed the

peculiar character of the truth as taught by Paul.  The sixth chapter strikes

a similar note.  There are those who `teach otherwise', who know nothing, but

dote about questions and strifes of words.  In particular these teachers

having been taken up with `the oppositions of science' (1 Tim. 6:20), the

`antitheses of gnosis' (the speculation that in after years developed into

gnosticism), had erred concerning the faith.  A similar context is found when