Theophylact of Ohrid, on 2Tim 3:5

“Having an appearance indeed of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Now these avoid.”

“That is, they accept only the form of piety and pretend, but by their deeds they reject it. Note that the power of piety, and as it were its sinews, is in deeds. Therefore it is rightly said that it is dead without works. The word "form" in another place (Rom. 2:20) the apostle uses in a good sense. The teacher has the form of knowledge, that is, he builds and forms knowledge in the students. If such people will exist in the last times, then how does he say: "from such turn away"? Most likely, even then there were some such people: although not to a greater degree, there still were; therefore the apostle speaks as if to say: such people will be found even now, turn away from them—this will be good. Therefore he also adds: "of this sort are those who creep into houses." Or Paul calls "the last days" the days that will follow immediately after his death, while Timothy will still remain alive. Or, what is closer to the truth, as St. John Chrysostom judges, through Timothy the apostle exhorts everyone to turn away from such people.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.

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