2 Tim 3:1-9 (Q1-3)
1. What is Paul trying to impress upon Timothy in this passage? Ministry will be difficult because of sinful men who will oppose him, but these will be proven false before all. I think this passage may refer to a broad group of non-Christians, but especially ('among them', v.6) to false teachers. These people, unlike non-believers in general, should be 'avoided' (v.5) Paul prefaces this passage with a 'but', because he has expressed hope in the closing verses of Chapter 2 that some false teachers will repent. The "last days" are those that come after the first and before the second coming of Christ, e.g. "in these last days he (God) has spoken to us by his Son" (Heb 1:2); Christ "was revealed in these last times for your sake" (1 Pet 1:20). )The Holy Spirit is also given in the last days (Ac 2:17). No further outworking of redemptive history or new revelation will come before Christ returns to close out the age. So Paul's wa...