“Remind people of these things and solemnly charge them before the Lord not to wrangle over words. This is of no benefit; it just brings ruin on those who listen” (2 Timothy 2:14 NET)
Jesus once made the following observation regarding human nature in the New Testament Gospel of Luke…
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).
With this in mind, the following commentators provide us with some valuable counsel regarding the admonition given to us here in 2 Timothy 2:14. In today’s social media age of vicious, argumentative, and malevolent speech, this directive is more valuable than ever…
“In the end disputing about words seeks not the victory of truth but the victory of the speaker.” (1)
“Paul says of these senseless talkers that they progress further and further into ungodliness. They progress in reverse. The more they talk, the farther they get from God. Here then is the test. If at the end of our talk, we are closer to one another and to God, then all is well; but if we have erected barriers between one another and have left God more distant, then all is not well. The aim of all Christian discussion and of all Christian action is to bring a man nearer to his fellows and to God.” (2)
2 TIMOTHY 2:14—Is it wrong for Christians to argue about theological matters?
PROBLEM: Paul seemed to forbid theological arguments when he instructed Timothy ‘not to strive about words to no profit’ (2 Tim. 2:14) and to ‘avoid foolish and ignorant disputes’ (v. 23). On the other hand, Paul himself argued with the Jews in their synagogues (Acts 17:2, 17) and disputed with the philosophers on Mars Hill (Acts 17:18ff). Indeed, Jude exhorted us ‘to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3).
SOLUTION: A distinction must be made between the two senses of what it means to argue or to contend. Arguing is not necessarily wrong, but being argumentative is. We should contend for the faith, but we should not be contentious in so doing. Making an earnest effort to defend the faith is good (cf. Phil. 1:17; 1 Peter 3:15). But engaging in fruitless quarrels is not. Likewise, Paul did not oppose disputing about what words really mean in a given context—he simply opposed mere semantical wrangling.” (3)
(1) R. W. Ward, Commentary on 1 & 2 Timothy & Titus, [p. 171.]. Quoted in Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes on 2 Timothy 2021 Edition [B. Charge to remain faithful 2:14-26] https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/2timothy/2timothy.htm
(2) Barclay, William. William Barclay’s Daily Study Bible The Way Of Truth And The Way Of Error (2Ti_2:15-18)
(3) Geisler, N. L., & Howe, T. A. (1992). When critics ask : a popular handbook on Bible difficulties (pp. 503–504). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.