“And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some” (2 Timothy 2:17-18).
We met one of the two individuals mentioned in this passage earlier in 1 Timothy 1:20. In that portion of Scripture, Paul the Apostle related his experience with a man named Hymenaeus and explained how he had to “deliver him unto Satan in order that he may learn not to blaspheme.” Unfortunately, it appears that Paul’s corrective action did not achieve his desired effect, since Hymenaeus’ destructive influence had clearly affected others.
It appears that one of those others was an individual named Philetus, a man who also engaged in the spread of this cancerous spiritual message. This passage thus serves to remind us of the effect of our beliefs upon those who inhabit our sphere of influence. Like a disease-carrying agent, the heretical teachings brought by Hymenaeus and Philetus spread to others and brought spiritual affliction upon them as a result.
So what was the nature of this false teaching? Well, one commentator offers the following explanation: “These troublemakers… were probably teaching that the doctrine of the resurrection had only an allegorical or spiritual meaning. Gnostic teaching conceived of resurrection allegorically, as referring to acquaintance with truth and as occurring at baptism.” (1) We’ll discuss this belief (and the issues associated with it) at greater length in our next study.
This passage also reinforces an important observation from earlier in our look at 2 Timothy 2:15: it is important for God’s people to expend the effort to “…Know what his Word says and means” (TLB). If we seek to become familiar with the Biblical Scriptures, we can effectively “inoculate” ourselves from those who are spreading the equivalent of a malignant spiritual message.
Finally, it’s important to recognize that modern-day technology has greatly accelerated the spread of heretical teachings. Therefore, we should give heed to another source who explains the need to identify and address false teachings in our present day…
“One serious thing about these babblers is that they are never static. They always increase in ungodliness. It is so with all forms of error. Those who teach error must be continually adding to it. This explains the new dogmas and pronouncements that are constantly being issued by false religious systems. Needless to say, the more these doctrinal errors are expanded, the more ungodliness results.” (2)
(1) Ryrie, Charles Caldwell, Ryrie Study Notes [2 Timothy 2:17] © 1986, 1995 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Database © 2004 WORDsearch Corp
(2) William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, pg.2117