The Lord’s Servant Must Not Strive With Viper Teachers?

John the Baptist in Jesus of Nazareth (1977).

23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
–2 Timothy 2:23-26 (KJV)–

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;

and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
–Psalm 51:13 (KJV)–

He cautions him against contention, and, to prevent this (2 Timothy 2:23), cautions him against foolish and unlearned questions, that tend to no benefit, strifes of words. Those who advanced them, and doted upon them, thought themselves wise and learned; but Paul calls them foolish and unlearned. The mischief of these is that they gender strifes, that they breed debates and quarrels among Christians and ministers. It is very remarkable how often, and with what seriousness, the apostle cautions Timothy against disputes in religion, which surely was not without some such design as this, to show that religion consists more in believing and practising what God requires than in subtle disputes.–The servant of the Lord must not strive, 2 Timothy 2:24. Nothing worse becomes the servant of the Lord Jesus, who himself did not strive nor cry (Matthew 12:19), but was a pattern of meekness, and mildness, and gentleness to all, than strife and contention. The servant of the Lord must be gentle to all men, and thereby show that he is himself subject to the commanding power of that holy religion which he is employed in preaching and propagating.–Apt to teach. Those are unapt to teach who are apt to strive, and are fierce and froward. Ministers must be patient, bearing with evil, and in meekness instructing (2 Timothy 2:25) not only those who subject themselves, but those who oppose themselves.

MATTHEW HENRY’S COMMENTARY ON 2 TIMOTHY 2:23-25–

CRY ALOUD, SPARE NOT, LIFT UP THY VOICE LIKE A TRUMPET,
and shew my people their transgression,
and the house of Jacob their SINS! 
–Isaiah 58:1 (KJV)–

O GENERATION OF VIPERS,
who hath WARNED YOU to
FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME!? 
–Matthew 3:7 (KJV)–

WOE UNTO YOU, scribes and Pharisees, HYPOCRITES!   
–Matthew 23:13 (KJV)–

THOU CHILD OF THE DEVIL, thou enemy of all righteousness,
wilt thou not cease to PERVERT THE RIGHT WAYS OF THE LORD!? 
–Acts 13:10 (KJV)–

He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
–Mark 3:5 (KJV)–

I am full of the fury of the Lord; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together.
–Jeremiah 6:11 (KJV)–

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