I Timothy 4:1
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Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
PREDICTION OF A COMING DEPARTURE FROM THE FAITH: TIMOTHY'S DUTY AS TO IT: GENERAL DIRECTIONS TO HIM. (1Ti. 4:1-16) Now--Greek, "But." In contrast to the "mystery of godliness." the Spirit--speaking by the prophets in the Church (whose prophecies rested on those of the Old Testament, Dan 7:25; Dan 8:23, &c.; Dan 11:30, as also on those of Jesus in the New Testament, Mat 24:11-24), and also by Paul himself, Th2 2:3 (with whom accord Pe2 3:3; Jo1 2:18; Jde 1:18). expressly--"in plain words." This shows that he refers to prophecies of the Spirit then lying before him. in the latter times--in the times following upon the times in which he is now writing. Not some remote future, but times immediately subsequent, the beginnings of the apostasy being already discernible (Act 20:29): these are the forerunners of "the last days" (Ti2 3:1). depart from the faith--The apostasy was to be within the Church, the faithful one becoming the harlot. In Th2 2:3 (written earlier), the apostasy of the Jews from God (joining the heathen against Christianity) is the groundwork on which the prophecy rises; whereas here, in the Pastoral Epistles, the prophecy is connected with Gnostic errors, the seeds of which had already been sown in the Church [AUBERLEN] (Ti2 2:18). Apollonius TyanÃ&brvbrus, a heretic, came to Ephesus in the lifetime of Timothy. giving heed-- (Ti1 1:4; Tit 1:14). seducing spirits--working in the heretical teachers. Jo1 4:2-3, Jo1 4:6, "the spirit of error," opposed to "the spirit of truth," "the Spirit" which "speaketh" in the true prophets against them. doctrines of devils--literally "teachings of (that is suggested by) demons." Jam 3:15, "wisdom . . . devilish"; Co2 11:15, "Satan's ministers."
Open source ↗We have here a prophecy of the apostasy of the latter times, which he had spoken of as a thing expected and taken for granted among Christians, 2 Th. 2. I. In the close of the foregoing chapter, we had the mystery of godliness summed up; and therefore very fitly, in the beginning of this chapter, we have the mystery of iniquity summed up: The Spirit speaks expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith; whether he means the Spirit in the Old Testament, or the Spirit in the prophets of the New Testament, or both. The prophecies concerning antichrist, as well as the prophecies concerning Christ, came from the Spirit. The Spirit in both spoke expressly of a general apostasy from the faith of Christ and the pure worship of God. This should come in the latter times, during the Christian dispensation, for these are called the latter days; in the following ages of the church, for the mystery of iniquity now began to work. Some shall depart from the faith, or there shall be an apostasy from the faith. Some, not all; for in the worst of times God will have a remnant, according to the election of grace. They shall depart from the faith, the faith delivered to the saints (Jde 1:3), which was delivered at once, the sound doctrine of the gospel. Giving heed to seducing spirits, men who pretended to the Spirit, but were not really guided by the Spirit, Jo1 4:1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, every one who pretends to the Spirit. Now here observe, 1. One of the great instances of the apostasy, namely, giving heed to doctrines of demons, or concerning demons; that is, those doctrines which teach the worship of saints and angels, as a middle sort of deities, between the immortal God and mortal men, such as the heathen called demons, and worshipped under that not…
Open source ↗4:1-5 Paul’s sound teaching (3:16) contrasts with the false teachings that he denounces. 4:1 The early church regarded itself as already in the last times (see Acts 2:16-17; Heb 1:2; cp. 2 Thes 2:7; 1 Jn 2:18-23).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
when they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”
Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.
while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.
So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.
However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.