ITCHING EARS

WEDNESDAY

ITCHING EARS

2 Timothy 4:3-5

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

QUESTIONS FOR DIGGING DEEPER:

• What people are mentioned in this passage?
• What do you think Paul is most concerned about in this passage?
• Who does Paul say is going to control what is being taught?
• What motivates the people to turn their ears from truth?
• What do you think Paul means when he writes “keep your head”?
• How does this passage relate to what we see in the church today?

Paul explained the reason for this charge. “They” are the people to whom Timothy and his followers would preach, his listeners. In the future, they would not tolerate the truth but would only listen to speakers who told them what they wanted to hear (false doctrine, entertainment, etc.).

In other words, they have made themselves the measure of who should teach them and what teaching is acceptable. Moreover they would choose to believe myths rather than the truth. The context seems to indicate that these people were believers.

THOUGHT: Truth is telling it like it is.