Who were Hymenaeus and Philetus?

He was to be occupied with the Word. "But" he is told to "shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some." vv. 16-18. There is no more successful snare of Satan than the seduction of the Lord's servants into foolish controversies. To contend for the truth in a day of departure from it is one of their first responsibilities; but this is a very different thing from turning aside to verbal discussions and "doubtful disputations," or, as the Apostle here expresses it, "empty voices" — words or sounds without significance for the believer. It can never indeed be too often asserted that the best way to refute error is by the statement of the truth; and controversy conducted in this way will edify both speaker and hearers, while profane and vain babblings will only tend to produce more impiety, because they harden both the heart and conscience.

Not only so, but their word — that is, the word of those who fall into these babblings — will eat as doth a canker, or, more exactly, spread as a gangrene. A gangrene is an eating sore which, gradually spreading, almost always ends in mortification. No more striking figure to set forth the danger of "vain babblings" could possibly be employed.

That Timothy might not be left in doubt as to his meaning, the Apostle cites the illustrative cases of Hymeneus and Philetus. These had, it would seem, the place of teachers, and had fallen into the grievous error, not of denying the resurrection, but of declaring that it was already past. It may be well to call special attention to this subtle form of false teaching, for there are many believers of the present day who are liable to be betrayed by the speciousness of a seeming super-spirituality. And the teaching of Hymeneus and Philetus had this pretentious character, for they made the resurrection a spiritual thing: * and it is quite possible that they based their contention on Ephesians 2, where we read that God has quickened us together with Christ, and raised us up together, etc. But "concerning the truth" they erred (literally, "missed the mark") and the effect was to overthrow the faith of some. "The faith" here is used for the thing believed; and thus these false teachers really turned souls aside from the truth, led them away from what they had previously professed to believe. It is not a question of salvation; but for the time, at least, these misguided ones surrendered the truth, becoming the prey of their deluded leaders. Can anything be more sad than to be used of Satan to lead the Lord's people astray? The Lord Himself said, "Whoso shall offend" (that is, "be a snare to") "one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Matt. 18:6. Hymeneus and Philetus — and how many, alas! since their day! — were a snare to some of the Lord's little ones; and the fact is recorded for the admonition and warning of all who have, or take, the place of teachers in the Church of God.

Thus, step by step, with divine skill, the Apostle traces the progress of the evil that has corrupted Christendom: Firstly, human speculations about words to no profit; Secondly, disputes about the words degenerating into profane and vain babblings; Thirdly, the ever-increasing profane and vain babblings leading to ungodliness; the outward conduct of the Christian profession increasingly lowered to a level where men act without fear of God; Fourthly, ungodly walk tending to destroy and rob men of the great vital truths of Christianity.

To show the effect of this degeneration and the evil condition into which Christendom would fall, the Apostle gives two solemn examples. Hymenæus and Philetus, two men within the Christian profession, were teaching error. Instead of “rightly dividing the word of truth”, they had erred concerning the truth. They taught that the resurrection is past already. Apparently, they did not deny the resurrection; they appear to have spiritualised it and argued that, in some way, it had already taken place. Such an error is not to be lightly dismissed as the wild speculation of irresponsible fanatics. However unreasonable the error, the Apostle foresees it will corrupt the professing church and act as a gangrene. Nor is it difficult to see that it would “overthrow the faith” of those who imbibed the error. If the resurrection is past already, it is evident that the saints have reached their final condition while yet on earth, with the result that the church ceases to look for the coming of the Lord, loses the truth of its heavenly destiny, and gives up its stranger and pilgrim character. Having lost its heavenly character, the church settles down on the earth, taking a place as part of the system for the reformation and government of the world.

Timothy was also to avoid an even worse evil — profane (common), worthless talking that leads to more ungodliness and spreads like gangrene or cancer. Such evil talk will increase in both intensity and extent if allowed to go on unchecked. So that no one could mistake what he was talking about, Paul names two men who were leaders in this profane babbling — Hymenaeus and Philetus. They were saying that the resurrection was already past. Paul points out the seriousness of this error: some had listened to it and their faith was overthrown. The error was fundamental and subversive to the faith of those who accepted it.

If Timothy is told to "shun profane and vain babblings," it is no less urgent for us, for these things are greatly multiplied today. "Profane" has the sense of being strictly secular, with no real reference to God, hence that which reduces things to a rationalistic, materialistic level. This is empty vanity, and drags souls into deeper ungodliness. Just the opposite of sound, solid truth, it will spread like a gangrene where it once gains a foothold. A pointed illustration of this is given in the case of two men, Hymenaeus and Philetus, leaders in such evil, who claimed that the resurrection had already taken place. This was evidently a subtle spiritualizing of a vital truth of God, and therefore taking away its entire value. Denial of a future literal resurrection is wickedness that the believer must not tolerate.

In Corinth the denial of the resurrection by some was a matter of grave concern to the apostle (1 Cor. 15:12, 33, 34). But 2 Timothy is written much later, with most of the New Testament having been written and Christianity established as the pure truth of God. Consequently, such denial is even more serious now, for it is a turning from the truth once delivered; and the believer must decidedly separate from this type of error. Though the names Hymenaeus and Philetus have lovely meanings ("a wedding song") and ("beloved") the men themselves possibly attractive, pleasant characters, yet their error must be absolutely refused. If the resurrection is past, then there is no more suffering for Christ and with Christ, no more testimony of the faith in an adverse world, no more warfare against the forces of evil. This false doctrine was designed to settle souls down at ease in the world: the faith of some was overthrown: they were robbed of their proper direct relationship with the Living God.

No mention is even made of any assembly action in excom­municating these men. But their doctrinal evil had progressed far enough that discipline was required. Today no man individually can take the authority for putting another away: we are not apostles. In fact, an assembly cannot even claim the authority to "deliver to Satan"; but it is responsible to put away one who is guilty of a course of evil, whether doctrinal or moral. Hymenaeus means "a wedding song," and would perhaps indicate the subtle evil that would merrily wed Christianity with corruption. In 2 Timothy 2:17 we see that, though excommunicated, he still advanced in evil, his doctrine being wicked, and another man, Philetus, being also linked with him. Alexander means, "man defender," and would seem to imply opposition to the truth Paul taught as to the thorough judgment of man in the flesh. He too had not been restored by discipline later on, for Paul speaks of his doing him "much evil" (2 Tim. 4:14). How solemn to think of these men's names being recorded in Scripture in so dreadful a way! Proper discipline had not yet arrested their blasphemous rebellion, though this was the object in view. Sad indeed that an object so honorable may yet fail of its purpose!

The apostle adds another reason in this case, "For they will advance unto a greater degree of impiety, and their word will eat up as a gangrene." This statement clearly proves the uselessness of meddling with what is not only vain but profane. There was no fear of God in those who so indulged, and the fear of God is the beginning of all that is good for fallen man. Till conscience is reached, it is useless to expect that the precious revelations of God will not be misused; and this is especially true of such as profess to believe the gospel. Guilty of profanity, they need not arguments but repentance. Nor was anything more likely to touch their conscience than that so gentle and gracious a labourer as Timothy should avoid their words. They will advance to further ungodliness, "and their words will eat up as a gangrene." Discussion would rather flatter their self-importance, and could not possibly stay so destructive an evil.

Again, the apostle points out that this frightful evil in the bosom of the saints once, if not any longer, was no imaginary evil to haunt souls, but a fact for salutary fear and horror: "Of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus, who as to the truth went astray," or literally, missed the mark, saying that "the resurrection had taken place already, and overthrow the faith of some."

It is of deep interest to weigh the character of this error. It was not ignorance of the truth so much as exaggeration. It was the exalting of present privilege to the denial of our hope at Christ's coming. No doubt they piqued themselves on higher truth than others taught, and on superior intelligence. This is an extreme danger for those who have a real thirst and value for the truth of God; if not watchful, they are the most liable to be ensnared.

To Timothy the Apostle proceeded to cite a glaring case which had arisen in these early days. Hymenaeus and Philetus had divided the word of truth so crookedly that they were found propagating the notion that, "the resurrection is past already." In so teaching they tampered with the very foundations of the faith of the gospel and they overthrew the individual faith of any who came under their power. They could not of course overthrow the faith of Christianity for that was a divine foundation, and whatever God founds always stands firm as a rock. Nor could they overthrow anything which God had founded in the hearts of His people. That always remains come what may, and "the Lord knows them that are His" even if they became misled under false teaching and hence indistinguishable to others.

Hymenaeus and Philetus did not convey God's thoughts when they said the resurrection had taken place already (2 Tim. 2:18). They did not deny the truth of resurrection, but they perverted it in giving their own thoughts about it instead of speaking what God had said. Those who rested on the words of these teachers instead of on the word of God went astray, for their faith was overthrown. Instead of being occupied with Christ in heaven, and looking for Him to take them to heaven, they had got their thoughts and hopes centred on the earth, and had lost the truth of the heavenly calling.

What then is the state of the assembly? What principles govern it? I think I see the form of the settling down of the church into the world, in the doctrine of Hymenaeus and Philetus: if the resurrection is passed already, here we are settled in our ultimate state. It had not been formed into a system, it was only in the form which took away expectation of the Lord and heavenly hopes; for, if the resurrection was passed, Christ, in spiritually freeing His people, had set them down here contented in their worldly abode. It was, if not eternity, the germ of a kind of spiritual millennium without Christ. The church was no longer a stranger and a pilgrim, a bride waiting for the Bridegroom; she was settled down into a permanent accepted place on the earth. It was a sad, probably unperceived, departure; but unperceived, because the sense of what the church is was gone.

But the error of the resurrection already past is fatal to this endurance meanwhile. It would, if true, entitle us now to reign as kings, to take our ease, to enjoy present honour and glory; and thus it is directly framed and calculated by the enemy to thwart the will of our Lord, Who calls us to share His sufferings till we are glorified together. Hence it is false as a doctrine, it is ruinous for practice, and it destroys all communion with Christ, as sharing His affections in separation from the world. It would be hardly possible to discover any delusion more opposed to the truth in its character and consequences for the soul and the walk, as well as in counteraction of the moral glory of the Lord. Well can we understand therefore that its teachers "overthrow the faith of some." And if it were so then, how much more widely extended and settled do we find the mischief now, when Christ's coming is no longer before the saints as a constant living hope, and the resurrection of the body is practically nothing to them, satisfied that after death their souls go to heaven! The world becomes then a scene of present enjoyment. Association with a once dead and rejected Christ is unthought of. They flatter themselves that they have attained to a wisdom higher than was known by the apostles in those earlier days, now that they have learnt to enjoy the best of both worlds.