NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Timothy 3: 14 - 4: 5 (RCL)
2 Timothy 3: 14 - 4: 2 (Roman Catholic)

2 Tim 3:14 (NRSV) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, 15 and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. 4:1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: 2 proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 5 As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.
h/t montreal Anglican

In Palestine, based on popular books, people thought that a time of moral decay would precede the end of the world. The author of this book sees the decadence resulting from false teaching as contributing to this (3:1-9). Timothy has Paul’s example to follow, particularly the “persecutions” (3:11) he endured. Suffering for Christ is part of being Christian (3:12). While true Christians will be shown to be godly, false teachers “will go from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived” (3:13) by the devil.
But Timothy, “continue” (3:14), stand fast, in what Paul and your family have taught you! (“Whom” is plural in Greek.) Remember that the Old Testament (“sacred writings”, 3:15), interpreted in the Christian community (“faith in Christ ...”) tells you about “salvation”, about Christ. “All scripture” (3:16), possibly including some New Testament books, has authority rooted in God and so gives a basis for human conduct. It enables all who speak for God (“belongs to God”, 3:17: literally man of God), equipping them for good works, including “teaching ...” (v. 16).
The author now begins his conclusion. Thinking ahead to Christ’s second coming, “his appearing” (4:1), when he will “judge” and begin ruling all creation (“kingdom”), he now urges Timothy to “proclaim” (4:2) the good news, whether the time seems propitious or not (for God’s word is always in season). False teachers are undermining the faith now; perhaps “the time is coming” (4:3) when no one will adhere to the true faith. (“Myths”, 4:4, are probably changes or accretions to doctrine handed down from the apostles.) In 4:6-8, Paul sees his death as being close, so he hands on his ministry to Timothy and other future leaders. The ministry is now Timothy’s (“your”, 4:5). May he, like Paul, remain steadfast (“sober”) as he evangelizes, visiting various cities – even enduring “suffering”.


3:2-5: The attention given to lists of vices in the Pastoral Letters indicates a special emphasis on morality; the lists are broadened beyond the lists Paul offers. See 1 Timothy 1:9-10; 6:4-5; Titus 3:3; 1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:9-10; Galatians 5:18-21; Romans 1:29-31. [CAB] Assonance and alliteration (in the Greek) rather than logical or biblical order govern the sequence of this list of vices. They are mentioned in almost the same order in Romans 1:30-31.

GOSPEL: Luke 18: 1 - 8 (all)

Luke 18:1 (NRSV) Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, "Grant me justice against my opponent.' 4 For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, "Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'" 6 And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"


Some Pharisees have asked Jesus when the kingdom of God will come; he has answered: it is already “among you” (17:21). Using examples from the Old Testament, he has warned his disciples that its full coming will be sudden and unexpected; many people will miss it, being preoccupied with worldly affairs.
In Jewish society, a “widow” (v. 3) had no legal status; she was powerless. The story tells us twice that the judge is a rogue: he neither respects God nor cares about other people (vv. 2, 4). So why would Jesus tell an absurd story? Because such stories are easily remembered and are likely to be retold.
Jesus uses this incongruous story to teach the disciples a lesson. If even this rogue listens to a petition (eventually), how much more so will God, loving as he is, hear and answer the prayers of the faithful, those whom he has “chosen” (v. 7), by again sending Christ, to judge. He will grant them justice soon after he comes (“quickly”, v. 8); however, they cannot know when he will come. So do not “lose heart” (v. 1) and persist “day and night” (v. 7) in prayer, seeking the completion of the coming of the Kingdom. But, Jesus wonders, will any still be faithful then, or will they all be preoccupied by other matters?

After the Exile, the expectation of the Messiah appears. The notion is found in some intertestamental literature, particularly in books which are not found in the Apocrypha. But in the first century AD many Jews had given up on the Davidic dynasty; after all, it was 500 years since a Davidic king had ruled. There was no expectation of a Messiah who would be Son of God; rather the Messiah, while having spiritual qualities, was expected to be a national hero, and probably super-human.
17:23-24: In Matthew 24:23-27, Jesus says: “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is’ – do not believe it. ... So, if they say to you, 'Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man”. See also Mark 13:21 and Revelation 1:7. [NOAB]
17:23: “Look there!”: i.e. Look, there is the Son of Man. [NOAB]
17:24: The coming will be sudden and visible to all. [NOAB] BlkLk says the comparison is with the brightness of the “lightning” rather than its suddenness. The Son of Man will shine with unmistakable brightness as at the Transfiguration.
17:25: In 9:22, Jesus says “‘The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised’”. [NOAB] Jews did not expect the Messiah to suffer.
17:26-27: See also Matthew 24:37-39; Genesis 6:5-8 (the Nephilim); 7:6-24 (Noah). [NOAB]
17:27: “marrying and being given in marriage”: Perhaps this reference is here because of Genesis 7:7: “And Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood”. [BlkLk]
17:28-30: See Genesis 18:16-19:28 for the stories. [NOAB]
17:28: The catastrophe in Lot’s day was by fire. Luke may include Lot to follow the Hellenistic tradition of alternate catastrophes of flood and fire. [BlkLk]
17:29: “fire and sulphur”: BlkLk offers fire and brimstone. The word translated “sulphur” appears to denote some combustible material, possibly oil. The sentence is composed of words occurring in the Septuagint translation of Genesis