This morning as I was doing my scripture study I came across some interesting verses:
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenæus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
After doing some study on both Philetus and Hymenæus, it looks like there isn’t a great deal of information about either one, though Hymenæus was mentioned before as one whom Paul had “delivered to Satan” which I believe means they were excommunicated. These verses reminded me that, not unlike today, there were those who were prominent enough in the church, whether leaders, or “loud” members, who publicly went against those in the church with authority to their own destruction.
Paul describes Hymenæus faith as being a “shipwreck” in 1 Timothy 1:19, and as shown above, a canker, translated from the greek “gaggraina” meaning gangrene or ulcer. Some other translation use the word cancer.
The implication here is that Philetus and Hymenæus began publicly preaching false doctrines, would not stop, got followers to support them, and were excommunicated.
This brought to mind those early leaders and members in the latter days, who at first were following the church and the Prophet, but then through their “profane and vain babblings” ended up dissonant with the gospel and eventually taking their followers away from the church.
Beware of those today who do the same thing.
