Notice the lengthy warnings below from Paul given to Timothy and Titus, men whom he had entrusted to appoint spiritual shepherds to be among God’s people. These were the last letters written by Paul and they warn of a time following his death that would affect the work and lives of Timothy and Titus. The list of warnings is long but necessary to emphasize the significance given to the apostasy in the near future.
1 Timothy 1:3-4 – “As I exhorted thee to tarry at Ephesus, when I was going into Macedonia, that you might charge certain men not to teach a different doctrine, neither to give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questionings, rather than a dispensation of God which is in faith; so do I now.”
Among the many pseudo-writings could be called “fables.” They are stories that have no substance but are passed as being God-sent. Rather than leading to faith, their work leads to questionings and doubts. A precursor reading from some of the church fathers places them in the same category. Ignatius’ bird story is about as fanciful as you will read anywhere.
1 Timothy 1:5-7 – “But the end of the charge is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned: from which things some having swerved have turned aside unto vain talking; desiring to be teachers of the law, though they understand neither what they say, nor whereof they confidently affirm.”
Paul describes vain talkers as being motivated by the praise and recognition of others. They want to be “teachers of the law” so bad that they will say most anything with confident affirmation that will please the ear. They have the appearance of knowing what they say, but they are void of understanding. As men seek positions of authority and champion the popular ideas of the day, doctrines of men are the result. The doctrine of purgatory was an opinion of one man that became popularized. The danger of repeating something over and over is that at some point it is taken for granted as being the truth of God. Eventually, it will be said, “We’ve always done it that way.” Imagine this being said of a teaching and/or practice that has its origin in some man in the late first century or early second who doesn’t “know what he says, nor whereof he confidently affirms.” Such men who speak passionately and forcefully, or with conviction and flair that is pleasing to the ear, people will follow him.
1 Timothy 1:18-20 – “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith (literally “the” faith, emp. mine). Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, (cf. 1 Cor. 5:5) so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.”
The implication is that some, unlike Timothy who faithfully continued his warfare, will violate the tradition of the apostles and the things they were taught and make shipwreck concerning the faith (cf. Jude 3 on “the faith”). Paul tells Timothy in his second letter to entrust the things he had heard from Paul to faithful men who will continue to pass it on to others (2 Tim. 2:2). The intent of Paul is to entrust the revelation from God to others who can be trusted with it and who would choose others to continue the “good fight.” Yet, he repeatedly warns of unfaithful men who seek to obtain a following of their own. Which men do the historical documents from the late first century and into the second century follow? Who made history and even controlled what is read for generations to follow them? Are we witnessing the work of men like Timothy or men like Hymenaeus and Alexander who taught the pattern of unsound words?