2 Timothy 2:17-18

2 Timothy 2:17-18

[17] And  their  word  will eat  as  doth a canker:  of whom  Hymenaeus  and  Philetus;  [18] Who  concerning  the truth  have erred,  saying  that the resurrection  is past  already;  and  overthrow  the faith  of some. 

What does 2 Timothy 2:17-18 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Paul cited concrete examples of two men, probably from Ephesus (cf. 1 Timothy 1:20), whose verbal speculations were derailing other sincere Christians from the track of God"s truth.
"Perhaps due to some confusion over the Pauline teaching that believers even now participate in the death and resurrection of Christ ( Romans 6:4-5; Romans 6:8; 2 Timothy 2:11), they believed and taught that the resurrection of believers had already occurred in a spiritual sense ...
"That such a mistake could be made may seem strange to us. But the fervency of the first-generation church"s hope of Christ"s return and certain carryovers from the pagan religions out of which believers came...could have led some to the conclusion that all of salvation"s blessings were to be experienced now. A modern parallel is what we might describe as Christian triumphalism (or the "health and wealth" gospel), which tends to present the Christian message as the quick solution to all of life"s problems. The same basic mistake seems to be involved." [1]