Hymenaeus and Philetus were two false teachers mentioned together in 2 Timothy 2:17-18: “Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.” Not much more is known about these two individuals beyond this reference, but we can gather some key details:
1. They were professing Christians who had “swerved from the truth” – They clearly identified as part of the Christian community, but had departed from sound doctrine and were teaching serious theological errors.
2. They denied the future bodily resurrection – Their key doctrinal deviation was claiming that “the resurrection has already happened.” Most likely they were teaching that the resurrection was only spiritual in nature rather than a physical, bodily resurrection.
3. Their false teaching was upsetting the faith of some – Their errors were not harmless differences of opinion but were undermining core doctrines and disturbing the faith of others in the church.
4. They were associated with Ephesus – The book of 2 Timothy was written by the apostle Paul to Timothy who was overseeing the church in Ephesus, so Hymenaeus and Philetus were presumably located in or connected to that city.
5. Hymenaeus was mentioned in 1 Timothy – Paul referenced someone named Hymenaeus in 1 Timothy 1:20, noting that he had made shipwreck of his faith along with Alexander. It seems likely this is the same Hymenaeus connected to Philetus.
Beyond these details, we do not know a lot more about these two false teachers from Scripture. But we do see principles that can be drawn from their example:
Principles from Hymenaeus and Philetus
1. Danger of doctrinal error – Even sincere Christians can drift into serious false teaching, so we must carefully guard sound doctrine.
2. Importance of the resurrection – Denying the physical resurrection undermines the gospel, so this doctrine must be protected.
3. Need for discernment – Since not all professing Christians actually teach the truth, we must be discerning and test teaching against Scripture.
4. False teaching spreads – If false doctrine is allowed to spread unchecked, it can upset the faith of many people in the church.
5. Apostates were in the church – Hymenaeus and Philetus show that there were “wolves in sheep’s clothing” bringing destructive heresies into the early church, just as the apostles warned there would be.
6. Teach sound doctrine – One protection against falling into error is being grounded in the truth of God’s Word and sound biblical instruction.
7. Guard the gospel – Paul emphasizes that Timothy as an overseer of the church must guard the “good deposit” of gospel truth entrusted to him (1 Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 1:14).
8. Don’t speculate – Hymenaeus and Philetus apparently fell into idle speculation about the resurrection rather than holding to the biblical truth.
9. Beware divisiveness – False teaching often brings division and dissension into the church, harming its unity.
10. Take heresy seriously – Paul says Hymenaeus had destroyed his own faith, indicating the serious risks of falling into doctrinal error. We can’t be indifferent to heresy.
Hymenaeus in 1 Timothy 1
The person named Hymenaeus is also mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:18-20, where Paul writes: “This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child…By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.”
We can gather several more facts about Hymenaeus from this passage:
1. He was probably in Ephesus – Since Paul is writing to Timothy in Ephesus here as well, it is logical to conclude Hymenaeus was part of that church.
2. He rejected Paul’s charge – Hymenaeus ignored or opposed Paul’s commission and instructions to Timothy for sound doctrine in the Ephesian church.
3. He made shipwreck of the faith – Using vivid nautical imagery, Paul says Hymenaeus has not just drifted but completely wrecked his faith by his false teaching.
4. He was associated with Alexander – Alexander is named alongside Hymenaeus as one of two prominent false teachers Paul had dealt with and cast out of the church.
5. He may have been blaspheming – Part of the reason Paul “handed over” Hymenaeus to Satan was so that he would learn not to blaspheme, perhaps indicating Hymenaeus was speaking irreverent things.
6. He faced church discipline – Paul exercised apostolic authority to remove Hymenaeus from fellowship via excommunication (“handed over to Satan”).
7. He may have been restored – Paul’s goal was the eventual restoration of Hymenaeus, hoping this severe discipline would bring him to repentance.
8. He persisted in false teaching – Despite previous discipline, Hymenaeus continued to spread his errors alongside Philetus at the time of 2 Timothy.
Hymenaeus and Philetus Were Not Alone
It is important to realize Hymenaeus and Philetus were not isolated false teachers. Rather, they were part of larger problems and trends of false doctrine spreading in Ephesus and the early church:
1. Many were teaching false doctrine – Paul repeatedly warns Timothy of those who were teaching “different” doctrine and not agreeing to sound words (1 Tim 1:3; 6:3).
2. It was a church-wide problem – Erroneous beliefs were being embraced by many in the church, not just a few outliers (2 Tim 2:14-18).
3. False teachers were having success – The false teachers were making inroads and gaining followers in Ephesus and beyond (2 Tim 2:16-17).
4. It threatened the gospel – Paul says the progress of the gospel was being hindered by those preaching false doctrine (1 Tim 1:3).
5. Timothy had to fight it – Paul repeatedly charges Timothy to be vigilant in guarding against, refuting, and correcting false teaching in the Ephesian church (1 Tim 4:6, 11, 16).
6. Elders could teach error – Paul assumes that even recognized elders/overseers in the church could stray into false doctrine and would need to be rebuked (1 Tim 5:20).
7. The problem would increase – Paul explicitly warns that false teaching will increase and spread rapidly in the future (2 Tim 3:1-9; 4:3-4).
Characteristics of the False Teachers
Paul identifies characteristics of the type of false teachers threatening the early church. Many of these descriptive traits apply specifically to Hymenaeus and Philetus as well:
– Self-deceived and deceitful (2 Tim 3:13)
– Demonic influence (1 Tim 4:1)
– Motivated by greed (1 Tim 6:5; Titus 1:11)
– Arrogant and ignorant (1 Tim 6:3-4)
– Obsessed with disputes (1 Tim 6:4)
– Morally corrupted minds (2 Tim 3:8)
– Rebellious against truth (2 Tim 3:8)
– Use smooth talk to deceive (Rom 16:18)
– Prey on weak believers (2 Tim 3:6)
– Always learning but never in truth (2 Tim 3:7)
The Resurrection Was Already Past?
The key doctrinal error attributed to Hymenaeus and Philetus was saying “that the resurrection has already happened” (2 Tim 2:18). What might they have meant by this?
1. Spiritual resurrection only – Some theorize they taught that only a spiritual resurrection/regeneration had occurred with no physical resurrection to come.
2. Resurrection at baptism – Perhaps they linked resurrection spiritually to Christian baptism.
3. Realized eschatology – They may have believed the resurrection and other end times events had already occurred spiritually or metaphorically.
4. Over-realized eschatology – Similarly, they may have overstated realized eschatology, saying all end times promises were already completely fulfilled.
5. Present resurrection – Or they may have thought of the resurrection as only about the present spiritual life, removing the future physical component.
6. Denied future judgment – Rejecting a future resurrection likely involved also denying final judgment and accountability before God.
Regardless of their exact view, they clearly departed from the apostolic teaching of a future, embodied resurrection and the “not yet” aspects of eschatology.
The Importance of the Physical Resurrection
In countering those who denied the future, physical resurrection, Scripture upholds the significance of this doctrine:
– Jesus rose physically (Luke 24:39; John 20:27) and this is foundational to the gospel (1 Cor 15:12-19).
– Our future resurrection will be physical like Christ’s (1 Cor 15:42-44; Phil 3:21).
– The resurrection is our hope (Acts 24:15; 1 Cor 15:20) and involves the redemption of our bodies (Rom 8:23-24).
– Without a bodily resurrection, those who died in Christ would be lost and Christians are the most pitiable people (1 Cor 15:18-19).
– Christ’s resurrection and our future resurrection prove His victory over sin and death (1 Cor 15:54-57).
– The resurrection provides assurance and motivation for godly living now (1 John 3:2-3).
– False doctrines like Hymenaeus and Philetus preached begin to overturn the faith of Christians (2 Tim 2:18).
Scripture could not be more clear about the significance of the physical, future resurrection of the dead. We must defend this hope against false teaching that would undermine it.
Alexander the Coppersmith
In addition to Hymenaeus, Paul mentions Alexander the coppersmith in 1 Timothy while warning about false teachers who had suffered shipwreck in regard to the faith (1:19-20):
– He rejected Paul’s teaching and authority with Hymenaeus.
– His occupation as a smith of copper or bronze suggests he was a metalworker by trade.
– He may have created idols, explaining his opposition to Paul.
– Paul delivered him over to Satan along with Hymenaeus.
– He likely continued spreading false doctrine thereafter.
Alexander surfaces again at the close of 2 Timothy when Paul states:
“Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message” (2 Tim 4:14-15).
Here we learn:
– Alexander vigorously opposed Paul and harmed his ministry.
– His deeds required God’s judgment and repayment.
– Timothy should watch out for Alexander and avoid him.
– He was an active adversary of the true gospel.
Though not as much detail is given about Alexander as Hymenaeus and Philetus, he clearly played a lead role in spreading false doctrine in Ephesus alongside them.
How Should the Church Respond to False Teachers?
The threat posed by Hymenaeus, Philetus, Alexander, and their associates to the Ephesian church raises important questions for believers in all generations about how to respond to false teachers and teaching:
1. Test all doctrine against Scripture – The Bereans set a model example by examining even apostolic teaching against the Scriptures to see if it was true (Acts 17:11).
2. Reject heresy – Doctrinal errors that contradict biblical truths cannot be tolerated or embraced.
3. Don’t elevate personalities – Following favorite leaders without question can lead to blindly accepting false teaching.
4. Be on guard – Since false teaching often arises from within the church, believers must be watchful and discerning.
5. Refute errors with truth – Lies are overcome by proclaiming biblical truth, not just ignoring falsehoods (Titus 1:9).
6. Remove false teachers – Those who persist in spreading serious heresy may need to be expelled if they will not repent (1 Tim 1:20).
7. Avoid arguments – It is foolish to constantly wrangle over disputes, speculations, and controversial questions that lead away from God’s truth (1 Tim 6:3-5).
8. Protect the faithful – The flock of God must be safeguarded from dangerous false teaching that threatens their faith.
9. Restore the fallen – Discipline and resistance to false doctrine should aim at eventual restoration of those who have erred (2 Tim 2:24-26).
10. Keep preaching truth – No matter how severe the threats from false teaching, the body of Christ must keep proclaiming the gospel of truth (2 Tim 4:1-2).
Conclusion
The brief biblical references to Hymenaeus and Philetus provide sobering warnings about the dangers of false teaching, the importance of sound doctrine, and the need for spiritual vigilance in the church. As two examples of those who swerved from the truth and upset the faith of believers, they remind us to be wary of doctrinal errors like denying the physical resurrection. We must test all teaching against Scripture, refute falsehood with truth, avoid useless controversies, and preach the authentic gospel message—protecting the faith delivered to the saints.