Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
they--professing Christians.
sound doctrine--Greek, "the sound (see on 1 Timothy 1:10) doctrine (didascalias)" or "teaching," namely, of the Gospel. Presently follows the concrete, "teachers."
after their own lusts--Instead of regarding the will of God they dislike being interrupted in their lusts by true teachers.
heap--one on another: an indiscriminate mass of false teachers. Variety delights itching ears. "He who despises sound teaching, leaves sound teachers; they seek instructors like themselves" [BENGEL]. It is the corruption of the people in the first instance, that creates priestcraft (Exodus 32:1).
to themselves--such as will suit their depraved tastes; populus vult decipi, et decipiatur--"the people wish to be deceived, so let them be deceived." "Like priest, like people" (1 Kings 12:31; Hosea 4:9).
itching--like to hear teachers who give them mere pleasure (Acts 17:19-21), and do not offend by truths grating to their ears. They, as it were, tickle with pleasure the levity of the multitude [CICERO], who come as to a theater to hear what will delight their ears, not to learn [SENECA, Epistles, 10.8] what will do them good. "Itch in the ear is as bad in any other part of the body, and perhaps worse" [SOUTH].
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Ezekiel 33:30
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