Cleanses (1571) (ekkathairo from ek = out or giving sense of "utterly" + kathaÃro = purge, clean = English “catharsis”) means to clean out thoroughly, to completely purge and rid of something unclean. This word strongly emphasizes the completeness of cleansing called for. This is not just a little dusting off but a purging from the evil (people and/or teaching). The idea is "if he separates himself from communion with..." Ekkathairo was used in the following phrases in Greek writings -- to clear out ditches; he clears this land of monsters. Ekkathairo is used twice in the Septuagint (LXX), in Judges 7:4 and the following verse... And you shall say before the LORD your God, 'I have removed (ekkathairo) the sacred portion from my house, and also have given it to the Levite and the alien, the orphan and the widow, according to all Thy commandments which Thou hast commanded me; I have not transgressed or forgotten any of Thy commandments. (Deut 26:13) The only other NT use of ekkathairo is in 1Corinthians 5:7 where Paul charges the Church at Corinth to... Clean out (ekkathairo = aorist imperative = do it now! It is urgent! Take stern action against evil) the old leaven (Leaven represents influence. Remove every sinful influence in order to be separate from the old life, including the influence of sinful church members, especially the sin of incest), that you may be a new lump (experiencing real freedom from the slavery to sin), just as you are in fact unleavened (our position in Christ - Paul is calling for their practice to match their position). For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed (Focusing on the Cross of Christ should provide protection against the power of sin still latent in believers). (1Cor 5:7) Comment: Believers are to remove everything from the old life that would taint and permeate the new. In the present context both Vincent and Wuest feel the meaning of cleanse (ekkathaÃro) here is to separate oneself from communion with other people. Close, intimate association with false teachers and wickedness may lead to moral and spiritual contamination (1Co 15:33) Paul is admonishing Timothy to separate himself from communion or fellowship with these false teachers and their teachings that lead to ruin of the hearers and upset the faith of others. If he "purges" himself completely from them, then God will honor him, set him apart, and equip him for service. W E Vine explains that... We are to keep ourselves pure in both doctrine and practice, and to avoid identifying ourselves with errorists like Hymenaeus and Philetus (v. 14), as well as with those who do not walk in moral rectitude. This separation is not Pharisaical aloofness, it is a matter of loyalty to Christ. To attempt to make a union between “the Name of the Lord” and “unrighteousness” (v. 19) is to dishonor the Lord, bring discredit upon the Christian faith, and ruin our prospects of reward. (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson) The Holman Bible Commentary has the following note regarding "cleansing"... Paul emphasized that each believer bears the responsibility of service to God: If a man cleanses himself from the latter (false teachings and wickedness), he will serve noble purposes. God can use only clean or holy vessels. This parallels the Jewish tradition of cleansing vessels for temple use or for religious ceremonies and holidays. God cannot bestow his glory upon anything evil or tainted. The Christian life demands unswerving obedience and allegiance to Christ. It places responsibility upon each believer to maintain a pure, unpolluted life. Dwight Edwards writes that in calling us to cleanse ourselves Paul is saying we must remove ourselves" from those within the church who have chosen to become "vessels unto dishonor." This would include false teachers (Ro 16:17, 18, 19-note), believers in blatant carnality (1Co 5:11, 12, 13) and other special cases (2Th 3:14,15, Titus 3:10,11). If we allow ourselves to maintain intimate relationships with "vessels unto dishonor," then it will be only a matter of time until we ourselves become marred and tainted. Be not deceived, (present imperative = stop being deceived, implying they were being deceived) Evil company corrupts good morals." (1Cor 15:33) This verse speaks volumes to any true believer who feels he should remain in his dead, unbelieving church in order to be a missionary. Though the motive for this is commendable, the method is utterly unscriptural. God's call to every believer in this situation is, Come out (aorist imperative = do it now! Don't delay!) of her my people, lest you share in her sins and lest you receive of her plagues. (Re 18:4-note and 2Co 6:11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18) In fact, the rest of this verse clearly indicates that we must separate in order to be significantly used of the Lord. In a day when liberal theology has snuffed out the spiritual life of countless churches around the world, it is incumbent upon all true believers to leave these ornate cemeteries of spirituality to become Christ-intoxicated congregations through which the transforming power of God is seen and dispensed." (2 Timothy Call to Completion) (Bolding added) The Lord’s exhortation to Jewish exiles in pagan Babylon to leave behind the pollutions of the land of captivity in principle applies to every believer who seeks to serve Him. Isaiah records God's instruction Depart, depart, (double commands - this is not optional!) go out from there, touch (another command) nothing unclean. Go out (command) of the midst of her, purify (command) yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the Lord. (Isaiah 52:11) Warning Jeremiah about associating with ungodly Israelites, God said, If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, but as for you, you must not turn to them (Jeremiah 15:19). The influence should be but one way. If those unfaithful Israelites were led to repentance by Jeremiah’s preaching and example, the Lord would be pleased. But the prophet was never to allow their corruption to infect him. Do not be deceived, beloved! Guzik reminds that... the phrase is if anyone cleanses himself: Paul is talking about a cleansing that isn’t just something God does for us as we sit passively; this is a self-cleansing for service that goes beyond a general cleansing for sin. i. There is a main aspect of cleansing which comes to us as we trust in Jesus and His work on our behalf; this work of cleansing is really God’s work in us, and not our work. This is the sense of 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ii. But there is another aspect of cleansing which God looks for us to do with the participation of our own will and effort; not that it is our work apart from God, but it is a work that awaits our will and effort: If anyone cleanse himself. This aspect of cleansing is mostly connected with usefulness for service, and closeness to God. This principle of cleansing oneself in preparation for acceptable service is affirmed by Malachi recording that (at Messiah's second coming) He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness. (Mal 3:3) Refusing to associate with sinning believers is also for their own benefit. If they are not disciplined and are readily accepted into church fellowship, they will become more comfortable in their sin. Being ostracized from the church, on the other hand, may help them become ashamed and repentant. Robert Lightner writes that... the Bible gives specific commands to believers to separate from false teachers and false doctrine. Christians are not to “participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead [should] expose them” (Eph 5:11). The words “participate in” carry the idea of being “a joint partner with” someone. Eadie’s comment on the meaning is to the point: “A line of broad demarcation was to separate the church from the world. Not only was there to be no participation and no connivance, but there was in addition to be rebuke.” (John Eadie, Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d., p. 382). Timothy was to recognize that those who advocate “a different doctrine” are “deprived of the truth” (1Ti6:3, 5). And he was to avoid those who had only “a form of godliness” but “denied its power” (2Ti 3:5). The imperative “avoid” is in the present tense and therefore represents a command to continue to turn away from false doctrine. All who name the name of Christ are to “abstain from wickedness” (2Ti 2:19). Paul said those who teach and promote false doctrine are like vessels of dishonor. The obedient believer who “cleanses himself from these” is “a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master” (2Ti 2:21). “Cleanses” translates ekkathairo, “to clean thoroughly.” “Timothy is to separate himself from communion with ‘these,’ the vessels of dishonor spoken of in 2Ti 2:20 …. the reference here is to the separated life a Christian should live. Here it has direct application to the obligation of a pastor to refuse to fellowship in the work of the ministry with another pastor who is a modernist.” (Kenneth Wuest, The Pastoral Epistles in the Greek New Testament Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1952, pp. 139-40) Christians at Corinth were charged with the solemn responsibility to set themselves apart from idolatry and idol worshipers (2Co 6:14, 15, 16). The principle of separation from error of any kind is clear; the command was unmistakable. “Come out from their midst and be separate, says the Lord. And do not touch what is unclean” (2Co 6:17). In 2Cor 6:14, 15, 16 Paul referred to several Old Testament passages where the truth of separation from false teaching was also taught. With 2Cor 6:17 he drew practical implications from the truth stated in verse 16 that believers are the temple of the living God. (Tasker comments that) "The older shrines were separated off from the world around them so that Christians must be spiritually and morally withdrawn from the pagan society in which they have to live. Paul’s appeal to the Corinthians to make this withdrawal is given in words originally spoken by God to His people through Isaiah when He called them out of exile. They were to leave in Babylon everything that was unclean, taking only the sacred vessels of the temple so that they might continue to be a people whom God could receive, i.e., whom He could look upon with favor (see Is 52:11)." (R. V. G. Tasker, The Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974. pp. 99-100.) (Excerpt from Bibliotheca Sacra 142:565 Jan 85 p. 19) (See the entire article by Robert P Lightner - A Biblical Perspective on False Doctrine)) HE WILL BE A VESSEL FOR HONOR: estai (3SFMI) skeuos eis timen: (2Ti 2:20; 1Pe 1:7) (Acts 9:15) Vessel (4632) (skeuos) refers to a hollow vessel for containing things. Skeuos was used of a wide variety of domestic implements, utensils, and furnishings, including furniture and tools. Because of the materials mentioned here of which these items were made, it seems likely that Paul had in mind serving vessels and perhaps utensils. Figuratively skeuos refers of a person as the instrument of someone. Shortly after his Damascus Road conversion, Jesus instructed Ananias to go to his aid, explaining that he is a chosen instrument (skeuos - literally a "vessel of election") of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel. (Acts 9:15) Paul frequently uses the figure of a vessel to describe Christians. The point is clear that God can use only clean vessels in holy service. For God to be able to use us as vessels, we must be empty, clean, and available. He will take us and fill us and use us for His glory. But if we are filled with sin or defiled by disobedience, He will first have to purge us (see Heb 12:5-11) and that might not be an enjoyable experience. Robert Murray McCheyne wrote the following to a young ministerial student "I know you will apply hard to German, but do not forget the culture of the inner man— I mean of the heart. How diligently the cavalry officer keeps his saber clean and sharp; every stain he rubs off with the greatest care. Remember you are God’s sword, His instrument—I trust, a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfection of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God." Honor (5092) (time from tÃo = pay honor, respect) describes the worth or merit of some object. Wuest says this cleansed man "shall be an instrument highly prized". SANCTIFIED: hegiasmenon (RPPNSN): (1Cor 6:11) "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/2_timothy_220-26.htm#Cleanses