Lexical Summary episóreuó: To heap up, to accumulate, to gather together Original Word: ἐπισωρεύω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance heap. From epi and soreuo; to accumulate further, i.e. (figuratively) seek additionally -- heap. see GREEK epi see GREEK soreuo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom epi and sóreuó Definition to heap together NASB Translation accumulate (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2002: ἐπισωρεύωἐπισωρεύω: future ἐπισωρεύσω; to heap up, accumulate in piles: διδασκάλους, to choose for themselves and run after a great number of teachers, 2 Timothy 4:3. (Plutarch, Athen., Artemidorus Daldianus, others.) Topical Lexicon Lexical Overview ἐπισωρεύω (Strong’s 2002) expresses the deliberate piling up of something in abundance. In 2 Timothy 4:3 the object heaped up is “teachers,” revealing a volitional and repeated action by hearers who reject apostolic doctrine. Biblical Usage 2 Timothy 4:3: “For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.” Paul’s warning to Timothy is the lone New Testament occurrence, yet the verb illumines an enduring pattern: humanity’s tendency to replace divinely inspired truth with an ever-expanding collection of voices that affirm personal preferences. Immediate Context in 2 Timothy Timothy is charged to “preach the word… in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2). The coming crisis Paul foresees is not a scarcity of religious instruction but a surplus of it—teaching detached from truth. The verb underscores the futility of heaping quantity when quality (sound doctrine) is abandoned. Old Testament and Intertestamental Parallels While ἐπισωρεύω appears only in the Greek New Testament, comparable imagery surfaces in: These texts anticipate Paul’s concern: the masses prefer self-affirming messages even amid spiritual famine. Theological Significance 1. Authority of Scripture: The verb highlights the sufficiency of God’s Word versus the insufficiency of human-generated substitutes. Historical Background Early church history bears out Paul’s prophecy. Gnostic, Judaizing, and later Arian teachers spread rapidly, appealing to felt needs and cultural trends. Quantitative growth of such voices never produced unity or maturity, validating Paul’s concern that mere accumulation cannot replace revealed truth. Ministry Implications • Discernment: Leaders must evaluate teaching by its conformity to Scripture, not popularity. Contemporary Application Digital platforms allow unprecedented access to “teachers.” Believers may subconsciously reenact 2 Timothy 4:3 by curating echo chambers that soothe rather than sanctify. Practically, Christians should: 1. Test every message against Scripture (1 John 4:1). Related New Testament Themes • “Itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3) parallels the desire for “new things” in Acts 17:21. Further Study References Jeremiah 23; Matthew 24:11; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Jude 3-4. Forms and Transliterations επισωρεύσουσι επισωρευσουσιν ἐπισωρεύσουσιν episoreusousin episoreúsousin episōreusousin episōreúsousinLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
    |