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2 Timothy 2:17
And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;

Alexander.

Acts 19:33
And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people.

2 Timothy 2:14
Of these things putthem in remembrance, chargingthem before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit,but to the subverting of the hearers.

2 Timothy 4:14,15
Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: …

I have.

Matthew 18:17
And if he shall neglect to hear them, tellit unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

1 Corinthians 5:4,5
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, …

2 Corinthians 10:6
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

that.

1 Corinthians 11:32
But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

2 Thessalonians 3:15
Yet counthim not as an enemy, but admonishhim as a brother.

Revelation 3:19
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

blaspheme.

Acts 13:45
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

2 Timothy 3:2
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Revelation 13:1,5,6
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy…

whom I have handed over to Satan
The phrase "handed over to Satan" is understood as a form of church discipline, where individuals are expelled from the community of believers. This is similar to the situation in1 Corinthians 5:5, where Paul advises the Corinthian church to deliver a man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved. The purpose is corrective, aiming for repentance and restoration. In the cultural context of the early church, being outside the community was seen as being in the realm of Satan, highlighting the seriousness of their actions and the hope for their eventual return to the faith.

to be taught not to blaspheme
Blasphemy, in this context, refers to speaking against God or the truths of the Christian faith. The goal of this disciplinary action is educational and redemptive, intending to bring about a change in behavior and belief. The early church faced numerous challenges from false teachings and heresies, and maintaining the integrity of the gospel message was crucial. This aligns with the broader biblical theme of God's desire for repentance and reconciliation, as seen in passages like2 Peter 3:9, which emphasizes God's patience and desire for all to come to repentance.

Paul has just urged Timothy to “hold on to faith and a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:19). In contrast, Hymenaeus and Alexander had “rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.” Naming them shows that false teaching is not an abstract danger; it has faces and histories. In2 Timothy 2:17-18, Hymenaeus is linked to teaching that the resurrection had already taken place, undermining hope. Alexander may be the metalworker who “did great harm” to Paul (2 Timothy 4:14-15), resisting apostolic doctrine. Publicly identifying error protects the flock, much like Paul’s rebuke of Peter inGalatians 2:11-14. Truth matters enough to risk awkward confrontation, because “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9).

• False teachers are real people, not theoretical problems.

• Calling them out aims to safeguard believers (Acts 20:29-31).

• The goal, even in strong words, is restoration rather than revenge (Galatians 6:1).

This startling phrase echoes1 Corinthians 5:5, where Paul commanded the church to deliver an unrepentant sinner “to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved.” The backdrop is the church’s spiritual shelter; outside that protective fellowship lies Satan’s domain (Ephesians 2:2). Exclusion from the gathered community—whether formal excommunication or withholding ministry roles—removes the offender from the blessings of corporate worship, teaching, and mutual support. It is a serious, sober act, never a power play. As with Job (Job 1:12) and Peter (Luke 22:31-32), God can allow Satan limited access to produce refinement rather than ruin.

• Church discipline is a biblical mandate, not a human invention (Matthew 18:15-17).

• The church’s protective boundary is tangible; stepping outside exposes one to spiritual attack (1 Peter 5:8-9).

• Even severe measures remain under God’s sovereignty; Satan’s leash is short and purposeful (Romans 8:28).

Blasphemy here points to slanderous, irreverent teaching about God and His gospel. The disciplinary action has a redemptive aim: instruction through consequence.Hebrews 12:6 reminds us that “the Lord disciplines the one He loves.” When earthly comforts are removed, the rebel may come to his senses, like the prodigal inLuke 15:17. The intent is repentance, restoration, and renewed reverence for God’s truth. If Hymenaeus and Alexander respond, the church must be ready to forgive and reaffirm love (2 Corinthians 2:6-8).

• Discipline without a pathway back becomes mere punishment; Scripture always keeps the door open (James 5:19-20).

• Right doctrine safeguards right worship; correcting blasphemy restores both (Titus 1:9-11).

• The ultimate teacher is God, using even painful means to realign hearts (Psalm 119:67, 71).

Paul’s words about Hymenaeus and Alexander model courageous, compassionate leadership. False teaching is named; unrepentant offenders are placed outside the church’s protection, yet the goal is their repentance and renewed reverence for God. Discipline, though severe, is an act of love aimed at salvation, not destruction.

Alexander.--It would be unsafe positively to identify this person with the personal adversary of St. Paul alluded to in the Second Epistle,2Timothy 4:14, there spoken of as "Alexander the coppersmith," or with the Alexander mentioned inActs 19:33. The name was a very common one. Of the Alexander ofActs 19:33 we know nothing; from the circumstances in connection with which he is there mentioned, which took place some ten years before this Epistle was written, he seems to have been a Jew.

Whom I have delivered unto Satan.--In this fearful formula the offender is delivered over to Satan, the evil one. It is a solemn excommunication or expulsion from the Church, accompanied with the infliction of bodily disease or death. In ordinary cases, the offender was quietly expelled from the Christian society. But an Apostle, and only an Apostle, seems to have possessed the awful powers of inflicting bodily suffering in the forms of disease and death. Certain special instances of the exercise of these tremendous powers are recorded in the cases of Ananias and Sapphira, Elymas, the incestuous person at Corinth, and the men here alluded to. The fear of Simon Magus, related inActs 8:24, seems to have been aroused by his evident expectation that this well-known apostolic power would be put in force in his case. It is, however, noticeable that this punishment was not necessarily, in the case of disease, an irrevocable sentence. The true end and purpose of this, as of all divine punishments, was not revenge for the sin, but the ultimate recovery of the sinner.

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