Vessel for honour 2 Timothy 2:19-21

In verse 19-21 Paul continued his contrast of the true and the false. The true are God’s own people, the church, and God’s solid foundation. The two quotations of verse 19 come from the account of Korah’s rebellion during Israel’s wilderness period. God distinguished his own true people from the rebellious followers of korah (Num 16:5) and urged them to separate themselves from the wicked ways of the rebels (Num 16:26). The image of the vessels in verses 20-21 is reminiscent of Romans 9:21, though Paul’s application is somewhat different. In 2 Timothy the emphasis is on becoming a clean vessel. The gold and silver vessels, the ‘noble’ ones are the ‘best china,’ that which is used for special occasions. The ‘ignoble’ vessels (lit. ‘Dishonorable’) are probably those used to remove refuse and excrement from the house. Paul had the false teachers in mind. He called on Timothy to keep himself pure from the faith of their ways in order that he might be a holy instrument for the master’s work.

Source- ‘Paul and his letters’ John B Polhill