There are a lot of idioms in American English that involve ears. There’s “I’m all ears,” which means “I’m listening closely,” “play it by ear,” which means “we’ll figure it out as we go,” “music to my ears,” which means you’ve received good news, and “my ears are burning,” which means you feel like someone’s talking about you, just to name a few. But what does it mean to say that someone has “itching ears”?
The reason I ask is because 2 Timothy uses this unfamiliar idiom in today’s reading. It doesn’t come across in the CEB, unfortunately, but it’s preserved in other translations, including the RSV: in chapter 4, verse 3, it says “The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but, having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings.” I’m guessing that, since the CEB strives to be understandable to the average modern English speaker, the translators decided to avoid potential confusion by excluding this ancient idiom. Which was probably the right call - but at the cost of this delightful image. (Incidentally, this is why you should ALWAYS compare translations when you’re studying Scripture!)
Even though the idiom of “itching ears” isn’t immediately recognizable to us, we do have some similar ones in American English. We talk about “itching to do something” or “scratching that itch” all the time. We understand what it means to have an “itchy trigger finger”. And of course, there’s the famous “Seven Year Itch”. All of these familiar idioms express a certain restlessness or yearning to the point of distraction, a desire that demands to be satisfied before you can focus on anything else - just like the experience of a physical itch that you can’t scratch.[1] So by extension (and context clues) we can surmise that the “itchy ears” described in 2 Timothy are referring to an irresistible urge to hear or be told something specific.
Have you ever had itchy ears? I think we probably all have at one time or another. Maybe you accomplished something you’ve worked hard on for a long time, and your ears itched for praise and affirmation. Maybe you applied to a bunch of jobs, and your ears itched for a response offering you an interview. Maybe you heard some news that outraged you, and your ears itched for someone who shares your outrage. Think about how strong the urge to scratch that itch was in each of these cases. It’s more than just a want; it’s a craving, a hunger, almost a need. We’ve all been there.
Sometimes, like with the job applications, it’s completely out of your control to relieve that itch. But other times, it’s relatively easy to find someone willing to metaphorically scratch your ears for you. All you have to do is surround yourself with the right people. Want someone to celebrate your achievement? Tell your closest friends about it. Want someone to affirm and agree with your outrage? Join a social media group or club of like-minded people. Have you ever done something like that to relieve your itching ears? I have. I don’t necessarily think it’s something we should feel guilty about. After all, itchy ears can be incredibly distracting; why SHOULDN’T we do what we can to make sure they get scratched?
Recognizing, then, that this is a very human response, we ought to be able to muster up some empathy for the people referred to in 2 Timothy 4:3. Scripture doesn’t tell us specifically what their ears are itching for; we just know there’s something they desperately want to hear that those offering “sound teachings” aren’t willing to tell them. We could certainly take a guess - there are all sorts of things Jesus taught that people wish he hadn’t: loving your enemy;[2] selling your possessions to give to the poor; [3] feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, and caring for the sick;[4] addressing your own sins rather than condemning others’[5] - I could go on. It’s not surprising that, upon hearing some of these teachings, some ears began to itch for a message that’s less challenging, one that’s more indulgent. After all, we already admitted that we’ve all been there.
We have to keep reminding ourselves that we aren’t immune from this temptation, because it’s so easy to feel contempt and anger for this sort of person, someone who rejects the true gospel in favor of a message that demands less of them. Not only does their choice seem selfish and foolish, but their itching ears often wind up causing serious harm to others. A person who seeks out a teacher who’ll affirm all of the hurtful - and even hateful - things that they already believe seems worthy of absolute condemnation. It’s easy to despise them and want them to reap every bit of what they’ve sown.
But we can’t let our own itching ears distract us from the very same teachings that they so carelessly reject. We, too, must love our enemies. We, too, must address our own sins before condemning others. We, too, must care for the hungry and sick - even if they’re hungry and sick as a direct result of their own choices. We still have to abide by the commandments we’ve been given, even when our anger and pain threatens to consume us, because that’s what it means to give your life to Christ.
So how on earth do we do that?
Well…it’s not easy. But in addition to giving us the “itchy ears” metaphor, 2 Timothy also offers some words of encouragement about how to remain faithful to the gospel message when we’d rather make exceptions to it. The writer knows that being a Christian is difficult, not only because of physical trials like the ones Paul endured, but because of the sort of people - leaders and followers alike - who arise in opposition to everything that Jesus stands for. So he offers Timothy four pieces of advice that are still relevant for Christians today.
First, he enjoins Timothy to “Continue with the things you have learned and found convincing.” You’ve been well-taught for a long time. You know the truth. Trust in that knowledge, even when your ears begin to itch for a more vindictive message. Remain firmly grounded in Scripture and committed to the Good News that has shaped you.
Second: “Preach the word, whether it is convenient or inconvenient.” The moment we start to pick and choose the times that our lives reflect God’s Word is the moment that a different message gains a foothold. Don’t wait for the right audience or the right words or the right situation or the right mood. Don’t give anyone’s ears even the slightest opportunity to start itching. The Good News is sufficient unto itself, always. Just share it.
Third: “Correct, confront, and encourage with patience and instruction.” We know that the gospel requires a lot of us. Its message is not always easy to hear or receive. Part of preaching the word necessarily involves confrontation and correction, which certainly won’t endear you to the person listening. But that doesn’t mean that we should mitigate the gospels’ demands or try to soften its edges to make it more palatable. So when we confront and correct, we must do it with patience (the Greek actually specifies “COMPLETE patience”) and with the mindset of a teacher rather than a disciplinarian. That simple shift goes a long way towards preventing itchy ears.
And finally, the fourth piece of advice: “Keep control of yourself in all circumstances.” Perhaps the most difficult instruction of the four - but possibly the most important. How easy it is to let our frustration or anger rule us! How easy to give in to the itch to listen to our own base instincts that call for retribution and rage instead of empathy and mercy. How easy to surrender to the very same temptation that we’re trying to convince others to resist! We cannot be preachers of the word and bringers of the kindom if we’re asking others to do something that we can’t even do ourselves. We have to make the intentional choice to follow Christ’s commandments in even the hardest moments if we’re to have any hope of convincing others to do the same.
Together, these four reminders - ground yourself in the gospel, preach the word at all times, confront and correct with patience, and practice self-control - help to prevent itchy ears from becoming a stumbling block. Don’t get me wrong; they won’t stop anyone’s ears from itching completely - there will always be other voices eager to say what we want to hear to lure us away from the truth. And there will always be a part of us that longs to scratch that itch, because we’re human. But we're already “equipped to do everything that is good.” We can resist the urge. We HAVE to resist, for the sake of those who can’t.
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