2 Timothy 2:20

“But in a great house, etc.] This simile the apostle makes use of, to show that it need not seem strange, nor should it be distressing to anyone's mind, to hear that men of such wicked principles and practices should be in the church of God, who are before mentioned; since in every great house or palace, the house of a nobleman, or palace of a king, there is a variety of vessels of different matter, and for different uses, and some are mean, despicable, and dishonourable; and so it is in the church of God: for by this great house, in the application of the simile, is not meant the world, as some think; for though that is a house built by God, who built all things; and is a very large one, and…”

“in a great house--that is, the visible professing Christian Church (Ti1 3:15). Paul is speaking, not of those without, but of the [visible] family of God [CALVIN]. So the parable of the sweep-net (Mat 13:47-49) gathering together of every kind, good and bad: as the good and bad cannot be distinguished while under the waves, but only when brought to shore, so believers and unbelievers continue in the same Church, until the judgment makes the everlasting distinction. "The ark of Noah is a type of the Church; as in the former there were together the leopard and the kid, the wolf and the lamb; so in the latter, the righteous and sinners, vessels of gold and silver, with vessels of wood and…”

“But in a great house - Still keeping up the comparison of the church with a building. The idea is, that the church is a large edifice, and that in such a building we are not to expect entire uniformity in all the articles which it contains. There are not only vessels of gold and of silver, ... - You are not to expect to find all the articles of furniture alike, or all made of the same material. Variety in the form, and use, and material, is necessary in furnishing such a house. And some to honour, and some to dishonour - Some to most honorable uses - as drinking vessels, and vessels to contain costly viands, and some for the less honorable purposes connected with cooking, etc. The same thing…”

“But in a great house - Such as the church, it is not strange that there are not only vessels of gold and silver, designed for honourable uses, but also of wood and of earth - For less honourable purposes. Yet a vessel even of gold may be put to the vilest use, though it was not the design of him that made it. 2 Timothy 2:21”

“2:20-21 Building on 2:19, Paul uses imagery about the utensils in a wealthy home (see Rom 9:21). Within God’s household one should endeavor to be like a utensil that is cherished rather than one that is treated with contempt.”

“in a: Co1 3:9, Co1 3:16, Co1 3:17; Eph 2:22; Ti1 3:15; Heb 3:2-6; Pe1 2:5 vessels: Exo 27:3; Ezr 1:6, Ezr 6:5; Lam 4:2; Dan 5:2; Co2 4:7 and some to honour: Rom 9:21-23 2 Timothy 2:21”