For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they draw to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
All the most foolish heretics who want themselves to be called Christians try to color the impertinencies of their inventions. At this human sensibility especially shudders, with the occasion of the sentence of the Gospel where the Lord says, “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.” These were the very things that at that time the disciples could not bear, and the Holy Spirit taught such things as an unclean spirit pales to teach and preach openly, by whatever impertinence he may be moved. These are the ones that the apostle foresees in the Holy Spirit and says, “For there will be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine, but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, itching to hear, and will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth but will be turned to fables.”
Paul, in the second to Timothy: "There will be a time when they will not endure sound doctrine; but according to their own lusts will heap to themselves teachers itching in hearing, tickling their ears; and shall turn away their hearing indeed from the truth, but they shall be converted unto fables."
For there are certain persons who have not only their ears and their tongues but even, as I now perceive, their hands too, itching for words. They delight in profane babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called, and strifes about words, which tend to no profit. Paul is the preacher and establisher of the “Word cut short.” The teacher of the fishermen calls to question all that is excessive or superfluous in discourse.
The apostle was cognizant of these sinful tendencies of the will, and besides his numerous admonitions to defend the faith and to preach the word, he said in his epistle to Timothy: “There will come a time when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but having itching ears, will heap up to themselves teachers according to their lusts, and they will turn away from hearing the truth and turn aside rather to fables.” When they will no longer endure sound doctrine in their eagerness for godlessness, they will gather teachers together for these things which they desire. They will compile a doctrine that fits in with their desires, since they are no longer eager to be taught. They want to bring together teachers for that which they already desire in order that this large number of teachers whom they have sought and assembled may satisfy the doctrines of their own passionate desires.
According to the meaning of the Greek word, because she secretly stirred up men), without the knowledge of the Demiurge, to give forth profound and unspeakable mysteries to itching ears.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.
Before they grow stiffnecked, preoccupy them all. For this reason he says, in season, out of season; do everything, so as to have willing disciples.
But after their own lusts, he says, shall they heap to themselves teachers.
Nothing can be more expressive than these words. For by saying they shall heap to themselves, he shows the indiscriminate multitude of the teachers, as also by their being elected by their disciples. They shall heap to themselves teachers, he says, having itching ears. Seeking for such as speak to gratify and delight their hearers.
