2 Timothy 3:8 Komentář

INTRODUCTION TO 2 TIMOTHY 3 In this chapter the apostle delivers out a prophecy of the last days, showing how perilous the times will be, describing the persons that will live in them, and what will be their end; and in opposition to these men, proposes himself an example in doctrine and sufferings; and encourages Timothy to persevere, and highly commends the sacred writings. The prophecy begins Ti2 3:1 the description it gives of hypocrites, formal professors, and false teachers, that should rise up in the last days, and perilous times spoken of, is in Ti2 3:2. And these are compared to the magicians of Egypt for the corruption of their minds, the badness of their principles, and their opposition to truth, and for their exit, and the issue of things; they will be stopped in their progress, and their folly exposed, Ti2 3:8 and as the reverse of these men, the apostle gives an account of his own doctrine, conversation, and sufferings; which he proposes to Timothy for imitation, as being well known to him, and as also the common state of all godly persons in this life, being a suffering one, Ti2 3:10 nor can it be expected that it should be otherwise, since false teachers, who are wicked and deceitful men, grow worse and worse, Ti2 3:13. And then the apostle exhorts Timothy to abide by, and continue in the doctrines of the Gospel, from the assurance he had of the truth of them, from the consideration of his having learned them of the apostle, and especially from their agreement with the holy Scriptures, which he had knowledge of from a child, Ti2 3:14 which Scriptures are commended, partly from the useful effect of them, making men wise unto salvation; and chiefly from the author of them, being by the inspiration of God; and also from the profitableness of them, both for doctrine and manners, and especially to furnish a Gospel minister for the work he is called unto, Ti2 3:15.

But they shall proceed no further,.... They may proceed to more ungodliness, and wax worse and worse in error; but they shall proceed no further than the magicians of Egypt, who did lying wonders, hardened Pharaoh's heart, and deceived him and the Egyptians; but could not destroy the Israelites, nor hinder their departure out of Egypt, when their time was come: so these wicked men do false miracles, harden the popes of Rome, and deceive the nations subject to them; but they cannot deceive the elect of God, nor destroy the church of God, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail; nor could they hinder the reformation, or the departure of the Lord's people out of Babylon. For their folly should be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was; as the folly of Jannes and Jambres was, when Aaron's rod devoured theirs; and when they could not produce lice, but was obliged to own to Pharaoh, that that plague was the finger of God; and when they could not stand before Moses, because of the boils that were upon them, Exo 7:12. And so the Arabic version renders it, "as is manifest the folly, or madness of these two"; and it is notorious in how many instances the frauds, impostures, tricks, and villanies of the church of Rome, and its votaries, have been detected and exposed; which have been the means of hindering them from proceeding any further than they have. The Alexandrian copy reads, "their understanding"; that which they pretended to have of divine things.

So, too, that other species of magic which operates by miracles, emulous even in opposition to Moses, tried God's patience until the Gospel.

Not lawful, and what is not lawful is lawful. Even as Jannes and Mambres

"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth." Who are these? The magicians in the time of Moses. But how is it their names are nowhere else introduced? Either they were handed down by tradition, or it is probable that Paul knew them by inspiration. "Men of corrupt minds," he says, "reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifested unto all men, as theirs also was." "They shall proceed no further"; how then does he say elsewhere, "They will increase unto more ungodliness"? (2 Tim. ii. 16.) He there means, that beginning to innovate and to deceive, they will not pause in their error, but will always invent new deceits and corrupt doctrines, for error is never stationary. But here he says, that they shall not be able to deceive, nor carry men away with them, for however at first they may seem to impose upon them, they will soon and easily be detected. For that he is speaking to this effect appears from what follows. "For their folly shall be manifest unto all." Whence? Every way-"as theirs also was." For if errors flourish at first, they do not continue to the end, for so it is with things that are not fair by nature, but fair in appearance; they flourish for a time, and then are detected, and come to nought. But not such are our doctrines, and of these thou art a witness, for in our doctrines there is no deceit, for who would choose to die for a deceit?

Do they not resist this truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobates concerning the faith, who respond and speak iniquity, saying, “We have it from God that we are men but from our own selves that we are just”? What are you [Pelagians] saying? You deceive your own selves, not protecting but jettisoning free will, from the height of haughtiness through empty expanses of presumption into the depths of a drowning deep in the sea. Without doubt it is your pronouncement that man of himself does justice. This is the height of your presumption.

The one was resisted by Jannes and Jambres, the other by Annas and Caiaphas.

Paul takes the story of Jannes and Jambres not from holy Scripture but from an unwritten Jewish tradition.

A great deal of foolishness has been written about how Paul could have known the names of these two men who resisted Moses. Particularly absurd is the notion that he had access to some information or writing now lost to us.

The sins of the wicked come about in three ways. Either they are bound up with sacrileges or vices or crimes. For they commit sacrilege when they do not believe rightly concerning God and depart from the true faith either because of fear of temporal misfortunes or desire for temporal advantages or by blindness or perversity of heart alone. They sin by vice when unrestrained or obscene in themselves; they live in a shameful fashion. Then they sin by crimes when they cruelly harm others, either by damages or some kind of oppression. The blessed apostle calls both of them reprobate whether sinning capitally in faith or in works, saying about those who contradict the true faith, “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so they also oppose the truth, people of depraved mind, unqualified in the faith.”

Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth, men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith, but they will progress no further. For their folly will be evident to all, as was that of those men. Jannes and Jambres. These were the magicians of Pharaoh. But how does one know their names when Scripture does not say? We say that it was from unwritten tradition; it was likely from the Holy Spirit that Paul knew. so do these also resist the truth. To the true faith. men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith, but they will progress no further. When someone's mind is corrupted by passions, then they become unreliable regarding faith. How could they advance in wickedness without saying "they will advance"? Here it says, "they will progress no further." There it says that once they begin to wander, they will not stand anywhere, but will always devise something worse; here, however, it says that they will neither deceive nor seize many of the prudent. — [OECUMENIUS] For Paul said beforehand, "Wandering and being led astray." (2 Tim. 3:13) Therefore, the power lies with those who are not easily deceived. [end of the excerpt by Oecumenius A f. 181r; B f. 219r; G f. 308r] — For their folly will be evident to all. Where does this come from? "From ancient times," Paul says, "be assured. For wickedness is easily exposed." In another way. If you are unbelieving, learn from what happened to those magicians (Jannes and Jambres). For even they were exposed as performing illusions and deceiving, when Moses truly performed wonders, so that all things of deceit flourish only for a time. Encouragement to imitate them in opposition to the wicked, in the patience of God.

These were the sorcerers of the time of Moses. How did Paul learn their names, when Scripture does not speak of this? Their names were taken from unwritten tradition, or probably Paul learned of them from the Holy Spirit. When someone has corrupted his mind with passions, then he becomes unskilled in the faith. "The fool has said: there is no God" (Ps. 52:2). Why? Because they have become corrupt and have become abominable in their iniquities. Therefore, for the acceptance of the faith, an uncorrupted mind is needed. So let us be attentive to ourselves, lest we be corrupted by passions and lest the corruption of faith find a place in us.

Then when he says, as Jannes and Mambre resisted Moses, he shows the harm they cause prelates, namely, the harm of resisting their doctrine. And he finds an example in Exodus, where the magicians resisted Moses; because from the beginning of time there has been a struggle between truth and falsity: but there were also false prophets among the people, even as there shall be among you, lying teachers (2 Pet 2:1). But in Exodus those magicians were not named, but here they are: and perhaps he obtained their names from certain Jewish writings. So these also resist the truth which we preach: they have been rebellious to the light (Job 24:13); you always resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51). Then when he says, men corrupted in mind, he shows wherein they fail in faith and in works: they are reprobate in their works; a Gloss says: that is, they prove themselves reprobates by their works: call them reprobate silver (Jer 6:30). And corrupted in mind concerning the faith, i.e., in their reasoning powers. For a thing is considered corrupt, when it falls from its due power. But the proper perfection of the mind is knowledge of the truth. Hence, one is said to be corrupted in mind, if he falls away from the knowledge of the truth.

Dangerous times in the latter days, from the apostasy and wickedness of men, of whom an affecting description is given, Ti2 3:1-7. It shall happen to them as to Jannes and Jambres, who withstood Moses, Ti2 3:8, Ti2 3:9. The apostle speaks of his persecutions and sufferings, and shows that all those who will live a godly life must suffer persecution, Ti2 3:10-12, because evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, Ti2 3:13. Timothy is exhorted to continue in the truths he had received, having known the Scriptures from a child, Ti2 3:14, Ti2 3:15. All Scripture is given by Divine inspiration, Ti2 3:16, Ti2 3:17.

Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses - This refers to the history of the Egyptian magicians, given in Exodus 7 (see on Exo 7:11 (note) and Exo 7:12 (note)), and particularly the concluding observations at the end of that chapter, (note) where several things are said concerning these two men. Men of corrupt minds - It appears as if the apostle were referring still to some Judaizing teachers who were perverting the Church with their doctrines, and loudly calling in question the authority and doctrine of the apostle. Reprobate concerning the faith - Αδοκιμοι· Undiscerning or untried; they are base metal, unstamped; and should not pass current, because not standard. This metaphor is frequent in the sacred writings.

COMING EVIL DAYS: SIGNS OF EVIL ALREADY: CONTRAST IN THE DOCTRINE AND LIFE OF PAUL, WHICH TIMOTHY SHOULD FOLLOW IN ACCORDANCE WITH HIS EARLY TRAINING IN SCRIPTURE. (2Ti. 3:1-17) also--Greek, "but." last days--preceding Christ's second coming (Pe2 3:3; Jde 1:18). "The latter times," Ti1 4:1, refer to a period not so remote as "the last days," namely, the long days of papal and Greek anti-Christianity. perilous--literally, "difficult times," in which it is difficult to know what is to be done: "grievous times." shall come--Greek, "shall be imminent"; "shall come unexpectedly" [BENGEL].

Now--Greek, "But"; it is no wonder there should be now such opponents to the truth, for their prototypes existed in ancient times [ALFORD]. Jannes . . . Jambres--traditional names of the Egyptian magicians who resisted Moses (Exo 7:11, Exo 7:22), derived from "the unwritten teaching of the Jews" [THEODORET]. In a point so immaterial as the names, where Scripture had not recorded them, Paul takes the names which general opinion had assigned the magicians. EUSEBIUS [Preparation of the Gospel], quotes from NUMENIUS, "Jannes and Jambres were sacred scribes (a lower order of priests in Egypt) skilled in magic." HILLER interprets "Jannes" from the Abyssinian language a trickster, and "Jambres" a juggler" (Act 13:8). resist--"withstand," as before. They did so by trying to rival Moses' miracles. So the false teachers shall exhibit lying wonders in the last days (Mat 24:24; Th2 2:9; Rev 13:14-15). reprobate--incapable of testing the truth (Rom 1:28) [BENGEL]. ALFORD takes passively, "not abiding the test"; rejected on being tested (Jer 6:30).