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| 2 Timothy 3:6 |
For of this sort are they which creep
into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with
sins, led away with divers lusts,
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This section consists of two verses,.
2 Timothy 6-7
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses,
and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led
away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth.
Let us begin with the Barclay
SEDUCTION IN THE NAME OF RELIGION
First the verses paraphrased.
2 Timothy 3:6–7
For from among these there come those who enter into
houses, and take captive foolish women, laden with
sins and driven by varied desires, ready to listen
to any teacher but never able to come to a knowledge
of the truth.
THE Christian emancipation of women inevitably
brought its problems. We have already seen how
secluded the life of the respectable Greek woman
was, how she was brought up under the strictest
supervision, how she was not allowed ‘to see
anything, to hear anything, or to ask any
questions’, how she never appeared alone on the
streets, even on a shopping expedition, and how she
was never allowed even to appear at a public
meeting. Christianity changed all that, and a new
set of problems arose. It was only to be expected
that certain women would not know how to use their
new liberty. There were false teachers who were
quick to take advantage of that.
Irenaeus [i'ruh-NEE-uhs],
who was the Bishop of Lyons at the end of the second
century, draws a vivid picture of the methods of
just such a teacher in his day. True, he is telling
of something which happened later than this; but the
wretched story would be the same (Against Heresies,
1:13:3). There was a certain heretic called Marcus,
who dealt in magic. ‘He devotes himself specially to
women, and those such as are well-bred, and
elegantly attired, and of great wealth.’ He tells
such women that by his spells and incantations he
can enable them to prophesy. One woman protests that
she has never done so and cannot do so. He says:
‘Open your mouth, speak whatsoever occurs to you,
and you shall prophesy.’ The woman, thrilled to the
heart, does so and is deluded into thinking that she
can prophesy. ‘She then makes the effort to reward
Marcus, not only by the gift of her possessions (in
which way he has collected a very large fortune),
but also by yielding up to him her person, desiring
in every way to be united to him, that she may
become altogether one with him.’ The technique would
be the same in the days of Timothy as it was in the
later days of Irenaeus [i'ruh-NEE-uhs].
There would be two ways in which these heretics in
the time of Timothy could exert an evil influence.
We must remember that they were Gnostics and that
the basic principle of Gnosticism was that spirit
was altogether good and matter altogether evil. We
have already seen that that teaching resulted in one
of two things. The Gnostic heretics taught either
that, since matter is altogether evil, a rigid
self-denial must be practiced and all the things of
the body as far as possible eliminated, or that it
does not matter what we do with the body, and its
desires can be indulged in to the limit because they
do not matter. The Gnostics who were infiltrating
the churches would teach these doctrines to
impressionable women. The result would often be
either that the woman broke off married
relationships with her husband in order to live the
life of self-denial, or that she gave her physical
instincts full play and abandoned herself to
promiscuous relationships. In either case, home and
family life were destroyed.
It is still possible for some teachers to gain an
undue and unhealthy influence over others,
especially when those people are impressionable.
It is Paul’s charge that such people are ‘willing to
learn from anyone, and yet never able to come to a
knowledge of the truth’. E. F. Brown has pointed out
the danger of what he calls ‘intellectual curiosity
without moral earnestness’. There is a type of
person who is eager to discuss every new theory, who
is always to be found deeply involved in the latest
fashionable religious movement, but who is quite
unwilling to accept the day-to-day discipline – even
drudgery – of living the Christian life.
No amount of intellectual curiosity can ever take
the place of serious moral resolve. We are not meant
to titillate our minds with the latest intellectual
crazes; we are meant to purify and strengthen
ourselves in the moral battle to live the Christian
life. ~Barclay Commentary
We will now reference the many other commentaries.
We will begin with the general and move to the
specific.
We will start with the Matthew Henry Main.
Here Paul warns Timothy to take heed of certain
seducers, not only that he might not be drawn away
by them himself, but that he might arm those who
were under his charge against their seduction.
1. He shows how industrious they were to make
proselytes (2 Timothy3:6): they applied themselves
to particular persons, visited them in their houses,
not daring to appear openly; for those that do evil
hate the light, John 3:20. They were not forced into
houses, as good Christians often were by
persecution; but they of choice crept into houses,
to insinuate themselves into the affections and good
opinion of people, and so to draw them over to their
party. And see what sort of people those were that
they gained, and made proselytes of; they were such
as were weak, silly women; and such as were wicked,
laden with sins, and led away with divers lusts. A
foolish head and a filthy heart make persons,
especially women, an easy prey to seducers.
Quoted verse:
John 3:20
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light,
neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should
be reproved.
2. He shows how far they were from coming to the
knowledge of the truth, though they pretended to be
ever learning, 2 Timothy 3:7. In one sense we must
all be ever learning, that is, growing in knowledge,
following on to know the Lord, pressing forward; but
these were sceptics, giddy and unstable, who were
forward to imbibe every new notion, under pretence
of advancement in knowledge, but never came to a
right understanding of the truth as it is in Jesus.
3. He foretels the certain stop that should be put
to their progress (2 Timothy 3:8-9), comparing them
to the Egyptian magicians who withstood Moses, and
who are here named, Jannes and Jambres; though the
names are not to be met with in the story of the Old
Testament, yet they are found in some old Jewish
writers. ~Matthew Henry Main.
Now to the Matthew Henry Concise which covers verses
1-9.
Even in gospel times there would be perilous times;
on account of persecution from without, still more
on account of corruptions within. Men love to
gratify their own lusts, more than to please God and
do their duty. When every man is eager for what he
can get, and anxious to keep what he has, this makes
men dangerous to one another. When men do not fear
God, they will not regard man. When children are
disobedient to their parents, that makes the times
perilous. Men are unholy and without the fear of
God, because unthankful for the mercies of God. We
abuse God's gifts, if we make them the food and fuel
of our lusts. Times are perilous also, when parents
are without natural affection to children. And when
men have no rule over their own spirits, but despise
that which is good and to be honoured. God is to be
loved above all; but a carnal mind, full of enmity
against him, prefers any thing before him,
especially carnal pleasure. A form of godliness is
very different from the power; from such as are
found to be hypocrites, real Christians must
withdraw. Such persons have been found within the
outward church, in every place, and at all times.
There ever have been artful men, who, by pretences
and flatteries, creep into the favour and confidence
of those who are too easy of belief, ignorant, and
fanciful. All must be ever learning to know the
Lord; but these follow every new notion, yet never
seek the truth as it is in Jesus. Like the Egyptian
magicians, these were men of corrupt minds,
prejudiced against the truth, and found to be quite
without faith. Yet though the spirit of error may be
let loose for a time, Satan can deceive the nations
and the churches no further, and no longer, than God
will permit. ~Matthew Henry Concise
I want to go now to the Biblical Illustrator as it
will define these terms and phrases we are seeing in
verse 6.
Lead captive silly women.
Creeping into houses
The expression “which creep into houses,” although
perfectly natural, and one which, even in these
Western countries, could be used with propriety to
express the method in which these deceiving and
perverting men make their way into households, yet,
when we remember the comparative state of seclusion
in which women usually lived, and still live, in
Eastern lands, the words used by Paul acquire an
increased force. Special fraud and deceit was
needful for these false teachers to creep into the
women’s apartments in Asia.
Sneakiness
Cheaters must get some credit before they can cozen;
and all falsehood, if not founded in some truth
would not be fixed in any belief.
Woman and sin
There lies in the womanly character the foundation;
as for the highest development of the power of
faith, so also for the highest revelation of the
power of sin (comp. Revelation 17:1-18.). Josephus
also states that the Pharisees especially had found
much support amongst women (“Antiq.” 17:2). Compare
the account, moreover, of the rich Fulvia of Rome,
who was induced by two Jewish impostors to furnish a
considerable sum of gold, under the supposition that
it was for the temple at Jerusalem (“Antiq.” 18:3).
Impostors
1. As they are impudent, so they are of a
fraudulent, subtle, sly, insinuating temper; they
vent not their errors openly (especially,
not at first) but they secretly and slily
creep into private houses, and there they sell their
wares, they privily bring in damnable heresies (2
Peter 2:1; Galatians 2:4). Truth loveth the light
and seeks no corners.
Quoted verses:
2 Peter 2:1
But there were false prophets also among the people,
even as there shall be false teachers among you, who
privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even
denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction.
Galatians 2:4
And that because of false brethren unawares brought
in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which
we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us
into bondage:
2. These impostors observe a method in seducing
silly women, who being the weaker sex, are sooner
won over to their way, as being less able to
withstand the shock of a temptation. As warriors go
about a city observing where the wall is weakest,
lowest, and unguarded, and there they make their
greatest assault; and as thieves set not upon
strong, armed men, but upon weak, unarmed ones, so
seducers love not to set upon strong, grounded,
judicious, discerning Christians, but it is the weak
and ignorant which cannot discern their frauds, but
like children are tossed to and fro with every wind
of doctrine, that become their prey (Proverbs 14:15;
Romans 16:18; Ephesians 4:14); man is, or at
leastwise should be, more strong and prudent to
resist temptations than women are. They catch not
grave and truly pious matrons, but light women which
prefer their lusts before Christ. It is the light
chaff which is tossed with every wind, when the
massy wheat abides in the floor.
Quoted verses:
Proverbs 14:15
The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man
looketh well to his going.
Romans 16:18
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus
Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and
fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
Ephesians 4:14
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to
and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Now to the specific commentaries.
This verse 6 can generally be divided out into four
parts:
1] For of this sort are they which creep into
houses.
2] And lead captive silly women.
3] Laden with sins.
4] Led away with divers lusts.
1] For of this sort are they which
creep into houses.
For of this sort are they
which creep into houses - Men of this sort
are they who form a party by creeping into houses
and by their seductive influences lead silly women
captive. Not the sensible, pious women, but silly
women already laden with sins. Hence, easily led
away. ~People's New
Testament
For of this sort are they
which creep into houses - Who go slyly and
insidiously into families. They are not open and
manly in endeavoring to propagate their views, but
they endeavor by their address to ingratiate
themselves first with weak women, and through them
to influence men; compare Titus 1:11. The word
translated “creep into,” is rendered by Doddridge,
“insinuate themselves;” by Bloomfield, “wind their
way into,” in the manner of serpents; by
Bretschneider, “deceitfully enter;” by Robinson and
Passow,” go in, enter in.” It is not certain that
the idea of deceit or cunning is contained in this
“word,” yet the whole complexion of the passage
implies that they made their way by art and
deceitful tricks. ~Barnes
Notes
Quoted verse:
Titus 1:11
Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole
houses, teaching things which they ought not, for
filthy lucre's sake.
For of this sort are they
- He here refers to false teachers and their
insinuating manners, practicing upon weak women,
who, seeing in them such a semblance of piety,
entertain them with great eagerness, and at last
become partakers with them in their impurities.
Among the Jews there are remarkable cases of this
kind on record, and not a few of them among the full
fed monks of the Romish Church. But in what sect or
party have not such teachers been occasionally
found? yet neither Judaism, Protestantism, nor Roman
Catholicism makes any provision for such men.
~Adam Clarke
For of this sort are they
which creep into houses - Privily and
unawares, in a clandestine manner, and insinuate
themselves into families, by fawning and flattering,
and under specious pretences to knowledge and
virtue. The Syriac version uses a word, from whence
comes חולדא, "Chulda", which signifies "a weasel";
suggesting, that their entrance into houses was like
to the way of that creature, which is sometimes
covered, and sometimes open: there was also a gate
of the temple, which was called "Huldah"; whether
there is any allusion in the word to that, may be
inquired. ~John Gill
2] And lead captive silly women.
And lead captive silly women
- One of the tricks always played by the advocates
of error, and one of the ways by which they seek to
promote their purposes. Satan began his work of
temptation with Eve rather than with Adam, and the
advocates of error usually follow his example. There
are always weak-minded women enough in any community
to give an opportunity of practicing these arts, and
often the aims of the impostor and deceiver can be
best secured by appealing to them. Such women are
easily flattered; they are charmed by the graceful
manners of religious instructors; they lend a
willing ear to anything that has the appearance of
religion, and their hearts are open to anything that
promises to advance the welfare of the world. At the
same time, they are just such persons as the
propagators of error can rely upon. They have
leisure; they have wealth; they are busy; they move
about in society, and by their activity they obtain
an influence to which they are by no means entitled
by their piety or talents. There are, indeed, very
many women in the world who cannot be so easily led
away as men; but it cannot be denied also that there
are those who are just adapted to the purposes of
such as seek to spread plausible error. The word
rendered “silly women,” means properly “little
women,” and then “weak women.”
~Barnes Notes
And lead captive silly women
- the coming of antichrist is after the working of
Satan; as Satan attacked the woman, and not the man,
and beguiled Eve and not Adam, so these his
instruments and emissaries, work themselves into the
affections of the weaker vessel, and into the weaker
sort of women, as the diminutive word here used
signifies; and gain upon them, instill their
principles into them, attach them to their
interests, captivate them to them, and lead them as
they please: ~John Gill
3] Laden with sins.
Laden with sins - With
so many sins that they seem to be “burdened” with
them. The idea is, that they are under the influence
of sinful desires and propensities, and hence, are
better adapted to the purposes of deceivers.
~Barnes Notes
Laden with sins -
covered with them, full of them, and so ready to
receive any set of principles that would encourage
them to continue in them; or else were pressed down
with a sense of them, their consciences being
awakened, and they under some concern on account of
them, and so fit persons for such deceivers to gain
upon, by pretending to great sanctity and religion,
and by providing them with pardons and indulgences,
and putting them upon penance, &c. though the former
sense seems most agreeable, and is confirmed by what
follows, ~John Gill
4] Led away with divers lusts.
Led away with divers lusts
- With various kinds of passions or desires -
ἐπιθυμίας epithumias - such as pride, vanity, the
love of novelty, or a susceptibility to flattery, so
as to make them an easy prey to deceivers.
~Barnes Notes
Led away with divers lusts.
- The Alexandrian copy adds, "and pleasures"; that
is, sinful ones; though this may be understood, not
of unclean lusts, but of the itch and desire after
new teachers, and new doctrines, and practices,
which prevail in weak women, and by which they are
governed and led away. ~John
Gill |
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