The three-year Lectionary that many Catholics and Protestants hear in public worship gives us a great variety of Holy Scripture.

Yet, it doesn’t tell the whole story.

My series Forbidden Bible Verses — ones the Lectionary editors and their clergy omit — examines the passages we do not hear in church. These missing verses are also Essential Bible Verses, ones we should study with care and attention. Often, we find that they carry difficult messages and warnings.

Today’s reading is from the English Standard Version Anglicised (ESVUK) with commentary by Matthew Henry and John MacArthur.

2 Timothy 3:6-9

⁶ For among them are those who creep into households and capture Weak Women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the Truth. ⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

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Last week’s verses covered the first five verses of 2 Timothy 3 — see parts 1 and 2 — were Paul’s stark warning to Timothy about the Godlessness in the last days, the present era of the Church before Christ’s return in glory. The characteristics of Godlessness particularly relate to false teachers, such as the ones in the congregation in Ephesus Timothy was commanded to banish.

In these three verses, Paul elaborates on why such men are so dangerous.

They creep into households and capture weak women who are burdened by sin and various passions (verse 6).

Matthew Henry’s commentary explains why Paul used the verb ‘creep’ and how these false teachers prey on the vulnerable (emphases mine):

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 (v. 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.

MacArthur says that such men are still a danger to vulnerable women today:

They are called captors of the weak, captors of the weak in verses 6 and 7. Verse 6 says, “For among them are those” – or, literally, out from them – “are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses” – or lusts. That’s an interesting verse. They’re captors of the weak. From among them or among – out from them, out of this group come the wolves, and here’s their strategy. They enter into households. That’s where they want to get. They want to get into the family, they want to get into the household.

The word “enter,” endunō, means to creep, to worm, to wiggle your way in insidiously. They – they don’t come with honesty, they sneak in. It’s the same thing you see in Jude verse 4. You remember that little verse, “certain persons have crept in unnoticed, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.” They creep in unawares. They sneak in subtly masked and the whole agenda is to capture you. You have to be on guard for that. The tactics of these self-loving religious phonies, they want to get converts. They want to get converts, they want to mislead people.

You say, “Why do they want converts?” They want power. They want money. They want converts. They want to deceive and mislead to gain power and money. And who is their primary target? Look at it in verse 6. They – they sneak in to households and they take captive weak women. Now that is not a – that is not a characterization of women on a general basis. Not all women are weak women. But the women that are susceptible to these people are the weak among the women. They’re unprotected women. They’re women with a unique vulnerability.

Now given the biblical definition of the role of a woman, we understand to some degree that women need protection. They are, as Peter says, the weaker vessel. And they need the care and protection of a husband. That’s why in Ephesians 5 a husband is to love, protect, cherish, nurture his wife, to be her savior literally, her deliverer from harm and danger. Women are to be protected. Men are to be protectors. And when women are out from their protection, they have a high degree of vulnerability.

Satan got Eve apart from Adam, tempted Eve in her vulnerability and the whole human race fell. Women need to be cared for and protected. Women need, when they’re young and before they’re married, to be under the protection of a father. When they’re married, they’re to be under the protection of a husband. When they’re widowed they’re to be under the protection of other men in the family, as 1 Timothy 5 says, or under the church’s protection. Women need that, especially women who might be weak in virtue and weak in truth.

These weak women were always learning but never gaining knowledge of the truth (verse 7).

MacArthur continues:

And that’s the issue here. Women are easy prey to false teachers if they’re weak in virtue and weak in truth. And these women are weak in both. They’re weighed down with sins led on by lusts and always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. They’re not strong in the truth and they’re not strong in virtue. And they are very susceptible to false teachers.

I want to tell you something. The false cults and isms of today are no different than this. They go after weak defenseless women. That’s their target audience. Why do you think they go door to door all day long and not at night? Who do you think they’re after? Weak women who are vulnerable because they’re out from some protection and who are captivated by these people because they promise them deliverance from the burden of sin and guilt and they promise them a system of truth. Those are the kinds of victims they pick on.

They come from all kinds of angles. They come at them on the radio during the day. They come at them on the television. They come at them through the printed page. They come at them door to door. The word “weak women” is one word. It’s a – it’s used in contempt here, feeble women, easy prey, literally means little women. But it’s the idea that they’re just defenseless. Just as Satan’s strategy was to deceive Eve, so heretical false teachers have frequently chosen to spread – spread their falsehoods by the same method …

It doesn’t mean that they don’t approach men also, it’s just that Scripture’s telling us this is their target very often. Women not strong in virtue, weighed down by sins and driven by impulse and lust, women not strong in truth, women who want to know the truth, who are always learning but have never come to the epignōsis, the deep knowledge of the truth, are the victims.

You show me a woman at home during the day who is weighed down by guilts, anxiety, depression over her sin and who has been trying to find answers to life, and you send a couple of people there who say, “Hey, we’ve got the answer to your sin and we’ve got all the answers to the questions of your life,” and I’ll show you a weak woman who is vulnerable. That’s their target, easily victimized with their more receptive nature because they are, first of all – look at that thought – weighed down with sins.

That means they’re wicked. They’re afraid of the consequence of their sin. They’re guilty. It’s a perfect passive, they’re in a state of being loaded with hamartiais, loaded with sin. They feel the guilt. They feel the anxiety. And even a legalistic cult can appeal to them because they can then live a self-righteous, self-justifying kind of life and, hopefully, wash away the past. So women who are loaded with guilt, maybe neurotically depressed, vulnerable, are captured by religious quacks because they’re so led on by their various lusts and evil desires they look for relief.

And then in verse 7 it says they probably are the kind of women who have a curiosity about religion. They’re attracted to easy solutions that don’t really call for a radical change and don’t deal with the real issue, the issue of sin before a holy God and salvation in Jesus Christ. They’re interested in a cheap gospel. They’re the kind of women who maybe are always learning, taking it all in, attracted to some kind of religious teaching. But they’re never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. They’re devoid of truth. They don’t have the epignōsis. That’s the deep understanding of truth. They don’t know either salvation or sanctification.

… But there are a lot of weak men, weak in virtue and weak in understanding the truth, who are just as vulnerable. That’s why it’s so important that we learn truth and virtue so that we’re defensed against this.

Henry has a brief but accurate analysis of verse 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.

Paul goes on to say that, just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified in matters regarding faith (verse 8).

Jannes and Jambres are not in the Old Testament, but were part of ancient Jewish writings.

Henry explains who they were:

… 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. When Moses came with a divine command to fetch Israel out of Egypt, these magicians opposed him. Thus those heretics resisted the truth and like them were men of corrupt minds, men who had their understandings perverted, biassed and prejudiced against the truth, and reprobate concerning the faith, or very far from being true Christians …

MacArthur tells us more, including how false teachers fit the same description:

In order to make his point here he uses an analogy, an illustration of Jannes and Jambres, two interesting names which, by the way, do not appear in the Old Testament. In fact, they don’t appear anywhere but here. And here the Holy Spirit by inspiration gives us these two names.

They were two of Pharaoh’s magicians. Maybe they were two of the leading magicians. They’re interesting. You find them in Jewish tradition. Jewish tradition says they pretended to become converts to Judaism and, therefore, joined along with the children of Israel when they left Egypt and it was these two that led in the making of the golden calf. That’s just tradition. It also says – I think it’s in the Targum, the Jewish Targum – that they were slaughtered after the golden calf incident.

In other words, the tradition says these two guys masquerading as believing proselytes, led Israel into the worship of the golden calf and they were destroyed along with others for that sin. The word Jannes, the name Jannes, as best we can tell, means “he who seduces,” and Jambres means “he who makes rebellion.” So they were seducers who made rebellion against the true God. Those are the traditional names that obviously here the Spirit of God identifies.

Paul is saying that “just as Jannes and Jambres opposed God’s spokesman Moses.” You remember when Moses got before Pharaoh and said, “Let my people go,” in Exodus chapter 5 starting in verse 1. “Let my people go.” And then how is Pharaoh going to know that he is speaking for God? Well, God gave him the ability to do miracles and you remember he did those miracles there right in front of Pharaoh’s eyes.

But when Moses did a miracle, what did Pharaoh’s magicians do? They did a miracle too, didn’t they? They wanted to counteract and oppose God’s prophet and so they had their own prophecy, their own miracle. And so Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. And he says, “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses.” So these men will oppose the truth and sometimes they’ll use supernatural things to do it. Things that can’t be explained normally or naturally. In fact, they’ll get so good at it that it says in 2 Thessalonians 2 if it weren’t for God’s power and God’s restraint, they would deceive the very elect while they’re deceiving the whole world. Jesus even alludes to that in Matthew.

So there are going to be some pretty deceitful people who will oppose God’s spokesmen. These self-loving charlatans of religion who seek to capture weak souls with their deceit, oppose the truth, the truth preached by Paul, the truth preached by Timothy, the truth preached by me, by anybody, just like those who stood against Moses. Satan has constantly, constantly continuously produced counterfeit preachers who claim to speak for God and do some pretty astounding things to make it convincing. We all have satanically-inspired opponents.

He describes them as men of depraved minds. That is again a perfect passive participle. It’s a condition of perversion. They have been made into a perverted state, a corrupt state. Their faculties, having refused the truth, have become unable to receive the truth which cleanses and purifies. They’re corrupt, perverted. And then, of course, when tested by the true faith they are rejected as regards the faith. They are adokimos. They are worthless metal, not gold and silver. They’re unfit, unqualified, rejected, castoffs. God would never use them to speak for Him and represent Him. Cast off, rejected, depraved, perverted men who oppose the truth.

So there’s a great danger, beloved, a great danger. You want to be aware of that danger. It comes in all those forms I talked to you about earlier. And the parade is always led by the lovers of self, the charlatans of religion passing themselves off as if they – if they represent God. Their target is to capture women, capture weak people who are without virtue and truth. And their purpose, to oppose that truth, to set themselves up in power.

Paul tells Timothy that such men, corrupt and unfaithful as they are, will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, just as it was with Jannes and Jambres (verse 9).

Henry says:

… they shall proceed no further, or not much further, as some read it. Observe, (1.) Seducers seek for corners, and love obscurity; for they are afraid to appear in public, and therefore creep into houses. Further, They attack those who are the least able to defend themselves, silly and wicked women. (2.) Seducers in all ages are much alike. Their characters are the same—namely, Men of corrupt minds, etc.; their conduct is much the same—they resist the truth, as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses; and they will be alike in their disappointment. (3.) Those who resist the truth are guilty of folly, yea, of egregious folly; for magna est veritas, et prævalebit—Great is the truth, and shall prevail. (4.) Though the spirit of error may be let loose for a time, God has it in a chain. Satan can deceive the nations and the churches no further and no longer than God will permit him: Their folly shall be manifest, it shall appear that they are imposters, and every man shall abandon them.

MacArthur has much the same message:

It says in verse 9, “But they will not make further progress.” Stop right there.

That’s the promise. That’s the promise of God. You want to know something? Get this now. The progress of false teachers is more apparent than real. Do you get that? It is more apparent than real because all that the Father gives the Son will come to Him and He will build His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. They can suck the life out of the church and the joy out of the church and the power out of the church. And they can weaken the testimony of the church, but they cannot damn the redeemed or the elect. Their power is more apparent than real. Their progress is more apparent than real. They’ll not be capable to stop the work of God.

It’s a good reminder because if this thing ended in verse 8, you could be pretty depressed. Sometimes I get depressed when I see all this and I just say, “God, why don’t You send an A-bomb down here with selectivity and just blow them all up? And then we’ll just get this deal cleaned up.” And the answer always comes, “Wait till the Second Coming, that’s the idea. It’s exactly what will happen when I set up My Kingdom.” The enemies of Christ and the enemies of truth will constantly work and increase ungodliness and their word will eat like a gangrene. And sometimes we think it’s going to engulf the church and devastate the church and destroy the church.

Paul even says to Timothy right there in Ephesus, they will not make further progress. God has a limit on them. There’s a limit to what Satan can do. There’s a limit to how far God will allow him to move. When he works against the purposes of almighty God, he is constrained. He is constrained. He can’t lead the elect astray, as Mark 13:22 says, if possible he would but he can’t. And it’s such a hopeful way to close. The ultimate defeat is guaranteed. Verse 9 says their senselessness – their senselessness “will be obvious to all.” Very clear what that means.

Everybody is going to see it. It will be very clear, their senselessness, their folly, their foolishness, their error will be true to – will be very clear to the true people of God. That’s what the – I think “the all” has in mind. You’ll see it. The true church will see their folly. The true church can’t be ultimately deceived. There’s also that of those two came to be, and he refers back to Jannes and Jambres. God’s people will see the false teachers for what they are just like God’s people in the past saw Jannes and Jambres for what they were. And if the tradition is true and they were slaughtered at the time of the golden calf – and we don’t know that – then they saw. Even if it was in the plagues that Jannes and Jambres suffered the plagues they would have seen what they were.

By the way, MacArthur delivered this sermon in 1987. He gives us Paul’s messages in these verses:

The true people of God, they’ll always see whether present or in the future or at the coming of Christ, sooner or later the senselessness of false teachers we’ll understand. So it’s a warning but it’s a warning that has a hopeful ending. Now, what does it say to us practically? Can I give you just a couple of lessons to jot down in your mind?

Number one, beware of a spiritual war, will you? Please do. Please be aware of a spiritual war. If not for your own sake for the sake of the rest of us who have to fight it, would you be aware of it enough to pray? I mean, if you want to take a seat on the sideline and watch, at least pray for those who are in the combat. There is a spiritual war. Heavy-duty stuff is going on.

Secondly, be doctrinally discerning. Be doctrinally discerning so that you’re not engulfed in this thing and brought into ignorance and your power is not depleted, so that you can help other people who are trying to find the truth. Be discerning.

Thirdly, be pure and holy so that you’re not susceptible to their error. You see, you’re a – you’re a – you can be a victim of the false teachers either through the door of a lack of knowledge of truth or through the door of a lack of holiness. Either way they can come in and access you and have a negative effect on your ability to glorify God.

And then the next point, be patient in the battle. And I remind myself of that all the time. Just be patient, be patient. Because I’m the kind of a person who wants instant resolution. Just wipe them out, Lord, and let just get on with this thing. Be patient.

Be aware of the spiritual battle, be doctrinally discerning, be pure and holy and be patient. We’re going to win in the end. Isn’t that good news? And they’re going to be revealed for who they are, just like Jannes and Jambres were, sooner or later. Now or later. I don’t know what God’s timetable is for all of them. Most of them I can discern right now and so can you. Their senselessness is manifest to the true people of God. And for those who can’t see it, the time may come in this life when they see it. It will surely come at the judgment. Practical lessons.

We live in dangerous times, beloved. It’s a time for men to be men and women to be women and take a stand. It’s a time for backbone. It’s a time for spiritual courage. It’s a time to make your life count. It’s a great time. We’re all on the winning side if we love Christ, but it sure is wonderful to be on the front line of the battle so you can taste the sweetness of victory when it finally comes. And the Lord will reward His most … faithful soldiers with His most glorious reward.

This reminded me of the Sunday sermon I heard today. The guest vicar posited that it was essential to attend church every Sunday.

I take the point, but, personally, it is more important to really read and diligently study the Bible, which I only started doing when I began writing this blog in 2009.

A person can attend church for a lifetime and not know much of Scripture. Many clergy have not studied the Bible. One priest told me recently, ‘It’s a mess’. The truth is, when one begins doing a deep dive into it, it all comes together: Old Testament and New Testament, Gospels and Epistles. The message is clear and consistent throughout.

Therefore, I pray that all of us come to a good understanding during our lifetimes of what the Bible says and put it into practice via sanctification.

May we come to know the truth so that we can vanquish the spiritual enemy — the evil one — and all his human agents.

Next time — 2 Timothy 3:10-13