CHAPTER 3
Prophecy of abundant human wickedness, through reprehensible deceit.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, without natural affection, uncommitted, devilish, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, reckless, snobbish, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from these turn away .
Even in the days of Moses, there were Jannes and Jambres 1 (Ex. 7; 2 Tim. 3:8), as he says: for this is what the words about the golden and pottery vessels signify. Therefore, these types always exist, but especially in the last times.
difficult times . It is not the times or the days that are to blame, but the wicked people living in them. For we call times good or bad based on what happens in them.
lovers of themselves . This is the root of wickedness, to consider only oneself. And those who are such, neglecting their brothers, first destroy their own.
arrogant . From lovers of themselves are lovers of money . From these offspring are the boastful and the proud , then from these, blasphemers . For evil types cling to each other just as those who are good do. For all good proceeds from love.
disobedient to parents . For arrogance is known to be carried even against nature.
ungrateful . The greedy are also ungrateful. For they give thanks only when they have fulfilled their desire, but it never happens that they themselves are satisfied. But he who is such is also impious. For he who does not have gratitude towards God the Benefactor [εὐεργέτῃ 2 ], how will he show gratitude to others?
without natural affection . Like those who are hostile towards their own.
uncommitted . It shows that they have made no agreement with anyone.
devilish . Like slanderers. For he who is conscious of no good in himself curses and slanders everyone, finding some comfort for himself in this.
without self-control . Namely those who do not control their tongue, stomach, and those things which are under the stomach.
brutal . Some are harsh and cruel.
despisers of good . That is, enemies of all things good.
traitors . One who betrays friendship and companionship.
reckless . That is, rash and having nothing stable.
snobbish . That is, full of arrogance.
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God . Exchanging the love of the divine for something shameful. Indeed, the very form of holiness exposes both hypocrites themselves and deceivers.
having a form of godliness . From those who speak, they seem to be cultivators of godliness: but from those who act, they are found and convicted to be contrary to their words.
And from these turn away . As for those, about whom Paul passed over without going into detail. But writing to Timothy, he advises those with Timothy to avoid such people. For he would not have come to the last days, but rather immediately after the death of Paul, in which Timothy was still to be involved.
2 Timothy 3:6-9 For from these are those who enter into households and lead captive young women burdened with sins, who are driven by various lusts: always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 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 .
Behold, all their secret and shameless plotting was revealed by the saying, those who enter into households and lead captive young women burdened with sins . Do you see that they have been deceived by the Serpent's deceit, which he used against Adam? For it was likely that he also deceived these men through the women. But by calling them mere women, he only revealed what is easily deceived. Therefore, the one being deceived, even if he is a man, differs in no way from a woman in this respect. But the multitude, accumulated with sins, also shows the confusion of sins. For it is not simply, Paul says, that women deceive (for there are also women of a courageous nature, just as there are men of a weak nature), but the sins accumulated, for from these come also the acts of deceit.
who are driven by various lusts . Paul did not blame nature, but such a woman. Here he encountered many lusts. Both bodily and mental. And see also the phrase " driven ," as if towards irrational beings.
always learning . Not excusing them for these things, but rather strongly blaming them. For since they have heaped up sins for themselves, their mind has naturally become hardened because of them.
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.
2 Timothy 3:10-11 But you followed my teaching, my conduct, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, my persecutions, my sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; and out of them all the Lord rescued me .
Indeed, those are such, Paul said, but you know that mine are not of this kind. For you did not simply accompany me, but you followed closely, that is, you accompanied me for a long time, and you paid attention to all my teachings. Therefore, you must be steadfast in the state of moral teachings, unshakable, " followed my teaching ." On the matters concerning doctrines.
my conduct . Concerning life. How I was led, Paul says, in the state.
my purpose . As to eagerness, and to the presence of the soul.
my faith . Preserved in dangers, which would not allow despair, but to believe in God that He would deliver.
my patience . Paul says, nothing of the trials was more grievous to me.
my endurance . Endurance towards persecutions.
such as happened to me . Not only was I persecuted, Paul says, but I also suffered. Then, furthermore, he goes through the trials in detail, making the disciple bolder by this. For continuous memory of the trials, he knows, encourages the soul. But he only mentions these things either because they are more recent or because they were known to Timothy, and this is more likely.
at Antioch . The trials are not listed by type. For the discourse does not see it as motivation, but as guidance for the disciple. And here Paul speaks two things suitable for encouragement. That I, he says, showed zeal, and God gave assistance. He indeed says Antioch in Pisidia.
— [OECUMENIUS] " at Lystra ." I suppose that Paul said Lystra in the last place out of some misery, from which Timothy originated: as if he were to say: Surely, I suffered in frequent and populous cities what I endured; but why did I also suffer in Lystra? From there were found men who would afflict me in Lystra? [ end of the excerpt by Oecumenius A f. 181v,; B f. 219r; G f. 308r ] —
2 Timothy 3:12-17 And all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you remain in the things you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for criticism, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work .
And what am I saying about myself? For all who desire to live piously will be persecuted, Paul says, persecution not only from the idolaters but also tribulations and temptations. For the way of life is narrow and afflicted. (Matt. 7:14)
in Christ Jesus . For this alone is a godly life, the one in Christ Jesus.
will be persecuted . Such is the nature of things. Since the present life is not for the godly, but for the wicked. For no one lives in peace who wages war and shoots arrows.
will grow worse and worse . For to grow is split in the middle, both for the better or for the worse. Therefore, these will grow towards the worse. For by interpreting what worse is, Paul said that they themselves will be led into error and will get it wrong.
But you remain in the things you have learned . Likewise said David, Do not envy the wicked, nor desire to be with those who do evil. (Ps. 24:1)
you have learned , Paul says, that is, you learned with certainty.
knowing from whom you have learned them . Paul states two reasons why he must remain committed. And because you have not learned from just any common person, but from Paul; and because a deep root has been placed in you by the Scriptures, having been written a long time ago. However, he calls the Sacred Letters Scripture because they are inspired by God.
which are able to make you wise for salvation . He will not allow you to suffer anything foolish, like most do. For the one who knows the Scriptures, as one ought to know them, would never be put to shame.
for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus . But it makes you wise, not according to the external wisdom that is in words and deceit, but to salvation through the faith in Christ . For the holy Scriptures, and the wisdom from them, lead to the faith of Christ.
All Scripture is God-breathed [θεόπνευστος] and profitable . Having spoken many ways of comfort, Paul now speaks of the greatest, that which comes from the reading of the Scriptures. For he is about to say something sad, namely about his own death. But if Timothy must read, how much more must we?
for teaching . Since good things teach both lessons and actions.
for criticism . Concerning the refutation of falsehoods.
for correction . To correct the brothers.
for training in righteousness . For the training and leading into righteousness. For from these things, Paul says, something perfect [ἄρτιον] comes to be. A perfect person is one who is always equal, neither leaning downwards with a saddened spirit nor rising and swelling in prosperity, but always remains the same in unequal circumstances.
equipped for every good work . Not merely participating but being equipped and complete.
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Translator notes for 2 Timothy chapter 3.
1. Long-standing Jewish tradition says that Jannes and Jambres were the two chief magicians who withstood Moses and Aaron in Exodus 7.
2. Εὐεργέτης, meaning "the Benefactor" (from ευ-, "good", + εργετης, "doer, worker").