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.” (2 Timothy 3:6–7 (ESV)
“The religious life, role, and instruction of women is a prominent theme in the Pastoral Epistles (1 and 2 Tim., Titus), which tells us that the problems facing Timothy and Titus involved some of the women in their churches. Paul has to make explicit the biblical teaching that only men may be ordained as elders in the church (1 Tim. 2:8–15) because certain women were taking upon them- selves the prerogative to lead. He must also give instructions for caring for older widows and tell young widows to remarry (5:9–16), for it seems that the propagators of error were taking advantage of those women whose husbands had died. Similarly, the apostle instructs older women in the church to disciple the younger women (Titus 2:3–5), as sound teaching could prevent the false teachers’ message from taking root in the hearts of the young ladies,” states Dr. R. C. Sproul.
The Apostle Paul addressed the issue of the character and behavior of false teachers during the last days prior to the return of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:1-5). In today’s featured text, the apostle also acknowledged the false teachers’ pattern of influencing women in the church. They were sneaking into households.
To creep (ἐνδύνοντες; endynontes) is a present active plural participle. It means to continuously, actively and collectively enter secretly with ulterior motives. Where these false teachers enter into are households (οἰκίας; oikias). These are homes, residences, and family dwellings. During the first century, the false teachers would do so physically. Today, they do so electronically through many avenues of media and communication such as television, radio, and the internet.
The false teachers creep into homes to capture weak women. To capture (αἰχμαλωτίζοντες; aichmalotizontes) means to presently, actively and collectively get control of something. In this instance, the objects false teachers seek to control are weak women (γυναικάρια; gynaikaria). These women are foolish, silly and frivolous.
Paul additionally wrote these women were burdened (σεσωρευμένα ; sesoreumena). This means to fully engage in something in one’s past which remains in the present. What these weak women were engaged in were their sins (ἁμαρτίαις; hamartias). This refers to their guiltiness, of engaging in wrongdoing.
If that was not enough, Paul wrote they were also led astray by various passions. To be led astray (ἀγόμενα; agomena) means to be carried and brought along. In this context, what was leading these women astray were their passions (ἐπιθυμίαις; epithymiais). This refers to their covetous lusts, evil desires, and sinful cravings. The adjective various (ποικίλαις; poikilais) means diversified passions.
Additionally, these women were always learning but never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Always learning (πάντοτε μανθάνοντα; pantote manthanonta) refers to a present, active and collective desire on every occasion to be instructed, taught and to learn. This was not a bad thing. However, the women of whom Paul had in mind were those who were never able to arrive (ἐλθεῖν δυνάμενα; elthein dunamena) or to understand the truth they sought to learn. The word knowledge (ἐπίγνωσιν; epignosin) means to understand. Truth (ἀληθείας; aletheias) is reality or the way things truly are. These women were not able to discern the truth they desired to know.
“First of all, then, these women are “heaped up with sin” (for the verb see Rom. 12:20). They are very wicked, and the fact that they welcome the smooth talkers seems to indicate that their sins have given them an uneasy feeling, though not in the sense of Rom. 7:24. These women are probably afraid of the consequences of their sins, but are not necessarily ashamed of them.” [1]
“Secondly, they are “swayed by various impulses” (or “desires,” see explanation of 2 Tim. 2:22 for word-study). What these evil incentives are is not stated. Perhaps we may think of such things as the following: the desire to find an easy way out of their guilt-complex, the desire to gain recognition, to be considered “well-informed,” to satisfy their curiosity, to have attention bestowed upon them by “prominent” representatives of the opposite sex, etc.”[2]
“Thirdly, these weak-minded women are ever learning. Eager disciples are they, “taking it all in,” as with rapt attention they sit down to listen to their licentious teachers and to admire them. But their unwillingness openly to confess and to resist the evil promptings of their nature results in their being “never able to arrive at the acknowledgment of (the) truth” as revealed in the gospel (cf. 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25).”[3]
“Paul in today’s passage indicates that many of the followers of the false teachers in the Ephesian church were women. Those corrupt men he describes in 2 Timothy 3:1–5 were sneaking into households and stealing away “weak” or as may also be rendered, “foolish” women (vv. 6–7). This is probably a reference to the fact that the early church often met in the homes of individuals, especially those belonging to wealthy women. Many commentators believe that the heretics were able to gain a hearing in these households because there were not many outlets for women of high social status in the first century. Women on the lower rungs of the social ladder tended to be uneducated and were busy all day with the household chores. on the other hand, wealthy women had an opportunity to be educated and led a life of relative leisure because of their many servants. For those women who were theologically naive, spending time with the false teachers was attractive because it gave them something to do. Indeed, Scripture is clear that idleness can beget trouble (Eccl. 9:10; 2 Thess. 3:10–12),” explains Dr. Sproul.
May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.
Soli deo Gloria!
[1] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 287.
[2] Ibid., 287.
[3] Ibid., 287.
