2 Timothy 3:6

2Ti_3:6

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 womens apartments in Asia. (H. D. M. Spence, D. D.)

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. (T. Fuller.)

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. Rev_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). (Van Oosterzee.)

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 (Jud_1:4), they privily bring in damnable heresies (2Pe_2:1; Gal_2:4). Truth loveth the light and seeks no corners.

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 (Pro_14:15; Rom_16:18; Eph_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. (T. Hall, B. D.)

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2Ti 3:6-7. For, &c. — As if he had said, There is need to watch against such, because there are some of them already in the church; for of this sort are those artful deceivers who creep into houses — Insinuate themselves into families, and, having the appearance of godliness, lead captive silly women — Gain such influence over women of low rank and mean understandings as to obtain the direction of their consciences and purses; women who, whatever pretences they may make to sanctity, are laden with sins, and led away with divers lusts — Or desires, which these seducers know how to flatter, so as to make such persons their own property. “This, with the two subsequent verses, is thought by some a prophetical description of the practices of the Romish monks and friars in the dark ages, who, by hypocritical pretensions to extraordinary sanctity, and by auricular confession and other wicked arts, deluded and corrupted their female votaries. But practices similar to those began very early in the church, and, by a gradual progress, were at length, under the Romish hierarchy, formed into a regular system of deceit. We may therefore suppose, that as in the prophecies which foretel the political state of the world, so in those concerning the apostacy, in which its religious state is represented the general course of things through a succession of ages is foretold, rather than the state of things in any particular age. This will be allowed, when it is considered that not the rise only, but the progress and downfall of the apostacy is foretold in these prophecies. So that their subject being a series of things which were to happen throughout a long course of years, and which were gradually to produce a widely-extended and confirmed state of corruption in the church, there is no reason for limiting their fulfilment to any particular period.” — Macknight. Ever learning — Pretending to hear with great eagerness, and, it may be, charmed with every appearance of fervour and novelty in their teachers, but, being tossed about with every wind of doctrine, they are never able to come to the experimental and practical knowledge of the truth — As it is in Jesus, or to attain any fixed and steady principles of religion.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES

2Ti_3:6. Silly women.—The diminutive term (“little women”) is not found again in New Testament. The contemptuous epithet indicates their weakness and proneness to temptation.

2Ti_3:7. Never able.—In the nature of things whilst such conditions lasted. To come to the knowledge.—I.e. the complete knowledge.

2Ti_3:8. Jannes and Jambres.—According to Jewish tradition, sons of Balaam, at first teachers, then opponents, of Moses. They perished with the Egyptians in the Red Sea.

2Ti_3:9. Shall be manifest.—“Thoroughly exposed.” As theirs also was.—R.V. “came to be.” The pronoun points to these men far removed as monitory specimens of those who oppose truth.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—2Ti_3:6-9

Characteristics of False Teachers.

I. They furtively insinuate themselves into the midst of domestic life.—“For of this sort are they which creep into houses” (2Ti_3:6). As a serpent crawls towards its prey, or as a wolf stealthily attacks the sheepfold. The peace of many a home has been destroyed by the cunning of unprincipled men.

II. They practise their wiles on weak women.—

1. Women whose sinful lives make them a prey to conflicting passions. “And lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts” (2Ti_3:6). The most abandoned woman has her moments of remorse, when her conscience is roused and her soul bowed down under the load of conscious sin. It is then that the false teacher, who promises ease of conscience, is eagerly listened to, especially if too much restriction is not placed on the indulgence of unholy desire.

2. Women who crave for novelty rather than the knowledge of the truth. “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2Ti_3:7). They quickly disparage what they already know by the restless desire and curiosity to gain something new. It is not a paradox but a truth to say that their constant craving for knowledge leaves them utterly ignorant, for nothing can be known that is forgotten as soon as it is learned. The Gnostic teachers, like more recent heretics, laid hold of the female sex and encouraged them to use all their seductive arts in popularising their theories.

III. They have their prototypes in past ages.—

1. In men who audaciously opposed the truth. “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth” (2Ti_3:8). These were the traditional names of the Egyptian magicians who sought by their conjuring tricks to discredit the authority of Moses. It is the ambition of false teachers to-day to imitate and if possible outrival the preacher of the gospel.

2. In men whose degraded minds rendered them incapable of appreciating the truth. “Men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2Ti_3:8). Their own vitiated tastes and misused powers incapacitated them from testing the truth. They were bewitched and misled by their own foolish errors, and infatuated by their own sins.

IV. The inevitable exposure of their wicked and insensate folly limits their power for mischief.—“But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest” (2Ti_3:9). Wise as they may seem, their folly shall be exposed. In all wickedness there is an element of weakness which limits its power to do evil. They who seek to deceive others end in being most deceived themselves.

Lessons.—

1. False teachers are not particular as to the instruments they employ.

2. Error hopelessly degrades its victims.

3. False teachers expose themselves.

GERM NOTES ON THE VERSES

2Ti_3:8-9. Opposition to the Truth—

I. Is the offspring of ignorance and obstinate wickedness.

II. Is limited in its power.

III. The folly of such an attitude will be exposed and the opponents signally punished.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

3:6-7 The effect of the false teachers on households and women is a consistent concern of the letters to Timothy and Titus (Titus 1:11; see 1 Tim 2:11-15; 3:4-5; 5:14-15). Whether or not the false teachers targeted women, they apparently were successful with some of them.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Ti 3:6. Ἐκ τούτων, of these) See the preceding verse, these (such). The expression is clearly demonstrative.—οἱ ἐνδύνοντες, they who creep in) privately.—γυναικάρια) silly women, who are presently described as like those (in 2Ti 3:5).—ἐπιθυμίαις ποικίλαις, with various or divers lusts) of the mind and of the flesh: 2Ti 4:3. Even this variety is a source of delight.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ti_3:6. In this verse the apostle passes on to definite facts in the present. We cannot but see that he is thinking of the heretics on whose ἀσέβεια he lays stress also in other passages; comp. 2Ti_3:8 (2Ti_2:16). Hofmann says that Paul was thinking of people who wished to be considered, and pretended to be, on good terms with Timothy; but there is no hint of this in the context. By similarity of disposition they belong already to the number of the godless men of the future; hence Paul says: ἐκ τούτων γάρ εἰσιν] γάρ gives the reason of the previous exhortation, as the apostle means to declare that men such as he has described already exist.

οἱ ἐνδύνοντες εἰς τὰς οἰκίας] ἐνδύνειν here, enter, press into, with a suggestion of secrecy; Luther: who slip into houses here and there; Bengel: irrepentes clanculum; in this sense the word is ἅπαξ λεγ.[46] The form of expression ΟἹ ἘΝΔΎΝΟΝΤΕς shows that this ἘΝΔΎΝΕΙΝ is a characteristic of those of whom the apostle is speaking.

The purpose of this secret entering is given in the next words: ΚΑῚ ΑἸΧΜΑΛΩΤΊΖΟΝΤΕς ΓΥΝΑΙΚΆΡΙΑ Κ.Τ.Λ.] ΑἸΧΜΑΛΩΤΊΖΕΙΝ, a verb belonging to later Greek: make a prisoner of war; it denotes here, getting complete possession of; the word is thoroughly apposite for describing the conduct of the founders of heretical sects.[47]

γυναικάρια] ἅπ. λεγ., the diminutive with a suggestion of contempt; the contemptuous epithet indicates their weakness and proneness to temptation (van Oosterzee).

The nature of these γυναικάρια is described in the following three participial clauses: σεσωρευμένα ἁμαρτίαις] σωρεύειν (Rom_12:20), gather, heap up, corresponds to the Latin cumulare: cumulatae peccatis.

ἀγόμενα ἐπιθυμίαις ποικίλαις (Rom_8:14; Gal_5:18, ἄγεσθαι πνεύματι). Luther is inaccurate: who go on with manifold lusts. Their internal motive and spring of action are their manifold lusts; Chrysostom: τί ἐστι ποικίλαις; ἐνταῦθα πολλὰ ἠνίξατο, τὴν τρυφὴν, τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην, τὴν λαγνείαν. Comp. Tit_3:3.2Ti_3:7. πάντοτε μανθάνοντα] Bengel adds the adverb: curiose. The incentive of their μανθάνειν was not the search after truth, but mere desire for entertainment, a longing for intellectual pastime (comp. the description of the Athenians, Act_17:21); this longing makes them the prey of teachers who promise new wisdom. Hence it goes on: καὶ μηδέποτε εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν δυνάμενα] μηδέποτε is ἅπ. λεγ.; δυνάμενα is emphatic; they cannot attain to the truth, because the necessary conditions do not exist in their inner life. Chrysostom: ἐπειδὴ ἑαυτὰς κατέχωσαν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις ἐκείναις καὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν, ἐπωρώθη αὐτῶν ἡ διάνοια.

Mosheim thinks that the three participial clauses describe the three different classes of the γυναικάρια: (1) sinners, (2) seekers after happiness, (3) devotees; they rather denote various traits in the same persons, and the very union of such traits is characteristic (de Wette).

It is no matter of surprise that the heretics, to win more followers, turned their attentions to the fair sex; that has been done by heretics in all ages. It is a charge brought specially against the Gnostics by various writers. Irenaeus, 1. 13. 3, says of Marcus the Valentinian Gnostic: μάλιστα περὶ γυναῖκας ἀσχολεῖται; and Epiphanius, Haer. xxvi., expressly upbraids the Gnostics with ἐμπαίζειν τοῖς γυναικαρίοις and with ἀπατᾷν τὸ αὐτοῖς πειθόμενον γυναικεῖον γένος;[48] see Baur, p. 36. This, however, cannot be taken as a proof of the later composition of the epistle, all the less that many expressions in the descriptions of the Fathers show that they had this description in their thoughts.

[46] Chrysost.: εἶδες, τὸ ἀναίσχυντον πῶς ἐδήλωσε διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν; ἐνδύνοντες· τὸ ἄτιμον, τὴν ἀπάτην, τὴν κολακείαν.

[47] The word occurs in Ignatius (Ep. ad Philadelph. chap. ii.) in the same sense as here: πολλοὶ λύκοι ἀξιόπιστοι ἡδονῇ κακῇ αἰχμαλωτίζουσι τοὺς θεοδρόμους.

[48] The passage, quoted by Mack from Jerome (Ep. ad Ctesiphontem), is very descriptive: Simon Magus haeresin condidit adjutus auxilio Helenae meretricis; Nicolaus Antiochenus omnium immunditiarum conditor choros duxit foemineos; Marcion quoque Romam praemisit mulierem ad majorem lasciviam; Apelles Philemonem comitem habuit; Montanus Priscam et Maximillam primum auro corrupit, deinde haeresi polluit; Arius ut orbem deciperet, sororem principis ante decepit. Donatus Lucillae opibus adjutus est; Elpidium caecum Agape caeca duxit; Prisciliano juncta fuit Galla.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ti 3:6 . ἐνδύνοντες : who insinuate themselves into houses [which they overthrow], Tit 1:11 . “Observe how he shows their impudence by this expression, their dishonourable ways, their deceitfulness” (Chrys.). παρεισέδυησαν (Jud 1:4 ) and παρεισῆλθον (Gal 2:4 ) are similar expressions.

γυναικάρια : Mulierculas . Chrys. acutely implies that the victims of the crafty heretics were “silly women” of both sexes: “He who is easy to be deceived is a silly woman, and nothing like a man; for to be deceived is the part of silly women”. St. Paul, however, refers to women only.

σεσωρευμένα ἁμαρτίαις : overwhelmed , rather than burdened ( βεβαρημένα ) (Field). Is there any contrast implied between the diminutive, indicating the insignificance of the women, and the load of sins which they carry? De Wette (quoted by Alf.), notes that a sin-laden conscience is easily tempted to seek the easiest method of relief.

ποικίλαις : There is no great difficulty in diverting them from the right path, for they are inconstant even in vice.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

of this sort--Greek, "of these," such as were described (Ti2 3:5).

creep into--stealthily.

laden with sins-- (Isa 1:4); applying to the "silly women" whose consciences are burdened with sins, and so are a ready prey to the false teachers who promise ease of conscience if they will follow them. A bad conscience leads easily to shipwreck of faith (Ti1 1:19).

divers lusts--not only animal lusts, but passion for change in doctrine and manner of teaching; the running after fashionable men and fashionable tenets, drawing them in the most opposite directions [ALFORD].

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 6. For of this sort are they] He here refers to false teachers and their insinuating manners, practising 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's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6 Of those are they who creep into families You would say, that here Paul intentionally draws a lively picture of the order of monks. But without saying a single word about monks, those marks by which Paul distinguishes false and pretended teachers are sufficiently clear; creeping into houses, snares for catching silly women, mean flattery, imposing upon people by various superstitions. These marks it is proper to observe carefully, if we wish to distinguish between useless drones and faithful ministers of Christ. These former are here marked by so black a coal, that it is of no use for them to shuffle. To “creep into families” means to enter stealthily, or to seek an entrance by cunning methods.

And lead captive silly women laden with sins Now, he speaks of “women” rather than men, because the former are more liable to be led astray in this manner. He says that they “are led captive,” because false prophets of this sort, through various tricks, gain their ear, partly by prying curiously into all their affairs, and partly by flattery. And this is what he immediately adds, “laden with sins;” for, if they had not been bound by the chain of a bad conscience, they would not have allowed themselves to be led away, in every possible manner, at the will of others.

By various sinful desires I consider “sinful desires” to denote generally those foolish and light desires by which women, who do not seek God sincerely, and yet wish to be reckoned religious and holy, are carried away. There is no end of the methods adopted by them, when, departing from a good conscience, they are constantly assuming new masks. Chrysostom is more disposed to refer it to disgraceful and immodest desires; but, when I examine the context, I prefer the former exposition; for it immediately follows —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(6) For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women.—The corrupting influence of these hypocritical professors of the religion of Jesus must have been already great, and the danger to all real vital godliness in Ephesus imminent, for Paul here specifies one of the most—perhaps the most—successful work of these toilers for Satan: the power they were acquiring over women. As we shall see, these unhappy men busied themselves in securing popularity among the female portion of the flock in the Ephesian Church, and the way by which they won their popularity was by supplying anodynes for the guilty consciences of these women, laden, we are told, with sins 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. The Greek word translated “lead captive” is a peculiar one, and is only found in comparatively later Greek. It is supposed to be a word of Alexandrian or Macedonian origin. It here represents these women as wholly under the influence of these bad men, to the utter destruction of all true, healthy, home life. The Greek word translated “silly women,” in the Vulgate “mulierculas,” is simply a diminutive, expressing contempt. There is no doubt but that the older Heresiarchs made great use of women in the propagation of their new and strange systems. They worked more easily, perhaps, on the impulsive and emotional female mind; but what has never sufficiently been taken into account is the reaction which was then taking place among women, so long relegated to an inferior and subordinate position, and now, by the teaching of Christ and His Apostles, raised to a position of equality with men as regards the hope of future glory. In many instances, in the first ages of Christianity, there is no doubt, but that they misunderstood their position; they claimed work they could never do, and aimed after an influence they could never exercise, and thus, no doubt, in these first feverish years many a woman fell a comparatively easy prey to these proselytisers, who, laying claim to a higher and deeper wisdom, proposed now to lead some into the knowledge of profound and hidden mysteries, now offered ease of conscience to others if they would but follow them. Irenæus, in the second century, speaks of the special power which the Valentinian Gnostic Marcus had acquired over women; and Epiphanius, in the same century, also refers to the Gnostics’ deceitful influence with the female sex. Jerome, in an interesting though rhetorical passage (Epist. ad Ctesiphontem), cites a number of instances in which a woman shared in the baleful influence exercised by the leading masters of heresy in doctrine and laxity of life.

Simon Magus, he tells us, was accompanied by the wicked Helen. Nicolas, of Antioch, a teacher of immorality, gathered round him what Jerome calls choros fæmineos. Montanus is associated with the well-known names of Maximilla and Prisca. Donatus is coupled with Lucilla. Marcion, Arius, Priscillian, and other Heresiarchs, famous in the annals of the early churches, he speaks of as intimately associated with or supported by female influence.

Laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.—This gives us some insight into the source of the power which these false teachers acquired over those women of Ephesus who in name were Christians. They had accepted the faith of Christ, but were unable to live His life; over their passions and lusts had these no mastery. “Laden with sins,” and “led away with divers lusts,” these weak women fell an easy prey to men who procured them, by means of their lying doctrines, a false peace. By their words they seemed to have lulled the consciences of their female listeners to sleep. They showed them, no doubt, how in their school they might still be Christians and yet indulge their divers lusts.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6–9. Appeal to Timothy for pure doctrine in view of the worse doctrines to come

6. For of this sort] For of these, the reason of the warning; the mischief has begun.

which creep into] The verb occurs only here in N.T., but is classical.

lead captive] For the primary sense cf. Luk_21:24; for the derived, Rom_7:23; 2Co_10:5.

silly women] The neuter gender and the diminutive ending of the word here indicate the degraded contemptible state to which they have come. Vulg. ‘mulierculas’; ‘womanlings,’ Farrar.

laden with sins] The simple verb occurs only Rom_12:20, where it is quoted from LXX., Pro_25:22 ‘thou shalt heap coals of fire’; the compound verb in 2Ti_4:3. Why such women especially? Their burdened conscience lays them open to any proselytisers who promise relief.

led away with divers lusts] Apparently the meaning is (not ‘lusts of the flesh’ but rather) as in 2Ti_4:3, which Wordsworth explains of persons ‘who in their prurient craving for something new, to stimulate and gratify their diseased appetite, accumulate to themselves a promiscuous heap of self-chosen teachers.’ ‘Led’ belongs to ‘women’; it occurs with the same construction, Rom_8:14.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 "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 (k).

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, instil their principles into them, attach them to their interests, captivate them to them, and lead them as they please:

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,

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.

(k) Vid. L. Empercur in Misn. Middot, c. 1. sect. 3.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

Ver. 6. Creep into houses] Gr. ενδυνοντες, shoot themselves into the inner rooms of houses, qui sese immergunt, by their pithanology and counterfeit humility, as the Jesuits and many of our modem sectaries, {a} That creep like ferrets or weasels, as the Syriac here hath it.

Lead captive silly women] Gr. αιχμαλωτιζοντες, take them prisoners, and then make price of them, 2Pe 2:3. Egregiam vero laudem, et spolia ampla refertis. (Virgil.) But omnes haereses ex gynaeciis. It is the guise of heretics to abuse the help of women, to spread their poisonous opinions. They get an Eudoxia, Justina, Constantia on their side; and so work upon Adam by Eve. Of women they have ever made their profit, that have attempted any innovation in religion.

{a} Mulierculas Iesuitae pio studio semper complecti soleni.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 Tit 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.

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.”

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.

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.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Of this sort, &c. Here St. Paul gives a true description of heretics, and evil men; such as they have existed in every age. For there never existed a time, either under the Old or New Testaments, in which such have not appeared. Even in the apostle’s time, we behold heresies and disorders in the Church. We see them increase rapidly after their decease. Simon, the magician, seems to have been dead when St. Paul wrote this epistle, which was but a short time before his martyrdom. But he had left a great number of disciples behind him, known by the numerous sects, the Gnostics, the Simonians, the Encratians, &c. &c. into which, after the death of their master, they were split. (Calmet) --- Who creep [1] into houses and lead captive silly [2] women, &c. That is the custom of almost all heretics. See St. Jerome to Ctesiphon, tom. iv. part 2. p. 477. Nov. edit. where he brings a number of instances, from Simon Magus to his time. (Witham)

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Qui penetrant, Greek: endunontes.

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[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

Mulierculas, Greek: gunaikaria: nunquam pervenientes, Greek: medapote dunamena, which agrees with Greek: gunaikaria.

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George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

For of this sort are they which creep into houses; who do not only privily enter in at the doors of houses, but pierce into the secrets of them, making it their business to pry into all families,

and lead captive silly women, and take their advantages upon women, (the weaker sex), and not the wisest of them, but γυναικαρια, the diminutive word, is used to vilify; the little despicable women, of no judgment in sound religion, whom they by their tongues and pleasing errors make their captives.

Laden with sins; nor do they deal with the most pious and honest women, but such as are laden with the guilt of much sin;

led away with divers lusts; and who, being possessed of divers sinful inclinations, not only lusts of the flesh, but any other, such as pride, &c., are easily led away; lust always smoothing the way for such errors as will be principles to justify it against the reflections of conscience. Their vices, rather than sex, made them easily seduced.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. St. Paul now shows one of the arts by which these antinomians gain adherents, namely, by appealing to the weaknesses of weak women. St.

Paul more than once found noble women who were converted by his public preaching. Act_17:4. But these proselytes crept, like serpents, into the women’s apartments to suit their doctrines to their tempers.

Creep— Metaphor, perhaps, from serpents.

Silly women—The Greek diminutive, womanlings, females of a smaller intellectual magnitude than the average.

Laden with sins—With remorseful views of past courses, and so looking for some method of absolution. So the Jesuits have, during their whole history, held the secrets of families in possession through means of the female confessional. Women laden with a life of sins found the convent their last resource.

Led… lusts—The word lusts, same as 2Ti_2:22, where see note. Here the strong impulses and passions of the feminine sex are meant, by which the proselytes gained them over.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

These for this sort, A.V; tact for which, A.V; take for lead, A.V; by for with, A.V Creep into (ejndunontev); here only in the New Testament. It has the sense of "sneaking into," "insinuating themselves into," as in Xenophon, "Cyrop.," 2. 1. 13. Take captive (aijcmalwteuontev); as inzontev Eph_4:3. The other form, aijcmalwti which is that of the R.T., is in Luk_21:24; Rom_7:23;); 2Co_10:5. The word well describes the blind surrender of the will and conscience to such crafty teachers. Silly women (taria, diminutive of gunh) nowhere else in the New Testament or LXX, but is used by some late Greek authors. It is a term of contempt he will not call them gunaikav they are only gunaikaria. In the passages quoted by Alford from Irenaeus and Epiphanius, the women made use of by the later Gnostics are called gunaikaria. See, too, the striking quotation in the same note from Jerome, specifying by name the women whom Nicolas of Antioch, Marcion, Montanus, and others employed as their instruments in spreading their abominable heresies. So true is St. Paul"s forecast in the text. Laden with sins (seswreumena aJmartiaiv elsewhere only inmena); Rom_12:20, "heap coals of fire." It occurs in Aristotle and other Greek writers in the sense of heaping one thing upon another, and heaping up anything with something else. The last is the sense in which it is here used. It seems to convey the idea of passive helplessness. Led away (ajgo) with a strong intimation of unresisting weakness. (comp. 1Co_12:2; Act_8:32; Luk_23:32) Lusts (ejpiqumiaiv); all kinds of carnal and selfish desires (see Mat_4:19; Joh_8:44; Rom_1:24 Rom_6:12 Rom_7:7, Rom_7:8; Gal_5:24; Eph_2:3 Eph_4:22; Colossians 1Ti_6:9; 2Ti_2:22 2Ti_4:3: Tit_2:12; fit. 3; 1Pe_1:14, etc.; 2Pe_2:18; 1Jn_2:16, etc.)

Vers. 6, 7.

The insidiously proselytizing habits of these apostates.

I THE ARTS OF THE SEDUCERS. "For of this sort are they who creep into houses, and lead captive silly women.

1. They were of a most proselytizing spirit. Like the Pharisees, they would compass sea and land to make one proselyte.

2. They practised unworthy arts. They wormed their way insidiously into the confidence of families. There was a deceitful and tricky method of gaining access to their victims.

3. They used their stratagems to snare women rather than men. They knew that women, as the weaker vessels, were more accessible to soft blandishments and specious pretences of piety. They counted upon an accession of female converts as, above all things, most contributing to the success of their propaganda.

II THE CHARACTER OF THEIR VICTIMS. "Silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." These victims of their specious arts were morally and intellectually prepared for them.

1. They were, morally, under the sway of evil passions and desires, full, no doubt, of "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." Such women would welcome a short cut to peace, or any reconciliation between religion and worldliness that could be devised by the arts of apostasy. The words seem to point to the weight of former sins burdening the conscience, from which they hoped to be released under easier conditions than those prescribed by the gospel.

2. They were incapable, through their sinful life, of attaining a true knowledge of the truth. They were" silly women," with light, frivolous, unbalanced judgments; "ever learning with a morbid love of novelties in religion, an insatiable curiosity for the mysteries promised by their false guides, and a constant craving for an adaptation of doctrinal views to their evil desires never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." Because their hearts had become indurated through an evil life, and so made inaccessible to the truth. T.C.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Of these - That is, mere formalists.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Vers. 6, 7. The apostle now not only presupposes the existence of parties to whom his description in a measure applied, but also points to a specific line of operations carried on by them. For of these are they who creep into houses, and take captive silly women, laden with sins, led away by diverse lusts. A sly and cunning mode of procedure is indicated, as of persons in a low moral condition, watching their opportunities, and ready to take advantage of the infirmities and troubles of others to compass their own selfish ends. They creep into houses: ἐνδύνοντες, not necessarily more than entering into, but here, as also sometimes in classical writers, with the collateral idea of doing so by secret, stealthy movements; so that, as Chrysostom states, “something dishonourable is implied—deceit, cozening.” Their object in this is said to get thoroughly under their power (αἰχμαλωτίζοντες, a word said to be of Macedonian origin, meaning literally, to take captive—Luk 21:24; figuratively, to get dominion over, or bring under one’s control—Rom 7:23; 2Co 10:5) γυναικάρια (a diminutive, ἅπαξ λεγόμ., expressive of contempt), little, or silly women. And these are further described as laden (σεσωρευμένα, heaped up, hence laden) with sins, led away, or borne along (ἀγόμενα), by various kinds of lusts: in 2Ti 3:7 further characterized as ever learning, and never able to come to the full knowledge (ἐπίγνωσιν, knowledge in the true and proper sense) of the truth.

It is not quite easy to get a perfectly satisfactory view of the sort of women here referred to, or why the designing and corrupt characters spoken of should have especially sought to win their confidence. It may naturally be supposed that they were possessed of wealth, though of small worth as to personal qualities, and that it was this the intriguers were mainly intent on acquiring. Such, probably, was the case, but it can only be matter of inference: the fact is not directly stated. Reference has been made to the well-known circumstance that the Gnostic leaders sought to lay hold of females, used them as instruments for the propagation of their false doctrines, and not unfrequently carried on with them, under high-sounding pretensions, the most licentious practices. Irenaeus (Haer. i. 13), Epiphanius (Haer. xxvi. 12), and others, have given special notices of these; and Baur finds, in the supposed allusion here to those wily and corrupt proceedings of the second century heresiarchs, a proof of the sub-apostolic origin of this epistle (Pastoralbr. p. 36). But the character of the women as described here is not such as we are given to understand were chiefly sought after by the Gnostic leaders.: these were, as might be expected from the Gnostic pretensions, and as Irenaeus expressly tells us, “the well-bred, elegantly attired, and very wealthy; “and it was rather (if we except the fables of a later age about Simon and Nicolaus) the fascinating and corrupting influence which the Gnostic teachers contrived to exert over women hitherto reputed honourable and good, that the accounts in question complain of, than their intercourse with women of loose character, carried away by sinful lusts. But it is of such the apostle speaks—women, not sinners merely, but laden with sins (which we have no right to interpret, with De Wette, whom Alford follows, burdened in their consciences with a sense of sins, labouring under convictions of guilt; for such were not the indications of silliness in the early church, nor was it customary then any more than now to represent people as laden with sins in any other than an objective sense). And, finally, it is not said by the apostle that the persons who acted this treacherous and ensnaring part to the women in question were teachers: they were adversaries and opponents of the gospel, because agents of deceit and corruption, while it was all intent on the interests of truth and purity; but nothing more is known of them, and the allusion that follows to the Egyptian magicians, and a little after to others of a like description now (2Ti 3:12), rather leads us to suppose that they were of the class generally called sorcerers or magicians—the class to which Simon the Samaritan, Elymas, and the sons of Sceva belonged (Acts 8, Acts 13, Acts 19)—men of bloated consciences and reprobate minds, who, for merely selfish ends, played upon the weakness and credulity of mankind, and pre-eminently upon certain portions of the female section of them. We have undoubted evidence of persons of that description abounding in apostolic times about Ephesus and its neighbourhood; and from what is known of them, nothing seems more likely than that they should have presented themselves to the apostle as the prototypes of the most worthless and depraved characters of the latter days.

Taking this view of the deceivers, we can scarcely hesitate where to find the deceived. They were, as the words of the apostle naturally import, the loose, the frivolous, worldly-minded ladies, who lived for the most part in fulness and pleasure, but, as frequently happens with such persons, were visited at times with recoils of feeling, guilty compunctions, fears of a judgment to come; and yet, when casting about for relief, and desirous of learning what might be for their good, continued still too light-hearted and unstable to embrace a life that aims at conformity to the example of Christ; hence they were peculiarly in danger of being caught by the arts of those who pretended, by some heaven-taught secret, to charm away from their disciples the powers of evil. It is precisely among such that impostors of that stamp have ever found their readiest dupes and their richest harvest.

Patrick Fairbairn — An Exposition of Ezekiel (1851), Jonah (1849), and The Pastoral Epistles (1874) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

sins

Sin. (See Scofield "Rom 3:23").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In these words our apostle renders a reason why we should turn away from the forementioned sins and sinners, namely, because these heretical and false teachers before characterized are of an insinuating temper; they vent not their errors openly, but in corners; they creep into houses, and there set upon women with their temptations, who have less ability to detect them: and first upon women, that they may better win their husbands over to compliance with them; and upon silly women, and such as were laden with sins and led way with divers lusts; they make a prey of such women as are weak in their intellectuals, and corrupt and wicked in their morals: which women always pretend to be learned, but are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, and consequently, are an easy prey to seducers, and very capable receptive objects for such deceivers to draw away.

Learn hence, That seducers observe a method in seducing. They begin with women, weak women, and usually wicked and loose women. Carefully ought that sex to resolve, and shun conversing and disputing with them.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6, 7. This sort are they. 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.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

6. αἰχμαλωτίζοντες. So the best authorities, אACD2*GP &c.; the rec. text reads αἰχμαλωτεύοντες with D2cEKL and adds the article τά with a few cursives; the form αἰχμαλωτίζειν is Alexandrian or Macedonian and is condemned by the Atticists, as Ellicott points out, which may account for the variant as a scribe’s correction.

6. ἐνδύνοντες εἰς τὰς οἰκίας, who creep into houses. The word ἐνδύνοντες is a ἅπ. λεγ. in N.T.; but we have παρεισεδύησαν in Jud 1:4.

αἰχμαλωτίζοντες γυναικάρια, who take captive silly women; the diminutive form expressing contempt. αἰχμαλωτίζω is Pauline; cp. Rom 7:23; 2Co 10:5, and see critical note.

It has been suggested that this characteristic of the false teachers points to their affinity with the later Gnostic heretics, among whom women played an important part. But (as was noticed long ago by Jerome Ep. ad Ctesiphontem 133. 4 in a remarkable passage) this is a feature of all heretical systems and has its root deep down in human nature. Women, says Hooker, “are deemed apter to serve as instruments and helps in the cause. Apter they are, through the eagerness of their affection, that maketh them, which way soever they take, diligent in drawing their husbands, children, servants, friends and allies the same way; apter through that natural inclination unto pity, which breedeth in them a greater readiness than in men to be bountiful toward their preachers who suffer want; apter through sundry opportunities, which they especially have, to procure encouragements for their brethren; finally apter through a singular delight which they take in giving very large and particular intelligence, how all near about them stand affected as concerning the same cause” (Eccl. Pol. Preface iii. 13). And so a propounder of novel opinions often gains a hearing through having first attracted the attention of women.

σεσωρευμένα ἁμαρτίαις, laden with sins; and so they readily give an ear to any impostor who will promise them ease of conscience; they seek peace in spiritual dissipation. The verb σωρεύειν only occurs once again in N.T., in Rom 12:20 (a quotation from Pro 25:22).

ἐπιθυμίαις ποικίλαις, lusts of all kinds, including not only the desires of the flesh, but the wandering and undisciplined movements of the spirit. ποικίλος does not occur in St Paul outside the Pastorals (cp. Tit 3:3). The N.T. meaning of the word ‘varied,’ ‘manifold’ is unknown to classical Greek, where it signifies ‘elaborate,’ ‘complicated.’ See Hort on 1Pe 1:6.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6.] for (reason of the foregoing command, seeing that they are already among you) among the number of these are they who creep (εἶδες τὸ ἀναίσχυντον πῶς ἐδήλωσε διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν, ἐνδύνοντες· τὸ ἄτιμον, τὴν ἀπάτην, τὴν κολακείαν, Chrys. Cf. Aristoph. Vesp. 1020, εἰς ἀλλοτρίας γαστέρας ἐνδύς. Bengel interprets it ‘irrepentes clanculum’) into (men’s) houses and take captive (as it were prisoners; a word admirably describing the influence acquired by sneaking proselytizers over those presently described: attach to themselves entirely, so that they follow them as if dragged about by them a late word, said to be of Alexandrian or Macedonian origin, and condemned by the Atticist: see Ellicott) silly women (the diminutive denotes contempt) laden with sins (De W. alone seems to have given the true reason of the insertion of this particular. The stress is on σεσωρευμένα: they are burdened, their consciences oppressed, with sins, and in this morbid state they lie open to the insidious attacks of these proselytizers who promise them ease of conscience if they will follow them), led about by lusts of all kinds (I should rather imagine, from the context, that the reference here is not so much to ‘fleshly lusts’ properly so called,—though from what we know of such feminine spiritual attachments, ancient (see below) and modern, such must by no means be excluded,—as to the ever-shifting (ποικίλη) passion for change in doctrine and manner of teaching, which is the eminent characteristic of these captives to designing spiritual teachers—the running after fashionable men and fashionable tenets, which draw them (ἄγουσι) in flocks in the most opposite and inconsistent directions), evermore learning (always with some new point absorbing them, which seems to them the most important, to the depreciation of what they held and seemed to know before), and never (on μηδ., see Ellicott) able to come to the thorough knowledge (reff., and notes: the decisive and stable apprehension, in which they might be grounded and settled against further novelties) of the truth (this again is referred by Chrys., all., to moral deadening of their apprehension by profligate lives: ἐπειδὴ ἑαυτὰς κατέχωσαν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις ἐκείναις καὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν, ἐπωρώθη αὐτῶν ἡ διάνοια. It may be so, in the deeper ground of the psychological reason for this their fickle and imperfect condition: but I should rather think that the Apostle here indicates their character as connected with the fact of their captivity to these teachers.

With regard to the fact itself, we have abundant testimony that the Gnostic heresy in its progress, as indeed all new and strange systems, laid hold chiefly of the female sex: so Irenæus i. 13. 3, p. 61, of the Valentinian Marcus, μάλιστα περὶ γυναῖκας ἀσχολεῖται, and in ib. 6, p. 63 f., καὶ μαθηταὶ δὲ αὐτοῦ τινες … ἐξαπατῶντες γυναικάρια πολλὰ διέφθειραν: and Epiphanius, Hær. xxvi. 12, vol. i. p. 93, charges the Gnostics with ἐμπαίζειν τοῖς γυναικαρίοις and ἀπατᾷν τὸ αὐτοῖς πειθόμενον γυναικεῖον γένος, then quoting this passage. Jerome, Ep. 133. ad Ctesiphontem 4, vol. i. p. 1031 f., collects a number of instances of this: “Simon Magus hæresin condidit Helenæ meretricis adjutus auxilio: Nicolaus Antiochenus omnium immunditiarum repertor choros duxit fœmineos: Marcion Roman præmisit mulierem quæ decipiendos sibi animos præpararet. Apelleos Philumenem suarum comitem habuit doctrinarum: Montanus … Priscam et Maximillam … primum auro corrupit, deinde hæresi polluit …: Arius ut orbem deciperet, sororem principis ante decepit. Donatus … Lucillæ opibus adjutus est: Agape Elpidium … cæcum cæca duxit in foveam: Priscilliano juncta fuit Galla.”

The general answer to Baur,—who again uses this as a proof of the later origin of these Epistles,—will be found in the Prolegomena, ch. vii. § i. De Wette remarks, “This is an admirable characterization of zealous soul-hunters (who have been principally found, and are still found, among the Roman Catholics) and their victims. We must not however divide the different traits among different classes or individuals: it is their combination only which is characteristic.” “Diceres, ex professo Paulum hic vivam monachismi effigiem pingere.” Calvin).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

6. ἐνδύνοντες] cf. Jud 1:4 παρεισέδυσαν; cf. Iren. i. 13. 3 of the Valentinian Marcus, μάλιστα περὶ γυναῖκας ἀσχολεῖται: ib. 6, ἐξαπατῶντες γυναικάρια πολλὰ διέφθειραν.

αἰχμαλωτίζοντες] the Hellenistic form for the Attic αἰχμαλωτεύειν, Nägeli, p. 28; Rutherford, New Phrynichus, ccccvii.

σεσωρευμένα] heaped up, overladen; cf. 4:3, Barnab. 4. 6, ἐπισωρεύοντας ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν. They have become caricatures of true womanhood. ἀγόμενα; cf. 1Co 12:2 and contrast Rom 8:14, Gal 5:18. ποικίλαις of many kinds, including sensual desires (cf. Iren. l.c.), but also the desire for novelties (cf. 4:3), for the name of learned women, “mentis et carnis” (Bengel).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Of this sort [εκ τουτων] . Lit. of these. The formula often in Paul. Which creep [οι ενδυνοντες] . N. T. o. Thrust themselves into. Comp. Jude 1:4, pareiseduhsan crept in privily (see note); 2Pe 2:1 (note), pareisaxousin shall privily bring in; and Gal 2:4, pareisaktouv brought in by stealth.

Lead captive [αιχμαλωτιζοντες] . Only here in Pastorals. See on captives, Luk 4:18; and 2Co 10:5.

Silly women [γυναικαρια] . N. T. o. o LXX Silly is expressed by the contemptuous diminutive. Comp. Vulg. mulierculas.

Laden [σεσωρευμενα] . Only here and Rom 12:20, citation. In LXX, see Judith 14 11, of loading a wagon with the property of Holofernes. It implies heaped up; heavily laden.

Led away [αγομενα] . Away is superfluous. It is only an inference. The meaning is under the direction of. Comp. Rom 8:14; Gal 5:18. Divers [ποικιλαις] . In Pastorals only here and Tit 3:3. Lit. variegated, of different tints. See on manifold wisdom, Eph 3:10. 141

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.