Hi
I was reading 'Another Jesus' by GaryA this morning and there was a quotation from 2 Timothy 3 1-9.
St Paul mentions that silly women, who are burdened with sins and lusts, will go from teacher to teacher but who remain incapable of ever arriving at the knowledge of the truth.
Well I felt that that passage was talking about me! I read books by various 'teachers' and in the past have felt very burdened by sins and I also felt that i would never reach the truth about God!!!
My point is that this passage sounds very harsh. If you feel burdened by sins, why did St. Paul consider that to be silly. It may mean that you don't really believe that God doesn't hold anything against you, but silly!
Am I silly to be reading books other than the bible?
And why did St. Paul feel that they would be incapable of ever arriving at the knowledge of the truth? What prevented them from doing so?
Godbless
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
I was thinking of this very passage that you've brought up, probably 2 or 3 weeks ago, and it wasn't making any sense to me from the standpoint that ancient history isn't Utopian, and ancient Gentiles (and Jews) were not void of these sins so that it would be such a stark contrast with "the last days."
1 Now this know, that in the last days perilous periods will be present,
2 for men will be selfish, fond of money, ostentatious, proud, calumniators, stubborn to parents, ungrateful, malign,
3 without natural affection, implacable, adversaries, uncontrollable, fierce, averse to the good,
4 traitors, rash, conceited, fond of their own gratification rather than fond of God;
5 having a form of devoutness, yet denying its power.
6 These, also, shun. For of these are those who are slipping into homes and are leading into captivity little women, heaped with sins, being led by various lusts and gratifications,
7 always learning and yet not at any time able to come into a realization of the truth.
8 Now, by the method by which Jannes and Jambres withstand Moses, thus these also are withstanding the truth, men of a depraved mind, disqualified as to the faith.
9 But they shall not be progressing more, for their folly shall be obvious to all, as that of those also became.
(2Timothy 3:1-9 Concordant Literal New Testament)
I have a feeling that this passage of Scripture is one of those passages best attributed to the Jews of Paul's day that were obstinant towards the Gospel. He wrote a lengthier appraisal of them in Romans chapters 2 and 3. And while I'm not the least bit sure of all things "preterist," the only interpretation that's making sense to me is that this is a description of the Jews that were facing the 70AD judgment with the destruction of Jerusalem. They'd rejected the Gospel, so Christ had said "Depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels." because they'd called Him, or at least His Father "Lord, Lord," but hadn't done the will of His Father. Jesus had addressed their sins and their hypocrisy in saying that if a child dishonors his parents in the name of "Korban," or "an act of devotion to God," then they weren't obligated to honor their Father and Mother. That interpretation of the commandments of God didn't fly with Jesus. You could probably see the frustration on His face about those who'd "made the commandments of God of none effect through their traditions." (which included apocalyptic traditions)
He wasn't criticizing women in this passage that were searching, but religious hypocrits who were:
6 ...For of these are those who are slipping into homes and are leading into captivity little women, heaped with sins, being led by various lusts and gratifications,
7 always learning and yet not at any time able to come into a realization of the truth.
8 Now, by the method by which Jannes and Jambres withstand Moses, thus these also are withstanding the truth, men of a depraved mind, disqualified as to the faith.
9 But they shall not be progressing more, for their folly shall be obvious to all, as that of those also became.
It wasn't talking about the women being heaped with sins, but the religious leaders that were always learning and yet not at any time able to come into a realization of the truth, i.e., following in the pattern of those who withstood Moses -- the implication being that these also withstood Christ, because they were men of a depraved mind, disqualified as to the faith -- but with the judgment of 70AD, they progressed no further, for their folly was obvious to all who remembered the Words of our Lord Jesus about not one stone being left upon another, but it would all be thrown down.
Keep reading. Keep reading. Prioritize the Bible and books that present interpretations of various passages of the Bible. But don't ever be afraid to read, to test everything, and to hold fast to the good (1Thessalonians 5)
