2 Timothy 3:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"But they will progress no further," he says. How then does he say elsewhere: "They will progress to more ungodliness" (2 Tim 2:16), while here he says, "They will not progress"?

There he affirms that heretics, once they begin to introduce novelty and errors, do not stop, but continually invent new deceptions and false teachings. For error never stops.

Here he affirms that they will not deceive or carry away the faithful. Although at first they may seem to lead some astray, they themselves will soon be exposed.

He expresses this in the following words: "For their folly will be manifest to all." In what way? Completely. "As theirs also was."

"But they will progress no further." How then does the Apostle say elsewhere: "They will progress to more ungodliness" (2 Tim 2:16)?

There he affirms that heretics, once they begin to introduce novelties and errors, do not stop, but continually invent newer things.

Here he affirms that they will not deceive and carry away many. Although at first they may seem to lead some astray, they themselves will soon be exposed.

Therefore he adds what follows: "For their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was."

If you do not believe this, learn from what happened to those magicians. They were exposed as performing illusory miracles and deceiving, when Moses performed a true miracle.

Therefore everything that is not good in its own essence only seems good for a time.

But since they have proved to be fools by doing what I have listed, they cannot succeed. For these very deeds of theirs show that they know nothing true.

For hypocrisy cannot be hidden for long. This does not contradict what was said earlier. There the Apostle says of them: "they will advance further in ungodliness" (2 Tim 2:16). Here, concerning the deception they dare, he says: "they will not advance." That is, when they assume the outward appearance of piety, they will not remain hidden long, but will soon be exposed. Having foretold this, he sets himself as an example for his disciple.

"But they will progress no further."

They will not manage to hide for a long time. Even if they have success in their impiety, they will not remain hidden long. They will soon be caught in their crime, and their pretense will soon be unmasked.

"For their folly will be manifest to all."

That is, to those who have a sound mind and the ability to understand.

"As theirs also was."

As also the folly of the Egyptian magicians was manifest. Having appeared for a short time, through some art of deception, as wonderworkers equal to Moses, they proved incapable in the further course of the miracles.

They revealed their skill at deceiving the sight of people easily given to deception. I do not invent such deceptive actions from myself, says the Apostle, but you yourself are witness to them.

"Their folly will be manifest to all." Errors succeed only at first, but they do not remain to the end. Like everything bad, sooner or later they are exposed and perish, as Chrysostom says. If some error remains, it is because it quickly changes its form.

Here encouragement is heard for Timothy, and through him for all pastors of the Church. Every error and every falsehood bears the seeds of its own destruction within itself.

Therefore a pastor of the Church should not fall into despondency or lose energy in preaching the Gospel when false teachings have visible success, however victorious they may seem.

Indeed, all heresies and all sects usually split apart over time. By these divisions and separations, they mutually weaken and destroy themselves.

Truth alone stands eternally and unshakably. This should strongly inspire all fighters for truth and preachers of the Gospel.

However strong and learned the opponents of Moses seemed, their weakness was soon revealed before all, as soon as the third Egyptian plague began (Ex 8:18-19).

Resistance to the truth is maintained chiefly by ignorance and by corruption of the mind, which becomes incapable of grasping the truth.

The example of the magicians who rose against Moses as God’s messenger proves this clearly. Although by their art, the handling of serpents, they had success, it did not last long (Ex 7:10-12).

So it was also with the deceivers whom the Apostle rebuked, declaring that their folly would soon become evident to all. Such is the lot of all deceivers.

Yet the harm they cause is great and often remains irreparable for a long time. Therefore it is understandable how necessary it is to value the apostolic warning.

The Apostle also indicates the goal these false teachers have in view, and likewise their method of action. "These people," he says, "oppose the truth as Jannes and Jambres did."

According to a tradition widespread at that time in both the Jewish and pagan world, these were the names of Moses’ rivals before Pharaoh. By their miracles they wished to turn him away from obedience to the true God.

In the times of the Apostles, similar opponents of the Gospel truly existed. They would especially have appeared in Ephesus, which had long been a nest of every kind of magic and sorcery.

But to console Timothy, who might be troubled at the thought of the force with which he would have to struggle, the Apostle at once speaks of these corrupt men.

"They will progress no further," that is, no further than those magicians who opposed holy Moses. As they at first had a little success, and afterward were exposed as powerless, so it will be with these people.

Their folly will soon be revealed before all, and they will be abandoned. Thus the mist they have brought in will disperse, and their phantoms will vanish.

St. Chrysostom says: "But they will not progress. How then does he say elsewhere, 'They will progress to more ungodliness,' cf. 2 Tim 2:16, while here he says, 'They will not progress'?

There he affirms that heretics, once they begin to introduce novelties and errors, do not stop, but continually invent new deceptions and false teachings. For error never stops at one thing.