2 Timothy 3:8, commentary and pictures

Jannes and Jambres were Pharaoh's Egyptian magicians who withstood Moses and Aaron by Satan-powered counterfeit miracles resembling God's genuine miracles through Moses. To withstand Moses as God's chosen instrument was to withstand God Himself and to resist the truth, the light, and the ways of the Lord. The verse warns that in the last days people professing godliness will resist the truth in the same way, as men of corrupt minds rejected concerning the faith, a prophetic description that applies to all the churches at this time. That resistance means turning fully from light and conviction, refusing to humiliate the soul and confess wrong, calling light darkness while self-confident in God's favor, springing not from lack of evidence but from unsanctified hearts that love sin and oppose reproof. Their folly will become plain to all as did that of Moses' opponents, and the existence of the counterfeit does not disprove the true gifts of the Holy Spirit, so God's people are to wake, trim their lamps, preach the Word with reproof and doctrine, and stand fast for the gospel.

Moses Opposed in Egypt

Jannes and Jambres were Pharaoh's Egyptian magicians who withstood Moses and Aaron in ancient Israel in Pharaoh's presence. They are set forth as corrupt in mind and rejected or disqualified concerning the faith, who resist the truth and oppose God's work. Their opposition will not prevail forever, for their folly will become plain to everyone as the folly of Moses' opponents did.

They opposed Moses by Satan-powered counterfeit miracles that resembled the miracles wrought by Moses through God. They were permitted to do so, yet God's work through Moses remained perfect and genuine despite their opposition. The counterfeit imitated an existing reality and did not disprove the true.

Withstanding Moses as God's chosen instrument was withstanding God himself, resisting the truth, the light, and the ways of the Lord. It was turning fully away from light and conviction, refusing to humiliate the soul, confess wrong and sin, and cherish the rays of light flashed on the pathway. It was calling light darkness and darkness light while self-confident by a false standard of being in favor with God and in the light. It was being led by Satan one step off the straightforward path onto a diverging path under another deceptive spirit, trembling under the Spirit yet refusing the cross and to come out of darkness into light, walking in darkness contrary to light and truth unto separation from God and eventually from the truth.

Elymas repeats that pattern by opposing the apostles as they taught the truth. Seeking under Satan's control with deception, false reports, and deceptive arguments, he tried to turn the deputy, an influential man, away from accepting the faith of Christ. His resistance hindered the apostles' work, showing Satan's effort to keep influential people who could serve God from embracing the truth.

Last-Days Resistance Foretold

The verse stands as part of a warning about the last days when people depart from the faith and, while professing godliness, resist the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, and they are described as men of corrupt minds who are rejected and disqualified concerning the faith. That departure is the same condition Isaiah describes, and its deception and resistance grow worse over time. The remedy set alongside the warning is that Scripture equips the faithful for salvation and righteous living, being profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness so that the man of God may be perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

The whole third chapter of Second Timothy is a prophetic description of the last days. The condition of the world in Miller's time corresponded to that description. Every word of that chapter applies at this time to all the churches throughout the world.

Their opposition will not prevail forever, for God will vindicate His Word and fulfill His purpose. Their folly will eventually become plain to everyone, just as the folly of Moses' opponents became plain. God's people can therefore wait with calm patience and trust while maligned and despised, knowing that those who honor God will be honored by Him.

That last-days resistance takes the form of not enduring sound doctrine but after lusts turning the ears from truth unto fables. It includes carnal planning to please and attract people in order to bring means into the treasury instead of bringing every sinner into communication with Christ, interposing something between the soul and the Saviour. It buries precious saving truth under a mass of words, foolish and unlearned questions, striving about words to no profit, drollery, novelty and vain philosophy, instead of preaching Jesus Christ and Him crucified and preaching the Word. It also embraces mind-cure, in which one mind is made to control another, as a destructive practice belonging to those who accept error and resist truth. Against it stands the charge to preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine, stand fast striving together for the gospel, watch, endure affliction, and do the work of an evangelist.

Rejecting Light, Holding Faith

Resisting the truth is turning fully away from the ways of the Lord and from light and conviction, refusing to humble the soul, confess wrong and sin before God, cherish the rays of light flashed on the pathway, draw near to God for forgiveness, and come out of darkness into the light. It is calling light darkness and darkness light while self-confident by a false standard of one's own that one is in favor with God and in the light. It is being led by Satan one step off the straightforward path onto a diverging path, moving and working under the deceptive influence of another spirit to deny the light. It is trembling under the prompting of the Spirit yet refusing to lift the cross, and walking in darkness contrary to light and truth unto separation from God and eventually from the truth. As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so resisting God's chosen instrument is withstanding God himself.

Doubts about Scripture come not from lack of evidence but from corrupt, unsanctified hearts that resist its requirements and reproofs because of love of sin, defending false theories and rejecting the Bible. Neither learning nor former goodness excuses refusing the light after God has shown His will, for those who oppose the truth turn from Him, separate themselves from God, join the enemy, and will fall with Satan. Those who oppose the truth and are rejected concerning the faith can lose the crowns they might have received through faithful ministry.

The counterfeit miracles of Jannes and Jambres, done by Satan's power in Pharaoh's presence in resemblance to the miracles wrought through Moses by God, were permitted, yet God's work through Moses remained perfect and genuine. The counterfeit imitated an existing reality and did not disprove the true. So counterfeit spiritual manifestations do not mean the genuine gifts and manifestations of the Holy Spirit have ceased, for opposition in the apostles' days did not stop the gifts of the Spirit in Christ's followers, nor does God in this age of almost unbounded deception leave His people without them.

The verse belongs to a chapter every word of which applies at this time to all the churches throughout the world, and it charges God's people to wake out of lethargic slumbers, trim their lamps with grace and let them shine in clear, bright rays to a world in darkness, do the great work of fitting up a people to stand in the day of the Lord, and come up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Since men of corrupt minds resist the truth, are rejected concerning the faith, and will not endure sound doctrine but after lusts turn ears from truth unto fables, while all Scripture inspired by God profits for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness to make the man of God perfect and furnished unto all good works, the charge before God and Christ is to preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine, stand fast in one spirit striving together for the faith of the gospel and in nothing terrified by adversaries, watch in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, and make full proof of ministry. Resistance to God's work in assaults, disaffection, and apostasy, like that of Jannes and Jambres against Moses, will not prevail forever, for their folly will become plain as theirs did, and if the work is of God it will survive; therefore God's people, though maligned and despised, can wait with calm patience and trust, knowing those who honor God will be honored by Him.