conduct, their wantonness. “Divers lust,” he says, that is, of glory, of wealth, of pleasure, of self-will, of honor: and perchance other vile desires are implied. “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” He does not say thus to excuse, but to threaten them severely; for their understanding was callous, because they had weighed themselves down with lusts and sins. Ver. 8. “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth.” Who are these?1410 The magicians in the time of Moses. But how is it their names are nowhere else introduced? Either they were handed down by tradition, or it is probable that Paul knew them by inspiration. “Men of corrupt minds,” he says, “reprobate concerning the faith.” Ver. 9. “But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifested unto all men, as theirs also was.” 506 “They shall proceed no further”; how then does he say elsewhere, “They will increase unto more ungodliness”? (2 Tim. ii. 16.) He there means, that beginning to innovate and to deceive, they will not pause in their error, but will always invent new deceits and corrupt doctrines, for error is never stationary. But here he says, that they shall not be able to deceive, nor carry men away with them, for however at first they may seem to impose upon them, they will soon and easily be detected. For that he is speaking to this effect appears from what follows. “For their folly shall be manifest unto all.” Whence? Every way—“as theirs also was.” For if errors flourish at first, they do not continue to the end, for so it is with things that are not fair by nature, but fair in appearance; they flourish for a time, and then are de- tected, and come to nought. But not such are our doctrines, and of these thou art a witness, for in our doctrines there is no deceit, for who would choose to die for a deceit? Ver. 10. “But thou hast fully known1411 my doctrine.” Wherefore be strong; for thou wert not merely present, but didst follow closely. Here he seems to imply that the period had been long, in that he says, “Thou hast followed up my doctrine”; this refers to his dis- course. “Manner of life”; this to his conduct. “Purpose”; this to his zeal, and the firmness of his soul. I did not say these things, he says, and not do them; nor was I a philosopher in words only. “Faith, longsuffering.” He means, how none of these things troubled me. “Charity,” which those men had not; “patience,” nor yet this. Towards the heretics, he means, I show much longsuffering; “patience,” that under persecution. Ver. 11. “Persecutions, afflictions.” There are two things that disquiet a teacher, the number of heretics, and men’s wanting fortitude to endure sufferings. And yet he has1412 said much about these, that such always 1410 B. has this punctuation. 1411 Gr. “followed up.” 1412 al. “I have.” 875 2 Timothy 3:1-4