Paul proceeds to instruct Timothy about the last days. Here, ‘last days’ refer to the end of the church age just before the Rapture and including the Tribulation. The character traits listed find their source in the heart (the inmost part of human nature) of those who have not been born again. See Matthew 15:18-20. These people suppress (Romans 1:18) and resist truth (here and Acts 13:8).
2 Timothy Chapter 3
Last Day Actions
1 Know this also, that in the last days perilous times will come.
[This is both a warning and a sign. The characteristics of people listed below will be exaggerated in the last days. These characteristics will be widespread in education, government, media, churches, medicine, neighborhoods, etc. These characteristics are a standard of what displeases God. Believers are not to have these characteristics. People will hate those who refuse to live by the characteristics listed in these verses. God will give grace for believers to endure. Compare 2 Peter 3:3. The Greek word for ‘perilous’ is (G5467) χαλεπός chalepós. It means dangerous and hard to deal with and applied to situations or people (Matthew 8:28). The four main characteristics of the last days will be violence, sexual immoralities, lies, and sorceries. Scripturally speaking, the term ‘last days’ refers to the church age. The ‘last days’ refer to the time preceding the Rapture and includes the Tribulation. These general actions of society will not be allowed in the Millennium (the Kingdom of Jesus). The Greek word for ‘last’ is ἔσχατος éschatos (G2078). It means the extreme, last in time or in place—Thayer’s].
2 For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, braggers, arrogant, users of abusive language, stubbornly disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
[These characteristics with a brief note: lovers of themselves (narcissists; compare Mark 8:34), lovers of money (money is more important than people’s lives; compare Luke 16:14), braggers (exaggerated resumes and accomplishments; compare James 4:6 and Luke 18:9-14), arrogant (believe themselves to be in a special class of people, the elite, and believe others are too stupid to understand; compare Proverbs 6:16-17), users of abusive language (will not discuss disagreements but bully their way in conversation; compare Matthew 12:36-37), stubbornly disobedient to parents (compare Proverbs 30:17), unthankful (this is the idea of entitlement; compare 2 Thessalonians 3:12 and Philippians 2:4), unholy (especially the inner thoughts; compare Matthew 15:17-20 and 1 Timothy 1:9)].
3 Without natural affection, impossible to please, false accusers, unable to control themselves, fierce, despising those who are good,
[These characteristics with a brief note: Without natural affection (it is natural for members of a family to love each other, but these do not love; they can kill their unborn babies without guilt; see Romans 1:31), impossible to please (Proverbs 27:20; the word can also mean truce breakers, that is, they do not keep their word), false accusers (make accusation without any proof; simply to hurt others; compare Revelation 12:10 (accuser of brethren is the devil)), unable to control themselves (what they want, they want it now and will do anything to obtain it), fierce (they will use any force they desire to beat someone into submission. Compare Proverbs 25:28), despising those who are good (these have no interest in anything good for society. They only want to destroy and hurt. Compare Nehemiah 2:19 and Nehemiah 4:2)].
4 Traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure instead of lovers of God,
[These characteristics with a brief note: Traitors (προδότης prodotēs (G4273)—a person trusts someone for safety but then are betrayed as in Luke 6:16 and Acts 7:52), reckless (impulsive and rash; rushing into something without thinking of consequences), conceited ((G5188) an attitude of what we might call having a big head), lovers of pleasure instead of lovers of God (φιλήδονος philḗdonos (G5369) love of pleasure). The Greek word for pleasure is ἡδονή hēdonḗ (G2237). TDNTa has this entry: In the NT hēdonḗ is one of the many forces of unsanctified carnality that work against God and drag us back into evil. Barclay (beware—BARCLAY DAILY STUDY BIBLE) writes: In these last terrible days men will come to have no love for good things or good persons (aphilagathos, G865). There can come a time in a man’s life when the company of good people and the presence of good things is simply an embarrassment. He who feeds his mind on cheap literature can in the end find nothing in the great masterpieces. His mental palate loses its taste. A man has sunk far when he finds even the presence of good people something which he would only wish to avoid].
5 Having a facade of godliness but having spurned its power. From such turn away.
[What a strange occurrence. These people appear to be godly, but, in reality, it is only a facade. Compare the Pharisees (Luke 20:20 and Jesus’s warning to them in Luke 11:37-44). The Apostle urges Timothy and all believers to turn away from them. We need to recognize them. We have the Scriptures, so we must know the Scriptures. The Greek word for ‘form’ is μόρφωσις mórphōsis (G3446). It means the mere form, semblance—Thayer’s). The Greek word for ‘turn away’ is ἀποτρέπω apotrépō (G665). It means to avoid. Believer’s Bible Commentary notes: They want to be religious and to have their sins at the same time (cf. Revelation 3:14-22). Hiebert warns: “It is the fearful portrayal of an apostate Christendom, a new paganism masquerading under the name of Christianity.” We must be committed to truth—the truth of the Scriptures. We must know it, believe, and live it].
6 For this type are those who wheedle into houses and taking control of gullible women overloaded with sins [who are] easily led by various evil desires,
7 Ever learning but never able to come to acknowledging the truth.
[We need to keep learning, but the learning these teachers accomplish does not lead anyone to accept truth, teach truth, or live truth. Defender’s Study Bible notes: This is the precise emphasis of modern “intellectual” educators. They say there is no absolute truth. They also contend that we must continually be searching for truth, but can never really find ultimate truth and should never make such a claim].
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these [type of people] also oppose the truth. People with corrupt minds, rejected as worthless regarding the faith,
[Paul gives two examples. Jannes and Jambres, see Exodus 7:11. Note how they resist and oppose truth (Romans 1:18 and Romans 1:25). They have corrupt minds. God rejects them as worthless. This type of teacher wants believers to be ignorant of Scripture and the doctrine it teaches. If people are ignorant, they can be deceived more easily (Hosea 4:6). This type of teacher likes to impress people with their persona and speaking skills—love bombing them into following him/her and thus, going into error].
9 But they will get no farther, because their foolishness will be clearly seen by all, just as theirs was.
[Foolishness can be seen, if we are aware (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) and know the know truth (Psalm 51:6 and Proverbs 23:23). Compare the character of the righteous person in Psalm 15].