Who is ever learning? (2 Timothy 3:7

Question

2 Timothy 3:1-7 ESV)

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

Is it the "weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions" from verse 6 who are "always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth"?

Or, it is the "people [who are] lovers of themselves..." from verse 2 who are "always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth?

Or, is it both?

Answer 1

The key is in the phrase "Avoid such people" just preceding verse 6 coupled with (bold type is mine)

Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. - 2 Tim 3:8

which is a scriptural example of the thought in verses 2-5 through the example of practitioners of idolatry and magic. In Exodus 7 Egyptian magicians are summoned by Pharaoh to duplicate the miracles of God done through Moses and Aaron. The idea being that if they can do it too then your God can't be all that great. 2 Timothy is the only place where these magicians are named in Scripture but there was a long standing Jewish tradition ascribing these names to these men. They were Egyptian wise men, ever learning but without truth and aiming to deceive.

The following words, however, from the second half of verse 8

burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

refers back to 'such people' and is not a description of the captivated women but, rather, a continuation of the description of verses 2-5 and verse 8-9

Verse 6 is a more specific, local example of 'such people' and is expounded as those who 'creep into households and take captive weak or foolish women'. These people also seem wise and have the appearance of godliness but are in denial of it's power. They are ever learning how to appear godly and to deceptively persuade the simple. They are actually enemies of the truth and never able to arrive at the truth. As regarding the true faith they are disqualified.

Answer 2

Who is ever learning? (2 Timothy 3:7

2 "Timothy 3: 5 "Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." These corrupt men corrupt men, have the "appearance of godliness",

"Avoid such people," are the false apostles, that have the appearance of godliness ,but are deceitful workers that disguise themselves as apostles of Christ, in 2 Cor.11:3-4 Paul describes them as follows.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NASB)

13 "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds."

In the first century these false apostles threaten to corrupt the Christian congregation of Corinth, and so Paul was prompted to write:

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 (NASB)

3 "But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4 For if [a]one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully."

2 Timothy 3: 6 " For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions."

It is obvious from 2 Timothy 3:6 that these false apostles directed their attention to capture "weak women" (in context ,meaning spiritually or morally weak), they "creep-slyly into households," and strive to get the favor of such " weak women" and through them influence the rest of the household. Being spiritually weak ,such women succumb to the flattering speech and pretentious manner of those that make themselves appear, as servants of righteousness.

These weak women are also " burdened with sins and led astray by various passions." This means they do not hate what is wicked and sinful, and being morally weak are an easy prey for the "false apostles," and no doubt , some of these women are "led astray by various passions" allow themselves to be talked into committing sexual immorality.

2 Timothy 3:7 "Always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth."

They continue learning but do not have the motivation to fully appreciate and understand the Christian teachings, thus they never improve their spirituality, and by allowing themselves to come under the influence of the false apostles/teachers, their plight only worsens.

Eve was an example of one who, though she knew God’s command, did not really come to know God through appreciation, love and loyalty to him. She became a weak woman led by her desire. Satan the Devil used her as a tool to reproach God and to induce Adam to sin.​Genesis 3:1-5.