8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
Religious charlatans stand in direct opposition to the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted [withstood] Moses,
The Old Testament does not mention Jannes and Jambres, but Jewish tradition indicates they were two magicians or sorcerers of Pharaoh. They tried to rival Moses’ miracles but failed to do so. Moses challenged and defeated them while seeking the release of Israelites from Egypt (Ex 7:8-22; 8:7).
so do these also resist the truth:
False teachers of Timothy’s day resisted the truth, as did Jannes and Jambres.
men of corrupt [depraved] minds,
Others corrupted these men. They allowed themselves to be influenced to the point of depravity by evil beliefs. These people became destitute of truth.
disapproved [reprobate] concerning the faith;
The phony teachers at Ephesus were devoid of genuine faith. “Disapproved” means not passing the test. They could not stand the test of faithfulness to truth. Their understanding of the faith proved inadequate (1 Tim 1:19), and they were to be rejected as adequate interpreters of what God has to say. They were not capable of grasping apostolic faith.
PRINCIPLE:
We can find prototypes of false teachers in any generation.
APPLICATION:
In the twenty-first century, we have a plethora of false teachings. Believers need to identify such teachers and their teachings, something done only through a good grasp of Scripture. A firm foundation in the faith gives stability to the soul (1 Tim 1:19).
