SILLY WOMEN

Photo by B Smith from the Patio

274-2 SILLY WOMEN

February 15, 1976

Henry F. Kulp

 

II Timothy 3: 1 - 10 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,

In Verse 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. God talks about religion and the salesmen of religion, whether they be pastors, evangelist, or laymen with dynamic personalities. He warns us they have a system of Godliness, but they reject God’s power.   

1/ God only ever gave one religion—the Jews’ religion and it has been set aside in this day. Religion is made up of laws, regulations, rites, rituals and ordinances—something for man to do, to please God, to be acceptable to God. Today we do not have religion, we have faith, Christianity.

2/ We are separate from religion. Paul’s doctrine is not religion—it is faith. What Paul teaches stands separate from religion.

3/ Verse 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Out of these—for that is what the words, for of this sort, means OUT FROM THESE ARE THEY and this refers to the religious salesman, which creep into houses. It does not really mean our word creep. N-DUNE-O means TO DISGUISE YOURSELVES IN CLOTHS. The Greeks spent a great deal of time not wearing cloths. The Athletes at the games competed without clothing, and by the way, ladies were not permitted in the stadium. Times have really changed. So, when the athletes walked down the street he would often not be recognize because he was disguised in clothes. So we could best translate this word, N-DUNE-O, by INFILTRATE BY FALSE COLORS. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing. These religious leaders looked like the real thing, but they were not.

4/ HOUSES The houses are the local assemblies. The early church met in houses. They did not have a separate building for their worship service. In fact, there were no special buildings for the churches until the rise of the Roman Catholic Church in the 3^rd century. For the first 300 years, Christians met in open fields, houses, catacombs and by rivers. So these religious men would infiltrate into the assembly. And what did they do?          

5/ AND LED CAPTIVE—A MILITARY WORD –TO BE CAPTURED IN BATTLE – IN A CONFLICT.

6/ SILLY WOMEN Literally, it does not mean silly women. It does not mean that there are no silly women. For there are silly women and silly men, but that is not what Paul is talking about here.

7/ He is not addressing women, but both men and women. I read in the past week where many men feel this is a warning about the feminist movement. The feminist movement proposes to rectify the inconsistencies of the past, and they claim to be pressing for equality and freedom. But what I’ve seen of this movement—freedom has become a license. True women of God will never over step the bounds clearly defined in the Word of God. God wants a difference between men and women. They are not the same. They are not to look, dress, or act the same.

8/ SILLY WOMEN is the Greek word GOON-I-KARE-EE-ON and it does not mean silly women, as much as it means little women, or weak women. This word was translated into Latin and it was used a lot in the Roman Empire in the day of Paul. And since Latin and Greek are equivalent languages, we can get the meaning of this Greek word.

9/ MOO-LEE-AIR-COOL-LAH and it meant a soldier who was a coward in battle. This is what they would call anyone who proved to be a coward in war. They would shout at him this name over and over again. They would shout it when the man was on his way to execution, for the Romans executed cowards. Today we honor them. As a matter of fact if a whole regiment of solders were guilty of cowardice, they would line them up on the cliff, and then they would shove every fifth man over the cliff to his death, and shout all the while, this word. If they didn’t have a cliff, every fifth man they would ram a spear through him and shout the word. The word would be shouted at the whole group.

10/ This word referred to any believer who knew little doctrine and was led astray by these religious hucksters, and this believer could be male or female. A TERM OF CONTEMPT – DERISION

11/ NEUTER ADJECTIVE It is strange that a word for woman would be in the neuter gender, but it was a word really for men and women. It meant they were little woman, a weak woman, a silly woman. They had literally been deceived.

12/ Laden with sins. LADEN is SO-RYE-O – A HEAP OR PILE OF ANYTHING. It was a word used of loading a wagon, so it became to mean, HEAVILY LADEN – The pile became heavier than the person.

13/ SINS – HAR- MAR-T’-AH It is a word for sin, all right, but they are words of sin that mean missing the mark, this word means ERRORS and it really means FALSE DOCTRINE. So these believers were led astray by religious people, and they were captive, and they were overwhelmed with sin with false doctrine. And they were led away with divers lusts, or various lusts.

14/ Verse 7 THE RESULT OF COMING UNDER THE POWER OF THESE RELIGIOUS QUACKS. Ever learning should be AT ALL TIMES RECEIVING INSTRUCTION and this means a person who has been exposed to right teaching—Pauline doctrine. The body is there, being taught, and then it says, never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. The word knowledge. FULL KNOWLEDGE. So this person is under good teaching, but they have been misled that they now have a closed mind. 

15/ MANY ASK WHY AREN’T THESE GRACE TRUTHS KNOWN BY MORE BELIEVERS? Here is the reason. Because they have been under the influence of those who mix Christianity and religion.   

16/ It is amazing to be a pastor and notice the congregation as you preach. There are those who lean back and look around and every so often glance at their watch. Then there are the nail bitters, then those who lean forward and talk into their chest, holding a conversation with those around them, thinking they can’t be observed. Never really knowing what is being taught.

17/ Religion is the reason that men and women, boys and girls will not see the grace message. Religion destroys the ability to understand Pauline truth.

18/ RELIGION IS THE CAUSE OF PERILOUS TIMES. Do you realize that much of the left-wing nonsense that is in political circles today started in religion. I am sure you realize the man who ran for President opposing Richard Nixon was a liberal preacher. And you remember the nonsense he propagated and the electorate rejected him. 

19/ General MacArthur, in a speech made June 2,1931 spoke of 19,372 clergymen who were opposed to any form of military activity, wanted the military abolished and our country disarmed. General MacArthur was the Chief of Staff and he warned these clergymen of their folly. But most of the socialism we have today started in religious circles.

20/ What the church teaches, in time, effects society. The Reformation is great proof of this. Also, the Dark Ages were caused by the church. 

21/  Paul had two enemies. 

II Timothy 1: 15  This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. Religionists.

22/ Moses had two enemies who were priests among the Levites—Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses—religionists.

Exodus 7: 11 and 22 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand. And thou shalt say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river. And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said.

Two religious men opposed Moses. Their names are not mentioned in the Old Testament but their works are described here in Exodus— Paul reveals their names as Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses. Religion always opposes the Truth of the Word of God. 

So too with our religious world today as we see mainline religions splitting to follow the downward path and away from the Word of the Lord.

AMEN

Ref:  02/15/1976 / 274-2 SILLY WOMEN / 04/08/2022