John Calvin Commentary 2 Timothy 3:6

"For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts," — 2 Timothy 3:6 (ASV)

Of those are they who creep into families. You would say that here Paul intentionally draws a vivid picture of the order of monks. But without saying a single word about monks, the characteristics by which Paul distinguishes false teachers and impostors are sufficiently clear: creeping into houses, snares for catching silly women, base flattery, deceiving people with various superstitions.

We should carefully observe these characteristics if we wish to distinguish between useless drones and faithful ministers of Christ. These false teachers are here branded so darkly that it is useless for them to dissemble. To “creep into families” means to enter stealthily or to seek an entrance by cunning methods.

And lead captive silly women laden with sins. Now, he speaks of “women” rather than men because the former are more liable to be led astray in this manner. He says that they “are led captive” because false prophets of this sort, through various tricks, gain their ear, partly by curiously prying into all their affairs and partly by flattery. And this is what he immediately adds, laden with sins; for if they had not been bound by the chain of a bad conscience, they would not have allowed themselves to be led astray in every possible manner, at the will of others.

By various sinful desires. I consider “sinful desires” generally to denote those foolish and frivolous desires by which women, who do not seek God sincerely and yet wish to be considered religious and holy, are carried away. There is no end to the methods they adopt when, departing from a good conscience, they are constantly assuming new masks. Chrysostom is more inclined to interpret it as referring to disgraceful and immodest desires; but, when I examine the context, I prefer the former exposition.