John Calvin Commentary 2 Timothy 3:9

"But they shall proceed no further. For their folly shall be evident unto all men, as theirs also came to be." — 2 Timothy 3:9 (ASV)

But they shall not proceed further. He encourages Timothy for the contest with the confident hope of victory. Although false teachers cause him annoyance, he promises that they will be, within a short time, disgracefully ruined.

Yet the outcome does not agree with this promise, and the Apostle appears to make a totally different declaration a little later, when he says that they will grow worse and worse. Nor is there any force in Chrysostom's explanation that they will grow worse every day but will harm no one, for he expressly adds, deceived and deceiving; indeed, experience proves the truth of this.

It is more correct to say that he looked at them from various perspectives. For the affirmation that they will not make progress is not universal; he only means that the Lord will reveal their madness to many whom they had, at first, deceived by their enchantments.

For their folly shall be manifest to all. When he says, to all, this is by a figure of speech, in which the whole is taken for a part.

Indeed, those who are most successful in deceiving initially make great boasts and receive loud applause; in short, it seems as if nothing is beyond their power. But quickly their tricks vanish into air; for the Lord opens the eyes of many, so that they begin to see what was concealed from them for a time.

Yet the folly of false prophets is never discovered to such an extent as to be known to all. Besides, as soon as one error is driven away, new errors continually spring up.

Both admonitions are therefore necessary. So that godly teachers may not despair, as if it were useless for them to wage war against error, they must be instructed about the prosperous success which the Lord will give to His doctrine.

But so that they may not think, on the other hand, that they are released from future service after one or two battles, they must be reminded that there will always be new occasion for fighting.

But on this second point we will speak later. At present, let it be enough for us that he holds out to Timothy the sure hope of a successful outcome, so that he may be all the more encouraged to fight.

And he confirms this by the example he had quoted. For, just as the truth of God prevailed against the tricks of the magicians, so he promises that the doctrine of the gospel will be victorious against every kind of error that may be invented.