Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Now—Greek, "But"; it is no wonder there should be now such opponents to the truth, for their prototypes existed in ancient times [ALFORD].
Jannes . . . Jambres—traditional names of the Egyptian magicians who resisted Moses (Exodus 7:11, Exodus 7:22), derived from "the unwritten teaching of the Jews" [THEODORET]. In a point so immaterial as the names, where Scripture had not recorded them, Paul takes the names which general opinion had assigned the magicians. EUSEBIUS [Preparation of the Gospel], quotes from NUMENIUS, "Jannes and Jambres were sacred scribes (a lower order of priests in Egypt) skilled in magic." HILLER interprets "Jannes" from the Abyssinian language a trickster, and "Jambres" a juggler" (Acts 13:8).
resist—"withstand," as before. They did so by trying to rival Moses' miracles. So the false teachers shall exhibit lying wonders in the last days (Matthew 24:24; II Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 13:14-15).
reprobate—incapable of testing the truth (Romans 1:28) [BENGEL]. ALFORD takes passively, "not abiding the test"; rejected on being tested (Jeremiah 6:30).
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing 2 Timothy 3:8:
Exodus 7:11
Daniel 8:23
Acts 13:8-12
1 Corinthians 13:6
1 Thessalonians 2:16
2 Thessalonians 2:9
1 Timothy 6:5
1 Timothy 6:21
2 Timothy 2:19
2 Timothy 2:22
2 Timothy 2:25
Titus 1:16
Hebrews 12:21
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