3:8-9 Paul used the Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses in the plagues (Exod. 7:11; 9:11) to illustrate the fate of these false teachers. Jewish oral or written tradition preserved their names even though the Old Testament did not.67As these magicians, the false teachers opposed God's revealed truth, possessed corrupt minds, and were outside the fold of the faithful. They would proceed only so far as their Egyptian predecessors did. Their foolishness would become common knowledge when their power would prove inadequate.
3:10-11 Timothy's past character and conduct stood in stark contrast to that of the false teachers. He had fully followed Paul's ministry (teaching, conduct, and purpose) and his life (faith, patience, love, and perseverance). The fact that God had delivered Paul from all his persecutions would have encouraged Timothy to continue following the apostle's example.
"The Lord everrescues his people, frequently fromdeath, sometimes by means ofdeath. Either way, nothing ever separates them from his love (Rom. 8:38, 39)."68
3:12-13 Timothy needed to realize, as all Christians do, especially those to whom "prosperity theology"appeals, that when a person determines to live a godly life he or she will suffer persecution. With his or her commitment to follow Christ faithfully the Christian sets the course of his or her life directly opposite to the course of the world system. Confrontation and conflict become inevitable (cf. Matt. 10:22-23; Luke 21:12; John 15:20; Acts 14:22; 1 Thess. 3:4).
The wickedness of evil people and charlatans will increase as time passes. They will not only deceive others, but their sins and other deceivers will deceive them increasingly too. Such is the perversity of sin.
This statement does not contradict what Paul said in verse 9. In verse 13 he meant that evil becomes more intensive as time goes on. In verse 9 he meant that the teaching of evil does not necessarily become more extensive and capture a wider audience as evil becomes worse.69
