Answer
In 2 Timothy 3:6, Paul explains how false teachers “creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts” (NKJV). The Greek word for “gullible” is gunaikaria, which refers to women who are easily deceived or manipulated. Apparently, there were women in Ephesus who had been deceived and manipulated by false teachers because of their guilt and their lack of self-control (they are “burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires,” NLT).
Paul begins the third chapter of 2 Timothy with a description of false teachers in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1–9). In the last days, “people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of power, but denying its power” (verses 1–5, ESV). It is in this context that Paul mentions “gullible women” who are easily swayed by false teachers because of the burden of their sin.
The word gunaikaria, translated “gullible women” in the NKJV, is a diminutive word, literally meaning “little women” or “small women.” These women were “small” in their strength, “small” in their discernment, and “small” in their knowledge of and commitment to the truth. These women were targeted by false teachers who “worm their way into homes and gain control over” them (2 Timothy 3:6). The charlatans sought to secure the good graces of weak-willed women, promising relief from their guilt and taking advantage of their unchecked desires. In this way, the false teachers followed the example of Satan himself, who tempted Eve in the garden, rather than attack Adam directly. If they could get the women on their side, the false teachers had a foothold in the home.
Nothing in this passage suggests that all women are “gullible” or weak-willed. Paul is referring to a particular type of woman who was being victimized by false teachers. Generally, in Paul’s day, women were kept in isolation and were considered a lower social class than men. Most were uneducated, and few had much public interaction. It was among these women that the false teachers sought ways to finagle inroads. The unscrupulous religious frauds were preying on women and taking advantage of their problems.
All of us need spiritual maturity and discernment to protect ourselves from false teachers. The apostle John exhorts, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Christians must stand firm on the truth. Other passages, such as Ephesians 4:14, emphasize the need for believers not to be “carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (ESV).
False teachers “creep into households” (2 Timothy 3:6, NKJV) to find their victims, exploiting gullible women for personal gain. The tactics of false teachers should be a warning for all believers to be vigilant. In Matthew 7:15, Jesus warns about “false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (ESV). Creeping into households is even easier today, with the prevalence of false teaching on broadcast television and streaming devices.
The mention of “gullible women” or “small women” in 2 Timothy 3:6 is significant for believers today. We dare not be “small” in strength, discernment, or knowledge. We must be strong-willed. We must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. We must remain rooted and grounded in Christ, who is the foundation of our faith. Moreover, we must not be weighed down by past guilt; instead, we should trust and believe that Christ covered our past, present, and future sins. “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, ESV).
Church leaders must protect their congregation, especially the gullible, from the deceptive practices of false teachers. The primary way to do this is to teach sound doctrine. Paul urges Timothy to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2, ESV). Leaders should teach sound doctrine, instruct, correct, and encourage. In doing so, they can protect gullible women and other believers from the influence of false teachers.
