2 Peter 2

2Pe 2:1-22.

FALSE

TEACHERS TO

ARISE:

THEM

BAD

PRACTICES AND

SURE

DESTRUCTION, FROM

WHICH THE

GODLY

SHALL

BE

DELIVERED, AS

LOT

WAS.

1. But--in contrast to the prophets "moved by the Holy Ghost"

(2Pe 1:21).

also--as well as the true prophets

(2Pe 1:19-21).

Paul had already testified the entrance of false prophets into the same

churches.

among the people--Israel: he is writing to believing

Israelites primarily (see on

1Pe 1:1).

Such a "false prophet" was Balaam

(2Pe 2:15).

there shall be--Already symptoms of the evil were appearing

(2Pe 2:9-22;

Jude 4-13).

false teachers--teachers of falsehood. In contrast to the true

teachers, whom he exhorts his readers to give heed to

(2Pe 3:2).

who--such as (literally, "the which") shall.

privily--not at first openly and directly, but by the

way, bringing in error by the side of the true doctrine (so

the Greek): Rome objects, Protestants cannot point out the exact

date of the beginnings of the false doctrines superadded to the

original truth; we answer, Peter foretells us it would be so, that the

first introduction of them would be stealthy and unobserved

(Jude 4).

damnable--literally, "of destruction"; entailing destruction

(Php 3:19)

on all who follow them.

heresies--self-chosen doctrines, not emanating from God

(compare "will-worship,"

Col 2:23).

even--going even to such a length as to deny both

in teaching and practice. Peter knew, by bitter repentance, what

a fearful thing it is to deny the Lord

(Lu 22:61, 62).

denying--Him whom, above all others, they ought to

confess.

Lord--"Master and Owner" (Greek), compare

Jude 4,

Greek. Whom the true doctrine teaches to be their

OWNER by right of purchase. Literally,

"denying Him who bought them (that He should be thereby), their

Master."

bought them--Even the ungodly were bought by His "precious

blood." It shall be their bitterest self-reproach in hell, that, as far

as Christ's redemption was concerned, they might have been saved. The

denial of His propitiatory sacrifice is included in the meaning

(compare

1Jo 4:3).

bring upon themselves--compare "God bringing in the flood

upon the world,"

2Pe 2:5.

Man brings upon himself the vengeance which God brings upon him.

swift--swiftly descending: as the Lord's coming shall be swift

and sudden. As the ground swallowed up Korah and Dathan, and "they went

down quick into the pit." Compare

Jude 11,

which is akin to this passage.

2. follow--out: so the Greek.

pernicious ways--The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read,

"licentiousness"

(Jude 4).

False doctrine and immoral practice generally go together

(2Pe 2:18, 19).

of the false teachers.

the way of truth shall be evil spoken of--"blasphemed" by those

without, who shall lay on Christianity itself the blame of its

professors' evil practice. Contrast

1Pe 2:12.

3. through, &c.--Greek, "IN

covetousness" as their element

(2Pe 2:14,

end). Contrast

2Co 11:20; 12:17.

of a long time--in God's eternal purpose. "Before of old

ordained to condemnation"

(Jude 4).

lingereth not--though sinners think it lingers; "is not idle."

damnation--Greek, "destruction" (see on

2Pe 2:1).

Personified.

slumbereth not--though sinners slumber.

4. if--The apodosis or consequent member of the sentence is not

expressed, but is virtually contained in

2Pe 2:9.

If God in past time has punished the ungodly and saved His people, He

will be sure to do so also in our days (compare end of

2Pe 2:3).

angels--the highest of intelligent creatures (compare with this

verse,

Jude 6),

yet not spared when they sinned.

hell--Greek, "Tartarus": nowhere else in New

Testament or the Septuagint: equivalent to the usual

Greek, "Gehenna." Not inconsistent with

1Pe 5:8;

for though their final doom is hell, yet for a time they are

permitted to roam beyond it in "the darkness of this world." Slaves of

Tartarus (called "the abyss," or "deep,"

Lu 8:31;

"the bottomless pit,"

Re 9:11)

may also come upon earth. Step by step they are given to Tartarus,

until at last they shall be wholly bound to it.

delivered--as the judge delivers the condemned prisoner to the

officers

(Re 20:2).

into chains--

(Jude 6).

The oldest manuscripts read, "dens," as ALFORD

translates: the Greek, however, may, in Hellenistic

Greek, mean "chains," as Jude expresses it. They are "reserved"

unto hell's "mist of darkness" as their final "judgment" or doom, and

meanwhile their exclusion from the light of heaven is begun. So the

ungodly were considered as virtually "in prison," though at large on

the earth, from the moment that God's sentence went forth, though not

executed till one hundred twenty years after.

5. eighth--that is, Noah, and seven others. Contrasted with the

densely peopled "world of the ungodly."

preacher--not only "righteous" himself (compare

2Pe 2:8),

but also "a preacher of righteousness": adduced by Peter against the

licentiousness of the false teachers

(2Pe 2:2)

who have no prospect before them but destruction, even as it overtook

the ungodly world in Noah's days.

6. with, &c.--"TO overthrow"

[ALFORD].

ensample--"of (the fate that should befall) those who in

after-time should live ungodly." Compare

Jude 7,

"set forth for an example."

7. just--righteous.

filthy conversation--literally, "behavior in licentiousness"

(Ge 19:5).

the wicked--Greek, "lawless": who set at defiance the

laws of nature, as well as man and God. The Lord reminds us of

Lot's faithfulness, but not of his sin in the cave: so in Rahab's

case.

8. vexed--Greek, "tormented."

9. knoweth how--He is at no loss for means, even when men see no

escape.

out of--not actually from.

temptations--trials.

to be punished--Greek, "being punished": as the fallen

angels

(2Pe 2:4),

actually under sentence, and awaiting its final execution. Sin is

already its own penalty; hell will be its full development.

10. chiefly--They especially will be punished

(Jude 8).

after--following after.

lust of uncleanness--defilement: "hankering after

polluting and unlawful use of the flesh" [ALFORD].

government--Greek, "lordship," "dominion"

(Jude 8).

Presumptuous--Greek, "Darers." Self-will begets

presumption. Presumptuously daring.

are not afraid--though they are so insignificant in might;

Greek, "tremble not"

(Jude 8,

end).

speak evil of--Greek, "blaspheme."

dignities--Greek, "glories."

11. which are--though they are.

greater--than these blasphemers. Jude instances Michael

(Jude 9).

railing accusation--Greek, "blaspheming judgment"

(Jude 9).

against them--against "dignities," as for instance, the fallen

angels: once exalted, and still retaining traces of their former power

and glory.

before the Lord--In the presence of the Lord, the Judge,

in reverence, they abstain from judgment [BENGEL].

Judgment belongs to God, not the angels. How great is the dignity of

the saints who, as Christ's assessors, shall hereafter judge angels!

Meanwhile, railing judgments, though spoken with truth,

against dignities, as being uttered irreverently, are of the

nature of "blasphemies" (Greek,

1Co 4:4, 5).

If superior angels dare not, as being in the presence of God, the

Judge, speak evil even of the bad angels, how awful the presumption of

those who speak evil blasphemously of good "dignities."

2Sa 16:7, 8,

Shimei;

Nu 16:2, 3,

Korah, &c., referred to also in

Jude 11;

Nu 12:8,

"Were ye (Aaron and Miriam) not afraid to speak evil of My

servant Moses?" The angels who sinned still retain the indelible

impress of majesty. Satan is still "a strong man": "prince of this

world"; and under him are "principalities, powers, rulers of the

darkness of this world." We are to avoid irreverence in regard to them,

not on their account, but on account of God. A warning to those who use

Satan's name irreverently and in blasphemy. "When the ungodly curseth

Satan, he curseth his own soul."

12.

(Jude 19).

But--In contrast to the "angels,"

2Pe 2:11.

brute--Greek, "irrational." In contrast to angels

that "excel in strength."

beasts--Greek, "animals" (compare

Ps 49:20).

natural--transposed in the oldest manuscripts, "born natural,"

that is, born naturally so: being in their very nature (that is,

naturally) as such (irrational animals), born to be taken and destroyed

(Greek, "unto capture and destruction," or corruption,

see on

Ga 6:8;

compare end of this verse, "shall perish," literally, "shall be

corrupted," in their own corruption.

Jude 10,

naturally . . . corrupt themselves," and so

destroy themselves; for one and the same Greek word

expresses corruption, the seed, and destruction, the

developed fruit).

speak evil of--Greek, "in the case of things which

they understand not." Compare the same presumption, the parent of

subsequent Gnostic error, producing an opposite, though kindred, error,

the worshipping of good angels":

Col 2:18,

"intruding into those things which he hath not seen."

13. receive--"shall carry off as their due."

reward of--that is, for their "unrighteousness"

[ALFORD]. Perhaps it is implied,

unrighteousness shall be its own reward or punishment.

"Wages of unrighteousness"

(2Pe 2:15)

has a different sense, namely, the earthly gain to be gotten by

"unrighteousness."

in the daytime--Translate as Greek, "counting the luxury

which is in the daytime (not restricted to night, as ordinary

revelling. Or as Vulgate and CALVIN, "the

luxury which is but for a day": so

Heb 11:25,

"the pleasures of sin for a season"; and

Heb 12:16,

Esau) to be pleasure," that is, to be their chief good and highest

enjoyment.

Spots--in themselves.

blemishes--disgraces: bringing blame (so the

Greek) on the Church and on Christianity itself.

sporting themselves--Greek, "luxuriating."

with--Greek, "in."

deceivings--or else passively, "deceits": luxuries gotten by

deceit. Compare

Mt 13:22,

"Deceitfulness of riches";

Eph 4:22,

"Deceitful lusts." While deceiving others, they are deceived

themselves. Compare with English Version,

Php 3:19,

"Whose glory is in their shame." "Their own" stands in opposition to

"you": "While partaking of the love-feast (compare

Jude 12)

with you," they are at the same time "luxuriating in their

own deceivings," or "deceits" (to which latter clause answers

Jude 12,

end: Peter presents the positive side, "they luxuriate in their

own deceivings"; Jude, the negative, "feeding themselves without

fear"). But several of the oldest manuscripts, Vulgate,

Syriac, and Sahidic Versions read (as Jude), "In their own

love-feasts": "their own" will then imply that they pervert the

love-feasts so as to make them subserve their own

self-indulgent purposes.

14. full of adultery--literally, "full of an adulteress," as

though they carried about adulteresses always dwelling in their eyes:

the eye being the avenue of lust [HORNEIUS].

BENGEL makes the adulteress who fills their

eyes, to be "alluring desire."

that cannot cease--"that cannot be made to cease from

sin."

beguiling--"laying baits for."

unstable--not firmly established in faith and piety.

heart--not only the eyes, which are the channel, but the

heart, the fountain head of lust.

Job 31:7,

"Mine heart walked after mine eyes."

covetous practices--The oldest manuscripts read singular,

"covetousness."

cursed children--rather as Greek, "children of curse,"

that is, devoted to the curse. Cursing and covetousness,

as in Balaam's case, often go together: the curse he designed for

Israel fell on Israel's foes and on himself. True believers

bless, and curse not, and so are blessed.

15. have--Some of the seducers are spoken of as already

come, others as yet to come.

following--out: so the Greek.

the way--

(Nu 22:23, 32;

Isa 56:11).

son of Bosor--the same as Beor

(Nu 22:5).

This word was adopted, perhaps, because the kindred word Basar

means flesh; and Balaam is justly termed son of

carnality, as covetous, and the enticer of Israel to lust.

loved the wages of unrighteousness--and therefore wished (in

order to gain them from Balak) to curse Israel whom God had blessed,

and at last gave the hellish counsel that the only way to bring God's

curse on Israel was to entice them to fleshly lust and

idolatry, which often go together.

16. was rebuked--Greek, "had a rebuke," or

conviction; an exposure of his specious wickedness on his

being tested (the root verb of the Greek noun means to

"convict on testing").

his--Greek, "his own": his own beast convicted him of

his own iniquity.

ass--literally, "beast of burden"; the ass was the ordinary

animal used in riding in Palestine.

dumb--Greek, "voiceless-speaking in man's

voice"; marking the marvellous nature of the miracle.

forbade--literally, "hindered." It was not the words of

the ass (for it merely deprecated his beating it), but the

miraculous fact of its speaking at all, which withstood

Balaam's perversity in desiring to go after God had forbidden him in

the first instance. Thus indirectly the ass, and directly the angel,

rebuked his worse than asinine obstinacy; the ass turned

aside at the sight of the angel, but Balaam, after God had plainly

said, Thou shalt not go, persevered in wishing to go for gain; thus the

ass, in act, forbade his madness. How awful a contrast--a

dumb beast forbidding an inspired prophet!

17.

(Jude 12, 13.)

wells--"clouds" in Jude; both promising (compare

2Pe 2:19)

water, but yielding none; so their "great swelling words" are found on

trial to be but "vanity"

(2Pe 2:18).

clouds--The oldest manuscripts and versions read, "mists,"

dark, and not transparent and bright as "clouds" often are,

whence the latter term is applied sometimes to the saints; fit emblem

of the children of darkness. "Clouds" is a transcriber's correction

from

Jude 12,

where it is appropriate, "clouds . . . without water"

(promising what they do not perform); but not here, "mists driven along

mist--blackness; "the chilling horror accompanying

darkness" [BENGEL].

18. allure--Greek, "lay baits for."

through--Greek, "in"; the lusts of the flesh being

the element IN which they lay their baits.

much wantonness--Greek, "by licentiousness"; the bait

which they lay.

clean escaped--Greek, "really escaped." But the oldest

manuscripts and Vulgate read, "scarcely," or "for but a little

time"; scarcely have they escaped from them who live in error (the

ungodly world), when they are allured by these seducers into sin again

(2Pe 2:20).

19. promise . . . liberty--(Christian)--These promises

are instances of their "great swelling words"

(2Pe 2:18).

The liberty which they propose is such as fears not Satan, nor

loathes the flesh. Pauline language, adopted by Peter here, and

1Pe 2:16;

see on

1Pe 2:16;

(compare

2Pe 3:15;

Ro 6:16-22; 8:15, 21;

Ga 5:1, 13;

compare

Joh 8:34).

corruption--(See on

2Pe 2:12);

"destroyed . . . perish . . . corruption."

of whom--"by whatever . . . by the same," &c.

20. after they--the seducers "themselves" have

escaped

(2Pe 2:19;

see on

Heb 6:4-6).

pollutions--which bring "corruption"

(2Pe 2:19).

through--Greek, "in."

knowledge--Greek, "full and accurate knowledge."

the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ--solemnly expressing in full

the great and gracious One from whom they fall.

latter end is worse . . . than the beginning--Peter

remembers Christ's words. "Worse" stands opposed to "better"

(2Pe 2:21).

21. the way of righteousness--"the way of truth"

(2Pe 2:2).

Christian doctrine, and "the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour."

turn--back again; so the Greek.

from the holy commandment--the Gospel which enjoins

holiness; in opposition to their corruption. "Holy," not

that it makes holy, but because it ought to be kept inviolate

[TITTMANN].

delivered--once for all; admitting no turning back.

22. But--You need not wonder at the event; for dogs and

swine they were before, and dogs and swine they will continue.

They "scarcely"

(2Pe 2:18)

have escaped from their filthy folly, when they again are entangled in

it. Then they seduce others who have in like manner "for a little time

escaped from them that live in error"

(2Pe 2:18).

Peter often quoted Proverbs in his First Epistle

(1Pe 1:7; 2:17; 4:8, 18);

another proof that both Epistles come from the same writer.