2 Peter 2:1
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

In contrast to the true prophets, that Peter wrote about, that were inspired by the Holy Ghost and that were the ones that wrote the scriptures of the Old Testament, he warns now of false prophets.

• He will bring up an example of false prophets later on in this chapter.

But then he goes from past tense to future tense – “even as there shall be”

• There will be false teachers. And what will they do?
• They will bring in damnable heresies (false teachings). Some of these false teachings will be highlighted by Peter in this chapter.
• They will deny the Lord that bought them. Peter certainly has firsthand experience in denying the Lord. But he repented of that.
• And as a result, they will bring swift destruction on themselves.

2 Peter 2:2
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

Many people will follow their pernicious (destructive) ways.

• This means that many are deceived. They will closely follow and imitate those deceivers. Whether it be through their doctrine/teaching, or through the lifestyle of the false teachers, others will be led to follow them and imitate them.
• So not only do they bring swift destruction on themselves, but they also deceive others to follow their same path.

“by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of”

• This is the result of people following these false teachers. Because of how they imitate their lifestyle, the truth of God’s Word will be brought into disrepute.
• God’s word will be discredited, brought to shame. Others will look at this so-called Christian (the false Christian) and they will scoff at the truth because they will think that the Bible has produced such Christian’s.

2 Peter 2:3
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

“And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you”

• The deceivers may be covetous, but this is not in reference to them that are doing the deceiving. It is those that are deceived. They are drawn away with covetousness in their hearts. They desire something else that God does not want them to have. That is why the words of the deceivers seem so enticing to them.
• The word feigned means false.
  • So these false teachers will use false words that will lead them away. Words that stir the hearts to covetousness. They will be persuaded to give money in exchange for it.
• Merchandise refers to business and buying and selling.
  • People that are deceived will think that they are getting a good return. Thus, enriching those false teachers, hoping for some bigger reward in return.
  • This is the fruit of covetousness.

The judgment and condemnation on their lives have been hanging over their heads for a long time now and their final destruction will be inevitable.

Peter goes through a series of judgments that God inevitably brings on the world.

1. The angels that sinned in heaven.
2. Noah and the flood.
3. Sodom and Gomorrah.

2 Peter 2:4
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

The Angels

The angels sinned.

• As a result, they were cast down to hell and delivered into chains of darkness.

The word “hell” here is tartaroo in the Greek. This is the only place that is used in all of the New Testament.

• It means to incarcerate in eternal torment, the deepest abyss of Hades.
• But this simply means the place of abode where the evil angels will be held until the day of judgment. In verse 4 it clearly states that this judgment is in the future – “to be reserved unto judgment.” So none of them are being punished now.
• The chains of darkness is connected with hell. They are held in a certain place. Where that place is? The Bible does not specify.

But Peter shows that is God did not spare angels who are spirit beings and that lived in His presence, He will not fail to punish the wicked men who lead others astray.

2 Peter 2:5
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Noah and the Flood

Peter now brings in the second story to illustrate about judgment. Even though it seemed to be delayed for 120 years, there was a certainty that it would come.

• The old world is referring to the world which was before the flood.

“but saved Noah the eighth person”

• Noah was accompanied by seven others. He was the eighth.
• It is not referring to his genealogy but pointing to the fact that only eight people were saved.
• Peter is emphasizing how so few were saved.

“a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly”

• Here Noah is contrasted with the false prophets and teachers. He preached about the flood coming, about judgment coming. And more specifically, he preached about righteousness.
• When we preach about end time events, it is to point people to Jesus and lead them to live righteous lives. It is not simply to scare them into submission. That will only last for a short while.
• The text seems to indicate that Noah is responsible for bringing the flood on the world. When the preaching of righteousness had reached its saturation point, then God closed probation on everyone, and then judgment came.

2 Peter 2:6-8
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

Sodom and Gomorrha

Peter spends the most time describing this third illustration.

First, he outlines the totality of the destruction that God brought on this wicked city.

• It was a clear illustration of what God would do to those that lived ungodly.
• There is no trace of Sodom and Gomorrha today. They are wiped clean from the face of the earth.

However, there was one person that did survive. It was Lot.

• Peter calls him “just Lot.” That word “just” means righteous.
• Because he was a righteous man, he was “vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.” The word “vexed” means to be tired or exhausted. The wicked conversations of the unrighteous really hurt his soul. It wasn’t just what they said, but their behaviour of life.

The word vexed in verse 7 is different to verse 8.

• In verse 8, the word “vexed” means torture, pain, toil, torment.
• Though Lot was living in Sodom and Gomorrha, he did not enjoy it. Yet somehow the convenience and pleasures of living there kept him there.
• But daily, he was tormented in his soul with all the wickedness that he saw.

2 Peter 2:9
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

We are reminded of two things:

1. God will deliver the godly out of temptation.
2. The unjust, the ungodly, will be judged and punished one day.

Peter tells us that if we want to be godly, it is possible.

• God is more than able to deliver us.
• He reminds us of Noah and Lot who were delivered.
• Peter assures us that God will help us to overcome the false teachers in this chapter. If we would stay close to the sure word of prophecy and put that in our hearts. And more than that, what we are told in 1 Peter, if we would be born of the word of God every day, we will certainly have the assurance to overcome every temptation.

But then he also describes the certainty of judgment on the wicked and their punishment.

• Though it may seem to be delayed, there is coming a day when God will rise up to exact His just punishment.
• Let us not be deceived thinking that we are able to get away with our ungodly lives.
• But also let us not be discouraged when the wicked do rise up and seem to triumph on this earth. Their day is coming.

2 Peter 2:10
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Now we come back to focus on the false teachers.

• In verse 2-3 we are told how they tempt people that are covetous.
• But now it is those that walk about the flesh, lust, uncleanness.
• This is the sins of the flesh like Sodom. Immorality.
• It is a fact that those who have weak doctrines often have weak morals. That those who abandon God’s standard of truth find it easy to also abandon His standard of personal conduct.

But it’s not just the flesh. They also despise governments.

• The word government means dominion.
• This can be applied to actual governments.
• It can also be referring to religious leaders.
• But most likely it is referring to verse 1 – “the Lord that bought them.”
• They despise His leading in their lives. They do not make Him the Lord of their lives.

Then it lists out three other characteristics of these false teachers.

• Presumptuous.
• Self-willed.
• Not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Presumptuous.

• They are recklessly daring. They dare to go beyond what the Lord has specified in His word.

Self-willed.

• It means self-pleasing. They like to do whatever they feel will make themselves happy and not think of others, especially what God thinks.
• This lines up with despising governments. They desire to have their own way and not follow those in authority – especially God.

Not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

• The word dignities is used more in the context of glory.
• They are not afraid to speak evil of heavenly things. But it could also refer to those on earth whom God has put in high position.

2 Peter 2:11
Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

Even the angels in heaven that are stronger, they don’t dare to speak evil of dignities.

• The angels do not speak evil (this is what railing accusation means) of these dignities.
• Notice it says “before the Lord.”
• So the angels cannot be speaking of the Lord. It must be referring to those that are in authority that are on the earth. They could be in the church, they could be in the government.
• So even angels are careful about what they say. They are not presumptuous or self-willed.

2 Peter 2:12
But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

“But these”

• Referring to the false teachers. Peter is about to make a contrast to the angels in heaven.

“as natural brute beasts”

• The word brute means unreasonable.
• So the false teachers are called unreasonable animals.
• So not only do they teach false doctrine to lead people astray, but when you try to approach them to reason with them, to talk with them, to try and compare the word of God with them, they cannot be reasoned with.
• Peter almost seems to suggest that communicating with them is a waste of time.

“made to be taken and destroyed”

• Once again, Peter talks of the certainty of their judgment. They will be destroyed eventually.

But what do they do?

• They “speak evil of the things that they understand not.”
• They are ignorant of what they are trying to teach others. They first need to be learners in the school of Christ.
• This is an important fact for us to consider. If we are not willing to put in the effort to study the word of God, let us be careful. Lest we are found ignorant of the topic and verses that we are trying to teach and end up aligning our thoughts with that of false teachers.
• And worse yet, when we are found in the wrong, we then hold on to our opinions of what we think is truth and cannot be reasoned with.

Finally, Peter states that these false teachers would “utterly perish in their own corruption.”

• The word corruption refers to moral decay.
• Because they have lead others to a worse belief and morals, they will face that certainty of judgment that Peter has been referring to in the previous verses.

2 Peter 2:13
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

What is “the reward of unrighteousness?”

• It is judgment and certain destruction.

“as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time”

• The word riot means enfeeble, effeminacy, luxury or debauchery.
• They are compared to those who are not ashamed to flaunt their effeminate lifestyle to everyone around them. They do it in the day time for everyone to see.
• This sounds like Sodom and Gomorrah.
• Jude 1:7
  Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
• They were destroyed for the sins of the flesh and especially strange flesh.

These false teachers are called “spots” and “blemishes”.

• They are spots on the face of the earth and particularly the church.
• Ephesians 5:27
  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
• God’s church at the end of time will have no spots or wrinkles or blemishes.
• These false teachers only have a garb of holiness but they lack true righteousness. Their lives testify against them and the fruit of their doctrines do the same.

They also sport “themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you.”

• To sport yourself means to revel in, to take delight in.
• This group of people have no remorse for what they do. In fact, they take great delight in leading people astray, with their own deceivings.
• And they confidently mingle with the people. They are socially connected with the people. They are feasting with them. This suggests that these troublemakers are members of the church, which would make their influence all the more dangerous.

We have more to fear from within than from without. We must be careful to observe a person’s fruit and manner of life to determine whether we are to take any advice from them or not. And we must be careful to understand the truth for ourselves as well so that we will not be deceived.

2 Peter 2:14
Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

“Having eyes full of adultery”

• The eyes are the windows to our hearts, minds and body.
• Luke 11:34
  The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.
• If our eyes are full of adultery, it shows what that person is thinking about. Maybe they lack the opportunity. However, this group does not seem to lack it because they “cannot cease from sin.” They are unable to control their lusts and passions.

“beguiling unstable souls”

• They entice, entrap, they allure. This is connected to the first part – eyes full of adultery. Seems that they cause others to do the same as well.
• The word unstable means “not propped up”, “not grounded.”
• They people are not grounded in the truth. They are not building their faith.

“an heart they have exercised with covetous practices”

• The Greek word for exercised is “gymnazo.” That is where we get our English word “gymnastic” from.
• These false teachers did not just stumble into what they believe. It seems that they have exercised this way of thinking and this way of life. They have trained themselves carefully to be this way.
• Where else have we seen covetousness in this chapter?
  • 2 Peter 2:3
    And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you…
• The reason they are able to make merchandise of others with covetousness is because they themselves are caught up with it as well. They have firsthand experience in this.

“cursed children”

• Galatians 3:13
  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.
• The reason they are cursed children is because they continue to live in sin. They do not want the redemptive power of Christ’s blood in their lives. They do not want to change. They intentionally continue to with their evil practices.

2 Peter 2:15
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

“which have forsaken the right way”

• It is as if they made an intentional decision to walk away from that which is right and good. It was not a mistake on their behalf. It was a calculated decision.
• The illustration that is brought up is that of Balaam. Balaam knew what he was doing. He was not deceived into cursing the children of Israel. He wanted the money. He “loved the wages of unrighteousness.” He intentionally went ahead regardless of the Lord warning him not to.
• And so what is it that drives these false teachers? It is the desire of money and gain in this world. They have studied how they can best acquire the financial gain and they do it in church, deceiving others.

2 Peter 2:16
But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

However, God would intervene and rebuke him.

• God would send a donkey to talk to him and told him that whatever he would speak, it would be from God.

2 Peter 2:17
These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

This is very much in parallel with Jude who talks about false teachers and the need to fight against them.

“wells without water”

• They look on the outside like they can refresh those who are spiritually thirsty. But when you come in close you realise they have no water to give at all. They do not have the living water but just an appearance.

“clouds that are carried with a tempest”

• They seem to just follow the wind wherever it blows. They have no foundation or root. They go according to impulse, to passion, to the opinions of others. Whatever suits them best and others as well.

“to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever”

• The word mist means blackness, darkness, darkness of the nether world.
• This seems to line up with 2 Peter 2:9 – The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.
• They are reserved for the day of judgment and destruction.
• On the other hand, the day star that gives light will help others to avoid this mist of darkness. How important it is to have prophecy and scripture in our hearts and lives.

2 Peter 2:18
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

“when they speak great swelling words of vanity”

• What they speak are full of vanity. That word vanity means depravity, devoid of truth and appropriateness, perverseness.

“they allure through the lusts of the flesh”

• But because of these words of vanity, they are able to allure people through the lusts of the flesh – immoral behaviour.
• The word allure means to entrap, to delude, to beguile.
• The lusts of the flesh could also be referring to monetary gain as well. After all that is a desire of the flesh as well.

But they also deceive through wantonness.

• The word wantonness means filthy, lasciviousness, unbridled lust and excess.
• This is definitely referring to the physical sins of the flesh like that of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Who are they alluring?

• “those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.”
• Who are those that were clean escaped? It seems to point to those that have just escaped, or how are escaping, from those who live in error. It seems that this people are those who recently adopted Christianity or were on the point of accepting it.
• Who are those that “live in error?”
  • It is the Gentiles with whom they had been previously closely associated with.
• These new converts to the faith are those that are most open, susceptible, and easily deceived as they don’t know clearly the left from the right.

It is on this point that Peter gives us the reason why we must clearly and properly prepare people before they are baptized. Because of false teachers in the church who can lead these innocent lambs astray, we must make sure to ground them in the faith and help them to grow and to climb Peter’s ladder.

2 Peter 2:19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

“they promise them liberty”

• They false teachers promise freedom to them that are coming in. But the freedom that they talk about has nothing to do with freedom from sin because they themselves know nothing of it. They are servants of corruption.
• So in order to seem like they understand what this freedom is, they must present a different gospel. A gospel that maybe does away with the 10 commandments rather than dealing with the root of the problem – sin.

“of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”

• These false teachers are enslaved to sin and to corruption. How are they able to offer freedom to others? It is impossible. They have been overcome. And as a result, they are in bondage, they are enslaved.
• Freedom is just a thought, a concept. But they have no firsthand experience of it. How are they able to lead others? Impossible.
• It is easy to talk. But in the Christian life, the talk that matters is based on a life that understands the practical experience first. We can’t help others when we ourselves are trapped in sin.

2 Peter 2:20
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

Peter now warns about the danger of apostasy. These people have been saved before. They escaped the pollutions of the world, only to be overcome again.

“the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ”

• It is the knowledge of Jesus that gives us liberty. Of course this knowledge comes through the understanding of the word of God.
• This ties in very much with being born again in 1 Peter. But it also points to the importance of the sure word of prophecy found at the end of 2 Peter 1.

When I think of the word “entangled,” I picture a person being caught in vines in the forest.

• This entanglement doesn’t just happen in an instant. It is a slow process of entanglement. It is the world creeping up on the person. This is called back-sliding. It is almost imperceptible.

Why is it that the latter end is worse than the beginning?

• At the beginning we don’t know any better. The truth that we hear is fresh.
• But after hearing the word of God and we turn from it, our hearts become harder. The truth that we already know is harder to convince us and convict us of sin. We know better already.
• It is not impossible, but it is definitely more difficult.

2 Peter 2:21
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

It is not that God desires us to remain in darkness, but that He prefers us to be unconverted than to be converted and then fall away again.

The word “known” means to become fully acquainted with.

• This is not a false conversion. The people were really righteous before. They really loved Christ with all their hearts. They really experienced born again experience.
• But they got entangled with the world. They became covetous.

What is the “holy commandment?”

• It is not just simply the 10 commandments.
• They turn from the holy commandment that is delivered to them.
• What has been delivered to them? It was the sure word of prophecy.
• They turn from all the word of God that instructs them in the way of righteousness.

2 Peter 2:22
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

The proverb of the dog is found in the Bible but not the pig.

• Proverbs 26:11
  As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
• The context is the same in Peter as in Proverbs. The person is returning back to their folly, to their old life.

In regards to the pig, it has been washed clean. However, once it is cleaned, it goes out and jumps in the mud and dirties itself again.

• Peter uses this figure to depict the Christian that has been washed clean of the world with the word of God, but has returned to get themselves dirty again.

It is possible to be saved but then lost again. It is possible to taste of the goodness and love of God but to turn away and seek after worldly things. Balaam is one such example that we see in this chapter.

We must be careful to keep close to God, to keep close to His word.

• Backsliding can really be that imperceptible. One day of skipping devotions then becomes a habit, especially if we get to the end of the day and look back and feel like we didn’t do anything bad. We deceive ourselves thinking that it’s ok to skip here and there. There develops a sense of self-security.
• We must be on guard every day and every moment.