Analysis:—Further description of the false teachers; their radical corruptness and daring scoffing; their perilous state.
10bPresumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities,11Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation 12against them before the Lord. 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: 13And 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;14Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: a heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:15Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbade the madness of the prophet. 17These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.18For 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. 19While 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. 20For 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. 21For 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 22delivered unto them. 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.
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
2Pe_2:10 b. 11. Darers, self-willed, etc.—
ôïëìçôáß
.—Here begins a new section. Peter anticipates the future here, as well as in the first Epistle. Before his prophetic eye, the false teachers, who were afterwards to arise, appear as already present. This word, peculiar to Peter, denotes bold, daring, audacious, or insolent men. [The word occurs only here, but is found in Joseph., B. III. 10, 12, and Thucid., I. 70; in the latter passage, the Corinthians describe the Athenians as
êáὶ ðáñὰ äýíáìéí ôïëìçôáß
,
êáὶ ðáñá
̇
ãíþìçí êéíäõíåõôáß
.—M.]
ÁὐèÜäåéò
from
áὐôüò
and
ἀäÝù
, self-willed, presumptuous persons, Tit_1:7.—
Âëáóöçìïῦíôåò
, on the Participle, see Winer, pp. 357–372.—
Äüîáò
, not: glorious attributes of God, but angelic powers, majesties, as is evident from the next verse and the Epistle of Jude. The reference is doubtless to the angels Surrounding the throne of the Most High, cf. Eph_1:21; Col_1:16.
[Wordsworth:—What are
äüîáò
or glories here? Doubtless the word
äüîá
is chosen, as the word
êõñéüôéò
before, for its large and general import. It signifies,—
1. The,
ìåãáëïðñåðὴò äüîá
, the excellent glory, the Divine Shechina of the Godhead itself, 2Pe_1:17.
2. The glory of the Incarnate Word, Joh_1:14; Jam_2:1.
3. The glory of the Holy Ghost.
The false teachers blasphemed the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, by disparaging the Creator and Redeemer, and by ascribing the work of the Divine Sanctifier to their own magical arts, and by calumniating the prophecies of Holy Scripture, given by His inspiration.
4. They denied the resurrection of the flesh, and thus they derogated from the future glories of Christ, when He “will come in His glory (Mat_25:31) and in the glory of His Father” (Mat_16:27), and when “He will be glorified in His saints” (2Th_1:10); and in “their glorious bodies, fashioned to be like unto His glorious body,” Php_3:21. See 1Pe_1:11, the only other passage in N. T., beside Judges 8, where
äὸîá
is found in the Plural, as here.
5. They spake evil of the glory of the holy angels. The Simonians represented them as the offspring of Simon Magus, who “was glorified by many as God.” See Catena here, p. 93, where it is truly said, “Peter here refers to the Simonians, who blended licentiousness with ungodliness,” and they traduced the holy angels as rebels against God; See Iren., I., 23, 1. And the successor of Simon Magus, Menander, called himself the Saviour, and affirmed that he could impart knowledge greater than that of the angels, Iren., I., 23, 5.
6. They spake evil of earthly dignities, which are images and glories of God’s majesty (Rom_13:1-3), and are even called gods (Psa_82:6), as man himself is, in his headship over woman, 1Co_11:7.
7. They spake evil of the glories of the natural world (1Co_15:40), ascribing their creation to the operation of the Demiurge, hostile to the Supreme God.—M.]
Dietlein applies it both to the Divine dignity of Christ and to the angels, and afterwards adds that even Satan is included among the glories that are evil spoken of. Stier, with most modern commentators, explains: “The angels, although greater in strength and might, do not pass before the Lord a railing sentence on the majesties; they know and perhaps announce the judgment, but leave it in humility to the one Lord, aware that they, as well as the evil powers, are before His face; any other word of self-willed abuse appears to them as a railing of those who are as yet spared the executive judgment, and really as a railing of the power and long-suffering of God, and therefore they abstain therefrom.” He agrees with Gerlach, who says: “Even if the Lord in His own presence charges them with the execution of the (preliminary) sentence on such high (evil) spirits, they do not utter it in the form of self-willed railing.” But this interpretation is not without grave objections. 1
Äüîáé
are made to denote angelic and demoniac powers; since, according to this view,
êáô
’
áὐôῶí
is referred to evil spirits, logical consistency requires that
äüîáò
also be referred to them. But is it probable that these are called
äüîáé
, glories? This reminds one of lucus a non lucendo. The railing is to consist in saying that they are only phantoms and superstitious ideas. This would be denial, not railing. 2. The reference in 2Pe_2:4, with which our passage is connected, being to evil angels, it would be very surprising to have in 2Pe_2:11 an abrupt reference to good angels. The qualifying
ìåßæïíåò
applies much better to evil angels than to good ones, to whom it belongs as a matter of course, and its application to them would be rather weak. Moreover,
ἄããåëïé
here answer to the
ôïëìçôáß
of the preceding verse, and we have, therefore, to assume a similar disposition in these. 3.
öÝñåéí êñßóéí
, 2Pe_2:11, is said to mean “to pass a sentence”; but it will be difficult to verify this rendering, although
ἐðéöÝñåéí
is used in the Epistle of Judges , 4. But would that be a railing judgment, a railing decision in the same sense, in which the false teachers pass it, if the good angels were to give a true, although a harsh judgment of the evil angels? For
âëáóöçìåῖí
means to defame one, to speak evil of one, contrary to the truth. 5.
Ïὐ öÝñïõóé
is evidently related to
ïὐ ôñÝìïõóé
, and this relation would be entirely effaced if
öÝñåéí
were rendered to pass (judgment). These reasons could be overlooked only because it was thought necessary to expound this passage by the parallel passage in Jude. But this changes the true point of view. We must endeavour to explain our passage independently of that in Jude, and this leads to the result that the angels are evil angels, that
öÝñåéí
means to bear (Luther), and
âëÜóöçìïõ êñßóéí
=
âëáóöçìßáò êñßóéí
, cf. Judges 9, the judgment on their railing at God. The sense is as follows: “The wrath of God and the judgment which God passes on them in judgment of their railing, are unbearable to the evil angels, who have stronger shoulders than those false teachers, how much more then ought these to tremble at blaspheming the angelic majesties, cf. 2Pe_2:4.” It is not known to us what those blasphemings were. It is evident from
ἐí ïἶò ἀãíïïῦóé
, 2Pe_2:12, that the reference could not have been to terrestrial majesties, governments and princes.—
Ὅðïõ
=cum, where, whereas, 1Co_3:3.—
êáô
’
áὐôῶí
=
êáè
’
ἑáõôῶí
.—
Ðáñὰ êõñßῳ
, before the Lord, in the face of the Lord, or from the Lord, with Him the Judge, cf. Act_26:8; 1Pe_2:20; Winer, p. 413. De Wette’s remark that the sense in our passage is incoherent is superficial and unjust.
2Pe_2:12. But these, as irrational animals, etc.—
ἄëïãá
.—Evil angels know and feel the wrath of God; those false teachers are inferior to them, they are like animals that know nothing of a higher world. They are
öõóéêÜ
, they belong altogether to the sphere of nature; it is as if they had no soul and still less a spirit. They are not led by reason, but only by their natural appetites, cf. Ps. 49:13, 21; Psa_141:10. Some take
öõóéêÜ
for
öõóéêῶò
.—[Bede here excellently remarks that there is a resemblance between these false teachers and brute beasts, in that both are led by their fleshly appetites to fall into snares and destruction. Cf. BavaMezia, quoted by Wetstein, p. 2Peter 706: Quidam vitulus, cum ad mactandum adduceretur, R. Judam accessit, caputgue in ejus gremium reponens flevit. Sed ille, abi, inquit, in hunc finem creatus es.—M.]
ÃåãåííçìÝíá
.—This is their natural destination, for this purpose they are created, i. e., to be caught by men, and to be killed for their use.
Åἰò ἅëùóéí êáὶ öèïñὰí
, both to be taken passively, not actively.—“Peter may be supposed to allude to their falling as prisoners into the hands of the government, and their suffering punishment according to human laws.” Roos.
Ἐí ïἶò ἀãíïïῦóé âëáóöçìïῦíôåò
, attraction for
ἐí ἐêåßíïéò ἅ ἀãíïïῦóé
, like
çֵøֵó áְּ
, 2Sa_23:9,
÷ְìֵּì áְּ
, Isa_8:21, Winer, p. 651. Dietlein sees in
ἐí ôïýôïéò
the sphere in which the railing takes place, cf. 1Pe_2:12. Therein lies the ground of their perishing, that which constitutes their guilt and distinguishes them from brute beasts.—
Ἐí ôῇ öèïñᾷöèáñÞóïíôáé
.
ÖèïñÜ
is inward, moral corruption and the spiritual death to which it leads, cf. 2Pe_1:4. The verb denotes outward destruction and future condemnation.—Their outward destruction here is still followed by retribution hereafter, the reward of their unrighteousness.
2Pe_2:13. Receiving the reward of unrighteousness.—
Êïìéïýìåíïé
, cf. 1Pe_1:9. The participial sentences which follow must not be connected with
ἐðëáíÞèçóáí
, which does not contain the leading thought of this paragraph, but they belong to what precedes and explain the unrighteousness of those false teachers, which unrighteousness should be taken in a general sense (cf. Luk_13:27; Rom_1:18). Some of these participles are subordinate to the preceding ones, e. g.,
åὐù÷ïýìåíïé
, but most of them are coördinate.
Deeming revelling in the daytime their highest pleasure.—
Ἡäïíὴí ἡãïýìåíïé
.—They know no other pleasure than
ôñõöÞ
, rendered by the Syriac, deliciæ, voluptuousness, revelling, luxurious living.—
Ôὴí ἐí ἡìÝñᾳ
. Oecumenius=
êáè
’
ἡìÝñáí
, Luk_16:19, daily. Others=momentary, transient well-living, as the day supplies it. So de Wette. Or: spending the day, without thinking of the future. So Dietlein. But all these renderings are contrary to grammatical usage. Gerhard:—the time of this present life, which compared with eternity, is only as one day. The right sense follows from a comparison with 1Th_5:7 : “They that be drunken, are drunken in the night.” But these are so lost to all sense of shame, that they revel at noon-day. We may also cite the case of those heroes of drunkenness, who revel all day long, Isa_5:22. [The Gnostics were renowned for such excesses. Jerome (adv. Lucif., p. 53) says, tunc Nicolaus diu nocthque nuptias facens obscoenas, etc.; and Epiphanius, haer., 25, gives one of their maxims, “that a man had no hope of everlasting life,
ἐáí ìὴ êáè
’
ἑêÜóôçí ἡìÝñáí ëáãíåýῃ
.”—M.]
They are full of spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceits, while they feast with you.—
Óðὶëïé
, in Judges 12
óðéëÜäåò
, from
óðéëüù
, to stain, to soil. Both are identical in point of meaning, only the one is an adjective, the other a substantive. Stains, spots on garments, or in the face, moral stain.—
Ìῶìïò
= blame, disgrace [disfigurements, causing shame. Alford.—M], peculiar to Peter. They are people full of spots and disgrace, who stain the body of Christ and themselves, Deu_32:5. The two words must not be connected with
ἐíôñõöῶíôåò
, as de Wette maintains, but they stand by themselves.—
Ἐíôñõöῶíôåò ἐí ôáῖò ἀðÜôáéò áὑôῶí
, they revel in the gain of their deceits. The abstr. pro concreto. [A good sense may be obtained if the reading
ἀãÜðáéò
, cf. Judges 12, be retained. They called their gatherings
ἀãÜðáé
, love-feasts, but they were occasions of revelry.—If
ἀðÜôáéò
be retained, the remark of Windischmann (Vind. Petr., p. 45) will be found useful: “St. Peter would not call these heretical feasts by an honourable name (
ἀãÜðáò
), but styles them
ἀðÜôáò
, and describes their true character by adding the word
ἐíôñõöῶíôåò
.” There is also a similar paranomasia or play on the words
ἀðÜôç
and
ἀãÜðç
in 2Th_2:10.—M.]—
Óõíåõù÷ïýìåíïé
from
åὐù÷ßá
,
ἔ÷ù
,
ὀ÷Þ
and
åὐ
, explained by Pollux, of public banquets.
2Pe_2:14. Having eyes full of an adulteress, etc.—Dietlein has the curious notion that the allusion is to some female member of a house into which they had crept, who had already become the victim of their seduction.
Ìïé÷áëßäïò
is more pregnant than the reading
ὀöèáëìïὺò ìåóôïὺò ìïé÷áëßáò
, which evidently originated with later transcribers. Hornejus explains it well: “adulteresses dwell, as it were, in their eyes.” But this does not yet account for the Singular. Respect is probably had to the harlot in Pro_2:16; Pro_6:24.
Ἀêáôáðáýóôïò
connected with
ὀöèáëìïὺò
: full of ungratified lust of sin, insatiable in it. Another most pregnant term, peculiar to Peter, cf. 1Pe_4:1. Lustfulness is reflected in their eyes.
Luring unstable souls—children of malediction.—
ÄåëåÜæïíôåò
from
äÝëåáñ
, a bait to allure and attract with a bait, as does a fowler to catch birds, or a fisherman to catch fish, Jam_1:14. [Wordsworth: “A word twice used in this Epistle, see 2Pe_2:18; and a metaphor likely to occur to St. Peter, the fisherman of Galilee, to whom our Lord said, Mat_17:27,
âÜëå ἄãêéóôñïí
, cast a hook.”—M.]
Ἀóôçñßêôïõò
, cf. 2Pe_3:16, a peculiar expression, explained by Jerome thus: “Souls which are not yet strong through the love of Christ,” and therefore easily turn hither and thither.—
Ãå
̇
ãõìíáóìÝõçí
, practised, exercised, schooled.—
Ðëåïíåîßáéò
, covetousness in its various kinds and forms, cf. 1Pe_2:1; 2Pe_2:3, especially also the lust of honour and enjoyment. Erasmus interprets it by rapinae.—Children of malediction, according to the Hebraism=persons devoted to and worthy of the curse, cf. 2Th_2:3 : Psa_109:17, etc. Calov: “From the throat he passes to the eyes, the tongue, the heart, and the life.”
2Pe_2:15. Having forsaken the right way they are gone astray.—Gerhard gives the following connection: “He illustrates the covetousness of the false teachers by the example of Balaam, who once, by his love of lucre, suffered himself to be beguiled into cursing the people of Israel, cf. Judges 11.” Another point of comparison, which is not made prominent here, is the commingling of the Divine and the worldly, hypocrisy and allurement to harlotry, Num_25:1. etc; Num_31:16; Rev_2:14.—
Ôὴí åὐèåῖáí ὁäὸí
. This is the way of revealed truth, 2Pe_2:2; of righteousness, 2Pe_2:15. It is called sometimes the way of the Lord, Gen_18:19; Jdg_2:22; Act_18:25; the way of peace, Isa_59:8; Rom_3:17, the way of wisdom, Pro_4:11, the way of life, Pro_10:17; the way of salvation, Act_16:17.—They were consequently persons who at one time had taken the right way, but had now backslidden.—
Ðëáíᾶóèáé
, to go astray, to err, take a wrong way, a figure denoting the various by-roads into which they get, and the uncertainty which attends their aberration, cf. Mat_24:5; Joh_7:12; 2Ti_3:13.
Following after the way of Balaam, etc.—
ἘîáêïëïõèÞóáíôåò
, 2Pe_1:16; 2Pe_2:2; defines
ἐðëáíÞèÞóáí
—
Ôïῦ Âïóüñ
, the son of Bosor. Hebrew
ò áְּòåֹø
is changed into
ó
, because some grammarians maintain that in the Babylonian pronunciation the
ò
was a kind of sibilant.
ö
and
ò
are often interchanged; so Gesenius and Ewald.—The wages of unrighteousness.—Gerhard: “The reward which the Moabite ambassadors carried in their hands, Num_22:7, are called wages of unrighteousness, because Balaam hoped to receive the money for an unjust and wicked work (the cursing of Israel).”
ἨãÜðçóåí
, a mild term but suited to the circumstances. The sacred narrative does not explicitly refer to the covetousness of Balaam, Num_4:22; he seemed inclined to shape his course wholly according to the will of God; but when the second embassy offered him greater gifts and honours, he induced the messengers to prolong their stay that he might once more inquire of the Lord whether he should go. Num_2:19. His dominant lust is also exhibited in Num_2:34. [See Bp. Butler’s Sermon “Upon the character of Balaam.”—M.]
2Pe_2:16. But was rebuked for his peculiar iniquity.—
Ἔëåãîéí äὲ ἔó÷åí
, he received not punishment, but a rebuking conviction, as indicated below.
Ðáñáíïìßá
=
ἀäéêßá
. He clearly knew that it was the will of God that he should not curse the people: yet he resisted it.—
Ἰäßáò
. Dietlein: “The perversion of the law peculiar to him, and the archetype of the same perversion in the false prophets,” Far-fetched.—Huther arbitrarily takes it in the sense of
áὑôïῦ
. It rather denotes that the transgression was peculiar in that he transgressed the will of God, Num_22:12, while complying with His commandment, which gave him up to the counsel of his heart, Num_22:20; Num_22:35.
A dumb beast of burden, etc.—
Ὑðïæýãéïí
, a yoke-beast, a beast of burden, especially an ass, Mat_21:6,
ἄöùíïí
, in antithesis to the human voice. The antithesis between
ἄöùíïí
and
ἀíèñþðïõ öùíῇ öèåãîÜìåíïí
is designed to bring out the miraculous character of the incident.—
Ἐêþëõóå
. De Wette says: “It was not the ass that forbade him, but the angel, Num_22:22. etc.” But this is not a discrepancy between our passage and the Mosaic account, for God made use of that dumb animal to prevent his going onward, while the angel suffered him afterwards to pass on to punishment, as de Wette himself observes. Gerhard: “Balaam was able and ought to have seen, from so uncommon a miracle, that his way was perverse.” In the Epistle of Jude, 2Pe_2:11, two additional examples are given, that of Cain and that of the company of Korah; the reward of Balaam being only briefly introduced.—
Ðáñáöñïíßá
, folly, senselessness, madness. It is madness indeed to fight against God, Psa_109:3; Act_5:39. It is, says Luther, an unequal fight, if old pots will fight with rocks; for let it happen as it will, the pots will come to grief.—
ÐñïöÞôïõ
. The Mosaic account shows that revelations were made to him, Num_22:8; Num_22:13; Num_22:18-19; Num_23:5; Num_23:16; Num_24:16-17; but also that his soul was open to influences of the kingdom of darkness, Num_24:1. etc.; Num_23:1. Ambrose, Gregory of Nyssa and Theodoret infer from the latter passages that he was a prophet of the devil. Compare on the enigmatical character of Balaam, Kurtz, Getchichte des alten Bundes, 455 [and Butler’s Sermon on the Character of Balaam.—M.]
Ver.17. These are wells without water.—Two figures are now introduced to describe the influence of the false teachers upon others. Calov sees here a reference to Jer_2:13, where God Compares Himself to a fountain of living waters, and the idols, so much run after by the many, to broken cisterns, that can hold no water. “They contain no water of wholesome wisdom and living consolation.” Oecumenius: “They have lost the water of life.” Augustine: “He calls them wells, because they had received the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, without water, because they do not live agreeably to their knowledge.” Pro_10:11 states the contrary. We are especially reminded of Pro_21:6, the original of which refers to scattering mist, to dispersing vanity, cf. Pro_14:24; Isa_35:7. Umbreit suggests the well-known mirage. The thirsty traveller in the desert perceives a moving sheen which he takes for a stream or a lake, hastens to it, but, reaching it, is bitterly disappointed, for it all dissolves into empty vapour.—Huss: “Where you find a well without water, you find dirt and mire. So these contain no water of inflowing grace, but the mire of wickedness. No wonder, seeing that they have forsaken the fountain of living water.” They are not hallowing, but polluting wells.
Clouds driven along by a whirlwind.—
ÍåöÝëáé ὑðὸ ëáßëáðïò ἐëáõíüìåíïé
. Dietlein incorrectly renders fogs, alleging them to be clouds with the lateral idea of inward absence of clearness. [If the reading
ὁìß÷ëáé
be retained, render “mists.” See Appar. Crit. Comm. in Catena:
ïὐê åἴóé
,
öçóß
,
äéáõãåῖò ὥóðåñ ïἱ ἅãéïé ïἱ ὄíôåò íåöÝëáé
,
ἀëë
’
ὀìß÷ëáé
,
ôïõôÝóôé
,
óêüôïõò êáὶ ãíüöïõ ìåóôïß
,
ὑðὸ ôïῦ ðïíçñïῦ ðíåýìáôïò ἐëáõíüìåíïé
.—M.]
Ëáßëáø
.Gerhard produces the definition of Aristotle, who describes it as a violent wind turning upward and downward, cf. Mar_4:37; Luk_8:23; LXX. Job_38:1; Jer_25:32.—
Ἐëáõíüìåíáé
, used of ships driven to and fro by strong winds, Jam_3:4, and of the possessed driven by demons, Luk_8:29. The parallel passage in Judges 12 reads:
íåöÝëáé ἄíõäñïé
(cf. Pro_25:14)
ὑðὸ ἀíÝìùí ðåñéöåñüìåíáé
, clouds which promise rain, but give none because they are chased away by the wind. Jude adds three other figures. Peter’s point of comparison is different; with him the emphasis rests on
ἐëáýíåóèáé
, which is designed to denote the inconsistency, the wavering and Unquietness of the false teachers. Huther says that
íåöÝëáé
denotes inward emptiness.—Huss: “Clouds driven along by the wind produce a tempest and obscure the splendour of the sun, so in like manner those, false teachers disturb the peace of souls and obscure the Sun of righteousness by the darkness of error.”
For whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.—
Ïἶò ὁ æüöïò
. De Wette observes that
ἀóôÝñåò ðëáíῆôáé
, Judges 12, is here left out and that
ïἰò ὁ æüöïò
. of is inappropriately put down; most unfair, for Peter as well as Jude use the figure with reference to the false teachers. Dietlein rightly replies that “if Peter had found
ἀóôÝñåò ðëáíῆôáé
, which would be even more telling in connection with his
ïἶò ὁ æð
́
öïò
than
íåöÝëáé
, he would hardly have omitted those words.” [Add that darkness is predicable of clouds driven by the wind as well as of wandering stars; the charge of inappropriateness is therefore unfounded.—M.] The relative
ïἷò
necessarily belongs to
ïὖôïé
, not to
ðçãáß
or
íåöÝëáé
, which would require
áἶò
.
Blackness of darkness denotes extreme darkness, Mat_8:12; Mat_22:13; Mat_25:30.
Reserved.—Reverts to the judgment of the angels, 2Pe_2:4; cf. 1Pe_1:4; 2Pe_3:7; 2Pe_3:17. Stier: “That blackness of the judgment is reserved, spared, laid in store for them which is due to the darkness of their sin.” A dark life is justly punished with darkness, especially because of the seduction of so many souls.—
Åἰò áἰῶíá
, it is reserved for them down to the remotest periods in time to eternity, no matter what changes may take place with the earth and the world.
2Pe_2:18. Speaking great swelling words of vanity, they entice, etc.—
ὙðÝñïãêá
from
ὅãêïò
, bulk, exceeding bulk, swelling, figuratively, pride. Judges 16, has:
ôὸ óôüìá áὐôῶí ëáëåῖ ὑðÝñïãêá
Luther: “Proud words with nothing to back them,” hollow, vain phrases, bombast. Want of mind, want of power and emptiness are generally concealed under a hollow sound of words.—
ÄåëåÜæïõóéí
, see 2Pe_2:14.—Bengel: “They pretend, as if they were lights of the Church, over-great things, but these wells, these clouds yield nothing.—
Ἐí åðéèõìßáéò óáñêüò
. Gerhard: “These are the bait with which they attract others,”—
Ἀóåëãåßáéò
in apposition with
ἐðéèõìßáéò
. We may also translate with Huther: “They entice in the lusts of the flesh (i. e. insnared, in them, ruled by them) by licentiousness those, etc.”—
Ὅíôùò
in truth, in sincerity and not only in the mask of hypocrisy [but
ὀëßãùò
=
ὀëßãïõ
, cf. Appar. Crit. seems preferable.—M.]—
Ἀðïöõãüíôáò
suits
ὀëßãùò
better than
ὄíôùò
.—
Ôïὺò ἐí ðëÜíῃ ἀíáóôñåöïìÝíïõò
dependent on
ἀðïöõãüíôáò
. Huther: “Those from whom the deceived persons had separated, non-christians, especially the heathen, who spend their life in error,
ἐí ðëÜíῃ
.”
2Pe_2:19. Promising them liberty, etc.—The subject of their great swelling speeches turns especially on liberty, that is, on the false liberty of living as they pleased, of indulging the flesh to the full. Grotius refers to certain Gnostics, whom Irenæus reports to have boasted that their soul had been liberated from all moral restraints, as if Christ had acquired for us the liberty to sin. [This was the doctrine of Simon Magus and his followers.—M.] A promise similar to Gen_3:5; cf. 1Pe_2:16; they use liberty as a cloak of maliciousness, cf. Gal_5:13.
Slaves of corruption, 2Pe_1:4; 2Pe_2:12, of those sins and vices which end in perdition.—
Çôôçôáé
, by whom a man is permanently overcome, of him he has also become the slave, cf. 1Sa_17:9. He cites martial law; by whom a man is overcome in war, by him also is he enslaved. Those persons are brought by Satan into the slavery of sin and death, cf. Joh_8:34; 1Jn_3:8; Rom_6:16.
2Pe_2:20. For having escaped the pollutions of the world, etc.—The question is, which is the subject of this verse? Huther thinks that we must understand the false teachers, because of the connection of this verse with the clause at the end of the preceding verse. Then the
ãÜñ
would refer back to the
öèïñá
of 2Pe_2:19. But the hypothetical form of this verse is against Huther, whereas the false teachers are introduced before as very decided persons, although it may be said that the reality is here expressed hypothetically, as is so often the case. But since
ὄíôùò ἀðïöõãüíôáò
(2Pe_2:18) belongs to the deceived, it is better to apply
ἀðïöõãüíôåò
here with Bengel, and al. to the same persons. But then we have to supply before 2Pe_2:20, the sentence: “As the, false teachers are themselves slaves of corruption, so they make those whom they deceive slaves of corruption: for—.”
ÌéÜóìáôá
occurs here only in the New Testament, but
ìéáóìüò
, 2Pe_2:10, stain, pollution. The reference to noxious particles floating in the air, called by physicians miasma, is out of the question here, for the word was not used in this sense at the time the Epistle was written, although, as Gerhard shows, those exhalations are an apt figure of sin.—
Ἐí ἐðéãíþóåé
, cf. 2Pe_1:2-3; 2Pe_1:8; 2Pe_3:18. Here also it denotes vital knowledge.—
ἘìðëáêÝíôåò
. Gerhard: “This word is very emphatic; it describes those who become entangled with snares and ropes; 2Ti_2:4 it is used of those who are so entangled with the affairs of this life, that they are unable to please Him any longer whom they stand pledged to serve. The LXX. use it for
ðָôַì
to fall, Pro_28:18, from animals which fall, if they become entangled in snares and traps”.—
Ἡôôῶíôáé
, they return again into the slavery of sin and Satan, from which they had been delivered.
Their last state is worse than the first, appears to have been a proverbial mode of speech, cf. Luk_9:26; Mat_12:45; Mat_27:64. Grotius cites a passage in Hermas, 2Pe_3:2, which evidently has respect to this place: “Quidam tamen ex iis maculaverunt se et projecti sunt de genere justorum et iterum redierunt ad statum pristinum, atque etiam deteriores quam prius evaserunt.”—
ôὰ ðñῶôá
is the condition anterior to their conversion;
ôὰ ἔó÷áôá
, the state of entire captivity in sin and its corruption. The reason being, that as there is no standing still in the way of a secure sinner, the power of sin, and with it also the guilt and punishment, have become so much the greater.
2Pe_2:21. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness.—
Ãὰñ
does not introduce the proof, but the explanation and confirmation of the preceding proposition. It were better for them if they had no such great guilt. Chrysostom: “Do not sin after forgiveness, suffer thyself not to be wounded after thy healing, nor to be stained after grace. Think, O man, that guilt is greater after forgiveness, that the renewed wound is more painful after healing, and that the stain is more troublesome after grace. He therefore is ungrateful for forgiveness who sins again; he is unworthy of health who wounds himself anew, and he deserves not to be cleansed who stains himself after grace.”—
Ἦí
, Imperf. Ind. where we use the Conjunctive (cf. Winer, p. 327.) [Translate: “For it were better,” etc.—M.]—
Ὁäὸí äéêáéïóýíçò
. Gerhard: “The doctrine of Christ, of the Gospel, which points out the way how to acquire righteousness before God and eternal life.” Cf. 2Pe_2:2.
Than having known it, to turn back, etc.—
ἐðéãíïῦóéí
. Supply
ἐóôé
or
ἦí
a well known attraction.—
ἐðéóôñÝøáé
. to turn to something and return, cf. Mar_13:16; Luk_8:55; Act_3:19. Huther considers
ὑðïóôñÝøáé
. the true reading; de Wette prefers the former.
From the holy commandment.—
Ἐíôïëῆò
that part of the fore-mentioned way of righteousness which comprises the doctrine of morals, and especially the cardinal commandment of love, Joh_13:34; Joh_15:12; 1Jn_3:23. But it may also denote the whole of the doctrines of Christ, as a commandment that must be believed and practised, as we have it in Joh_12:49; Joh_15:10. It is called holy on account of its origin, substance and end, on account of its contrast to the pollutions of the world, and because it is the means of man’s holiness.
Delivered to them, cf. Judges 3.
2Pe_2:22. But it is happened to them that saying of the true proverb.—Their relapse into their old sinfulness is elucidated by two similes taken from the animal world, with reference to 2Pe_2:12.—
ÓõìâÝâçêå äÝ
The truth of that proverb has been fulfilled in them, cf. Mat_7:6.—
Ðáñïéìßá
(from
ïἶìïò
, way) a proverb, wisdom by the way, in the street.—
Êýùí
, the first proverb with a slight variation is taken from Pro_26:11. The Participle must not be changed into its finite verb, but
äåéêôéêῶò
should be taken as referring to a case really under observation, see Winer, p. 369.
The dog, etc.—
ἘîÝñáìá
from
ἐîåñÜù
, to throw out, to vomit.—
Åἰò
supply
ἐðéóôñÝøáóá
—
Êýëéóìá
, something rolled, and=
êõëéíäÞèñá
, a place for horses to roll in, the place of wallowing.—
Âüñâïñïò
, dirt, filth, mire. The second proverb is not found among Solomon’s; it seems to be taken from popular tradition, although parallels are by no means wanting. Grotius produces several from Aratus and Philo. Similar passages are found in the Rabbinical writings. Augustine adds: “See how terrible is that to which he compares them; for it is a terrible thing: a dog, etc.—What wilt thou be in the sight of God?”
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
1. Luther and other evangelical teachers show that the prophecy of Peter met its fulfilment not only in the first age of the Church, but especially in the papacy. Gerhard, e. g., mentions the written words of Ulric, bishop of Augsburg, about A.D. 2Peter 800: “Popes, bishops and clergymen rush so passionately into voluptuousness, that they perpetrate the most horrible and unnatural vices.” Sixtus IV., says Gerhard, was a Sodomite, and granted leave to cardinals with whom he was on terms of intimacy, to indulge this vice during three summer-months. Paulus Jovinus affirms the same atrocity on the part of Leo x. Consult, for the fulfilment of the other marks of false teachers, Gerhard and Calov on the respective passages.
2. Augustine specifies four kinds of destruction or death. The first death is the death of the soul, if through sinning it becomes separated from God, who is the life of the soul, as the soul is the life of the body. The second death is that of the body, when it becomes separated from the soul. The third is the second death of the soul, when, in a state of separation from God and the body, it endures punishment. The fourth and last death is the death of the whole man, when the soul, without God, but with the body, will have to suffer eternal punishment.
3. As Christ has His forerunners and types, so has antichrist his. To these belong Balaam in particular. “The souls of oracular personages, prophets, magicians and enchanters like Balaam resemble the strings of a lute, which vibrate in unison with kindred notes, and reëcho them. The true prophets who were in sympathy with God, caught those notes of sympathy from above, but the false and devilish prophets caught them from beneath (Exo_7:11); those like Balaam caught them from both directions without being able to identify them until their heart inclined more to one or the other.” Richter, Hausbibel.—The history and character of Balaam affords us important insight into the nature of prophecy.
4. Spiritual and carnal adultery, says Gerhard, go mostly hand-in-hand. The devil is a liar and an unclean spirit, Joh_8:44; Luk_11:24, and hence incites those whom he holds captive in his bonds to the propagation of lies and impure lusts. Those strong spirits of the post-Apostolic age, who began to stir in the time of Peter, and whose rise he foresaw, were wont to indulge in such swelling words: “Only a small standing pool can be polluted by unclean things that are poured into it, not so the ocean, which receives every thing, because it is conscious of its greatness; so little men are overpowered by meats; but he that is an ocean in power (
ἐîïõóßá
) receives every thing without being polluted thereby.” So says Porphyry. See Neander. “We must,” (Clement of Alexandria reports them to have said) “fight lust in the enjoyment of lust, for it is no great thing to abstain from lust if it has not been tasted, but it is a great thing to indulge lust without being overcome by it.” Those false teachers have met their brethren in the restorers of the flesh and the Latter Day Saints. What sophisms and powerful errors may not be brought forth in the last days of the Church!
5. What we read here of extreme darkness, is by no means in conflict with those passages which speak of fiery flames and the lake of fire; for as intense heat and intense cold prevail in different localities here on earth at one and the same time, so the Scripture informs us that there are very different localities in the wide extent of the lower world.
6. If those who have truly escaped from the pollutions of the world, may again be entangled therein, then Holy Scripture teaches that relapsing from the state of grace is possible,—a doctrine denied by the Calvinistic School on untenable grounds.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
The great folly of preferring momentary pleasure to eternal happiness. Salvation may be gained or lost in one moment of time.—“Sin is fruitful: it does not end where it begins; the sin that succeeds another is usually the punishment of that which precedes it, and that which precedes, mostly the cause of that which follows.” Gerhard.—An unfortified mind opens the gate and the door to false teachers.—Stability of mind is a precious jewel.—Wicked men who fan the sparks of carnal lust in others, are able by means of such inflaming to do with them what they please.—“As soon as the heart is removed from trust in God, from glorying in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, so soon all seductions have again free entrance into the same. At first menresist for awhile, but by and by their courage flags and they are overcome at last.” Rieger.—The most wretched slavery is the service of sin, for sin is the greatest tyrant.—“Those who lead a disgraceful and a vicious life, are threatened not simply with transient punishment in fire.” Augustine.—The great danger of relapse: 1. The greater the measure of grace received, the greater the punishment, Heb_6:4-6; Heb_10:26-27. 2. Conversion is increasingly difficult in the case of those who have fallen from grace, just as a disease is more difficult to cure on its return than at its first occurrence.—How does relapse take place? It is usually not sudden, but gradual. Remissness in watching and prayer, indifference to the punishment of the Spirit are its precursors. The company of pious Christians is exchanged for that of vain worldlings; the reading of entertaining books is substituted for the study of the wholesome word of God, and Christian liberty is enlarged to its utmost limits. If, to crown the whole, deceivers step in, the relapse is completed.—A relapsed person is more dangerous to others, “because knowing Christianity, he is able to hurt it more seriously by cunning than another who never knew it.” Roos.
Starke:—The deceits of sin and Satan degrade many men not only to the level of brutes, but in many points below it. O hateful monsters, ye fare worse than dumb brutes, Isa_1:3.
2Pe_2:13. Excellent portraiture of Romish false teachers! but the evangelical Church, alas, is not free from such shameful blemishes. O Lord, heal this great hurt, Psa_12:2.—The wicked, as he seeks rest in sin of every kind, seeks it also in debauchery, but does not find it, although he fancies to find it forthwith, fresh lusts evermore disquiet him again and urge him to sin, so that he is a veritable slave of sin.—Every human heart is sinful, but if it is thoroughly trained and practised in sin, it is altogether imbedded in corruption and nigh to the curse. O accursed man, tremble and pray without ceasing: “O God, create in me a pure heart,” and exercise thyself hereafter in godliness, 1Ti_4:7. He that is devoted to covetousness, has already departed from the right way, 1Ti_6:10; Luk_12:15.—Wilt thou and canst thou compel God to prevent thy wickedness by miracles? If thou wilt not suffer His word to deter thee from evil, He will allow it, but, look, what He will do, Luk_16:30-31.—Many words, little power! Falsehood-mongers are deceivers. The reverse is equally true. Happy the cities and count
