Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, July 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
video advertismenet
advertisement
advertisement
advertisement
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!
Click here to learn more!
Bible Commentaries
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Commentary Critical
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text scanned by Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-Brown Commentary is in the public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text scanned by Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-Brown Commentary is in the public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliographical Information
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on 2 Peter 2". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible". https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/jfb/2-peter-2.html. 1871-8.
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on 2 Peter 2". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible". https://studylight.org/
Whole Bible (50)New Testament (19)Individual Books (11)
Introduction
CHAPTER 2
:-. FALSE TEACHERS TO ARISE: THEM BAD PRACTICES AND SURE DESTRUCTION, FROM WHICH THE GODLY SHALL BE DELIVERED, AS LOT WAS.
Verse 1
1. Butâin contrast to the prophets "moved by the Holy Ghost" ( :-).
alsoâas well as the true prophets ( :-). Paul had already testified the entrance of false prophets into the same churches.
among the peopleâIsrael: he is writing to believing Israelites primarily (see on :-). Such a "false prophet" was Balaam ( :-).
there shall beâAlready symptoms of the evil were appearing (2 Peter 2:9-22; Judges 1:4-13).
false teachersâteachers of falsehood. In contrast to the true teachers, whom he exhorts his readers to give heed to (2 Peter 3:2).
whoâsuch as (literally, "the which") shall.
privilyânot 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 (2 Peter 3:2- :).
damnableâliterally, "of destruction"; entailing destruction (2 Peter 3:2- :) on all who follow them.
heresiesâself-chosen doctrines, not emanating from God (compare "will-worship," Colossians 2:23).
evenâgoing 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 (Luke 22:61; Luke 22:62).
denyingâHim whom, above all others, they ought to confess.
Lordâ"Master and Owner" (Greek), compare Luke 22:62- :, 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 themâEven 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 1 John 4:3).
bring upon themselvesâcompare "God bringing in the flood upon the world," 2 Peter 2:5. Man brings upon himself the vengeance which God brings upon him.
swiftâswiftly 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 Judges 1:11, which is akin to this passage.
Verse 2
2. followâout: so the Greek.
pernicious waysâThe oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read, "licentiousness" (Judges 1:4). False doctrine and immoral practice generally go together (2 Peter 2:18; 2 Peter 2:19).
by reason of whomâ"on account of whom," namely, the followers of the false teachers.
the way of truth shall be evil spoken ofâ"blasphemed" by those without, who shall lay on Christianity itself the blame of its professors' evil practice. Contrast 1 Peter 2:12.
Verse 3
3. through, c.âGreek, "IN covetousness" as their element (2 Peter 2:14, end). Contrast 2 Corinthians 11:20 2 Corinthians 12:17.
of a long timeâin God's eternal purpose. "Before of old ordained to condemnation" (Judges 1:4).
lingereth notâthough sinners think it lingers; "is not idle."
damnationâGreek, "destruction" (see on Judges 1:4- :). Personified.
slumbereth notâthough sinners slumber.
Verse 4
4. ifâThe apodosis or consequent member of the sentence is not expressed, but is virtually contained in 2 Peter 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 2 Peter 2:9- :).
angelsâthe highest of intelligent creatures (compare with this verse, 2 Peter 2:9- :), yet not spared when they sinned.
hellâGreek, "Tartarus": nowhere else in New Testament or the Septuagint: equivalent to the usual Greek, "Gehenna." Not inconsistent with 1 Peter 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," Luke 8:31; "the bottomless pit," Revelation 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.
deliveredâas the judge delivers the condemned prisoner to the officers (Revelation 9:11- :).
into chainsâ (Revelation 9:11- :). 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.
Verse 5
5. eighthâthat is, Noah, and seven others. Contrasted with the densely peopled "world of the ungodly."
preacherânot only "righteous" himself (compare :-), but also "a preacher of righteousness": adduced by Peter against the licentiousness of the false teachers ( :-) who have no prospect before them but destruction, even as it overtook the ungodly world in Noah's days.
Verse 6
6. with, &c.â"TO overthrow" [ALFORD].
ensampleâ"of (the fate that should befall) those who in after-time should live ungodly." Compare Judges 1:7, "set forth for an example."
Verse 7
7. justârighteous.
filthy conversationâliterally, "behavior in licentiousness" (Genesis 19:5).
the wickedâGreek, "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.
Verse 8
8. vexedâGreek, "tormented."
Verse 9
9. knoweth howâHe is at no loss for means, even when men see no escape.
out ofânot actually from.
temptationsâtrials.
to be punishedâGreek, "being punished": as the fallen angels ( :-), actually under sentence, and awaiting its final execution. Sin is already its own penalty; hell will be its full development.
Verse 10
10. chieflyâThey especially will be punished (Judges 1:8).
afterâfollowing after.
lust of uncleannessâdefilement: "hankering after polluting and unlawful use of the flesh" [ALFORD].
governmentâGreek, "lordship," "dominion" (Judges 1:8- :).
PresumptuousâGreek, "Darers." Self-will begets presumption. Presumptuously daring.
are not afraidâthough they are so insignificant in might; Greek, "tremble not" (Judges 1:8, end).
speak evil ofâGreek, "blaspheme."
dignitiesâGreek, "glories."
Verse 11
11. which areâthough they are.
greaterâthan these blasphemers. Jude instances Michael ( :-).
railing accusationâGreek, "blaspheming judgment" ( :-).
against themâagainst "dignities," as for instance, the fallen angels: once exalted, and still retaining traces of their former power and glory.
before the LordâIn 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, 1 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Corinthians 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." 2 Samuel 16:7; 2 Samuel 16:8, Shimei; Numbers 16:2; Numbers 16:3, Korah, c., referred to also in Judges 1:11 Numbers 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."
Verse 12
12. ( :-).
ButâIn contrast to the "angels," 2 Peter 2:11.
bruteâGreek, "irrational." In contrast to angels that "excel in strength."
beastsâGreek, "animals" (compare 2 Peter 2:11- :).
naturalâtransposed 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 2 Peter 2:11- :; compare end of this verse, "shall perish," literally, "shall be corrupted," in their own corruption. 2 Peter 2:11- :, 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 ofâGreek, "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": Colossians 2:18, "intruding into those things which he hath not seen."
Verse 13
13. receiveâ"shall carry off as their due."
reward ofâthat is, for their "unrighteousness" [ALFORD]. Perhaps it is implied, unrighteousness shall be its own reward or punishment. "Wages of unrighteousness" ( :-) has a different sense, namely, the earthly gain to be gotten by "unrighteousness."
in the daytimeâTranslate 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 :-, "the pleasures of sin for a season"; and Hebrews 12:16, Esau) to be pleasure," that is, to be their chief good and highest enjoyment.
Spotsâin themselves.
blemishesâdisgraces: bringing blame (so the Greek) on the Church and on Christianity itself.
sporting themselvesâGreek, "luxuriating."
withâGreek, "in."
deceivingsâor else passively, "deceits": luxuries gotten by deceit. Compare Matthew 13:22, "Deceitfulness of riches"; Matthew 13:22- :, "Deceitful lusts." While deceiving others, they are deceived themselves. Compare with English Version, Matthew 13:22- :, "Whose glory is in their shame." "Their own" stands in opposition to "you": "While partaking of the love-feast (compare Judges 1:12) with you," they are at the same time "luxuriating in their own deceivings," or "deceits" (to which latter clause answers Judges 1:12, 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.
Verse 14
14. full of adulteryâliterally, "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 ceaseâ"that cannot be made to cease from sin."
beguilingâ"laying baits for."
unstableânot firmly established in faith and piety.
heartânot 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 practicesâThe oldest manuscripts read singular, "covetousness."
cursed childrenârather 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.
Verse 15
15. haveâSome of the seducers are spoken of as already come, others as yet to come.
followingâout: so the Greek.
the wayâ (Numbers 22:23; Numbers 22:32; Isaiah 56:11).
son of Bosorâthe same as Beor (Numbers 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 unrighteousnessâand 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.
Verse 16
16. was rebukedâGreek, "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").
hisâGreek, "his own": his own beast convicted him of his own iniquity.
assâliterally, "beast of burden"; the ass was the ordinary animal used in riding in Palestine.
dumbâGreek, "voiceless-speaking in man's voice"; marking the marvellous nature of the miracle.
forbadeâliterally, "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 contrastâa dumb beast forbidding an inspired prophet!
Verse 17
17. (Judges 1:12; Judges 1:13.)
wellsâ"clouds" in Jude; both promising (compare Judges 1:13- :) water, but yielding none; so their "great swelling words" are found on trial to be but "vanity" (Judges 1:13- :).
cloudsâThe 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 Judges 1:12, where it is appropriate, "clouds . . . without water" (promising what they do not perform); but not here, "mists driven along by a tempest."
mistâblackness; "the chilling horror accompanying darkness" [BENGEL].
Verse 18
18. allureâGreek, "lay baits for."
throughâGreek, "in"; the lusts of the flesh being the element IN which they lay their baits.
much wantonnessâGreek, "by licentiousness"; the bait which they lay.
clean escapedâGreek, "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 ( :-).
Verse 19
19. promise . . . libertyâ(Christian)âThese promises are instances of their "great swelling words" ( :-). The liberty which they propose is such as fears not Satan, nor loathes the flesh. Pauline language, adopted by Peter here, and 1 Peter 2:16; see on 1 Peter 2:16- :; (compare 2 Peter 3:15; Romans 6:16-22; Romans 8:15; Romans 8:21; Galatians 5:1; Galatians 5:13; compare Galatians 5:13- :).
corruptionâ(See on Galatians 5:13- :); "destroyed . . . perish . . . corruption."
of whomâ"by whatever . . . by the same," &c.
Verse 20
20. after theyâthe seducers "themselves" have escaped ( :-; see on :-).
pollutionsâwhich bring "corruption" (2 Peter 2:19).
throughâGreek, "in."
knowledgeâGreek, "full and accurate knowledge."
the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christâsolemnly expressing in full the great and gracious One from whom they fall.
latter end is worse . . . than the beginningâPeter remembers Christ's words. "Worse" stands opposed to "better" (2 Peter 2:19- :).
Verse 21
21. the way of righteousnessâ"the way of truth" (2 Peter 2:2). Christian doctrine, and "the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour."
turnâback again; so the Greek.
from the holy commandmentâthe Gospel which enjoins holiness; in opposition to their corruption. "Holy," not that it makes holy, but because it ought to be kept inviolate [TITTMANN].
deliveredâonce for all; admitting no turning back.
Verse 22
22. ButâYou need not wonder at the event; for dogs and swine they were before, and dogs and swine they will continue. They "scarcely" ( :-) 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" ( :-). Peter often quoted Proverbs in his First Epistle (1 Peter 1:7; 1 Peter 2:17; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 Peter 4:18); another proof that both Epistles come from the same writer.