2 Pietro 2:19 Commento

The apostle, having in the foregoing chapter exhorted them to proceed and advance in the Christian race, now comes to remove, as much as in him lay, what he could not but apprehend would hinder their complying with his exhortation. He therefore gives them fair warning of false teachers, by whom they might be in danger of being seduced. To prevent this, I. He describes these seducers as impious in themselves, and very pernicious to others (Pe2 2:1-3). II. He assures them of the punishment that shall be inflicted on them (Pe2 2:3-6). III. He tells us how contrary the method is which God takes with those who fear him (Pe2 2:7-9). IV. He fills up the rest of the chapter with a further description of those seducers of whom he would have them beware.

INTRODUCTION TO 2 PETER 2 This chapter contains a description of false teachers, that were then in Christian churches, as there had been false prophets among the Jews; and they are described by the doctrines, which they privily introduced; in general, damnable heresies; in particular, denying the Lord that bought them; and by their success, having many followers of them in their pernicious ways; and by the sad effects following hereupon; with respect to the way of truth, that was blasphemed; with respect to their hearers, they, through the covetousness of these false teachers, were made merchandise of; and with respect to themselves, swift and sure destruction would be brought upon them, Pe2 2:1, which is illustrated and confirmed by the instances of punishment in the angels, the men of the old world, and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, Pe2 2:4 and whereas, in these instances, notice is taken of the deliverance of some righteous persons, as Noah and Lot, when wicked men were destroyed; the apostle draws this conclusion from the whole, that the Lord knows both how to deliver the saints out of afflictions, and to reserve wicked men until the day of judgment, then to be punished, Pe2 2:9, especially such shall be then punished, who are described by their impure course of lift, their contempt of civil government, and their presumption and selfwill, Pe2 1:10 which sins of theirs are aggravated by the different conduct of angels, superior to them; and by their being like brute beasts, as ignorant as they, and even below them; whose punishment will be to perish in their corruption, as the just reward of their unrighteousness, since they are open in sin, take pleasure in it, and sport themselves with it, and are spots and blemishes in Christian societies, Pe2 2:11 and these, who are no other than the false teachers before spoken of, are further described by their adulterous eyes, which cannot cease from sin; by their beguiling unstable souls; by the covetous practices their hearts were exercised with; by their just desert, cursed children; by the course they steer, forsaking the right way, going astray from it, and following the way of Balaam in his covetousness, and other wicked practices, for which he was reproved by his ass; and by various metaphors, which express the emptiness of these persons, and which also point at their destruction, and describe their boasts and brags, and the influence they have, through their lasciviousness and uncleanness, on some persons, who have been outwardly reformed, Pe2 2:14 and this they obtain over them in a very stupid and senseless way, by promising them liberty, when through being overcome by them, and drawn into sin, they were brought into bondage, and become servants of corruption; and so their case is worse than it was before their reformation, and profession of religion; and better it would have been not to have had the knowledge they had, than after it to turn from the paths of truth and holiness, which is illustrated by a true Scripture proverb, which expresses the filthy nature of sin, the character of these men, and their irrecoverable state and condition, Pe2 2:19.

While they promise them liberty,.... Not Christian liberty, which lies in a freedom from sin, its dominion, guilt, and condemnation, and in serving God with liberty, cheerfulness, and without fear; but a sinful carnal liberty, a liberty from the law of God, from obedience to it as a rule of walk and conversation, and from the laws of men, from subjection to the civil magistrate, and from servitude to masters, and obedience to parents; a liberty to lay aside and neglect the ordinances of the Gospel at pleasure, and to live in all manner of sin and wickedness; a liberty which is contrary to the nature, will, and work of Christ, to his Spirit, and to the principle of grace in the heart, and to the Gospel, and to the conduct and conversation of real saints. Now this was the snare by which the false teachers beguiled unstable souls; liberty being what is greatly desirable to men, and is suited to their carnal lusts and interests: but a vain promise was this, when they themselves are the servants of corruption; of sin, which has corrupted all mankind in soul and body; and particularly the lust of uncleanness, which these men walked in, and by which they not only corrupted themselves, but the good manners of others also; and which tended and led them both to ruin and destruction, signified by the pit of corruption: and yet these very preachers, that promised liberty to others, were the servants of sin; they were under the power and government of sin. They were not only born so, and were homeborn slaves to sin, but they sold themselves to work wickedness; voluntarily and with delight, they served divers lusts and pleasures, and were slaves and drudges thereunto; as likewise to Satan, whose lusts they would do, and by whom they were led captive; so that their condition was mean, base, and deplorable, and therefore could never make good their promise, or give that which they had not themselves: and which is confirmed by the following reasoning, for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage: as this is a certain point in war, that when one man is conquered by another, he is no longer a free man, but the other's prisoner and captive, and is in a state of servitude and bondage; so it is when a man is overcome by sin, which must be understood not of a partial victory or conquest, for a good man may be surprised by sin, and overtaken in a fault, and be overcome and carried captive by it for a time, as was the apostle, see Rom 7:23; and yet not be a servant of corruption, or properly in a state of bondage to it; but this is to be understood of a total and complete victory, when a man is wholly under the dominion of sin, it reigns in his mortal body, and he obeys it in the lusts of it, and yields his members instruments of unrighteousness; such a man is neither a free man himself, nor can he much less promise and give liberty to others.

For as the serpent beguiled Eve, by promising her what he had not himself, so also do these men, by pretending [to possess] superior knowledge, and [to be acquainted with] ineffable mysteries; and, by promising that admittance which they speak of as taking place within the Pleroma, plunge those that believe them into death, rendering them apostates from Him who made them.

When a man is said to be given up to his desires, he derives guilt from them, because, deserted by God, he yields and consents to them, is conquered, seized, attracted and possessed by them.

A man is the slave of whatever vice controls him.

These are the springs lacking water, the clouds carried by the storm, by which the darkness of gloom has been preserved for eternity. Indeed, where the proud words of vanity have sounded, they ensnare through the lusts of the flesh in their desires, those who have truly fled, who were wandering in error, while promising them freedom, when they themselves are slaves of corruption. For by whom anyone is overcome, to him he is also enslaved. While Peter was saying many things, among which he also brought up the example of Balaam, he again took up the discourse about the impure Gnostics, and compared them to sources lacking water, as those who have lost the water of life, that is, the purity of preaching and drinkable water: which when the Lord had, he promised that he would satisfy many who came to it. (Jn. 1:6) But he also compared them to clouds carried by the wind, in a contrary manner: for this reason, he also called the wind a storm, as one that turns and disturbs what is agitated: for this is what a storm usually does. Therefore, they are not radiant clouds like the saints, but mists full of darkness. (Isa. 60:2) "by which the darkness of gloom has been preserved for eternity" (but it is said to be eternal judgment); and for what reason? Peter added the cause, that through proud words stemming from vanity, they ensnare those who have truly fled and who once wandered in error through fleshly desire in corruption. Therefore, those who commit these acts are subject to impurities, arrogance, and impiety. But also, Peter says, since they are of the aforementioned filth, which he rightly calls corruption, they promise freedom to those who are deceived, not indeed of true life, but of that which is according to indulgence. Therefore, he also adds a reason why they are slaves of sin, saying something remarkable, that whoever is led astray by any passion is also bound to this in slavery. Then Peter again confirms this with another example, showing how one who is overcome by someone else is also a slave to him, and he makes an argument based on this assumption.

These men promised people freedom from deception when in fact they were encouraging others to lapse back into it.

The one who is enslaved to any single passion is also dominated by it and is unable to obey the commandments of the Lord.

They themselves, he says, being slaves of the aforementioned impurity, which he rightly also called corruption, promise freedom to those they deceive. And as to why they promise freedom to others while themselves being slaves of sin, he brings forth a fine proof of this: whoever is overcome by any passion is also a slave to it. But this will be explained more fully further on.

False teachers foretold, who shall bring in destructive doctrines and shall pervert many, but at last be destroyed by the judgments of God, Pe2 2:1-3. Instances of God's judgments in the rebellious angels, Pe2 2:4. In the antediluvians, Pe2 2:5. In the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, Pe2 2:6-8. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly, as well as to punish the ungodly, Pe2 2:9. The character of those seducing teachers and their disciples; they are unclean, presumptuous, speak evil of dignities, adulterous, covetous, and cursed, Pe2 2:10-14. Have forsaken the right way, copy the conduct of Balaam, speak great swelling words, and pervert those who had escaped from error, Pe2 2:15-19. The miserable state of those who, having escaped the corruption that is in the world, have turned back like the dog to his vomit, and the washed swine to her wallowing in the mire, Pe2 2:20-22.

While they promise them liberty - Either to live in the highest degrees of spiritual good, or a freedom from the Roman yoke; or from the yoke of the law, or what they might term needless restraints. Their own conduct showed the falsity of their system; for they were slaves to every disgraceful lust. For of whom a man is overcome - This is an allusion to the ancient custom of selling for slaves those whom they had conquered and captivated in war. The ancient law was, that a man might either kill him whom he overcame in battle, or keep him for a slave. These were called servi, slaves, from the verb servare, to keep or preserve. And they were also called mancipia, from manu capiuntur, they are taken captive by the hand of their enemy. Thus the person who is overcome by his lusts is represented as being the slave of those lusts. See Rom 6:16, and the note there.

FALSE TEACHERS TO ARISE: THEM BAD PRACTICES AND SURE DESTRUCTION, FROM WHICH THE GODLY SHALL BE DELIVERED, AS LOT WAS. (2Pe. 2:1-22) But--in contrast to the prophets "moved by the Holy Ghost" (Pe2 1:21). also--as well as the true prophets (Pe2 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 Pe1 1:1). Such a "false prophet" was Balaam (Pe2 2:15). there shall be--Already symptoms of the evil were appearing (Pe2 2:9-22; Jde 1:4-13). false teachers--teachers of falsehood. In contrast to the true teachers, whom he exhorts his readers to give heed to (Pe2 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 (Jde 1:4). damnable--literally, "of destruction"; entailing destruction (Phi 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 (Luk 22:61-62). denying--Him whom, above all others, they ought to confess. Lord--"Master and Owner" (Greek), compare Jde 1:4, 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 Jo1 4:3). bring upon themselves--compare "God bringing in the flood upon the world," Pe2 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 Jde 1:11, which is akin to this passage.

promise . . . liberty--(Christian)--These promises are instances of their "great swelling words" (Pe2 2:18). The liberty which they propose is such as fears not Satan, nor loathes the flesh. Pauline language, adopted by Peter here, and Pe1 2:16; see on Pe1 2:16; (compare Pe2 3:15; Rom 6:16-22; Rom 8:15, Rom 8:21; Gal 5:1, Gal 5:13; compare Joh 8:34). corruption--(See on Pe2 2:12); "destroyed . . . perish . . . corruption." of whom--"by whatever . . . by the same," &c.