2 Peter 2:17-22

From the beginning of 2nd Peter, we see him very joyously reminding his readers/listeners of their faith in Jesus. Peter is, I believe, clear that the recipients of this letter are firm, unwavering believers. There is no sense in which Peter is rebuking his followers as Paul did in Galatians. This, really, more or less sounds like Jesus' letter to the church in Smyrna in Revelation 2. They were faithful followers of Jesus who were going to be facing persecution and were told to remain steadfast. Here, also, Peter takes time to let the church know he was not writing to rebuke but to train and prepare his followers for deception. And, because of that, he uses no uncertain terms in defining the coming "dogs." Unlike Apollos, who was trained well up through the baptism of John and simply needed to have his understanding completed through the work of Prisca and Aquilla, these deceivers are not well-meaning, misinformed followers. These are bold and willful, wanton, lascivious, lustful, and greedy.

Over the past two weeks, we have covered vs. 1-10a, where Peter systematically calls out condemnation on false teachers, using the fallen angels, the flood, and Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of "what is going to happen to the unrighteous" (meaning they are not justified or saved at all), while he uses Noah and Lot as an example of how God will "rescue the godly from trials" (meaning confirmed believers who are growing in holiness and bearing fruit).

At this point in his letter, Peter more clearly defines the deception and greed of false teachers with copious adjectives. He has already spoken of them as "bold and willful," blasphemers, irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. Then, he defines them as "counting it pleasure to revel in the day time" (another way to say that is, "they're stealing the biggest car in the county under the cover of brightest afternoon"), blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions during communion (which means they are secretive, sly, known regulars amongst all of the disciples, and speak some truths while carefully introducing error). They are adulterous, never ceasing from sin, trained in greed.

He goes on.

17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that, he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

17. These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them, the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.

• Waterless Springs
• COMMENTS: What are waterless springs? Jude, who seems to steal a lot of great material from Peter, uses the phrase "waterless clouds" to mean an unfulfilled promise. For a farmer, clouds give the hope of rain and growing crops. Waterless crops are like a flirting girl who has NO intention of following up on the flirt. And, what does Peter say regarding these teases, these flirtations? The gloom of utter darkness has been reserved for them. Why? Old Testament prophets were to be killed if their prophecies did not come true.
• [Jde 1:12-13 ESV] These are hidden reefs at your love feasts (again, speaking of communion), as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves (as opposed to feeding the sheep, likely referring to taking money from the treasury); waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
• Faith Healers are some of the most brazen, some of the most obvious false teachers because of their astounding claims. Recently, Conti Hinn, nephew of the "famed" faith healer, Benny Hinn, released a book on his 2-year stint with his uncle. He would also be considered a "waterless spring," as his ministry has not produced one verifiable healing, whether it be from cancer, people missing limbs (yes – he claimed to be able to grow limbs from stumps). Check out the entire interview on wretched.tv.
• Clouds
• COMMENTS: What does Paul say about people who wander about like wind? 1. Eph 4:14 - so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
• Darkness
• COMMENTS: Jesus, Jude and Peter all mark a coming condemnation to outer darkness of "worthless servants," "sons of the kingdom," "wild waves of the sea," and "wandering stars" to a place reserved for the devil and his angels.
• [Jde 1:10-16 (13) ESV] wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
• See other verses: [2Pe 2:4 ESV], [Mat 8:12 ESV], [Mat 25:30 ESV]

18. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.

• Speaking Loud Boasts of Folly
• COMMENTS:
• We are aware of many who boasted in Scripture and were punished because of it. Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Pharoah, Satan, to name a few. In this passage, false teachers are found to utter loud foolish boasts.
• Loudness is often seen as "authoritative." In this case, their loudness is accompanied by foolishness (think of the faith healers mentioned earlier). Frankly, you might get better training by watching Steve Martin's "Leap of Faith" about a false faith healer who ends up getting vindication by praying for rain during a drought, and it rains...
• It's like those sorts of individuals who Brian Regan refers to as "me-monsters." Their stories are always better than yours, their molar removals are more horrendous, and their truth truer than the Gospel itself. They win arguments by talking louder and longer until their opponents simply give up. And, that is considered a victory for them. Let me comfort you, o despondent ones. The Lord knows how to keep rescue and punish.
• That said: Q: Some say we should live and let live, that it is arrogant and even wrong to question the "sincere" beliefs of others. What does this passage say in response to such a charge?
• VERSES
• [Act 8:9 ESV] "But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great." Simon, then, heard the gospel and believed. Belief and salvation are not always correlated. In this case, Simon was like the Muslim I once heard about who was adding religions to her belief system so she could be sure to not be punished for her sins. In this case, Simon was a greedy power-seeker. READ Acts 8:28-24.
• Q: What were the apostles' response to Simon?
• [Acts 12:20-24.] Passages from Revelation tell us that certain false teachers will be able to deceive people with signs and wonders. Yet, Peter reminds us that God knows how to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment. The Herod spoken of in Acts 12 is a proper example of those speaking loud boasts of folly being judged by God with scary immediacy.
• See also Rev 13:5-6; Isaiah 14:12-15; Psa 73:8-9; 2Th 2:4; Jde 1:16 ESV
• Sensual
• [Rom 13:13 ESV] Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
• COMMENTS:
• John MacArthur states, "Seduction, rather than the winsomeness of truth, is their ploy. They offer people a kind of religion that they can embrace and yet still hold on to their fleshly desires and sensuality."
• Q: What are ways false teachers seduce people into believing them?
• They can work for it.
• Hyper-grace, which gives way to licentiousness.
• Claiming you can produce healings, cast out demons
• Claiming to produce wealth
• See also [Jas 5:5 ESV]

19. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

• Promise
• COMMENTS:
• As John MacArthur states, "False teachers promise those “trying to escape” the struggles of life, the very freedom they seek."
• Is it truly that these false teachers know they are slaves and wish to be freed? Is it that they are preaching Christ out of rivalry? Whatever the case, they are as enslaved to the corruption they are promising to free others from. Notice the false teacher doesn't say "sin" but "corruption."
• See other verses [Gal 5:1, 13; 1Pe 2:16 ESV]
• They themselves
• [Jhn 8:34 ESV] Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
• See also [Rom 6:12-14,16-22 ESV] [Tit 3:3 ESV]
• Overcome
• What is the opposite of being overcome by the flesh? Paul tells Timothy in 2Ti 2:26 that "they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will."

20. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

• After
• [Mat 12:43-45 ESV] "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation." [See also Luke 11:24-26].
• [Heb 10:26-27] For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.
• Escaped
• VERSES:
• 2 Peter 1:4; 2:18
• COMMENTS:
• Note the word "if." This has similarity to Hebrews 6 about falling away after having "tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come." As reformed believers, we believe as is stated in 1 John that those who are backsliders, never slid forward. "They went out from us because they were not of us." Peter, the writer to the Hebrews, and the whole of the NT agrees: What has been given to Jesus, no one can snatch from his hand.
• Through the knowledge
• 2 Peter 1:2
• The Latter

21. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

• It would have been better
• [Heb 6:4-8 ESV] For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.
• [Jhn 15:22 ESV] If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

22. What the true proverb says has happened to them: "The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire."

• The dog
• Pro 26:11 - Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.
• Q: If we are to be imitators of Jesus, what should be our response to false religion and teachers?
• Q: What do these passages say about apostasy, that is, about rejecting the truth after one has claimed to believe it?

2 Peter 2:4-10a

Last week, we finally moved into the heart of Peter's message to the dispersed Christians – false teachers and false prophets. We made note of the many characteristics of false teachers, primarily that they deny the clear reading of Sacred Scripture, they deny redemption and repentance, and they are greedy for gain. 

This week, we will continue our study of 2 Peter 2. We first begin with three stories of how God "[keeps] the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment." We, then, will move into a series of metaphors describing the unrighteous and their deeds. 

Vs.4-10a 

Verse-by-verse comments 

• For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 
  • Are all angels bound? No. We know from the story of the possessed pigs that some are bound in the abyss, called Tataroos (tar-tah-RAH-oh), by Jewish tradition the deepest pit in hell, reserved for fallen angels. We also know from Job, the stories of possessions in the Gospels (until Jesus cast them out) and Revelation 12 that some are free to roam heaven and earth. On the flipside, we are told in Romans 9:1-12 that some are temporarily bound. However, Revelation also tells us that Christ will come to put an end to all evil once and for all.  
  • Matt. 25:41. “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 
  • Jude 1:6. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 
  • Calvary Chapel pastor, Jon Courson, comments that those who have been swayed by false teachers will yield to them only because they have such angelic personalities. Yet, Paul says in Galatians, that if anyone from his team or an angel of light preach any other gospel than the one foundationally taught, let them be anathema. 
• if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 
  • Heb. 11:7. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. 
  • The recently-released movie, Noah, starring Russell Crowe would have us believe that Noah would not have taken repentant souls with him on the boat. Yet, Noah was found preaching the coming judgment and a salvation of sorts through the ark. Yet, no one listened, but laughed, mocked and scorned him to their shame and ultimate destruction. 
• if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 
  • And, what do we remember about that story? Abraham talked God down to not destroying the evil and the righteous together if there were 10 or more righteous persons in the city. 
  • Initially, we also remember that there were tensions in the Abrahamic family before Lot separated (amicably) from Abraham. Lot saw the green grass of the hills surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah and saw an economically good place to raise his family, not seeing the evil he was walking into. Abraham did not see the green grass until he was over the hill...FINISH?! LEAVE OUT?! 
  • Jon Courson uses the story of the Angels of the Lord literally grabbing Lot, his wife and daughters and dragging them out of the city to illustrate the coming Rapture. MORE THOUGHTS! 
• and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 
  • Gen. 19:16. But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 
  • 1 Corinthians 10:13. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 
• (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 
  • 1 Tim. 1:9. understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 
  • Psalm 119:158. I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands. 
  • COMMENT: While Genesis does not paint Lot as a particularly righteous man, God clearly saw him as righteous. Those of us that know Nigel Hunter may remember him saying that the Father sees us through the filter of Jesus. If we have put our faith in the savior, God sees us as he would see Jesus, not that we haven't, aren't, or won't sin, but clearly Jesus sets us apart for future glory.  
• then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 
  • Psalm 4:3, and many other passages, remind us that the LORD sets apart the godly for himself. God knows how to rescue the godly because he has preplanned their salvation, their preservation/sanctification, and their glorification.  
  • Psalm 34:15-19. The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. 
  • Titus 2:14. who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. 
• and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. 
  • Romans 8:12-13. So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 
  • 1 Cor. 6:9. Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,. See also Eph. 5:5. 
  • Jude 1:6-8. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 
• SECTION END NOTE: God is as angry at false teachers as he is of: 
  • Angels attempting to overthrow his reign in heaven, so much so that he damned them immediately and will do so finally for eternity upon Christ's return 
  • A world of creatures rejecting their creator, so much so that he drowned all but 8 humans in order to 1) demonstrate that his judgment is final, but also 2) that God is mighty to save those who trust in God's plan, and ultimately, man of salvation. 
  • A city set against righteous Lot, whose perversion nearly drove them to rape the Angels of the Lord, so much so that God burned the city with fire and brimstone. 
  • We should also make note that in warning the unrighteous and false teachers/prophets, he doesn't bring up false teachers and their punishments, whether it's Elijah vs. The 450 prophets of Baal, Michaiah and the false prophets of Israel, or Balaam (yet). 
  • Yes, God knows how to save the righteous and punish the wicked. 
• Vs. 10b-22. 
  • I hope I'm using the right word when I say metaphor. The wicked are described here in this section with: 
    • Adjectives: bold, willful, irrational, instinct, ignorant 
    • Nouns: animals,  
    • Verbs: do not tremble, they blaspheme,  
    • Metaphors: born to be caught and destroyed,  
    
    
• 10a Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. 
  • What is Peter talking about? Speaking evil of or reviling. What does this look like? How about the Roman Church creating a caricature of Satan, colored in red with horns and a pitchfork? How about "rebuking Satan?" My "friend," David McCarthy and many others speak of this. What is the antithesis to this? Preaching the Gospel. That is our task as is mentioned even in Ephesians as we are to put on the Armor of God. We are not to talk to or rebuke Satan. Praying to the Father in the name of the Son through the power of the Holy Spirit. 
  • I had the experience of hearing, what seemed to be, a real demon possession. A lady called into a Christian radio show with troubles and throughout the broadcast the host became aware either explicitly or implicitly that the woman was possessed by a demon. While the demon would attempt to speak, the host merely told the demon to stop talking. All the meanwhile, he was presenting the gospel to the woman who ultimately became delivered of the possession through repentance towards God and faith in Jesus. That is our task. Know the Gospel. Believe the Gospel. Share the Gospel. 
• 12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 
• 13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. 
• 14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 
• 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 
• 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet's madness. 
  • Peter refers to them as creatures of instinct. What do you think he's referring to? 
  • Are we dealing with well-meaning individuals who are misinformed? The context clearly shows that Peter is referring to unsaved people. They are slaves to sin and their natural born instinct is to fulfill the desires of the flesh. This hearkens back to the Reformed doctrine of Total Depravity, often called Radical Depravity. Every part of humanity after the fall and prior to salvation has no desire to seek the Lord. They may seek spiritual things, but, as previously noted, there is a difference between seeking 'god' and seeking the God of the Bible, of whom it is written we love Him because He first loved us! 
  • Then, we come to Balaam. This is quite a story in its own right. If you're not familiar with the story, read through Numbers 22 for the "the rest of the story." Balaam was paid a decent sum of money to give a false prophecy. On the way, his donkey noticed the angel of the Lord standing in their way, though Balaam did not. After repeated efforts to right his stubborn stag, the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey to speak to which Balaam replied, seemingly without surprise. Upon seeing the Angel, however, Balaam fell on his face before the Angel and did what God commanded of him. (David Hocking believes, as many others do, that the Angel was the pre-incarnate Jesus.) 
• 17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 
• 18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 
• 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. 
• 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 
• 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 
• 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”