Read or listen The Second Epistle of Peter chapter 2 online (ESV, Bible Gateway)

The second chapter of 2 Peter is very similar to the letter of Jude. They even have the same passages word for word. The reason for this is uncertain. The most likely explanation is that Peter quoted the letter of Jude. A common source is not impossible.

The fact that the same problem had to be addressed in two New Testament letters is a reminder that from the beginning there have also been those in the church who have abandoned the apostolic teaching and started to spread their own, new doctrines. When the problem has had to be revisited, the opponents of the true doctrine have been persistent; this is often the case today: one rebuke does not bring those who have gone astray back to the right path.

False doctrine leads to destruction – 2 Peter 2:1-3

Even in the Old Testament, false teachers tried to lure God’s people into false ways. Jeremiah’s opponent was Hananiah; the battle between the two is told in Jeremiah 28. Many other men of God in the Old Testament also had to fight against false teachers. Even Moses had to give instructions on how to deal with false teachers (Deuteronomy 13:1-19).

In his farewell sermon at Miletus, Paul warned the Christians of Ephesus about false teachers rising up from among them (Acts 20:29-31). A traitor rising up from within is often a more subtle opponent than an external enemy. Satan tries to break up the church not only through persecution and other external attacks, but also through internal disintegration.

Of course, false teachers do not declare themselves to be heretics, but true defenders of the original Christian doctrine. This has always been the case and will always be the case.

There are usually a few characteristics associated with false teachers that can be used to identify them:

1. Usually heretics do not publicly deny the authority of the Bible, but talk about reinterpreting or understanding it anew. However, this means false teaching and, in essence, abandoning the Bible.

In order to recognize heresy, we must know the true doctrine, that is, the teaching of the Bible. No one can learn all possible heresies, and it is not necessary, but the most important thing is to know the true doctrine.

Peter speaks of the heretics "denying the Master who bought them". They therefore did not consider the work of Jesus on the cross as the basis for salvation. Heresies involve denying God’s plan of salvation and replacing it with their own doctrines.

Luther has said that if we do not stick to the word of the Bible like a rabbit in its hole, all is lost. Where one truth of the Bible is abandoned, the way is opened for denying other teachings of the Bible.

2. Many heresies have liberal morals (compare verse 2), of course there are also representatives of the other extreme: strict legalistic heresies.
 Heretic teachers often want to proclaim what their listeners want to hear. For example, in modern times, talk about biblical ethics has been labeled "old-fashioned". The spirit of the times is that everyone decides what is right and wrong. Man himself is set as the ethical standard for man, not God's law.

3. The great popularity. it is explained by the fact that in heresies the listeners are given what they want to hear. However, one should not imagine that unpopularity is a sign of true doctrine!

4. Often heresies are actually businesses: they seek to enrich their leaders (verse 3, cf. 1 Tim 6:5). Paul assumed that preachers of the gospel should earn their living from the gospel (1 Cor 9:14). Church workers should be paid a normal salary so that they are not tempted to abuse their position for personal gain.

5. In many sects, unconditional obedience to the leader's will is required. However, a Christian is a follower of Jesus. All other leaders are followed only to the extent that they are willing to follow Jesus.

Three examples from history – 2 Peter 2:4-8

The letter of Jude gives three Old Testament examples of God’s judgment (Jude 5-7). Peter has two of the same stories as Jude, but the judgment during the wilderness journey (Jude 5) that Jude tells is matched by Peter’s account of the judgment of angels. The order of the examples is also different.

The first example – the judgment of angels (verse 4) – reminds us that even angels cannot escape God’s judgment. The fact that angels were “reserved” to await judgment shows that sin does not always result in immediate judgment and punishment. Most scholars think that Peter is describing the events of Noah’s day (Genesis 6:1-4), but it is possible that he is referring to the first fall, when the archangel Lucifer became God’s adversary, Satan (Isaiah 14:9-21).

Another example - the flood (verse 5, Genesis 6:5-9:17) - shows that judgment can be avoided by believing what God says: Noah and his family were saved, even though the world was destroyed. Noah is also an example of patience and endurance: despite ridicule, he built a large ark.

The third example - Sodom and Gomorrah (verses 6-8, Genesis 18:16-19:30) - teaches that living as a Christian can be difficult. Lot was troubled by the fact that he had to live in an ungodly environment. In the Old Testament, Sodom and Gomorrah are "archetypes of sinful places": Deuteronomy 29:22, 32:32, Psalm 107:33-34, Isaiah 1:9-10, Jeremiah 23:14, Lamentations 4:6, Ezekiel 16:46-56, Amos 4:11, Zephaniah 2:9 (see also Hosea 11:8).

"Hell" (verse 4) is the Greek word for Tartarus, which in Greek mythology meant an underground place, a pit, into which those who rebelled against the gods were thrown. It is difficult to say whether Peter is trying to say something by choosing this pagan word, or whether it is simply a familiar image of a place of awaiting judgment to the people of that time.

The Old Testament does not tell us about Noah's preaching work (verse 5) or Lot's sorrow over the surrounding wickedness (verse 7).

The building work of Noah's ark was certainly a wordless declaration in itself, but surely he also told the reason for building the ark: God's judgment will meet the sinful world (Genesis 6:13).

Judgment will come in due time – 2 Peter 2:9-16

Verse 9 is a summary of the three Old Testament examples given above.

At the end of verse 10, "the glorious ones" are mentioned. Jude (verse 9) speaks of the Devil, so it refers to spiritual powers. Peter is obviously talking about fallen angels: evil spiritual powers should not be underestimated.

Verse 13 has two different Greek versions, one of which refers to the so-called love feasts that were celebrated in the early church in connection with the Lord’s Supper (see 1 Cor 11:20-22, Jude 12). Love feasts were real meals, a kind of feast of dumplings.

The heretics sought pleasures, especially in the area of ​​sexuality (verses 13-14) Evenings and nights were not enough for the celebration, but it had to start already during the day (verse 13, Eccl 10:16, Isa 5:11). New converts were the easiest victims for the heretics (verse 14).

Verse 13 has two different Greek versions, one of which refers to the so-called "Agape Meal" ("love feasts") that were celebrated in the early church in connection with the Lord’s Supper (see 1 Cor 11:20-22, Jude 12). Agape is the Greek word to describe the deepest kind of spiritual love. An "Agape Meal" encourages harmony, community, and goodwill. Love feasts were real meals, a kind of potluck.

The heretics sought pleasures, especially in the area of ​​sexuality (verses 13-14) Evenings and nights were not enough for the celebration, but they had to start already during the day (verse 13, Eccl 10:16, Isa 5:11). New converts were the easiest victims for the heretics (verse 14).

Christianity has often been called "the way" (verse 15, John 14:6, Acts 9:2, 2 Peter 2:21).

"Jesus said to him,
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me."
John 14:6

Peter gives another Old Testament example: Balaam, who was hired by the king of Moab to curse the people of Israel. But Balaam could not do anything against God's will, and so the curse was turned into a blessing (Numbers 22:2-24:25). His willingness to try to curse Israel for money showed his greed. When Balaam was on his way to the king of Moab, an angel of God tried to stop him, but only Balaam's donkey saw the angel, not the prophet. Finally, God made the donkey speak (Numbers 22:21-35). Here we see Peter’s mockery of the false teachers: they were gnostics who claimed to have special knowledge, but in reality they were blind and foolish (verse 16).

Balaam led Israel into the worship of Baal of Peor (Numbers 25:1-3, 31:16) and into fornication (Numbers 25:4-18). When Balaam could not change God’s view of Israel, he tried to change Israel’s view of God.

Slavery, Not Freedom – 2 Peter 2:17-22

Finally, Peter reminds his readers that false teachers promise something that they cannot ultimately deliver. They promise freedom (verse 19), but they themselves are slaves of sin (compare John 8:34, Romans 6:16).

The basic teaching of many false teachings can be summed up as “Freedom!” People want freedom from various things. He who offers freedom from everything that oppresses us will certainly gain followers. But unfortunately, “the blind lead the blind”: a person who has not found true freedom cannot lead others to freedom. When it is revealed that the freedom offered was only a new form of slavery, it may be too late and difficult to get rid of it.

The only place where freedom can be found is in the will of God (John 8:32, Galatians 5:1-6).

In the Old Testament, true teaching and true teachers were compared to a spring or fountain (Proverbs 10:11, 14:27, Jer 2:13, see also John 7:37-38).

"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life" (Proverbs 10:11)

False teachers are like a dried-up spring or well: from afar they promise much, but no water can be found in them. The disappointment of the thirsty traveler is great when the well is empty.

Two images can be associated with a cloud scattered by a gust of wind:

1. The cloud is weak, it does not last. Heresies have no lasting foundation for life.

2. Clouds are constantly changing their shape. Heresies also change according to the "market situation": what the people want to hear now.

Verse 18 shows that the speeches of false teachers and their lives do not correspond to each other: there is no basis for grand speeches in the teacher's own life. But at the same time Peter reminds us that the content of grand speeches is not boasting either, the teaching of false teachers is empty. And again (verse 18) Peter speaks of the greatest danger for newly converted people of falling prey to false teachers.

Verse 20 shows that all the doctrines of "once-for-all salvation" are false. A person can fall away from God's grace. It would be great, of course, if someone who has once turned to Jesus would definitely arrive in heaven, but unfortunately the entire New Testament testifies to the struggle in this world: Satan tries to win back the people he has lost, and unfortunately in some cases he succeeds.

Verse 20 shows that all the doctrines of "once-for-all salvation" are false. A person can fall away from God's grace. It would be great, of course, if someone who has once turned to Jesus would definitely be in heaven, but unfortunately the entire New Testament testifies to the struggle in this world: Satan tries to win back the people he has lost, and unfortunately, in some cases he succeeds.

In conjunction with verse 21, it is good to read Jesus' parable of the expelled evil spirit who returns with seven more evil spirits: Matthew 12:43-45. A person who has been involved in the activities of the Christian church, but then abandoned his faith, is like "vaccinated": he has developed a resistance to faith. Therefore, it is better not to lure anyone to the path of faith with light arguments; if one does not stay on the path, but falls away from it, the threshold for coming back may be raised unreasonably high.

In verse 22, the proverb about the dog is a quote from Proverbs 26:11, while the proverb about the pig is not from the Old Testament, but it is known from many cultures of that time. Both the pig (Lev. 11:7, Matt. 7:6) and the dog (1 Kings 21:19,24, Phil. 3:2, Rev. 22:15) were unclean animals. It is worth remembering that the dogs of that time were stray dogs, not household pets.

This passage illustrates in a dark way that although the false teachers claimed greatness, in the end it was the case that nothing had changed in them. They had not become children of God and had not come into communion with the living God. If that change had not occurred, all other changes remained meaningless. They were new wrapping papers for the old paganism.