2 Peter 2

2 Peter 2:1

Although Peter was a fisherman by occupation, Jesus commissioned him to be a shepherd by vocation when He said, “Feed My sheep; tend My flock; tend My lambs (see Joh_21:15-17). And as a shepherd, Peter knew his responsibility was twofold: to feed the flock, even as Paul instructed the Ephesian elders to do in Act_20:28; and, secondly, to warn the flock as Paul instructed two verses later in Act_20:30for if a shepherd feeds the flock without warning it, he is only fattening it for the kill. So here in chapter 2, as we come to the heart of Peter’s last epistle, we will see him issue a heartfelt word of warning to those he cares about so deeply… Just as there were false prophets amidst the “holy men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (see 2Pe_1:21), Peter knew that, following his “exodus,” false teachers would move in who would seek to destroy the work of God.

2 Peter 2:2

“Pernicious” means “lascivious” or “loose.” False teachers are loose with the truth, loose with their morals. Peter prophesied that, due to their loose lifestyles, false teachers would give a black eye to the Christian community, making it fodder for jokes on late-night television.

2 Peter 2:3

What motivates these false leaders, these false teachers? Making merchandise of God’s people, their desire is not to feed the flock, but to fleece the flock. Throughout history, there has been no shortage of gimmicks to make money in the name of spirituality. For example, certain ministries sell “holy water” from the Jordan River for a donation of twenty-five dollars. But if you go to Israel, you’ll see the same little vial selling for one dollar. This tendency so grieved Jesus that it caused Him to overturn tables in the temple rather than allow His Father’s house to remain a den of thieves (Mat_21:12-13).

2 Peter 2:4

“Wait a minute,” you say. “I know some of these preachers get a little carried away with their merchandising, but they’re really angels at heart.” “I don’t care if he, she, or they appear angelic,” Peter counters. “The fact is, God didn’t spare even angels who sin.”

2 Peter 2:5

Not only were angels cast down, but the world was washed up when, seeing a world polluted beyond redemption, God flooded it to put it out of its misery.

2 Peter 2:6

Whether it be in a worship leader like Lucifer, or a prosperous community like Sodom, God does not look lightly on falsity. The wheels of His judgment may turn slowlybut they grind thoroughly. “Look at history,” Peter says. “See what happens to angels, to people, to communities who manipulate, exploit, and play games spiritually.”

2 Peter 2:7

When Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees for the land to which God called him, he took his nephew with him. But as they traveled, problems arose when their flocks increased to the point that tension arose between the herdsmen over water rights and pastureland. “The world is watching us,” Abraham said. “It’s not good that our men are fighting. Therefore, choose where you want to settle. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.” We are told in Genesis 13, that Lot lifted up his eyes and, seeing grassy green hills, he said, “That’s where I want to take my flock.” And so it was that Lot chose to settle in the green hills surrounding Sodom and Gomorraha great place for cattle, but a lousy place for kids; a great place economically, but a dangerous place for his family; a great place materially, but a dark place spiritually. Lot lifted up his eyesbut he didn’t lift them high enough. Whenever you’re considering a move, if you lift your eyes only high enough to analyze the situation economically, you might end up on the hills of Sodom and Gomorrah that will destroy your family eventually. Look higher. Ask God who gives wisdom to all men generously (Jas_1:5). After looking toward Sodom, in Genesis 14 we see Lot living in Sodom. “It’s closer to the schools and to soccer practice,” he may have said. “We can save gas money.” So they moved to Sodomwhere the situation worsened, for in chapter 19, we see Lot sitting in the gate as a leader of Sodom. Following God’s judgment of Sodom, Lot ended up in a cave outside the city, where, after being seduced by his two daughters, he fathered Moab and Ammontwo nations who would be perpetual enemies of the children of Israel. In light of this sad, sordid story, I would think Lot was at best a marginal believer. But Scripture says otherwise, for Peter calls him a righteous man who was vexed, grieved, bothered by the pollution and sin surrounding him. This tells me a couple of things… First, we don’t know what’s going on in the heart of a man. We may think, That guy’s in Sodom. She’s in sin. But because we don’t know what’s going on deep within them, we mustn’t judge them. “The heart is deceitful,” Jeremiah tells us, “and desperately wicked above all things. Who can know it?” (see Jer_17:9). That’s why the psalmist would say, “Search my heart, Lord, and see if there be any wicked way in me” (see Psa_139:23). We don’t even have the ability to know our own hearts, much less the hearts of others. Second, Peter’s account of Lot reminds me that the sins of believers are never mentioned once in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, we see, for example, Abraham lying about his wife in order to protect his own skin, Lot’s foolish mistake in moving his family to Sodom, David’s murder of Uriah and adultery with Bathsheba. But in the New Testament there is no record of a believer’s sin. Why? Because under the New Covenant, the work of the Cross renders sin forgiven and forgotten (Heb_10:17). The Good News of the gospel is that if you are born again, you are justifiedjust as if you never sinned. Christianity is not based on good ideas or good views. It’s Good News. And I like thata Lot!

2 Peter 2:9

I believe this passage to be one of the most powerful proofs that believers will not go through the Tribulationthat period in history described in Revelation 6-19 when God will pour out His wrath upon a Christ-rejecting, sinful world. Peter’s words refer to a story we know well… “Abraham, we have come to judge Sodom,” said the Lord. Knowing his nephew, Lot, was living in the midst of Sodom with his family, Abraham said, “Shall not the judge of all the earth do righteously? Will You destroy the righteous with the wicked? If there are fifty righteous men in the city, will You spare the city?” “I’ll spare the city for fifty righteous men,” the Lord answered. “On second thought,” said Abraham, “if there are forty-five righteous men living in Sodom, will You spare the city?” “I’ll spare it for forty-five,” said the Lord. “Thirty?” ventured Abraham. “Okay,” said the Lord. “What if there are twenty righteous men living in Sodom?” “I’ll spare Sodom if there are twenty righteous men within,” said the Lord. “I hate to ask this,” Abraham finally said, “but will You spare it for only ten?” “Yes,” said the Lord. At that point, Abraham stopped negotiating. After all, Lot, his wife, two daughters, and two sons-in-law lived in Sodom. Surely they had influenced at least four others. However, as it turned out, Lot, his wife, and his two daughters were the only ones who escaped destruction, as the angels literally pulled them out of the city (Gen_19:16). The Lord does, indeed, know how to deliver the godly out of temptation, out of judgment, out of destruction. And, just as He did Lot and his family, He will deliver believers before He pours out His wrath in the Tribulation. Before the Tribulation breaks forth, He will snatch us up, take us out, call us home in the event called the Rapture, described in 1 Thessalonians 4.

2 Peter 2:10

The idea of “despising government” does not speak politically, but spiritually. That is, those who despise government are those who refuse to believe in the unseen spiritual realm. Again, the idea of dignitaries speaks not of human dignitaries, but of the demonic hierarchy seen in Ephesians 6.

2 Peter 2:11

In the Book of Jude, we read that after Moses died, Satan wanted his body (Jud_1:9). Knowing Scripture as he does, perhaps this was because Satan is aware of the fact that Moses will most likely be one of the two witnesses spoken of in the Tribulation period (Rev_11:3)and he wanted to prevent this from happening. Be that as it may, as Michael the archangel protected the body of Moses, Jude tells us he did not dare bring railing accusation against Satan, but rather called upon the Lord to rebuke him (Jud_1:9). As they rant and rave against the devil, I have seen some evangelists talk to and about Satan in ways Michael dared not speak. Peter and Jude say this ought not to be. Why? If you’ve played football you know the answer… As a football team, the last thing you want to do is mock your upcoming opponent in an interview because the opposing coach will gladly clip the article and put it on his team’s locker room bulletin board, knowing your comments will fire up his team better than he himself could. “They call us wimps and losers? We’ll see about that…” So, too, anyone who tries to incite believers to action by mocking Satan and his demons is making a big mistake. Wise is the man who, like Michael, puts the Lord between himself and the Enemy.

2 Peter 2:12

The riot spoken of here is not one of throwing rocks or bottle rockets against government buildings. No, it speaks of false teachers who flaunt their sinful lifestyles in the name of liberty. Hearing what the three million Israelites who were headed his way had done to Kings Sihon and Og, a worried King Balak sent for a prophet named Balaam to curse them. “The king wants to see you,” said Balak’s emissaries to Balaam. So Balaam asked God if he should go. When God said, “No,” Balaam said to the emissaries, “Sorry, guys. God says I can’t go.” Hearing this, Balak sent more powerful men to Balaam’s house. Again, Balaam prayed. “The Lord said I can’t go. In fact, even if you gave me a houseful of gold, I couldn’t go with you (hint, hint, hint).” After returning to Balak, they appeared a third time to Balaamthis time with a houseful of gold. At this point, Balaam prayed again. And this time, God said, “If you’re going to keep pressing the point and wanting your way, gobut don’t say anything I don’t tell you to say.” So Balaam got on his donkey and set off to see Balak. On his way, God intervened three times, sending an angel to stand in Balaam’s path. But only his donkey saw the angel, causing Balaam to become so angry that the donkey had to finally speak in self-defense. Balaam finally reached Balak and, although God didn’t allow him to pronounce a curse on the people of Israel, Balaam was instrumental in their bringing a curse upon themselves (Numbers 22-24). In reaching back to this Old Testament account, Peter says the same greed that motivated Balaam motivates false teachers.

2 Peter 2:17

The liberty promised by false teachers is like the Judas tree of the Middle East… The Judas tree has a beautiful red flower that attracts bees by the millions. But the nectar inside contains an opiate that is deadly to themas evidenced by the piles of dead bees at the base of every Judas tree. Peter’s clear warning is extremely appropriate for us today because in the last days more and more will teach from their own imaginations, following their own agendas. And if you think Peter’s warning doesn’t apply to you, perhaps you are in the gravest danger because you will eventually buy into some new idea or practice that, although it’s not seen in the life of Christ, throughout the Book of Acts, or taught in the Epistles, will seem so spiritual, so logical. Oh, it may not be the current fad of “holy barking” or “holy laughter.” It may be something much more intellectual, much more subtle, but no less dangerous.

2 Peter 2:20

Peter likens false teachers to dogs and defines such dogs as those who said, “It’s not enough to simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. You must also be circumcised as Old Testament law prescribes. Christianity should be painful. Misery proves spirituality” (see Php_3:2). So important is this issue that Paul will write an entire bookthe Book of Galatiansdealing with it. Why do people become legalistic? I believe it’s because they themselves are miserable. They’ve given up certain things and therefore say, “If I’m in pain, you should be, too. If I’m under the law, you should be as well. If I can’t go there, I’m going to make sure you can’t either.” But if you watch a legalistic preacher, a legalistic parent, a legalistic person, you’ll see the truth of Peter’s analogy, for, although they bark and yap at others, they eventually return to those tendencies or activities against which they preach most vehemently. In addition to the dogs of legalism, we’re to beware of the hogs of hedonism. To be hedonistic is to live for pleasure. You can give a pig a bath, blow-dry her hair, put a bow on her tail and blush on her face. But, although she’ll look fine for a short time, she will eventually make her way back to that which pleases hermud. So, too, any teacher or religion that encourages people to wallow in sin is piglike in nature. And wise is the one who is able not only to identify those tendencies in false teachers, but is aware of them within himself.