Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
2 Peter 2 - Review
Concern here = false teachers
False teachers can be Christians
(1 Tim 1:19-20; 2 Tim 2:17-18),
But that's not the case here.
2 Peter 2 - Review
The unsaved men here are those who will infiltrate the churches (see 2:13), and who are
headed for an eternal hell (2:4-9).
Suggested trans. of v. 10
(Start of the full sentence)
"And [He] especially [knows how to reserve under punishment] those who walk according to
the flesh in the lust of uncleanness . . ."
The character of false teachers 2:10-17
Two aspects of these false teachers:
1) They are heavily involved in sexual immorality and...
2) They are disrespectful of authority
The character of false teachers 2:10
"Authority"
The idea of "lordship".
In context, appears to be angelic powers.
The character of false teachers 2:10
Paul also uses this same word for
angelic powers in
Colossians 1:16 (NKJV, “dominions”) and Ephesians 1:21 (NKJV, “dominion”).
The character of false teachers 2:10-17
Notice Jude 8-9!
Michael would not bring a “a reviling accusation” or “a blasphemous
condemnation” against Satan!
The character of false teachers 2:10-11
The "dignitaries" in vs. 10 = "glories" or "glorious beings".
Angels won't even do it!
Talk about arrogance!
The character of false teachers 2:11
Why would false teachers do this, especially if it involves wicked angels?
Possibly to distance themselves from them, since the most obvious charge would be that
they are serving Satan.
The character of false teachers 2:12
Christians are to be watchful and resist Satan
(James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8-9)
But these commands are following calls to humble submission to God
(James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:6-7)
The character of false teachers 2:12
"natural brute beasts" =
“like unreasoning animals by nature"
Their behavior is sub-human and irrational.
The character of false teachers 2:12
"things they do not understand" =
"things about which they are ignorant"
They have no more understanding of such matters than animals do!
The character of false teachers 2:12
"caught and destroyed"
Men who act like animals can expect their fate!
The character of false teachers 2:10-17
They will suffer both temporal (Rom. 1:24-32) and eternal (2 Pet. 2:17) consequences!
The character of false teachers 2:13
They are openly self-indulgent and
self-centered!
The character of false teachers 2:10-17
"while they feast with you"
Jude 12!
(1 Cor. 11:17-34)
The only kind of church service in the NT!
The character of false teachers 2:13
Meals in churches, as the one in Philemon's house (Philem. 1-2), were not likely skimpy or
meager.
For some, like Christian slaves, it may have been the best meal of their week.
The character of false teachers 2:13
This was a good chance for false teachers to get their foot in the door.
They loved their deceptions and
lied their way in!
The character of false teachers 2:13
These are dangerous people and churches are churches are commended by God for being
careful and strong!
Revelation 2:2, 15, 20!
The character of false teachers 2:14
"having a heart trained" = "exercised"
These guys are trapped in their sin, they aren't rookies, and they go after believers who are
"unstable".
The character of false teachers 2:14
"accursed children"
Either "children of a curse" or
"curse's children"
A reference to the original curse?
The character of false teachers 2:14
Sexual sin common even in the early Church.
1 Cor. 5; Rev. 2:20
The character of false teachers 2:15
False teachers lust for financial gain instead of following the straight road, they travel Balaam's
road.
The character of false teachers 2:15
By pretending to be genuine Christian teachers (2 Pet. 2:1), they became entitled to the financial
remuneration which Christians gave to those who ministered the Word
(Gal. 6:6; 2 Cor. 9:1-7; 1 Tim. 5:17-18)
The character of false teachers 2:16
"dumb" = "without a voice"
Far from "dumb", the donkey was smarter than his master!
Materialism does many of us in today!
The character of false teachers 2:17
"wells without water"
They provide no real spiritual nourishment!
The character of false teachers 2:17
"clouds without water"
Promise, hope, but no delivery!
Like fast moving clouds, they leave those they victimized unsatisfied and unrefreshed!
The character of false teachers 2:10-17
"the blackness of darkness is reserved forever"
We should never envy the temporary success of unbelievers who teach religious error.
The triumphing of the wicked is short (Job 20:5)
The character of false teachers 2:18
"actually"
The reading of "barely" or "just escaping" has little support.
These are believers!
The character of false teachers 2:18
How do they do it?
1) Great swelling words of emptiness
2) The lusts (desires) of the flesh
The character of false teachers 2:18
Their appeal to fleshly desires is enhanced by the pompous justifications for gratifying them
that the teachers proclaim.
The character of false teachers 2:18
What they say are lies.
They are illusions.
But, they are appealing, very much like what politicians do today; dueling offers!
The character of false teachers 2:18
Much like many churches today, they cater to immoral behavior under the guise of Christian
love.
The character of false teachers 2:19
Their message is freedom...
...the result is bondage!
John 8:34
The character of false teachers 2:19-20
"they [the false teachers] promise them [the ones who have . . . escaped (vs. 18)] liberty"
The words of v. 20 ("after they have escaped") refer to the ones who had escaped in v. 18.
The character of false teachers 2:20-21
These do not appear to be new, struggling believers.
They have grown in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and escaped the "pollutions of the world"!
The character of false teachers 2:20-21
Pay special attention to the practical, down-to-earth language here!
The emphasis is on lifestyle, not position!
The character of false teachers 2:20
"knowledge"
Used 3 other Xs in Peter (1:2, 3, 8).
Each time = true Christian knowledge.
Note especially 1:3!
The character of false teachers 2:20-21
Knowledge equips us for godly living.
To have found this freedom and then to turn away from it is very serious.
The character of false teachers 2:20
"the latter end is worse for them
than the beginning"
Almost identical to Matthew 12:45 and Luke
11:26 (NKJV = “the last state of that man is worse then the first”).
Word order in the original
Matthew/Luke = become the last things [of that man] worse than the first things
2 Peter 2:20 = have become [for them] the last things worse than the first things
The character of false teachers 2:20
"The principle involved in Peter’s text, and illustrated by our Lord’s story about demonic
activity, is an important one".
Hodges
The character of false teachers 2:20
When evil is expelled from the life,
but later returns, its effects on the life are worse than they were before its expulsion.
Hodges
The character of false teachers 2:20
The experience Peter is talking about involves God's wrath
Romans 1:18f.
Sin enslaves our lives!
The character of false teachers 2:21
Does not say "it would have been better for them not to have known Christ".
What they did know was the "way (road) of righteousness".
The character of false teachers 2:21
A fall from that road = a deeper fall into sin than would otherwise have been the case.
On a functional level, they are worse off.
The character of false teachers 2:21
Peter also does not say people turn from Christ.
They turn from the "holy commandment".
1 Peter 1:16
The character of false teachers 2:21
The message of the false teachers wasn't necessarily to turn away from Christ,
but to embrace an immoral lifestyle.
Remember, they pose as real Christians!
The character of false teachers 2:22
Peter is not describing nature but behavior!
They are behaving like disgusting animals!
