II Peter 2:10b-22

Peter, having expounded upon the manner in which God has judged the ungodly in times past, directs our attention to the ungodliness of false teachers and their egregious acts.

In verse 10, the apostle characterizes false teachers as being driven by unclean spirits (walking after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness) and despising authority (government). Peter further describes them as presumptuous and self-willed. He adds, “. . . they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”

At first blush, it would seem that Peter is saying that false teachers do not hesitate to speak out against those who are deserving of honor. A look at the Greek word which is translated as dignities, however, suggests that the false teachers were speaking out against the glories of God. The word “dignities” appears twice in the KJV. The Greek word “doxa” which is translated as dignities is translated as “glory” in 145 other occasions. In Greek translations of the Hebrew of the Old Testament, doxa is used to describe the visible glory of God which filled the tabernacle in Exodus 40:34-35.

False teachers do that which angels fear (see v. 11). Unlike angels, false teachers are flesh and blood and subject to destruction. Peter describes them as brute beasts, unaware that their destiny is to be slaughtered. They are without understanding and speak evil of that which they do not understand. Peter states that they shall perish in their own corruption and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness. Their unrighteousness is plain to see (they riot in the day time).

“Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you” (v. 13). False teachers feast with believers. They sit at the same tables and ingest the same food (a physical picture of the spiritual). It is a picture of self-deception because false teachers receive no nutritional benefit from the food they appear to consume. The spiritual food is ingested but not digested. False teachers make lavish claims of spiritual enlightenment (sport themselves) but are, in reality, spots and blemishes which cause the image of spiritual feasting to be distorted.

They eat but receive no nutritional benefit because they have “eyes full of adultery” and cannot cease from sin as they seek to beguile unstable souls (v. 14). Their quest is to feed upon the unstable. False teachers are not able to beguile the stable because the stable are anchored to the solid rock. Unstable souls are not anchored and subject to the evil which proceeds from the lips of them who deceive themselves.

Peter describes false teachers as cursed children which possess hearts that manifest covetous practices, children who have forsaken the right way to follow the way of Balaam the son of Bosor.

The way of Balaam is found in Numbers 22. Balaam inquired of the Lord. Heard God’s answer and then ignored it. Balaam disobeyed because he much desired the financial gain which he would receive upon cursing Israel. Balaam’s greed blinded him to danger (an angel with a sword). The angel was clearly visible to the ass which saved Balaam by refusing to continue on the path which Balaam had directed. Balaam, blind to danger, smote the ass three times. The Lord opened the mouth of the ass and she rebuked Balaam (Num. 22:28). False teachers are blinded by desire for gain as was Balaam. False teachers harm the innocent whom they seek to direct.

In verse 17, Peter describes them as wells without water and as wind blown clouds. Wells without water are empty and cannot satisfy. Peter adds that the mist of darkness is reserved for false teachers forever. The apostle did not reserve false teachers to eternal darkness. God did. God uses the pen of Peter to state that which is.

False teachers use great swelling words of vanity that appeal to the flesh to allure “those that were clean escaped from them who live in error” (v. 18). The clean were made clean because they were washed in the blood of the Lamb (I Pet. 1:19, Rev. 1:5). Those who live in error are the wicked, immoral, or idolatrous; they deny the Lord God and the righteousness of God. All believers have escaped the shackling fetters of sin. Believers know the Son who has made them free (Jn. 8:31-36). False teachers beguile the unstable with words of vanity — words which cause one to drift from the solid rock. False teachers promise liberty but are actually the servants of sin. All who follow their instruction shall become entangled with sin from which the Son has free them. Christ is not seen in them who are so entangled. False teachers are on a mission to ensnare the unstable again. False teachers cause men who are not firmly anchored to drift away from the solid rock.

Peter states, “For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them” (v. 21). The holy commandment is “That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another (I Jn. 3:23). If one knowingly turns from Jesus to follow false teaching, one rejects the way, the truth, and the life (Jn. 14:6). In so turning, one has chosen to believe Satan’s lies. Those who come to believe the lie, never truly believed the truth.

They are as a dog which return to its vomit and as a washed sow who returns to wallow in the mire. The dog never truly desired to leave his vomit and the sow never sought to leave her mire. True believers are anchored (stable) and do not turn from the way, the truth, and the life.

The judgment that awaits them who have chosen the way of Satan is most grievous. Let us tell all men in all places of the love which God has given — the way, the truth, and the life.