After presenting to the believers (in ch. 1) the rich provision of the divine life and the shining enlightenment of the divine truth, thus providing for the maintenance of life and inoculating against the poison of the apostasy, in this chapter the apostle faithfully indicated as a warning to the believers the awful contents of the apostasy and its dreadful result. This warning is a close parallel to the warning given in Jude 1:4-19.

Or, bring in by smuggling. Lit., to bring in alongside, to bring in sideways. It means to introduce a new subject for which the hearers are not prepared. Here it denotes the false teachers' bringing in and introducing their false teachings alongside the true ones.

The Greek word means choices of opinion (of doctrine) different from that usually accepted, "self-chosen doctrines, alien from the truth" (Alford). Such doctrines cause division and produce sects. This word is used also in Acts 5:17; 15:5; 24:5, 14; 26:5; 28:22; 1 Cor. 11:19 and Gal. 5:20 and in Titus 3:10 in the adjective form, heretical (there rendered factious). Here it denotes the false and heretical doctrines brought in by the false teachers, the heretics. Such doctrines are like those of today's modernism.

This implies the Lord's person and His redemptive work. The false teachers at Peter's time, like today's modernists in their apostasy, denied both the person of the Lord as the Master and His redemption, by which the Lord purchased the believers.

In this Epistle, Peter used three different Greek words concerning the consequence of the apostasy under God's governmental judgment:
1) Apollumi signifies to destroy utterly; in the middle voice, to perish, as in 3:6. The thought is not extinction but ruin, loss (not of being but of well-being). In Matt. 10:28; 22:7; Mark 12:9; Luke 17:27, 29; John 3:16; 10:28; 17:12; 1 Cor. 10:9-10; 2 Cor. 2:15; 4:3; 2 Thes. 2:10 and Jude 1:5, 11, this word unveils more concerning God's governmental judgment. In 2 Pet. 3:9 it denotes the punishment of God's governmental discipline.
2) Apoleia, akin to apollumi, indicates loss (of well-being, not of being), ruin, destruction, or (physical, spiritual, or eternal) perdition. It is rendered destructive and destruction in 2 Pet. 2:1, and destruction in 2 Pet. 2:3; 3:7, 16. The same word is used to denote the different results of God's varied judgments (see note 1 Pet. 1:17^2c, par. 2). In cases such as those described in 2 Pet. 2:1, 3; 3:7; John 17:12; Rom. 9:22; Phil. 1:28; 3:19; 2 Thes. 2:3 and Rev. 17:8, 11, it denotes eternal perdition. In cases such as those described in 2 Pet. 3:16 (see note 2 Pet. 3:16⁴) and Heb. 10:39 (see note Heb. 10:39²), it denotes the punishment of God's governmental discipline, not eternal perdition. In Matt. 7:13 and 1 Tim. 6:9 it denotes a principle used for any case.
3) Phthora, denoting corruption unto destruction, the destruction that comes with corruption, a destroying by means of corrupting (in reference to morality, soul, and body). It is rendered corruption in 2 Pet. 1:4 and 2 Pet. 2:19, and destruction and corrupting in 2 Pet. 2:12 its verb form is used in the future passive voice and is rendered will be destroyed in 2 Pet. 2:12, and in the present passive voice, rendered are being corrupted, in Jude 1:10. Its significance can be further seen in Rom. 8:21; 1 Cor. 3:17 and note 1 Cor. 3:17^1a and note 1 Cor. 3:17²; 1 Cor. 15:33; 2 Cor. 7:2; 11:3; Gal. 6:8; Rev. 11:18; 19:2.

Lit., follow out.

I.e., the path of the Christian life according to the truth, which is the reality of the contents of the New Testament (1 Tim. 2:4; 3:15; 4:3; 2 Tim. 2:15, 18; Titus 1:1). It is designated by other titles according to its various virtues, such as the straight way (v. 15 and note 2 Pet. 2:15¹; cf. Heb. 12:13), the way of righteousness (v. 21 and note; Matt. 21:32), the way of peace (Luke 1:79; Rom. 3:17), the way of salvation (Acts 16:17), the way of God (Matt. 22:16; Acts 18:26), the way of the Lord (John 1:23; Acts 18:25), and the Way (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:22). It is slandered as the way of heresy (Acts 24:14).

First Peter stresses God's governmental judgment (1 Pet. 4:17-18). This is continued in 2 Peter. Under God's government the fallen angels were caught and are being kept for judgment (v. 4), and the age of the deluge and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were all judged (vv. 5-9). But God will mete out especially serious judgment to the New Testament heretics (v. 10). And all the ungodly will be judged and destroyed in the day when the heavens and the earth are burned by fire (2 Pet. 3:7). Because of this, the God of justice and holiness has begun His governmental judgment from His own household — the believers. See note 1 Pet. 1:17^2c, par. 2.

I.e., from ancient times, as illustrated in vv. 4-9.

See note 2 Pet. 2:1⁵, point 2.

The fallen angels (see note 1 Pet. 3:19³ and note Rev. 12:4^1a), who, according to the sequence of historical facts recorded in this chapter, were the first fallen ones in the universe.

A deep and gloomy pit, where the fallen angels are detained as in a prison. See note 1 Pet. 3:19⁴.

Or, until.

The judgment of the great day (Jude 1:6), which probably will be the judgment of the great white throne, executed upon all the dead and the demons, and probably also upon the fallen angels (Rev. 20:11-15). It is logical that all the angels, demons, and men who have joined Satan in his rebellion will be judged at the same time, in the same way, and with the same result, immediately after their evil leader is judged and cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10), into which they also will be cast. See note 1 Pet. 1:17^2c, par. 2.

Whether one is righteous and godly or unrighteous and ungodly is crucial in regard to God's governmental judgment (vv. 5-9). To be righteous is to be right with man before God, and to be godly is to express God before man. This was the manner of life that Noah and Lot lived, a manner of life that spared them from God's governmental judgment according to His righteousness.

Or, overthrow.

I.e., to live in the flesh in the lusts of men, not in the will of God; to carry out the desire of the Gentiles (1 Pet. 4:2-3) and to have a vain, ungodly manner of life (1 Pet. 1:18).

See note 2 Pet. 2:6².

Unprincipled; a Greek word different from that for lawless in v. 8. Lawless here denotes especially those who violate the law of nature and conscience.

Those who, like Noah and Lot (vv. 5, 7), live a godly life, in contrast to those who live an ungodly life (v. 6).

People who, like those in Noah's time and those in Sodom and Gomorrah (vv. 5-7), live an unrighteous life, in the licentious manner of the lawless.

Or, until.

The day of the final judgment, the judgment at the great white throne (see note 2 Pet. 3:7⁴, note 2 Pet. 2:4⁴, and note Jude 1:6^4c).

See note 1 Pet. 1:17^2c, par. 2.

From here to the end of the chapter the exposure returns to the false teachers and their followers, who were exposed initially in vv. 1-3. In God's governmental dealing they, especially, will be kept under punishment for the day of judgment because they go after the flesh, indulging for pleasure in the lust for defilement and in corrupting luxury, and despise the Lord's government, rebelling against the Lord's authority (vv. 10, 13-14, 18). Thus, they become persons who are like
1) animals without reason (v. 12);
2) spots and blemishes among the believers, who are God's treasure (v. 13);
3) Balaam, forsaking the straight way for unrighteous gain (v. 15);
4) springs without water and mists driven by a storm (vv. 17-19);
5) dogs and sows, becoming defiled both inwardly and outwardly (vv. 20-22).

Referring, in general, to all those who have authority to rule, including, of course, the Lord Christ, who was anointed and set up by God and who is the center of the divine government, dominion, and authority (Acts 2:36; Eph. 1:21; Col. 1:16).

Self-pleasing, seeking pleasure for self.

Lit., glories; referring generally to both angels and men in power and authority (v. 11; Jude 1:9; Titus 3:1-2).

Angels and them, referring to dignities in v. 10, are mentioned here in a general way; but in Jude 1:9, regarding the same case, the archangel Michael and the devil are singled out.

This is to keep the order of authority in God's government.

Angels and them, referring to dignities in v. 10, are mentioned here in a general way; but in Jude 1:9, regarding the same case, the archangel Michael and the devil are singled out.

Lit., living creatures (including man); indicating men who are living like animals.

Or, irrational, having no sense regarding moral issues. The highest sense within man is his spirit, of which the conscience is the leading part. Since man's fall, the conscience has governed man under God's government. Some men are past feeling (Eph. 4:19 and note Eph. 4:19^1a), having given up the consciousness of their conscience through their denial of God (Rom. 1:23-32). The first century heretics, such as the Sadducees in ancient Judaism (Acts 23:8), and the modernists in today's Christianity are all in this category. They have denied the Lord to the uttermost so that their conscience is seared and has lost its consciousness (1 Tim. 4:2 and note 1 Tim. 4:2^2c), as if they do not even have a spirit (Jude 1:10, cf. Jude 1:19). Thus, they become like animals without reason, like creatures of instinct, born natural to be captured, through their lust, by Satan, the destroyer of man, that they may be corrupted unto destruction. The portrayal here shows us that fallen men can be like animals without reason!

Lit., unto; indicating that they are destined to be captured for destruction, to be made slaves of corruption (v. 19). By the supply of life through the divine provision (2 Pet. 1:3-4) we are able to escape this corruption that brings in destruction. See note 2 Pet. 2:1⁵, point 3.

The same Greek word as for corruption.

The same Greek word as for corrupted, referring to destruction caused by corruption.

Some MSS read, Receiving the wages of unrighteousness.

I.e., wages of unrighteous doing.

The lust-indulging heretics are to genuine believers, who are God's treasure, as spots and blemishes are to precious gems.

Lit., an adulteress.

To take the straight way, such as the way of the truth (v. 2 and note 2 Pet. 2:2²) and the way of righteousness (v. 21 and note 2 Pet. 2:21¹), is to live an upright life without crookedness and bias, without unrighteousness.

Lit., following out.

Balaam was a genuine Gentile prophet, not a false one, but he loved the wages of unrighteousness (Num. 22:5, 7; Deut. 23:4; Neh. 13:2; Rev. 2:14).

I.e., donkey.

The dried up heretical teachers are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, that is, waterless clouds being carried off by winds (Jude 1:12), having nothing of life to meet the need of the thirsty ones.

This also is God's governmental dealing.

Or, behave, conduct themselves.

See note 2 Pet. 2:1⁵, point 3.

Or, to.

To take the way of righteousness is to live a life that is right with both God and man; it is another aspect of the way of the truth (v. 2 and note 2 Pet. 2:2²) and the straight way (v. 15 and note 2 Pet. 2:15¹). This is the way of living a life according to God's righteousness, a way that can receive His governmental judgment (vv. 3, 9) for His kingdom of righteousness (Rom. 14:17; Matt. 5:20). Peter in his Epistles stressed both the manner of life and the way of life because his writings are based on the governmental point of view of God's administration. To correspond with the government of Him who is holy and righteous, God's people need to have a manner of life that is holy, pure, good, and excellent (1 Pet. 1:15; 2, 3:16; 2:12; 2 Pet. 3:11), not licentious and vain (v. 7; 1 Pet. 1:18), in His straight way of righteousness and truth.

Dogs and sows are unclean animals according to the ordinances of God's holiness (7, Lev. 11:27; Matt. 7:6 and note Matt. 7:6^2d). Dogs are accustomed to eating filthy things. They vomit what they eat and turn to their own vomit, becoming filthy inwardly. Sows wallow in the mud, making themselves filthy outwardly. The God-denying heretics eventually become like these dirty animals, making themselves filthy both inwardly and outwardly. (What serious judgment they deserve according to God's righteousness in His governmental administration!) Hence, they are very contagious, and the believers are prohibited from having contact with them (2 John 1:9-11).

Lit., upon.