SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:1
¶ Pero hubo tambin falsos profetas en el pueblo, como habr entre vosotros falsos maestros, que introducirn encubiertamente sectas de perdicin, y negarn al Seor que los rescat, atrayendo sobre sí mismos perdicin acelerada.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Peter 2:1
Verse 1. But there were false prophets] There were not only holy men of God among the Jews, who prophesied by Divine inspiration, but there were also false prophets, whose prophecies were from their own imagination, and perverted many. As there shall be false teachers among you] At a very early period of the Christian Church many heresies sprung up; but the chief were those of the Ebionites, Cerinthians, Nicolaitans, Menandrians, and Gnostics, of whom many strange things have been spoken by the primitive fathers, and of whose opinions it is difficult to form any satisfactory view. They were, no doubt, bad enough, and their opponents in general have doubtless made them worse. By what name those were called of whom the apostle here speaks, we cannot tell. They were probably some sort of apostate Jews, or those called the Nicolaitans. See the preface.
Damnable heresies] aireseiv apwleiav? Heresies of destruction; such as, if followed, would lead a man to perdition. And these pareisaxousin, they will bring in privately - cunningly, without making much noise, and as covertly as possible. It would be better to translate destructive heresies than damnable.
Denying the Lord that bought them] It is not certain whether God the Father be intended here, or our Lord Jesus Christ; for God is said to have purchased the Israelites, Exod. xv. 16, and to be the Father that had bought them, Deut. xxxii. 6, and the words may refer to these or such like passages; or they may point out Jesus Christ, who had bought them with his blood; and the heresies, or dangerous opinions, may mean such as opposed the Divinity of our Lord, or his meritorious and sacrificial death, or such opinions as bring upon those who hold them swift destruction. It seems, however, more natural to understand the Lord that bought them as applying to Christ, than otherwise; and if so, this is another proof, among many, 1. That none can be saved but by Jesus Christ. Z. That through their own wickedness some may perish for whom Christ died.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. But there were false prophets also among the people , etc.] As well as holy men of God, who gave out prophecies, by the inspiration and impulse of the Holy Spirit; that is, among the people of the Jews, God's professing people, whose God was the Lord, and who had chosen them to be a special and peculiar people, above all people of the earth; and had distinguished them by his favours from all others: among these, though the Syriac version reads in the world, there were false prophets, who ran, and were not sent; and who prophesied, and the Lord spake not to them: of these there were many in Jeremiah's time, and in the times of Ezekiel; and in Ahab's time, besides the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, slain by Elijah, there were four hundred that called themselves the prophets of the Lord; among whom went forth a lying spirit, encouraging Ahab to go up to Ramoth Gilead, promising him prosperity and success; Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah, with whom Micaiah, the true prophet, had much contention, was at the head of them; and such there were among that people in all ages, until the times of Christ, and in his likewise; (see Matthew 7:15) now from these, by an easy transition, the apostle proceeds to another part of his design in this epistle, to describe the characters of false teachers under the present dispensation, that saints may beware, and avoid their pernicious principles and practices: even as there shall be false teachers among you ; which need not to be wondered at, or stumble any, it being no new or strange thing, but what was always more or less the case of the people of God. This is a prophecy of what should be, and agrees with the prediction of our Lord, ( Matthew 24:11,24) and which regards not only the times immediately following, in which it had a remarkable fulfilment, for false teachers now began to arise, and appeared in great numbers in the age succeeding the apostles, but to all periods of time from hence, to the second coming of Christ; and these were to spring from, and be among such that bore the Christian name, and so regards not Mahometans and Deists; and it is to be observed, that the phrase is varied in this clause, and these are called not prophets but teachers: because as prophecy was more peculiar to the former dispensation, so is teaching to the present: who privily shall bring in damnable heresies : errors in the fundamental doctrines of the Gospel; such as relate to a trinity of persons in the Godhead; and to the person of Christ, to his proper deity, distinct personality, eternal sonship, and real humanity; and to his office as Mediator, rejecting him as the true Messiah, and as the only Saviour of sinners; denying his sacrifice and satisfaction, and the imputation of his righteousness; and to the Holy Spirit, his deity, personality, and divine influences and operations: these are damnable, or destructive, or heresies of destruction; which lead to eternal destruction both those that introduce and propagate them, and those that embrace and profess them; for they remove, or attempt to remove, the foundation of eternal life and happiness: the manner in which these are usually introduced is privily; at unawares, secretly, under a disguise, and gradually, by little and little, and not at once, and openly; and which is the constant character and practice of such men, who lie in wait to deceive, creep into churches at unawares, and into houses privately; and insinuate their principles under specious pretences and appearances of truth, using the hidden things of dishonesty, walking in craftiness, handling the word of God deceitfully, and colouring things with false glosses and feigned words: and even denying the Lord that bought them; not the Lord Jesus Christ, but God the Father; for the word kuriov is not here used, which always is where Christ is spoken of as the Lord, but despothv ; and which is expressive of the power which masters have over their servants f8 , and which God has over all mankind; and wherever this word is elsewhere used, it is spoken of God the Father, whenever applied to a divine person, as in ( Luke 2:29 Acts 4:24 2 Timothy 2:21 Revelation 6:10) and especially this appears to be the sense, from the parallel text in ( Jude 1:4) where the Lord God denied by those men is manifestly distinguished from our Lord Jesus Christ, and by whom these persons are said to be bought: the meaning is not that they were redeemed by the blood of Christ, for Christ is not intended; and besides, whenever redemption by Christ is spoken of, the price is usually mentioned, or some circumstance or another which fully determines the sense; see ( Acts 20:28 1 Corinthians 6:20 7:23 Ephesians 1:7 1 Peter 1:18,19 Revelation 5:9) whereas here is not the least hint of anything of this kind: add to this, that such who are redeemed by Christ are the elect of God only, the people of Christ, his sheep and friends, and church, and who are never left to deny him so as to perish eternally; for could such be lost, or deceive, or be deceived finally and totally by damnable heresies, and bring on themselves swift destruction, Christ's purchase would be in vain, and the ransom price be paid for nought; but the word bought regards temporal mercies and deliverance, which these men enjoyed, and is used as an aggravation of their sin in denying the Lord; both by words, delivering out such tenets as are derogatory to the glory of the divine perfections, and which deny one or other of them, and of his purposes, providence, promises, and truths; and by works, turning the doctrine of the grace of God into lasciviousness, being disobedient and reprobate to every good work; that they should act this part against the Lord who had made them, and upheld them in their beings and took care of them in his providence, and had followed them with goodness and mercy all the days of their lives; just as Moses aggravates the ingratitude of the Jews in ( Deuteronomy 32:6) from whence this phrase is borrowed, and to which it manifestly refers: do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise! is not he thy Father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? nor is this the only place the apostle refers to in this chapter, (see 2 Peter 2:12,13) compared with ( Deuteronomy 32:5) and it is to be observed, that the persons he writes to were Jews, who were called the people the Lord had redeemed and purchased, ( Exodus 15:13,16) and so were the first false teachers that rose up among them; and therefore this phrase is very applicable to them: and bring upon themselves swift destruction ; either in this life, being suddenly cut off in the midst of their days, and by the immediate hand of God, as Arius and other heretics have been; or eternal damnation in the other, which their tenets lead unto, and which will swiftly come upon them when they are promising themselves peace and safety.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - Though the way of error is a hurtful way, many are always ready to wal therein. Let us take care we give no occasion to the enemy to blasphem the holy name whereby we are called, or to speak evil of the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life These seducers used feigned words, they deceived the hearts of their followers. Such are condemned already, and the wrath of God abides upo them. God's usual method of proceeding is shown by examples. Angel were cast down from all their glory and dignity, for their disobedience. If creatures sin, even in heaven, they must suffer i hell. Sin is the work of darkness, and darkness is the wages of sin See how God dealt with the old world. The number of offenders no mor procures favour, than their quality. If the sin be universal, the punishment shall likewise extend to all. If in a fruitful soil the people abound in sin, God can at once turn a fruitful land int barrenness, and a well-watered country into ashes. No plans or politic can keep off judgments from a sinful people. He who keeps fire an water from hurting his people, Isa 43:2, can make either destroy his enemies; they are never safe. When God sends destruction on the ungodly, he commands deliverance for the righteous. In bad company we cannot but get either guilt or grief. Let the sins of others be troubles to us. Yet it is possible for the children of the Lord, livin among the most profane, to retain their integrity; there being mor power in the grace of Christ, and his dwelling in them, than in the temptations of Satan, or the example of the wicked, with all their terrors or allurements. In our intentions and inclinations to commi sin, we meet with strange hinderances, if we mark them When we inten mischief, God sends many stops to hinder us, as if to say, Take hee what you do. His wisdom and power will surely effect the purposes of his love, and the engagements of his truth; while wicked men ofte escape suffering here, because they are kept to the day of judgment, to be punished with the devil and his angels.
Greek Textus Receptus
εγενοντο 1096 5633 δε 1161 και 2532 ψευδοπροφηται 5578 εν 1722 τω 3588 λαω 2992 ως 5613 και 2532 εν 1722 υμιν 5213 εσονται 2071 5704 ψευδοδιδασκαλοι 5572 οιτινες 3748 παρεισαξουσιν 3919 5692 αιρεσεις 139 απωλειας 684 και 2532 τον 3588 αγορασαντα 59 5660 αυτους 846 δεσποτην 1203 αρνουμενοι 720 5740 επαγοντες 1863 5723 εαυτοις 1438 ταχινην 5031 απωλειαν 684
Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. But. Introducing a contrast with those who spake by the Holy Ghost (ch. i. 21).
There were (egenonto). Rev., better, there arose.
There shall be. Note that Peter speaks of them as future, and Jude (ver. 4) as present.
False teachers (yeudodidaskaloi). Only here in New Testament.
Who (oitinev). Of that kind or class which, etc.
Privily shall bring in (pareisaxousin). Only here in New Testament. The kindred adjective occurs in Gal. ii. 4, "false brethren privily brought in" (pareisaktouv). The metaphor is of spies or traitors introducing themselves into an enemy's camp. Compare Jude 4, crept in unawares. The verb means, literally, to bring (agein) into (eiv) by the side of (para).
Damnable heresies (aireseiv apwleiav). Lit., heresies of destruction. Rev., destructive heresies. Heresy is a transcript of airesiv, the primary meaning of which is choice; so that a heresy is, strictly, the choice of an opinion contrary to that usually received; thence transferred to the body of those who profess such opinions, and therefore a sect. So Rev., in margin, sects of perdition. Commonly in this sense in the New Testament (Acts v. 17; xv. 5; xxviii. 22), though the Rev. has an odd variety in its marginal renderings. See Acts xxiv. 14; 1 Cor. xi. 19; Gal. v. 20. The rendering heretical doctrines seems to agree better with the context; false teachers bringing in sects is awkward.
Denying. A significant word from Peter.
The Lord (despothn). In most cases in the New Testament the word is rendered master, the Rev. changing Lord to master in every case but two - Luke ii. 29; Acts iv. 24; and in both instances putting master in margin, and reserving Lord for the rendering of kuriov. In three of these instances the word is used in direct address to God; and it may be asked why the Rev. changes Lord to Master in the text of Apoc. vi. 10, and retains Lord in Luke ii. 29; Acts iv. 24. In five out of the ten occurrences of the word in the New Testament it means master of the household. Originally, it indicates absolute, unrestricted authority, so that the Greeks refused the title to any but the gods. In the New Testament despothv and kuriov are used interchangeably of God, and of masters of servants.
Swift (tacinhn). Used by Peter only. See on ch. i. 14.
