2 Peter · Chapter 2

V. 1. But there were false prophets also-As well as true. Among the people-Of Israel. Those that spake even the truth, when God had not sent them; and also those that were truly sent of him, and yet corrupted or softened their message, were false prophets. As there shall be false-As well as true.

Teachers among you, who will privately bring in-Into the church. Destructive heresies-They first, by denying the Lord, introduced destructive heresies, that is, divisions; or they occasioned first these divisions, and then were given up to a reprobate mind, even to deny the Lord that bought them. Either the heresies are the effect of denying the Lord, or the denying the Lord was the consequence of the heresies. Even denying-Both by their doctrine and their works. The Lord that bought them-With his own blood. Yet these very men perish everlastingly. Therefore Christ bought even them that perish.

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, Exodus 15:16, and to be the Father that had bought them, Deuteronomy 32:6, 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.

Verse 1. But — Now that I am speaking of the divinely-inspired Jewish prophets, whose writings you must give heed to, I must remind you that there were also false prophets among the people — Of Israel, whose doctrine and pretended predictions were to be disbelieved and disregarded, and whose society was to be shunned. Under the name of false prophets, that appeared among the Israelites of old, those that even spake the truth, when God had not sent them, might be comprehended; and also those that were truly sent of him, and yet corrupted or softened their message. Even as there shall be false teachers — As well as true; among you — Christians. The entrance of false teachers into the church of Christ, their impious doctrines, their success in perverting many, and the influence of their doctrines in corrupting the morals of their disciples, were all very early made known by the Spirit to the Apostle Paul, as we learn from his speech to the elders of Ephesus, and from his epistles to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, and to Titus. The same discoveries were made to the Apostles Peter, John, and Jude, who, as well as Paul, published them in their writings, that the faithful might oppose these false teachers, and confute their errors, as soon as they appeared. Peter, therefore, here records the revelation which was made to him concerning the false teachers who were to arise in the church, and concerning their destructive ways. But, lest the prospect of these great evils should grieve the faithful too much, as suggesting a fear that God had forsaken his church, he observes, by way of preface, that such a thing was not unexampled; because that, together with many true prophets, there were also many false ones in God’s ancient church, which, however, God had not therefore forsaken, but continued to superintend and take care of it. Who privily shall bring in — Into the church; damnable, or destructive heresies — As aireseiv apwleiav signifies; understanding by the word heresies not only fundamental errors in doctrine and practice, but divisions and parties occasioned by them, formed among the faithful. See note on 1 Corinthians 11:18, 19. Even denying the Lord that bought them — They either, first, by denying the Lord, introduced destructive divisions, or they occasioned first those divisions, and then were given up to a reprobate mind, even to deny the Lord, both by their doctrine and their works. By the Lord here may be understood either the Father, who hath redeemed mankind by the blood of his Son, or the Son, who hath bought them with his own blood. Observe, reader, the persons here spoken of as denying the Lord, and therefore as perishing everlastingly, were nevertheless bought by him; by which it appears that even those who finally perish were bought with the blood of Christ; a full proof this of the truth of the doctrine of general, redemption. And bring upon themselves swift destruction — Future and eternal misery.

Verse 1. False teachers — who bring in damnable heresies. Sects leading to perdition, and to the extreme of punishment. Who were they? They were yet to come, in part; the roots only began as yet to shoot; hence the apostle says, there shall be false teachers among you. Now these were roots, or offsets of the gnostics or knowing ones. This sect boasted of superior knowledge, and assumed superior liberty. They broke through the oriental restraint, and introduced women to their feasts. There was no crime that they did not glory to commit. The bacchanalians of Rome, described by Livy in the darkest shades, seem to have received their maxims from this sect by means of a Greek who brought the curse to Rome. The mysteries of their orgies were concealed under the idea of music rooms. The senate most laudably condemned them to death and banishment, being guilty of a singular system of drunkenness, whoredom, and murder. But what had they to do with the christian church; because, as they plagued the world prior to christianity, and perpetuated their system for ages, they could not fail to be known? Answer: some of those hypocrites crept in privily as teachers to make a gain of godliness, and to deceive the unwary. The Cerinthians may also be alluded to by St. Peter. This sect despised baptism. — Epiphanius heres. 28. They affirmed that Jesus Christ was a mere man. Iren. ib. 1. c. 25. They abused the doctrine of the millennium, as an age of carnal pleasure. Irenæus says that St. John seeing Cerinthus in the bath at Ephesus, said on perceiving him, “Let us go out quickly, lest the building should fall and crush us.” Lib. 3.

The Carpocratians were another sect who greatly troubled the primitive church; and the heathen often confounded the morals of the one with the other. This sect rejected the old testament, and said that the decalogue, or ten commandments, were not binding upon christians. Epiph. heres. 13. They affirmed that Jesus was the son of Joseph; and differed from other men, only by surpassing them in impiety. They did more; they said that the difference between good and evil was only in opinion, and consequently launched the reins to corruption, and brought upon themselves the destruction foretold in this chapter, and by St. Paul, and St. Jude. Now, as the christian church encreased in number and in wealth, these heretics often brought upon them very great shame and grief, denying the Lord that bought them.

St. Peter had in his eye, through the Spirit of prophecy, the Arian apostasy, which caused the candlestick to be removed from the east, and the mosques of mahomet to succeed the temples of the Lord. Happily, as Eusebius remarks, the churches in the western empire were warned on the breaking out of this controversy to hold fast the pure faith as once delivered to the saints. This alarum of the venerable apostle is to be associated with the voice of Christ. Matthew 24:11, 24. Also of Paul, in Acts 20:29, 30. 2 Thessalonians 2:3. 1 Timothy 4:1.

1. Their doctrine, influence, and doom, 1-3.

1. False prophets—While there were these holy men and true prophets among God’s people, the ancient Israel, there were false prophets as well. Some pretended to be prophets who were not, and some prophesied “out of their own hearts,” who followed “their own spirit,” and saw “nothing.” Deuteronomy 18:20-22; Jeremiah 28:15-17; Ezekiel 13:2, 3. False teachers—Teachers of falsehood in the Church, the spiritual Israel. Privily shall bring in—Literally, Shall bring in by the side of. By the side of the true doctrine already received, they would bring in what seemed to be truth, not, at first, in open antagonism, but stealthily and unobservedly. Damnable heresies—Rather, Heresies of destruction. For they led to perdition. The word heresy ordinarily, in the New Testament, means a sect or faction; it here is nothing created or founded, but brought in, and must have the sense of doctrine. The character of these heretics is so fully described in this chapter that there is no mistaking their identity. Adopting the theory that all evil is in matter, they easily fell into the inference that the grossest immorality is consistent with sinless purity. The logical culmination of such a doctrine was in a denial of Christ’s authority over them as Lord and Redeemer. On this shocking doctrinal heresy, so subversive of the glory of Christ, the apostle’s mind fastens, as shown in his next words. Denying the Lord that bought them—Some think that God is meant, but incorrectly, for as idolatry is not alleged, that would make them atheists, which they were not. The word for Lord is despothv, master, denoting supreme authority and sovereignty. These false teachers had charged St. Peter with misrepresenting, in his first epistle, the power and dignity of Christ. See notes on 2 Peter 1:16. They denied, then, the Godhead of our Lord Jesus Christ; they denied his lordship over men and angels; and they denied the redeeming efficacy of his death. Swift destruction—As a result of this denial; for they repudiate the only Saviour. The Lord had bought them with his own blood; and yet they are miserably self-destroyed. It indisputably follows, from this passage, that some for whom Christ died will finally perish. Efforts are made to escape this inference; such, for instance, as Scott employs, who says, “It is not requisite to understand the apostle as declaring that the Lord Jesus Christ had died with an intention of redeeming these very persons.” Most certainly not; yet he does expressly declare that Christ did redeem them; and he would be a bold man who would venture to affirm that he redeemed them without intending it.

V. 2. The way of truth will be evil spoken of-By those who blend all false and true Christians together.

Verse 2. Many shall follow] WILL follow, because determined to gratify their sinful propensities.

Pernicious ways] taiv apwleiaiv. Their destructions; i.e. the heresies of destruction, or destructive opinions, mentioned above. But instead of apwleiaiv, destructions, aselgeiaiv, lasciviousnesses or uncleannesses, is the reading of ABC, and upwards of sixty others, most of which are among the most ancient, correct, and authentic. This is the reading also of both the Syriac, all the Arabic, the Coptic, Æthiopic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, Chrysostom, Theophylact, Œcumenius, and Jerome. A very few, and those of little repute, have the word in the text. The word lasciviousnesses is undoubtedly the true reading, and this points out what the nature of the heresies was: it was a sort of Antinomianism; they pampered and indulged the lusts of the flesh; and, if the Nicolaitans are meant, it is very applicable to them, for they taught the community of wives, &c. Griesbach has received this reading into the text. By reason of whom] These were persons who professed Christianity; and because they were called Christians, and followed such abominable practices, the way of truth-the Christian religion, blasfhmhqhsetai, was blasphemed. Had they called themselves by any name but that of Christ, his religion would not have suffered.

Verses 2, 3. And many shall follow their pernicious ways — Their destructive doctrines, and sinful practices. By reason of whom the way of truth — The doctrine of the gospel, and the genuine religion of Christ; shall be evil spoken of — By many others, who will blend all false and true Christians together, as if the errors and vices of those members who are corrupted were to be charged on those who are not infected with their disorders; or the vices of a few were to be imputed to all. And through covetousness — Having nothing in view but worldly gain; shall they — Namely, the false teachers here spoken of; with feigned words — Words formed to deceive, smooth and artful speeches, such as covetous merchants, or unfair traders, make use of to put off bad goods; make merchandise of you — Use you to gain by you. “In this single sentence,” says Macknight, “there is a clear prediction of the iniquitous practices of those great merchants of souls, the Romish clergy, who have rated all crimes, even the most atrocious, at a fixed price; so that if their doctrine be true, whoever pays the price may commit the crime without hazarding his salvation.” Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not — Was long ago determined, and will be executed speedily. All sinners are adjudged to destruction; and God’s punishing some proves he will punish the rest; and their damnation slumbereth not — How fondly soever they may dream of escaping it. Thus, while the apostle asserts the justice of God, he declares his patience. He is slow to punish, that sinners may have time to repent. But if they continue impenitent, he will, without fail, punish them at last.

2. Their pernicious ways—Most of the oldest and best authorities read their licentiousness. They carried their doctrine into practice; and the prediction that many would follow their example of dissoluteness, and think it purity, was abundantly fulfilled. Irenaeus says, that Simon Magus taught that “they who believed in him were free to live as they pleased, and that men would be saved by his grace, and not according to their works; and that nothing is good by nature, but only by institution. And therefore his votaries live in lasciviousness.” The immoral conduct of these Christian professors inevitably caused Christianity to be evil spoken of. Clemens Alexandrinus gives as a reason for his writing, the infamy brought upon the Christian name by the shameless lives of false teachers, and the necessity of disabusing the public mind.

V. 3. They will make merchandise of you-Only use you to gain by you, as merchants do their wares.

Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not-Was long ago determined, and will be executed speedily. All sinners are adjudged to destruction; and God's punishing some proves he will punish the rest.

Verse 3. And through covetousness] That they might get money to spend upon their lusts, with feigned words, plastoiv logoiv, with counterfeit tales, false narrations, of pretended facts, lying miracles, fabulous legends. “In this single sentence,” says Dr. Macknight, “there is a clear prediction of the iniquitous practices of those great merchants of souls, the Romish clergy, who have rated all crimes, even the most atrocious, at a fixed price; so that if their doctrine be true, whoever pays the price may commit the crime without hazarding his salvation.” How the popish Church has made merchandise of souls, needs no particular explanation here. It was this abominable doctrine that showed to some, then in that Church, the absolute necessity of a reformation.

Whose judgment now of a long time] From the beginning God has condemned sin, and inflicted suitable punishments on transgressors; and has promised in his word, from the earliest ages, to pour out his indignation on the wicked. The punishment, therefore, so long ago predicted, shall fall on these impure and incorrigible sinners; and the condemnation which is denounced against them slumbers not-it is alert, it is on its way, it is hurrying on, and must soon overtake them.

Verses 2, 3. And many shall follow their pernicious ways — Their destructive doctrines, and sinful practices. By reason of whom the way of truth — The doctrine of the gospel, and the genuine religion of Christ; shall be evil spoken of — By many others, who will blend all false and true Christians together, as if the errors and vices of those members who are corrupted were to be charged on those who are not infected with their disorders; or the vices of a few were to be imputed to all. And through covetousness — Having nothing in view but worldly gain; shall they — Namely, the false teachers here spoken of; with feigned words — Words formed to deceive, smooth and artful speeches, such as covetous merchants, or unfair traders, make use of to put off bad goods; make merchandise of you — Use you to gain by you. “In this single sentence,” says Macknight, “there is a clear prediction of the iniquitous practices of those great merchants of souls, the Romish clergy, who have rated all crimes, even the most atrocious, at a fixed price; so that if their doctrine be true, whoever pays the price may commit the crime without hazarding his salvation.” Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not — Was long ago determined, and will be executed speedily. All sinners are adjudged to destruction; and God’s punishing some proves he will punish the rest; and their damnation slumbereth not — How fondly soever they may dream of escaping it. Thus, while the apostle asserts the justice of God, he declares his patience. He is slow to punish, that sinners may have time to repent. But if they continue impenitent, he will, without fail, punish them at last.

Ver. 3. Through covetousness, or greediness, shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you; but their long-impending judgment doth not linger, neither doth their destruction slumber. The character of a true teacher is to be known by this one test, — whether he be seeking the salvation of souls, or his own sordid gain. The false prophets alluded to, were those of Jezebel and of after times, walking in their imaginary revelations. The same illusive spirit in men called christian teachers, differed only in circumstances, not in character; they were wolves in sheep’s clothing.

3. Through covetousness—Rather, in it, living and moving in it as their atmosphere. Feigned words—Crafty, oily speeches. Merchandise—Gain; make money out of you. St. Paul found their parallels. See 1 Timothy 6:5; Titus 1:11. The commentators find them pervading Roman Catholic history. Whose judgment—God’s condemnation of such sinners. Lingereth not—It may seem to be doing nothing, but it is really at work. Damnation—Eternal destruction. Years before, when Simon Magus sought to traffic with him for the power of conferring the Holy Ghost, St. Peter used the Greek of this very word: “May thy money be with thee unto destruction.” Acts 8:20. Slumbereth not—It is not nodding, as if in a doze, but awake, to overwhelm them.

2. The certainty of their punishment maintained from three historic precedents, 4-12.

a. First case—The fallen angels.

V. 4. Cast them down to hell-The bottomless pit, a place of unknown misery.

Delivered them-Like condemned criminals to safe custody, as if bound with the strongest chains in a dungeon of darkness, to be reserved unto the judgment of the great day. Though still those chains do not hinder their often walking up and down seeking whom they may devour.

Verse 4. For if God spared not the angels] The angels were originally placed in a state of probation; some having fallen and some having stood proves this. How long that probation was to last to them, and what was the particular test of their fidelity, we know not; nor indeed do we know what was their sin; nor when nor how they fell. St. Jude says they kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation; which seems to indicate that they got discontented with their lot, and aspired to higher honours, or perhaps to celestial domination. The tradition of their fall is in all countries and in all religions, but the accounts given are various and contradictory; and no wonder, for we have no direct revelation on the subject. They kept not their first estate, and they sinned, is the sum of what we know on the subject; and here curiosity and conjecture are useless. But cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness] alla seiraiv zofou tartarwsav paredwken eiv krisin tethrhmenouv But with chains of darkness confining them in Tartarus, delivered them over to be kept to judgment; or, sinking them into Tartarus, delivered them over into custody for punishment, to chains of darkness. Chains of darkness is a highly poetic expression. Darkness binds them on all hands; and so dense and strong is this darkness that it cannot be broken through; they cannot deliver themselves, nor be delivered by others. As the word Tartarus is found nowhere else in the New Testament, nor does it appear in the Septuagint, we must have recourse to the Greek writers for its meaning. Mr. Parkhurst, under the word tartarow, has made some good collections from those writers, which I here subjoin. “The Scholiast on ÆSCHYLUS, Eumen., says: Pindar relates that Apollo overcame the Python by force; wherefore the earth endeavoured tartarwsai, to cast him into Tartarus. Tzetzes uses the same word, tartarow, for casting or sending into Tartarus; and the compound verb katatartaroun, is found in Apollodorus; in Didymus’ Scholia on Homer; in Phurnutus, Deuteronomy Nat, Deor., p. 11, edit. Gale; and in the book peri potamwn, which is extant among the works of Plutarch. And those whom Apollodorus styles katatartarwqentav, he in the same breath calls rifqentav eiv tartaron, cast into Tartarus. Thus the learned Windet, in Pole’s Synopsis. We may then, I think, safely assert that tartarwsav, in St. Peter, means not, as Mede (Works, fol., p. 23) interprets it, to adjudge to, but to cast into, Tartarus; riptein eiv tartaron, as in Homer, cited below. And in order to know what was the precise intention of the apostle by this expression, we must inquire what is the accurate import of the term tartarov. Now, it appears from a passage of Lucian, that by tartarov was meant, in a physical sense, the bounds or verge of this material system; for, addressing himself to erwv, Cupid or Love, he says: su gar ex afanouv kai kecumenhv amorfiav to pan emorfwsav, k. t. l. ‘Thou formedst the universe from its confused and chaotic state; and, after separating and dispersing the circumfused chaos, in which, as in one common sepulchre, the whole world lay buried, thou drovest it to the confines or recesses of outer Tartarus— ‘Where iron gates and bars of solid brass

Keep it in durance irrefrangible,

And its return prohibit.’

“The ancient Greeks appear to have received, by tradition, an account of the punishment of the ‘fallen angels,’ and of bad men after death; and their poets did, in conformity I presume with that account, make Tartarus the place where the giants who rebelled against Jupiter, and the souls of the wicked, were confined. ‘Here,’ saith Hesiod, Theogon., lin. 720, 1, ‘the rebellious Titans were bound in penal chains.’

tosson enerquJpo ghv, oson ouranov estaJpo gaihv.

ison gar taJpo ghv ev TARTARON heroenta.

‘As far beneath the earth as earth from heaven;

For such the distance thence to Tartarus.’

Which description will very well agree with the proper sense of Tartarus, if we take the earth for the centre of the material system, and reckon from our zenith, or the extremity of the heavens that is over our heads. But as the Greeks imagined the earth to be of a boundless depth, so it must not be dissembled that their poets speak of Tartarus as a vast pit or gulf in the bowels of it. Thus Hesiod in the same poem, lin. 119, calls it— TARTARA thJeroenta mucw cqonov euruodeihv.

‘Black Tartarus, within earth’s spacious womb.’

“And Homer, Iliad viii., lin. 13, &c., introduces Jupiter threatening any of the gods who should presume to assist either the Greeks or the Trojans, that he should either come back wounded to heaven, or be sent to Tartarus.

h min elwn riyw ev TARTARON herenta,

thle malJ, hci baqiston upo cqonov esti bepeqron,

enqa sidhreiai te pulai, kai calkeov oudov,

tosson enerqaiJdew, oson onranov estaJpo gaihv.

‘Or far, O far, from steep Olympus thrown,

Low in the deep Tartarean gulf shall groan.

That gulf which iron gates and brazen ground

Within the earth inexorably bound;

As deep beneath th’ infernal centre hurl’d,

As from that centre to the ethereal world.’

POPE.

‘Where, according to Homer’s description, Iliad viii., lin. 480, 1,— ------------ outauJghv uperionov helioio

terpontJ, outaJnemoisi. baquv de te TARTAROS amoiv.

‘No sun e’er gilds the gloomy horrors there,

No cheerful gales refresh the lazy air,

But murky Tartarus extends around.’

POPE.

“Or, in the language of the old Latin poet, (cited by Cicero, Tuscul., lib. i. cap. 15,)

Ubi rigida constat crassa caligo inferum.

“On the whole, then, tartaroun, in St. Peter, is the same as riptein ev tartaron, to throw into Tartarus, in Homer, only rectifying the poet’s mistake of Tartarus being in the bowels of the earth, and recurring to the original sense of that word above explained, which when applied to spirits must be interpreted spiritually; and thus tartarwsav will import that God cast the apostate angels out of his presence into that zofov tou skotouv, blackness of darkness, (2 Peter 2:17; Jude 1:13,) where they will be for ever banished from the light of his countenance, and from the beatifying influence of the ever blessed Three, as truly as a person plunged into the torpid boundary of this created system would be from the light of the sun and the benign operations of the material heavens.” By chains of darkness we are to understand a place of darkness and wretchedness, from which it is impossible for them to escape.

Verse 4. For if — Or since, as ei gar may be here rendered; God spared not the angels that sinned — “The angels seem to have been placed originally in a state of trial. Those who stood are called in Scripture, the holy angels. The sin of the angels is spoken of likewise, John 8:44, and Jude, verse 6, as a thing well known. Perhaps it was handed down by tradition from Adam and Eve, for the memory of it seems to have been preserved among the heathens in the fable of the Titans warring against the gods. What the sin of the angels was is not well known. Jude 1:6, says, They kept not their first estate, or their own principality, as thn eautwn archn may be properly rendered, but left their proper habitation. Hence their sin, by many, is thought to have been pride, and a discontent with their station. See 1 Timothy 3:6. But whatever it was, considering their high intellectual powers, they might easily have avoided it; and therefore God did not spare them, as he spared Adam and Eve, who, on account of the greatness of the temptation spread for them by the evil angels, and their own inexperience, were fit objects of mercy.” But cast them down to hell — The bottomless pit, a place of unknown misery. The original expression, alla seiraiv zofou Tartarwsav, is rendered by Macknight, But with chains of darkness confining them in Tartarus. The word Tartarus, he observes, is not found in the LXX., nor anywhere in the New Testament but here. Its meaning, therefore, must be sought for among the Greeks. Homer represents Tartarus, Iliad, 8. 50:13, as “a deep place under the earth, where there are iron gates and a brazen entrance.” It is derived from a word expressive of terror, and signifies the doleful prison in which wicked spirits are reserved till they shall be brought out to public condemnation and execution. In like manner, Hesiod speaks of Tartarus as a place far under ground, where the Titans are bound with chains in thick darkness. But on other occasions the Greek writers speak of Tartarus as in the air, and at the extremity of the earth. Hence the epithet Tartaron heroenta, airy Tartarus. The Jews, as appears from Job 2:2, thought that at least some of the fallen angels were permitted to wander up and down the earth, and to tempt men. This was the doctrine of the evangelists likewise, who speak of the devil tempting our Lord; and of Peter, who represents him as a roaring lion walking about, &c., 1 Peter 5:8; as also of St. Paul, who insinuates that evil spirits have their habitation in the air, Ephesians 2:2; 6:11, 12. Wherefore seeing the Greeks named the place where they supposed the Titans, the enemies of the gods, were confined, Tartarus, it was natural for Peter, when writing in the Greek language, concerning confining the evil angels in the place where they were shut up, to call it Tartarus, although his idea of Tartarus was different from that of the Greeks. Because it is said, Revelation 20:3, that Satan was cast, eiv abusson, into the abyss, and Luke 8:31, that the devil besought Jesus that he would not command them to go out, eiv abusson, into the abyss, Estius infers that Tartarus and Hell are the same; and that the greatest part of the angels who sinned are confined there, though some of them are allowed to roam about on the earth, tempting men. See Macknight and Doddridge. Reserved unto judgment — The full execution and open manifestation thereof. From this it follows that the angels who sinned are not at present suffering the punishment due to them for their crimes; but, like malefactors, they are kept in durance till the time come when they are to be punished with the wicked of mankind, whom they have seduced. Whitby hath shown that this was the opinion of all the Christian writers for five centuries. And it is agreeable to our Lord’s doctrine, who says, the fire into which wicked men are to be cast, is fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Ver. 4. God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness — in Tartaro adstrictos tradit, restricted them to Tartarus — to be reserved unto judgment. As St. Peter uses the word Tartarus, and as it is the prominent word in the poets for hell, Æneid. 6., I can see no reason why it should not be retained in modern versions. As the fall of angels led to the fall of Adam, it is probable that the patriarchs knew more facts by revelation and by tradition than are come down to us. It is said, “they sinned — they kept not their first estate — they abode not in the truth;” that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. This, according to the fathers, and largely so in our Milton, Satan refused to do. But those apostate teachers did worse; “they denied the Lord that bought them,” and denied him after knowing the way of truth!

4. Angels that sinned—When, why, how, or how many, we are nowhere informed. We only know that some angels “kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation,” (Jude 1:6,) and that they sinned. Inasmuch as sin is transgression, it follows that they were living under law, and were therefore in a state of probation. By their sin they fell under God’s displeasure and into swift punishment. Cast… to hell—Literally, Thrust down to Tartarus. Only here is the word found in the New Testament. In the Greek mythology, Tartarus is the lowest part of Hades. Hesiod (Theog. 721,) speaks of it as the place below the earth where the rebellious Titans are enchained and the souls of the wicked are confined; and Homer (Il. 8:14-16) describes it as a deep gulf within the earth, with iron gates and a brazen entrance. Note Ephesians 4:10. Whatever be its real locality, St. Peter’s use of the word shows the remoteness from heaven to which the fallen angels were driven, and the hopeless wretchedness into which they were plunged. Delivered—As prisoners. Chains of darkness—Chains made of darkness, expressive of the impossibility of regaining that world of light from which they were cast down. Tregelles and Alford read, caverns of darkness. Reserved—Kept in custody unto the day of final judgment. God spared them not—And the case shows his rule of punishment of sin. b. Second case—The antediluvians.

V. 5. And spared not the old, the antediluvian, world, but he preserved Noah the eighth person-that is, Noah and seven others, a preacher as well as practiser, of righteousness.

Bringing a flood on the world of the ungodly-Whose numbers stood them in no stead.

Verse 5. Spared not the old world] The apostle’s argument is this: If God spared not the rebellious angels, nor the sinful antediluvians, nor the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha, he will not spare those wicked teachers who corrupt the pure doctrines of Christianity.

Saved Noah the eighth] Some think that the words should be translated, Noah the eighth preacher of righteousness; but it seems most evident, from 1 Peter 3:20, that eight persons are here meant, which were the whole that were saved in the ark, viz. Shem, Ham, Japhet, and their three wives, six; Noah’s wife seven; and Noah himself the eighth. The form of expression, ogdoon mwe, Noah the eighth, i.e. Noah and seven more, is most common in the Greek language. So in APPIAN, Bell. Pun., p. 12, tritov de pote en sphlaiw kruptomenov elaqe, sometimes he the third (i.e. he with two others) lay hid in a cave. ANDOCIDES, Orat. iv. p. 295: aireqeiv epi toutw dekatov autov, he himself the tenth (i.e. he and nine others) were chosen to this. See a number of other examples in Kypke.

World of the ungodly] A whole race without God-without any pure worship or rational religion.

Verse 5. And spared not the old — The antediluvian; world, but saved Noah — Interposed amidst the general ruin for the preservation of one good man and his family; the eighth person, a preacher, &c. — Bishop Pearson translates this clause, the eighth preacher of righteousness; supposing that Enoch, (Genesis 5:24,) from whom Noah was descended, was the first preacher of righteousness, and that all the intermediate persons were likewise preachers thereof, and that Christ preached by them all. But of this there is no evidence; and it seems certain that Enoch could not be the first preacher of righteousness: Adam was, in a wonderful manner, fitted to perform that office in the first world, as Noah was in the second; and what excellent instructions both might give, is easy to be conceived! Bishop Pearson adds, that if the above-mentioned sense of the passage be not admitted, it may be understood as denoting, not the order in which Noah was ranked, but merely the number of persons that were with him, namely, Noah with seven others, or Noah one of eight. By terming Noah a preacher, khruka, a crier, or herald, of righteousness, Peter intimates that all the time Noah was preparing the ark, he proclaimed to the antediluvians the destruction of the world by a flood, that from the dread of that impending judgment of God they might be brought to repentance. His preaching, however, it appears, was attended with little or no success. Bringing in the flood — In a gradual, but irresistible manner; upon the world of the ungodly — Whose numbers stood them in no stead.

5. Spared not the old world—That is, though his long suffering waited a hundred and twenty years for the repentance of the wicked, and though he gave them for that period the preaching and godly example of Noah, the blow, when the day of punishment came, was unsparing and terrible. Saved—Here comes in, by way of contrast, the idea of the preservation of the godly, which is as certainly God’s law of action as is the punishment of the wicked. Noah, the eighth—Not the eighth preacher, as some say, but, according to a frequent idiom, Noah, and seven others. A preacher—St. Peter alone mentions Noah’s preaching. He was a proclaimer of righteousness, heralding the coming flood, and exhorting the people to believe God, repent of their sins, obey him in holy living, and thus escape the impending wrath. Hebrews 11:7. But they refused, and that world of the ungodly was swept away. Such, and so terrible, is God when he arises to judgment; and such will he always be, with as little regard to numbers and as great regard to character.

c. Third case—The cities of the plain.

Verse 6. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrha] See the notes on Gen. 19, for an account of the sin and punishment of these cities. Making them an ensample] These three words, upodeigma, paradeigma, and deigma, are used to express the same idea; though the former may signify an example to be shunned, the second an example to be followed, and the third a simple exhibition. But these differences are not always observed.

Verses 6-8. And turning the cities of Sodom, &c., into ashes — When the inhabitants of those places were sunk into the lowest degeneracy; and condemned them with an overthrow — Punished them with utter destruction, both of their persons and habitations; making them an ensample — Not an example to be imitated, but an example to be avoided, as the word upodeigma, here used, signifies. Hence Jude, to express the same idea, uses the word deigma. And delivered just Lot — By the miraculous interposition of his providence; vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked — Exceedingly grieved by the lewd behaviour of the lawless Sodomites. For that righteous man, dwelling among them — Lot appears to have dwelt sixteen years in Sodom, after he parted from Abraham; a long space to abide in one of the lewdest and most outrageously wicked cities in the world, and not be tainted with their vices. Doubtless, as he was so exceedingly grieved with their lewd conduct from day to day, he often earnestly desired to leave the place, but he was directed, it seems, by God, to remain, that he might be an example of the divine goodness and power in delivering the godly from temptation, sin, and punishment. In seeing their base actions, and in hearing their lewd speeches, he vexed — Ebasanizen, tormented; his righteous soul from day to day — For their wickedness was incessant; with their unlawful deeds — The cry of which came up at length to heaven, and brought down upon them flaming destruction.

6. Sodom—Interceded for by Abraham, but lacking its needed ten righteous men to save it. Genesis 18:32. The occasion and the manner of the destruction of these cities is narrated in Genesis 19. They are a standing ensample for ungodly men in all after time, warning them of the doom to which they are exposed. There are a full score of references to it in Scripture.

Verse 7. Vexed with the filthy conversation] kataponoumenon upo thv twn aqesmwn en aselgeia anastrofhv. Being exceedingly pained with the unclean conduct of those lawless persons. What this was, see in the history, Gen. 19., and the notes there.

Verses 6-8. And turning the cities of Sodom, &c., into ashes — When the inhabitants of those places were sunk into the lowest degeneracy; and condemned them with an overthrow — Punished them with utter destruction, both of their persons and habitations; making them an ensample — Not an example to be imitated, but an example to be avoided, as the word upodeigma, here used, signifies. Hence Jude, to express the same idea, uses the word deigma. And delivered just Lot — By the miraculous interposition of his providence; vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked — Exceedingly grieved by the lewd behaviour of the lawless Sodomites. For that righteous man, dwelling among them — Lot appears to have dwelt sixteen years in Sodom, after he parted from Abraham; a long space to abide in one of the lewdest and most outrageously wicked cities in the world, and not be tainted with their vices. Doubtless, as he was so exceedingly grieved with their lewd conduct from day to day, he often earnestly desired to leave the place, but he was directed, it seems, by God, to remain, that he might be an example of the divine goodness and power in delivering the godly from temptation, sin, and punishment. In seeing their base actions, and in hearing their lewd speeches, he vexed — Ebasanizen, tormented; his righteous soul from day to day — For their wickedness was incessant; with their unlawful deeds — The cry of which came up at length to heaven, and brought down upon them flaming destruction.

7. Delivered—A second example of preservation of the godly, in the case of Lot. Genesis 19:12-23. Just is the same Greek with righteous, in verse 8. Vexed—Literally, Worn down by the conduct of the lawless in licentiousness. Aqesmov, says Bloomfield, “signifies a despiser of all laws. The term is applied to these, because they did not live after that primeval law, partly of nature and partly of tradition, with which they were favoured.”

Verse 8. That righteous man dwelling among them] Lot, after his departure from Abraham, A. M. 2086, lived at Sodom till A. M. 2107, a space of about twenty years; and, as he had a righteous soul, he must have been tormented with the abominations of that people from day to day. The word ebasanizen, tormented, is not less emphatic than the word kataponoumenon, grievously pained, in the preceding verse, and shows what this man must have felt in dwelling so long among a people so abandoned.

Verses 6-8. And turning the cities of Sodom, &c., into ashes — When the inhabitants of those places were sunk into the lowest degeneracy; and condemned them with an overthrow — Punished them with utter destruction, both of their persons and habitations; making them an ensample — Not an example to be imitated, but an example to be avoided, as the word upodeigma, here used, signifies. Hence Jude, to express the same idea, uses the word deigma. And delivered just Lot — By the miraculous interposition of his providence; vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked — Exceedingly grieved by the lewd behaviour of the lawless Sodomites. For that righteous man, dwelling among them — Lot appears to have dwelt sixteen years in Sodom, after he parted from Abraham; a long space to abide in one of the lewdest and most outrageously wicked cities in the world, and not be tainted with their vices. Doubtless, as he was so exceedingly grieved with their lewd conduct from day to day, he often earnestly desired to leave the place, but he was directed, it seems, by God, to remain, that he might be an example of the divine goodness and power in delivering the godly from temptation, sin, and punishment. In seeing their base actions, and in hearing their lewd speeches, he vexed — Ebasanizen, tormented; his righteous soul from day to day — For their wickedness was incessant; with their unlawful deeds — The cry of which came up at length to heaven, and brought down upon them flaming destruction.

8. Explanatory of the vexed in verse 7. Vexed—Lot tormented himself by what he daily saw and heard of their conduct. The inference is, that he sought to reform them, though unsuccessfully.

V. 9. It plainly appears, from these instances, that the Lord knoweth, hath both wisdom and power and will, to deliver the godly out of all temptations, and to punish the ungodly.

Verse 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly] The preservation and deliverance of Lot gave the apostle occasion to remark, that God knew as well to save as to destroy; and that his goodness led him as forcibly to save righteous Lot, as his justice did to destroy the rebellious in the instances already adduced. And the design of the apostle in producing these examples is to show to the people to whom he was writing that, although God would destroy those false teachers, yet he would powerfully save his faithful servants from their contagion and from their destruction. We should carefully observe, 1. That the godly man is not to be preserved from temptation. 2. That he will be preserved in temptation. 3. That he will be delivered out of it.

Verse 9. The Lord, &c. — This answers to verse 4, and closes the sense which was begun there; knoweth how to deliver — As if he had said, It plainly appears, from these instances, that the Lord hath both wisdom and power sufficient, or can find out ways and means, and will do so; to deliver the godly — Those who now suffer persecution; out of temptations — That is, trials and afflictions of various kinds; and to reserve — Or, keep in ward, as it were; (so threin seems here to signify;) the unjust — The unrighteous, or ungodly; unto the day of judgment — Temporal and eternal; to be punished — In a most signal manner, or with a severity becoming their guilt and wickedness. “The multitude of the inhabitants of the old world, and of the cities of the plain, was, in the eye of God, no reason for not destroying them. He destroyed them all at once. On the other hand, the few godly persons among them were not overlooked by God because they were few, but preserved by an immediate interposition of his power. This last observation Peter makes to show that, notwithstanding God permits false teachers to arise and deceive many, he will preserve the sincere from being deluded by them, and at length will destroy them out of the church. By God’s keeping the unrighteous in ward to be punished at the day of judgment, we are taught that the punishment inflicted on the wicked in this life, will not hinder them from being punished in the next. The principal part of their punishment will be that which they shall suffer after the judgment.”

Ver. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations. The sacred writer knew from painful experience that the godly in the present life are exposed to the power of temptation, and that the Lord only can effect their deliverance. Christ himself was tempted in the wilderness; but when the prince of this world came he found nothing in him favourable to his designs, and temptation had no power over him. It is not so with his servants; in them the evil one finds much moral weakness, a comparative ignorance of his devices, a relaxation of their watchfulness, a party within ready to listen to the voice of the charmer, who therefore finds but little difficulty in drawing them into his snare, and entangling them in his net. But He who knows the weakness of the tempted, and the power of the adversary, knows also how to deliver the godly out of temptation, either by enabling them to resist and to overcome, or by making a way for their escape.

When Satan desired to have Peter, that he might sift him as wheat, Jesus prayed for him that his faith might not fail, and at length delivered him out of temptation by a look of mercy in the hall of the highpriest. And still all our safety depends on his intercession, which brings to our aid the succours of his Spirit, and the merciful interpositions of his providence. He delivered Noah, as mentioned in this chapter, by bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly. He delivered Lot, by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes: ver. 5-7. And if we keep the word of his patience, he will also keep us from the hour of temptation. Revelation 3:10. Our great Highpriest before the throne having himself suffered, being tempted, is able to succour them that are tempted. Hebrews 2:18. 4:15.

9. The conclusion from for if, of verse 4. The Lord knoweth how—And has both the power and will to do it, as he has showed. To deliver—As he did Noah and Lot, and as he always will his faithful people. Temptation— Any state of trial into which they are brought, by which their faith and obedience are proved. No exemption from temptation is promised; but we have the pledge of safety in it, and deliverance out of it. The Lord knoweth, also, equally well, with the same power and will, how to reserve the unrighteous, keeping them in custody unto the day of judgment, when their doom will be judicially pronounced. To be punished—Better, Under punishment, as the rich man in hades, (Luke 16:23,) and the fallen angels, (verse 4,) in a penal state, and awaiting full and final punishment in the great day. Such terms exclude the possibility of a second day of grace after death.

V. 10. Chiefly them that walk after the flesh-Corrupt nature; particularly in the lust of uncleanness.

And despise government-The authority of their governors. Dignities-Persons in authority.

Verse 10. But chiefly them that walk] That is, God will in the most signal manner punish them that walk after the flesh-addict themselves to sodomitical practices, and the lust of pollution; probably alluding to those most abominable practices where men abuse themselves and abuse one another.

Despise government.] They brave the power and authority of the civil magistrate, practising their abominations so as to keep out of the reach of the letter of the law; and they speak evil of dignities-they blaspheme civil government, they abhor the restraints laid upon men by the laws, and would wish all governments destroyed that they might live as they list. Presumptuous are they] tolmhtai. They are bold and daring, headstrong, regardless of fear.

Self-willed] auqadeiv. Self-sufficient; presuming on themselves; following their own opinions, which no authority can induce them to relinquish.

Are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.] They are lawless and disobedient, spurn all human authority, and speak contemptuously of all legal and civil jurisdiction. Those in general despise governments, and speak evil of dignities, who wish to be under no control, that they may act as freebooters in the community.

Verses 10, 11. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh — Their corrupt nature; particularly in the lusts of uncleanness — Which are especially detestable in the eye of God; and the crimes they commit so much resemble those of Sodom, that it is the less to be wondered at if they share in its punishment; and with them may be joined those who despise government — The authority of their governors. Presumptuous — Tolmhtai, audacious, ready to venture upon any thing that may serve their purposes; self-willed — Uncontrollable in their own designs and ways; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities — Of persons in the highest dignity. Whereas angels — When they appear before the Lord, (Job 1:6; 2:1,) to give an account of what they have seen and done in the earth; even those who are greater in power and might — Than the rest of those glorious beings; bring not railing accusation against them — With whom they contend, namely, the devil, (as Jude 1:9,) or, when they speak of rulers, they speak honourably of them, Daniel 4:31; and, always avoiding all violence of language, they, with all calmness and decency, declare matters as they are, revering the presence of God, how much soever they may abhor the characters of wicked men.

Ver. 10. That walk after the flesh — and despise government. The Jews, at the time of the writing of this epistle, were beginning the war against the Romans. The old proverb was realized in them: He whom God destroys is first mad. The reins were launched to passion, and the tongue to infamy.

10. But chiefly—Especially, and most signally, does this knowing how to punish apply to the basely abominable characters here named. It was shown toward the people of Sodom, and it will be shown toward the false teachers and their followers. Bloomfield properly sends us to the first chapter of the epistle to the Romans as the best commentary on this passage. Despise government—Rather, Despise lordship. Opinions widely vary as to the proper reference, whether to God, Christ, Satan, angels, or civil magistrates. We think it is to Christ primarily, whom, as verse 1 informs us, the false teachers would deny, and then to all authority, human, angelic, and divine. Presumptuous—Daring men. Speak evil of dignities—Literally, Blaspheme glories; that is, those who exercise the lordship which they despise. Their blasphemy is, then, but the out-speaking of their inward contempt.

V. 11. Whereas angels-When they appear before the Lord, Job 1:6; 2:1, to give an account of what they have seen and done on the earth.

Verse 11. Whereas angels, &c.] This is a difficult verse, but the meaning seems to be this: The holy angels, who are represented as bringing an account of the actions of the fallen angels before the Lord in judgment, simply state the facts without exaggeration, and without permitting any thing of a bitter, reviling, or railing spirit, to enter into their accusations. See Zecariah 3:1, and Jude 1:9; to the former of which St. Peter evidently alludes. But these persons, not only speak of the actions of men which they conceive to be wrong, but do it with untrue colourings, and the greatest malevolence. Michael, the archangel, treated a damned spirit with courtesy; he only said, The Lord rebuke thee, Satan! but these treat the rulers of God’s appointment with disrespect and calumny.

Before the Lord.] para kuriw is wanting in a number of MSS. and most of the versions.

Verses 10, 11. But chiefly them that walk after the flesh — Their corrupt nature; particularly in the lusts of uncleanness — Which are especially detestable in the eye of God; and the crimes they commit so much resemble those of Sodom, that it is the less to be wondered at if they share in its punishment; and with them may be joined those who despise government — The authority of their governors. Presumptuous — Tolmhtai, audacious, ready to venture upon any thing that may serve their purposes; self-willed — Uncontrollable in their own designs and ways; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities — Of persons in the highest dignity. Whereas angels — When they appear before the Lord, (Job 1:6; 2:1,) to give an account of what they have seen and done in the earth; even those who are greater in power and might — Than the rest of those glorious beings; bring not railing accusation against them — With whom they contend, namely, the devil, (as Jude 1:9,) or, when they speak of rulers, they speak honourably of them, Daniel 4:31; and, always avoiding all violence of language, they, with all calmness and decency, declare matters as they are, revering the presence of God, how much soever they may abhor the characters of wicked men.

11. Whereas angels—Jude is evidently speaking of a different matter. These daring, opinionated, but weak and helpless sinners, profanely rail at even the Lord who bought them, while angels, vastly their superiors in every way, do not, in reporting the conduct of these false teachers, bring against them a railing judgment in the presence of the Lord their judge, but simply state the naked facts.

V. 12. Savage as brute beasts-Several of which in the present disordered state of the world, seem born to be taken and destroyed.

Verse 12. But these, as natural brute beasts] wJv aloga zwa fusika. As those natural animals void of reason, following only the gross instinct of nature, being governed neither by reason nor religion. Made to be taken and destroyed] Intended to be taken with nets and gins, and then destroyed, because of their fierce and destructive nature; so these false teachers and insurgents must be treated; first incarcerated, and then brought to judgment, that they may have the reward of their doings. And thus, by blaspheming what they do not understand, they at last perish in their own corruption; i.e. their corrupt doctrines and vicious practices.

Verses 12-14. But these — False teachers; as natural brute beasts — As irrational animals, led merely by their brutish inclinations, several of which, in the present disordered state of the world, seem to be made to be taken and destroyed by mankind. He speaks chiefly of savage beasts, which men for their own security and preservation hunt down and destroy; speak evil of things that they understand not — Namely, the mysteries of Christianity; or magistracy, the institution, use, and benefit whereof they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption — In that loose and abandoned course of life to which they have given up themselves, John 8:21; who account it pleasure to riot in the day-time — Reckon it their chief happiness to pursue, even in the broad light of day, those riotous and voluptuous courses, which one would suppose they would endeavour to conceal under the cover of night. See 1 Thessalonians 5:7; Isaiah 3:9. Spots they are — In themselves; and blemishes — To any church; sporting themselves with their own deceivings — Making a jest of those whom they deceive, and even jesting while they are deceiving their own souls; while they feast with you — When they join with you in the love-feasts. “The primitive Christians were used to feast together before they celebrated the Lord’s supper, because it was instituted by Christ after he had eaten the passover with his disciples. See 1 Corinthians 11:21. These previous suppers, it appears from Jude, verse 13, were called agapai, love-feasts; because the rich, by feasting their poor brethren, expressed their love to them. But on these occasions, it seems, the false teachers and their disciples were guilty of great intemperance. Having eyes full of adultery — Many of them are as lewd as they are gluttonous. The Greek is, more literally, having eyes full of an adulteress; a very strong expression, implying their having an adulteress continually before their eyes; and that cannot — Or who act as if they could not; cease from sin; beguiling — Deleazontev, insnaring; unstable souls — Such as are not established in the faith and practice of the gospel. A heart exercised with covetous practices — Well experienced in such contrivances as are calculated to promote their gain and carnal interest. Cursed children — Persons worthy to be had in utter abomination, and peculiarly exposed to the curse of God.

12. These—False teachers. As… destroyed—Rather, As brute beasts, by nature born for capture and destruction. They profess a superior knowledge, but, as if they had no more reason than irrational animals, they condemn and rail at things of which they know nothing, as the glories of verse 10; and thus acting like beasts, they shall perish like beasts. In… corruption—In it, as their element, they live; in it they grow; and in it they will go on until they shall be corrupted to death, corruption working out eternal corruption.

3. Their viciousness of life, 13-18.

V. 13. They count it pleasure to riot in the day time-They glory in doing it in the face of the sun. They are spots in themselves, blemishes to any church.

Sporting themselves with their own deceivings-Making a jest of those whom they deceive and even jesting while they are deceiving their own souls.

Verse 13. They that count it pleasure to riot in the day time.] Most sinners, in order to practise their abominable pleasures, seek the secrecy of the night; but these, bidding defiance to all decorum, decency, and shame, take the open day, and thus proclaim their impurities to the sun. Spots-and blemishes] They are a disgrace to the Christian name. Sporting themselves] Forming opinions which give license to sin, and then acting on those opinions; and thus rioting in their own deceits. With their own deceivings] en taiv apataiv. But instead of this, AB, and almost all the versions and several of the fathers, have en taiv agapaiv, in your love feasts, which is probably the true reading. While they feast with you] It appears they held a kind of communion with the Church, and attended sacred festivals, which they desecrated with their own unhallowed opinions and conduct.

Verses 12-14. But these — False teachers; as natural brute beasts — As irrational animals, led merely by their brutish inclinations, several of which, in the present disordered state of the world, seem to be made to be taken and destroyed by mankind. He speaks chiefly of savage beasts, which men for their own security and preservation hunt down and destroy; speak evil of things that they understand not — Namely, the mysteries of Christianity; or magistracy, the institution, use, and benefit whereof they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption — In that loose and abandoned course of life to which they have given up themselves, John 8:21; who account it pleasure to riot in the day-time — Reckon it their chief happiness to pursue, even in the broad light of day, those riotous and voluptuous courses, which one would suppose they would endeavour to conceal under the cover of night. See 1 Thessalonians 5:7; Isaiah 3:9. Spots they are — In themselves; and blemishes — To any church; sporting themselves with their own deceivings — Making a jest of those whom they deceive, and even jesting while they are deceiving their own souls; while they feast with you — When they join with you in the love-feasts. “The primitive Christians were used to feast together before they celebrated the Lord’s supper, because it was instituted by Christ after he had eaten the passover with his disciples. See 1 Corinthians 11:21. These previous suppers, it appears from Jude, verse 13, were called agapai, love-feasts; because the rich, by feasting their poor brethren, expressed their love to them. But on these occasions, it seems, the false teachers and their disciples were guilty of great intemperance. Having eyes full of adultery — Many of them are as lewd as they are gluttonous. The Greek is, more literally, having eyes full of an adulteress; a very strong expression, implying their having an adulteress continually before their eyes; and that cannot — Or who act as if they could not; cease from sin; beguiling — Deleazontev, insnaring; unstable souls — Such as are not established in the faith and practice of the gospel. A heart exercised with covetous practices — Well experienced in such contrivances as are calculated to promote their gain and carnal interest. Cursed children — Persons worthy to be had in utter abomination, and peculiarly exposed to the curse of God.

13. And shall receive—Better, Receiving. This participial clause, ending with unrighteousness, is simply explanatory of perish. Perdition is their duly earned wages. Count it—Rather, Counting it pleasure; commencing with these words a new sentence of pungent invective, which continues through verse 16. In the East it was a shameful disgrace to be drunken in the daytime. So 1 Thessalonians 5:7 describes the custom: “They that be drunken are drunken in the night;” but rioting by day would be a pleasure to these heretical profligates. Spots—Stains upon the Christian name. Blemishes—Disfigurements disgracing the Christian Church. Contrast with 1 Peter 1:19. Sporting—Revelling in the fruits of their deceit or fraud. Instead, however, of apataiv, deceits, Tregelles reads agapaiv, love-feasts. This would mean that they make the love-feasts occasions for their baseness. But, in either case, feast undoubtedly refers to those festivals.

Verse 14. Having eyes full of adultery] moicalidov. Of an adulteress; being ever bent on the gratification of their sensual desires, so that they are represented as having an adulteress constantly before their eyes, and that their eyes can take in no other object but her. But instead of moicalidov of an adulteress, the Codex Alexandrinus, three others, with the Coptic, Vulgate, and one copy of the Itala, together with several of the fathers, have moicaliav, of adultery.

Cannot cease from sin] Which cease not from sin; they might cease from sin, but they do not; they love and practise it. Instead of akatapaustouv, which cannot cease, several MSS. and versions have akatapaustou, and this requires the place to be read, Having eyes full of adultery and incessant sin. The images of sinful acts were continually floating before their disordered and impure fancy. This figure of speech is very common in the Greek writers; and Kypke gives many instances of it, which indeed carry the image too far to be here translated.

Beguiling unstable souls] The metaphor is taken from adulterers seducing unwary, inexperienced, and light, trifling women; so do those false teachers seduce those who are not established in righteousness.

Exercised with covetous practices] The metaphor is taken from the agonistæ in the Grecian games, who exercised themselves in those feats, such as wrestling, boxing, running, &c., in which they proposed to contend in the public games. These persons had their hearts schooled in nefarious practices; they had exercised themselves till they were perfectly expert in all the arts of seduction, overreaching, and every kind of fraud. Cursed children] Such not only live under God’s curse here, but they are heirs to it hereafter.

Verses 12-14. But these — False teachers; as natural brute beasts — As irrational animals, led merely by their brutish inclinations, several of which, in the present disordered state of the world, seem to be made to be taken and destroyed by mankind. He speaks chiefly of savage beasts, which men for their own security and preservation hunt down and destroy; speak evil of things that they understand not — Namely, the mysteries of Christianity; or magistracy, the institution, use, and benefit whereof they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption — In that loose and abandoned course of life to which they have given up themselves, John 8:21; who account it pleasure to riot in the day-time — Reckon it their chief happiness to pursue, even in the broad light of day, those riotous and voluptuous courses, which one would suppose they would endeavour to conceal under the cover of night. See 1 Thessalonians 5:7; Isaiah 3:9. Spots they are — In themselves; and blemishes — To any church; sporting themselves with their own deceivings — Making a jest of those whom they deceive, and even jesting while they are deceiving their own souls; while they feast with you — When they join with you in the love-feasts. “The primitive Christians were used to feast together before they celebrated the Lord’s supper, because it was instituted by Christ after he had eaten the passover with his disciples. See 1 Corinthians 11:21. These previous suppers, it appears from Jude, verse 13, were called agapai, love-feasts; because the rich, by feasting their poor brethren, expressed their love to them. But on these occasions, it seems, the false teachers and their disciples were guilty of great intemperance. Having eyes full of adultery — Many of them are as lewd as they are gluttonous. The Greek is, more literally, having eyes full of an adulteress; a very strong expression, implying their having an adulteress continually before their eyes; and that cannot — Or who act as if they could not; cease from sin; beguiling — Deleazontev, insnaring; unstable souls — Such as are not established in the faith and practice of the gospel. A heart exercised with covetous practices — Well experienced in such contrivances as are calculated to promote their gain and carnal interest. Cursed children — Persons worthy to be had in utter abomination, and peculiarly exposed to the curse of God.

Ver. 14. Having eyes full of adultery. The Latin versions read, “adulteries,” for some copies have the word in the plural: moicaliv is literally “adultress.” But vices and virtues being clothed by the ancients in the feminine dress, the sin seems to be so designated here. Those false teachers, the vermin of the primitive church, like the sons of Eli at the altar, had their eyes and hearts, even in the lovefeasts, wandering after the objects of desire. And that cannot cease from sin. — Non cessantes à peccato, that do not cease from sin.

Beguiling unstable souls: deleazontev, a fisherman’s phrase, that as he angles, so those men seduce souls by the bait of present or of promised pleasures. It is said of antichrist in the latter day, “Neither shall he regard — the desire of women.” Daniel 11:37. Or he shall disregard the hallowed bonds of wedlock. — Greedy of gain, the more to support their sinful desires, they are cursed children, sons of excision, who shall be cut off from the house and altar of the Lord. Jude, writing nearly at the same time, and of the same apostates, calls them clouds without rain, and wells without water; true wisdom is not in their breast. What more can we say? Is not the best comment we can give of men so depraved, a horror of all the miseries into which they are plunged, and a terror of the judgments suspended over them by a vindictive God.

14. Full of adultery—Rather, Of an adulteress. At the love-feasts their very eyes speak their insatiable lust, and do not cease from the sin of lustful gazing. Matthew 5:28. Beguiling—Laying baits for those not established in Christian doctrine and life. Exercised—They had trained their heart so thoroughly in covetousness, as a gymnast trains himself, that they had become skilful experts in all its arts. Cursed children—Rather, children of a curse, like “the son of perdition.” John 17:12. Their unblushing greed and abominable licentiousness had brought them where God’s curse was abiding upon them.

15, 16. The right way—The straight way of Christian truth and duty. The way of Balaam was a crooked way. A prophet of Jehovah, he used his prophetic gift for gain; and for the sake of personal gain, against the known will of God, he sought to curse Israel. Numbers 22:7, 17. He was a fair type of these false teachers, who used the gospel for the gratification of their avarice. His counsel to Balak to tempt Israel to sin does not seem to be included here. Rebuked… iniquity—Not, we think, by the ass, but by the Angel of the Lord, an Old Testament designation of Christ himself, who said to him, “Thy way is perverse before me,” extorting the confession, “I have sinned.” Numbers 22:32, 34. An additional element in the transaction was, the speaking of the dumb ass with a human voice; but the madness which she forbade was the foolish anger which led Balaam to smite her with a staff, and to wish that he had a sword with which he might kill her. Numbers 22:27, 29. The ass showed more reason than did either Balaam or the false teachers. St. Peter, as against all sceptics, holds this as a true historical event.

V. 15. The way of Balaam the son of Bosor-So the Chaldeans pronounced what the Jews termed Beor; namely, the way of covetousness. Who loved-Earnestly desired, though he did not dare to take, the reward of unrighteousness-The money which Balak would have given him for cursing Israel.

Verse 15. Which have forsaken the right way] As Balaam did, who, although God showed him the right way, took one contrary to it, preferring the reward offered him by Balak to the approbation and blessing of God. The way of Balaam] Is the counsel of Balaam. He counselled the Moabites to give their most beautiful young women to the Israelitish youth, that they might be enticed by them to commit idolatry. See Clarke’s notes on “Numbers 22:5”, &c., and “Numbers 23:1”, &c. The son of Bosor] Instead of bosor, BOSOR two ancient MSS. and some of the versions have bewr, Beor, to accommodate the word to the Hebrew text and the Septuagint. The difference in this name seems to have arisen from mistaking one letter for another in the Hebrew name, בעור Beor, for rwxb Betsor or Bosor; tsaddi x and ain [, which are very like each other, being interchanged.

Verse 15. Which have forsaken the right — Euqeian, straight; way — The way of truth and integrity, and are gone astray — Have wandered in dangerous and destructive paths; following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor — (So the Chaldeans pronounced what the Jews called Beor,) namely, the ways of covetousness. Balaam loved wealth and honour so much, that to obtain them he acted contrary to his conscience. To follow his way, therefore, is to be guided by similar base passions, and to commit similar base actions; who loved the wages of unrighteousness — “When Balaam was first sent for to curse the Israelites, Balak’s messengers carried only the rewards of divination in their hands, Numbers 22:7: and therefore when God forbade him to go, he easily acquiesced, and refused to go, verse 13. But when Balak sent a second request by more honourable messengers, and with them a promise to promote him to very great honour, and to do whatever he should say to him, Balaam, inflamed with the love of the promised hire, endeavoured a second time to obtain permission to go. And though God allowed him to go, on the express condition that he should do nothing in the affair without his order, Balaam went with the resolution of cursing the Israelites, whether God permitted him or not;” as evidently appears from the circumstances of the story, to which the reader is referred. “And though he so far obeyed God that he blessed the Israelites, it was no dictate of his heart, but a suggestion of the Spirit of God, which he could not resist. For that his love of the hire, and his inclination to curse the Israelites continued, he showed by his behaviour afterward, when, to bring the curse of God upon the Israelites, he counselled Balak to entice them to fornication and idolatry by means of the Midianitish women, Numbers 31:16; Revelation 2:14:” in giving which advice he acted most unrighteously, knowing it to be evil, and that God’s purpose concerning the Israelites was irrevocable, Numbers 23. 19, &c. “He therefore gave the advice, not in the persuasion that it would be effectual, but merely to gain the promised hire, which therefore is called the hire of unrighteousness. In these things the false teachers, who, to draw money from their disciples, encouraged them by their doctrine to commit all manner of lewdness, might well be said to follow in the way of Baalam; and their doctrine might justly be called, the doctrine of Balaam.” — Macknight.

V. 16. The beast-Though naturally dumb.

Verse 16. The dumb ass, speaking with man’s voice] See Clarke’s note on “Numbers 22:28”.

The madness of the prophet.] Is not this a reference to the speech of the ass, as represented in the Targums of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Jerusalem? “Wo to thee, Balaam, thou sinner, thou madman: there is no wisdom found in thee.” These words contain nearly the same expressions as those in St. Peter.

Verse 16. But was rebuked for his iniquity — In a very extraordinary manner; the dumb ass — On which he rode; speaking with man’s voice — That is, in man’s language; forbade the madness of the prophet — Namely, his endeavour to contradict the will of God, which might well be called madness, because it could have no effect but to bring the curse of God upon himself. “The apostle does not mean that the ass forbade Balaam, in so many words, to go with the princes of Moab; but that her unwillingness to proceed in the journey, her falling down under him rather than go on, her complaint in man’s language of his smiting her three times for not going on, and her saying, Was I ever wont to do so to thee, were things, so extraordinary, especially her speaking, that Balaam, from that miracle at least, ought to have understood that the whole was a rebuke from God of his foolish project.” Though Balaam is termed a soothsayer, (Joshua 13:22,) and is said to have used enchantments, (Numbers 24:1,) Peter justly calls him a prophet, on account of God’s speaking to him, and giving him a very remarkable prophecy, recorded Numbers 24:15. However, being a very bad man, he may often have feigned communications with the Deity to draw money from the multitude. Perhaps the only communications he ever had with God were on this occasion; and they may have been granted to him, that by uttering them in the hearing of Balak, and of the princes of Moab and Midian, the coming of one out of Jacob, who was to have dominion, might be known to the nations of the East.

V. 17. Fountains and clouds promise water: so do these promise, but do not perform.

Verse 17. These are wells without water] Persons who, by their profession, should furnish the water of life to souls athirst for salvation; but they have not this water; they are teachers without ability to instruct; they are sowers, and have no seed in their basket. Nothing is more cheering in the deserts of the east than to meet with a well of water; and nothing more distressing, when parched with thirst, than to meet with a well that contains no water.

Clouds that are carried with a tempest] In a time of great drought, to see clouds beginning to cover the face of the heavens raises the expectation of rain; but to see these carried off by a sudden tempest is a dreary disappointment. These false teachers were equally as unprofitable as the empty well, or the light, dissipated cloud.

To whom the mist of darkness is reserved] That is, an eternal separation from the presence of God, and the glory of his power. They shall be thrust into outer darkness, Matthew 8:12; into the utmost degrees of misery and despair. False and corrupt teachers will be sent into the lowest hell; and be “the most downcast, underfoot vassals of perdition.” It is scarcely necessary to notice a various reading here, which, though very different in sound, is nearly the same in sense. Instead of nefelai, clouds, which is the common reading, kai omiclai, and mists, or perhaps more properly thick darkness, from omou, together, and acluv, darkness, is the reading in ABC, sixteen others, Erpen’s Arabic, later Syriac, Coptic, Æthiopic, and Vulgate, and several of the fathers. This reading Griesbach has admitted into the text.

Verse 17. These are wells without water, &c. — Pretenders to knowledge and piety, but really destitute thereof; clouds — Promising fertilizing showers of instructive and edifying doctrine, but yielding none; carried with a tempest — Driven by the violence of their own lusts from one error and vice to another; to whom the mist — O zofov, the blackness; of darkness is reserved for ever — Eternal darkness. Frequently in Scripture the word darkness signifies a state of disconsolate misery; here it denotes the punishment of the wicked after the day of judgment; which our Lord also hath represented by persons being cast into outer darkness. “There being few wells and little rain in the eastern countries, for a thirsty traveller to come to a well that had no water, was a grievous disappointment; as it was also to the husbandman to see clouds arise which gave him the prospect of rain, but which, ending in a tempest, instead of refreshing, destroyed the fruits of the earth. By these comparisons the ostentation, hypocrisy, levity, and mischief of the false teachers are set forth in the strongest colours.”

17. Wells—They promise water to the thirsty traveller in the desert; but on his coming to them, they are dry. So these professed greater knowledge and purer truth, but the water of life they could not give to thirsty souls. Clouds—The best authorities read mists, which are clouds condensed, and darker, and give more promise of rain, so welcome in time of drought; but a whirlwind seizes and drives them away, and no rain falls. So with these teachers; they disappoint those that long for the truth. But their awful doom awaits them, for there is reserved for them the mist—rather, the blackness (which makes the chains of the fallen angels in Tartarus, verse 4)—of darkness, the deepest pit of hell.

V. 18. They ensnare in the desires of the flesh-Allowing them to gratify some unholy desire.

Those who were before entirely escaped from the spirit, custom, and company of them that live in error-In sin.

Verse 18. They speak great swelling words of vanity] The word uperogka signifies things of great magnitude, grand, superb, sublime; it sometimes signifies inflated, tumid, bombastic. These false teachers spoke of great and high things, and no doubt promised their disciples the greatest privileges, as they themselves pretended to a high degree of illumination; but they were all false and vain, though they tickled the fancy and excited the desires of the flesh; and indeed this appears to have been their object. And hence some think that the impure sect of the Nicolaitans is meant. See the preface.

Those that were clean escaped] Those who, through hearing the doctrines of the Gospel, had been converted, were perverted by those false teachers.

Verses 18, 19. When they speak great swelling words of vanity — Propose their vain and false doctrine in a lofty style, or affect sublime strains of language, which are often void of any real meaning; they allure through the lusts of the flesh — By allowing their hearers to live in lewd courses, or to gratify some unholy desires under pretence of Christian liberty, verses 10, 19; those — Who, as Christians; were clean escaped from the spirit, customs, and company of them that live in error — That is, in sin. In other words, they bring back again to their former sensuality, and other vices, those who, having been converted, had entirely forsaken their former evil ways and wicked companions. While they promise them liberty — From needless restraints and scruples, and from the bondage of the law; they themselves are the servants of corruption — Slaves to their own lusts, to sin, the vilest of all kinds of bondage; for of whom — Or what; a man is overcome, of the same thing he is brought into bondage — Becomes a perfect slave to it. The apostle seems here to allude to the ancient custom of making those slaves who were conquered or taken in battle. It was one of the Stoical paradoxes, that the wise man is the only free man, and that all wicked men are slaves. This maxim the apostle adopts, and supports it in a sound sense by the above unanswerable argument. Hence our Lord said to the Jews, who boasted of their freedom, (John 8:34,) Whosoever committeth sin is the slave of sin. Of the slavery in which every carnal man lives, St. Paul has given us a lively picture, Romans 6:16- 20.

18. Speak… vanity—Their talk is pompously grandiloquent, but full of emptiness; a pretentious sensationalism admirably adapted to catch the unthinking. Thus laying baits in their own lusts—preaching for truth doctrines that work by licentiousness—they allure those who have embraced the gospel, and are but a short time escaped from the influence of their old heathen associates. Clean escaped—We read with the best texts, a little. Recently converted, and not yet fully instructed, they are the more easily entrapped by these deceivers.

4. Their corruption and utter apostasy, 19-22.

V. 19. While they promise them liberty-From needless restraints and scruples; from the bondage of the law.

Themselves are slaves of corruption-Even sin, the vilest of all bondage.

Verse 19. While they promise them liberty] Either to live in the highest degrees of spiritual good, or a freedom from the Roman yoke; or from the yoke of the law, or what they might term needless restraints. Their own conduct showed the falsity of their system; for they were slaves to every disgraceful lust.

For of whom a man is overcome] This is an allusion to the ancient custom of selling for slaves those whom they had conquered and captivated in war. The ancient law was, that a man might either kill him whom he overcame in battle, or keep him for a slave. These were called servi, slaves, from the verb servare, to keep or preserve. And they were also called mancipia, from manu capiuntur, they are taken captive by the hand of their enemy. Thus the person who is overcome by his lusts is represented as being the slave of those lusts. See Romans 6:16, and the note there.

Verses 18, 19. When they speak great swelling words of vanity — Propose their vain and false doctrine in a lofty style, or affect sublime strains of language, which are often void of any real meaning; they allure through the lusts of the flesh — By allowing their hearers to live in lewd courses, or to gratify some unholy desires under pretence of Christian liberty, verses 10, 19; those — Who, as Christians; were clean escaped from the spirit, customs, and company of them that live in error — That is, in sin. In other words, they bring back again to their former sensuality, and other vices, those who, having been converted, had entirely forsaken their former evil ways and wicked companions. While they promise them liberty — From needless restraints and scruples, and from the bondage of the law; they themselves are the servants of corruption — Slaves to their own lusts, to sin, the vilest of all kinds of bondage; for of whom — Or what; a man is overcome, of the same thing he is brought into bondage — Becomes a perfect slave to it. The apostle seems here to allude to the ancient custom of making those slaves who were conquered or taken in battle. It was one of the Stoical paradoxes, that the wise man is the only free man, and that all wicked men are slaves. This maxim the apostle adopts, and supports it in a sound sense by the above unanswerable argument. Hence our Lord said to the Jews, who boasted of their freedom, (John 8:34,) Whosoever committeth sin is the slave of sin. Of the slavery in which every carnal man lives, St. Paul has given us a lively picture, Romans 6:16- 20.

19. Promise… liberty—Rather, Promising them liberty, themselves being. The great swelling was about liberty; nominally the Christian freedom which Christ effects for his people, (1 Peter 2:16,) but really a freedom to do as they pleased, being under no law and without restraint. Yet these promisers were most abject slaves, and ignorant of real liberty. The proof is on the very surface; they were overcome by corruption, and so were made slaves to corruption, John 8:34; Romans 6:16.

V. 20. For if after they-Who are thus ensnared.

Have escaped the pollutions of the world-The sins which pollute all who know not God.

Through the knowledge of Christ-That is, through faith in him, 2 Peter 1:3.

They are again entangled therein, and overcome, their last state is worse than the first-More inexcusable, and causing a greater damnation.

Verse 20. The pollutions of the world] Sin in general, and particularly superstition, idolatry, and lasciviousness. These are called miasmata, miasmata, things that infect, pollute, and defile. The word was anciently used, and is in use at the present day, to express those noxious particles of effluvia proceeding from persons infected with contagious and dangerous diseases; or from dead and corrupt bodies, stagnant and putrid waters, marshes &c., by which the sound and healthy may be infected and destroyed.

The world is here represented as one large, putrid marsh, or corrupt body, sending off its destructive miasmata everywhere and in every direction, so that none can escape its contagion, and none can be healed of the great epidemic disease of sin, but by the mighty power and skill of God. St. Augustine has improved on this image: “The whole world,” says he, “is one great diseased man, lying extended from east to west, and from north to south; and to heal this great sick man, the almighty Physician descended from heaven.” Now, it is by the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, as says St. Peter, that we escape the destructive influence of these contagious miasmata. But if, after having been healed, and escaped the death to which we were exposed, we get again entangled, emplakentev, enfolded, enveloped with them; then the latter end will be worse than the beginning: forasmuch as we shall have sinned against more light, and the soul, by its conversion to God, having had all its powers and faculties greatly improved, is now, being repolluted, more capable of iniquity than before, and can bear more expressively the image of the earthly.

Verses 20-22. For if after they — The persons here spoken of as deluded; have escaped the pollutions of the world — The sins which pollute those who know not God; through the knowledge of Christ — That is, through faith in him, 2 Peter 1:3; they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end — Their last state; is worse than the beginning — More inexcusable, and exposing them to a greater condemnation. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness — As set forth in the gospel; than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment, &c. — The doctrine of Christ, which enjoins nothing but what is holy. It would have been better, because their sin would have been less, and their punishment lighter. See the margin. But it has happened unto them according to the true proverb — The ancients used to sum up their wisest and most useful observations in short, nervous, and impressive proverbs, which were more easily understood, and better remembered, than long, laboured discourses. The dog, the sow — Unclean creatures: such are all men in the sight of God before they receive his grace, and after they have made shipwreck of the faith. These proverbs teach us the absolute necessity of constant watchfulness and prayer, self-denial and mortification, in order to our persevering in the way of righteousness after we have entered upon it. And, as some think, they teach also that many, if not most of those who relapse into their former habits of sin, had contented themselves with a mere external reformation, and had stopped short of a thorough change of nature, or being made new creatures in Christ Jesus. It may be worth observing, that the former of these proverbs is found Proverbs 26:11, and the latter is said to have been a common proverb among the ancients: see Eccl. 26:24-26. Horace has a plain reference to both of them, lib. 1. ep. 2. 50:26, where he is speaking of the travels of Ulysses, and says, “If he had been conquered by the charms of Circe, he had lived like an impure dog, or a sow that is fond of the mire.” Surely these proverbs will not be thought coarse or unpolite in St. Peter, when some of the most elegant writers of antiquity have made use of, or referred to them.

20. The servants of corruption, not their victims, are meant. Escaped— The same word as in verse 18 and 2 Peter 1:4. Through the knowledge—Rather, in the true, ripe, full knowledge; the element in, and the means by which, the escape was made, showing that it was not a mere external reformation and a profession of religion without saving grace, as some theologians would have it, but a true experience of its blessed power. They were by it brought into the way of truth, the right way, the way of righteousness. Vers. 2, 15, 21. Entangled—Interwoven with them. Overcome—And so again enslaved. The latter end—Their last state of vice, that is, since their apostasy, is worse—lower and fouler—than the first.

V. 21. The commandment-The whole law of God, once not only delivered to their ears, but written in their hearts.

Verse 21. For it had been better for them not to have known] For the reasons assigned above; because they have sinned against more mercy, are capable of more sin, and are liable to greater punishment. The holy commandment] The whole religion of Christ is contained in this one commandment, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; and thy neighbour as thyself.” He who obeys this great commandment, and this by the grace of Christ is possible to every man, is saved from sinning either against his God or against his neighbour. Nothing less than this does the religion of Christ require.

Verses 20-22. For if after they — The persons here spoken of as deluded; have escaped the pollutions of the world — The sins which pollute those who know not God; through the knowledge of Christ — That is, through faith in him, 2 Peter 1:3; they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end — Their last state; is worse than the beginning — More inexcusable, and exposing them to a greater condemnation. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness — As set forth in the gospel; than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment, &c. — The doctrine of Christ, which enjoins nothing but what is holy. It would have been better, because their sin would have been less, and their punishment lighter. See the margin. But it has happened unto them according to the true proverb — The ancients used to sum up their wisest and most useful observations in short, nervous, and impressive proverbs, which were more easily understood, and better remembered, than long, laboured discourses. The dog, the sow — Unclean creatures: such are all men in the sight of God before they receive his grace, and after they have made shipwreck of the faith. These proverbs teach us the absolute necessity of constant watchfulness and prayer, self-denial and mortification, in order to our persevering in the way of righteousness after we have entered upon it. And, as some think, they teach also that many, if not most of those who relapse into their former habits of sin, had contented themselves with a mere external reformation, and had stopped short of a thorough change of nature, or being made new creatures in Christ Jesus. It may be worth observing, that the former of these proverbs is found Proverbs 26:11, and the latter is said to have been a common proverb among the ancients: see Eccl. 26:24-26. Horace has a plain reference to both of them, lib. 1. ep. 2. 50:26, where he is speaking of the travels of Ulysses, and says, “If he had been conquered by the charms of Circe, he had lived like an impure dog, or a sow that is fond of the mire.” Surely these proverbs will not be thought coarse or unpolite in St. Peter, when some of the most elegant writers of antiquity have made use of, or referred to them.

21. Way of righteousness—The way of justification from sin through faith in Christ, and of holy living. The laws for walking in this way constitute the holy commandment given them to be kept; but after keeping it for a time, they are now turned back out of it. Surely, then, they were once in it. Besides, the compound word rendered known means to know

increasingly, and implies that they had once been living, growing Christians. It had been better—Because in ceasing to add to their faith, virtue, etc., (2 Peter 1:5,) they came to forget how Christ saved them, (2 Peter:9,) and fell into the guilt of apostasy and a lower depth of sin; because they sin against greater knowledge and have less excuse; and because they will therefore receive a severer punishment. Verses 20, 21 forcibly show the fall of these false teachers from a state of grace. Their certain doom is pronounced in verses 1, 3, 9, 12, 17.

V. 22. The dog, the sow-Such are all men in the sight of God before they receive his grace, and after they have made shipwreck of the faith. Proverbs 26:11.

Verse 22. According to the true proverb] This seems to be a reference to Proverbs 26:11: laq labv blkk kekeleb shab al keo; as the dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool repeateth his folly. In substance this proverb is found among the rabbins; so Midrash Ruth, in Sohar Chadash, fol. 62: Orphah is returned to her mire, Ruth persevered in spirit; and again, Ibid. fol. 64: “Orphah, which is tymhbh vxn nephesh habbehemith, the bestial soul, is returned to her mire.”

The Greeks have something like it; so Arrian, Dissert. Epict. l. iv. c. 11, says: apelqe kai coirw dialegou, ineJn borborw mh kulihtai, “Go and reason with the swine, lest he be rolled in the mire.” This is called a true proverb: for it is a fact that a dog will eat up his own vomit; and the swine, howsoever carefully washed, will again wallow in the mire. As applied here it is very expressive: the poor sinner, having heard the Gospel of Christ, was led to loathe and reject his sin; and, on his application to God for mercy, was washed from his unrighteousness. But he is here represented as taking up again what he had before rejected, and defiling himself in that from which he had been cleansed.

Here is a sad proof of the possibility of falling from grace, and from very high degrees of it too. These had escaped from the contagion that was in the world; they had had true repentance, and cast up “their soursweet morsel of sin;” they had been washed from all their filthiness, and this must have been through the blood of the Lamb; yet, after all, they went back, got entangled with their old sins, swallowed down their formerly rejected lusts, and rewallowed in the mire of corruption. It is no wonder that God should say, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning: reason and nature say it must be so; and Divine justice says it ought to be so; and the person himself must confess that it is right that it should be so. But how dreadful is this state! How dangerous when the person has abandoned himself to his old sins! Yet it is not said that it is impossible for him to return to his Maker; though his case be deplorable, it is not utterly hopeless; the leper may yet be made clean, and the dead may be raised. Reader, is thy backsliding a grief and burden to thee? Then thou art not far from the kingdom of God; believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved.

II PETER

Verses 20-22. For if after they — The persons here spoken of as deluded; have escaped the pollutions of the world — The sins which pollute those who know not God; through the knowledge of Christ — That is, through faith in him, 2 Peter 1:3; they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end — Their last state; is worse than the beginning — More inexcusable, and exposing them to a greater condemnation. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness — As set forth in the gospel; than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment, &c. — The doctrine of Christ, which enjoins nothing but what is holy. It would have been better, because their sin would have been less, and their punishment lighter. See the margin. But it has happened unto them according to the true proverb — The ancients used to sum up their wisest and most useful observations in short, nervous, and impressive proverbs, which were more easily understood, and better remembered, than long, laboured discourses. The dog, the sow — Unclean creatures: such are all men in the sight of God before they receive his grace, and after they have made shipwreck of the faith. These proverbs teach us the absolute necessity of constant watchfulness and prayer, self-denial and mortification, in order to our persevering in the way of righteousness after we have entered upon it. And, as some think, they teach also that many, if not most of those who relapse into their former habits of sin, had contented themselves with a mere external reformation, and had stopped short of a thorough change of nature, or being made new creatures in Christ Jesus. It may be worth observing, that the former of these proverbs is found Proverbs 26:11, and the latter is said to have been a common proverb among the ancients: see Eccl. 26:24-26. Horace has a plain reference to both of them, lib. 1. ep. 2. 50:26, where he is speaking of the travels of Ulysses, and says, “If he had been conquered by the charms of Circe, he had lived like an impure dog, or a sow that is fond of the mire.” Surely these proverbs will not be thought coarse or unpolite in St. Peter, when some of the most elegant writers of antiquity have made use of, or referred to them.

22. Proverb—These fitting illustrations (Proverbs 26:11) of the brutish sensuality and disgusting moral filthiness into which these apostates had sunk, close the horrible description. Both were probably current sayings.