< 2 Peter 2 >

Peter forewarned that there would be false prophets among the Christians, just as there had been previously among the people of Israel, who would bring in heresies resulting in destruction. Unfortunately, many disciples would follow these false teachers and deny the faith, even speaking evil of the way of truth.vs.2-3Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:2-3 To alert the disciples to this danger and encourage them to resist the error and remain steadfast in the truth, Peter cited previous examples of God’s judgments upon those who departed into unbelief and wickedness.

Peter's first example of false prophets that brought destruction was that of Korah, Dathan and Abiram Numbers 16 who, as Levites and princes in Israel, were the messengers of the LORD (the original word for messenger is “angelos” translated as angels).v.4Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:4 These rebelled against Moses, Aaron, and the LORD’s appointments, and were punished by being suddenly cast into the grave (translated as hell here) and delivered into chains of darkness until the day of judgment.v.4Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:4 It is instructive that the normal Greek word translated “hell” is “hades”, meaning “the grave”, but Peter uses a different word here to indicate that the rebels did not simply descend into a normal grave but went down into the lower depths of the earth. This word is “tartarus” which the Greeks applied to the place below “hades”. This agrees with Moses’ declaration concerning the destiny of the rebels: “If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up and they go down quick [alive] into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up”. Numbers 16:29-32Waiting for response for Numbers 16:29-32

Peter's second example of false prophets that brought destruction was that of Noah and the flood which Jesus also cited as a warning to the disciples and through which only a very few survived.v.5Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:5

Peter's third example of false prophets that brought destruction was that of Sodom and Gomorrha and, with sodomy now gaining general acceptance even among the religious, we are wise to be like righteous Lot who was vexed daily by the deeds of these people.vs.7-8Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:7-8 The wicked were abruptly overthrown, and sudden destruction is also promised at the return of Christ. The righteous, however, were delivered: God is able to deliver the righteous as readily as he is able to reserve the wicked for judgment.v.9Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:9

Men too easily fall away to the lusts of the flesh and despise the righteous dignities we read of in the scriptures.v.10Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:10 They become like brute beasts and, in the end, perish like them.v.12Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:12 Disastrously, many disciples in the first century descended to this appalling level and corrupted the Christian congregations.vs.13-19Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:13-19 Having forsaken the right way, many of these apostates only sought to make money, like Balaam, Numbers 22 “loving the wages of unrighteousness”.v.15Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:15 God said, through Peter, it would be better for such people never to have known the way of righteousness, because the judgments of God are severe upon those who corrupt his word and truth.vs.20-22Waiting for response for 2 Peter 2:20-22