Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Peter 2:1

"But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction." — 2 Peter 2:1 (ASV)

FIRST PREDICTION: False teachers shall have great success and certain ruin (2 Peter 2:1–10).

But there were false prophets also.—To bring out the contrast between true and false prophets more strongly, the clause that in meaning is secondary has been made primary in form. The meaning is, “There shall be false teachers among you, as there were false prophets among the Jews;” the form is, “But (in contrast to the true prophets just mentioned) there were false prophets as well, even as,” etc.

Shall be false teachers among you.—We must add “also.” With this view of Christians as the antitype of the chosen people, compare 1 Peter 2:9.

The word for “false teachers” occurs here only. It is probably analogous to “false witnesses,” meaning those who teach what is false, rather than to “false Christs,” in which case it would mean those pretending to be teachers when they are not. “False prophets” has both meanings: sham prophets and prophesying lies.

Justin Martyr, around A.D. 145 (Trypho, lxxxii), wrote: “Just as there were false prophets contemporaneous with your holy prophets” (he is addressing a Jew), “so are there now many false teachers among us.” Another possible reference to this Epistle in Justin is given below on 2 Peter 3:8.

As these references occur close together, they seem to make it probable that Justin knew this Epistle. The verse, There shall be false teachers among you, who secretly shall bring in heresies of destruction, is quoted in a homily attributed, on doubtful authority, to Hippolytus (see below, on chapter 3:3).

Privily shall bring in.—Compare Jude 1:4, and Galatians 2:4; and see Notes in both passages. Compare also the Shepherd of Hermas, Sim. VIII.vi.5.

Damnable heresies.—Rather, parties (full) of destruction (Philippians 1:28), whose end is destruction (Philippians 3:19). Wycliffe and Rheims have “sects of perdition.” “Damnable heresies” comes from the Geneva Bible—altogether a change for the worse.

The Greek word hairesis is sometimes translated “sect” in our version (Acts 5:17; Acts 15:5; Acts 24:5), and sometimes “heresy” (Acts 24:14; 1 Corinthians 11:19; Galatians 5:20).

Neither word fully conveys the true meaning of the term in the New Testament, where it points more to divisions than to doctrines, and always to parties inside the Church, not to sects that have separated from it.

The Greek word for “destruction” occurs six times in this short Epistle, according to the inferior texts used by our translators (in the best texts, five times), and is rendered by them in no fewer than five different ways: “damnable” and “destruction” in this verse; “pernicious ways,” 2 Peter 2:2; “damnation,” 2 Peter 2:3; “perdition,” 2 Peter 3:7; and “destruction,” 2 Peter 3:16.

Even denying the Lord that bought them.—Better, denying even the Master that bought them (See Note on Jude 1:4). The phrase is remarkable as coming from one who himself denied his Master. Would a forger have ventured to make St. Peter write thus?

This text is conclusive against Calvinistic doctrines of partial redemption; the Apostle declares that these impious false teachers were redeemed by Jesus Christ (Compare 1 Peter 1:18).

And bring upon themselves.—More literally, bringing upon themselves. The two participles, “denying” and “bringing,” without any conjunction to connect them, are awkward and show that the writer’s strong feeling is already beginning to ruffle the smoothness of his language.

Swift destruction—that is, coming suddenly and unexpectedly, so as to preclude escape; not necessarily coming soon (See first Note on 2 Peter 1:14). The reference, probably, is to Christ’s sudden return to judgment (2 Peter 3:10), scoffing at which was one of the ways in which they “denied their Master.” By their lives they denied that He had “bought them.” He had bought them for His service, and they served their own lusts.