2 Peter - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis

very existence. (T. Westwood) They destroy themselves by their denial of Christ, they
draw others to follow them and decry orthodox Christianity, and they will seek to make
financial gain from genuine believers by their false teaching. (D. Wheaton) “Truth is for
ever on the scaffold, Wrong for ever on the throne.” The masses have turned their backs
upon the Gospel and we find ourselves a comparatively small remnant facing such a
world. (D. Lloyd-Jones)
The false teachers are those standing in the succession of the false prophets with their
destructive heresies and false words. (D. Watson) Peter informs us that Satan will try his
best to pervert the precious knowledge of the truth to render it ineffective. Pure doctrine
is the only truth that will produce converts and spiritual growth. There is hardly an epistle
of Paul that does not deal with false doctrine, and Peter is devoting the greater part of his
second epistle to that problem as well. (W. Baker) It should be pointed out that emphasis
on the apostasy of the church came to the fore at the rise of the prophetic conferences as
an antidote to the false optimism of postmillennialism. Clarification is needful at this
point: dispensationalism does not teach that the entire church in any century is apostate.
It does teach that the last days of the church age will witness a great apostasy from the
ranks of the church, and that is abundantly attested by Scripture. (C. Feinberg) Today we
are confronted by precisely the same condition. Look at the multiplicity of advice being
offered, look at the theories being propagated, look at all the solutions that are being
offered, and all the clever people that are writing and telling us what ought to be done.
(D. Lloyd-Jones)
Unfortunately, many Christians will eagerly adopt the teachings and the lifestyle of these
heretics. Instead of shunning their evil practices, gullible Christians follow their shameful
ways. (S. Kistemaker) The shameful or immoral way of the teachers probably refers to
their antinomian tendencies resulting from the false conclusion that since God’s grace is
unlimited they are free to sin all they want. (R. Mounce) They do not care for the souls of
men; they want their money. Their words are fair, but they do not spring out of strong
conviction; they are carefully thought out, cunningly devised to attract attention and to
ensnare men. And so they make a gain of their followers. (B. Caffin) The way of Truth
will be reviled because of a lack of integrity in its members. (D. Senior) These “many”
are many backsliders who follow out the moral implications of the antinomian’s
teaching. (J. Kelly) It is sadly true that no doctrine, however senseless and monstrous,
which under the guise of a religious faith ministering to the sensual appetites of men, will
ever want followers. (D. Hiebert) There is nothing so pathetic as the belief that because
we are living in the 21 st century we are in a different world from the world inhabited by
our forefathers. (D. Lloyd-Jones)
2 Peter 2:2 And (continuative) many (Subj. Nom.; converts to
reversionism) will follow (evxakolouqe,w, FAI3P, Predictive)
their (Poss. Gen.; the false teachers) insolence (Dat.
Disadv.; licentiousness, debauchery), by means of whom (Acc.
Gen. Ref.) the way (Subj. Nom.; teaching of Christianity.,
protocol plan of God) of truth (Adv. Gen. Ref.) shall be