2 Peter - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis

Three times in as many verses Peter mentions the slander and blasphemy of these
teachers. He notes that they sin in self-willed ignorance, while they parade as teachers of
religion ... They live by instinct and because of their spiritual ignorance (Ps. 49:12) they
will soon perish. A generally accepted interpretation of commentators is that these false
teachers meet a sudden and violent death, much the same as animals that are hunted and
killed by men. (S. Kistemaker) He condemns their loose manners and the obscene
wickedness of their whole life; and then he says that they were audacious and peverse, so
that by their scurrilous garrulity they insinuated themselves into the favor of many. He
especially compares them to those brute animals, which seem to have come to existence
to be ensnared, and to be driven to their own ruin by their own instinct; as though he had
said, that being indeed by no allurements, they of themselves hasten to throw themselves
into the snares of Satan and of death. (J. Calvin) “Destruction” is a play on words using
transplacement, stating a jus talionis: the false teachers will suffer wrong in recompense
for the wrong they have done. (D. Watson)
The manuscripts vary between apatais, deceivings,and agapais, love-feasts. It is possible
that a paronomasia may be intentional. Peter will not use the honorable name for the
banquets which these men disgrace by their excesses. He calls them apatais, not agapais
– deceits, not love-feasts. There is no love in the hearts of these men. Their love-feasts
are hypocrisies, deceits. These men are enticing souls to ruin. (B. Caffin) They pour
abuse on the way of Christian restraint, which they do not, in any case, understand ...
They will even be corrupted by their corrupt living; it will be the end of them. (M. Green)
The picture is one of loud ignoramuses posing as professional experts. (A. Robertson)
They are sure to receive, as the wages of their wrongdoing, divine punishment. (S. Case)
“Like unreasoning animals” that live by instinct, false teachers live by the impulses of
their sin natures. Consequently, they are divorced from reality and any perception of
truth. Just as rapid animals must be destroyed, so these false teachers must be removed.
(R.B. Thieme, Jr.) Their presumption is only matched by their ignorance. (D. Hiebert)
2 Peter 2:12 But (contrast) these (Subj. Nom.; false
teachers), as (comparative) irrational (Descr. Nom.; absurd,
illogical) animals (Nom. Appos.; without common sense), born
(genna,w, Perf.PPtc.NNP, Descriptive, Circumstantial)
uncontrollable creatures (Pred. Nom.; ruled by their old sin
natures rather than by rational thought, without moral
restraints) to be (purpose) captured (Adv. Acc.; under
arrest for criminality) and (connective) destroyed (Adv.
Acc.; capital punishment as due process of law), maligning
(blasfhme,w, PAPtc.NMP, Iterative, Modal; slandering, speaking
evil of) things (ellipsis) which (Prep. Dat.) they do not
understand (avgnoe,w, PAI3P, Gnomic; are ignorant of), shall be
ruined (fqei,rw, FPI3P, Predictive; destroyed, sin unto death)
by means of their own (Poss. Gen.) corruption (Instr. Means;
depravity),
BGT 2 Peter 2:12 Ou-toi de. w`j a;loga zw/|a gegennhme,na fusika. eivj a[lwsin kai. fqora.n evn
oi-j avgnoou/sin blasfhmou/ntej( evn th/| fqora/| auvtw/n kai. fqarh,sontai