2 Peter 2:1-22

Jesus will return

Peter’s second letter

Hilda Bright and Helen Pocock

Chapter 2

False Teachers

Much of this chapter is similar to the letter of Jude. Some of the words are almost the same. Peter may have copied what Jude wrote. Or Jude may have copied what Peter wrote. Or both Peter and Jude may have copied from another record. But this does not affect the truth of what each writer says.

Peter was a good leader. He wanted to look after Christians. He wanted them to learn the truth about Jesus. He wanted them to become strong and mature. Peter was very angry with the false teachers. He wrote very severe words against them. Several times, he said that God would punish them severely. Peter wanted to warn the Christians about them.

The danger of false teachers

v1 There used to be false *prophets in the past among God’s people. And there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly teach wrong things about God that will ruin people. The false teachers will refuse to accept their master who bought them. And so, they will quickly destroy themselves. v2 Many of them will follow their own evil ways. Because of this, other people will say evil things about the true Christian way. v3 These false teachers only want your money. They will make a profit from you when they tell you untrue stories. A long time ago, God *judged them. And he will destroy them at some time in the future.

Verse 1

These verses are a link with chapter 1 verses 20-21. ‘The people’ refers to the *Jews. There were false *prophets in the time of the *Old Testament. These false *prophets were *Jews too. They were not foreigners. Peter warned that there will be false teachers in the *church. Even some Christians will become false teachers. Jesus warned about this in Mark 13:22-23. So Christians should check carefully everything that people teach (Acts 17:11). The *Scriptures are true because they come from God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). True teachers will help people to become mature Christians. But a false teacher does not do that.

False teachers had accused Peter and the other *apostles. They said that Peter told stories ‘that a clever person made up’ (2 Peter 1:16). Peter had told the truth. It was the false teachers who had made up stories (verse 3). The false teachers cleverly mixed their stories with the truth. They said that they were Christians. But they did not believe the truth about Jesus. Jesus died on a cross to rescue people from their *sins. And he rescued them from their wicked lives. 1 Peter 1:18-19 describes how Jesus ‘bought’ people when he died for them. In those days, a master owned the slaves that he bought. He expected them to obey him. Jesus has authority over Christians. He expects them to behave in the right way. The false teachers did not accept Jesus as their master. One day, Jesus will punish the people who do not obey him. Therefore, the false teachers will ruin themselves. Their punishment will be their own fault.

There were false teachers in the *church when Peter wrote this letter. There are still false teachers in the *church today. So, every Christian should pay attention to Peter’s warning.