2 Peter 2:10

a. μάλιστα δὲ τοὺς ὀπίσω σαρκὸς … πορευομένους, “especially those who follow the flesh as their leader”. Cf. Matthew 4:19; 1 Timothy 5:15. In Isaiah 65:2 we have πορευομένοις … ὀπίσω τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν. The writer now passes from the sin of Sodom to the sin of the Libertines. ἐπιθυμίᾳ μιασμοῦ. ἐπιθυμίᾳ is used of strong desire generally; “lust” in its older meaning. E.g. Luke 22:15. μιασμοῦ is a qualitative genitive, as in 2 Peter 2:1. αἱρέσεις ἀπωλείας : “a polluting desire”. κυριότητος καταφρονοῦντας. κυρ. cannot be taken in a purely abstract sense, “despising authority”. κυριότης is used in the abstract sense of the Lordship of Christ in Didache iv. 1. Honour him who speaks the word of God, ὡς κύριον, ὅθεν γὰρ ἡ κυριότης λαλεῖται, ἐκεῖ κύριός ἐστιν.

As is suggested by this passage in the Didache, we may conclude that by κυριότητος καταφρονοῦντας is meant a despising of the Lordship of Christ, which was the central theme of the apostolic teaching and preaching. The writer in 2 Peter 2:10 b, goes on to speak of their attitude towards δόξας, or “angelic beings”. Cf. Jude 1:8, κυριότητα δὲ ἀθετοῦσιν, δόξας δὲ βλασφημοῦσιν. It is true that in Colossians 1:16, κυριότητες form one of the ranks of angels in the false Gnostic teaching, but there is no indication that the Libertines here spoken of taught any elaborate angelology. On the contrary, they spoke lightly of the Unseen Powers generally. Their teaching seems to have been materialistic in tone. They were ὡς ἄλογα ζῷα γεγεννημένα φυσικὰ (2 Peter 2:12) creatures of natural instinct, not employing the higher powers of reason (ἄλογα).

2 Peter 2:10-14; 2 Peter 2:10-14; 2 Peter 2:10-14 Further description of the False Teachers. “Presumptuous and arrogant, they do not shrink from irreverent speech about the unseen powers, while even angels, who are far superior to these false teachers in greatness and might, do not dare to bring against these powers an irreverent accusation. Their irreverence is therefore of an ignorant type, as of unreasoning animals, who are born creatures of instinct, and are fitted only for capture and destruction. Their destruction will be in keeping, and they will be defrauded of what is really the wages of fraud. Their notion of pleasure is to spend the day in delicate living. They are spots and blemishes, luxuriating in their pleasures, while they feast with you. Their eyes are full of adultery, and they are insatiable in sin, alluring unstable souls. With hearts experienced in covetousness, they are children of the curse.”

2 Peter 2:10 b. τολμηταὶ αὐθάδεις. αὐθ. is to be taken as an epithet of τολμηταὶ. The idea in τολμ. is of shameless and irreverent daring. αὐθάδεις (αὐτὸς and ἥδομαι) = “self-willed,” “arrogant”. In 1 Timothy 1:7, the ἐπίσκοπος must not be αὐθάδης, where the thought seems to be of irresponsibility in regard to the community. Cf. Didache 2 Peter 3:6, μὴ γίνου γόγγυσος · ἐπειδὴ ὁδηγεῖ εἰς τὴν βλασφημίαν · μηδὲ αὐθάδης μηδὲ πονηρόφρων. ἐκ γὰρ τούτων ἁπάντων βλασφημίαι γεννῶνται. The false teachers push forward their views, regardless of consequences. Cf. P. Amh. 78, 13 f. (ii., A.D.), μ [ου] πλεονεκτῖ ἄνθρωπος ἀ (υ) θάδης. “An audacious man is taking advantage of me.” δόξας οὐ τρέμουσιν βλασφημοῦντες. δόξας is used of Unseen Powers whether good or evil. How can βλασφημ. be used of evil powers? It is obvious that we must find some sense for βλασφημεῖν here; and also in Jude 1:8, that will be applicable to δόξας, apart altogether from their moral character. In Plato, Rep. 381 E, there occurs a passage dealing with the popular conception of the gods, which holds that they may sometimes change their form, and “in the likeness of wandering strangers, bodied in manifold forms, go roaming from city to city” (cf. Homer, Od. xvii. 485). By such notions, as taught for example by mothers to their children, men may be said, “ εἰς θεοὺς βλασφημεῖν ”. Not only are these a misrepresentation of the Divine, but their tendency is to make light of it, belittle it, detract from its dignity. Some such sense of βλ. seems to be required here. The false teachers may have scoffed at the idea both of angelic help, and of diabolic temptation. Their tendency seems to have been to make light of the Unseen, to foster a sense of the unreality both of sin and of goodness, and to reduce the motives of conduct to a vulgar hedonism (cf. Mayor's note, P. 74).