2 Peter 2:10

2 Peter 2:10 ‘and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties,'

Deadly Preachers:

What was true in all past generations, is also true in Peter's generation. The righteous found themselves surrounded by the ungodly and plagued by false teachers who were very popular. The statement, ‘then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation….'(2 Peter 2:9), is exactly the view that these Christians are to have of their own times and situation.

‘Peter's abhorrence of the errorists produces some of the most colorful and shocking language in the New Testament, and Kelly reflects much modern sentiment when he talks of Peter's “violent and colorfully expressed tirade” and his “repertory of abuse”. But before we become too embarrassed, we should remember our twentieth-century tendency to assume that all positions are right, rather than some being “damnable heresies”…..Clark says wisely, “What twentieth-century Christians might well notice is the sharp difference between the respect paid to false teachers today and the treatment they received from the apostles.' (Lucas/Green p. 103)

‘and especially' -This statement links us back to the last words in 2 Peter 2:9 ‘and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment'. God will especially punish individuals such as are described in the following verses. In the eyes of God, the false teacher is just as dangerous as sinning angels, Noah's contemporaries and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gormorrah. ‘Especially'-most of all, or above all.

‘indulge' -‘become his adherent, to seek, run after' (Thayer p. 531)

‘the flesh in its corrupt desires' -The ‘desires' here mentioned are desires that pollute. People who are looking for evil things. ‘in their longing for the sordid.' (Green p. 103) (Judges 1:8 ‘by dreaming, defile the flesh').

‘despise authority' -‘Despise'-‘lit., to think down upon or against, think slightly of' (Vine p. 301) ‘Authority'-‘power, lordship, one who possesses dominion' (Thayer p. 366) ‘craving polluted things and scorning control' (Wey).

Points to Note:

This probably includes all kinds of authority. They resent God's authority (Matthew 28:18), the authority of the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 14:37), the authority of parents, the authority of elders in the local congregation (Hebrews 13:17). 2. The phrase “question authority” has become. theme song for our current generation. 3. The tense is present, indicating that this is their habitual practice. Like the angels that sinned, they resent any kind of control in their lives. They don't want to be in subjection to anyone.

‘Daring' -‘bold, audacious' (Arndt p. 822); ‘shameless, irreverent daring' (Vine p. 267) ‘Presumptuous' (KJV); ‘Rash' (Gspd). ‘Fools, it is said, rush in where angels fear to tread, and certainly this principle applies to the arrogant stupidity of the false teachers.' (Lucas/Green p. 105)

‘self-willed' -‘self-pleasing, arrogant' (Thayer p. 83). ‘one who, dominated by self-interest, and inconsiderate of others, arrogantly asserts his own will' (Vine p. 342). ‘a self-loving spirit' (Vincent p. 695). ‘They are presumptuous and self-willed…smacks of the reckless daring that defies God and man…the obstinate fellow who is determined to please himself at all costs.' (Green p. 104)

‘they do no tremble when they revile angelic majesties' -‘they do not tremble'-‘they think nothing of' (Phi); they are not afraid to and neither do they stand in awe of such powers. ‘Revile'-‘to blaspheme, rail' (Vine p. 244) ‘angelic majesties'-‘glorious angelic beings, the meaning majesties, illustrious persons is also possible' (Arndt p. 204).

Points to Note:

These men might have scoffed at any idea of the supernatural or the after-life, including angels and other spiritual beings. 2. They also scoffed at the idea that God would intervene in the future to judge mankind (2 Peter 3:4ff). 3. On another level, such men also revile the authority of God's messengers, the apostles. Now and then some theologian or religious scholar will claim to have. better knowledge of what God meant, than the original writers. Professed religious experts will at times say something like, ‘Paul said…..but those were simply the views of. male-chauvinist…'