Beware of false prophets and false teachers.

 

Beware of false prophets and false teachers.

 

1. The story of the fallen angel

2 Peter 2:4 『For if God spared not (Epeisato) the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (Tartarosas), and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.』

Episato (ἐφείσατο) means not sparing. Tartarus (ταρταρώσας) means after being thrown into prison. Regarding the angels who sinned, it is the same concept as the angels who did not keep their positions in Jude 1:6. They are those who wanted to be like God and opposed God. It is because they had a greed in their hearts to become like God. This story is the same story as the incident of eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden.

The reason why the story of evil angels comes up as the story of the Gnostics suddenly unfolds is because the judgment of those who advocate Gnosticism is like God not forgiving the angels who sinned, but throwing them into prison and placing them in a dark pit to be kept until the judgment. Gnostics are those who assert their own righteousness. Likewise, the angels who sinned thought that they could become like God without God. This is what is called self-righteousness. Not only do they think that they can become gods, but they also set up idols and think that idols are gods. God said that he would judge the Gnostics like the evil angels.

 

2. The story of Noah's flood

2 Peter 2:5 『And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.』

Archaeus (ἀρχαίου) comes from Arche, meaning leader. In other words, it does not forgive the world for being a leader. Ogdoon (ὄγδοον) means the eighth. In the time of Noah, people abandoned God's promise (the offspring of the woman) and lived according to their own thoughts. Their thoughts were more important than God's, and they wanted to be as high as God.

They ignored God like Nimrod who built the Tower of Babel. God brought a flood on the ungodly (those who did not wait for God's covenant). The flood symbolizes water baptism. Water baptism means death in water. However, Noah and his family entered the ark and were created with new life. Coming out of the ark symbolizes a new creation (resurrection: rebirth). This is because the ark symbolizes Christ on the cross.

Peter brought up this story to teach that baptism means death on the cross, which the Jews accept as washing away sins. That is why they come into the church and spread false words. It tells us that this sin is a great sin, like the flood of Noah. There are two types of baptism: water baptism and fire baptism. Water baptism symbolizes sinners who must die, like the flood of Noah.

And in 1 Peter 3:21, he explains the exact meaning of water baptism. It says that water is not for washing away the dirt of the flesh, but for going out with a good conscience. Baptism is the death of the old self with Jesus and going out with Christ to the resurrection life.

 

3. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah

2 Peter 2:6 『And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;』

The judgment of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha was also a judgment on those who wanted to be higher than God. The standard of judgment was that the creatures wanted to become like God. Before God judged them, he sent angels and told them to repent and turn back, but they did not listen. They served idols, destroyed the order of creation, and wanted to establish their own righteousness.

Chapter 2, verses 7-8『 Chapter 2 verses 7-8『And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unrighteousness (Asergei) Ahἀσελγείᾳ) deeds;)』

Aselgeia (ἀσελγείᾳ) means debauchery. Lot kept God's promise, and the angels led Lot and his family out of Sodom, but his wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. Looking back is the appearance of someone who tries to show off his own righteousness like the people of Sodom. Lot's wife means someone who has been called and come to the church today, but still considers himself the master, not Christ.

The reason Peter brought up Sodom and Gomorrah is related to baptism. Fire baptism is the death of the soul, and it is like those who were judged and died in Sodom and Gomorrah. However, the Jews at that time did not know much about baptism. They were based on legalism, and they believed in the gospel but still had to follow the law. Therefore, he warned that those who spread false doctrines would receive God’s punishment like this.

In chapter 2, verse 10, "But chiefly they that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities." Those who walk after the flesh are those who have strong religious beliefs and believe in God according to their own thoughts. They are those who know the Bible well through knowledge and serve diligently in the church.

However, looking at their behavior, it is said that they walk in lust with a defiled conscience. Therefore, they despise the Lord's rule. In other words, Jesus is not the Lord, but they are the Lord. They can be said to be believers who say they are the Lord only in words, but live according to their own thoughts. They are bold, proud, have no fear of God, and blaspheme (blasphemuntes βλασφημοῦντες) the glory (δόξας) of God. In other words, they are those who do not believe in the present resurrection.

 

4. The story of Balaam

2 Peter 3:15-16『And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles his, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.』

False teachers are likened to Balaam. Balaam was a foreigner, but he met God, became a prophet trusted by God, and amazing things happened, but he was tempted by money and ended up committing a crime against God. False teachers spread lies like Balaam. They say that you have to believe in the gospel and keep the law. They also spread false information about the resurrection. That is why false teachers preach the resurrection of the body.

 

5. The story of the dog and the pig

2 Peter 2:22 『But it happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog was turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.』

We need to look at dogs and pigs. Dogs mean foreigners. When we express them as dogs, we are referring to the habits of dogs. In Proverbs 26:11, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool returns to his folly.” This statement applies to those who were given freedom from the law but are now bound by the law. In Galatians 5:1, the Apostle Paul said, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” The Bible is talking about them returning to the yoke of slavery. In Philippians 3:2, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.” The act of harming the body refers to circumcision of the flesh according to the law. Dogs, evildoers, and those who are circumcised in the flesh refer to those who believe in Jesus Christ and are saved, but still cannot escape legalism.

In “Do not give what is holy to dogs,” the holy thing is the word of God. That is, it means the gospel that “those who repent and enter into Christ will be saved.” In other words, there is no need to give this gospel to those who say that they believe in Jesus but also say that they must keep the law.

“Do not throw your pearls before swine.” Pearl refers to the church that Jesus Christ sold everything and bought with a price. Although we have been forgiven of our sins and have been freed from the law through Jesus Christ, the legalists still try to follow the law and enter into sin. The Bible calls them dogs and pigs. Although all sins have been forgiven in Christ, if we try to be holy by judging whether or not we sin again based on the law, we become dogs and pigs before God. Therefore, “Be careful lest they trample it underfoot and turn and tear you to pieces.” Dogs and pigs are harming the church. Those who believe in the law are trampling and harming the saints in Christ. In the early church, the legalists tried to persuade the saints in the church to return to Judaism. They persecuted and persuaded the saints and tormented them.