Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Peter 2:7
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
7. vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked ] More accurately, vexed with the mode of life (or conduct) of the lawless ones in lasciviousness. On “conversation” see notes on 1Pe 1:15, and on “lasciviousness” note on 2Pe 2:2.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And delivered just Lot – Gen 19:16. This case is incidentally referred to, to show that God makes a distinction between the righteous and the wicked; and that while the latter will be destroyed, the former will be saved. See 2Pe 2:9. Lot is called just, because he preserved himself uncontaminated amidst the surrounding wickedness. As long as he lived in Sodom he maintained the character of an upright and holy man.
Vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked – By the corrupt and licentious conduct of the wicked around him. On the word conversation, see the notes at Phi 1:27. The original phrase, which is rendered filthy, has reference to licentiousness. The corruption of Sodom was open and shameless; and as Lot was compelled to see much of it, his heart was pained. The word here rendered vexed, means that he was wearied or burdened. The crimes of those around him he found it hard to bear with.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. Vexed with the filthy conversation] Being exceedingly pained with the unclean conduct of those lawless persons. What this was, see in the history, Gen. 19., and the notes there.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Vexed; grievously afflicted or wearied.
The wicked; unjust, lawless, (understand men), such as had no respect to law or justice, in opposition to Lot, whom he calls just and righteous.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. justrighteous.
filthyconversationliterally, “behavior in licentiousness”(Ge 19:5).
the wickedGreek,“lawless”: who set at defiance the laws of nature,as well as man and God. The Lord reminds us of Lot’s faithfulness,but not of his sin in the cave: so in Rahab’s case.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And delivered just Lot,…. Who was a just man, being justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to him; and having the new man formed in him, which is created in righteousness and true holiness; and living soberly, righteously, and godly, though not without sin: for there is not a just man that lives and sinneth not; this righteous man was delivered from the burning of Sodom by the means of angels, Ge 19:16. The Jews are very injurious to this good man’s character, and give a very different one of him from this of the apostle’s; they call him a wicked man, a perfect wicked man, as wicked as the inhabitants of Sodom d; and say, that because they abounded in sin, therefore Lot chose to dwell among them e; and affirm f, that all the time he was with Abraham, God did not join himself to him, and did not commune with Abraham on his account; but, when he was separated from him, did; they call him the evil imagination, and the old serpent that was accursed, and cursed Lot g; but Philo the Jew h speaks better of him, and says that he did not embrace and delight in the iniquities of the inhabitants, though he did not arrive to the perfection of wisdom; and the author of the book of Wisdom calls him the “righteous man”,
“When the ungodly perished, she delivered the righteous man, who fled from the fire which fell down upon the five cities.” (Wisdom 10:6)
as the apostle does here; and very truly, since it follows:
vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked; the inhabitants of Sodom, who had no regard to the laws of God or man, or to the law and light of nature; but as worse than brute beasts, lived daily in the commission of unnatural lusts; and therefore their conversation is rightly said to be filthy, and was a grievous burden to righteous Lot: for to a good man, not only his own sins, but the sins of others, whether professors or profane, are a burden, and make him groan under them, being grievously fatigued with them, as this good man was, and weary of life because of them, as Rebekah was, through the daughters of Heth.
d Tzeror Hammot, fol. 14. 4. & 16. 4. & 20. 2. e Jarchi in Gen. xiii. 10. f Zohar in Gen. fol. 57. 2. Jarchi in Gen. xiii. 13. g Zohar in Gen. fol. 56. 1, 2. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 7. 3. & 14. 3. & 20. 2. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 44. fol. 39. 1. h De Vita Mosis, l. 2. p. 662.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Divine Judgments. | A. D. 67. |
7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
When God sends destruction on the ungodly, he commands deliverance for the righteous; and, if he rain fire and brimstone on the wicked, he will cover the head of the just, and they shall be hid in the day of his anger. This we have an instance of in his preserving Lot. Here observe, 1. The character given of Lot; he is called a just man; this he was as to the generally prevailing bent of his heart and through the main of his conversation. God does not account men just or unjust from one single act, but from their general course of life. And here is a just man in the midst of a most corrupt and profligate generation universally gone off from all good. He does not follow the multitude to do evil, but in a city of injustice he walks uprightly. 2. The impression the sins of others made upon this righteous man. Though the sinner takes pleasure in his wickedness, it is a grief and vexation to the soul of the righteous. In bad company we cannot escape either guilt or grief. Let the sins of others be a trouble to us, otherwise it will not be possible for us to keep ourselves pure. 3. Here is a particular mention of the duration and continuance of this good man’s grief and vexation: it was from day to day. Being accustomed to hear and see their wickedness did not reconcile him to it, nor abate of the horror that was occasioned by it. This is the righteous man whom God preserved from the desolating judgment that destroyed all round about him. From this instance we are taught to argue that God knows how to deliver his people and punish his enemies. It is here presupposed that the righteous must have their temptations and trials. The devil and his instruments will thrust sore at them, that they may fall; and, if we will get to heaven, it must be through many tribulations. It is therefore our duty to reckon upon and prepare for them. Observe here, (1.) The Lord knows those that are his. He has set apart him who is godly for himself; and, if there is but one in five cities, he knows him; and where there is a greater number he cannot be ignorant of nor overlook any one of them. (2.) The wisdom of God is never at a loss about ways and means to deliver his people. They are often utterly at a loss, and can see no way; he can deliver a great many. (3.) The deliverance of the godly is the work of God, that which he concerns himself in, both his wisdom to contrive the way and his power to work out the deliverance out of temptation, to prevent their falling into sin and their being ruined by their troubles. And surely, if he can deliver out of temptation, he could keep from falling into it if he did not see such trials to be necessary. (4.) God makes a very great difference in his dealings with the godly and the wicked. When he saves his people from destruction, he delivers over his enemies to deserved ruin. The unjust has no share in the salvation God works out for the righteous. The wicked are reserved to the day of judgment. Here we see, [1.] There is a day of judgment. God has appointed a day wherein he will judge the world. [2.] The preservation of impenitent sinners is only a reserving of them to the day of the revelation of the righteous judgment of God.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
And delivered ( ). First aorist middle of as in Mt 6:13, still part of the protasis with .
Righteous Lot ( ). This adjective occurs three times in verses 2Pet 2:7; 2Pet 2:8. See Wisdom 10:6.
Sore distressed (). Present passive participle of , late and common verb, to work down, to exhaust with labor, to distress, in N.T. only here and Ac 7:24.
By the lascivious life of the wicked ( ). “By the life in lasciviousness of the lawless.” (alpha privative and ), late and common adjective (cf. 1Pe 4:3) for rebels against law (of nature and conscience here). is frequent in I Peter.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Just [] . Occurring three times in vv. 7, 8.
Vexed [] . Only here and Act 7:24. Kata gives the force of worn down. So Rev., sore distressed.
With the filthy conversation of the wicked [ ] . Lit., by the behavior of the lawless in wantonness. Rev., the lascivious life of the wicked. Life or behavior [] . See on 1Pe 1:15. Wicked [] , lit., lawless. Only here and ch. 3 17. Wantonness [] , see on Mr 7:22.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And delivered just Lot” (kai errusato) “delivered or let out” (Greek dikaion) “righteous or just” Lot – – Gen 19:16-17. Note God delivered Lot from immediate judgment, told him and his wife to keep moving, look not back in wanton selfishness. He did go on, she looked back, became a “pillar of salt,” preserved rock of judgment warning against obstinate defiers of God’s Word. Gen 19:17; Gen 19:22; Gen 19:26; Luk 17:32-33.
2) “Vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.” (Greek kataponoumenon) “being expressed” by and of the (athesmon) “lawless” (Greek anas trophes) “maneuverings, consorting” in (Greek aselgia) licentiousness, immorality of sodomy, lesbianism, etc., going “after strange flesh” Jud 1:7.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
2Pe. 2:7-8 and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds);
Expanded Translation
and delivered (saved, rescued) righteous (upright, just) Lot, who was worn out (because of the pain of mind and distress caused) by the unrestrained, insolent, immoral way of living of those without law or rule. For that righteous man in seeing and hearing (their deeds and words) while living among them, was tormenting, torturing, and afflicting his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds.
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and delivered righteous Lot
See Genesis, Chap. 19. Because the contrast with Abraham is ever present in the readers mind, so that the most lasting impressions are made by Lots selfishness, worldliness, vacillation, cowardice, and finally his drunkenness and incest, our tendency is to label him un-righteous. Peter, though, is fair-minded, and gives credit where credit is due. His life taken as a whole, was righteous, especially when compared to those around him.
sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked
The word kataponeo (sore distressed) means to exhaust by labor or suffering, to be, as it were, beat from the distress, pain, or agony of a thing. It is to Lots credit that his conscience was not seared and his heart was not hardened by his surroundings. It seems, however, that his daughters and wife were not distressed by their surroundings. Rather, they were influenced toward wrong by those wicked inhabitants. See lascivious (aselgeia) discussed under 1Pe. 4:3.
vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds
That is, because of what he saw and heard of their actions he vexed his soul. The word vexed is basanizo, and means properly to apply the lapis Lydis or touchstone. This was a species of stone from Lydia, dark in color, which, being applied to metals was thought to indicate any alloy which might be mixed with them and, therefore, used in the trial of metals. Used here metaphorically, basanizo means to torture, torment, distress.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(7) And delivered just Lot.Better, righteous Lot; it is the same adjective as occurs twice in the next verse. These repetitions of the same word, of which there are several examples in this Epistle (destruction thrice, 2Pe. 2:1-3; various repetitions, 2Pe. 3:10-12; look for thrice, 2Pe. 3:12-14, &c), and which have been stigmatised as showing poverty of language, are perfectly natural in St. Peter, and not like the laboured efforts of a writer endeavouring to personate him. A person writing under strong emotion does not stop to pick his words; he uses the same word over and over again if it expresses what he means and no other word at once occurs to him. This is still more likely to be the case when a person is writing in a foreign language. The fact that such repetitions are frequent in the Second Epistle, but not in the First, is not only fully explained by the circumstances, but, as being so entirely in harmony with them, may be regarded as a mark of genuineness. Delivered righteous Lot. Here, as in the case of the Flood (2Pe. 2:5), the destruction of the guilty suggests the preservation of the innocent. Is it fanciful to think that these lights in a dark picture are characteristic of one who had himself denied the Master who bought him, and yet had been preserved like Noah and rescued like Lot? This brighter side is wanting in Jude, so that in the strictly historical illustrations this Epistle is more full than the other (see Note on 2Pe. 2:15); it is where apocryphal books seem to be alluded to that St. Jude has more detail.
The filthy conversation.Literally, behaviour in wantonness (comp. 2Pe. 2:2; 2Pe. 2:18)i.e., licentious mode of life. The word for conversation, or behaviour, is a favourite one with St. Petersix times in the First Epistle, twice in this (2Pe. 3:11); elsewhere in the New Testament only five times.
Of the wicked.Literally, of the lawlessa word peculiar to this Epistle; we have it again in 2Pe. 3:17. The word translated abominable in 1Pe. 4:3 is closely allied to it.
The judgment on Sodom and Gomorrha forms a fitting complement to that of the Flood as an instance of Gods vengeance, a judgment by fire being regarded as more awful than a judgment by flood, as is more distinctly shown in 2Pe. 3:6-7, where the total destruction of the world by fire is contrasted with the transformation of it wrought by the Flood.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
7. Delivered A second example of preservation of the godly, in the case of Lot. Gen 19:12-23. Just is the same Greek with righteous, in 2Pe 2:8.
Vexed Literally, Worn down by the conduct of the lawless in licentiousness. , says Bloomfield, “signifies a despiser of all laws. The term is applied to these, because they did not live after that primeval law, partly of nature and partly of tradition, with which they were favoured.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked, (for that righteous man living among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their lawless deeds),’
But one man, Lot, again a ‘righteous man’, was distressed by their lasciviousness and was vexed by it continually day by day, was delivered. So in these last two examples, while judgments came on those who lived lasciviously, there were a remnant who were saved. We may feel that Lot did not reveal himself as particularly righteous in the way that he behaved. But the point is that he believed God and in the end obeyed Him, even though somewhat reluctantly.
And the same was now true in a lascivious world, destined for judgment, with the few, the new people of God, being delivered because of their righteousness. The righteousness is comparative. The point is that even in his sins, Lot’s heart was turned towards God. For the depiction of both Noah and Lot as ‘righteous’ compare the Wisdom of Solomon 10:4, 6 among the apocryphal books.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2Pe 2:7. And delivered just Lot And rescued righteous Lot, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Pe 2:7 . Contrast to the divine justice in punishing, which is not to be found in Jude. Wiesinger: “The expansion of the thought, introduced by the mention antithetically of Noah, 2Pe 2:5 , gains, by the co-ordination ( ) of the deliverance of Lot, independent value, and prepares the way for the double inference, 2Pe 2:9 .”
] has not here an adversative force (Jachmann), but is simply the copulative particle.
] here like , 2Pe 2:5 .
] besides here, in Act 7:24 ( 2Ma 8:2 , where, however, it is doubtful whether the reading should be or ); Pott, Schol. Soph. in Trachin. v. 328, verba: exponit per .
] belongs not to , but to .; cf. Winer, p. 330 [E. T. 461]; with . , cf. 1Pe 1:17 .
, besides here only in chap. 2Pe 3:17 : homines nefarii, qui nec jus nec fas curant (Gerhard).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
Ver. 7. Vexed ] Gr. , labouring under it, as under a heavy burden, and as much tortured as if he had been set upon a rack, as it is 2Pe 2:8 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
7 .] and rescued (the contrast, the deliverance of the righteous, is here brought out at more length. This contrast is wanting in Jude, where only the punitive dealings of God are treated) righteous Lot ( , as repeating the of 2Pe 2:5 ; see also again, 2Pe 2:8 ) distressed ( , properly to wear down or tire out by toil, as , Diod. iii. 37: , Pol. xl. 7. 3: hence to oppress , as in ref. Acts, or harass beyond bearing as here) by the behaviour of the lawless ( , “homines nefarii, qui nec jus nec fas curant”) in licentiousness ( . is to be taken together, as . ; . denoting the character of the behaviour or manner of life):
8 ] Explanation of . For by sight and hearing (these datives belong to below, not as vulg., Erasm., al ungrammatically, to , “ adspectu et auditu justus erat ,” nor as Gerh. to : nor again are they to be understood of the Sodomites, as Wetstein, “Lotus vultu eorum meretricio conspecto, et audita fama impudiciti eorum.” It was by his own sight and hearing of what went on around him, that he .
is more usually of the look of a man from without: so in Demosth. Mid. in Wetst. , , , and in numerous other examples in Wetst. The transition from this to the subjective sense is obvious) the righteous man, dwelling among them, day by day tormented his righteous soul with their lawless deeds (the form of the sentence is peculiar: that being represented as a deliberate act of Lot on himself, which was in fact the impression made on him by the lawlessness around him. The same way of speaking is common among us, when we say that a man “distresses himself” at any occurrence: cf. Isa 58:5 , “a day for a man to afflict his soul,” . The older expositors have curiously and characteristically missed the right sense: so c., , (which he further expands afterwards): and similarly Thl.):
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
2Pe 2:7 . , the word applied to the condition of the slave whom Moses delivered, Act 7:24 . It implies outward discomfort. . Cf. 2Pe 3:17 , “a stronger word than , because is used especially of a divine ordinance, a fundamental law” (Mayor).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
delivered = rescued. As in 2Co 1:10.
just. App-191.
Lot. As believing Jehovah, Lot was justified. We do not know all his life, and we do not know all implied by the rest of this verse and by 2Pe 2:8.
vexed = oppressed. See Act 7:24.
with = by. App-104.
filthy conversation = behaviour (see Gal 1:1, Gal 1:13) in (Greek. en) lasciviousness (Greek. aselgeia. See 1Pe 4:3).
wicked = lawless. Greek. athesmos. Only here and 2Pe 3:17.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
7.] and rescued (the contrast, the deliverance of the righteous, is here brought out at more length. This contrast is wanting in Jude, where only the punitive dealings of God are treated) righteous Lot (, as repeating the of 2Pe 2:5; see also again, 2Pe 2:8) distressed (, properly to wear down or tire out by toil, as , Diod. iii. 37: , Pol. xl. 7. 3: hence to oppress, as in ref. Acts, or harass beyond bearing as here) by the behaviour of the lawless (, homines nefarii, qui nec jus nec fas curant) in licentiousness ( . is to be taken together, as . ; . denoting the character of the behaviour or manner of life):
8] Explanation of . For by sight and hearing (these datives belong to below, not as vulg., Erasm., al ungrammatically, to ,-adspectu et auditu justus erat, nor as Gerh. to : nor again are they to be understood of the Sodomites, as Wetstein,-Lotus vultu eorum meretricio conspecto, et audita fama impudiciti eorum. It was by his own sight and hearing of what went on around him, that he .
is more usually of the look of a man from without: so in Demosth. Mid. in Wetst. , , , and in numerous other examples in Wetst. The transition from this to the subjective sense is obvious) the righteous man, dwelling among them, day by day tormented his righteous soul with their lawless deeds (the form of the sentence is peculiar: that being represented as a deliberate act of Lot on himself, which was in fact the impression made on him by the lawlessness around him. The same way of speaking is common among us, when we say that a man distresses himself at any occurrence: cf. Isa 58:5, a day for a man to afflict his soul,- . The older expositors have curiously and characteristically missed the right sense: so c., , (which he further expands afterwards): and similarly Thl.):
Fuente: The Greek Testament
2Pe 2:7. , righteous) Gen 19:1; Gen 19:7.-, of the lawless or impious) of those who sinned against nature.- , in wantonness) Gen 19:5.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
delivered: Gen 19:16, Gen 19:22, Gen 19:29, 1Co 10:13
vexed: Gen 13:13, Gen 19:7, Gen 19:8, Psa 120:5, Jer 9:1-6, Jer 23:9
Reciprocal: Gen 11:27 – Lot Gen 13:12 – pitched Gen 19:9 – This Gen 19:12 – Hast Gen 19:28 – General Job 19:2 – vex Job 22:20 – the fire Mat 24:40 – the one Mat 26:69 – Peter Act 17:16 – his spirit Eph 4:22 – former Eph 5:4 – filthiness Col 3:8 – filthy 1Ti 6:10 – and pierced
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Pe 2:7. Just Lot. This statement is made by an inspired writer and must be accepted as true. Much criticism has been made of Lot because of the choice he made in the time of Abraham. The criticism is unjust because it is contrary to the facts of the circumstance. The reader may see a full explanation of this subject at Gen 13:9-12, in Volume 1 of Bible, Commentary. Vexed with the filthy conversation (conduct) of the wicked. This has special reference to their gross immorality, for the account that is given in Gen 19:4-11 shows them to have been worse than dumb beasts.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Pe 2:7. and delivered righteous Lot, Bore distressed by the behaviour of the lawless in wantonness. Here again we have some unusual words. The verb which is rendered vexed by the A. V., but which has the stronger sense of sore distressed (as the R. V. puts it), or worn down, occurs only once again, viz. in Act 7:24, where it is translated oppressed. The adjective which the A. V. translates wicked, but which has the more definite sense of lawless, occurs only once again, namely in chap. 2Pe 3:17. As to the word conversation or behaviour, see on 1Pe 1:15; and as to the term wantonness, see above on 2Pe 2:2. Jude omits this notice of the deliverance of Lot, which in Peter serves to throw into still stronger relief the unerring penal judgment of God, but also to prepare the way for the assertion of Gods knowledge of how to deliver the godly out of temptation.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. As bad as Sodom was, it had a good man in it; God leaves not himself without witness, in the vilest and worst of places God has some that profess his name, and bear witness to his truth.
Observe, 2. The character given of him, just Lot; the denomination was taken from the habitual frame of his heart, and the general tenor of his life.
Observe, 3. How this good man laid to heart the wickedness of Sodom; he was grieved for their wicked and filthy conversation before God, more than for their unkind and cruel behavior towards him; the spirit of a child of God is a sympathizing spirit, it sadly lays to heart both the sins and the sufferings of others.
Observe, 4. The care that God took for this good man’s preservation, he delivered just Lot; he delivered him both from the company and conversation of the wicked, which was a continual vexation to him; and also delivered him from the judgments which were righteously brought upon the wicked; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
God’s Sure Deliverance
There can be no doubt that God knows how to deliver those living godly lives, a conclusion which logically comes from the examples in verses 4-8. The word translated “temptations” here could also be translated “trials.” Notice, Peter does not promise God will keep trials out of Christians’ lives but does say He will deliver them. The day of judgment will be for all, and the unrighteous will hear their sentence pronounced on that day as well ( 2Pe 2:7-9 ; Mat 25:41 ; Mat 25:46 ).
All of the unrighteous will face punishment, but the ones named in 2Pe 2:10 are especially reserved for judgment. Their sin must have been terrible, since Peter refused to name it specifically. He calls it uncontrolled desire that pollutes the flesh. Also, they had no respect at all for authority, evidently even Christ’s (2:1). That lack of respect lead them to take liberties with God and man. They were determined to have their own way and that seemingly led them to speak evil against any authority that got in the way of their pursuit of what they wanted.
In contrast, angels, who were much greater and more powerful than the false teachers, would not even bring accusation against the false teachers, who were their inferiors. The false teachers seemed to have no problems with conscience when they were obviously speaking evil about those who were superior to them ( 2Pe 2:11 ).
Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books
Verse 7
Filthy conversation; corrupt and wicked conduct.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
The reminder of Lot shows that God will not only punish the wicked but He will also extricate the righteous from the judgment He will send on the ungodly that surround them. This example, as well as the example of Noah (2Pe 2:5), assured Peter’s faithful readers that God would not lose them in the mass of sinners whom He would judge. The destruction of Jerusalem was going to destroy the unbelieving Jews living there in A.D. 70. [Note: See J. Dwight Pentecost, "The Apostles’ Use of Jesus’ Predictions of Judgment on Jerusalem in A.D. 70," in Integrity of Heart, Skillfulness of Hands, p. 142.] However the primary warning deals with eschatological deliverance and punishment at the return of Christ. [Note: Bauckham, p. 254.] Another view is that the trials in view are all those challenges to faith that Christians experience in this world. [Note: Moo, p. 106.]
Of course, many righteous people have died along with the ungodly in what have appeared to be God’s judgments. One example of this is the faithful remnant in Israel who died in the wars that resulted in Israel’s and Judah’s captivities. Note that Peter said God is able to deliver the righteous. He did not say that He would do so in every case. This is still a ground for comfort in that if the will of God is such, the righteous will not suffer with the wicked. In the end God will separate these two groups eternally, and no righteous person will suffer eternal judgment (cf. Mat 13:30).
Had Peter not told us Lot was a righteous man we might have concluded otherwise. Lot’s righteousness strengthens Peter’s illustration.
"’Righteous’ is a relative term; and in this case we must look at Lot both in comparison with the defective morality of the age and also with the licentiousness of those with whom he is here contrasted. Moreover, in the midst of this corruption he preserves some of the brighter features of his purer nomad life." [Note: Alfred Plummer, "The Second Epistle General of Peter," in Ellicott’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, 8:453.]
We cannot always tell who the righteous are, but God knows (cf. Mat 13:24-30). How a person behaves may be misleading. Not only may some unbelievers appear to be saints, but some believers, such as Lot, appear to be unsaved. If every genuine believer gives evidence of his salvation by his good works, as some interpreters assert, then Lot was the exception to the rule. It seems more likely that Lot was what the New Testament calls a carnal believer.
"It is possible for a Christian to live close to sin, but he may barely escape with his life." [Note: Barbieri, p. 111.]