Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Peter 2:8
(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful deeds);
8. for that righteous man ] Literally, the righteous man. We note the use of the term in this half-generic, half-individual, way as analogous to that of Jas 5:6.
vexed his righteous soul ] Literally, tortured, as in Mar 5:7; Mar 6:48. It would have seemed scarcely necessary to point out that the words refer to the pain suffered by a man of sensitive moral nature at the sight and report of flagrant evil (comp. Ezekiel’s language (Eze 9:4) as to those “that sigh and that cry” for the abominations done in Jerusalem) had not some patristic interpreters of authority (Theophylact and cumenius) seen in them a description of the self-inflicted ascetic discipline by which Lot maintained his purity. It may be noted that the “seeing” is peculiar to St Peter.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For that righteous man dwelling among them – The Latin Vulgate renders this, For in seeing and hearing he was just; meaning that he maintained his uprightness, or that he did not become contaminated by the vices of Sodom. Many expositors have supposed that this is the correct rendering; but the most natural and the most common explanation is that which is found in our version. According to that, the meaning is, that compelled as he was, while living among them, to see and to hear what was going on, his soul was constantly troubled.
In seeing and hearing – Seeing their open acts of depravity, and hearing their vile conversation. The effect which this had on the mind of Lot is not mentioned in Genesis, but nothing is more probable than the statement here made by Peter. Whether this statement was founded on tradition, or whether it is a suggestion of inspiration to the mind of Peter, cannot be determined. The words rendered seeing and hearing may refer to the ACT of seeing, or to the object seen. Wetstein and Robinson suppose that they refer here to the latter, and that the sense is, that he was troubled by what he saw and heard. The meaning is not materially different. Those who live among the wicked are compelled to see and hear much that pains their hearts, and it is well if they do not become indifferent to it, or contaminated by it. Vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.
Tortured or tormented his soul – ebasanizen Compare Mat 8:6, Mat 8:29; Luk 8:28; Rev 9:5; Rev 11:10; Rev 14:10; Rev 20:10, where the same word is rendered tormented. The use of this word would seem to imply that there was something active on the part of Lot which produced this distress on account of their conduct. He was not merely troubled as if his soul were passively acted on, but there were strong mental exercises of a positive kind, arising perhaps from anxious solicitude how he might prevent their evil conduct, or from painful reflections on the consequences of their deeds to themselves, or from earnest pleadings in their behalf before God, or from reproofs and warnings of the wicked. At all events, the language is such as would seem to indicate that he was not a mere passive observer of their conduct. This, it would seem, was from day to day, that is, it was constant. There were doubtless reasons why Lot should remain among such a people, and why, when he might so easily have done it, he did not remove to another place.
Perhaps it was one purpose of his remaining to endeavor to do them good, as it is often the duty of good men now to reside among the wicked for the same purpose. Lot is supposed to have resided in Sodom – then probably the most corrupt place on the earth – for 16 years; and we have in that fact an instructive demonstration that a good man may maintain the life of religion in his soul when surrounded by the wicked, and an illustration of the effects which the conduct of the wicked will have on a man of true piety when he is compelled to witness it constantly. We may learn from the record made of Lot what those effect will be, and what is evidence that one is truly pious who lives among the wicked.
(1) He will not be contaminated with their wickedness, or will not conform to their evil customs.
(2) He will not become indifferent to it, but his heart will be more and more affected by their depravity. Compare Psa 119:136; Luk 19:41; Act 17:16.
(3) He will have not only constant, but growing solicitude in regard to it – solicitude that will be felt every day: He vexed his soul from day to day. It will not only be at intervals that his mind will be affected by their conduct, but it will be an habitual and constant thing. True piety is not fitful, periodical, and spasmodic; it is constant and steady. It is not a jet that occasionally bursts out; it is a fountain always flowing.
(4) He will seek to do them good. We may suppose that this was the case with Lot; we are certain that it is a characteristic of true religion to seek to do good to all, however wicked they may be.
(5) He will secure their confidence. He will practice no improper arts to do this, but it will be one of the usual results of a life of integrity, that a good man will secure the confidence of even the wicked. It does not appear that Lot lost that confidence, and the whole narrative in Genesis leads us to suppose that even the inhabitants of Sodom regarded him as a good man. The wicked may hate a good man because he is good; but if a man lives as he should, they will regard him as upright, and they will give him the credit of it when he dies, if they should withhold it while he lives.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Pe 2:8
Make merchandise of you.
False teachers as merchantmen
The apostle here makes a continuation of their sins and a declaration of their plagues. They extend the thread of their mischief very long, till hell fire burn it off. They broach heresies, corrupt multitudes, sell souls, as merchants do their wares; cozen mens consciences, colour foul natures with fair words, blaspheme the gospel, deny Jesus Christ. Oh, how constant and long-winded are they in their wickedness! But there is a judgment that wakes while they slumber.
I. The general similitude (merchandising) here used. The calling of a merchant is of great antiquity and necessary use. Merchants are the feet of the world, whereby distant countries meet together. Yet it is a dangerous profession, not only for wreck of life and goods, but also of conscience; which is not always made in their ships abroad, but too commonly in their shops at home.
1. The merchants are false teachers. As Judas sold Christ for thirty pieces, so they sell men to sin, little esteeming the price that a soul cost.
2. The wares–you; your estates, liberties, lives, and souls. They set up a mart of holy things, and with their impostures fill their purses. An evil pastor may sell his flock three ways–
(1) By flattery. He that encourages a man in his errors sells him for his own gain.
(2) By heresy. Broaching schisms and factions and erroneous opinions, as it were feeding the people with bones, or rather poisons, instead of wholesome meat.
(3) By silence. The watchman who does not ring the alarm bell at the approach of danger betrays the city to the enemy.
3. Through covetousness. This is the ground or motive of their traffic. It is true of every schism, what was said of Lucillas faction, with a little inversion: anger bred it, pride fostered it, and covetousness confirmed it.
(1) This sin of covetousness is iniquity in all men, blasphemy in a clergyman. The titles we bear, the office we sustain, the Person we represent, the nearness of our calling to that absolute integrity, are remembrances unto us that we be not covetous.
(2) There is no fault in a minister like covetousness, because there is no sin reigning in the world like worldliness. We may preach our hearts out to dissuade mens affections from this world; if we embrace it ourselves, they will never believe us.
(3) The vice of covetousness is an epidemical disease, the grand Cairo of mischief, the metropolis of wickedness, a universal plague that has infected all conditions of people.
4. The means of their utterance, feigned words! Heresy was never found disjoined from hypocrisy. Their speeches are so ambiguous and equivocal, that they seem to hold both ours and our adversaries tenets. What they cannot perform by the evidence of truth, they seek to attain by the eloquence of art. As rebels Drake their proclamations in the name of the king, and pirates intending to rob merchants hang out the flags of other nations, both to scandal them and to conceal themselves; so do hypocrites wear Christian colours that they may be the devils cozeners.
II. Their perdition.
1. The severity of it.
(1) Their judgment. The menaces of God are not always followed with an infallible event, being sometimes on purpose signified, that they may be by penitence prevented.
(2) For whose sake doth God execute judgment upon these false teachers? For His own glory and the Churchs good, that they may no longer cozen mens souls with their impostures.
(3) Though the Lord will judge these wicked persons, yet this forbids not magistrates to execute justice upon them.
(4) Their judgment–their own; as proper to them as the inheritance they bought with their money. Sin doth naturally draw a punishment.
(5) Their judgment. But is it so certainly theirs, that no repentance can prevent it? Yes, serious repentance may avert the vengeance, if their gracious God gives the repentance.
(6) Their judgment and their damnation. Observe the proportion and adaptation of their punishment to their sin. It holds in divers analogies.
(a) They denied the Lord that bought them, therefore the same Lord shall judge them.
(b) They acted all their villainy in secret, therefore now it shall be laid open.
(c) The way of truth hath been blasphemed by them, therefore now it is fit that it be glorified on them.
(d) Before they sold men in covetousness, therefore now they shall be sold themselves in justice.
(e) Before they brought in the heresy of damnation, therefore now they shall sustain the penalty of damnation.
(f) Before they did pull on themselves destruction voluntarily, therefore now must father the child of their own begetting, and suffer destruction nesessarily.
(g) Their sin did hasten punishment and make it swift, therefore fit it should no longer tarry; it lingereth not.
(7) Damnation is principally taken for the censure or sentence condemning; as the sentence follows the trial, and the execution the sentence; here it intends the execution of the judgment.
2. Sleepeth not, lingereth not, slumbereth not. Though it be not yet present, it is propinquant; if not extant, yet instant.
(1) This wakeful vengeance is threatened against the ungodly very fitly; for nothing is more proper to the nature of sin than to sleep in security.
(2) Sin will not let justice sleep, bug sends it up continual challenges, provoking Him to draw that sword, which He had rather should rest in the scabbard, than be sheathed in His own creatures.
3. Long ago. There is a preordination of plagues for reprobates, and the very moment of the execution appointed (Jud 1:4).
Lessons:
1. Seeing God doth not sleep in His justice, let not us sleep in our injustice.
2. As this is terror to the ungodly, so comfort to the righteous. As justice is ever waking, so mercy is never asleep. (Thos. Adams.)
Manhood in the market
Who are they that are engaged in this business?
1. The liquor-dealers.
2. Writers and publishers of obscene literature.
3. Purchasers of the virtue of women.
4. Bribers and bribe-takers.
5. Mercenary journalists.
6. Atheistic orators and religious quacks. (A. Little.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. That righteous man dwelling among them] Lot, after his departure from Abraham, A. M. 2086, lived at Sodom till A. M. 2107, a space of about twenty years; and, as he had a righteous soul, he must have been tormented with the abominations of that people from day to day.
The word , tormented, is not less emphatic than the word , grievously pained, in the preceding verse, and shows what this man must have felt in dwelling so long among a people so abandoned.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Seeing and hearing: their wickedness was so open and shameless, that he not only heard the report of it, but saw them commit it, Isa 3:9.
Vexed; Greek, tormented, i.e. extremely afflicted and troubled his own soul, provoking himself to godly sorrow at the sight and fame of their unlawful deeds. His grief was voluntary, and he active in it; the like is said of Christ, on occasion of Lazaruss death, Joh 11:33, where the margin reads, he troubled himself.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. vexedGreek,“tormented.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For that righteous man dwelling among them,…. Which is sometimes the lot of good men, to their great sorrow and grief, Ps 120:5. Upon mentioning those words in Ge 13:12 “and pitched his tent towards Sodom”, but the men of Sodom were wicked, c. says R. Eleazar i
“he is a righteous man that dwells between two wicked men, and does not learn their works;”
and such an one was Lot, whatever they are elsewhere pleased to say of him: “in seeing and hearing”; the Vulgate Latin version reads this in connection with the word “righteous”, thus, “in seeing and hearing he was righteous”: he could not bear to see their filthy actions, and hear their obscene language, but turned away from them, and shut his eyes, and stopped his ears, by which he appears to be a righteous and good man; though rather this belongs to what follows, seeing their wicked practices, and hearing their filthy talk:
vexed his righteous soul from, day today with their unlawful deeds; either “they vexed” him, as the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions read; or rather “he vexed” himself; he fretted and teased himself, and became exceeding uneasy, and was put upon a rack and tortured, as the word signifies, continually, with their wicked actions; see
Ps 119:158.
i T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 38. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
For (). Parenthetical explanation in verse 8 of the remark about Lot.
Dwelling (). Present active participle of , old but rare double compound, here only in N.T.
In seeing and hearing ( ). “By sight (instrumental case of , old word, from to see, here only in N.T.) and hearing” (instrumental case of from , to hear, common as Mt 13:14).
From day to day ( ). “Day in day out.” Accusative of time and ablative with . Same idiom in Ps 96:2 for the more common .
Vexed (). Imperfect active (kept on vexing) of , old word, to test metals, to torment (Mt 8:29).
With their lawless deeds ( ). Instrumental case of cause, “because of their lawless (contrary to law) deeds.” For see 2Th 2:8.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Dwelling [] . Only here in New Testament. Dwelling, and therefore suffering continually, from day to day.
In seeing [] . Only here in New Testament. Usually of the look of a man from without, through which the vexation comes to the soul. “Vexed his righteous soul.”
Vexed [] . See on Mt 4:24, torments. The original sense is to test by touchstone or by torture. See on toiling, Mr 6:48. Rev. gives tormented, in margin.
Unlawful [] . Rev., lawless. Only here in New Testament with things. In all other cases it is applied to persons.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “(For that righteous man dwelling among them.” “for that righteous man” (Lot) (eghatoikon) “dwelling or abiding among them,”
2) “In seeing and hearing” (blemmati) in seeing, eye witnessing, and observing. 1Jn 2:15-17.
3) “Vexed his righteous soul” In what Lot saw and observed he was unhappy is soul, though he lingered to his own shame of family name and honor; (Greek ebasanizen) vexed or tormented his (psuchen) soul or entire life, Jas 4:17; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 6:23; Ecc 12:13-14.
4) “From day to day with their unlawful deeds.” (Greek hemeran eks hemeras) “day in and day out” or “the whole day through” Lot’s greater sin seems to be, not living in Sodom and Gomorrha, but his acquiescence, his failure to give a testimony against sin and for righteousness. He saw their (anomois) 11 unlawful” (ergois) works, but kept silent. Psa 39:1-2; Jas 4:7; Jas 4:17; 1Pe 5:8-9.
SIN IS A MONSTER
Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
As to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace.
– Alexander Pope
I HAVE MISSED GOD’S BEST
“I have enjoyed the meetings this week, but I am sorry I attended them,” said a well-to-do businessman to a minister. “Why?” asked the astonished minister. “Here’s why. These meetings have reminded me afresh that I have missed God’s best for my life; I was called to Africa. I intended to answer God’s call. I began to earn money for my passage and outfit. I earned more and more money. I stayed and entered business. Today I am the owner of a large business concern. I have everything money can buy. I have a beautiful home and a lovely wife and children. Down in my heart, however, there is a great void. My life has been a failure, not from the standpoint of the world, but from God’s point of view!”
-Prairie Overcomer
THE COURAGE OF HIS CONVICTIONS
Weak-kneed principles always awaken contempt. Harry Shepler, a young man of whom the Sunday School Times tells was in the signal service. Being ordered one morning by a sergeant to report for duty at the canteen, he refused to do so, and the sergeant threatened to report him to the officer of the day.
“All right,” said Shepler, “go ahead. I did not enlist to be a bartender, but a soldier, and I will not report at the canteen.”
He was duly reported to the major, who sent for him. Shepler went with trembling knees but with a steady heart for he knew he was right. The officer said to him:
“Are you the young man who disobeyed orders this morning?”
“Yes, sir, I am.”
“Why did you do it?”
“Simply because I do not believe it is right to do what I was asked to do. I enlisted to be a soldier and not a bartender.”
The major arose quickly from his stool, and extending his hand, said:
“Shepler, you are the kind of a man we want. I am glad to see a fellow who has the courage of his convictions. You are not obliged to report at the canteen.”
The great need of the day is for men to have convictions founded upon the Word of God, and then be true to those convictions.
– Christian Victory.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
8. In seeing and hearing. The common explanation is, that Lot was just in his eyes and ears, because all his senses abhorred the crimes of Sodom. However, another view may be taken of his seeing and hearing, so as to make this the meaning, that when the just man lived among the Sodomites, he tormented his soul by seeing and hearing; for we know that he was constrained to see and hear many things which greatly vexed his mind. The purport of what is said then is, that though the holy man was surrounded with every kind of monstrous wickedness, he yet never turned aside from his upright course.
But Peter expresses more than before, that is, that just Lot underwent voluntary sorrows; as it is right that all the godly should feel no small grief when they see the world rushing into every kind of evil, so the more necessary it is that they should groan for their own sins. And Peter expressly mentioned this, lest when impiety everywhere prevails, we should be captivated and inebriated by the allurements of vices, and perish together with others, but that we might prefer this grief, blessed by the Lord, to all the pleasures of the world.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) For that righteous man.This epithet, here thrice given to Lot, seems at first sight to be at variance with his willingness to remain, for the sake of worldly advantages, in the midst of such wickedness. But 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, especially that chivalrous hospitality (Gen. 19:2-3; Gen. 19:8) to which the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews seems to point as a model: Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares (Gen. 13:2). Add to this the fact of Gods rescuing him and his family, especially in connexion with the declaration that ten righteous people would have saved the whole city (Gen. 18:32), and his ready belief and obedience when told to leave all, and also the fact that Zoar was saved at his intercession (Gen. 19:21), and we must then admit that the epithet righteous as applied to Lot is by no means without warrant.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. Explanatory of the vexed in 2Pe 2:7.
Vexed Lot tormented himself by what he daily saw and heard of their conduct. The inference is, that he sought to reform them, though unsuccessfully.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Pe 2:8. Vexed his righteous soul The word ‘ signifies the torment of the rack. It is here used as a strong figure whereby to express the unspeakable grief and anguish of mind of the righteous, at the overspreading wickedness of the times and places where they live; especially the debauchery of bad men, their open profaneness, and their rage against the just. Grotius takes notice, that after Lot parted from Abraham, he lived sixteen years in Sodom;a long time to abide in the most outrageously wicked city in the world, and not be tainted with their vices.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Pe 2:8 . Explanation of the .
] is to be joined neither with (Vulg.: adspectu et auditu Justus erat), nor with (Gerhard), but with the finite verb; it was by seeing and hearing that Lot’s soul suffered, and is added in order more strongly to emphasize Lot’s painful position among the ungodly.
] “ he vexed his righteous soul by the ungodly works,” i.e. his soul, because it was righteous, felt vexation at the evil which he was obliged to see and hear. “ serves to show that the pain at the sight of the sinful lives arose out of personal activity, out of inclination of the soul to the good, out of positive opposition to the evil” (Dietlein). The earlier interpreters have for the most part missed the correct idea; Calvin, Hornejus, Pott, de Wette, and the modern commentators generally, have interpreted correctly. [69]
[69] Cf. Xenophon, hist. Graec. I. 4, p. 407: , , , ; Only it must be observed that Lot was vexed at the godlessness in itself, not because he personally had to suffer by it.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
Ver. 8. In seeing and hearing ] Every sinful Sodomite was a Hazael to his eyes, a Hadadrimmon to his heart.
Vexed his righteous soul ] Guilt or grief is all that the good soul gets by conversing with the wicked.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Pe 2:8 . . Two interpretations are possible (1) Instrumental dative after . “He vexed his righteous soul by what he saw and heard.” The objections are ( a ) the long interval that separates . . . . from , ( b ) that is never elsewhere used of the thing seen, but is used of sight from the subjective, emotional, and volitional point of view. Hence (2), reading without the article, and taking . . . . with that word, we may translate with the Vulgate “aspectu et auditu Justus”. His instincts of eye and ear were nobler than those of the society around him. . “Day in, day out.” Cf. in Psa 68:19 . . It is somewhat peculiar that the active should be used. “He vexed, distressed his righteous soul.” May it not be that in the use of the active a certain sense of personal culpability is implied? Lot was conscious that the situation was ultimately due to his own selfish choice ( cf. von Soden).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
that righteous man = the just one. Compare 2Pe 2:7.
dwelling. Greek. enkatoikeo. Only here.
seeing. Greek. blemma. Only here.
vexed. Greek. basanizo. Transl “torment”, except Mat 14:24. Mar 6:48 (where see note). Rev 12:2.
righteous. Same as “just”, above.
soul App-110.
unlawful. App-128.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Pe 2:8. – , the righteous man-his righteous soul) The reflex influence of grief is elegantly expressed. Lot tortured himself: and the guilty men of Sodom were his torment.- , from day to day) Thus the Septuagint often renders .-) by deeds, spoken of.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
that: Pro 25:26, Pro 28:12, 1Ti 1:9, Jam 5:16
in seeing: Psa 119:136, Psa 119:139, Psa 119:158, Eze 9:4, Eze 9:6, Mal 3:15-17
Reciprocal: Gen 13:12 – pitched Gen 19:9 – This 1Ki 14:13 – there is found Job 3:17 – the wicked Job 19:2 – vex Psa 120:5 – Woe Hos 7:16 – the rage Hab 1:3 – General 1Ti 6:10 – and pierced
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE WARNING FROM LOT
Lot dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.
2Pe 2:8
The story of Lot is well known. What are its lessons?
I. A Godly man in an ungodly world.The Christian cannot avoid mingling with the world for ordinary business; but he must not choose to associate with wicked men for the mere pleasures of society. If he does so his moral sensibility will be somewhat blunted. The Saviours prayer for His disciples, when He was about to leave them, was, I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. Every Christian needs to be exhorted to keep himself unspotted from the world. The first thing we hear of Lots approach to the city is that he pitched his tent toward Sodom; and the next time we hear of him he dwelt in Sodom; and on the evening preceding the destruction of the city he sat in the gate of Sodom, where he saw two angels, and took them to his house within the walls of the city. He seems to have been less repelled by the immorality of the people when he became more familiar with the sight of it. But a truly pious man, though living among the wicked, does not consent to their sin. He does not become indifferent to it. Lots righteous soul was vexed, tormented, by what he saw and heard. The truly good man is deeply concerned, in the presence of abounding wickedness, and says, Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because they keep not Thy law. And Jesus wept over the devoted city of Jerusalem. There is much vitality in the piety which is maintained from day to day amid prevailing iniquity. Lot did not altogether escape the contamination, but on the whole he remained pure.
II. A persuasive preacher with a perverse people.We might have inferred that Lot would not be a silent spectator of the wickedness of Sodom, even if Scripture had been silent on the subject. A truly good man seeks to do good to all men as he has opportunity. The sinner is blind, and we must warn him of his danger. On one occasion we find Lot saying to the Sodomites, I pray you, brethren, do not do so wickedly; and probably he had spoken to them in similar terms on many occasions. When the angels told him that the Lord had sent them to destroy the city, he believed the message from heaven; and, having gone out to the streets, he said to his sons-in-law, and probably also to others, Up, get you out of this place, for the Lord will destroy this city. It was a fervent message, and was probably delivered with persuasive earnestness. It was the expression of his own unwavering faith; and there was good reason why it should be successful with others. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law. The guilty people were hopelessly perverse, and their cup of iniquity was full. Lot seems to have felt the deadening influence of their mockery, for he lingered in the city till he saw the first rays of the morning on which it was destined to be destroyed, and the angels hastened him, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while they still lingered the angels laid hold of him, and his wife and daughters, and said, Escape for your life to the mountains. The preacher was saved by a miracle of grace; but the people perished with the ultimate exception of only two of his hearers.
III. A pious parent with a profligate family.We expect a pious father to have a pious family. Like Abraham, he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep the way of the Lord. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Eli had wicked sons; but he was not free from blame in the matter of their training, for the Lord said to Samuel, His sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. Lot allowed his daughters to receive the addresses of two young men in Sodom, who were either married or engaged to be married to his daughters. When he went out to try to save some of the inhabitants of the doomed city he directed his attention especially to these young men; but instead of complying with his earnest call, they treated him as a mocker or a madman. His wife appears to have been a worldly-minded woman; and when she lingered behind him, looking back with regret on the loss of so much valued property, she became a pillar of salt. She was almost saved as she escaped from the doomed city, and yet the love of the world caused her ruin. Her doom is a loud warning to all lingerers in the path of sin, to whom our Saviour still says, Remember Lots wife. His daughters were spared to him, but their subsequent conduct covered his old age with infamy, for which they were prepared by the vile associations of Sodom.
IV. This subject suggests two reflections.
(a) Religious considerations ought to rule our choice in life. Lot neglected this, and he was a loser in every respect. We must ever give the first place to the kingdom of God.
(b) Be careful to keep out of the way of temptation. We must hold no parley with sin, else we are never safe. Our duty is to resist the devil, and he will flee from us. Our daily prayer must be, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
2Pe 2:8. This is the same as the preceding verse.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Pe 2:8. for by sight and hearing that righteous man, dwelling among them from day to day, tortured his righteous soul with their unlawful deeds. A parenthetical explanation of how it was that Lot was sore distressed. The Vulgate, Erasmus, etc., strangely take the sight and hearing as definitions of the directions in which Lot was righteous. The point, however, manifestly is, that the soreness of his distress was due to the fact that, living among these wicked men, he had the protracted pain of seeing with his own eyes and hearing with his own ears day after day things against which his soul revolted. The strong term tortured or tormented (cf. such occurrences of the same term as Mat 8:6; Mat 8:29; Mar 5:7; Luk 8:28; Rev 9:5, Rev 11:10, Rev 14:10, Rev. 20:20, etc.), and the repetition of the moral epithet in that righteous man and his righteous soul, exhibit the pain as the acute pain due to natural repulsion. Nothing is said here of the faultiness ascribed to Lots action by the narrative of Genesis, or of the way in which he came to live among these men. Everything is done to present a telling picture of a righteous man thrown into godless society, and not suffering the edge of his righteous feeling to become blunted by lengthened familiarity with the coarse licentiousness of neighbours who mocked at the restraints of all law, human and Divine, but undergoing daily torment from sights and sounds which he was helpless to arrest.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 8
Vexed his righteous soul; felt perpetually displeased and troubled.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in {g} seeing and hearing, {h} vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful deeds;)
(g) Whatever way he looked, and turned his ears.
(h) He had a troubled soul, and being vehemently grieved, lived a painful life.