Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Peter 2:13
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, [as] they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots [they are] and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
13. and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness ] The words, which stand in the Greek as one of a series of participial clauses, are, perhaps, better joined with the last clause of the preceding verse, They shall perish receiving the reward.
as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time ] The latter words have been variously rendered; (1) as in the English version, (2) counting delicate living for a day (i.e. but for a little while, laying stress on the transitoriness of all such indulgence) as pleasure: (1) seems, on the whole, preferable, all the more so as it supplies a point of contact at once with St Peter’s own language as to the shamelessness of revel “at the third hour of the day” (Act 2:15), and with St Paul’s contrast between the works of the day and those of night (Rom 13:13-14; 1Th 5:7). It has been urged against this that the Greek word for “riot” means rather the delicate and luxurious living (Luk 7:25) that might be practised both by day and night rather than actual riot, but it is obvious that luxury shews itself chiefly in banquets which belong to night, and to carry the same luxury into the morning meal might well be noted as indicating excess. In the Greek version by Symmachus a cognate noun is applied to the banqueters of Amo 6:7.
Spots they are and blemishes ] The former word is found in Eph 5:27; the latter is not found elsewhere in the New Testament.
sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you ] The MSS. both here and in the parallel passage of Jude (2Pe 2:12) vary between (= deceits) and (= feasts of love). The latter gives, on the whole, a preferable meaning, and, even if we adopt the former reading, we are compelled by the context to look on the love-feasts as the scene of the sin referred to. The Agapae were a kind of social club feast, at first, perhaps, connected in time and place with the Lord’s Supper, but afterwards first distinguished and then divided from it. They were a witness of the new brotherhood in which the conventional distinctions of society were suspended, and rich and poor met together. Their existence is recognised in early ecclesiastical writers, in the first century by Ignatius ( ad Smyrn. c. 2), in the second by Tertullian ( Apol. c. 39), and they survived for three or four hundred years, till the disorders connected with them led to their discontinuance. In 1Co 11:21 we have traces of such disorders at a very early period, and St Peter’s language here shews that they had found their way into the Asiatic Churches as well as into that of Corinth. The “false teachers” and their followers took their place in the company of the faithful, and instead of being content with their simple food, consisting probably of bread, fish, and vegetables (the fish are always prominent in the representations of the Agapae in the Catacombs of Rome), brought with them, it would seem, the materials for a more luxurious meal (comp. 1Co 11:21), and, as the context shews, abused the opportunities thus given them for wanton glances and impure dalliance. Taking the first reading (“deceits”), the Apostle lays stress on the fact that in doing so they were in fact practising a fraud on the Christian society into which they thus intruded themselves.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness – The appropriate recompense of their wickedness in the future world. Such people do not always receive the due recompense of their deeds in the present life; and as it is a great and immutable principle that all will be treated, under the government of God, as they deserve, or that justice will be rendered to every rational being, it follows that there must be punishment in the future state.
As they that count it pleasure to riot in the day-time – As especially wicked, shameless, and abandoned men; for only such revel in open day. Compare the Act 2:15 note; 1Th 5:7 note.
Spots they are and blemishes – That is, they are like a dark spot on a pure garment, or like a deformity on an otherwise beautiful person. They are a scandal and disgrace to the Christian profession.
Sporting themselves – The Greek word here means to live delicately or luxuriously; to revel. The idea is not exactly that of sporting, or playing, or amusing themselves; but it is that they take advantage of their views to live in riot and luxury. Under the garb of the Christian profession, they give indulgence to the most corrupt passions.
With their own deceivings – Jude, in the parallel place, Jud 1:12, has, These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you. Several versions, and a few manuscripts also, here read feasts instead of deceivings, ( agapais for apatais.) The common reading, however, is undoubtedly the correct one, (see Wetstein, in loc.); and the meaning is, that they took advantage of their false views to turn even the sacred feasts of charity, or perhaps the Lords Supper itself, into an occasion of sensual indulgence. Compare the notes at 1Co 11:20-22. The difference between these persons, and those in the church at Corinth, seems to have been that these did it at design, and for the purpose of leading others into sin; those who were in the church at Corinth erred through ignorance.
While they feast with you – suneuochoumenoi. This word means to feast several together; to feast with anyone; and the reference seems to be to some festival which was celebrated by Christians, where men and women were assembled together, 2Pe 2:14, and where they could convert the festival into a scene of riot and disorder. If the Lords Supper was celebrated by them as it was at Corinth, that would furnish such an occasion; or if it was preceded by a feast of charity (notes, Jud 1:12), that would furnish such an occasion. It would seem to be probable that a festival of some kind was connected with the observance of the Lords Supper (notes, 1Co 11:21), and that this was converted by these persons into a scene of riot and disorder.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Pe 2:13-14
Shall receive the reward of unrighteousness.
Sin punished
1. When we think of the sins of wicked men, we should likewise think of their punishments.
(1) Because these two are in Gods purpose, and their own nature knit together.
(2) Because the consideration of sin often does more hurt than God, if the consideration of the punishment be not joined unto it.
2. Profuse luxury is a sign of a man sinning securely.
3. Luxury, the more it is shown openly, the more it is to be condemned.
4. There is the greatest danger in those sins from which the greatest pleasure and delight ariseth.
(1) Because pleasure is a sign of a perfect habit.
(2) Because pleasure is very hardly left.
5. They that please themselves most in their sins, do most contaminate both themselves and others.
6. The outward members also of wicked men are full of wickedness. Because out of the abundance of the heart all our faculties, and all the instruments of operations receive impressions answerable unto the heart.
7. The uncleanness of the body is oftentimes joined with impurity of religion (2Pe 2:14).
8. In such men covetousness is oftentimes joined with their impiety.
9. The exercising of the heart unto such sins doth very much strengthen and increase them.
10. They that are after this manner accustomed unto their sins are hardened in them.
11. Such men are most to be detested. (Wm. Ames, D. D.)
Pleasure to riot.
Pleasure
1. Whether a man may take any pleasure in this world, or no? Yes, certainly; one special use of wisdom stands in tempering our pleasures: to be delighted is not evil, but to be delighted in evil. Why ,hath God given man such a choice of earthly commodities, but for his use? The wise man can distinguish between the love of pleasure and the use of pleasure; and while others serve delight, he teacheth delight to serve him.
2. How may a Christian take pleasure in the world? By having respect to three things: whether it be lawful, expedient, or becoming. The pleasure must be lawful, there can be no safety in a sinful delight. Poison may be qualified, and become medicinal; there is use to be made of an enemy; sickness may turn to our better health, and death itself to the faithful is but a door to life; but sin can never be made good. Pleasure therefore first must have the warrant, that it be without sin; then the measure, that it be without excess. If the cup be evil, we may not taste it; though good, yet not carouse it. We are not born to play or sport. Nor is the lawfulness only observable, but the conveniency; a man may wear good clothes unhandsomely. The stuff may be good, yet while the fashion of the garment does not become him, it appears ridiculous. The place, occasion, company, opportunity, all must be fit. (Thos. Adams.)
Spots they are, and blemishes.—
Spots and blemishes
In every sin there is not only guilt, that binds over to punishment, but defilement; which makes the sinner not less filthy than guilty; and even when the guilt is remitted, the filth remains still. The hurt is not so soon cured, as the fault is pardoned.
1. All men are spotted, originally from their parents; of actual spots themselves are the parents. If all our internal spots should break out, we could not endure one another. The whole world would be an hospital, and every man a lazar.
2. The whole world is spotted, that is another step: in the universal blemishes of nature let us read our own. To charge God with this degeneration is the highest blasphemy: coldness may sooner arise from fire, than any evil from the fountain of goodness.
3. But if every man be spotted, who shall then enter into heaven, seeing into that city no unclean thing shall come? (Rev 21:27.) This is true, yet many that have been unclean persons are since admitted (1Co 6:11; Rev 7:14; Jer 4:14). The grace of God may go a great way in our souls, and yet not leave us without spots. Not to have no spot here, but to have no spot imputed hereafter, is the happiness of a Christian.
4. We have all spots, but these are spots; for the apostle speaks not of their actions here, but their persons; not the blemishes of the men, but that the men themselves are blemishes. This is a high degree of sin, to be wholly turned into sin.
5. To whom do these appear spots and blemishes?
(1) To God, who hath pure eyes, and can abide no unclean thing.
(2) To the angels. Iniquities be sport for devils, but an eyesore to the angels; they that rejoice at a sinners conversion do rather grieve at his aberration.
(3) To good men, whom nothing pleaseth that displeaseth their Maker.
(4) To bad men; for howsoever sinners love to be evil themselves, yet they would have others good to them.
(5) To the creatures; they grieve that they are compelled to wait on a wrong master.
(6) And do they not offend themselves? No, the sick man may feel, the dead does not.
6. Sin is of a defiling quality; like a bemired dog, when it fawns upon us it fouls us. It may in this one thing be compared to fire, it converts matter into itself.
7. Open and notorious offenders ought to be denied these holy feasts; and instead of communicating with us, to pass under the censure of excommunication from us; till in penitent tears they have cleansed their pollutions.
8. We may not abstain from the sacrament, because there be spots and blemishes in the society.
9. As all sins are spots, so some have a more special resemblance, as carrying in them a natural poison and filthiness. Such particular instances we find in Scripture, wherein God discovered the spots in their consciences by sticking spots on their bodies (Exo 9:11; Num 12:10; 2Ki 5:27).
Application:
1. Learn to see thy spots. Many have unknown sins, as a man may have a mole on his back, and himself never know it (Psa 19:12). But many a one knows his fault, yet loves it.
2. Confess these spots. The spots that God hateth, are the spots that man hideth.
3. It is madness to confess ourselves foul, and not to wash, therefore let us endeavour our own cleansing. In our making there was work for God only; in our marring there was work for ourselves only; in our restoring there is work for God and ourselves together.
4. There is only one fountain to purge all these spots, the blood of the Lamb. For this purpose Christ was baptized, even to wash us. His first baptizing was with water, His last with blood; both of them wash the world from their sins. (Thos. Adams.)
Sporting themselves with their own deceivings.–
Sporting with sin
It is hard when the fool can find no bauble to play with but sin; casting firebrands, and arrows, and death; and then jeers (Pro 26:19). Custom brings sin to be so familiar, that the horror of it is turned into pleasure, and homicide is held but a sport. It is ill for a man to make himself merry with that which angers God. If sin were rightly considered, it were more worthy our tears than our sport; the fool laughs at it, but the saint weeps for it. (Thos. Adams.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 13. They that count it pleasure to riot in the day time.] Most sinners, in order to practise their abominable pleasures, seek the secrecy of the night; but these, bidding defiance to all decorum, decency, and shame, take the open day, and thus proclaim their impurities to the sun.
Spots – and blemishes] They are a disgrace to the Christian name.
Sporting themselves] Forming opinions which give license to sin, and then acting on those opinions; and thus rioting in their own deceits.
With their own deceivings] . But instead of this, AB, and almost all the versions and several of the fathers, have , in your love feasts, which is probably the true reading.
While they feast with you] It appears they held a kind of communion with the Church, and attended sacred festivals, which they desecrated with their own unhallowed opinions and conduct.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness: under this general term, all the several sins they are charged with are comprehended.
As they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time; this is said to aggravate their sin, and signifies either their impudence in it, that they had cast off all shame, and practised their luxury by day light, whereas ordinary sinners are wont to choose the night for such works of darkness, Rom 13:12,13; 1Th 5:7; or their security, that they spent the day of their life in their pleasures, placing their happiness in present enjoyments, unmindful of a future reckoning and an eternal state.
Spots they are and blemishes; not only altogether polluted themselves, but such as defile others, and are blemishes to the church whereof they profess themselves members.
Sporting themselves with their own deceivings: some read instead of , leaving out the pronoun, rendered their own; and understand this of the love feasts, in which they luxuriously gorged themselves. This might well agree with Jud 1:12, but that the generality of Greek copies read , which we turn deceivings, i.e. either errors, taking the word passively; q.d. They do but make a sport of sin, and please themselves with it; and this agrees too with Jud 1:12, feeding themselves without fear: or cheatings, or imposings upon others, taking
deceivings actively; q.d. They sport themselves while they so finely deceive you, pretending love in their feasting with you, when they do it only to gratify their appetites; or sporting themselves, and making merry, with what they have cheated you of.
While they feast with you; viz. in your feasts of charity, with the specious pretence of which they covered their naughtiness.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. receive“shall carryoff as their due.”
reward ofthat is, fortheir “unrighteousness” [ALFORD].Perhaps it is implied, unrighteousness shall be its own rewardor punishment. “Wages of unrighteousness” (2Pe2:15) has a different sense, namely, the earthly gain to begotten by “unrighteousness.”
in the daytimeTranslateas Greek, “counting the luxury which is in the daytime(not restricted to night, as ordinary revelling. Or as Vulgateand CALVIN, “theluxury which is but for a day“: so Heb11:25, “the pleasures of sin for a season“; andHeb 12:16, Esau) to bepleasure,” that is, to be their chief good and highestenjoyment.
Spotsin themselves.
blemishesdisgraces:bringing blame (so the Greek) on the Church and onChristianity itself.
sporting themselvesGreek,“luxuriating.”
withGreek,“in.”
deceivingsor elsepassively, “deceits”: luxuries gotten by deceit.Compare Mt 13:22,”Deceitfulness of riches”; Eph4:22, “Deceitful lusts.” While deceiving others, theyare deceived themselves. Compare with English Version, Php3:19, “Whose glory is in their shame.” “Their own”stands in opposition to “you”: “While partaking of thelove-feast (compare Jude 12)with you,” they are at the same time “luxuriating intheir own deceivings,” or “deceits” (to whichlatter clause answers Jude 12,end: Peter presents the positive side, “they luxuriate intheir own deceivings”; Jude, the negative, “feedingthemselves without fear“). But several of the oldestmanuscripts, Vulgate, Syriac, and Sahidic Versions read(as Jude), “In their own love-feasts”: “their own”will then imply that they pervert the love-feasts so as tomake them subserve their own self-indulgent purposes.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness,…. Due punishment, both in body and soul, for all their injustice to God and men; which will be a just recompense of reward they shall receive at the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his works: the justice of which appears by what follows,
[as] they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime; who place all their satisfaction and happiness in sensual delight, in rioting and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness, day after day; putting away the evil day far from them, supposing that tomorrow will be as this day, and that there will be no future judgment nor state; and therefore do not take the night for their revels, as other sinners do, but being without all shame, declare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not:
spots [they are], and blemishes; which defile themselves, their minds and consciences, their souls and bodies, with sin, and defile others by their evil communications, and bring dishonour and disgrace upon the ways, doctrines, and interest of Christ:
sporting themselves with their own deceivings; with their sins and lusts, by which they deceive themselves and others, it being a sport to them to commit sin; and in which they take great pleasure and pastime, and not only delight in their own sins, but in those of others, and in them that do them. Some versions, as the Vulgate Latin and Arabic, instead of , “deceivings”, read , love feasts, as in Jude 1:12, and so the Alexandrian copy; in which they behaved in a very scandalous manner, indulging themselves in luxury and intemperance: to which agrees what follows,
while they feast with you; at the above feasts, or at the Lord’s table, or at their own houses, which shows that they were of them, and among them, as in 2Pe 2:1; and carries in it a tacit reproof for the continuance of them, when they were become so bad in their principles, and so scandalous in their lives.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Suffering wrong (). Present middle or passive participle of to do wrong. So Aleph B P, but A C K L have (future middle participle of ), shall receive.
As the hire of wrong-doing ( ). The Elephantine papyrus has the passive of in the sense of being defrauded, and that may be the idea here. Peter plays on words again here as often in II Peter. The picture proceeds now with participles like (counting).
Pleasure (). See Jas 4:1; Jas 4:3.
To revel in the daytime ( ). “The in the daytime revel” (old word from , to enervate, in N.T. only here and Lu 7:25).
Spots (). Old word for disfiguring spot, in N.T. only here and Eph 5:27.
Blemishes (). Old word for blot (kin to ), only here in N.T. See 1Pe 1:19 for .
Revelling (). Present active participle of , old compound for living in luxury, only here in N.T.
In their love-feasts ( ). So B Sah, but Aleph A C K L P read (in their deceivings). If is genuine as it is in Jude 1:12, they are the only N.T. examples of this use of .
While they feast with you (). Present passive participle of late and rare verb (, together, and , to feed abundantly) to entertain with. Clement of Alex. (Paed. ii. I. 6) applies to the .
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
And shall receive [] . Lit., being about or destined to receive. See on 1Pe 1:9, and compare 1Pe 5:4. Some good texts read ajdikoumenoi, suffering wrong. So Rev., suffering wrong as the hire of wrong – doing.
Reward of unrighteousness [ ] . Misqov is hire, and so is rendered in Rev. Compare Mt 20:8; Luk 10:7; Joh 4:36. It also has in classical Greek the general sense of reward, and so very often in the New Testament, in passages where hire or wages would be inappropriate. Thus Mt 5:12; Mt 6:1; Mt 10:41. Hire would seem to be better here, because of the reference to Balaam in ver. 15, where the word occurs again and requires that rendering. The phrase misqov, reward or wages of iniquity, occurs only here and in Peter’s speech concerning Judas (Act 1:18), where the Rev. retains the rendering of the A. V., reward of iniquity. It would have been better to render wages of iniquity in both places. Iniquity and unrighteousness are used in English almost synonymously; though, etymologically, iniquity emphasizes the idea of injustice (inaequus), while unrighteousness (non – rightness) is more general, implying all deviation from right, whether involving another’s interests or not. This distinction is not, however, observed in the Rev., where the rendering of adikia, and of the kindred adjective adikov, varies unaccountably, if not capriciously, between unrighteous and unjust. As they that count it pleasure to riot [ ] . The as of the A. V. is needless. The discourse proceeds from ver. 13 by a series of participles, as far as following (ver. 15). Literally the passage runs, counting riot a pleasure.
Riot [] . Meaning rather daintiness, delicacy, luxuriousness. Even the Rev. revel is almost too strong. Compare Luk 7:25, the only other passage where the word occurs, and where the Rev. retains the A. V., live delicately. So, also, Rev. substitutes, in Jas 5:5, lived delicately for lived in pleasure.
In the daytime. Compare Peter’s words Act 2:15; also, 1Th 5:7.
Spots [] . Only here and Eph 5:27. Compare the kindred participle spotted (Jude 1:23), and defileth (James 3; 6).
Blemishes [] . Only here in New Testament. The negatives of the two terms spots and blemishes occur at 1Pe 1:19.
Sporting themselves [] . From trufh, luxuriousness. See on riot. Rev., revelling.
With their own deceivings [ ] . The Rev., however, follows another reading, which occurs in the parallel passage Jude 1:12 ajgapaiv, love – feasts, the public banquets instituted by the early Christians, and connected with the celebration of the Lord ‘s Supper. Rev. renders revelling in their love – feasts, though the American Committee insist on deceivings. On the abuses at these feasts, see 1Co 11:20 – 22. For auJtwn, their own, the best texts read aujtwn, their. While they feast with you [] . The word originally conveys the idea of sumptuous feasting, and is appropriate in view of the fact to which Peter alludes, that these sensualists converted the love – feast into a revel. Compare Paul ‘s words, 1Co 11:21, “one is hungry and another drunken.” This seems to favor the reading ajgapaiv. The word occurs only here and Jude 1:12.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness.” (adikoumenoi) “Suffering wrong” (Greek misthon) “as wages” (adikias) “of wrong.”
2) “As they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime.” (edonen) “pleasure” to be (egoumenoi) “deeming it” in the day (trephen) “to riot or live in luxury.” Openly false teachers and preachers live a law unto themselves, doing in open day things they condemn in others as night-hypocrites they be, Mat 23:13-15.
3) “Spots they are and blemishes.” (Greek spiloi) spots” they are and (momoi) blemishes, of unholy nature within and contracted and sin spreading without.
4) “Sporting themselves with their own deceivings.” (entrephontes) “Revelling” in their own (hapa tais) deceits or self-delusions.
5) “While they feast along with you.” (Greek suneuochounenoi) “feasting along with you.” Like Jude, Peter desires, in this his last letter, to warn the brethren of the deceitful, infiltrating, self-righteous, piosity of false teachers and false prophets. Jud 1:4; Jud 1:12-13.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
13. Count it pleasure (171) As though he had said, “They place their happiness in their present enjoyments.” We know that men excel brute animals in this, that they extend their thoughts much farther. It is, then, a base thing in man to be occupied only with present things. Here he reminds us that our minds ought to be freed from the gratifications of the flesh, except we wish to be reduced to the state of beasts.
The meaning of what follows is this, “These are filthy spots to you and your assembly; for while they feast with you, they at the same time luxuriate in their errors, and shew by their eyes and gestures their lascivious lusts and detestable incontinency.” Erasmus has rendered the words thus, “Feasting in their errors, they deride you.” But this is too forced. It may not unaptly be thus explained, “Feasting with you, they insolently deride you by their errors.” I, however, have given the version which seems the most probable, “luxuriating in their errors, feasting with you.” He calls the libidinous such as had eyes full of adultery, and who were incessantly led to sin without restraint, as it appears from what is afterwards said.
(171) It is better to connect the first words of this verse, “receiving the reward of unrigrhteousness,” with the foregoing, and to begin another period with this clause, and to render this verse and the following thus, —
“
Counting (or, deeming) riot in the day-time a pleasure, they are spots and stains, rioting in their own delusions, feasting together with (14) you; having eyes full of adultery and which cease not from sin, ensnaring unstable souls, having a heart inured to covetous desires, being children of the curse.”
The various things said of them are intended to shew that they were “spots and stains,” disgraceful and defiling: they rioted in carnal pleasure, and rioted in delusion, and associated with the faithful, feasting with them; they were libidinous, and led unstable souls to follow their ways; they were covetous, and shewed that they were heirs to the curse of God. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
2Pe. 2:13 suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceivings while they feast with you;
Expanded Translation
Being wronged and treated unjustly as the wages (pay, reward) of their unrighteousness [or, as other manuscripts have, bringing upon themselves (receiving) the wages of unrighteousness]; persons considering it enjoyable and gratifying to live soft, luxurious, effeminent lives during the day-time, spots (morally stained) and blemishes (disgraces to society), living luxuriously, delicately, and in revelry, by their deception as they are feasting (banqueting) together with you.
suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing
If this reading is correct, the idea is that these men themselves were being injured, wronged, or treated unjustly as punishment (wages) for their own unrighteous deeds. But the marginal reading, receiving the hire of wrong-doing is preferred by many. This would simply mean they will be paid (i.e., punished) for their wickedness. Compare 2Pe. 2:12. The King James Version reads, And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness . . .
men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time
Pleasure (hedone, compare our word hedonism) or gratification, has no wicked connotation by itself and in modest and legitimate surroundings. But as used in the New Testament, it is descriptive of those who are slaves to pleasure, especially sensual pleasure (Luk. 8:14, Tit. 3:3, Jas. 4:1-3). These place a high premium on the pleasurable or delightful effects of somethingto the damnation of their own souls! How many Christian people have gone back to the ways of the world because of the pleasures of sin for a season (Heb. 11:25).
And what did these men regard with such delight? To revel in the day-time. The word truphe (revel), a noun, is from the root thrupto, to break small, enfeeble, enervate, The noun came to refer to a way of living that enervatesdelicate, soft, luxurious living, which included many evilsparties, drinking bouts, dancing, and festivities of various sorts. Many people wait until evening to carry on in such sin, but not thesethey reveled in the day-time.
spots and blemishes
These are picture words which show defects of character. The first (spilos, a spot or stain) would picture a moral blemish. Instead of wearing clean and pure garments, his are splattered with sin. The second word (momos, a blemish or blot) was used by the classical Greek poets and later prose writers in the sense of blame, insult, or disgrace. These men, because of their licentious behavior, were disgraces to society, and certainly to true religion.
reveling
This verb is an emphatic form of the noun revel already discussed, It means to live luxuriously or delicately, to revel in, riot.
in their deceivings while they feast with you
Describing at least in part how these wicked men were able to live luxuriously; in (or through) their deceit (apote). With deception, they could somehow horn their way into the Christians agapae (love feasts) and eat (like gluttons, no doubt) with the Christians for whom the feast was originally designed.
Thayer says that the word deceivings as it occurs here (apatai) was by a paragram [or verbal play] applied to the agapae or love-feasts . . . because these were transformed by base men into seducive revels. But in some manuscripts the reference to the love-feasts is more direct (as in Jud. 1:12), actually including the word agapais in the text instead of apatais.[69] These were feasts expressing and fostering mutual love which used to be held by Christians before [or after] the celebration of the Lords supper, and at which the poorer Christians mingled with the wealthier and partook in common with the rest of food provided at the expense of the wealthy (Thayer). Reference is apparently made to these social-religious gatherings in Act. 20:11, 1Co. 11:20-22; 1Co. 11:33-34, and some think Act. 2:46.
[69] Though the reference here does seem to be to the love-feasts, the text of the American Standard Version is considered more accurate. The International Bible Encyclopedia calls the insertion of agapais a very doubtful reading. The only actual use of agape in the New Testament with reference to these common meals is in Jud. 1:12.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(13) And shall receive.Literally, about to receive (as they are). (Comp. 1Pe. 1:9; 1Pe. 5:4; see also Epistle of Barnabas, iv. 12.)
As they that count.We must begin a fresh sentence, and somewhat modify the translation. To riot is too strong; the word means delicate fare, dainty living, luxury, and if the exact meaning be retained, this will necessitate a change of in the day time. For though rioting in the day time makes good senserevelry even among professed pleasure seekers being usually confined to the night (1Th. 5:7)dainty fare in the day time does not seem to have much point. The meaning is, perhaps, for the day, without thought for the morrow, counting luxury for the moment a pleasurethe doctrine of the Cyrenaics and the instinct of brute beasts. In the Shepherd of Hermas (Sim. VI. iv. 4) there is a passage which may possibly be an echo of this: The time of luxury and deceit is one hour, but the hours of torment have the power of thirty days; if, then, a man luxuriates for one day, &c. &c. (See below on 2Pe. 2:15; 2Pe. 2:20; 2Pe. 3:5.)
Sporting themselves.The word is a compound of the one just translated luxury; hence luxuriating. It is worth noting that the words for spots and blemishes exactly correspond to the words translated without blemish and without spot in 1Pe. 1:19. (See below on 2Pe. 3:14.)
With their own deceivings.Better, in their deceits, if this is the right reading. But both here and in Jud. 1:12, the reading is uncertain, authorities being divided between agapai, love-feasts, and apatai, deceits. In Jude the balance on purely critical grounds is decidedly in favour of love-feasts; here (though much less decidedly) in favour of deceits. In Jude the context confirms the reading love-feasts; here the context is neutral, or slightly inclines to love-feasts, to which while they feast with you must in any case refer. But if love-feasts be right in Jude (and this is so probable that we may almost assume it), this in itself is strong support to the same reading here. Whichever writer is prior, so strange a change from deceits to love-feasts would hardly have been made deliberately; whereas, in copying mechanically, the interchange might easily be made, the words being so similar. The change from spots to rocks, if such a change has been deliberately made by either writer (see on Jud. 1:12), would not be parallel to a change between deceits and love-feasts. The one is a mere variation of the metaphor, the other an alteration of the meaning. In 2Th. 2:10 there is possibly an intentional play upon the similarity of these two words.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Their viciousness of life, 2Pe 2:13-18.
13. And shall receive Better, Receiving. This participial clause, ending with unrighteousness, is simply explanatory of perish. Perdition is their duly earned wages.
Count it Rather, Counting it pleasure; commencing with these words a new sentence of pungent invective, which continues through 2Pe 2:16. In the East it was a shameful disgrace to be drunken in the daytime. So 1Th 5:7 describes the custom: “They that be drunken are drunken in the night;” but rioting by day would be a pleasure to these heretical profligates.
Spots Stains upon the Christian name.
Blemishes Disfigurements disgracing the Christian Church. Contrast with 1Pe 1:19.
Sporting Revelling in the fruits of their deceit or fraud. Instead, however, of , deceits, Tregelles reads , love-feasts. This would mean that they make the love-feasts occasions for their baseness. But, in either case, feast undoubtedly refers to those festivals.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Themselves suffering wrong as the reward of wrongdoing, counting it pleasure to indulge themselves in the daytime (literally ‘in a day’), spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and who cannot cease from sin; enticing unsteadfast souls; having a heart exercised in covetousness (pleonexia) having children of cursing.’
As a result of their behaviour they themselves ‘suffer wrong’ as the wages of their ‘wrongdoing’ (note the play on words, and compare 2Pe 2:15). They reap what they sow. This partially looks back to 2Pe 2:12. Their life may seem to be one round of pleasure, but they are not really happy in it. They are restless, even tormented, in spirit and the life gradually palls so that they want more and more excess.
And why do they suffer? It is precisely because their lives are one long search for pleasure. They indulge themselves in the daytime, something they are able to do because they sponge on their followers. Thus they are spots and blemishes, (contrast 2Pe 3:14; and see 1Pe 1:19) caricaturing Christianity, and totally unfit to offer themselves to God. (A later Christian work The Didache would later put a tight restriction on the benefits that prophets could receive). And when they enjoy their food at their followers’ expense they revel even while deceiving them, while their eyes are always looking around for some woman, adulteress at heart, whom they can lead astray (they have ‘eyes full of adulteresses’). They are simply driven on by sin.
And the sad thing is that they entice along with them by means of their bait wavering Christians who are not steadfast in soul. This may well refer to the women who responded to their seducement. Or it may have in mind their general deception of weak Christians. Or indeed both. Furthermore they have ‘trained themselves in pleonexia’, that is in the desire to have more of the things which a man should not even desire, let alone have. That is what all their attention is on. They are ‘children of cursing.’ This may indicate that they are the kind who seek to bring down curses on others, but it is more likely that we are to see it as signifying that they themselves come under God’s curses as reflected in God’s Old Testament warnings (e.g. Deu 27:15-26; Deuteronomy 28). NIV thus translates as ‘they are an accursed brood.’
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2Pe 2:13. As they that count it pleasure to riot, &c. Some understand St. Peter as intimating, that they lived in riot and luxury every day. Others suppose the meaning to be, that they took pleasure in that riot, which “endureth only for a day, or for a short season.” The apostle seems to allude to the proverbial saying, 1Th 5:7. They that are drunken, are drunken in the night: whereas these wicked Christians had cast off all shame, and were so abandoned, as to practise their vices in the open daylight. Isa 3:9. They are called spots and blemishes, in allusion to a spot upon a garment, or a blemish in the human body. These words are applied to moral stains or blemishes. See Deu 32:5 and 1Pe 1:19.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Pe 2:13 . ] is subjoined by way of explanation to what precedes. [73]
Cf. 1Pe 1:9 .
] not equivalent to (Wolf), but: “ the reward for unrighteousness .”
] This and the following participles, as far as the end of 2Pe 2:14 , are connected with what precedes, as descriptive of the ; it is less probable that, as Hofmann assumes, a new period begins with and ends with 2Pe 2:16 . The three kinds of here spoken of are: 1, luxurious living; 2, fornication; 3, covetousness. De Wette: “ they who count it pleasure .”
] is by Oecumenius interpreted as equal to , but this is not in accordance with the usage. Several interpreters (Benson, Morus, Fronmller, Hofmann) take , here as in contrast to the night. This, however, is inappropriate, for it is not easy to see why they should not regard the in the night as a pleasure. Gerhard is better: per intelligitur praesentis vitae tempus; Luther, “ temporal luxurious living ” (de Wette-Brckner, Wiesinger, Schott). It stands by way of contrast to the future, to which the fut. refers.
] is either to be connected with what follows: “ who as . riot ” (de Wette-Brckner, Wiesinger), or they are independent expressions of displeasure, like formerly in 2Pe 2:10 , and afterwards (Schott, Fronmller) subjoined to what precedes by way of apposition (Hofmann); the latter is most in harmony with the animated form of address. Instead of , Jude has ; (less commonly ) is equivalent to “spots of dirt,” cf. Eph 5:27 .
: . ., commonly: blame, shame; here: “blemishes.” [74]
] points back to , and may not therefore be taken, with Hofmann, in the weakened meaning of, “to take delight in anything,” which it probably has in Isa 55:2 , LXX.; it is not to be connected with the following in the sense of: illudere, ludibrio habere, but means, as it commonly does: “ to riot ;” belongs to .
is explained from 2Pe 2:3 ; 2Pe 2:14 ; they practised deceit in this way, that they succeeded in procuring earthly advantage to themselves, by praising their vain wisdom (Wiesinger, Fronmller); since denotes the actual rioting, cannot state the object of their , that is, “the lies with which they practise deceit” (Hofmann; or, according to Schott: “their deceiving appearance of wisdom”). The opinion of Wolf and others, that means the love-feasts, inasmuch as they in opposition to their real nature are abused by these individuals to their own profit, requires no refutation.
] is subordinate to what precedes. They rioted in their deceits, that is to say, by enjoying themselves at the feasts of those among whom they had obtained an entrance by deceit.
Luther’s translation is mistaken: “they make a show of your ( instead of ) alms (incorrect interpretation of ), they revel with what is yours” (instead of: “with you”).
[73] Hofmann considers the reading but little attested, however instead of to be the original, because the more difficult one. Tiseh. 8, on the other hand, says: , si aptum sensum praebere judicabitur, omnino praeferendum erit. Nescio an “decepti circa ” verti liceat. Hofmann interprets the accus. as an accus. of apposition, cf. 2Co 6:13 , and then translates: “evil happens to them as the reward of evil;” but though occurs in this wider signification, as in Luk 10:19 and often in Revelation, still never does. Buttmann has accepted not , as in B, but .
[74] Hofmann arbitrarily defines these expressions more precisely as: “spots which defile the purity of the church, blemishes which attach to her, to her shame;” they are rather spoken of thus, because both defilement and shame cleave to them.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
Ver. 13. To riot in the day time ] See Trapp on “ 1Th 5:7 “ The word here rendered riot, comes of a root that signifies to break, for there is nothing that doth so break and emasculate the minds of men as rioting and revelling; luxury draws out a man’s spirits, and dissolves him. ( , a , frango. ) Hence Venus is called by the ancients, and harlots are called cruces, crosses, by the young man in Terence. Solomon’s prodigal found them no better,Pro 5:11Pro 5:11 , after he had paid for his learning.
Spots they are ] , blots of goodness, botches of Christian society. Such are the Jesuits, who tell us they can daily be with the fairest women and yet not lust after them. Such was that profligate priest, who persuaded many maids and matrons to lie with him under a pretence of religion; asserens impietatis et hypocriseos plenam esse fiduciam, qua castitate et pudicitia sua potius quam Christi gratia niterentur, telling them that that faith of theirs was naught and counterfeit, whereby they were drawn to rest more upon their chastity and modesty than upon Christ’s grace and merits. (Theatr. Histor. Horndorf.) I much doubt we have many such merchants, such marcidi bibauldi, rascal ribalds a (as Math. Paris calls them), now abroad among us, in these last and loosest times.
a One of an irregular class of retainers who performed the lowest offices in royal or baronial households, especially in France during the 14th and 15th centuries, and were employed in warfare as irregular troops; hence, a menial or dependent of low birth. Obs. D
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
13 a.] receiving as they shall (fut. part.) ( the ) reward of unrighteousness (not, as Wolf, = , but exactly as in 2Pe 2:15 , wages or retribution for unrighteousness: the only difference being that Balaam followed its temporal wages, they shall receive its eternal).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
13 b, 14 .] These verses most probably, as to construction, form an independent participial sentence, connected by apposition with what precedes. This is better than to consider them as all belonging to in 2Pe 2:15 , which clearly is confined in its reference to its own sentence, or as giving the ground of above. Imagining a pleasure delicate living for a day (the interpretations of have been various. c. gives it, . . . And similarly Thl., Beza, al. But this seems inadmissible for . Some, as Erasm., Benson, Moras, E. V, al., take it for “ in the daytime ,” as implying absence of all shame; but this would give a very lame and frigid sense, and is inconsistent with , which is not revelling or rioting, but delicate living, which those who practise carry on as much in the daytime as by night, being the habit of their lives. Bede’s [14] explanation is remarkable: he understands ‘voluptas diei ’ to mean true pleasure, “qua sancti quoque delectantur in Domino,” and “voluptas noctu ” to be the unlawful pleasure of the ungodly. Then he takes together as predicate, understanding, “cum deliciis vacent , has tamen ipsi optimas et quasi lucifluas judicent.” Few will accept this, though it is very ingenious. There can be little doubt that the true rendering is as vulg. “voluptatem existimantes diei delicias:” Grot., “in diem, id est ad breve tempus:” Calv., Est., “Felicitatem statuunt in prsentibus deliciis.” And so Corn. a-Lap., De Wette, Huther, al. With this also agrees the article and its position: “that delicate living which is but for a day”), spots (but , Jud 1:12 , where see note) and blemishes (disgraces, disfigurements, causing shame: , Od. . 86), luxuriating in their deceits (i. e. as explained by Huther, in those things or materials of luxury, which they have fraudulently gotten, the abstract for the concrete. But, granting that interpretation as the words stand, there seems to be considerable doubt and difficulty about both reading and meaning. In Jud 1:12 they stand , instead of, as here, . It seems hardly possible to imagine that there has not been some error in reading which has now become inveterate. And to this conclusion tends very much the testimony of C, which reads in both places, and is thus nearly neutralized here. While therefore reading , in deference to the weight of MSS, combined with critical principles, I have the strongest suspicion that is the original reading. The is no witness against it, as De Wette thinks: the become by their perversion of them while they . And on this supposition, the meaning will be, that in their love-feasts (see on [15] Jude) they find occasion of luxuriating and delicate living, while feasting with you. This view is favoured also by the emphatic position of . On the verb, Loesner says, “Philo de Jos. (34, vol. ii. p. 70), Josephum ait epulas quibus fratres exceperit jussisse fieri modicas, quod noluerit , inter aliorum penuriam dellciis uti”) while they feast with you (this at all events refers to the love-feasts, whatever be read above. See on [16] Jude),
[14] Bede, the Venerable , 731; Bedegr, a Greek MS. cited by Bede, nearly identical with Cod. “E,” mentioned in this edn only when it differs from E.
[15] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1Co 11:23-25 , the sign () occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign () is qualified , thus, ‘ Mk.,’ or ‘ Mt. Mk.,’ &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others .
[16] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1Co 11:23-25 , the sign () occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign () is qualified , thus, ‘ Mk.,’ or ‘ Mt. Mk.,’ &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
2Pe 2:13 . ( cf. 2Pe 2:12 ). This playing upon words is characteristic of 2 Peter, has usually the sense of “doing harm to” ( cf. Act 25:10 ; Gal 4:12 ). Here it would seem to mean “being defrauded of the wages of fraud,” or “being done out of the wages of wrong-doing”. It has been customary to see in this phrase an illustration of the irresponsible use of words in 2 Peter. “Another example of the author’s love of far-fetched and artificial expressions” (Mayor). In P. Eleph., however 27a 24 / (iii. B.C.), the writers ask for a receipt with reference to a certain business transaction. “this having been arranged, we shall not be defrauded”. To this may be added Mayor’s citation of Plut. Cato Mi. 17 (p. 766) , . The accusative rei after . is very unusual. In classical writers it is found only with . suggests the experience of Balaam, of whom the same expression is used in 2Pe 2:15 , who never received his promised hire from Balak (Num 24:11 ). Death deprives the false teachers of all their reward. For significance of the name “Balaam,” in connexion with the false teachers, see Introduction, p. 118. in N.T. only in a bad sense, cf. Luk 8:14 , Tit 3:3 , Jas 4:1-3 . only in N.T. in Luk 7:25 where it is used of “delicate living,” a luxurious life, but with no special blame attached. The word is also used of gifts of wisdom in Pro 4:9 , cf. Psa 36:8 , “the river of thy pleasures”. Eden is called , Gen 2:15 ; Gen 3:13 ; Gen 3:24 . , “in the day-time”, ‘in broad day-light”. , cf. Eph 5:27 , 2Pe 3:14 , 1Pe 1:19 , Jud 1:12 . “reproach,” “disgrace”. Cf. Hort. on 1Pe 1:19 , where he traces the way in which and , came to be used with superficial meaning of “blemish,” cf. Eph 1:4 ; Eph 5:27 , Heb 9:14 . : “to be luxurious,” cf. Xen. Hell. 4:1, 30. : to be taken with . is a favourite word of Hermas ( Mand. viii. 5) and is frequently joined by him with ( Mand. xi. 12 and throughout Parable 6). According to Deissmann, in popular Hellenistic has the meaning “pleasure”. Cf. Mat 13:22 = Mar 4:19 (Luk 8:14 ), (see his Hellenisierung des semitischen Monothesismus , ( Neue Fahrb. f. d. Klass. Altertum , 1903), p. 165, n. 5).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
reward = wages. Greek. misthos.
unrighteousness. App-128. Compare 2Pe 2:15 and Act 1:18.
as they, &c. = reckoning it (as they do).
to riot = living delicately. Greek. truphe. Only here and Luk 7:25. Compare Jam 5:5.
the day time. Literally a day.
Spots. Greek. spilos. Here and Eph 5:27.
blemishes. Greek. momos. Only here. Compare 2Co 6:3 (blamed).
sporting themselves = living delicately. Greek. en-truphao. Only here. Compare trupho, above.
with = in. App-104.
deceivings. Greek. apate. See Eph 4:22. Some texts read “love feasts”. Greek. agape, as in Jud 1:12. Compare 1Co 11:21.
feast with. Greek. suneuocheomai. Only here and Jud 1:12.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
13 a.] receiving as they shall (fut. part.) (the) reward of unrighteousness (not, as Wolf, = , but exactly as in 2Pe 2:15, wages or retribution for unrighteousness: the only difference being that Balaam followed its temporal wages, they shall receive its eternal).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
2Pe 2:13. , bearing off [being about to receive]) willingly.-) that pleasure which man ought chiefly to aim at.[7]-, esteeming) A similar phrase occurs, ch. 2Pe 3:15.- ) in the day of your love-feasts, whatever that day in each case may be, without any concern, whatever to-morrow may be about to bring with it.- ) They are spots in themselves; disgraces, which provoke others to blame the Church itself. As spots most shamefully disfigure the brightest objects, so do these men disgrace your love-feasts.-) sporting themselves, so that they indulge themselves, and mock at others. The verb has a middle sense. It is used in the Septuagint, followed by , Isa 55:2; Isa 57:4.-[8]) deceivings. Jud 1:12, , in your feasts: Peter, making an important alteration in the letters, , in their deceivings. An anonymous writer in MS. Catena, praised by Mill: , , , : It is not, he says, for the sake of LOVE, and of sharing your salt, that they feast with you, but that they may find a convenient opportunity of deceit with regard to your wives. At any rate, it is evident from this, that Peter alludes to the love-feasts; because each of them adds, feasting with you, and the one, sporting themselves, the other, feeding themselves.- ) feasting with you. , a splendid feast, especially a sacred one; , : from the fact, that those who assemble at a feast in honour of the god, have good cheer, and give themselves to indulgence. See Eust., fol. 281, ed. Rom.
[7] And which contains all things else in it.-V. g. (Counting luxury the summum bonum.-E.)
[8] is supported by A corrected, C, Memph. and later Syr., and so Rec. Text and Tisch.; but by A later corrected, B Vulg. Theb. Syr., and so Lachm.-E.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the reward: Isa 3:11, Rom 2:8, Rom 2:9, Phi 3:19, 2Ti 4:14, Heb 2:2, Heb 2:3, Jud 1:12 -16; Rev 18:6
to riot: Rom 13:13, 1Th 5:7, 1Th 5:8, 1Pe 4:4
Spots: Son 4:7, Eph 5:27, Jud 1:12
while: 1Co 11:20-22
Reciprocal: Num 25:6 – in the sight of Moses 1Sa 2:14 – all that the fleshhook Psa 14:3 – all gone Pro 26:19 – and Pro 30:15 – Give Ecc 7:6 – as Isa 57:4 – sport Jer 23:26 – prophets of Eze 34:8 – the shepherds Mic 2:11 – I will Mat 13:47 – and gathered Mat 24:49 – and to Luk 12:45 – to eat Luk 15:13 – wasted Rom 6:13 – unrighteousness 1Co 11:21 – and one 2Co 11:15 – whose Eph 4:22 – deceitful 2Th 2:12 – but 2Ti 3:4 – lovers of God Jam 1:22 – deceiving 1Jo 1:8 – we deceive
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Pe 2:13. Reward of unrighteousness means they will be treated as an unrighteous man should be treated; they will “reap what they have sowed.” Pleasure to riot in the day time. It is wrong to riot at any time, but the usual practice is to use the night for it. “For they that be drunken are drunken in the night” (1Th 5:7). But these characters are brazen and take pleasure in flaunting their evil conduct at a time when everyone can see it. Spots and blemishes. Paul says the church was desired to be without spot (Eph 5:27), but the conduct of these wicked men puts a terrible blemish on the institution. Sporting themselves is defined by Thayer, “To live in luxury,” and it was done while they feast with you. This has refesence to the love feasts that the Christians conducted in the early times. Such feasts were intended only as an expression of good will and were put on for the special benefit of the poorer Christians. But they were often abused as most good things may be, and evil persons attended the assemblies merely to indulge themselves in the good things provided by the brethren for the help of the poor. (See Jud 1:12.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Pe 2:13. Buffering wrong as the wages of wrong-doing. The reading represented by the shall receive of the A. V,, is displaced by another, meaning suffering wrong, which has the support of the oldest documents, is accepted by the R. V. and the most recent critical editors, and gives us one of those emphatic and vehement repetitions of words which are recognised as distinctive of this Epistle (see Humphry, ut sup.). It is observed that the phrase wages of unrighteousness is peculiar to Peter (here, in 2Pe 2:15, and in his speech in Act 1:18).
reckoning luxurious living in the day a pleasure. It is doubtful whether the first noun here can mean altogether so much as either the riot of the A. V. or the revel of the R. V. It occurs once again in the N. T., viz. in Luk 7:25, where it is translated live delicately. The cognate verb, too, is translated live in pleasure in Jas 5:5. The term denotes luxurious or delicate living. The phrase in the day is understood by some (Beza, the Dutch and Italian Versions, etc.) to mean daily. But that is erroneous. Others (the Vulgate, Schott, Huther, Calvin, Alford, etc.) take it to mean for a day, or the temporal, transient, so that the idea would be reckoning the luxurious living which lasts but the little day of mans life a pleasure. The best interpretation, however, makes the phrase equivalent to in the daytime (Hofmann, etc.). The sentence then exhibits these men as pressing day and night alike into the service of luxurious delights. It is also in harmony with Peters own statement in Act 2:15 on the scandalous profligacy which would be implied in men becoming drunken by the third hour of the day. Compare also Pauls words in 1Th 5:7.The train of participles, nouns, and adjectives which begins here and goes on through the next verse may be connected either with what precedes (so Huther and the majority) or with what follows (so Hofmann, etc.). In the former case they bring out the shamelessness of the unrighteousness or wrongdoing for which they are to receive their wares. In the latter case they begin a new sentence which finds its verb in the have forsaken of 2Pe 2:15, and runs on to the end of 2Pe 2:16. They form a series, or rather torrent, of short exclamatory clauses (Lillie), disclosing the dark elements of the reprobate character which makes such a judgment as has been asserted inevitable.
spots and blemishes. The former term occurs again only in Eph 5:27, although another form of the same is found in Jud 1:12. The verb, too, occurs in the spotted of Jud 1:23 and the defile of Jas 3:6. The latter term, which means properly blame, and then blemish, occurs only here. Its verb is found in 2Co 6:3; 2Co 8:20. We have the negatives of these two terms in the description of the lamb without blemish and without spot in 1Pe 1:19.
sporting in their own deceits, while they feast with you. The sporting, as the A. V. gives it, is expressed by a compound verb connected with the noun rendered luxurious living above. It may be translated, therefore, luxuriating. There is a remarkable variation among ancient documents between two readings, differing from each other only by a single letter. One of these means deceits, as the A. V. gives it, or deceivings as it is put in the margin of the R. V.; the other means love-feasts, as it is given in the text of the R. V. In the latter case it is meant that these men pervert to their own advantage and enjoyment even the social meals, the agapa or loves, as they came to be called, which were the expression of Christian brotherhood. That abuses crept into this institution at a very early period, simple as in all probability it was, appears from 1Co 11:2. In the former case (and the balance on the whole is on that side) the idea is that they luxuriate in deceits by which they seek their base ends, for this purpose taking advantage even of opportunities unsuspectingly offered them of social intercourse and entertainment with the Christian brotherhood.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Here we have many sad and dreadful instances given of the height of sensuality and brutishness which these seducers were arrived at, and had attained unto. Lord! how do fleshly lusts, and sensual affections, obscure the light of conscience, and corrupt its judgment? There is such an intimate communion between the soul and the body, that they interchangeably corrupt one another. To what a desperate degree of hardness and insensibility, had the flames of lust seared the consciences of these men? They had lost all the ingenuous bashfulness of human nature, and pleased themselves in their licentious principles and practices, not declining to do that at noon-day which Heathens would have blushed to be found doing at mid-night.
Observe particularly, how luxury and uncleanness accompany each other; they took pleasure in rioting and sporting themselves in their feasts, and their eyes were full of adultery. They feasted and fed immeasurably, impurely, and lustfully, making their plenty fodder and fuel for their lusts: for having fed to the full, every one neighed after his neighbour’s wife, and, putting out the candles after supper, they gave way promiscuously to the ravings of unbridled lust, turning the temple of the Holy Ghost into an hog-sty: But know, O unclean sinner! that God will return flames for flames, and revenge this fire in thy heart with the fire of hell. How nearly does it concern thee, who has burnt in these impute flames of uncleanness, and kindled the flames of God’s wrath, to labour to cool and quench them with the blood of Christ, and the tears of repentance, which alone can allay the heats of sin in thee, and of wrath in God? Let unclean sinners improve examples, lest they be made examples.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Verse 13
In the daytime; every day, continually.–Sporting themselves; amusing themselves.–Deceivings, deceitful arts.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, [as] they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots [they are] and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings {n} while they feast with you;
(n) When by being among the Christians in the holy banquets which the Church keeps, they would seem by that to be true members of the Church, yet they are indeed but blots on the Church.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
God will give them punishment in keeping with their crimes (Rom 6:23; Gal 6:7). Rather than concealing their carousing under the cover of darkness, they shamelessly practice immorality in broad daylight. The pagans did this in their worship of false gods. Pagan worship often involved "sacred" prostitution. These practices were similar to stains on the clean fabric of the church, blemishes on its countenance, since the practitioners claimed to be Christians (cf. Eph 5:27). The faithful Christians did not carouse. The false teachers did the carousing, but they did it as part of the Christian community. Peter could say they reveled in their deceptions since they practiced immoral reveling while claiming to be followers of Christ.
"Like the blemishes on an animal not fit for sacrifice (Lev 1:3) or on a man not fit for priestly service (Lev 21:21), these immoral people were frustrating the church’s aim of holiness and could make the church unfit to be presented as a sacrifice to God." [Note: Bauckham, pp. 265-66.]