Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Peter 2:15
Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
15. which have forsaken the right way ] There may possibly be a reference to “the way of truth” in 2Pe 2:2 and to the general use of “the way” for the sum and substance of the doctrine of Christ. (See note on 2Pe 2:2.) It may be noted that the charge thus brought against the false teachers by St Peter is identical with that which St Paul brings against Elymas of “perverting the right ways of the Lord” (Act 13:10). We may see in the sorcerer of Cyprus, as well as in that of Samaria, a representative instance of the character which both Apostles condemn.
following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor ] The use of the term “way” is probably connected with the stress laid in the narrative of Num 22:32 (“Thy way is perverse before me”), in the journey which Balaam took in spite of the Divine warnings. The form Bosor, instead of Beor, may represent the mode of pronouncing the guttural letter that enters into the Hebrew name ( ) which prevailed in Galilee, analogous to that which in other languages has turned into septem, into sylva, and the like. On this supposition, St Peter’s use of the form presents a coincidence with his betraying himself by his Galilean dialect in Mat 26:73. The characteristic feature of that dialect was its tendency to soften gutturals. Another explanation, not, however, incompatible with this, has been found in the conjecture that as the Hebrew word Bashar signifies “flesh,” the Apostle may have used the form of the name which conveyed the thought that Balaam was “a son of the flesh,” carnal and base of purpose. Like explanations have been given of the change of Sychem (= a portion) into Sychar (= a lie) (Joh 4:5), of Beelzebub (= lord of flies) into Beelzebul (= lord of dung) (Mat 10:25; Mat 12:24). If we accept the explanation given by many commentators of the name Nicolaitans (Rev 2:6) as being a Greek equivalent for Balaamites, there would be reason for thinking that the prominence given to his history at this period of the Apostolic age led men, after the manner of the time, to find even in the syllables of his name a paronomasia which made it ominous and significant of evil.
The prominence just spoken of is traceable not only here and in the parallel passage of Jude (2Pe 2:11), but in Rev 2:14, where it appears in close connexion with the practice of eating things sacrificed to idols and the impurity associated with that practice. It has been contended by some writers (Renan, St Paul, c. x. p. 304) that from the point of view of the three writers who thus refer to Balaam, St Paul, in teaching the essential indifference of the act (1Co 8:4-8), appeared to reproduce the errors of the son of Beor. The hypothesis is, however, a singularly untenable one. No teacher could condemn the practice more strongly than St Paul, though he does so on rational and spiritual grounds, and not from the Jewish standpoint of there being an actual physical contamination in the things so sacrificed (1 Corinthians 8-10). It would indeed be much more in accordance with facts to infer that it was St Paul’s allusion to the history of Balaam’s temptation of the Israelites (1Co 10:8; Num 25:9; Num 31:16) that first associated the name of the prophet of Pethor with the corrupt practices of the party of licence in the Apostolic Church, and that St Peter, St Jude, and St John were but following in his track. It is noticeable, lastly, that in the purely Ebionite or Judaizing books, known as the Clementine Homilies and Recognitions, there is no reference to the name of Balaam.
who loved the wages of unrighteousness ] The phrase is repeated from 2Pe 2:13 as laying stress on this point of parallelism between the earlier and later forms of evil. It is not without interest to note that in both the Apostle reproduces what we find recorded as spoken by him in Act 1:18.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Which have forsaken the right way – The straight path of honesty and integrity. Religion is often represented as a straight path, and to do wrong is to go out of that path in a crooked way.
Following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor – See Num 22:5, following. In the Book of Numbers, Balaam is called the son of Beor. Perhaps the name Beor was corrupted into Bosor; or, as Rosenmuller suggests, the father of Balaam may have had two names. Schleusner (Lexicon) supposes that it was changed by the Greeks because it was more easily pronounced. The Septuagint, however, reads it as Beor – Beor. The meaning here is, that they IMitAted Balaam. The particular point to which Peter refers in which they imitated him, seems to have been the love of gain, or covetousness. Possibly, however, he might have designed to refer to a more general resemblance, for in fact they imitated him in the following things:
(1)In being professed religious teachers, or the servants of God;
(2)In their covetousness;
(3)In inducing others to sin, referring to the same kind of sins in both cases.
Balaam counselled the Moabites to entice the children of Israel to illicit connection with their women, thus introducing licentiousness into the camp of the Hebrews (Num 31:16; compare Num 25:1-9); and in like manner these teachers led others into licentiousness, thus corrupting the church.
Who loved the wages of unrighteousness – Who was supremely influenced by the love of gain, and was capable of being employed, for a price, in a wicked design; thus prostituting his high office, as a professed prophet of the Most High, to base and ignoble ends. That Balaam, though he professed to be influenced by a supreme regard to the will of God Num 22:18, Num 22:38, was really influenced by the desire of reward, and was willing to prostitute his great office to secure such a reward, there can be no doubt.
(1) The elders of Moab and of Midian came to Balaam with the rewards of divination in their hand Num 22:7, and with promises from Balak of promoting him to great honor, if he would curse the children of Israel, Num 22:17.
(2) Balaam was disposed to go with them, and was restrained from going at once only by a direct and solemn prohibition from the Lord, Num 22:11.
(3) Notwithstanding this solemn prohibition, and not with standing he said to the ambassadors from Balak that he would do only as God directed, though Balak should give him his house full of silver and gold, Num 22:18, yet he did not regard the matter as settled, but proposed to them that they should wait another night, with the hope that the Lord would give a more favourable direction in reference to their request, thus showing that his heart was in the service which they required, and that his inclination was to avail himself of their offer, Num 22:19.
(4) When he did obtain permission to go, it was only to say that which the Lord should direct him to say, Num 22:20; but he went with a perverse heart, with a secret wish to comply with the desire of Balak, and with a knowledge that he was doing wrong, Num 22:34, and was restrained from uttering the curse which Balak desired only by an influence from above which he could not control. Balaam was undoubtedly a wicked man, and was constrained by a power from on high to utter sentiments which God meant should be uttered, but which Balaam would never have expressed of his own accord.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Pe 2:15-16
Following the way of Balaam.
Balaam
I. We begin with the good part of the character of Balaam. Balaam was a true prophet of God. He was the last prophet under the patriarchal dispensation. He had the knowledge of religion, faith in the future Messiah, and prayer for the great blessing–a death of peace and hope.
II. Let us now consider the character of Balaam; as it may be called, the bad part. The bad part of Balaams character was that he united with his religion, faith, and prayer, the errors of the head, which ruined his religion, and the vices of the heart, which ruined his faith and prayer. He complied with the practices of the idolaters that surrounded him; and he was guilty of that love of money which made him desire the wages of unrighteousness and receive the rewards of Balak, against the warnings of his conscience and his knowledge of God. We must now consider the especial reason why the dumb ass, on which the prophet rode, was the fittest channel by which God would reprove, first, his idolatry, and then his covetousness.
1. And first the dumb ass was the fittest channel by which God would reprove the idolatry of Balaam. It was as if a voice came from the God of Israel, saying to the prophet, Wilt thou forsake the one true God, and join thyself, for the sake of money, to the foolish idolatry of the people around you? I will open the mouth of the most stupid of their idols to reproach thee, the prophet of God, to convince thee, and so convince them, that I am the only God, the only giver of all the usefulness of the instinct which has caused the dumb ass to be worshipped and honoured.
2. So also the ass was the fittest channel for the reproof of the covetousness of Balaam. The wild ass of the East was not, as is too often imagined, the same sort of animal as that among us. It was selected, because of its size and beauty, to be the bearer of kings, magistrates, and princes; and its use may be said, therefore, to be confined to those who were the leaders and the wealthy among the people. Now the only palliation that can be alleged for the love of money is the poverty which fears want, or which desires the advantages which money confers. Balaam had no excuse for the covetousness which loved the wages of unrighteousness, and the proof of all this was the mere fact of his possessing the animal which was possessed only by the rich, the great, and the wealthy. When the Lord, therefore, opened the mouth of the ass, it was as if God said, Why should the prophet of the true God thus be led away by the hope of money? why should the prophet of the true God love the wages of unrighteousness? Is not the possession and the use of the dumb ass on which you ride, the proof, and the demonstration to all around you that you already enjoy all that human ambition is wont to desire, and all that human avarice is wont to covet? Be content. The most wonderful of all Gods miracles was wrought to prove to us Gods abhorrence of the most usual of all the sins that beset us, that we may learn to avoid that covetousness which is idolatry. (G. Townsend, D. D.)
Balaam
Of the melancholy history of this wicked man let us make its proper use.
1. It teaches the danger of giving way in the first instance to temptation. After we have been once conquered, we have lost half our strength.
2. Again, we are taught by this story that a religious disposition makes always the greatest and best part of every mans character. Shining talents are what men desire, as they procure the admiration of the world; but we see in Gods sight it is otherwise. He often gives them to the most unworthy. A good heart is worth them all, and will make us illustrious, when all the rest become nothing.
3. We learn, further, from this story, the dreadful state of being what the Scriptures call forsaken of God.
4. But the most obvious use of the story is to convince ourselves of the folly and wickedness of acting under two characters–of hiding a bad heart under the pretences of religion. What pains it costs–the constant attention to every word and action. In fact, it would cost less to be good in earnest. Rarely did hypocrisy ever carry its deceit to the grave. Will the best gains of hypocrisy repay us for a bad conscience? (W. Gilpin, M. A.)
The dumb ass forbad the madness of the prophet.—
Lessons from Balaams ass
Balaams madness had turned him into a beast, and why might not one beast teach another? In some things the ass excelled her master.
1. She saw the judgment, he was blind: instinct better instructed her than reason and religion had enlightened him.
2. The ass had a tongue of equity; the prophet a tongue, hand, and heart of iniquity.
3. The ass was not capable of sin, and did therefore justify herself; the master was so mad upon sin that he would needs ruin himself.
Observations:
1. The weaker vessel may hold the better liquor. The uncleansed lay hold on heaven, whereas men of knowledge often wallow in the lusts of flesh and blood. We are ordained to judge the angels; but if we degenerate from our prerogative, angels, men, infidels, harlots, yea, even beasts and stones, shall be our judges.
2. As Balaam proceeds in forwardness, so doth the ass in reprehension. At every turn she answered him, in every passage she was quit with him. We cannot run so fast but God can overtake us, nor be so cunning but He can teach even a beast to overreach us.
3. The sensual creatures are set to condemn our sins and to reflect our evils upon us. Peter hath a cock to tell him his cowardice, and Balaam an ass to reprove his avarice. There is no creature dumb when God bids it to speak. If there were no preachers to declaim, no conscience to accuse, the very creatures themselves would cry. The beds, boards, walls, windows, markets, closets should have tongues to condemn us. (T. Adams.)
Balaam
To us the narrative as a whole is stamped visibly and broadly with the arrow-mark of heaven. As Canon Kingsley says, it is one which never would have been, never could have been, invented by the Jews. They never would have put into the mouth of a heathen prophet the sublime evangelic statements which Balaam utters. The character is evidently drawn from life, A few of those traits of truth and experience we shall proceed to notice.
I. The first thing which strikes us in Balaams history is that we have here a very bad man, though a true prophet. He was covetous–his heart was exercised with covetous practices, he ran greedily after reward. Some of you may think that not a very great sin, but Scripture brands it as idolatry. Balaam, however, was worse than that. Like Simon Magus, he was desirous of turning the gifts of inspiration to low mercenary gain, and of making the things of the kingdom an affair of barter. Yea, worse than that. He rushed pell-mell to evil; and not only when remonstrated with did he refuse obedience, he became desperate in disobedience. There is no telling what a man may descend to I Gifts are not graces; great men are not always good men. Intellectual attainments, like some other things, may be valued too highly. Better the most drivelling idiot that crawls than the laurelled victor who, to attain his end, has prostituted his powers to the prince of darkness.
II. we have a striking instance of apparent obedience to the divine will masking an insincere heart, Balaam has been called a conscientious man. We should demur to that. Still, he had a remarkably clear idea of the fidelity of God, of His unchangeableness, of His unimpeachable righteousness, of His inflexible truth. He had a conscience, though very poorly he used it. Conscience was strong enough in him to make a coward of him; to make him now this, now that. It was not strong enough in him to lift him above the fascinating power of evil. Hence those inconsistencies which, like the confusing influences of light and shade, render this man as much a problem as any in history. Oh, whatever we are, God help us to be true!
III. We see how God frequently concedes in judgment a mans wishes. Some of us have greatly wondered why God, the second time of Balaams asking Him, said, Go with the men; and yet that His anger should be kindled because Balaam did precisely what He had told him to do. Now this difficulty is met by two passages of Scripture: one is in Eze 14:1-23., where we are told certain of the elders of Israel came and sat before the prophet, and the Word of the Lord came to him, saying, Shall I be inquired of at all by them? Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face and cometh to the prophet, I, the Lord, will answer him according to the multitude of his idols. The other passage is in 2 Thessalonians
2. God will send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie. He had pleasure in unrighteousness. Do you think God was going to give that man repeatedly right and gracious answers when he knew that the thing he asked was displeasing to God? No! to the froward God will show Himself froward. If a man will have none of the Divine counsel, it is no use repeating and repeating what God would have him do, nor is it becoming the majesty of God. He will say, Well, then, you will not take no for an answer; I have told you the consequences; be it then even as you wish. Often there would be no surer way to afflict us than to give us what we wish.
IV. Here is illustrated that secret law by which the sinner is almost compelled to continue. He thinks he can stop when he pleases. No such thing! except the grace of God aids the endeavour. Go with the men! said the angel. I see that your heart still hankers after Balaks gold, you are not in earnest confessing your sin or in real acquiescence with the Divine judgment. Go then with them! Does not that illustrate the way of Gods providence with thousands upon thousands? The sensualist no sooner has indulged a lawless passion than he begins to see the folly of it; but how few turn and implore help and ask pardon of Almighty God! Go on! says the angel. The fear of discovery, the growing power of habit, the augmented strength of evil passion, the shame of acknowledgment, the bonds of association, all, like the weeds around the drowning man, hinder endeavours at self-rescue. There is an inevitable pressure from behind which, once the false step is taken, almost necessitates continuance.
V. We have here presented us the picture of a God-deserted man, not at first, but finally. If we may say so, at first God seemed to have a liking for that man; as indeed for what finally reprobate transgressor at one time had He not a liking? As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. (G. Short, B. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 15. Which have forsaken the right way] As Balaam did, who, although God showed him the right way, took one contrary to it, preferring the reward offered him by Balak to the approbation and blessing of God.
The way of Balaam] Is the counsel of Balaam. He counselled the Moabites to give their most beautiful young women to the Israelitish youth, that they might be enticed by them to commit idolatry. See Clarke on Nu 22:5, c., and “Nu 23:1“, &c.
The son of Bosor] Instead of , BOSOR two ancient MSS. and some of the versions have , Beor, to accommodate the word to the Hebrew text and the Septuagint. The difference in this name seems to have arisen from mistaking one letter for another in the Hebrew name, Beor, for Betsor or Bosor tsaddi and ain , which are very like each other, being interchanged.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The right way; the way of truth, 2Pe 2:2, i.e. the way of faith and holiness, which is the only right way to happiness.
Are gone astray; into the by-paths of error. There is but one right way, and many wrong, in which they wander that leave the right. He seems to allude to Balaam, Num 22:1-41, who left the way of God, which was, to be obedient to God, and not go beyond his word, Num 2:18, and ran into the way of sin, when he went with Balaks messengers to curse Gods people; and therefore his way is said to be perverse, Num 2:32.
Following the way of Balaam;
1. In respect of their false doctrine: for, as Balaam was disobedient to God, and, against his command, went to Balak; so these men forsook the way of truth prescribed by God in his word.
2. In respect of their wicked lives: Balaam taught Balak to entice the children of Israel to commit fornication, and eat things sacrificed unto idols, Rev 2:14; and these taught men to commit lewdness, and indulge themselves in their sensualities.
3. Chiefly in respect of their covetousness, as follows.
Of Bosor; either this is the name of his country, called Pethor, Num 22:5, and by change of two letters, P into B, and th into s, ( frequent in the Syriac language), Besor, or Bosor: or, the name of his father, called Beor, in Numbers, having two names; unless the apostle call him Bosor in allusion to Basar, flesh, as being of a fleshly mind, as the false teachers here were. Thus Beth-el was called Beth-aven, Hos 4:15; and Beelzebub called Beelzebul, the god of dung, Mat 10:25.
Who loved the wages of unrighteousness; the reward which Balak offered him for an unrighteous act, viz. the cursing of Gods people.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. haveSome of the seducersare spoken of as already come, others as yet to come.
followingout: so theGreek.
the way (Num 22:23;Num 22:32; Isa 56:11).
son of Bosorthe sameas Beor (Nu 22:5). Thisword was adopted, perhaps, because the kindred word Basarmeans flesh; and Balaam is justly termed son of carnality,as covetous, and the enticer of Israel to lust.
loved the wages ofunrighteousnessand therefore wished (in order to gain themfrom Balak) to curse Israel whom God had blessed, and at last gavethe hellish counsel that the only way to bring God’s curse on Israelwas to entice them to fleshly lust and idolatry, whichoften go together.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Which have forsaken the right way,…. The right way of the Lord, the way of truth, the Gospel of truth; or Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life; the true way to eternal life, and which is the right way to eternal happiness; the way of life, righteousness, and salvation by Christ, the Christian faith, and the doctrine of it, which they once professed, but now relinquished:
and are gone astray; from the right way, the way of truth and holiness, into the paths of error and profaneness:
following the way of Balaam [the son] of Bosor; which Jude calls his error, Jude 1:11, and is the path of covetousness, uncleanness, and idolatry, sins which he was either guilty of himself, or taught, advised, and seduced others to; see Re 2:14. The Vulgate Latin version reads “Balaam [out of] Bosor”, taking “Bosor” for the name of a place, of which “Balaam” was; but not “Bosor”, but “Pethor”, was the place of Balaam’s residence, Nu 22:5. The Arabic and Ethiopic versions supply, as we do, “the son of Bosor”; and the Syriac version reads, “the son of Beor”, as in Nu 22:5; for Beor and “Bosor” are the same names; the “sheva” being pronounced by “o”, as it is by “oa” in “Boanerges”, and the “ain” by “s”. Moreover, the letters and are sometimes used for one another, as in and , and , and so and , especially in the Chaldean dialect; and Peter now being at Babylon in Chaldea, see 1Pe 5:13; it is no wonder that he so pronounced.
Who loved the wages of unrighteousness: which were the rewards of divination, Nu 22:7; which were brought him for his divining or soothsaying, and may well be called unrighteous wages, since it was for doing unrighteous things, or things in an unrighteous manner; and these he loved, desired, and greedily coveted, and fain would he have taken Balak’s gold and silver, and have cursed Israel, but was restrained by the Lord: he showed a good will to it, in going along with the messengers, and in building altars, and offering sacrifice in one place after another, in which there was a great resemblance between him and the men here spoken of.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Forsaking (). Present active participle of (continually leaving) or (second aorist active), having left.
The right way ( ). “The straight way” of 1Sa 12:23 (cf. Mt 7:13f. for this use of ), “the way of truth” (2:2).
They went astray (). First aorist passive indicative of , like Mr 12:24.
The way of Balaam ( ). Associative instrumental case after , for which verb see 2Pet 1:16; 2Pet 2:2. These false teachers, as shown in verse 13, followed the way of Balaam, “who loved the hire of wrong-doing” ( ).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Right [] . Lit., straight, which is the radical meaning of right. Are gone astray [] . See on Mr 12:24.
Following [] . See on ch. 2Pe 1:16; 2Pe 2:2. Compare Jude 1:11. The way. Note the frequent occurrence of the word way in the story of Balaam (Numbers 22), and Peter’s use of the same phrase, as here, the right ways of the Lord, in Act 13:10.
Bosor. Rev. gives Beor, the Old Testament form of the name. Wages of unrighteousness. See on ver. 13.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
BALAAM – LIKE FALSE TEACHERS
1) “Which have forsaken the right way.” (Greek kataleipontes) voluntarily turning down or forsaking, of their own volition (Greek eutheian) a straight, proper (hodos) way, course of conduct or behavior, Psa 9:17; Jon 2:8.
2) “And are gone astray .” (eplanethesan) they have wandered away, of their own accord – “they erred.”
3) “Following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor.” (eksakolouthesantes) “going off in pursuit of” (te hodo) the way, course of conduct of Balaam the son of Beor Num 22:5. Lying, false prophets and teachers, sell out for money, hirelings, sell their testimony in open market for wages coveted; this is the “way” of Balaam, contrasted with his “error” Jud 1:11 and “doctrine” Rev 2:14; Joh 10:12-13; 1Ti 6:8-10.
4) “Who loved the wages of unrighteousness.” (Greek hos misthon) “Who the wages, salary” (adikias) of wrong (egapesen) loved with his whole heart. He willed, yearned for, desired high pay – wages more than truth. He defied the first commandment, Mat 22:36-38.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
As he has hitherto referred to the injury they did by the example of a perverse and corrupt life, so he again repeats, that they spread by their teaching the deadly poison of impiety, in order that they might destroy the simple. He compares them to Balaam, the son of Bozor, who employed a venal tongue to curse God’s people. And to shew that they were not worthy of a long refutation, he says that Balaam was reproved by an ass, and that thus his madness was condemned. But by this means also he restrains the faithful from associating with them. For it was a dreadful judgment of God, that the angel made himself known to the ass before he did to the prophet, so that the ass, perceiving God displeased, dared not to advance farther, but went back, when the prophet, under the blind impulse of his own avarice, pushed forward against the evident prohibition of the Lord. For what was afterwards answered to him, that he was to proceed, was an evidence of God’s indignation rather than a permission. In short, as the greatest indignity to him, the mouth of the ass was opened, that he who had been unwilling to submit to God’s authority might have that as his teacher. And by this miracle the Lord designed to shew how monstrous a thing it was to change the truth to a lie.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) The right way.(Comp. Act. 13:10.) In the Shepherd of Hermas (I. Vis. III. vii. 1) we have Who have believed indeed, but through their doubting have forsaken their true way. (See Notes on 2Pe. 2:1; 2Pe. 2:3; 2Pe. 2:13; 2Pe. 2:20; 2Pe. 3:5.)
Are gone astray.The main verb of this long sentence. Here parallels with Jude begin again. In the historical incident of Balaam, as in that of Sodom and Gomorrha, our Epistle is more detailed than Jude (see on 2Pe. 2:7). The past tenses in this verse are quite in harmony with the view that this chapter is a genuine prediction. (Comp. Gen. 49:9; Gen. 49:15; Gen. 49:23-24.) The future foretold with such confidence as to be spoken of as already past is a common form for prophecy to assume.
Balaam the son of Bosor.Bosor seems to be a dialectical variation from Beor, arising out of peculiar Aramaic pronunciationa slight indication that the writer was a Jew of Palestine. The resemblance between these false teachers and Balaam consisted in their running counter to Gods will for their own profit, and in prostituting their office to an infamous purpose, which brought ruin on the community. He, like they, had enticed unstable souls, and had a heart exercised in covetousness. A comparison of this passage with Rev. 2:14-15, gives countenance to the view that among the false teachers thus stigmatised the Nicolaitans may be included. In Jud. 1:11, these ungodly men are compared not only to Balaam, but also to Cain and Korah. It seems more likely that St. Jude should add these two very opprobrious comparisons than that the vehement writer of this Epistle should reject material so suitable to his invective. If so, we have here another argument for the priority of our Epistle. (See on 2Pe. 2:12.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15, 16. The right way The straight way of Christian truth and duty. The way of Balaam was a crooked way. A prophet of Jehovah, he used his prophetic gift for gain; and for the sake of personal gain, against the known will of God, he sought to curse Israel. Num 22:7; Num 22:17. He was a fair type of these false teachers, who used the gospel for the gratification of their avarice. His counsel to Balak to tempt Israel to sin does not seem to be included here.
Rebuked iniquity Not, we think, by the ass, but by the Angel of the Lord, an Old Testament designation of Christ himself, who said to him, “Thy way is perverse before me,” extorting the confession, “I have sinned.” Num 22:32; Num 22:34. An additional element in the transaction was, the speaking of the dumb ass with a human voice; but the madness which she forbade was the foolish anger which led Balaam to smite her with a staff, and to wish that he had a sword with which he might kill her. Num 22:27; Num 22:29. The ass showed more reason than did either Balaam or the false teachers. St. Peter, as against all sceptics, holds this as a true historical event.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the hire of wrongdoing;
Indeed these teachers can be compared to Balaam (Numbers 22-24). Forsaking the straight path, the right way, they too have gone astray, like Balaam did. He also was one who loved the wages of wrongdoing. For he was at first ready to curse Israel for the sake of reward, and later he was the cause of their being lured into sin. And all for the sake of money.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Balaam’s example:
v. 15. Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,
v. 16. but was rebuked for his iniquity; the dumb ass, speaking with man’s voice, forbade the madness of the prophet. The character and the motive of the false teachers is brought out strongly by the comparison with the behavior of Balaam: Having left the right way, they have gone astray, by exactly following the way of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but received a rebuke for his transgression; the dumb ass, speaking with the voice of a man, hindered the prophet’s senseless behavior. The manner in which most false teachers go wrong is exemplified by Balaam, Num 22:5-41; Num 23:1-30; Num 24:1-25. Although the Lord had expressly told him that he must not curse the children of Israel, yet the bribe money which was offered by Balak, king of the Moabites, induced him to make an attempt at cursing Israel. His greed for money was stronger than his obedience to God. He was conscious that he was tempting God in setting out on his mission, and an evil conscience made him irritable. When his ass tried to crowd out of the way at the appearance of the angel, he beat her unmercifully, until the Lord Himself opened her mouth and rebuked Balaam for his transgression, for his foolish, senseless behavior, for his madness. Thus it is madness that has taken hold of the false teachers when they put aside all virtue and become adepts in every form of unrighteousness, at the same time drawing with them the souls of men.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
2Pe 2:15. Which have forsaken the right way, It is called the way of righteousness, 2Pe 2:21 which leads to happiness; but turning aside to error and vice, is wandering out of the way into forbidden paths, which lead to misery and destruction. Perhaps the apostle here alluded to Num 22:32 when the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Thy way is perverse before me. The wages of unrighteousness are called the rewards of divination, Num 22:7 namely, the riches and honour which he sought by wicked methods. When God would not allow him by the Spirit of prophesy to curse Israel, he gave Balak the most diabolical advice; namely, that by the beautiful Midianitish women he should tempt the Israelites, first to debauchery and then to idolatry, as the most likely way to expose them to a curse. Jude, 2Pe 2:12. Rev 2:14. Now as Balaam, through covetousness, corrupted the people of Israel, and thereby exposed them to the judgment of God, so did those false teachers, through covetousness, corrupt the Christians, giving them liberty to indulge the lusts of the flesh; and thereby exposed them to the righteous judgment of God.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Pe 2:15-16 . Comparison with Balaam; cf. Jud 1:11 . The comparisons with Cain and Korah are wanting here.
. . .] with . . cf. Act 13:16 ; the words connect themselves closely with , to which then the subsequent participial clause is added by way of a more precise definition. With . cf. chap. 2Pe 1:16 , 2Pe 2:2 . The conjunction of this verb with is explained by the circumstance that is here taken in a figurative sense: manner of life, conduct.
The form , Heb. , arises from a peculiar pronunciation of ; Grotius is wrong in regarding the word as the corrupted name of the country, , Num 22:5 . Several commentators: Krebs, Vitringa, Wolf, Grotius, etc., assume that there is here an allusion to the counsel which Balaam gave to the Midianites to the corrupting of the Israelites (Num 31:16 ; Rev 2:14 ) (so, too, Dietlein); but, according to 2Pe 2:16 , the reference is rather to the intended cursing of the people of Israel, to which certainly Balaam, for the sake of reward, was inclined; hence: (see 2Pe 2:13 ) . Although such inclination on his part is not definitely mentioned in Num 22:1-20 , still, judging from the narrative of the ass, it is to be presupposed; cf., too, Deu 23:5 . Corroboration from the rabbinical writings, see Wetstein. 2Pe 2:16 . ] “but he received (suffered) rebuke (blame) for his trespass;” his (not equivalent to vesania (Vulg.), but synonymous with ) consisted in this, that he was willing, for the sake of the reward, if God permitted it, to curse Israel, and for this reason went to Balak. stands here in place of the pers. pron. . Dietlein presses , by translating: “belonging to him,” and adds by way of explanation: “to him who must be looked upon as the prototype of the false prophets.” Wiesinger, on the other hand, sees the significance of in this, that “he who was a prophet to others, had to suffer rebuke of an ass for his own .” But neither the one nor the other is alluded to in the context.
That which follows states in what the consisted.
] properly: a beast that bears a yoke, here as in Mat 21:5 , designation of the ass.
] in contrast to human speaking.
] does not state the reason of the , but emphasizes the miraculous nature of the occurrence ( ).
] Schott understands Balaam’s to be his striking of the ass; Wiesinger: “his folly, in setting himself against the angel;” but it is more correct to understand by it the aforenamed , which the angel opposed. Hofmann rightly observes: “the signification of the verb does not imply that it is left undone, but simply that opposition is offered to what is done or is intended to be done; cf. 1Th 2:16 .” [77] The word , “ folly ,” . . (the verb in 2Co 11:23 ), unusual in the classics also, instead of which or ; see Winer, p. 90 [E. T. 118].
] (cf. Num 24:4 ) stands in emphatic antithesis to .
[77] Formerly in this commentary was explained thus: that although Balaam’s was not exactly prevented by the ass, still, by the conduct of the latter, a beginning was made to prevent it.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
VIII
BALAAM: HIS IMPORTANT PROPHECIES, HIS CHARACTER, AND HIS BIBLE HISTORY
Numbers 22-24; Num 31:8
These scriptures give you a clue to both Balaam’s history and character: Numbers 22-24; Num 31:8 , and especially Num 31:16 ; Deu 23:4-5 ; Jos 13:22 ; Jos 24:9-10 ; Mic 6:5 ; Neh 13:2 ; Jud 1:2 ; 2Pe 2:15 ; and, most important of all, Rev 2:14 . Anybody who attempts to discuss Balaam ought to be familiar with every one of these scriptures.
Who was Balaam? He was a descendant of Abraham, as much as the Israelites were. He was a Midianite and his home was near where the kinsmen of Abraham, Nahor and Laban, lived. They possessed from the days of Abraham a very considerable knowledge of the true God. He was not only a descendant of Abraham and possessed the knowledge of the true God through traditions handed down, as in the case of Job and Melchizedek, but he was a prophet of Jehovah. That is confirmed over and over again. Unfortunately he was also a soothsayer and a diviner, adding that himself to his prophetic office for the purpose of making money. People always approach soothsayers with fees.
His knowledge of the movements of the children of Israel could easily have been obtained and the book of Exodus expressly tells that that knowledge was diffused over the whole country. Such a poem as Jacob’s dying blessing on his children would circulate all over the Semitic tribes, and such an administration as that of Joseph would become known over all the whole world, such displays of power as the miracles in Egypt, the deliverance at the Red Sea and the giving of the law right contiguous to the territory of Balaam’s nation make it possible for him to learn all these mighty particulars. It is a great mistake to say that God held communication only with the descendants of Abraham. We see how he influenced people in Job’s time and how he influenced Melchizedek, and there is one remarkable declaration made in one of the prophets that I have not time to discuss, though I expect to preach a sermon on it some day, in which God claims that he not only brought Israel out of Egypt but the Philistines out of Caphtor and all peoples from the places they occupied (Amo 9:7 ). We are apt to get a very narrow view of God’s government of the human race when we attempt to confine it to the Jews only.
Next, we want to consider the sin of Balaam. First, it was from start to finish a sin against knowledge. He had great knowledge of Jehovah. It was a sin against revelation and a very vile sin in that it proceeded from his greed for money, loving the wages of unrighteousness. His sin reached its climax after he had failed to move Jehovah by divinations, and it was clear that Jehovah was determined to bless these people, when for a price paid in his hand be vilely suggested a means by which the people could be turned from God and brought to punishment. That was about as iniquitous a thing as the purchase of the ballots in the late prohibition election in Waco, for the wages of unrighteousness. His counsel was (Num 31:16 ) to seduce the people of Israel by bringing the Moabitish and Midianite evil women to tempt and get them through their lusts to attend idolatrous feasts.
In getting at the character of this man, we have fortunately some exceedingly valuable sermon literature. The greatest preachers of modern times have preached on Balaam, and in the cross lights of their sermons every young preacher ought to inform himself thoroughly on Balaam. The most famous one for quite a while was Bishop Butler’s sermon. When I was a boy, everybody read that sermon, and, as I recall it, the object was to show the self-deception which persuaded Balaam in every case that the sin he committed could be brought within the rules of conscience and revelation, so that he could say something at every point to show that he stood right, while all the time he was going wrong.
Then the great sermon by Cardinal Newman: “The dark shadow cast over a noble course by standing always on the ladder of advancement and by the suspense of a worldly ambition never satisfied.” He saw in Balaam one of the most remarkable men of the world, high up on the ladder and the way to the top perfectly open but shaded by the dark shadow of his sin. Then Dr. Arnold’s sermon on Balaam, as I recall, the substance being the strange combination of the purest form of religious belief with action immeasurably below it. Next the great sermon by Spurgeon with seven texts. He takes the words in the Bible, “I have sinned,” and Balaam is one of the seven men he discusses. Spurgeon preached Balaam as a double-minded man. He could see the right and yet his lower nature turned him constantly away from it, a struggle between the lower and higher nature. These four men were the greatest preachers in the world since Paul. I may modestly call attention to my own sermon on Balaam; that Balaam was not a double-minded man; that from the beginning this man had but one real mind, and that was greed and power, and he simply used the religious light as a stalking horse. No rebuff could stop him long. God might say, “You shall not go,” and he would say, “Lord, hear me again and let me go.” He might start and an angel would meet him and he might hear the rebuke of the dumb brute but he would still seek a way to bring about evil. I never saw a man with a mind more single than Balaam.
I want you to read about him in Keble’s “Christian Year.” Keble conceives of Balaam as standing on the top of a mountain that looked over all those countries he is going to prophesy about and used this language:
O for a sculptor’s hand,
That thou might’st take thy stand
Thy wild hair floating in the eastern breeze,
Thy tranc’d yet open gaze
Fix’d on the desert haze,
As one who deep in heaven some airy pageant aeea.
In outline dim and vast
Their fearful shadows cast
The giant forms of empires on their way
To ruin: one by one
They tower and they are gone,
Yet in the Prophet’s soul the dreams of avarice stay.
That is a grand conception. If he just had the marble image of a man of that kind, before whose eyes, from his lofty mountain pedestal were sweeping the pageants of mighty empires and yet in whose eyes always stayed the dreams of avarice. The following has been sculptured on a rock:
No sun or star so bright
In all the world of light
That they should draw to Heaven his downward eye:
He hears th’ Almighty’s word,
He sees the Angel’s sword,
Yet low upon the earth his heart and treasure lie.
That comes nearer giving a true picture of Balaam. That shows you a man so earth bound in his heart’s desire, looking at low things and grovelling that no sun or star could lift his eye toward heaven. Not even God Almighty’s word could make him look up, without coercion of the human will.
Now, you are to understand that the first two prophecies of Balaam came to him when he was trying to work divinations on God. In those two he obeys as mechanically as a hypnotized person obeys the will of the hypnotist. He simply speaks under the coercive power of God. In these first two prophecies God tells him what to say, as if a mightier hand than his had dipped the pen in ink and moved his hand to write those lines.
At the end of the second one when he saw no divination could possibly avail against those people, the other prophecies came from the fact that the Spirit of the Lord comes on him just like the Spirit came on Saul, the king of Israel, and he prophesied as a really inspired man. In the first prophecy he shows, first, a people that God has blessed and will not curse; second, he is made to say, “Let me die the death of the righteous and let my, last end at death and judgment be like his.” That shows God’s revelation to that people. The second prophecy shows why that is so: “God is not a man that he should repent.” “It is not worth while to work any divination. He has marked out the future of this nation.” Second, why is it that he will not regard iniquity in Jacob? For the purpose he has in view he will not impute their trespasses to them. The prophecy stops with this thought, that when you look at what this people have done and will do, you are not to say, “What Moses did, nor Joshua did, nor David,” but you are to say, “What God hath wrought!”
The first time I ever heard Dr. Burleson address young preachers, and I was not even a Christian myself, he took that for his text. He commenced by saying, “That is a great theme for a preacher. Evidently these Jews had not accomplished all those things. They were continually rebelling and wanting to go back, and yet you see them come out of Egypt, cross the Sea, come to Sinai, organized, fed, clothed, the sun kept off by day and darkness by night, marvellous victories accomplished and you are to say, ‘What God hath wrought!’ “
When the spiritual power comes on him he begins to look beyond anything he has ever done yet, to messianic days. There are few prophecies in the Bible more far-reaching than this last prophecy of Balaam. When he says of the Messiah, “I shall see him but not now,” it is a long way off. “My case is gone, but verily a star” the symbol of the star and sceptre carried out the thought of the power of the Messiah. So much did that prophecy impress the world that those Wise Men who came right from Balaam’s country when Jesus was born, remember this prophecy: “We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
He then looks all around and there are the nations before him from that mountain top, and he prophesies about Moab and Amalek and passes on beyond, approaching even to look to nations yet unborn. He looks to the Grecian Empire arising far away in the future, further than anybody but Daniel. He sees the ships of the Grecians coming and the destruction of Asshur and the destruction of Eber, his own people. Then we come to the antitypical references later.
If you want a comparison of this man, take Simon Magus who wanted to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit so as to make money. That is even better than Judas, though Judas comes in. Judas had knowledge, was inspired, worked miracles, and yet Judas never saw the true kingdom of God in the spirit of holiness, and because he could not bring about the kingdom of which he would be treasurer for fifteen dollars he sold the Lord Jesus Christ. Those are the principal thoughts I wanted to add.
QUESTIONS
1. Who was Balaam?
2. How did he obtain his knowledge of God?
3. What was the sin of Balaam?
4. What was the climax of his sin?
5. What five sermons on Balaam are referred to? Give the line of thought in each.
6. Give Keble’s conception of Balaam.
7. What was the testimony sculptured on a rock?
8. Now give your own estimate of the character of Balaam.
9. How do you account for the first two prophecies?
10. How do you account for the other two?
11. In the first prophecy what does he show, what is he made to say and what does that show?
12. Give a brief analysis of the second prophecy.
13. Of what does the third prophecy consist?
14. Give the items of the fourth prophecy.
15. How did his messianic prophecy impress the world?
16. When was this prophecy concerning Amalek fulfilled? Ana. In the days of Saul. (1Sa 15 ).
17. Who was Asshur and what was his relation to the Kenites?
18. What reference here to the Grecians?
19. Who was Eber?
20. With what two New Testament characters may we compare?
Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
Ver. 15. The wages of unrighteousness ] The mammon of unrighteousness, wages of wickedness.
” Lucra iniusta putes iustis aequalia damnis.
Dum peritura paras, per male parta peris.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15 .] The last clauses, from to , have no representatives in Jude. Now again the parallelism begins, cf. Jud 1:11 ; but the sentiment is more expanded here. The construction is altered, and becomes direct and regular, . Which have forsaken the right way (ref.) and are gone astray (the aor. part. and aor. verb are contemporary: and both require, as so often, to be rendered by our English perfect; the English bare past not involving any present consequence, but rather leaving it to be inferred that the state predicated is over now), following out (this seems to be all that the – implies; see on ch. 2Pe 1:16 . It is noticeable, that in [17] Jude the expression is ) the way of Balaam ( , not merely figuratively, the way (of life), but literally, seeing that it was by a journey that Balaam displeased God: cf. the frequent repetition of the word in Num 22:23 , and the words of the angel in ib. Num 22:32 , ) ( the son ) of Bosor (Grot, supposes Bosor to be a corruption of the name , “Pethor,” Num 22:5 ; Vitringa, Observ. Sacr, vol. i. pp. 936 f., maintains rightly that rather signifies parentage than habitation, and that is a way of writing , Beor, owing to a peculiar pronunciation of the , which he traces in the formation of salio from , and in the case of other sibilants from aspirates, as sal from , septem from , sisto from . And he conjectures that, coupled with an intimation that the Galileans gave a softer sound than others to the , this may have been connected with the Galilean dialect which betrayed Peter on a memorable occasion, Mat 26:73 . So far well: but he goes on also to say, that the Apostle had a mystical reason for choosing this form, in allusion to the temptation which Balaam cast before Israel, because signifies flesh , “elegante hoc lusu subinnuens, Bileamum, suadendo voluptatum carnalium exercitium, merito dicendum esse filium , id est, carnis.” It certainly is not beyond possibility that a Hebrew ear may have found such an allusion obvious: but the reference seems here rather to be to Balaam’s attempt to curse Israel, than to his subsequent temptation of them), who loved the wages of unrighteousness (viz. Which he vainly thought he might get by disobeying the command of God. See Bp. Butler’s masterly sermon on the character of Balaam, in his well-known volume),
[17] 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 2:15-16 . Example of Balaam . “They have left the straight way and wandered from it, having followed the way of Balaam, who loved the ways of wickedness, and was rebuked for his transgression, when a dumb ass spoke with a man’s voice, and forbade the infatuation of the prophet.”
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
2Pe 2:15 . . The comparison of the conduct of the False Teachers to that of Balaam is significant as determining their character and motive (see Introduction, pp. 115 ff.). The writer of 2 Peter takes the miraculous narrative in Num 22:21-35 literally. It is no disparagement of the value of the illustration that we, in our day, can no longer do so. Balaam had the gift of real spiritual vision. He is described in Num 24:16 as one “whose eye was closed,” i.e. to outer things, and also as one “which seeth the vision of the Almighty, falling down and having his eyes open,” i.e. to spiritual vision. Balaam was one who allowed the greed of gain to become stronger than the prophetic impulse. He is conscious that he is tempting God, and an evil conscience makes him irritable. He fears lest God may yet interfere to rob him of his reward. When the ass starts aside he beats it, but ultimately his passion is subdued by the momentary triumph of his higher spiritual instincts, when he begins to suspect that in the stubbornness of the animal there is really the power of God exercised to hinder him in his course. The angel with the drawn sword is often the form that men’s religion takes who are disobeying the voice of conscience. “There is a strange depth of meaning in the appealing eye of an ill-treated animal. It is an appeal, in the first place, to whatever remnant of pity and generosity may still survive in the heart of the man who ill-treats it, but it is an appeal, in the second place, to the justice of the God who made them both, a cry of which we may be sure it has entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. When animals are put to unnecessary suffering, either in the shambles or as beasts of burden, or in the interests of science or sport, or for any other reason, cases are sure to arise in which we may justly apply the words of our Epistle, and say of such poor tortured creatures that with their dying gaze, no less clearly than if they had spoken with man’s voice, they forbade the madness of their torturers” (Mayor, p. 203). Cf. F. W. Robertson, Sermons , Ser. iv. pp. 40 f.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Balaam. See Num 22:5 note.
Bosor. See 2Pe 22:5 (note). Some texts read “Beor”.
loved. App-135.
wages. Same as reward, 2Pe 2:13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15.] The last clauses, from to , have no representatives in Jude. Now again the parallelism begins, cf. Jud 1:11; but the sentiment is more expanded here. The construction is altered, and becomes direct and regular, . Which have forsaken the right way (ref.) and are gone astray (the aor. part. and aor. verb are contemporary: and both require, as so often, to be rendered by our English perfect; the English bare past not involving any present consequence, but rather leaving it to be inferred that the state predicated is over now), following out (this seems to be all that the – implies; see on ch. 2Pe 1:16. It is noticeable, that in [17] Jude the expression is ) the way of Balaam ( , not merely figuratively, the way (of life), but literally, seeing that it was by a journey that Balaam displeased God: cf. the frequent repetition of the word in Num 22:23, and the words of the angel in ib. Num 22:32, ) (the son) of Bosor (Grot, supposes Bosor to be a corruption of the name , Pethor, Num 22:5; Vitringa, Observ. Sacr, vol. i. pp. 936 f., maintains rightly that rather signifies parentage than habitation, and that is a way of writing , Beor, owing to a peculiar pronunciation of the , which he traces in the formation of salio from , and in the case of other sibilants from aspirates, as sal from , septem from , sisto from . And he conjectures that, coupled with an intimation that the Galileans gave a softer sound than others to the , this may have been connected with the Galilean dialect which betrayed Peter on a memorable occasion, Mat 26:73. So far well: but he goes on also to say, that the Apostle had a mystical reason for choosing this form, in allusion to the temptation which Balaam cast before Israel, because signifies flesh, elegante hoc lusu subinnuens, Bileamum, suadendo voluptatum carnalium exercitium, merito dicendum esse filium , id est, carnis. It certainly is not beyond possibility that a Hebrew ear may have found such an allusion obvious: but the reference seems here rather to be to Balaams attempt to curse Israel, than to his subsequent temptation of them), who loved the wages of unrighteousness (viz. Which he vainly thought he might get by disobeying the command of God. See Bp. Butlers masterly sermon on the character of Balaam, in his well-known volume),
[17] 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: The Greek Testament
2Pe 2:15. , following the way of Balaam) See note on Jud 1:8, from Isaiah 56-, Bosor) This and Beor are synonyms. Hill. Onom., pp. 700, 763, 774. Lightfoot (Hor. in Act., p. 270) thinks that sigma was written by Peter among the Babylonians by a Chaldaism for .
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Balaam
Balaam. (See Scofield “Num 22:5”) was the typical hireling prophet, anxious only to make a market of his gift. This is the “way” of Balaam. See the “error” of Balaam, See Scofield “Jud 1:11” and the “doctrine” of Balaam, See Scofield “Rev 2:14”.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
forsaken: 1Sa 12:23, 1Ki 18:18, 1Ki 19:10, Eze 9:10, Pro 28:4, Hos 14:8, Act 13:10
Balaam: Num 22:5-7
who: Num 22:18-21, Num 22:23, Num 22:28, Num 31:16, Deu 23:4, Deu 23:5, Mic 6:5, Jud 1:11, Rev 2:14
wages: Act 1:18
Reciprocal: Exo 18:21 – hating Num 22:7 – rewards of divination Num 22:19 – General Num 22:32 – thy way Num 25:18 – beguiled Num 31:8 – Balaam Jos 7:21 – I coveted Jos 13:22 – Balaam Jdg 18:4 – hired me Jdg 18:20 – heart 1Ki 21:16 – Ahab rose up 2Ki 5:20 – and take 2Ch 16:4 – hearkened Psa 50:16 – What Psa 107:7 – he led Psa 119:10 – O let me Pro 5:23 – in the Pro 18:2 – but Pro 25:14 – boasteth Isa 56:11 – they are Jer 6:13 – For Jer 51:13 – and the Eze 14:11 – the house Mic 3:11 – and the prophets Zec 13:2 – cause Mat 13:22 – the care Mat 18:7 – but Mat 23:14 – for ye Mat 26:9 – General Mat 26:15 – What Mar 14:11 – and promised Luk 9:25 – what Luk 22:5 – and covenanted Joh 2:16 – make Joh 11:51 – he prophesied Act 5:2 – kept Act 24:26 – hoped 1Co 5:11 – or covetous 1Co 9:27 – lest Phi 4:17 – because 1Th 2:5 – a cloak 1Ti 3:3 – not covetous 1Ti 6:5 – supposing 1Ti 6:9 – they 2Ti 3:2 – covetous 2Ti 3:4 – lovers of God 2Ti 4:10 – hath Tit 1:12 – liars 1Pe 5:12 – true 2Pe 2:2 – ways 2Pe 2:3 – through
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Pe 2:15. Forsaken the right way indicates these men had once been righteous, but had gone astray which means to step aside from the pathway of righteousness. Bosor is the same as Beor, the father of Balaam. Balaam pretended that all the wealth of Balak could not entice him to come to him, but he finally yielded and went in the direction of sin (Numbers 22-24).
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Pe 2:15. forsaking the straight way they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness (or, wrong-doing). The strong verb for a following which amounts to close pursuit or imitation is used here again, as in chap. 2Pe 1:16, 2Pe 2:2. The form Bosor, for the Beor of the Old Testament, is explained as due to the peculiarity of the Galilean pronunciation. Peters own Galilean speech bewrayed him (Mat 26:73). On the phrase loved the wages of unrighteousness see on 2Pe 2:13. Some good documents exhibit a different reading here, which connects this clause not with Balaam, but with these men, viz., following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, they loved the wages of unrighteousness. It is to be observed, too, that in Act 13:10 Peter is represented as using the phrase right ways, or straight ways, in his denunciation of Elymas the sorcerer. The word way, too, meets us very often in the O. T. story of Balaam (Numbers 22). It is supposed by some that reference is made here to Balaams counsel in the matter of tempting Israel to sensuality (Num 31:16). The definition given, however, in the last clause points rather to covetousness as the character in which Balaam is brought in. The lust of gain which Balaam formally denied was, as the tenor of the O. T. narrative clearly shows, the thing that shaped his action. The fact that in Rev 2:14-15 the Nicolaitans are mentioned in connection with Balaam, leads some to the conclusion that Peter also had that party in his view here. Jude makes use of the cases of Cain and Korah as well as that of Balaam.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Our apostle, having charged these men with insatiable lust in the former verse, proceeds next to tax them with insatiable covetousness in this verse, declaring that this sin had diverted them from the right way of truth and godliness, and caused them to imitate Balaam of old, whose love of honour and wealth so blinded his eyes, that the ass he rode upon could see beyond him, whose mouth God miraculously opened to rebuke the madness of the prophet.
Note here, 1. How the wicked in after ages do in their courses and practices imitate such wicked persons as lived before them in former ages: These men followed the way of Balaam, imitate his covetousness and insatiable desire of wealth.
Note, 2. That as it is the nature of all sin to carry men out of the way, so covetousness in particular will carry a man astray, and put him upon the practice of any wickedness: It neither fears nor forbears any sinful course to attain its end; they that will be rich meet with many enticements unto sin, and they will not fear to embrace any enticement. Nay, verily, a thirst after gain, will make a man thirst after blood, to get gain. Witness Balaam and Judas, who were both covetous and bloody. Covetousness is oft-times the cause of uncleanness. How many, for the sake of money, have violated their matrimonial faith, allured more with the adulterer’s purse than by his person. Let no person hope to escape any sin that embraces this one sin.
Note, 3. What a mighty struggle there sometimes is in a natural man’s conscience concerning sin. The light of Balaam’s conscience made him refuse the wages of unrighteousness, and speak honourably: If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot, &c. but at the same time lust in his heart led him forth strongly to desire it. He loved the wages of unrighteousness: loved it, yet durst not touch it.
Note, 4. How extremely, yea, brutishly mad, such men are upon their lusts, who will not be rebuked or stopped in their progress of impiety without a miracle. Balaam’s running was so greedy, and his march so furious, that he had cursed the people, had not the angel stopped him, and the ass spoken to him. Little thanks to a resolute sinner that he does not rush on, when the arm of omnipotency pulls him back. O let the heart-changing power of the grace of God influence us to good, as well as his almighty arm restrain us from evil, or we are miserable.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
2Pe 2:15. Which have forsaken the right , straight; way The way of truth and integrity, and are gone astray Have wandered in dangerous and destructive paths; following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor (So the Chaldeans pronounced what the Jews called Beor,) namely, the ways of covetousness. Balaam loved wealth and honour so much, that to obtain them he acted contrary to his conscience. To follow his way, therefore, is to be guided by similar base passions, and to commit similar base actions; who loved the wages of unrighteousness When Balaam was first sent for to curse the Israelites, Balaks messengers carried only the rewards of divination in their hands, Num 22:7 : and therefore when God forbade him to go, he easily acquiesced, and refused to go, 2Pe 2:13. But when Balak sent a second request by more honourable messengers, and with them a promise to promote him to very great honour, and to do whatever he should say to him, Balaam, inflamed with the love of the promised hire, endeavoured a second time to obtain permission to go. And though God allowed him to go, on the express condition that he should do nothing in the affair without his order, Balaam went with the resolution of cursing the Israelites, whether God permitted him or not; as evidently appears from the circumstances of the story, to which the reader is referred. And though he so far obeyed God that he blessed the Israelites, it was no dictate of his heart, but a suggestion of the Spirit of God, which he could not resist. For that his love of the hire, and his inclination to curse the Israelites continued, he showed by his behaviour afterward, when, to bring the curse of God upon the Israelites, he counselled Balak to entice them to fornication and idolatry by means of the Midianitish women, Num 31:16; Rev 2:14 : in giving which advice he acted most unrighteously, knowing it to be evil, and that Gods purpose concerning the Israelites was irrevocable, Num 23:19, &c. He therefore gave the advice, not in the persuasion that it would be effectual, but merely to gain the promised hire, which therefore is called the hire of unrighteousness. In these things the false teachers, who, to draw money from their disciples, encouraged them by their doctrine to commit all manner of lewdness, might well be said to follow in the way of Baalam; and their doctrine might justly be called, the doctrine of Balaam. Macknight.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Verse 15
Balaam the son of Bosor. He is called the son of Beor in the Old Testament. (Numbers 22:5.) For the course pursued by Balaam, and his influence in leading Israel into sin, see Numbers 22:1-25:18.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
The false prophet Balaam counseled Balak, the king of Moab, to invite the Israelites to participate with his people in a feast to honor Moab’s gods (Num 31:16). The best textual evidence suggests that Peter wrote, "Balaam the son of Bosor," Bosor being a play on the Hebrew word basar, "flesh." Thus Peter indicated Balaam’s immoral character by calling him the "son of flesh." [Note: Ibid., pp. 267-68.] The Moabite worship included sacred prostitution (cf. Num 25:1-3). Balaam is "the classic example of the false teacher who leads people astray for his own personal gain." [Note: David H. Wheaton, "2 Peter," in The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 1256. Cf. McGee, 5:740; and Charles H. Savelle, "Canonical and Extra canonical Portraits of Balaam," Bibliotheca Sacra 166:664 (Octover-December 2009):387-404.]
The false teachers Peter referred to were also trying to get the Christians to participate in idolatry and immoral practices. They urged the faithful to wander from the narrow path of righteousness back onto the broad way that leads to destruction (cf. Isa 53:6; Rev 2:14). Balaam’s motive was greed, as was the false teachers’. By advocating unrighteousness they gained followers and profited personally.