Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Peter 2:19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
19. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption ] We have here the characteristic feature of the teaching which St Peter condemns. It offered its followers freedom from the restraints which the Council of Jerusalem had imposed alike on participation in idolatrous feasts and on sins of impurity (Act 15:29). That this was the key-note of their claims we have a distinct indication in St Paul’s teaching on the same subject. His question “Am I not free?” (1Co 9:1), his condemnation of those who boasted of their “right” (“liberty” in the English version) to eat things sacrificed to idols (1Co 8:9), who proclaimed that all things were “lawful” for them (1Co 10:23), shew that this was the watchword of the party of license at Corinth, and the language of St Peter, though more coloured with the feeling of a burning indignation at the later development of the system, is, in substance, but the echo of that of his brother Apostle. In his contrast between the boast of liberty and the actual bondage to corruption we may trace a reproduction of our Lord’s teaching in Joh 8:34, of St Paul’s in Rom 6:16. The word for “they are the servants” (literally, being the servants) implies that this had been all along their settled, continuous state. The very phrase bond-slaves of corruption seems to reproduce Rom 8:21.
of whom a man is overcome ] The Greek leaves it uncertain whether the pronouns refer to a person, or to a more abstract power wherein a man is overcome, to that he is enslaved. On the whole the latter seems preferable. Here again we have an echo of St Paul’s language in Rom 6:16.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
While they promise them liberty – True religion always promises and produces liberty (see the notes at Joh 8:36), but the particular liberty which these persons seem to have promised, was freedom from what they regarded as needless restraint, or from strict and narrow views of religion.
They themselves are the servants of corruption – They are the slaves of gross and corrupt passions, themselves utter strangers to freedom, and bound in the chains of servitude. These passions and appetites have obtained the entire mastery over them, and brought them into the severest bondage. This is often the case with those who deride the restraints of serious piety. They are themselves the slaves of appetite, or of the rules of fashionable life, or of the laws of honor, or of vicious indulgences. He is a freeman whom the truth makes free, and all are slaves besides. Compare the notes at 2Co 3:17.
For of whom a man is overcome … – Or rather by what ( ho) anyone is overcome; that is, whatever gets the mastery of him, whether it be avarice, or sensuality, or pride, or any form of error. See the notes at Rom 6:16, where this sentiment is explained.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. While they promise them liberty] Either to live in the highest degrees of spiritual good, or a freedom from the Roman yoke; or from the yoke of the law, or what they might term needless restraints. Their own conduct showed the falsity of their system; for they were slaves to every disgraceful lust.
For of whom a man is overcome] This is an allusion to the ancient custom of selling for slaves those whom they had conquered and captivated in war. The ancient law was, that a man might either kill him whom he overcame in battle, or keep him for a slave. These were called servi, slaves, from the verb servare, to keep or preserve. And they were also called mancipia, from manu capiuntur, they are taken captive by the hand of their enemy. Thus the person who is overcome by his lusts is represented as being the slave of those lusts. See Ro 6:16, and the note there.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
While they promise them liberty; liberty for their lusts, and so from the yoke of the Divine law. They abused the name of Christian liberty, and extended it to licentiousness.
They themselves are the servants of corruption; under the power and dominion of sin.
For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage: he alludes to the law of war, according to which, he that is overcome, and taken captive by his enemy, becomes his servant. These false teachers, that talked so much of Christian liberty, yet being overcome by their own lusts, and kept under by them, were the worst of slaves.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. promise . . .liberty(Christian)These promises are instances of their”great swelling words” (2Pe2:18). The liberty which they propose is such as fears notSatan, nor loathes the flesh. Pauline language, adopted by Peterhere, and 1Pe 2:16; see on 1Pe2:16; (compare 2Pe 3:15;Rom 6:16-22; Rom 8:15;Rom 8:21; Gal 5:1;Gal 5:13; compare Joh8:34).
corruption(See on 2Pe2:12); “destroyed . . . perish . . . corruption.”
of whom“bywhatever . . . by the same,” &c.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
While they promise them liberty,…. Not Christian liberty, which lies in a freedom from sin, its dominion, guilt, and condemnation, and in serving God with liberty, cheerfulness, and without fear; but a sinful carnal liberty, a liberty from the law of God, from obedience to it as a rule of walk and conversation, and from the laws of men, from subjection to the civil magistrate, and from servitude to masters, and obedience to parents; a liberty to lay aside and neglect the ordinances of the Gospel at pleasure, and to live in all manner of sin and wickedness; a liberty which is contrary to the nature, will, and work of Christ, to his Spirit, and to the principle of grace in the heart, and to the Gospel, and to the conduct and conversation of real saints. Now this was the snare by which the false teachers beguiled unstable souls; liberty being what is greatly desirable to men, and is suited to their carnal lusts and interests: but a vain promise was this, when
they themselves are the servants of corruption; of sin, which has corrupted all mankind in soul and body; and particularly the lust of uncleanness, which these men walked in, and by which they not only corrupted themselves, but the good manners of others also; and which tended and led them both to ruin and destruction, signified by the pit of corruption: and yet these very preachers, that promised liberty to others, were the servants of sin; they were under the power and government of sin. They were not only born so, and were homeborn slaves to sin, but they sold themselves to work wickedness; voluntarily and with delight, they served divers lusts and pleasures, and were slaves and drudges thereunto; as likewise to Satan, whose lusts they would do, and by whom they were led captive; so that their condition was mean, base, and deplorable, and therefore could never make good their promise, or give that which they had not themselves: and which is confirmed by the following reasoning,
for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage: as this is a certain point in war, that when one man is conquered by another, he is no longer a free man, but the other’s prisoner and captive, and is in a state of servitude and bondage; so it is when a man is overcome by sin, which must be understood not of a partial victory or conquest, for a good man may be surprised by sin, and overtaken in a fault, and be overcome and carried captive by it for a time, as was the apostle, see Ro 7:23; and yet not be a servant of corruption, or properly in a state of bondage to it; but this is to be understood of a total and complete victory, when a man is wholly under the dominion of sin, it reigns in his mortal body, and he obeys it in the lusts of it, and yields his members instruments of unrighteousness; such a man is neither a free man himself, nor can he much less promise and give liberty to others.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Liberty (). Promising “personal liberty,” that is license, after the fashion of advocates of liquor today, not the freedom of truth in Christ (John 8:32; Gal 5:1; Gal 5:13).
Themselves bondservants ( ). “Themselves slaves” of corruption and sin as Paul has it in Ro 6:20.
Of whom (). Instrumental case, but it may mean “of what.”
Is overcome (). Perfect passive indicative of (from , less) old verb, in N.T. only here, verse 2Pet 2:20; 2Cor 12:13.
Of the same (). “By this one (or thing).”
Is brought into bondage (). Perfect passive indicative of . Like Paul again (Rom 6:16; Rom 6:18; Rom 8:21).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Is overcome [] . Lit., is worsted; from hsswn, inferior. Only here, ver. 20, and 2Co 12:13.
Brought into bondage [] . Enslaved. Compare Rom 6:16.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “While they promise them liberty.” (eleutherion) liberation” to them, their victims, baited carnal slaves.
2) “They themselves are the servants of corruption.” (-huparchontes) “being, slaves themselves of (Greek phthoras) – of corruption or putrefaction. They, these lying prophets and teachers, were chained slaves of Satan, sin, unregenerate, of the devil, as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes who rejected our Lord, Joh 8:44; Mat 5:20.
3) “For of whom a man is overcome.” (Greek ho gar tis) “For by whom anyone” (hettetai) has been defeated, subjected, or conquered
4) “Of the same is he brought into bondage.” When one is conquered by another he becomes his servant or slave (dedoulotai). Thus Peter warns brethren against the fakery and fraudulent claims and physical allurements and carnal, worldly motivations used by religious apostates to lead the saved astray, Eph 2:15; Eph 5:3-12; Col 2:8.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
19. While they promise them liberty. He shews their inconsistency, that they falsely promised liberty, while they themselves served sin, and were in the worst bondage; for no one can give what he has not. This reason, however, does not seem to be sufficiently valid, because it sometimes happens that wicked men, and wholly unacquainted with Christ, preach usefully concerning the benefits and blessings of Christ. But we must observe, that what is condemned here is vicious doctrine, connected with impurity of life; for the Apostle’s design was to obviate the deceptive allurements by which they ensnared the foolish. The name of liberty is sweet, and they abused it for this end, that the hearer, being loosed from the fear of the divine law, might abandon himself unto unbridled licentiousness. But the liberty which Christ has procured for us, and which he offers daily by the gospel, is altogether different, for he has exempted us from the yoke of the law as far as it subjects us to a curse, that he might also deliver us from the dominion of sin, as far as it subjects us to its own lusts. Hence, where lusts reign, and therefore where the flesh rules, there the liberty of Christ has no place whatever. The Apostle then declares this to all the godly, that they might not desire any other liberty but that which leads those, who are set free from sin, to a willing obedience to righteousness.
We hence learn that there have ever been depraved men who made a false pretense to liberty, and that this has been an old cunning trick of Satan. We need not wonder that at this day the same filth is stirred up by fanatical men.
The Papists turn and twist this passage against us, but they thereby betray their ridiculous impudence. For in the first place, men of the filthiest life, in public-houses and brothels, belch out this charge, that we are the servants of corruption, in the life of whom they cannot point out anything reproachful. In the second place, since we teach nothing respecting Christian liberty but what is derived from Christ and his Apostles, and at the same time require the mortification of the flesh, and the proper exercises for subduing it, much more strictly than they do who slander us, they vomit forth their curses, not so much against us as against the Son of God, whom we have as our certain teacher and authority.
For of whom a man is overcome. This sentence is derived from military law; but yet it is a common saying among heathen writers, that there is no harder or a more miserable bondage than when lusts rule and reign. What then ought to be done by us, on whom the Son of God has bestowed his Spirit, not only that we may be freed from the dominion of sin, but that we may also become the conquerors of the flesh and the world?
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
2Pe. 2:19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage.
Expanded Translation
promising those whom they deceive liberty and freedom, while they themselves live as bondservants (slaves) of corruption, decay, and ruin; for by whatever (thing or person) anyone is conquered or vanquished (and thus brought into a worse condition), by the same (thing or person) he is also brought into bondage and slavery.
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promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption
The young or short-time Christians were being promised freedom by those in a far worse condition! From what would such persons offer them freedom? Probably from those elements of the Christian religion that the unregenerate regard as rigorous and restraining. Perhaps they taught their followers that the Apostles teaching was too severe to be the truth and, therefore, should be abandoned. Peter warned against such abuse in his first epistle (1Pe. 2:16, where see notes). The liberty these men offered was not real liberty at all, but license to sin! Lawlessness is not true liberty. True freedom always involves an element of law and restraint, even in the government of countries. Our country would be in chaos if freedom meant license to break the law at will.
The truth of the matter was that they themselves did not have what was promised, being slaves to corruption (phthora)that which brings moral and spiritual decay, and ruins the soul. Christians have escaped from this corruption (2Pe. 1:4), but they may certainly return to it, as this and the following verses show.
for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage
Further proof that these liberty-promisers did not themselves possess what they offered to others. The word translated overcome (hettao), which appears again in 2Pe. 2:20, meant primarily to be inferior (2Co. 12:13 were made inferior). It carries here, then, not only the thought of being subdued by a thing, but of being in a worse or inferior condition because of being conquered. The term was anciently employed when an army was worsted or vanquished in a war: 2Ma. 10:24.
When a man serves sin (whether it be pride, sensuality, jealousy, anger or whatever might get the mastery of him) he is certainly in no condition to proclaim freedom to others! He is in bondagecruel bondage!
All people are servantseither of sin or righteousness. See Joh. 8:34, Rom. 7:15-23. Paul said, concerning indifferent things, I will not be brought under the power of any (or, more fully, I will not be brought under the authority, rule, or dominion of any). Let us volunteer ourselves as bondservants of Christhappy and joyous that in this position we are free from both the curse and the dominion of sin.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(19) Promise them liberty.A specimen of the great swelling wordsloud, high-sounding talk about liberty. The doctrines of Simon Magus, as reported by Irenus (I., chap. xxiii. 3) and by Hippolytus (Refut. VI., chap. xiv.), show us the kind of liberty that such teachers promisedbeing freed from righteousness to become the slaves of sin.
Servants of corruption.Better, bond-servants, or slaves of corruption. Our translators have often done well in translating the Greek word for slave by servant (see Note on 2Pe. 1:1), but here the full force of the ignominious term should be given. Tyndale, Cranmer, and Geneva have bond-servants; Rheims slaves. (Comp. bondage of corruption, Rom. 8:21.)
Brought in bondage.Or, enslaved. We seem here to have an echo of Joh. 8:34 (see Notes there): Every one who continues to commit sin is the slave of sin, words which St. Peter may have heard. Comp. Rom. 6:16-20, which the writer may also have had in his mind. There is nothing improbable in St. Peter being well acquainted with the Epistle to the Romans during the last years of his life; the improbability would rather be in supposing that he did not know it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Their corruption and utter apostasy, 2Pe 2:19-22.
19. Promise liberty Rather, Promising them liberty, themselves being. The great swelling was about liberty; nominally the Christian freedom which Christ effects for his people, (1Pe 2:16,) but really a freedom to do as they pleased, being under no law and without restraint. Yet these promisers were most abject slaves, and ignorant of real liberty. The proof is on the very surface; they were overcome by corruption, and so were made slaves to corruption, Joh 8:34; Rom 6:16.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he also brought into bondage.’
Even while they speak of freedom they are themselves bondslaves. For the truth is that whoever or whatever overcomes a man, brings him into bondage. And they, being overcome by such things, are themselves slaves to sex, and revelry, and drunkenness. And the same is true for those who follow them. Compare Rev 2:22. Seneca similarly said, “To be enslaved to oneself is the heaviest of all servitudes.”
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2Pe 2:19. While they promise them liberty, Nothing is more sweet or desirable than liberty; and therefore in order to allure men to become their disciples, they promised them liberty: by which they meant licentiousness, or a liberty to gratify their lusts, and to do any thing, whatever they pleased, without any fear of an invisible Governor, and a future punishment. That, as they pretended, was the true Christian liberty: God saw no sin in those who understood and believed aright. If they had true knowledge, or right faith, they were free to do any thing; they were restrained by no laws of marriage; the civil magistrate had nothing to do with them; the fear of God was superstition and the greatest servitude. See Irenaeus, lib. 1. 100: 5. Thus they turned the grace of God into wantonness, and, promising liberty, were themselves the slaves of corruption. See Gal 5:13. 1Pe 2:16. Jude, 2Pe 2:4.
Heylin renders the last clause very well; For every one is a slave to that which subdues him. Benson’s paraphrase is, “For by whatever a man is conquered, to that he may very properly be called a bond-slave.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Pe 2:19 . ] Explanation of the . ; the high speeches have as their contents the praise of liberty.
; they assure, promise, those who submit to their guidance that they will conduct them to true liberty.
] A sharp antithesis to . .: “ though they themselves are slaves of .” By moral corruption is generally understood, but elsewhere in the N. T. the word never has this meaning; it should rather be taken in the same sense as that which it has in 2Pe 2:12 . In Rom 8:21 it denotes the opposite of , which Hofmann wrongly denies. Schott erroneously takes it to mean “the things of sense;” but these, though they be given up to , yet cannot be directly defined as itself. [80] The chief emphasis lies on . The general statement: , , serves to show that the term is applied to them not without justification. The verb (with the exception of in this passage and in 2Pe 2:20 , to be found only in 2Co 12:13 ) is in classical Greek often used as a passive and construed with , and, in harmony with its meaning, frequently with the genitive, and sometimes also with the dative. The latter is the case here: “ to whom any one succumbs .” The dat. with expresses the relation of belonging to: to him he is made the slave, i.e. whose slave he is. Schott arbitrarily asserts that with the dat. brings out that the being overcome “is voluntary and desired on principle.”
[80] Hofmann, appealing to 1Co 15:50 , understands here also as meaning “the corruptible;” but in that passage the context itself proves that the abstract idea is put in place of the concrete, which is not the case here.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
Ver. 19. Promise them liberty ] As Mahometism, and Popery, which is an alluring, tempting, bewitching religion. Sir Walter Raleigh knew what he said, that were he to choose a religion for licentious liberty and lasciviousness, he would choose the Popish religion. No sin past, but the pope can pardon; no sin to come, but he can dispense for it. No matter how long men have lived in any sin (though it be the sin against the Holy Ghost), extreme unction at last will salve all.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
19 .] promising them liberty (these are the great swelling things which they speak; holding out a state of Christian liberty, which proves to be the bondage of corruption) while they themselves are (all the while: , of previous entity: see on Act 16:20 ) slaves of corruption (cf. the same words occurring together in ref. Rom., : which it is very likely St. Peter had in view: cf. ch. 2Pe 3:15 . They promise that liberty of the sons of God, being themselves in the bondage of corruption. here, moral decay of sin, ending in perdition): for by what ( ever ) a man is overcome, by the same he is also enslaved (cf. ref. John, , : and ref. Rom., , . These passages were certainly in the Apostle’s mind. , generally found with a gen. of the agent, has here a dat. The classical rendering here would be “in whatever a man is overcome (by another), in that particular he is also enslaved (by that other).” But the context makes it clear that the datives are intended to designate the agent, not the mode).
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
2Pe 2:19 . . Doubtless that Antinomianism is indicated to which the doctrine of Grace has ever been open. Cf. Gal 5:13 . It arises from the ever-recurring confusion of liberty and license. The training of conscience is contemporaneous with the growth of Christian character. The Pauline teaching, which abrogated external legality, was open to abuse, and might easily be dangerous to recent converts from heathenism. . See Mayor’s note, ed. p. 175. is that gradual decay of spiritual and moral sense that follows on wilful self-indulgence. . cf. Rom 6:16 ; Rom 8:21 , Joh 8:34 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
are = being. Greek. huparcho. See Luk 9:48.
servants. App-190.
a man. App-123.
overcome. Greek. hettaomai. See 2Co 12:13.
brought in bondage = enslaved. App-190. Add “also”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
19.] promising them liberty (these are the great swelling things which they speak; holding out a state of Christian liberty, which proves to be the bondage of corruption) while they themselves are (all the while: , of previous entity: see on Act 16:20) slaves of corruption (cf. the same words occurring together in ref. Rom., : which it is very likely St. Peter had in view: cf. ch. 2Pe 3:15. They promise that liberty of the sons of God, being themselves in the bondage of corruption. here, moral decay of sin, ending in perdition): for by what (ever) a man is overcome, by the same he is also enslaved (cf. ref. John, , : and ref. Rom., , . These passages were certainly in the Apostles mind. , generally found with a gen. of the agent, has here a dat. The classical rendering here would be in whatever a man is overcome (by another), in that particular he is also enslaved (by that other). But the context makes it clear that the datives are intended to designate the agent, not the mode).
Fuente: The Greek Testament
2Pe 2:19. , liberty) so as neither to he afraid of the devil, nor to loathe the flesh.- ) for he by whom any one has permitted himself to be overcome, and has yielded himself vanquished.- , by him also is he held in bondage) 1Sa 17:9. Theocr. Idyll. xxii. 71:
, ,
I will be thine, and thou shalt be mine, if I gain the victory.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
they promise: Gal 5:1, Gal 5:13, 1Pe 2:16
they themselves: Joh 8:34, Rom 6:12-14, Rom 6:16-22, Tit 3:3
overcome: 2Pe 2:20, Isa 28:1, Jer 23:9, 2Ti 2:26
Reciprocal: Lev 13:8 – General Lev 25:10 – proclaim 2Sa 15:4 – I would do 1Ki 12:28 – It is too much 1Ki 13:19 – General Psa 119:45 – And I will Pro 13:7 – is that maketh himself rich Isa 5:20 – them Jer 6:14 – Peace Eze 13:22 – by promising him life Eze 47:11 – shall be Dan 11:34 – cleave Mat 7:15 – which Luk 6:26 – when Luk 12:45 – to eat Luk 14:30 – General Act 8:23 – the bond Rom 7:21 – a law 1Co 8:9 – take Gal 2:4 – liberty Gal 6:8 – reap Gal 6:13 – keep Phi 3:19 – whose glory 2Ti 3:3 – incontinent Heb 10:38 – but 2Pe 2:12 – perish
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Pe 2:19. A man cannot truly impart something to another he does not have himself, especially when it concerns moral or spiritual principles. These evil workers held out the prospect of a life free from the restraints of law. Yet while emphasizing the good fortune of being “free men,” they were themselves a group of slaves. Not to temporal or literal masters it is true, but to the harsh master of sin. Peter proves his assertion by the self-evident truth that if a man is overcome by any person or thing he is the slave of that thing; Paul teaches the same in Rom 6:16.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Pe 2:19. promising them liberty, they themselves being (all the while) bond-servants of corruption. The loud-sounding engagement to give liberty,a new liberty worthy of man, would be one of the great swelling things of vanity, one of the baits with which they would ply the unwary. The kind of liberty to be given might be judged of, however, from the character of the pretended givers. From those who were themselves slaves of corruption what kind of liberty could come, but a liberty defiant of law, a liberty used for an occasion to the flesh (Gal 5:13)? It is doubtful whether even here the term rendered corruption has the purely ethical sense of moral evil. Retaining the usual sense of destruction, we should have the idea that only a liberty which tended to destruction could come from those who were themselves bound to the service of destruction.
for of whom one has been overcome, to him has he been brought unto bondage (or, made a bond-servant). A justification of the statement that these men are themselves bond-servants of corruption, or destruction. As the phrase states a general principle, some prefer to give it the formfor of what one has been overcome, to that has he been made a bond-servant. The same principle is affirmed by Christ Himself (Joh 8:34), and by Paul (Rom 6:16). It is easy to see how the gospel doctrine of a new liberty through the truth (Joh 8:32), and especially the Pauline teaching on the liberty of the children of God (Rom 8:21), the liberty which exists wherever the Spirit of the Lord is (2Co 3:17), the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free (Gal 5:1), might be misinterpreted and turned to licence. But it may be, as Dean Plumptre suggests, that the dangerous cry for liberty, and the pretentious teaching on the subject, which are referred to in the Epistles, found their peculiar occasion in the restrictions imposed by the Convention at Jerusalem (Act 15:29), and aimed at securing freedom not only from the things from which that Convention relieved the Gentile Christians, but also from the abstinence which was enjoined from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication,
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. How the old pretence for the most unbounded licentiousness has been liberty; they promise you liberty; a liberty to do any thing without fear: But this is not liberty poperly, but licentiousness, which in reality is the greatest slavery.
Accordingly it follows, they themselves are the servants of corruption; that is, such as promise you a sinful liberty, are the greatest slaves to sin and corruption themselves. All sin is servitude and slavery; and when sin and sinners flatter men with the great opinion of liberty, it makes them the most miserable vassals, and the worst of slave; for so many lusts, so many lords, so many vices, so many tyrants has a sinner over him; for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. As when the conqueror brings the vanquished into captivity, he makes them slaves, and imposes on them vile and servile offices; in like manner, those lusts, by which sinners have been conquered and brought in bondage, they must needs be slaves unto. Is this liberty, to obey every lust as a petty slave? Call you this freedom, when a man cannot choose but sin? If to sin be the only liberty, they have no liberty in heaven; no, this is the service of corruption; a thraldom, not a freedom: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
By promising freedom from eschatological judgment to their hearers while they themselves were the slaves of corruption, the false teachers were ". . . like a 300-pound man selling diet books." [Note: Gangel, p. 873.] Slavery, after all, occurs whenever one is under the control of some influence, not just some other person.
"The false teachers reveal the futility of their promise of freedom from moral requirements by living lives enslaved to immorality themselves." [Note: Moo, p. 144.]
"Seneca [the Greek Stoic philosopher] said, ’To be enslaved to oneself is the heaviest of all servitudes.’" [Note: William Barclay, The Letters of James and Peter, p. 396.]
"Just as a gifted musician finds freedom and fulfillment putting himself or herself under the discipline of a great artist, or an athlete under the discipline of a great coach, so the believer finds true freedom and fulfillment under the authority of Jesus Christ." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:454.]