2 Peter 2:12-17

A Sad Portrait of False Teachers

The false teachers, of whom Peter spoke, were like animals with no conscience going about taking whatever they could by force. Man usually destroys such animals because of the damage they do and Peter said these should have been similarly destroyed. Though they were ignorant about certain matters, they spoke evil against them. The road of selfish desire would actually be the road to the false teachers' own destruction (2 Peter 2:12).

Sin offers much, but pays only injury and harm to the sinner. Sinners often try to hide their evil deeds by doing them under the cover of darkness (Ephesians 5:11-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:7). Peter described some so wicked that they enjoyed practicing their evil deeds even in the day. They were like ugly stains on a pure white garment. Tragically, these wicked people came to the feasts, which the Christians enjoyed, and pretended to be good people. They enjoyed putting on such a show and deceiving people by causing them to believe they were faithful (2 Peter 2:13).

These false teachers were so wicked that they found opportunity for satisfying their lusts in even the most innocent and harmless situations. They could not look on a woman without seeing her as "an adulteress" (KJV margin). With such an outlook, they could not cease sinning. They dangled the appealing bait of their wickedness before young Christians and others who were not well-grounded in the faith. They had been trained, much like a runner training for a race, in greed and were cursed children in the eyes of God (2 Peter 2:14).

They had once been in the way of truth (verse 2) but had abandoned it. Apparently, Balaam was a prophet for God when the messenger of Balak first approached him about cursing the children of Israel (Numbers 22:1-14). Balaam desired the reward Balak, the king of Moab, offered if he would curse Israel, but three times God moved him to speak a blessing (Numbers 22:15-41; Numbers 23:1-30; Numbers 24:1-25). Finally, he counselled them to entice Israel to sin so the Lord would curse them (Numbers 31:16; Numbers 25:1-9). Balaam planned to go despite God's solemn warning. The ass speaking was a miracle worked by God to warn Balaam of the dangerous course he was following. A weary traveler in an arid country has his hopes raised by the sight of a well. These false prophets were like empty wells, raising hopes only to dash them to pieces. Also, they were like a mist, or cloud, that extended hope of rain to a farmer with sun parched fields, but never delivered on that promise. A dark judgment awaited them (2 Peter 2:15-17).