This chapter contains a description of false teachers, that were then in Christian churches, as there had been false prophets among the Jews; and they are described by the doctrines, which they privily introduced; in general, damnable heresies; in particular, denying the Lord that bought them; and…

But there were false prophets also among the people As well as holy men of God, who gave out prophecies, by the inspiration and impulse of the Holy Spirit; that is, among the people of the Jews, God’s professing people, whose God was the Lord, and who had chosen them to be a special and peculiar…

And many shall follow their pernicious ways Their principles and their practices, which lead to destruction, The Complutensian edition, the Alexandrian copy, and six copies of Beza’s, and others, read “their lasciviousnesses”; and so the Vulgate Latin version renders it, “their luxuries”; and all…

And through covetousness; &c.] Which is generally a prevailing vice among false teachers, they having no other end in view than themselves; either to gain popular applause and vain glory, which they are always covetous of; or to amass riches to themselves, after which they have an insatiable…

For if God spared not the angels that sinned. &c.] By whom are meant the devil and his angels; who are spirits created by God and as such were good; their first estate which they left was pure and holy, as well as high and honourable; they, were at first in the truth, though they abode not in it;…

And spared not the old world In distinction from the present world, that now is; which was, as it were, formed anew out of that which was destroyed by the deluge.

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes, &c.] By raining brimstone and fire upon them from heaven, which soon reduced them to ashes, with Admah and Zeboiim, , cities delightfully situated, which were as the garden of God, and the land of Egypt, together with the inhabitants of them;…

And delivered just Lot Who was a just man, being justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to him; and having the new man formed in him, which is created in righteousness and true holiness; and living soberly, righteously, and godly, though not without sin: for there is not a just man that…

For that righteous man dwelling among them Which is sometimes the lot of good men, to their great sorrow and grief, . Upon mentioning those words in (Gen. 13:12, Gen. 13:13) “and pitched his tent towards Sodom”, but the men of Sodom were wicked, &c. says R.

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly That “fear him”, as the Syriac version renders it; or that “rightly worship”, as the Arabic; such as Noah and Lot, men that know God in Christ spiritually and experimentally; that believe in him, love him, fear him, worship him in spirit and truth, and live…

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh Not merely after the dictates of corrupt nature, as all men, and even God’s elect do, in a state of unregeneracy; but “after strange flesh”, as (Jude 7) expresses it, after the flesh of men: in the lust of uncleanness; not of fornication and adultery, but…

Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might Which is not to be understood of evil angels, or devils; for, besides that they are greatly weakened and impaired by their fall, they are the accusers of men, and railers and slanderers of the best and greatest of men, and the origin of all the…

But these, as natural brute beasts So far are these men from acting like the angels, that they are sunk below their own species, and are like beasts, and become brutish in their knowledge and behaviour; are like the horse and the mule, without understanding, act as if they were without reason; yea,…

And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness Due punishment, both in body and soul, for all their injustice to God and men; which will be a just recompense of reward they shall receive at the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his works: the justice of which…

Having eyes full of adultery For the seventh command is not only violated by unclean actions, and obscene words, but also by unchaste looks: and so the Jews explain [[9]] that precept, “”thou shalt not commit adultery”, ; you shall not go after your hearts, nor after “your eyes”; says R.

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…

But was rebuked for his iniquity Which was not merely going along with the messengers of Balak, for he had leave from the Lord so to do, ; but going along with them with a desire to curse Israel, when it was the will of God he should go and bless them, in order to get Balak’s money; so that his…

These are wells without water Which look large and deep, promise much, and have nothing in them; so these men looked like angels of light, transformed themselves as ministers of righteousness, had a form of godliness, and boasted of their great knowledge; promised great advantages to their…

For when they speak great swelling words of vanity Marvellous things against the God of gods, great things and blasphemies against God, his name, his tabernacle, and his saints; see (Rev. 13:5, Rev.

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…

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, &c.] The sins of it, the governing vices of it, which the men of the world are addicted to, and immersed in; for the whole world lies in wickedness, and which are of a defiling nature: the phrase is Rabbinical; it is said [[15]], “he that…

For it had been better for them Not that ignorance is good, or to be excused; but it would have been a lesser evil, and not so much aggravated: not to have known the way of righteousness; the same with “the way of truth”, , and “the right way”, , the Gospel, which points out the way and method of a…

But it is happened unto them, according to the true proverb, &c.] Which is true, both in fact and in the application of it, and which lies in the Scriptures of truth, at least the first part of it, .