2 Peter 2:13 - Exposition

And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness. The two most ancient manuscripts read here, instead of κομιούμενοι ἀδικούμενοι . This reading is adopted by the Revised Version in the translation, "suffering wrong as the hire of wrongdoing." But the other reading is well supported, and gives a better sense, "receiving, as they shall, the reward of unrighteousness." Balaam loved the reward of unrighteousness in this world ( 2 Peter 2:15 ); the false teachers shall receive its final reward in the world to come. Whichever reading is preferred, this clause is best taken with the preceding verse. As they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime; literally, counting the revel in daytime a pleasure. St. Peter has hitherto spoken of the insubordination and irreverence of the false teachers; he now goes on to condemn their sensuality. The words ἐν ἠμέρα cannot, with some ancient interpreters, be taken as equivalent to μαθ ̓ ἡμέραν , daily ( Luke 16:19 ). Many commentators, as Huther and Alford, translate "delicate living for a day"—enjoyment which is temporal and short-lived. But when we compare 1 Thessalonians 5:7 , "They that are drunken are drunken in the night," and St. Peter's own words in Acts 2:15 , it seems more probable that the apostle means to describe these false teachers as worse than ordinary men of pleasure. They reserve the night for their feasting; these men spend the day in luxury. The word τρυφή means "luxurious or delicate living" rather than "riot." Spots they are and blemishes. (For σπίλοι , spots, St. Jude has σπιλάδες , sunken rocks.) The word for "blemishes" ( μῶμοι ) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. But comp. 1 Peter 1:19 , where the Lord Jesus is described as "a Lamb without blemish and without spot ( ἀμώμου καὶ ἀσπίλου )." The Church should be like her Lord, "not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing" ( Ephesians 5:27 ); but these men are spots and blemishes on her beauty. Sporting themselves with their own deceivings; literally, reveling in their deceivings. The word for "reveling" ( ἐντρυφῶντες ) corresponds with τρυφή , used just above. The manuscripts vary between ἀπάταις , deceivings, and ἀγάπαις , loves, love-feasts. The former reading seems the best-supported here, and the latter in the parallel passage of St. Jude ( Jude 1:12 ). It is possible that the paronomasia may be intentional (compare the σπίλοι of St. Peter and the σπιλάδες of St. Jude). St. Peter will not use the honourable name for the banquets which these men disgrace by their excesses. He calls them ἀπάτας , not ἀγάπας —deceits, not love-feasts. There is no love in the hearts of these men. Their love-feasts are hypocrisies, deceits; they try to deceive men, but they deceive not God. While they feast with you. The Greek word συνευωχούμενοι occurs elsewhere only in Jud Jude 1:12 . The false teachers joined in the love-feasts, but made them the occasion of self-indulgence. Compare the similar conduct of the Corinthians ( 1 Corinthians 11:20-22 ).