The Bible Says
2 Peter 2:2-3 Meaning

In 2 Peter 2:2-3, the false teachers he introduced in the prior section are identified as being motivated by greed, which will lead them to exploit others and be judged severely for their actions. The negative consequences that will result from the false teacher’s influence in the church are destructive. The first consequence is that Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned (v. 2).

Peter predicts that quite a few people will participate in the indecent conduct promoted by the false teachers, which will result in the way of truth being maligned because of the poor example (1 Peter 4:3, 2 Peter 2:7, 18).

The expression the way in the phrase the way of the truth is maligned refers to the name that was adopted by the early followers of Christ to describe Christians (Acts 22:4, 24:14). These early Christians called following Jesus “The Way.” Those who follow The Way are people who are of the truth, referring to Christians who followed the truth of God’s Word. These are believers who are walking in the path that leads to Christian maturity, the primary emphasis of what Peter desires for his followers to do in this letter (2 Peter 1:5-7).

The word translated maligned refers to blaspheming or speaking in a disrespectful way (1 Peter 4:4). Because of the poor witness of those who follow their sensuality, the way of the truth will be maligned. This means that those who claim to follow the way of the truth then instead follow the way of the false teachers do then, by their bad example, bring disrepute upon the Christian walk. Because of their bad testimony they will face a severe judgement.

Peter continues, asserting: and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep (v. 3).

The phrase their greed refers to the greed of the false teachers. This likely refers to a desire for money, since Peter will later refer to “the way of Balaam” who “loved the wages of unrighteousness” (2 Peter 2:15). Balaam was an Old Testament prophet who had a desire to monetize his office and got paid for advising the king of Moab how to bring a curse upon Israel through seducing them with sexual immorality (Numbers 31:16). It seems these false teachers are in some manner accomplishing the same end.

This fits with Peter’s claim they will exploit you, implying that the teachers will take advantage of the readers financially (James 4:13). This exploitation will occur with false words, meaning they will twist and distort the Scriptures. This could refer to a demand for money for their teaching ministry. However, it seems more likely that sexual immorality is in some way intertwined with their exploitation, given Peter’s descriptions. This seems to be similar to the circumstance described in Revelation 2:14, where “some” in the church “hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality.”

This harmful activity of the false teachers does not escape God’s notice or punishment because their judgment, referring to their condemning verdict and the subsequent punishment, is from long ago, pointing to a time long before the current moment. This judgment is not idle, meaning it is active, and their destruction, referring to the false teacher’s final ruin, is not asleep, meaning it is awake and ready to take place (2 Peter 3:16).

Since we saw in 2 Peter 2:1 that these false teachers were “bought” by Jesus, this refers to the judgment of believers. Believers who walk in sin face judgment both now and in the future. As we see in Romans 1:24, 26, 28, the wrath of God falls upon those who sin by following their lust; God’s wrath is giving us over to our desires. Lust leads to addiction which leads to loss of mental health. Sin leads to death, which is separation. Sin separates us from experiencing life.

Believers will also experience judgment at the judgment seat of Christ where He will sit in judgment of believers in order to give rewards for their deeds. As we see in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, the deeds of unfaithfulness will burn up in His judgment fire. Believers that lead others astray will apparently fall into the category of being “saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15).

Because believers (including these false teachers) are “bought,” they will spend eternity with Jesus, but they will “suffer loss” and will not gain the fullest experience of life that is possible for those who follow Peter’s recommended path to Christian maturity (2 Peter 1:5-7). This sober warning should remind us that the consequences of sin are severe, and the peaceful fruit of righteousness is great.