(13) And shall receive.--Literally, about to receive (as they are). (Comp. 1 Peter 1:9; 1 Peter 5:4; see also Epistle of Barnabas, iv. 12.)
As they that count.--We must begin a fresh sentence, and somewhat modify the translation. "To riot" is too strong; the word means "delicate fare, dainty living, luxury," and if the exact meaning be retained, this will necessitate a change of "in the day time." For though "rioting in the day time" makes good sense--revelry even among professed pleasure seekers being usually confined to the night (1 Thessalonians 5:7)--"dainty fare in the day time" does not seem to have much point. The meaning is, perhaps, "for the day," without thought for the morrow, counting luxury for the moment a pleasure--the doctrine of the Cyrenaics and the instinct of "brute beasts." In the Shepherd of Hermas (Sim. VI. iv. 4) there is a passage which may possibly be an echo of this: "The time of luxury and deceit is one hour, but the hours of torment have the power of thirty days; if, then, a man luxuriates for one day," &c. &c. (See below on 2 Peter 2:15; 2 Peter 2:20; 2 Peter 3:5.)
Sporting themselves.--The word is a compound of the one just translated "luxury"; hence luxuriating. It is worth noting that the words for "spots and blemishes" exactly correspond to the words translated "without blemish and without spot" in 1 Peter 1:19. (See below on 2 Peter 3:14.)
With their own deceivings.--Better, in their deceits, if this is the right reading. But both here and in Jude 1:12, the reading is uncertain, authorities being divided between agapai, "love-feasts," and apatai, "deceits." In Jude the balance on purely critical grounds is decidedly in favour of "love-feasts;" here (though much less decidedly) in favour of "deceits." In Jude the context confirms the reading "love-feasts;" here the context is neutral, or slightly inclines to "love-feasts," to which "while they feast with you" must in any case refer. But if "love-feasts" be right in Jude (and this is so probable that we may almost assume it), this in itself is strong support to the same reading here. Whichever writer is prior, so strange a change from "deceits" to "love-feasts" would hardly have been made deliberately; whereas, in copying mechanically, the interchange might easily be made, the words being so similar. The change from "spots" to "rocks," if such a change has been deliberately made by either writer (see on Jude 1:12), would not be parallel to a change between "deceits" and "love-feasts." The one is a mere variation of the metaphor, the other an alteration of the meaning. In 2 Thessalonians 2:10 there is possibly an intentional play upon the similarity of these two words.
Verse 13. - And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness. The two most ancient manuscripts read here, instead of κομιούμενοιἀδικούμενοι. 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 (verse 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 μαθἡμέραν, 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 (verse 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 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).
2:10-16 Impure seducers and their abandoned followers, give themselves up to their own fleshly minds. Refusing to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ, they act against God's righteous precepts. They walk after the flesh, they go on in sinful courses, and increase to greater degrees of impurity and wickedness. They also despise those whom God has set in authority over them, and requires them to honour. Outward temporal good things are the wages sinners expect and promise themselves. And none have more cause to tremble, than those who are bold to gratify their sinful lusts, by presuming on the Divine grace and mercy. Many such there have been, and are, who speak lightly of the restraints of God's law, and deem themselves freed from obligations to obey it. Let Christians stand at a distance from such.
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 appears by what follows,
as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime; who place all their satisfaction and happiness in sensual delight, in rioting and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness, day after day; putting away the evil day far from them, supposing that tomorrow will be as this day, and that there will be no future judgment nor state; and therefore do not take the night for their revels, as other sinners do, but being without all shame, declare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not:
spots they are, and blemishes; which defile themselves, their minds and consciences, their souls and bodies, with sin, and defile others by their evil communications, and bring dishonour and disgrace upon the ways, doctrines, and interest of Christ:
sporting themselves with their own deceivings; with their sins and lusts, by which they deceive themselves and others, it being a sport to them to commit sin; and in which they take great pleasure and pastime, and not only delight in their own sins, but in those of others, and in them that do them. Some versions, as the Vulgate Latin and Arabic, instead of "deceivings", read love feasts, as in Jde 1:12, and so the Alexandrian copy; in which they behaved in a very scandalous manner, indulging themselves in luxury and intemperance: to which agrees what follows,
while they feast with you; at the above feasts, or at the Lord's table, or at their own houses, which shows that they were of them, and among them, as in 2 Peter 2:1; and carries in it a tacit reproof for the continuance of them, when they were become so bad in their principles, and so scandalous in their lives.
As they that count.--We must begin a fresh sentence, and somewhat modify the translation. "To riot" is too strong; the word means "delicate fare, dainty living, luxury," and if the exact meaning be retained, this will necessitate a change of "in the day time." For though "rioting in the day time" makes good sense--revelry even among professed pleasure seekers being usually confined to the night (1 Thessalonians 5:7)--"dainty fare in the day time" does not seem to have much point. The meaning is, perhaps, "for the day," without thought for the morrow, counting luxury for the moment a pleasure--the doctrine of the Cyrenaics and the instinct of "brute beasts." In the Shepherd of Hermas (Sim. VI. iv. 4) there is a passage which may possibly be an echo of this: "The time of luxury and deceit is one hour, but the hours of torment have the power of thirty days; if, then, a man luxuriates for one day," &c. &c. (See below on 2 Peter 2:15; 2 Peter 2:20; 2 Peter 3:5.)
Sporting themselves.--The word is a compound of the one just translated "luxury"; hence luxuriating. It is worth noting that the words for "spots and blemishes" exactly correspond to the words translated "without blemish and without spot" in 1 Peter 1:19. (See below on 2 Peter 3:14.)
With their own deceivings.--Better, in their deceits, if this is the right reading. But both here and in Jude 1:12, the reading is uncertain, authorities being divided between agapai, "love-feasts," and apatai, "deceits." In Jude the balance on purely critical grounds is decidedly in favour of "love-feasts;" here (though much less decidedly) in favour of "deceits." In Jude the context confirms the reading "love-feasts;" here the context is neutral, or slightly inclines to "love-feasts," to which "while they feast with you" must in any case refer. But if "love-feasts" be right in Jude (and this is so probable that we may almost assume it), this in itself is strong support to the same reading here. Whichever writer is prior, so strange a change from "deceits" to "love-feasts" would hardly have been made deliberately; whereas, in copying mechanically, the interchange might easily be made, the words being so similar. The change from "spots" to "rocks," if such a change has been deliberately made by either writer (see on Jude 1:12), would not be parallel to a change between "deceits" and "love-feasts." The one is a mere variation of the metaphor, the other an alteration of the meaning. In 2 Thessalonians 2:10 there is possibly an intentional play upon the similarity of these two words.
as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime; who place all their satisfaction and happiness in sensual delight, in rioting and drunkenness, in chambering and wantonness, day after day; putting away the evil day far from them, supposing that tomorrow will be as this day, and that there will be no future judgment nor state; and therefore do not take the night for their revels, as other sinners do, but being without all shame, declare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not:
spots they are, and blemishes; which defile themselves, their minds and consciences, their souls and bodies, with sin, and defile others by their evil communications, and bring dishonour and disgrace upon the ways, doctrines, and interest of Christ:
sporting themselves with their own deceivings; with their sins and lusts, by which they deceive themselves and others, it being a sport to them to commit sin; and in which they take great pleasure and pastime, and not only delight in their own sins, but in those of others, and in them that do them. Some versions, as the Vulgate Latin and Arabic, instead of "deceivings", read love feasts, as in Jde 1:12, and so the Alexandrian copy; in which they behaved in a very scandalous manner, indulging themselves in luxury and intemperance: to which agrees what follows,
while they feast with you; at the above feasts, or at the Lord's table, or at their own houses, which shows that they were of them, and among them, as in 2 Peter 2:1; and carries in it a tacit reproof for the continuance of them, when they were become so bad in their principles, and so scandalous in their lives.