Matthew Poole and continuators on 2 Peter 2:1

1 BUT there were false prophets also among the people , even as there shall be false teachers among you , who shall privily bring in damnable heresies , even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

The Apostle having been exhorting them to continuance and progress in Faith, admonishing them here of such as might labour to draw them from it; and having made mention of the Old-Testament-Prophets, Holy Men of God, he hereby takes occasion to tell them of, and caution them against false Teachers which would be among themselves. This also in the Text plainly relates to what went before, q. d. together with those Prophets which were sent by God; there were likewise false Prophets, such as were not sent of him.

The People of Israel.

Teachers of false Doctrine, Matth. 7.15. Act. 20.29.

Among you Iewish, as well as among the Gentile Christians; or, among you as Christians and God's People under the New-Testament in opposition to the People of God under the Old.

The Greek word signifies either, to bring in silly and craftily under specious pretences, and without being observed, Gal. 2.4. Iude 4. or, to bring in over and above, or beside the Doctrine of the Gospel, which they did not renounce; or, both may be implied.

Gr. Heresies of Destruction, i. e. Destructive, such as lead to Destruction, viz. Eternal, or Damnation.

Either in their Words or their Practices, either directly, or by consequence of their Doctrines or Actions: They that profess they know God, but contradict that Profession in their Lives, are said to deny him, Tit. 1.16.

Either, 1. God the Father, so called, Luke 2.29. Act. 4.24, &c. and probably Rev. 6.10. Nor is there any necessity, but Iude 4. the word may be understood of God the Father; or, rather, 2. Christ.

If we understand it of God the Father, the sence is, either, 1. Denying God that bought them, or acquired them and made them his, viz. By calling them out of the darkness and gross wickedness of the World, to the knowledg of Christ and the Gospel, and the fellowship of his Church. In this general sence the word Buying is sometimes taken, Isa. 55.1. Rev. 3.18. or, 2. Denying God that bought the people of Israel (whereof these false Teachers that should be among the Christian Jews were to be a part) out of Egypt to make them his peculiar People, whereof they would boast themselves, and yet by their wicked practices, deny that God that bought them; the words seem to be taken out of Deut. 32.6. Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee? as likewise from v. 5. of that Chapter Peter calls them Spots, v. 13. of this Chapter: but if we understand it of Christ, which seems most probable; the sence is, either, 1. That Christ bought or redeemed them (in which sence the word is sometimes taken) in that by his Death he purchased the continuance of their lives, and the staying of their execution, and rescued them from that present Destruction, which, without Christ's interposition had seised on them, as it had likewise on the whole visible Creation immediately upon the Apostacy of Mankind. Or, 2. This is spoken not only of their pretences, that they should profess themselves redeemed by Christ, but in the stile of the visible Church, which should judge them to be so till they declared the contrary by their wicked actions; and it likewise holds true in a forensical or judicial stile, according to which whosoever professeth himself to be redeemed by Christ, and yet denies him in his deeds, is said to deny the Lord that bought him; it being alike as to the greatness of the Crime, whether he be really Redeemed, or professing himself to be so, denies his Redeemer.

Shall hasten their own Destruction, it may be Temporal in this World, to be sure, Eternal in the other. It may be called swift, as coming upon them unawares, and when they think least of it, as 1 Thess. 5.3.

Marginal references: Deut. 13.1.; Matth. 24.11. 1 Cor. 11.19. 1 Tim. 4.1. 2 Tim. 3.1, 5. Jude 18.