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2 Peter 2:20-22

November 20, 2008

Text: 2 Peter 2:20-22 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire (KJV).

The false teachers were at one time free from pollutions

2 Peter 2:20 For if after they [false teachers 2:1] have escaped [freed from captivity of] the pollutions of the world …

the defilements of the world NAS; the corruption of the world NIV; the unclean things of the world BBE; the wicked ways of the world NLT

They escaped corruption and a lifestyle of error

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

2 Peter 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

Through the more mature knowledge

2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

Peter used this word for knowledge three other times

2 Peter 1:2-3 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

2 Peter 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Not given to everyone

Mark 4:11-12 And He said to them (His apostles – His church), "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 "so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them

Once enlightened

Hebrews 6:4-5 “…who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come.”

Knowledge that leads one to godly living

Titus 1:1 Paul, a bond-servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according [or leads] to godliness,

Exceeding great and precious promises was given to them

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature [at the resurrection Phil.3:21], having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

They fell away

Mark 4:17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.

They stopped believing

Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

They are once again entangled and overcome

2 Peter 2:20 “…they are again entangled therein [the pollutions of the world], and overcome [defeated, subdued], the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

A warning against entanglements

2Timothy 2:4 No man that [goes to war] warreth [pres.mid.part] entangleth himself [pres.pass.indic] with the affairs [pursuits] of this life [bios life]; that he may please [aor.act.subj] him who hath chosen him [aor.act.part] to be a soldier.

Overthrown in the wilderness by lust

1 Corinthians 10:5-6 But with many of them [Israel – God’s covenant children] God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

Their end is worse off than their beginning

2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

the last state has become worse for them than the first NAS;
they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning NIV

Their future prospect “at the end” shall be judgment and fiery indignation

Hebrews 10:26-27 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins [no forgiveness], 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

They broke away from true fellowship

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

NCV - You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing, but you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the day coming.

NLT - And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.

A greater accountability for what you know

Luke 12:47-48 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

To know and reject is worse than to have never known

Matthew 11:21-22 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

Their end is worse than the beginning because of what they know

2 Peter 2:21 For [because] it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it…

Righteousness is closely associated with the kingdom

Isaiah 9:7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom,To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 1:8 But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.

They turned their backs from what was delivered to them

2 Peter 2:21 For [because] it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it; to turn from [“to turn away from,” NAS; “to turn their backs on,” NIV] the holy commandment delivered unto them.”

handed down to them NAV
was entrusted to them NJB
were given to them NLT
that was passed on to them NiV
that was committed to them ISV

They turned away from the faith – the holy commandment

Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints [the churches].

They went out from us

1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

As dogs and hogs they return to their own vomit and the mire

2 Peter 2:22 But it is happened unto them [the false teachers] according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow [the pig, the hog] that was washed to her wallowing in the mire [once again].

The dog turns back to his own vomit RSV
A dog returns to its own vomit NASB

A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire NASB
A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud NIV

Dogs and swine were not clean animals

Exodus 22:31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

Leviticus 11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.