Let's take a closer look at this phrase:
I agree, lets
"even denying the Master ("DESPOTEN") who bought ("AGWRASANTA") them..."
This verse is not even speaking of Jesus Christ, rather it refers to God the Father.
The whole passage is referring back to Deuteronomy 32:1- 6. I was going to type the whole passage, but since time is now short I will just let those who want to to look it up. You will see that there are similar themes. More on that in a minute. First we have Peter's word "DESPOTES", a word which, though it often means "Lord", it refers to the Father, and not the Son. "Kurios" is the Son's word for "Lord". Check these verses out:
"The only Lord (DESPOTEN) God and our Lord (KURION) JESUS CHRIST" ~
Jude 4, referring respectively to first and second persons of the Trinity. Also: Luke 2:29; Acts 4:24; 2nd Timothy 2:21, Rev. 6:10, etc.
While I appreciate your passasion and study, you are incorrect here regarding it's usage. In fact we find that Jude 1:4 IS speaking, in fact, not of God AND Jesus but simply Jesus Himself.
Greek scholars like A.T. Robertson agree with this very point as seen here from Robertson Word Pictures:
Our only Master and Lord (ton monon despotēn kai kurion hēmōn). For the force of the one article for one person see note on 2Pe_1:1. For despotēn of Christ see 2Pe_2:1.
Here is his note on 2 Peter 2:1
Even the Master (kai ton despotēn). Old word for absolute master, here of Christ as in Jud_1:4, and also of God (Act_4:24). Without the evil sense in our “despot.”
Vincent Word Studies states that this is Jesus as well and put's it this way:
The Lord (δεσπότην)
In most cases in the New Testament the word is rendered master, the Rev. changing lord to master in every case but two - Luk_2:29; Act_4:24; and in both instances putting master in margin, and reserving lord for the rendering of κύριος. In three of these instances the word is used in direct address to God; and it may be asked why the Rev. changes Lord to Master in the text of Rev_6:10, and retains Lord in Luk_2:29; Act_4:24. In five out of the ten occurrences of the word in the New Testament it means master of the household. Originally, it indicates absolute, unrestricted authority, so that the Greeks refused the title to any but the gods. In the New Testament δεσπότης and κύριος are used interchangeably of God, and of masters of servants.
With due respect ot Jude's statement regarding "denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ"... is NOT distinquishing between 2 persons of the Trinity as this passage would designate unequivically that only the Father is the 'only' Lord God and Jesus is a subordinate - god, just as the JW's claim. In fact this statement is connecting the 'ONLY Lord God' (Absolute authority/master) directly to/with their (believers) Lord Jesus Christ (Kurios - which itself means supreme authority). Many older manuscripts don't even have the word 'God' (as in - only Lord God).
Since many, including the gnostics, tried to distinquish Jesus from absolute deity, Peter and Jude both displayed in their writing they were not seperate but that Jesus was in fact the very same Lord God.
Another person to place this word to Jesus is John in the book of the Revelation in which the 'Lord' (despotes) was asked how long he will with hold His judgement (Rev 6:10), and it was Jesus who stated that all judgment and authority to execute judgment was given unto Him. As He states - it isn't the Father who judges but Him.
Thus, out of the 10 times in the NT the word is used, one third are attributed to Jesus. This disproves your theory that it is only used concerning God and not Jesus.
DESPOTES refers more to Lord as Master, while KURIOS refers more to Lord as Prince in reference to His subjects.
This fits in well with Scriptural uses, such as Christ being Prince of Peace. At any rate, 2nd Peter is referring to the Father and not to the Son.
Sorry, your wrong as the sentence contruction does not and can not reflect your opinion. As I have shown, 3 out of 10 times 'despotes' refers to Jesus which is consistant with scripture since He really is God and therefore carries not only the same authority but also the same title that the Lord God is necessarily to be applied to.
Nor is it referring to Calvary at all. How do we know this? Like I said, it goes back to Deut. 32:1- 6, which refers to God's rescuing the Israelites from Egypt.
Incorrect again. It is precisely refering to Calvary. Deut 32:6 refers to their purchase, and we see in Isa 43:3 that Egypt was given for their ransom.
The Hebrew, kopher, means properly "that with which anything is overlaid," hence that which covers over sins, an atonement. Israel purchase by God was done with a 'type' of atonement which included all of Isreal, just as the picture of the blood on the door posts illistrated this same picture. Anyone could have done this, or gone to anothers home under that protection as it was not exclusive to anyone but for all. Yet only those of faith either did such or went to where they could come under said protection and the rest - who rejected the protection of the blood- were under judgment.
We know that these here in 2nd Peter could not be bought on the Cross by Christ, because all of those that Christ so bought will be rescued, not one will end up in the damnation that these teachers obviously fall into. See: John 10:29; Romans 8:29- 39; Eph. 1:11- 14.
Here, you are trying to comform scripture to your theology and thus you set us a false premise and come to a false conclusion.
Other signs that Peter was thinking of Deuteronomy 32 when writing 2nd Peter 2:1 are the similar words used. Compare the "spotted children" (TEKNA MWMETA) of Deut. 32:5 (LXX - Peter's version) with 2nd Peter 2:13 and 3:14. Just a little study of both passages, especially if you have access to the LXX, should convince any unbiased reader that this is the true cross-reference of 2nd Peter 2:1.
I agree, a little study will reveal a lot about both passages and that they both are dealing with those who were bought, NOT created.
You can't even come to any other conclusion about the texts unless one changes the meanings of the word to something other than their typical understanding. (and this includes using the LXX - which I not sure I understand why that matters)
POINT OF CLARIFICATION please: Are you saying that you think Deut 32 is about people who were not God's children??
Why go through all this trouble for such a little verse?
It is just to show that this verse does not show that Christ died for some that He did not save. This is about those who were rescued from Egypt, a physical and not a spiritual one (though it was a gracious token and prophetic sign for true salvation).
You aren't paying attention to what is actually being stated in the passage then. The Deut passage is about a peaple, literally the people of God which was the Nation of Isreal who was purchased or bought and it was for THIS reason God was called - their Father. Now was ALL (all without exception) of the Nation of Israel saved due to this? Yes or No?
These false teachers, though rescued from by their Master, the Father, effectively denied Him, by teaching the other Israelites to follow after Gods "whom their father did not know".
You have yet to provide any applicable definition of either - bought nor Father, in specific relation to those who are unsaved. You 'say' they mean something else yet haven't given anything to support it, or at least substantial to your interpretation.
The rest, I feel there is no real need to deal with because it is your theological opinion and you, like others, (with respect to this verse) try very hard to force it to mean something the natural meaning will not allow for.