Primitive Baptist
New Member
Ken Hamilton,
I agree that II Peter 2:1 is referring to the redemption of Israel from the land of Egypt. This event was a shadow of the redemption of the children of God through Jesus Christ. Right before the Jews were delivered out of Egypt, for whom was the lamb sacrificed? Israel? Egypt? Both? According to my knowledge, the lamb was only slain for the children of Israel, the children of God. It is also interesting to note that the word translated "Lord" in II Peter 2:1 is the Greek word "despotes," which is never used to refer to Jesus Christ. The word "Lord" occurs fifteen times in II Peter. Fourteen times the word is in reference to Jesus Christ and is translated "kurios." Why would Peter depart from the continually used "kurios" to "despotes?" In Jude 1:4, the Greek word "despotes" is used in distinction to "kurios."
"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:4)
The observant reader of the scriptures will frequently find verses in the New Testament to have a familiar echo from verses in the Old Testament, even though the Old Testament verses may not be cited. This happens to be the case with the chapter in question. The chapter bears strong similarity with Deuteronomy 32. In particular: Peter describes these false teachers as utterly perishing in their own corruption (vs. 12); similarly, Deuteronomy 32:5 describes persons who have corrupted themselves. Moreover, Peter describes these false teachers as being spots (vs. 13); similarly, Deuteronomy 32:5 refers to its subjects as spots. Most importantly, Peter describes these false teachers as being bought of the Lord (vs. 1); similarly, Deuteronomy 32:6 refers to its subjects as being bought of the Lord. However, the persons of Deuteronomy 32 were not bought of the Lord through the blood of Christ, but through the Lord's purchase of national Israel under the Old Testament covenant. (David A. Pyles & Wilford A. Pyles, A Defense of the Doctrine of Special Atonement.)
The connection between the second chapter of II Peter and Deuteronomy 32 is further strengthened by a linkage through the book of Jude. The reader will find a striking similarity between Jude and the second chapter of II Peter, particularly with regard to their descriptions of false teachers. Indeed, the parallelisms between their statements regarding false teachers are so numerous that one is lead to conclude that Spirit has here inspired essentially the same message through two different witnesses; however, the two messages are sufficiently distinct to make them complementary rather than redundant. Among the similarities, Jude also refers to these false teachers as corrupting themselves (vs. 10), and as being spots (vs 12). It is interesting to note that Deuteronomy 32:5, II Peter 2:13, and Jude 12 are the only verses in the Bible in which the wicked are referred to as spots, thus further indicating that the accounts of both Peter and Jude were written with Deuteronomy 32 in view. (Ibid.)
Moses also said something worth noting: "For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger through the works of your hands." (Deut. 31:29) Moses made particular reference to these false prophets in the "latter days."
"Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow." (2 Sam. 23:5)
This covenant was "ordered in all things, and sure." This describes all but the Arminian theory of the atonement that is powerless to save anyone without their "free will."
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant," (Heb. 13:20)
The covenant is an "everlasting covenant," and it was sealed by the blood of the "Great Shepherd of the sheep" (Jn. 10:11, 15, 26).
I agree that II Peter 2:1 is referring to the redemption of Israel from the land of Egypt. This event was a shadow of the redemption of the children of God through Jesus Christ. Right before the Jews were delivered out of Egypt, for whom was the lamb sacrificed? Israel? Egypt? Both? According to my knowledge, the lamb was only slain for the children of Israel, the children of God. It is also interesting to note that the word translated "Lord" in II Peter 2:1 is the Greek word "despotes," which is never used to refer to Jesus Christ. The word "Lord" occurs fifteen times in II Peter. Fourteen times the word is in reference to Jesus Christ and is translated "kurios." Why would Peter depart from the continually used "kurios" to "despotes?" In Jude 1:4, the Greek word "despotes" is used in distinction to "kurios."
"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:4)
The observant reader of the scriptures will frequently find verses in the New Testament to have a familiar echo from verses in the Old Testament, even though the Old Testament verses may not be cited. This happens to be the case with the chapter in question. The chapter bears strong similarity with Deuteronomy 32. In particular: Peter describes these false teachers as utterly perishing in their own corruption (vs. 12); similarly, Deuteronomy 32:5 describes persons who have corrupted themselves. Moreover, Peter describes these false teachers as being spots (vs. 13); similarly, Deuteronomy 32:5 refers to its subjects as spots. Most importantly, Peter describes these false teachers as being bought of the Lord (vs. 1); similarly, Deuteronomy 32:6 refers to its subjects as being bought of the Lord. However, the persons of Deuteronomy 32 were not bought of the Lord through the blood of Christ, but through the Lord's purchase of national Israel under the Old Testament covenant. (David A. Pyles & Wilford A. Pyles, A Defense of the Doctrine of Special Atonement.)
The connection between the second chapter of II Peter and Deuteronomy 32 is further strengthened by a linkage through the book of Jude. The reader will find a striking similarity between Jude and the second chapter of II Peter, particularly with regard to their descriptions of false teachers. Indeed, the parallelisms between their statements regarding false teachers are so numerous that one is lead to conclude that Spirit has here inspired essentially the same message through two different witnesses; however, the two messages are sufficiently distinct to make them complementary rather than redundant. Among the similarities, Jude also refers to these false teachers as corrupting themselves (vs. 10), and as being spots (vs 12). It is interesting to note that Deuteronomy 32:5, II Peter 2:13, and Jude 12 are the only verses in the Bible in which the wicked are referred to as spots, thus further indicating that the accounts of both Peter and Jude were written with Deuteronomy 32 in view. (Ibid.)
Moses also said something worth noting: "For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger through the works of your hands." (Deut. 31:29) Moses made particular reference to these false prophets in the "latter days."
"Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow." (2 Sam. 23:5)
This covenant was "ordered in all things, and sure." This describes all but the Arminian theory of the atonement that is powerless to save anyone without their "free will."
"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant," (Heb. 13:20)
The covenant is an "everlasting covenant," and it was sealed by the blood of the "Great Shepherd of the sheep" (Jn. 10:11, 15, 26).
