2 Peter 2:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Wishing to restrain them from such audacity, he says: whereas even angels, who surpass them in strength and power, do not bring against them a reviling judgment before the Lord.

The apostle, as we have noted, says the same thing as the Apostle Jude. For he also restrains those who are bold with the tongue and persuades them by this same example.

Yet Jude speaks more fully: “Michael the Archangel did not dare to pronounce a reviling judgment” (Jude 1:9). Peter now wishes to say something similar.

These wicked men have no restraint at all in blaspheming glories. Yet angels, who surpass these filthy men in strength and power, do not bring a reviling judgment against them, that is, against authorities, before the Lord.

Man does not turn aside so far that he is wholly reduced to nothing. But when he turns aside toward himself, he becomes less than he was when he cleaved to Him who possesses being in the highest degree. Therefore, to leave God and be in oneself, that is, to be satisfied with oneself, does not yet mean to be reduced to nothing. It means to draw near to nothingness. For this reason the proud in Holy Scripture are otherwise called self-pleasers. In the Synodal translation, they are called self-willed.

Peter wishes to say the same thing here. These madmen are in no way ashamed to revile their superiors, although even those who surpass them, that is, these sinners, in meekness and power do not bring against them, that is, against the superiors, a reviling judgment before the Lord (2 Pet 2:11).

The Apostle points to the extreme boldness of the heretics. Although they have no strength or authority, they revile their superiors. Meanwhile those who truly are strong and possess authority, when they see disobedient angels, do not pronounce judgment against them before God. The Apostle Jude says this more clearly about the archangel Michael in relation to the devil. But evil mockers, the heretics, boldly rise up against those who seem to them unworthy of glory.

“Whereas even angels,” and so forth. The audacity, self-will, contempt, and evil speech of the false teachers toward authority and higher power are criminal and inexcusable.

This is evident even from the fact that the holy Angels surpass them, that is, the representatives of authority and power on earth, in strength and might. Therefore they stand higher than they do before God.

Yet the Angels do not pronounce a reviling judgment upon them, even if these representatives of authority and power do not fulfill the offices and duties entrusted to them by God as they should.

The judgment of God must overtake heretics especially for their corruption, their rebellion against authorities, and their evil speech against the higher bearers of glory. By authorities here one may understand bishops and presbyters, and by higher ones, the apostles.

It is known that heretics, in order to gain success, often spoke evil of all ministers of the Church, not excluding the apostles. This happened especially often with regard to the Apostle Paul.

Therefore he said that even if an angel should preach a gospel other than he did, let him be anathema. The Apostle Peter likewise appeals to angels, though in a more positive way, saying that angels do not condemn the apostolic preaching.

The angels who abide in the holiness they have from God are more powerful than men, even if the men are supremely blessed. Angels truly guard holy men and help them, whereas men can never give consolation to angels.