Leaving the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam of Bosor who loved the wages of iniquity,
καταλιποντες ευθειαν οδον επλανηθησαν εξακολουθησαντες τη οδω του βαλααμ του βοσορ ος μισθον αδικιας ηγαπησεν
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Through both of these things, they have left the way that could have led them to salvation. They have strayed from it and have fallen under the same thing as Balaam, the son of Bosor, because he too, through love of gifts, loved the reward of unrighteousness.
"Leaving the straight way," that is, Christ, who said: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6).
From this we learn that, because of his money-loving passion, which was nourished by mad divination, Balaam received a prohibition from God. The second time, he hastened to go on the way to Balak because of envy. He was taught only by the fear of God, and he refrained from disobeying in the word of blessing only because of the terrors that appeared to him on the road. This was the work of God's power, not of his worthless will, nor of his tongue sharpened in the service of falsehood (Num 23:1-24:25).
The book of Numbers does not indicate precisely what Balaam's transgression consisted of. But from the subsequent history of the Hebrews' stay in the land of Moab (Num 25), and from the clear accusations of the Apostles against him (Rev 2:14), it is evident that he gave Balak disastrous counsel against the Hebrews. He advised him to seduce them through Moabite women and draw them into debauchery.
The apostle explains the false teachers' passion for covetousness by the example of Balaam. Because of covetousness, Balaam almost resolved to utter a curse against the people of God. He also taught how to bring the Hebrews into temptation, so that they would eat things sacrificed to idols and commit fornication (cf. Num 22:8, 19, 38; Num 25:1ff.; Num 31:16; Rev 2:14).
Leaving the straight, or right, way means the way of divinely revealed truth (v. 2), or the way of righteousness. It is also called the way of the Lord (Gen 18:19), the way of peace (Rom 3:17), the way of wisdom (Prov 4:11), the way of life (Prov 10:17), and the way of salvation (Acts 16:17).
The saying shows that the false teachers formerly followed true doctrine and the rules of a good life. Later, however, they fell away from the truth and gave themselves over to intellectual and moral corruption and impiety. They went astray and took a wrong path, namely, the path of Balaam. This was the path that Balaam marked out, or on which he himself walked, the path of covetousness.
The history of Balaam is told from Numbers chapter 22 onward. The son of Bosor, according to the ancient pronunciation and reading, means the son of Beor.
He loved the wages of unrighteousness. These unrighteous wages were the gifts brought, or presented, to Balaam by the messengers sent to him in the name of King Balak (Num 22:7). These wages are called unrighteous because Balaam hoped through them to do an unrighteous and godless deed, namely, to pronounce a curse upon Israel.
He loved is a somewhat softened expression, yet it fully corresponds to the circumstances of the narrative. The account does not expressly mention Balaam's covetousness. It presents him as acting according to the will of God.
Yet the narrative also shows that, when the second embassy brought still richer gifts, he urged the messengers to remain with him longer. He wished to inquire of God again about what he should do. In this way he seemed to force, or extort, permission from God to go with Balak's envoys. Therefore the wrath of God was kindled against Balaam because he went with them (Num 22:22).
From the connection of the narrative, Balaam himself soon understood that there was a sinful passion in his heart at this point (Num 22:34). The apostle's eye discerned this passion in the fact that he loved the wages of unrighteousness.
Compare Num 22:23-24. For the sake of personal gain, false teachers are ready to betray others to every evil. Just as Balaam, for gain, gave Balak, king of Moab, counsel destructive for the Hebrews, namely to weaken them through debauchery (see Num 22), so heretics lead the weak, especially wealthy women, into debauchery, so that they may use their property for their own pleasures (cf. 2 Tim 3:6).
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 15 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS