For, speaking proud words of vanity, they allure by the desires of fleshly riotousness those who for a little while escape, such as converse in error:
υπερογκα γαρ ματαιοτητος φθεγγομενοι δελεαζουσιν εν επιθυμιαις σαρκος ασελγειαις τους οντως αποφυγοντας τους εν πλανη αναστρεφομενους
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse
He also gives the reason for this. It is that in vanity they utter swollen words, drawing by fleshly lust into corruption those who have entirely escaped it. Or, if they were once in error, they later subjected themselves to the Lord.
Pride is always vain, for it makes a man empty, that is, without God.
Their words too, he says, are vain and swollen. Thus they are punished not only because of impiety, but because of the greatness of their impiety.
Swollen emptiness of speech is a characteristic expression for proud verbal emptiness. It describes speech that is foolish, false, and deceitful, yet proud and arrogant. It is light and empty, like a windy waterless cloud and a mist, swollen like a bubble, yet proud. There is neither spirit nor power in it. They entice in lust and corruption. See the note on 2 Pet 2:10, 14. Those who have barely escaped from those who live in error are newly converted Christians from paganism. Such souls, not yet established in faith and virtuous life, are the ones false teachers ensnare and corrupt.
"Speaking great swelling words of vanity," that is, uttering inflated idle talk, "they entice through fleshly defilements and vices those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of corruption."
Thus inflated idle talk, covered by flattering and beautiful words, fleshly lust, and the promise of freedom are the usual bait of both ancient and modern corrupters of mankind.
The last two are especially dangerous. Sensual pleasures flatter our body, while freedom, whatever it may consist in, flatters our spiritual side.
The apostle shows how low in quality this freedom is, the freedom promised by false prophets and preachers of materialism. He calls them themselves slaves of corruption. For "by whomever a man is overcome," as they are by the animal instincts of corrupted nature, "to him he is enslaved."
Wishing to define more clearly the real character of the heretics, the apostle calls them waterless wells or channels. They seem to promise satisfaction for spiritual thirst, but in fact they give only disappointment.
The same thought is expressed when they are called clouds driven by the wind and mist appearing in the deserts as mirages, which do not give even a drop of water.
The emptiness and deceptive appearance of the heretics' life correspond to their speech. It is full of idle talk and lying promises, for example, promises of freedom. In reality, by turning people from the true path into corruption, they cast them into moral slavery to fleshly desires (cf. Jn 8:34; Gal 5:13).
Because of their attachment to sensual pleasures, the heretics will find their recompense in those very pleasures. "By what a man sins, by this he is punished," says the Wise One (Wis 11:17; cf. Gal 6:8).
Thus, in their very corruption, the heretics will bear punishment through their bodily and spiritual decay. Besides this, they will receive divine recompense for their contempt of the law.
The death of sinners is cruel, but their further lot is still more grievous. "Depart from Me, you cursed," that is, those already appointed to destruction by the laws previously spoken, "into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Mt 25:41). So the future Judge will say to them.
The question arises: how could such sinners appear among the earliest Christians (cf. Jas 2:1-4; Jas 4:1-4)? But the apostle has disclosed with sufficient fullness and clarity the grounds and conditions that favored their corruption.
The chief cause is apostasy from the Christian faith and a return to the former principles of life. This gave the apostle occasion to express his deep lament over them further on.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 16 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS