Speaking Evil of Things Not Understood

Though created in the image of God, the false teachers have lowered themselves to reacting with a base instinct rather than using their God-given rational intellect. "But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption" (2 Peter 2:12). Like "natural brute beasts," or "unreasoning animals" (NASB), as "creatures of instinct" (NASB), they "speak evil of the things they do not understand."

They are brash. Their rudeness is evident. They are blunt in their "reviling where they have no knowledge" (v. 12b, NASB). They are rude and arrogant as they teach falsely about things they do not understand. Jeremiah 4:22 says, "For My people are foolish, they have not known Me. They are silly children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge." And Jeremiah 10:21 adds, "For the shepherds have become dull-hearted, and have not sought the LORD; therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered." Simply put, they will not succeed in their lies and deception.

Jude illustrates this quite well in Jude verse 9: "Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, 'The Lord rebuke you!'" Michael even treated Satan with respect, but stuck to the truth which he stood by, and rebuked Satan in the Lord. He was not rude or arrogant. And in contrast, Jude says of the false teachers, "But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves" ( v. 10).

As to how to deal with false teachers, 1 Timothy 6:4-5 says, "He is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself." In other words, simply walk away. Don't argue with them; simply avoid them.

Their lies will catch up to them, and they "will utterly perish" (2 Peter 2:12b). "Perish," in the Greek, refers to "the death and decay of beasts" and means "destroyed," or "unto destruction" (Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, [MacDonald Publishing Company: McLean, Virginia, no copyright], 245). Like wild beasts who are slaves to their instincts and born to be slaughtered, false teachers are also destined for "destruction," or literally, "in their destruction, they shall be destroyed" (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 12, [Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981], 279).

They come in unawares. They infiltrate the church secretly and rise to positions of leadership without fanfare. But once they are established, they openly seek to deceive even the believers, if possible, with false doctrine designed to lead you away from Jesus Christ. They "will receive the wages of unrighteousness" (v. 13a). That phrase is translated straightforward in the NIV as, "They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done."

That sentence translates just three words in the Greek. The verb "will be paid back" (v. 13a), means "to suffer injustice" (Ibid). In keeping with Peter's style, this is a word play: "be paid back with harm for the harm they have done" (NIV), or "receive the wages of unrighteousness" (NKJV), means the false teachers will "suffer harm" as a "wage" of "injury" (Ibid, 280).

"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life" (Gal. 6:7-8). "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isa. 5:20). "But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek" (Rom. 2:8-9).

Again, we are instructed to avoid such people. "But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person" (1 Cor. 5:11). Avoid all who would lead you astray. Avoid all who try to lead you away from Jesus Christ. Amen.