Daily Devotions
2 Peter
"Like natural brute beasts"
Text: 2 Peter 2:12
COMPARISON TO NATURAL BRUTE BEASTS
Peter must have faced these false teachers before. His knowledge of them was deep and insightful.
“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
1. “But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed”
a) “But these”
This is a reference to the false teachers (2 Peter 2:1).
b) “Like natural brute beasts”
i) This is an unflattering description of the false teachers.
ii) They are compared to animals.
iii) They are unable to understand or reason.
iv) Animals react “naturally”.
v) They do not have a reasoning faculty.
2. “Made to be caught and destroyed”
a) They are like “wild animals” that are dangerous.
b) And wild animals are captured and destroyed.
c) The same fate awaits these false teachers.
3. “Speak evil of the things they do not understand”
a) One feature of the false teachers was highlighted here.
b) They do not understand.
i) The point here is their “ignorance”.
ii) They have no knowledge of the world of spirits.
c) They speak evil.
Literally, it means that they were speaking words of blasphemy. Blasphemy is not a word limited to speaking against God. It can simply mean, “speaking evil”.
4. “And will utterly perish in their own corruption”
a) The word “perish” is the same word translated “destruction”.
b) There is a play of words here.
i) The word “corruption” shares the same root as the word “destruction”.
ii) “Utterly perish” emphasises the problem of corruption that ends up with destruction (to perish).