Archive for the ‘2 Peter 2:1 (and Jude 4)’ Category

29
Aug

Martin Luther on 2 Peter 2:1

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism

Luther:

2:1: Even denying the Master who bought them.

“Oh,” they say, “we by no means deny the Lord!” Then if one says: “If you are redeemed through Christ, and if His blood wipes out your sin, then what do you propose to wipe out with your way of life?” they reply: “Ah, faith alone does not do this; the works must contribute to it!” In this way, to be sure, they confess the Lord Christ with their lips, but with their hearts they deny Him completely.

Behold, what powerful words St. Peter uses! He says: “They deny the Master who bought them.” They should be under Him as under a Master who owns them. But now, even though they believe that He is a Lord who has ransomed all the world with His blood, yet they do not believe that they are ransomed and that He is their Master. They say that although He ransomed and redeemed them, this is not enough; one must first make amends and render satisfaction for sin with works. Then we say; “If you take away your sin yourself and wipe it out, what, then has Christ done? You surely cannot make two Christs who take away sin. He should, and wants to, be the only One who puts sin aside. If this is true, I cannot make bold to wipe out sin myself. But if I do this, I cannot say or believe that Christ takes it away.” This amounts to a denial of Christ. For even if they regard Christ as a Lord, yet they deny that He redeemed them. To be sure, they believe that He sits up there in heaven and is a Lord; but that it is His real work to take away sin, this they take from Him and ascribe to their own works. Thus they leave Him no more than the name and the title. But they want to have His work, His power, and His office themselves. Therefore Christ speaks truly (Matt. 24:5): “Many will come in My name, saying: ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.” For they really do not say: “My name is Christ.” No, they say: “I am Christ.” For they arrogate to themselves the very office that belongs to Christ and thus push Him from the throne and sit on it themselves. This is so apparent that no one can deny it. Therefore St. Peter calls them damned or destructive sects, for they are all running straight to hell. Consequently, I think that among a thousand scarcely one is saved, For he who wants to be saved must say: “My obedience, my chastity, etc., do not save me; my Works remove no sin from me.” But how many there are who have this notion and remain in such a damnable estate!

Martin Luther, “The Catholic Epistles,” in Luther’s Works, ed., by Jaroslav Pelikan, 30:171-172.

28
Aug

John Calvin on 2 Peter 2:1 and Jude 4.

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism

Calvin:

Though Christ may be denied in various ways, yet Peter, as I think, refers here to what is expressed by Jude, that is, when the grace of God is turned into lasciviousness; for Christ redeemed us, that he might have a people separated from all the pollutions of the world, and devoted to holiness ,and innocency. They, then, who throw off the bridle, and give themselves up to all kinds of licentiousness, are not unjustly said to deny Christ by whom they have been redeemed. Calvin, 2 Peter 2:1.

“The only Lord God,” or, God who alone is Lord. Some old copies have, “Christ, who alone is God and Lord.” And, indeed, in the Second Epistle of Peter, Christ alone is mentioned, and there he is called Lord. But He means that Christ is denied, when they who had been redeemed by his blood, become again the vassals of the Devil, and thus render void as far as they can that incomparable price. Calvin, Jude 4.

28
Aug

2 Peter 2:1 from the Henry Commentaries

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism

2 Peter 2: 1:

Those who introduce destructive heresies deny the Lord that bought them. They reject and refuse to hear and learn of the great teacher sent from God, though he is the only Saviour and Redeemer of men, who paid a price sufficient to redeem as many worlds of sinners as there are sinners in the world.

28
Aug

Thomas Adams on 2 Peter 2:1

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism

Thomas Adams

2 Peter 2:1:

“That bought them.” This last aggravation is derived from the consideration of the unspeakable good which this Lord hath done them; in that were delivered by the most excellent benefit that ever came to mankind, which is redemption by the blood of Christ. For howsoever it was a singular work and favour of God, to give us by creation a blessed being; yet was it no otherwise given us, than with a possibility to keep it or lose it: but redemption hath instated us to a blessedness never to be lost. Here then is a doubt to be resolved: how they may perish from Christ if they were redeemed? how were they redeemed if they can perish?

First, we must lay this ground of truth, that no soul which Christ hath truly bought can perish eternally. This is the Father’s will, that of a11 which he hath given me I should lose nothing,” John vi. 39. But all they are given to Christ whom he hath purchased:” I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand,” John x. 29. If I give them eternal life, nothing shall bring them to eternal death; and to pluck them out of his land that is Almighty, requires an adversary stronger than himself. And our Saviour there adds, My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand,” ver. 29. Hereupon Paul makes a free challenge to all the actors, and pleaders, and powers that ever damnation had: “Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth,” (and if all this be not enough,) “nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus,” Rom, viii. 39: none can do it. And whether they be Romish or Arminian, that seek to weaken the grace of God, and permit the redeemed ones of the Lord to perish; let us know them for the brokers of Satan, the seminaries of despair, and deniers of Christ. But against this doctrine is opposed, “Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died?” Rom. xiv. 15. “Through thy knowledge shall thy weak brother perish, for whom Christ died,” I Cor. viii. 11. But those places may be understood not “kat’ aletheian”: not that they can perish through thy default, but that thou dost what thou canst to make them perish. But here it seems most lain, that they may be lost in denying Christ, whom He bought. To clear this, we say that reprobates may be said to be redeemed in divers respects.

1. In regard of the all-sufficient price paid for them. So Christ is said to be that Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world. Though he meant not to save all, yet he died for all, performing his part. (Chrysost.) For he doth not really take away all sin from the world; and this himself declares by not praying for the world, “I pray not for the world,” John xvii. 9. Otherwise the two main parts or offices of his priesthood were disjoined, and he should sacrifice for them for whom he doth not supplicate. Now for his mediation, it concludes his own in it, excludes the world out of it; “I pray not for the world.”

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28
Aug

John Trapp on 2 Peter 2:1

   Posted by: CalvinandCalvinism

John Trapp:

Or, that bought them] viz. in laying down a sufficient price for all sinners, in taking upon him the common nature of all men, and in preaching to them in the Gospel that he died for sinners indefinitely, offering salvation and beseeching them to receive it.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition Upon all the Books of the New Testament, (London: Printed by R.W. and are to be sold by Nath. Ekins, at the Gun in Pauls Church-yard, 1656), 936.