evil spoken of
2 Peter 2:2
2:2 evil spoken of. Literally, this means, “blaspheming the way of truth.” In this chapter, as well as other Scriptures, such false teachers are fully described. Some of their characteristics are as follows. They: (1) deny the doctrine of redemption by the blood of Christ (II Peter 2:1); (2) deny the lordship of Christ (II Peter 2:10—in this verse “government” is the same word as “lordship;” this denial is also evident in II Peter 2:1); (3) twist the Scriptures to their own beliefs (II Peter 1:19-21; 3:16); (4) bring in their false teachings subtly (II Peter 2:1—note “privily;” and II Peter 2:3—note “feigned” words, or literally “plastic” words); (5) speak evil or sarcastically of true Biblical doctrine (II Peter 2:2,12); (6) ridicule divinely approved “dignities”—that is “glories” (Greek doxa), possibly God’s holy angels and other representatives of His power (II Peter 2:10-11); (7) covet money and prestige (II Peter 2:3,14-15); (8) are eloquent crowd-pleasers (II Peter 2:18); (9) are deceitful (II Peter 2:13); (10) are lustful and seductive, promoting carnality (II Peter 2:10,14); (11) are thoroughgoing evolutionary uniformitarians (II Peter 3:4); and (12) deny Christ’s bodily second coming (II Peter 3:3-4).