False prophets & Christ's return

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The Transfiguration Lodovico Carracci 1594
The Transfiguration Lodovico Carracci 1594 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The main body of Peter's second epistle begins with Peter's replies to several objections to his eschatological doctrine (1:16–21). The first objection apparently raised by the false teachers is that Peter's eschatological teaching concerning the coming of Christ and of judgment is merely a myth (vv. 16–18). Peter assures his readers that the apostles did not follow cleverly devised myths, but were eyewitnesses of Christ's majesty. At the Transfiguration of Jesus, they were even witnesses to a foretaste of the glory to be revealed at the Second Advent (vv. 17–18). Peter also argues that the eschatological doctrine of the apostles is based on the writings of the Old Testament prophets (v. 19), men who spoke the very word of God (vv. 20–21).
Peter introduces the main topic of his letter in 2:1–3a, explaining, "But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction." Just as false prophets arose during the Old Testament era to obscure the eschatological message of the true prophets, so too will false prophets obscure and debate the eschatological teaching of the apostles. That these false prophets would arise had been predicted by the apostles. In verses 3b–10a, Peter explains that God reserves these false prophets for judgment, but he rescues godly men.
The false prophets, according to Peter, are characterized particularly by their arrogance (2:10b–13a) and by their sensuality (vv. 13b–16). Peter strongly denounces this godless behavior.
The arrogance and godlessness of these false prophets combined with the uselessness of their teaching renders them fit for judgment on the last day.Related articles

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