Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on 2 Peter 2:4
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
For if God spared not the angels that sinned. etc.] By whom are meant the devil and his angels; who are spirits created by God and as such were good; their first estate which they left was pure and holy, as well as high and honourable; they, were at first in the truth, though they abode not in it; they were once among the morning stars and sons of God, and were angels of light; their numbers are many, and therefore are here expressed in the plural number, “angels”, though it cannot be said how large; a legion of them was in one man; one at first might be in the rebellion, and draw a large number with him into it, at least was at the head of it, who is called Beelzebub, the prince of devils: what their first sin was, and the occasion of it, is not easy to say; it is generally thought to be pride, affecting a likeness to, or an equality with God; since this was what man was tempted to by them, and by which he fell, as they are thought to do; and because this is the sin of such who fall into the condemnation of the devil; (<540306>1 Timothy 3:6) and is the sin, that goes before a fall in common; as it did before the fall of man, so it might before the fall of angels, (<201618>Proverbs 16:18). The passage in (<430844>John 8:44) seems most clearly of any to express their sin, which was “not abiding in the truth”; in the truth of the Gospel, particularly the great truth of the salvation of men, by the incarnate Son of God; and which they could by no means brook and which might spring from pride, they not bearing the thought that the human nature should be exalted above theirs; hence the Jews, in opposing Christ as the Messiah and Saviour, are said to be of their father the devil, and to do his lusts; and Judas that betrayed him, and fell from his apostleship, and the truth, is called a devil; and the heresies of men, respecting the person and office of Christ, are styled doctrines of devils; and men that have professed this truth, and afterwards deny it, are represented in the same irrecoverable and desperate case with devils, and must expect the same punishment, (<430844>John 8:44 6:70 <540401> 1 Timothy 4:1 <580606>Hebrews 6:6 10:26,29), and also it may be observed on the contrary, that the good angels that stand, greatly love, value, esteem, and pry into the truths of the Gospel; particularly the scheme of man's salvation, by the incarnation, obedience, sufferings, and death of Christ: now these God spared not; or “had no mercy on”, as the Arabic version renders it; he did not forgive their sin, nor provide a Saviour for them; but directly, and at once, notwithstanding the dignity and excellency of their nature, in strict justice, and awful severity, without any mercy, inflicted due punishment on them; wherefore it cannot be thought that false teachers, who, as they, abide not in the truth, but deny and oppose it, should escape the vengeance of God: but cast them down to hell; they were hurled out of heaven, from whence they fell as lightning, into the “lowest”, or inferior places, as the Syriac version renders it; either into the air, as in (<490202>Ephesians 2:2) or into the earth; as in (<661209>Revelation 12:9) or into the deep, the abyss, the bottomless pit, where they are detained, as in a prison, (<420831>Luke 8:31 <660911>Revelation 9:11 20:3,7) though for certain reasons, and at certain times, are suffered to come forth, and rove about in this earth, and in the air: and these, when removed from their ancient seats in heaven, we…
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