But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Ver. 1. Who privily shall bring in] παρεισαξουσιν, or, fraudulently foist in false doctrines under the title of truth, and pretext of piety. Some truths shall teach, the better to persuade to their falsehoods. Together with the gold, silver, and ivory, orthodox tenets, they have store of apes and peacocks, as Solomon's ships had. Sunt mala mista bonis, sunt bona mista malis.
Denying the Lord that bought them] Or, freed them, viz. from their former idolatries and enormities, ut verbum αγοραζειν frequentius significat, saith one. Or that bought them, as they conceited, and others charitably imagined; but it proved otherwise, as appeared by their apostasy. Christ is said to buy reprobates, in the same sense wherein it is said that the gods of Damascus smote or plagued Ahaz,2 Chronicles 28:23, that is, in his opinion they did so: for an idol is nothing in the world, and can do neither good nor evil, Jeremiah 10:5; 1 Corinthians 8:4. 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.