John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. And through covetousness ; etc.] Which is generally a prevailing vice among false teachers, they having no other end in view than themselves; either to gain popular applause and vain glory, which they are always covetous of; or to amass riches to themselves, after which they have an insatiable desire: shall they with feigned words ; made words, words of their own devising, and not which the Holy Ghost teacheth; whereby they cover themselves, and privily introduce their pernicious principles; and therefore new words and phrases are always to be suspected and guarded against, especially in articles of moment and importance: or with flattering words and fair speeches, great swelling words of vanity, having men's persons in admiration, because of worldly advantage; and in this way they gain their point: make merchandise of you ; deal with the souls of men, as merchants do with their goods, carry them to market and sell them; so false teachers deal with the souls of their followers, draw them, and sell them to Satan, and they themselves pay for it; (see Zechariah 11:5 Revelation 18:13) but in the issue, and that in a short time, they will be no gainers by such practices: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not : that is, their condemnation, which God in righteousness has determined, from the creation of the world, as the Ethiopic version reads, or from all eternity, (see Jude 1:4), to bring them into, for their vile principles and practices, is not retarded and delayed; it does not linger and stay behind, or slacken its pace; it will not tarry, it will come upon them at the appointed time: and their damnation slumbereth not ; an avenging God, who has appointed them to damnation for their sins, slumbers not; the justice of God is not asleep, nor careless and negligent, but is awake, and watches over them, to bring the evil upon them they have deserved, and is in reserve for them, and will hasten to perform it; the determined destruction does not lie dormant, but in a little time will be stirred up, and fall with dreadful weight on such sinners, as may be concluded from the following awful instances.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - Though the way of error is a hurtful way, many are always ready to wal therein. Let us take care we give no occasion to the enemy to blasphem the holy name whereby we are called, or to speak evil of the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life These seducers used feigned words, they deceived the hearts of their followers. Such are condemned already, and the wrath of God abides upo them. God's usual method of proceeding is shown by examples. Angel were cast down from all their glory and dignity, for their disobedience. If creatures sin, even in heaven, they must suffer i hell. Sin is the work of darkness, and darkness is the wages of sin See how God dealt with the old world. The number of offenders no mor procures favour, than their quality. If the sin be universal, the punishment shall likewise extend to all. If in a fruitful soil the people abound in sin, God can at once turn a fruitful land int barrenness, and a well-watered country into ashes. No plans or politic can keep off judgments from a sinful people. He who keeps fire an water from hurting his people, Isa 43:2, can make either destroy his enemies; they are never safe. When God sends destruction on the ungodly, he commands deliverance for the righteous. In bad company we cannot but get either guilt or grief. Let the sins of others be troubles to us. Yet it is possible for the children of the Lord, livin among the most profane, to retain their integrity; there being mor power in the grace of Christ, and his dwelling in them, than in the temptations of Satan, or the example of the wicked, with all their terrors or allurements. In our intentions and inclinations to commi sin, we meet with strange hinderances, if we mark them When we inten mischief, God sends many stops to hinder us, as if to say, Take hee what you do. His wisdom and power will surely effect the purposes of his love, and the engagements of his truth; while wicked men ofte escape suffering here, because they are kept to the day of judgment, to be punished with the devil and his angels.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ εν 1722 PREP πλεονεξια 4124 N-DSF πλαστοις 4112 A-DPM λογοις 3056 N-DPM υμας 5209 P-2AP εμπορευσονται 1710 5695 V-FDI-3P οις 3739 R-DPM το 3588 T-NSN κριμα 2917 N-NSN εκπαλαι 1597 ADV ουκ 3756 PRT-N αργει 691 5719 V-PAI-3S και 2532 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF απωλεια 684 N-NSF αυτων 846 P-GPM ου 3756 PRT-N νυσταζει 3573 5719 V-PAI-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Through covetousness (en pleonexia). Lit., in covetousness; denoting the element or sphere in which the evil is wrought.Feigned (plastoiv). Only here in New Testament. From plassw, to mould, as in clay or wax. The idea is, therefore, of words molded at will to suit their vain imaginations.
Make merchandise (emporeusontai). Only here and Jas. iv. 13. Compare Jude 16, for the sake of advantage; their glory being in having a multitude of followers.
Judgment (krima). Rev., sentence. So, commonly, in New Testament; the process or act of judging being expressed by krisiv.
Of a long time (ekpalai). Rev., better, from of old, bringing out thus more sharply the force of ejk. Only here and ch. iii. 5. Construe with lingereth.
Lingereth (argei). Only here in New Testament. Compare on the kindred adjective idle, ch. i. 8. There is a graphic picture in the sentence. The judgment is not idle. It is "represented as a living thing, awake and expectant. Long ago that judgment started on its destroying path, and the fate of sinning angels, and the deluge, and the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah were but incidental illustrations of its power; nor has it even since lingered.... It advances still, strong and vigilant as when first it sprang from the bosom of God, and will not fail to reach the mark to which it was pointed from of old" (Salmond and Lillie).
Damnation (apwleia). More literally, Rev., destruction. The word occurs three times in vv. 1-3.
Slumbereth (nustaxei). See on Matt. xxv. 5, the only other passage where it occurs.
