Peter’s description of the false teachers of that day is vivid and powerful. This is not some general warning about the possibility of false teachers. But they were present and active among the Christians. Jude called them "spots in their feasts of charity." But who are these teachers that Peter and Jude describe?

Albert Barnes wrote, "There were various classes of persons in primitive times, coming under the general appellation of the term Gnostic, to whom this description would apply. Among those persons were the Ebionites, Corinthians, and Nicolaitanes." (Commentary on Peter, 235.)

"Although the Fathers variously interpreted those who blatantly indulge lust as the Simonians (Andreas), the Nicolaitans or the Gnostics (Oceumenius), they agreed that they would be punished for their offenses (Bede)." (Ancient Christian Commentary, Vol. XI, 144.)

"It is clear that Peter is describing antinomians, men who used God’s grace as a justification for sinning. In all probability they were Gnostics, who said that only spirit was good and that matter was essentially evil and that, therefore, it did not matter what we did with the body and that we could glut its appetites and it made no difference. They lived the most ungodly lives and encouraged others to do so; and they justified their actions by perverting grace and interpreting Scripture to suit themselves." (The Letters of James and Peter, William Barclay, 284.)

Macknight wrote, "In the latter part of the apostolical age many false teachers arose, among whom the Nicolaitans and the Simonians were the most remarkable. These, as Jude tells us, verse 4, perverted the grace of God to lasciviousness." (Macknight on the Epistles, 630.)

The New Testament documents show that something was about knowledge was the issue. Here are some examples:

1. Peter’s repeated use of the words know and knowledge. These occur sixteen times in second Peter. He used the word epignosis, which means pointing toward a goal or object. Our knowledge is always growing and increasing toward that goal, but it is never complete. The Gnostics claimed that their knowledge was a secret to others and complete.
2. John’s theme word in his epistles is know.
3. Paul’s direct reference to false knowledge. He wrote about "knowledge falsely so-called." (1 Tim. 6:20.) The KJV has "science falsely so-called." Our word science means something that we know.
4. Pneumatic, super-apostles, and the claim to a higher knowledge than the apostles by some at Corinth.
5. The Colossian heresy and asceticism. (Col. 2:20-23.)
6. Some claimed to "know the depths of Satan." (Rev. 2:24.) They had a deep knowledge, John said, but the depths are of Satan. This is similar to the phrase, the synagogue of Satan.

It is interesting that we not only know some specific things about the false teachings of the Gnostics, but we know some of the teachers by name. The earliest of the Gnostics known to us by name is Cerinthus, the antagonist of the apostle John. It seems beyond reasonable doubt that these two encountered each other at Ephesus. Irenaeus relates on the authority of those who heard the story from Polycarp how the apostle and Cerinthus met in the public baths in that city. When John discovered that Cerinthus was in the same building with him, he instantly left, exclaiming that he could not remain while Cerinthus, the enemy of God and of man, was there. Caius of Rome, a disciple of Irenaeus, records that Cerinthus held that there would be a millennium of unrestrained sensuality. Dionysius of Alexandria (260 AD) more than confirms this. (ISBE, Vol. 2, 1246.)

1. They taught that redemption is freedom of the spirit from matter, not freedom from sin by the atoning work of Jesus Christ. It was a redemption taught by the philosophers.
2. A heretical system of thought, at once subtle, speculative and elaborate, it endeavored to introduce into Christianity a so-called higher knowledge.
3. The three principal sources of Gnosticism were philosophy (Plato), the Persian religion (dualism), and Buddhism (antagonism of spirit and matter). (The Gnostic Heresies, Mansel, 32.)
4. Gnosticism puts knowledge where Christianity puts faith.
5. Instead of asking, What must I do to be saved?, the Gnostics asked, What is the origin of evil and How is the primitive order of the universe going to be restored? In the answers to these questions is redemption, according to the Gnostics. They claimed to know the answers.
6. An essential separation of matter and spirit. Matter is the source of all evil. If so, then if Jesus came in the flesh (Word was made flesh), he would have partaken of evil. They taught that there was a difference the Christ and Jesus. Jesus was the man in the flesh, born not of the Spirit, but naturally of Joseph and Mary. The Christ came upon him when the dove lit upon him at his baptism and departed before Jesus died on the cross.
7. The teaching of asceticism which denies the needs of the body. This led to a belief that through denial one grew closer to God. But for others it led to indifference about the flesh and a licentious fulfillment. Jude wrote that they turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. (verse 4.)
8. They taught that the God of the Old Testament was not the same as the God of the New. Marcion, another well-known Gnostic, wrote a book, The Antithesis, emphasizing this doctrine. His NT canon consisted of only the Gospel of Luke, and Paul’s epistles. Due to his teachings, an effort began to gather and identify the books that should be regarded as authoritative and inspired.
9. The Gnostics, in their dualism, believed that there were two gods. The god who created the world and matter was the supreme God, but a lesser god. They had a god of matter and a god of spirit. Spirit is good; all matter is evil. Forms of this doctrine have survived to this day.
10. The denial of freewill for man. Note what Peter says about those once knew the way of righteousness and turn away from it. (2 Peter 2:20-22.) It is interesting to note that Calvinists today also deny the doctrine of freewill and therefore the impossibility of falling away. They variously interpret these passages to avoid the force of what Peter wrote.

It is interesting to study and trace religious doctrines through history. I believe that this more helpful than studying religious groups and their beliefs. Most religious bodies have inconsistencies in what they (we) believe. But generally there is a reason why a group will embrace a particular doctrine.

1. One way to determine the truthfulness of a doctrine is to see what the consequences are. If any doctrine leads to the conclusion that we can practice fleshly sinful acts, then that doctrine is manifestly false. If any doctrine denies important Christian teachings about the nature of God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, that doctrine should be rejected. If the scheme of redemption from sin is denied or replaced with some other system of thought, it is wrong.
2. There is often some element of truth even in the most absurd false doctrines. The doctrine of dualism has some elements of truth. There is light and darkness, truth and error, flesh and spirit, etc. Even the apostle John wrote about these important dual concepts. But we should not conclude from that that there must be two gods, one over each of these two opposites.
3. If teachers deceive others about what they really believe, they are false teachers. They creep in unawares and as wolves in sheep’s clothing. If a false teacher is anyone who teaches anything false, then we are all false teachers. A false teacher knows that he is a false teacher, not so much about doctrine. He may think that his teaching is correct, but he knows that his life is sinful and that he is deceiving others. A false prophet knows that he is not a prophet. A false Christ knew that he was not the Christ, unless he is under a delusion. The audience could not easily detect his motives. They could weigh his doctrine and compare to the Scriptures.