3. What occurred in the past that Peter says would occur again?

³ After Peter has urged his brothers to pay attention to prophecy, he says: “However, there also came to be false prophets [in ancient Israel], as there will also be false teachers among you.” (2 Peter 1:14–2:1) God’s people in ancient times received true prophecy, but they also had to contend with the corrupt teachings of false prophets. (Jeremiah 6:13, 14; 28:1-3, 15) “In the prophets of Jerusalem,” wrote Jeremiah, “I have seen horrible things, committing adultery and walking in falsehood.”—Jeremiah 23:14.

 4. Why do false teachers deserve destruction?

⁴ Describing what false teachers would do in the Christian congregation, Peter says: “These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects and will disown even the owner [Jesus Christ] that bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves.” (2 Peter 2:1; Jude 4) The final result of such first-century sectarianism is Christendom as we know it today.

Introducing False Teachings

 6. What motivates false teachers, and how do they seek to get what they want?

⁶ Wisely, we take note of how false teachers introduce their corrupt thinking. Peter first says that they do it quietly, or in an unobtrusive, subtle way.