To Catch a Predator

“They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. they have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!” (v14).

“I’m Chris Hansen. Please have a seat.” The NBC correspondent has made his mark catching sexual predators and exposing them on primetime television. Just when these dirt bags think they’re about to bag another unsuspecting victim, Hansen and a camera crew appear around the corner. But Dateline isn’t the first “To Catch a Predator.” Pete perfected the technique 2,000 years before. In his second letter, he exposes a posse of false teachers for what they really are. “I’m the Apostle Peter. Please have a seat.” He’s blowing the whistle on these sexual predators.

The apostle writes, “They have eyes full of adultery” (v14). The original language actually says that all they see is the “adulteress” (Gr. moichalis). These slime balls see every woman as a sexual target. Every lady in the room is someone they consider trying to get into the sack. Their horny heads are on a swivel. These false teachers have infiltrated local churches and are tearing them apart from the inside (2:1-3). One way is by ripping marriages apart. This is completely counter to Christ’s teaching. Peter was sitting at Jesus feet when He said, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:28). They treat the church like a singles bar. Let’s be honest. This still happens today. Single men hit local churches looking to hook up. Is the church a bad place to find a mate? No. First and foremost, men must see women as their sisters. 

The spiritual hucksters are “insatiable for sin” (v14). They’re never satisfied. Unceasing. Unrelenting. Restless. Like sharks who can’t stop swimming. They’re always looking for their next victim. They can’t get enough of that sinful stuff. We’re talking both sin in general and sexual sin specifically. They’ve gotta have more and more. That’s the thing about sinful appetites. The more we try to satisfy them, the more we want. There’s really only one thing that satisfies. Or should I say one Person who satisfies. Jesus. The philosopher Blaise Pascal was right. We have a God-shaped vacuum inside each of us. We’ll dump things other than Christ in that hole that seems to do the trick. But before we know it, we need more. Fill it with Jesus. That’s what Mary did. The Lord told her sister Martha, “One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:42). Using anything or anyone else other than Jesus to fill that gap will lead any of us to be “insatiable for sin” (v14).

These sexual predators are on the prowl for the weak, the young and the injured. “They entice unsteady souls” (v14). The former fisherman uses an angling term here. The Greek verb is deleazo. It means to lure or trap using bait. The false teachers make sin look attractive. They polish it up. And it clearly works. Earlier Pete gives us the bad news that “many will follow their sensuality” (2:2). 

The apostle lets us know that the spiritual snake oil salesmen are good at what they do because “they have hearts trained in greed” (v14). He uses the word gumnazo. It’s where we get gymnasium. It means to train in a gym and vigorously exercise. The false teachers are good at greed because it’s part of their regular workout. Coaches always say that you play like you practice. Pete has warned his readers not to fall for their smooth talk. “In their greed they will exploit you with false words” (2:3). They know how to get what they want because of practice, practice, practice.

At this point, Pete just can’t hold back any longer. “Accursed children!” (v14). After describing them as insatiable sexual predators, he blurts out his frustration. He uses an old Hebrew expression that’s not exactly a term of endearment. These false teachers may be setting their sites on women as targets, but the apostle is pleading with God to put the laser site of His wrath on the foreheads of these dirtbags. Seem a bit strong? He’s simply calling it like it is. These greedy grifters have actually cursed themselves already.