And because iniquity shall abound
Meaning, either the malice and wickedness of outrageous
persecutors, which should greatly increase; or the treachery and
hatred of the apostates; or the errors and heresies of false
teachers; or the wickedness that prevailed in the lives and
conversations of some, that were called Christians: for each of
these seem to be hinted at in the context, and may be all
included, as making up the abounding iniquity here spoken of; the
consequence of which would be,
the love of many shall wax cold.
This would be the case of many, but not of all; for in the midst
of this abounding iniquity, there were some, the ardour of whose
love to Christ, to his Gospel, and to the saints, did not abate:
but then there were many, whose zeal for Christ, through the
violence of persecution, was greatly damped; and through the
treachery of false brethren, were shy of the saints themselves,
not knowing who to trust; and through the principles of the false
teachers, the power of godliness, and the vital heat of religion,
were almost lost; and through a love of the world, and of carnal
ease and pleasure, love to the saints was grown very chill, and
greatly left; as the instances of Demas, and those that forsook
the Apostle Paul, at his first answer before Nero, show. This
might be true of such, who were real believers in Christ; who
might fall under great decays, through the prevalence of
iniquity; since it does not say their love shall be lost, but wax
cold.