2Pe 3:1-18. SURENESS OF CHRIST'S COMING, AND ITS ACCOMPANIMENTS, DECLARED IN OPPOSITION TO SCOFFERS ABOUT TO ARISE. GOD'S LONG SUFFERING A MOTIVE TO REPENTANCE, AS PAUL'S EPISTLES SET FORTH; CONCLUDING EXHORTATION TO GROWTH IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST.
1. now--"This now a second Epistle I write." Therefore he had
lately written the former Epistle. The seven Catholic Epistles were
written by James, John, and Jude, shortly before their deaths;
previously, while having the prospect of being still for some time
alive, they felt it less necessary to write [BENGEL].
unto you--The Second Epistle, though more general in its
address, yet included especially the same persons as the First
Epistle was particularly addressed to.
pure--literally, "pure when examined by sunlight"; "sincere."
Adulterated with no error. Opposite to "having the understanding
darkened." ALFORD explains, The mind, will,
and affection, in relation to the outer world, being turned to God [the
Sun of the soul], and not obscured by fleshly and selfish
regards.
by way of--Greek, "in," "in putting you in
remembrance"
(2Pe 1:12, 13).
Ye already know
(2Pe 3:3);
it is only needed that I remind you
(Jude 5).
2. prophets--of the Old Testament.
of us--The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate read, "And of
the commandment of the Lord and Saviour (declared) by
YOUR apostles" (so "apostle of the
Gentiles,"
Ro 11:13)
--the apostles who live among you in the present time, in
contrast to the Old Testament "prophets."
3. Knowing this first--from the word of the apostles.
shall come--Their very scoffing shall confirm the truth
of the prediction.
scoffers--The oldest manuscripts and Vulgate add,
"(scoffers) in (that is, 'with') scoffing." As
Re 14:2,
"harping with harps."
walking after their own lusts--
(2Pe 2:10;
Jude 16, 18).
Their own pleasure is their sole law, unrestrained by reverence for
God.
4. (Compare
Ps 10:11; 73:11.)
Presumptuous skepticism and lawless lust, setting nature and its
so-called laws above the God of nature and revelation, and arguing from
the past continuity of nature's phenomena that there can be no future
interruption to them, was the sin of the antediluvians, and shall be
that of the scoffers in the last days.
Where--implying that it ought to have taken place before this,
if ever it was to take place, but that it never will.
the promise--which you, believers, are so continually looking
for the fulfilment of
(2Pe 3:13).
What becomes of the promise which you talk so much of?
his--Christ's; the subject of prophecy from the earliest
days.
the fathers--to whom the promise was made, and who rested
all their hopes on it.
all things--in the natural world; skeptics look not
beyond this.
as they were--continue as they do; as we see them to
continue. From the time of the promise of Christ's coming as Saviour
and King being given to the fathers, down to the present time, all
things continue, and have continued, as they now are, from "the
beginning of creation." The "scoffers" here are not necessarily
atheists, nor do they maintain that the world existed from eternity.
They are willing to recognize a God, but not the God of
revelation. They reason from seeming delay against the fulfilment
of God's word at all.
5. Refutation of their scoffing from Scripture history.
willingly--wilfully; they do not wish to know. Their
ignorance is voluntary.
they . . . are ignorant of--in contrast to
2Pe 3:8,
"Be not ignorant of this." Literally, in both verses, "This escapes
THEIR notice (sagacious philosophers though they
think themselves)"; "let this not escape YOUR
notice." They obstinately shut their eyes to the Scripture record of
the creation and the deluge; the latter is the very parallel to the
coming judgment by fire, which Jesus mentions, as Peter doubtless
remembered.
by the word of God--not by a fortuitous concurrence of atoms
[ALFORD].
of old--Greek, "from of old"; from the first beginning of
all things. A confutation of their objection, "all things continue as
they were FROM THE BEGINNING OF CREATION." Before
the flood, the same objection to the possibility of the flood might
have been urged with the same plausibility: The heavens (sky) and earth
have been FROM OF OLD, how unlikely then that they
should not continue so! But, replies Peter, the flood came in
spite of their reasonings; so will the conflagration of the earth come
in spite of the "scoffers" of the last days, changing the whole order
of things (the present "world," or as Greek means, "order"), and
introducing the new heavens and earth
(2Pe 3:13).
earth standing out of--Greek, "consisting of," that is,
"formed out of the water." The waters under the firmament were at
creation gathered together into one place, and the dry land emerged
out of and above, them.
in, &c.--rather, "by means of the water," as a great
instrument (along with fire) in the changes wrought on the
earth's surface to prepare it for man. Held together BY the water. The earth arose out of the water
by the efficacy of the water itself [TITTMANN].
6. Whereby--Greek, "By which" (plural). By means of which heavens and earth (in respect to the WATERS which flowed together from both) the then world perished (that is, in respect to its occupants, men and animals, and its then existing order: not was annihilated); for in the flood "the fountains of the great deep were broken up" from the earth (1) below, and "the windows of heaven" (2) above "were opened." The earth was deluged by that water out of which it had originally risen.
7. (Compare
Job 28:5,
end).
which are now--"the postdiluvian visible world." In contrast to
"that then was,"
2Pe 3:6.
the same--Other oldest manuscripts read, "His" (God's).
kept in store--Greek, "treasured up."
reserved--"kept." It is only God's constantly watchful
providence which holds together the present state of things till His
time for ending it.
8. be not ignorant--as those scoffers are
(2Pe 3:5).
Besides the refutation of them
(2Pe 3:5-7)
drawn from the history of the deluge, here he adds another (addressed
more to believers than to the mockers): God's delay in fulfilling His
promise is not, like men's delays, owing to inability or fickleness in
keeping His word, but through "long-suffering."
this one thing--as the consideration of chief importance
(Lu 10:42).
one day . . . thousand years--
(Ps 90:4):
Moses there says, Thy eternity, knowing no distinction between a
thousand years and a day, is the refuge of us creatures
of a day. Peter views God's eternity in relation to the last day: that
day seems to us, short-lived beings, long in coming, but with the
Lord the interval is irrespective of the idea of long or short. His
eternity exceeds all measures of time: to His divine knowledge all
future things are present: His power requires not long delays for the
performance of His work: His long-suffering excludes all impatient
expectation and eager haste, such as we men feel. He is equally blessed
in one day and in a thousand years. He can do the work of a thousand
years in one day: so in
2Pe 3:9
it is said, "He is not slack," that is, "slow": He has always the power
to fulfil His "promise."
thousand years as one day--No delay which occurs is long to God:
as to a man of countless riches, a thousand guineas are as a single
penny. God's œonologe (eternal-ages measurer) differs
wholly from man's horologe (hour-glass). His gnomon
(dial-pointer) shows all the hours at once in the greatest activity and
in perfect repose. To Him the hours pass away, neither more slowly, nor
more quickly, than befits His economy. There is nothing to make Him
need either to hasten or delay the end. The words, "with the Lord"
(Ps 90:4,
"In Thy sight"), silence all man's objections on the ground of his
incapability of understanding this [BENGEL].
9. slack--slow, tardy, late; exceeding the due time, as
though that time were already come.
Heb 10:37,
"will not tarry."
his promise--which the scoffers cavil at.
2Pe 3:4,
"Where is the promise?" It shall be surely fulfilled "according to His
promise"
(2Pe 3:13).
some--the "scoffers."
count--His promise to be the result of "slackness" (tardiness).
long-suffering--waiting until the full number of those appointed
to "salvation"
(2Pe 3:15)
shall be completed.
to us-ward--The oldest manuscripts, Vulgate, Syriac, &c.,
read, "towards YOU."
any--not desiring that any, yea, even that the scoffers, should
perish, which would be the result if He did not give space for
repentance.
come--go and be received to repentance: the Greek
implies there is room for their being received to
repentance (compare Greek,
Mr 2:2;
Joh 8:37).
10. The certainty, suddenness, and concomitant effects, of the
coming of the day of the Lord. FABER argues from
this that the millennium, &c., must precede Christ's literal
coming, not follow it. But "the day of the Lord" comprehends the
whole series of events, beginning with the pre-millennial advent, and
ending with the destruction of the wicked, and final conflagration, and
general judgment (which last intervenes between the conflagration and
the renovation of the earth).
will--emphatical. But (in spite of the mockers, and
notwithstanding the delay) come and be present the day of the
Lord SHALL.
as a thief--Peter remembers and repeats his Lord's image
(Lu 12:39, 41)
used in the conversation in which he took a part; so also Paul
(1Th 5:2)
and John
(Re 3:3; 16:15).
the heavens--which the scoffers say' shall "continue" as they
are
(2Pe 3:4;
Mt 24:35;
Re 21:1).
with a great noise--with a rushing noise, like that of a
whizzing arrow, or the crash of a devouring flame.
elements--the component materials of the world [WAHL]. However, as "the works" in the earth are mentioned
separately from "the earth," so it is likely by "elements," mentioned
after "the heavens," are meant "the works therein," namely, the sun,
moon, and stars (as THEOPHILUS OF ANTIOCH [p. 22, 148, 228]; and JUSTIN MARTYR [Apology,
2.44], use the word "elements"): these, as at creation, so in the
destruction of the world, are mentioned [BENGEL].
But as "elements" is not so used in Scripture Greek, perhaps it
refers to the component materials of "the heavens," including
the heavenly bodies; it clearly belongs to the former clause,
"the heavens," not to the following, "the earth," &c.
melt--be dissolved, as in
2Pe 3:11.
the works . . . therein--of nature and of art.
11. Your duty, seeing that this is so, is to be ever eagerly
expecting the day of God.
then--Some oldest manuscripts substitute "thus" for "then": a
happy refutation of the "thus" of the scoffers,
2Pe 3:4
(English Version, "As they were," Greek, "thus").
shall be--Greek, "are being (in God's appointment,
soon to be fulfilled) dissolved"; the present tense implying the
certainty as though it were actually present.
what manner of men--exclamatory. How watchful, prayerful,
zealous!
to be--not the mere Greek substantive verb of existence
(einai), but (huparchein) denoting a state or
condition in which one is supposed to be [TITTMANN]. What holy men ye ought to be found to be, when
the event comes! This is "the holy commandment" mentioned in
2Pe 3:2.
conversation . . . godliness--Greek, plural:
behaviors (towards men), godlinesses (or pieties
towards God) in their manifold modes of manifestation.
12. hasting unto--with the utmost eagerness desiring
[WAHL], praying for, and contemplating, the coming
Saviour as at hand. The Greek may mean "hastening (that is,
urging onward [ALFORD]) the day of God";
not that God's eternal appointment of the time is changeable, but God
appoints us as instruments of accomplishing those events which
must be first before the day of God can come. By praying for His
coming, furthering the preaching of the Gospel for a witness to all
nations, and bringing in those whom "the long-suffering of God" waits
to save, we hasten the coming of the day of God. The
Greek verb is always in New Testament used as neuter (as
English Version here), not active; but the Septuagint
uses it actively. Christ says, "Surely I come quickly. Amen."
Our part is to speed forward this consummation by
praying, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus"
(Re 22:20).
the coming--Greek, "presence" of a person:
usually, of the Saviour.
the day of God--God has given many myriads of days to
men: one shall be the great "day of God" Himself.
wherein--rather as Greek, "on account of (or owing
to) which" day.
heavens--the upper and lower regions of the sky.
melt--Our igneous rocks show that they were once in a liquid
state.
13. Nevertheless--"But": in contrast to the destructive effects
of the day of God stand its constructive effects. As the flood was the
baptism of the earth, eventuating in a renovated earth, partially
delivered from "the curse," so the baptism with fire shall purify the
earth so as to be the renovated abode of regenerated man, wholly freed
from the curse.
his promise--
(Isa 65:17; 66:22).
The "we" is not emphatical as in English Version.
new heavens--new atmospheric heavens surrounding the renovated
earth.
righteousness--dwelleth in that coming world as its
essential feature, all pollutions having been removed.
14. that ye . . . be found of him--"in His sight"
[ALFORD], at His coming; plainly implying a
personal coming.
without spot--at the coming marriage feast of the Lamb, in
contrast to
2Pe 2:13,
"Spots they are and blemishes while they feast," not having on the
King's pure wedding garment.
blameless--
(1Co 1:8;
Php 1:10;
1Th 3:13; 5:23).
in peace--in all its aspects, towards God, your own consciences,
and your fellow men, and as its consequence eternal blessedness:
"the God of peace" will effect this for you.
15. account . . . the long-suffering . . . is
salvation--is designed for the salvation of those yet to be
gathered into the Church: whereas those scoffers "count it (to be the
result of) slackness" on the Lord's part
(2Pe 3:9).
our beloved brother Paul--a beautiful instance of love and
humility. Peter praises the very Epistles which contain his
condemnation.
according to the wisdom given unto him--adopting Paul's own
language,
1Co 3:10,
"According to the grace of God which is given unto me as
a wise master-builder." Supernatural and inspired wisdom "GIVEN" him, not acquired in human schools of learning.
hath written--Greek aorist, "wrote," as a thing wholly
past: Paul was by this time either dead, or had ceased to
minister to them.
to you--Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, the same
region as Peter addresses. Compare "in peace,"
2Pe 3:14,
a practical exhibition of which Peter now gives in showing how
perfectly agreeing Paul (who wrote the Epistle to the Galatians)
and he are, notwithstanding the event recorded
(Ga 2:11-14).
Col 3:4
refers to Christ's second coming. The Epistle to the Hebrews,
too (addressed not only to the Palestinian, but also secondarily to the
Hebrew Christians everywhere), may be referred to, as Peter primarily
(though not exclusively) addresses in both Epistles the Hebrew
Christians of the dispersion (see on
1Pe 1:1).
Heb 9:27, 28; 10:25, 37,
"speak of these things"
(2Pe 3:16)
which Peter has been handling, namely, the coming of the day of the
Lord, delayed through His "long-suffering," yet near and sudden.
16. also in all his epistles--
Ro 2:4
is very similar to
2Pe 3:15,
beginning. The Pauline Epistles were by this time become the
common property of all the churches. The "all" seems to imply
they were now completed. The subject of the Lord's coming is handled in
1Th 4:13; 5:11;
compare
2Pe 3:10
with 1Th 5:2.
Still Peter distinguishes Paul's Epistle, or Epistles,
"TO YOU," from "all his (other)
Epistles," showing that certain definite churches, or particular
classes of believers, are meant by "you."
in which--Epistles. The oldest manuscripts read the
feminine relative (hais); not as Received Text (hois),
"in which things."
some things hard to be understood--namely, in reference to
Christ's coming, for example, the statements as to the man of sin and
the apostasy, before Christ's coming. "Paul seemed thereby to delay
Christ's coming to a longer period than the other apostles, whence some
doubted altogether His coming" [BENGEL]. Though
there be some things hard to be understood, there are enough besides,
plain, easy, and sufficient for perfecting the man of God. "There is
scarce anything drawn from the obscure places, but the same in other
places may be found most plain" [AUGUSTINE]. It is
our own prejudice, foolish expectations, and carnal fancies, that make
Scripture difficult [JEREMY TAYLOR].
unlearned--Not those wanting human learning are meant,
but those lacking the learning imparted by the Spirit. The
humanly learned have been often most deficient in spiritual
learning, and have originated many heresies. Compare
2Ti 2:23,
a different Greek word, "unlearned," literally, "untutored."
When religion is studied as a science, nothing is more abstruse; when
studied in order to know our duty and practice it, nothing is easier.
unstable--not yet established in what they have learned; shaken
by every seeming difficulty; who, in perplexing texts, instead of
waiting until God by His Spirit makes them plain in comparing them with
other Scriptures, hastily adopt distorted views.
wrest--strain and twist (properly with a hand screw) what
is straight in itself (for example,
2Ti 2:18).
other scriptures--Paul's Epistles were, therefore, by this time,
recognized in the Church, as "Scripture": a term never applied in any
of the fifty places where it occurs, save to the Old and New Testament
sacred writings. Men in each Church having miraculous discernment of
spirits would have prevented any uninspired writing from being put
on a par with the Old Testament word of God; the apostles' lives also
were providentially prolonged, Paul's and Peter's at least to
thirty-four years after Christ's resurrection, John's to thirty years
later, so that fraud in the canon is out of question. The three first
Gospels and Acts are included in "the other Scriptures," and perhaps
all the New Testament books, save John and Revelation, written later.
unto their own destruction--not through Paul's fault
(2Pe 2:1).
17. Ye--warned by the case of those "unlearned and unstable"
persons
(2Pe 3:16).
knowing . . . before--the event.
led away with--the very term, as Peter remembers, used by Paul
of Barnabas' being "carried," Greek, "led away with" Peter and
the other Jews in their hypocrisy.
wicked--"lawless," as in
2Pe 2:7.
fall from--(grace,
Ga 5:4:
the true source of) "steadfastness" or stability in contrast
with the "unstable"
(2Pe 3:16):
"established"
(2Pe 1:12):
all kindred Greek terms. Compare
Jude 20, 21.
18. grow--Not only do not "fall from"
(2Pe 3:17),
but grow onward: the true secret of not going backward.
Eph 4:15,
"Grow up into Him, the Head, Christ."
grace and . . . knowledge of . . .
Christ--"the grace and knowledge of Christ"
[ALFORD rightly]: the grace of which
Christ is the author, and the knowledge of which
Christ is the object.
for ever--Greek, "to the day of eternity": the day that
has no end: "the day of the Lord," beginning with the Lord's
coming.
