2 Peter 1

2Pe 1:1-21.

ADDRESS:

EXHORTATION TO

ALL

GRACES, AS

GOD

HAS

GIVEN

US, IN THE

KNOWLEDGE OF

CHRIST,

ALL

THINGS

PERTAINING TO

LIFE:

CONFIRMED BY THE

TESTIMONY OF

APOSTLES, AND

ALSO

PROPHETS, TO THE

POWER AND

COMING OF

CHRIST.

1. Simon--the Greek form: in oldest manuscripts, "Symeon"

(Hebrew, that is, "hearing), as in

Ac 15:14.

His mention of his original name accords with the design of this Second

Epistle, which is to warn against the coming false teachers, by setting

forth the true "knowledge" of Christ on the testimony of the

original apostolic eye-witnesses like himself. This was not

required in the First Epistle.

servant--"slave": so Paul,

Ro 1:1.

to them, &c.--He addresses a wider range of readers (all

believers) than in the First Epistle,

2Pe 1:1,

but means to include especially those addressed in the First

Epistle, as

2Pe 3:1

proves.

obtained--by grace. Applied by Peter to the receiving of

the apostleship, literally, "by allotment": as the Greek is,

Lu 1:9;

Joh 19:24.

They did not acquire it for themselves; the divine election is as

independent of man's control, as the lot which is east forth.

like precious--"equally precious" to all: to those who believe,

though not having seen Christ, as well as to Peter and those who have

seen Him. For it lays hold of the same "exceeding great and

precious promises," and the same "righteousness of God our

Saviour." "The common salvation . . . the faith once

delivered unto the saints"

(Jude 3).

with us--apostles and eye-witnesses

(2Pe 1:18).

Though putting forward his apostleship to enforce his

exhortation, he with true humility puts himself, as to "the faith," on

a level with all other believers. The degree of faith varies in

different believers; but in respect to its objects, present

justification, sanctification, and future glorification, it is common

alike to all. Christ is to all believers "made of God wisdom,

righteousness, sanctification, and redemption."

through--Greek, "in." Translate, as the one article to

both nouns requires, "the righteousness of Him who is (at once)

our God and (our) Saviour." Peter, confirming Pau;'s testimony

to the same churches, adopts Paul's inspired phraseology. The Gospel

plan sets forth God's righteousness, which is Christ's

righteousness, in the brightest light. Faith has its sphere IN it as its peculiar element: God is in redemption

"righteous," and at the same time a "Saviour"; compare

Isa 45:21,

"a just God and a Saviour.

2. Grace . . . peace--

(1Pe 1:2).

through--Greek, "in": the sphere

IN which alone grace and peace can

be multiplied.

knowledge--Greek, "full knowledge."

of God, and of Jesus our Lord--The Father is here meant

2Pe 1:1:

marking how entirely one the Father and Son are

(Joh 14:7-11).

The Vulgate omits "of God and"; but oldest manuscripts support

the words. Still the prominent object of Peter's exhortation is "the

knowledge of Jesus our Lord" (a phrase only in

Ro 4:24),

and, only secondarily, of the Father through Him

(2Pe 1:8;

2Pe 2:20; 3:18).

3. According as, &c.--Seeing that [ALFORD].

"As He hath given us ALL things (needful)

for life and godliness, (so) do you give us ALL

diligence," &c. The oil and flame are given wholly of grace by God, and

"taken" by believers: their part henceforth is to "trim their lamps"

(compare

2Pe 1:3, 4

with 2Pe 1:5,

&c.).

life and godliness--Spiritual life must exist first

before there can be true godliness. Knowledge of God

experimentally is the first step to life

(Joh 17:3).

The child must have vital breath. first, and then cry to, and walk in

the ways of, his father. It is not by godliness that we obtain

life, but by life, godliness. To life stands

opposed corruption; to godliness, lust

(2Pe 1:4).

called us--

(2Pe 1:10);

"calling"

(1Pe 2:9).

to glory and virtue--rather, "through (His) glory." Thus

English Version reads as one oldest manuscript. But other oldest

manuscripts and Vulgate read, "By His own (peculiar)

glory and virtue"; being the explanation of "His divine power";

glory and moral excellency (the same attribute is given

to God in

1Pe 2:9,

"praises," literally, "virtues") characterize God's "power." "Virtue,"

the standing word in heathen ethics, is found only once in Paul

(Php 4:8),

and in Peter in a distinct sense from its classic usage; it (in the

heathen sense) is a term too low and earthly for expressing the gifts

of the Spirit [TRENCH, Greek Synonyms of the

New Testament].

4. Whereby, &c.--By His glory and virtue: His

glory making the "promises" to be exceeding great; His

virtue making them "precious" [BENGEL].

Precious promises are the object of precious faith.

given--The promises themselves are a gift: for

God's promises are as sure as if they were fulfilled.

even now have a sanctifying effect on the believer, assimilating him to

God. Still more so, when they shall be fulfilled.

might, &c.--Greek, "that ye MAY

become partakers of the divine nature," even now in part; hereafter

perfectly;

1Jo 3:2,

"We shall be like Him."

the divine nature--not God's essence, but His holiness,

including His "glory" and "virtue,"

2Pe 1:3;

the opposite to "corruption through lust." Sanctification is the

imparting to us of God Himself by the Holy Spirit in the soul.

We by faith partake also of the material nature of Jesus

(Eph 5:30).

The "divine power" enables us to be partakers of "the divine

nature."

escaped the corruption--which involves in, and with itself,

destruction at last of soul and body; on "escaped" as from a

condemned cell, compare

2Pe 2:18-20;

Ge 19:17;

Col 1:13.

through--Greek, "in." "The corruption in the world" has

its seat, not so much in the surrounding elements, as in the "lust" or

concupiscence of men's hearts.

5. And beside this--rather, "And for this very reason," namely,

"seeing that His divine power hath given unto us all things that

pertain to life and godliness"

(2Pe 1:3).

giving--literally, "introducing," side by side with God's

gift, on your part "diligence." Compare an instance,

2Pe 1:10;

2Pe 3:14;

2Co 7:11.

all--all possible.

add--literally, "minister additionally," or, abundantly (compare

Greek,

2Co 9:10);

said properly of the one who supplied all the equipments of a

chorus. So accordingly, "there will be ministered abundantly

unto you an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Saviour"

(2Pe 1:11).

to--Greek, "in"; "in the possession of your

faith, minister virtue. Their faith (answering to "knowledge

of Him,"

2Pe 1:3)

is presupposed as the gift of God

(2Pe 1:3;

Eph 2:8),

and is not required to be ministered by us; in its

exercise, virtue is to be, moreover, ministered. Each grace

being assumed, becomes the stepping stone to the succeeding grace: and

the latter in turn qualifies and completes the former. Faith

leads the band; love brings up the rear [BENGEL]. The fruits of faith specified are

seven, the perfect number.

virtue--moral excellency; manly, strenuous energy, answering to

the virtue (energetic excellency) of God.

and to--Greek, "in"; "and in (the exercise of) your

virtue knowledge," namely, practical discrimination of good and evil;

intelligent appreciation of what is the will of God in each detail of

practice.

6. Greek, "And in your knowledge self-control." In the

exercise of Christian knowledge or discernment of God's will,

let there be the practical fruit of self-control as to one's

lusts and passions. Incontinence weakens the mind; continence, or

self-control, moves weakness and imparts strength And in your

self-control patient endurance" amidst sufferings, so much dwelt on in

the First Epistle, second, third, and fourth chapters. "And in your

patient endurance godliness"; it is not to be mere stoical endurance,

but united to [and flowing from] God-trusting [ALFORD].

7. "And in your godliness brotherly kindness"; not suffering

your godliness to be moroseness, nor a sullen solitary habit of life,

but kind, generous, and courteous [ALFORD]. Your

natural affection and brotherly kindness are to be sanctified by

godliness. "And in your brotherly kindness love," namely, to

all men, even to enemies, in thought, word, and deed. From

brotherly kindness we are to go forward to love. Compare

1Th 3:12,

"Love one toward another (brotherly kindness), and toward all men

(charity)." So charity completes the choir of graces in

Col 3:14.

In a retrograde order, he who has love will exercise

brotherly kindness; he who has brotherly kindness will

feel godliness needful; the godly will mix nothing

stoical with his patience; to the patient, temperance is

easy; the temperate weighs things well, and so has knowledge;

knowledge guards against sudden impulse carrying away its virtue

[BENGEL].

8. be--Greek, "subsist" that is, supposing these things

to have an actual subsistence in you; "be" would express the

mere matter-of-fact being

(Ac 16:20).

abound--more than in others; so the Greek.

make--"render," "constitute you," habitually, by the very fact

of possessing these graces.

barren--"inactive," and, as a field lying fallow and

unworked (Greek), so barren and useless.

unfruitful in--rather, . . . in respect to,

"The full knowledge (Greek) of Christ" is the goal

towards which all these graces tend. As their subsisting in us

constitutes us not barren or idle, so their abounding in

us constitutes us not unfruitful in respect to it. It is through

doing His will, and so becoming like Him, that we grow in

knowing Him

(Joh 7:17).

9. But--Greek, "For." Confirming the need of these graces

(2Pe 1:5-8)

he that lacketh--Greek, "he to whom these are not

present."

blind--as to the spiritual realities of the unseen world.

and cannot see afar off--explanatory of "blind." He closes

his eyes (Greek) as unable to see distant objects (namely,

heavenly things), and fixes his gaze on present and earthly things

which alone he can see. Perhaps a degree of wilfulness in the

blindness is implied in the Greek, "closing the eyes," which

constitutes its culpability; hating and rebelling against the light

shining around him.

forgotten--Greek, "contracted forgetfulness," wilful and

culpable obliviousness.

that he was purged--The continually present sense of one's sins

having been once for all forgiven, is the strongest stimulus to every

grace

(Ps 130:4).

This once-for-all accomplished cleansing of unbelievers at their

new birth is taught symbolically by Christ,

Joh 13:10,

Greek, "He that has been bathed (once for all) needeth

not save to wash his feet (of the soils contracted in the daily

walk), but is clean every whit (in Christ our righteousness)." "Once

purged (with Christ's blood), we should have no more consciousness of

sin (as condemning us,

Heb 10:2,

because of God's promise)." Baptism is the sacramental pledge of

this.

10. Wherefore--seeking the blessed consequence of having, and

the evil effects of not having, these graces

(2Pe 1:8, 9).

the rather--the more earnestly.

brethren--marking that it is affection for them which constrains

him so earnestly to urge them. Nowhere else does he so address them,

which makes his calling them so here the more emphatical.

give diligence--The Greek aorist implies one lifelong

effect [ALFORD].

to make--Greek middle voice; to make so far as it

depends on you; to do your part towards making. "To make"

absolutely and finally is God's part, and would be in the active.

your calling and election sure--by ministering additionally

in your faith virtue, and in your virtue knowledge, &c. God must

work all these graces in us, yet not so that we should be mere

machines, but willing instruments in His hands in making

His election of us "secure." The ensuring of our election

is spoken of not in respect to God, whose counsel is steadfast and

everlasting, but in respect to our part. There is no uncertainty

on His part, but on ours the only security is our faith in His

promise and the fruits of the Spirit

(2Pe 1:5-7, 11).

Peter subjoins election to calling, because the

calling is the effect and proof of God's election, which

goes before and is the main thing

(Ro 8:28, 30, 33,

where God's "elect" are those "predestinated," and

election is "His purpose," according to which He "called"

them). We know His calling before His election, thereby

calling is put first.

fall--Greek, "stumble" and fall finally

(Ro 11:11).

Metaphor from one stumbling in a race

(1Co 9:24).

11. an entrance--rather as Greek, "the entrance"

which ye look for.

ministered--the same verb as in

2Pe 1:5.

Minister in your faith virtue and the other graces, so shall

there be ministered to you the entrance into that heaven where

these graces shine most brightly. The reward of grace hereafter shall

correspond to the work of grace here.

abundantly--Greek, "richly." It answers to "abound,"

2Pe 1:8.

If these graces abound in you, you shall have your entrance into

heaven not merely "scarcely" (as he had said,

1Pe 4:18),

nor "so as by fire," like one escaping with life after having lost all

his goods, but in triumph without "stumbling and falling."

12. Wherefore--as these graces are so necessary to your abundant

entrance into Christ's kingdom

(2Pe 1:10, 11).

I will not be negligent--The oldest manuscripts read, "I will

be about always to put you in remembrance" (an accumulated future:

I will regard you as always needing to be reminded): compare "I will

endeavor,"

2Pe 1:15.

"I will be sure always to remind you" [ALFORD].

"Always"; implying the reason why he writes the second Epistle so soon

after the first. He feels there is likely to be more and more

need of admonition on account of the increasing corruption

(2Pe 2:1, 2).

in the present truth--the Gospel truth now present with

you: formerly promised to Old Testament believers as about to

be, now in the New Testament actually present with, and in,

believers, so that they are "established" in it as a "present" reality.

Its importance renders frequent monitions never superfluous: compare

Paul's similar apology,

Ro 15:14, 15.

13. Yea--Greek, "But"; though "you know" the truth

(2Pe 1:12).

this tabernacle--soon to be taken down

(2Co 5:1):

I therefore need to make the most of my short time for the good

of Christ's Church. The zeal of Satan against it, the more intense

as his time is short, ought to stimulate Christians on the same

ground.

2Pe 3:1).

14. shortly I must put off--Greek, "the putting off (as a

garment) of my tabernacle is speedy": implying a soon

approaching, and also a sudden death (as a violent death

is). Christ's words,

Joh 21:18, 19,

"When thou art old," &c., were the ground of his "knowing," now that he

was old, that his foretold martyrdom was near. Compare as to Paul,

2Ti 4:6.

Though a violent death, he calls it a "departure" (Greek for

"decease,"

2Pe 1:15),

compare

Ac 7:60.

15. endeavour--"use my diligence": the same Greek word as

in

2Pe 1:10:

this is the field in which my diligence has scope. Peter thus

fulfils Christ's charge, "Feed My sheep"

(Joh 21:16, 17).

decease--"departure." The very word ("exodus") used in the

Transfiguration, Moses and Elias conversing about Christ's

decease (found nowhere else in the New Testament, but

Heb 11:22,

"the departing of Israel" out of Egypt, to which the saints'

deliverance from the present bondage of corruption answers).

"Tabernacle" is another term found here as well as there

(Lu 9:31, 33):

an undesigned coincidence confirming Peter's authorship of this

Epistle.

that ye may be able--by the help of this written Epistle; and

perhaps also of Mark's Gospel, which Peter superintended.

always--Greek, "on each occasion": as often as occasion

may require.

to have . . . in remembrance--Greek, "to

exercise remembrance of." Not merely "to remember," as sometimes we do,

things we care not about; but "have them in (earnest) remembrance," as

momentous and precious truths.

16. For--reason why he is so earnest that the remembrance of

these things should be continued after his death.

followed--out in detail.

cunningly devised--Greek, "devised by (man's)

wisdom"; as distinguished from what the Holy Ghost

teaches (compare

1Co 3:13).

But compare also

2Pe 2:3,

"feigned words."

fables--as the heathen mythologies, and the subsequent Gnostic

"fables and genealogies," of which the germs already existed in the

junction of Judaism with Oriental philosophy in Asia Minor. A

precautionary protest of the Spirit against the rationalistic theory of

the Gospel history being myth.

when we made known unto you--not that Peter himself had

personally taught the churches in Pontus, Galatia, &c., but he

was one of the apostles whose testimony was borne to them, and to

the Church in general, to whom this Epistle is addressed

(2Pe 1:1,

including, but not restricted, as First Peter, to the

churches in Pontus, &c.).

power--the opposite of "fables"; compare the contrast of "word"

and "power,"

1Co 4:20.

A specimen of His power was given at the Transfiguration also of

His "coming" again, and its attendant glory. The Greek

for "coming" is always used of His second advent. A refutation

of the scoffers

(2Pe 3:4):

I, James and John, saw with our own eyes a mysterious sample of His

coming glory.

were--Greek, "were made."

eye-witnesses--As initiated spectators of mysteries (so the

Greek), we were admitted into His innermost secrets, namely, at

the Transfiguration.

his--emphatical (compare Greek):

"THAT great ONE'S

majesty."

17. received . . . honour--in the voice that

spake to Him.

glory--in the light which shone around Him.

came--Greek, "was borne": the same phrase occurs only in

1Pe 1:13;

one of several instances showing that the argument against the

authenticity of this Second Epistle, from its dissimilarity of style as

compared with First Peter, is not well founded.

such a voice--as he proceeds to describe.

from the excellent glory--rather as Greek, "by (that is,

uttered by) the magnificent glory (that is, by God: as His

glorious manifested presence is often called by the Hebrews "the

Glory," compare "His Excellency,"

De 33:26;

Ps 21:5)."

in whom--Greek, "in regard to whom" (accusative

case); but

Mt 17:5,

"in whom" (dative case) centers and rests My good pleasure. Peter also

omits, as not required by his purpose, "hear Him," showing his

independence in his inspired testimony.

I am--Greek aorist, past time, "My good pleasure

rested from eternity."

18. which came--rather as Greek, "we heard borne from

heaven."

holy mount--as the Transfiguration mount came to be regarded, on

account of the manifestation of Christ's divine glory there.

we--emphatical: we, James and John, as well as myself.

19. We--all believers.

a more sure--rather as Greek, "we have the word of

prophecy more sure (confirmed)." Previously we knew its sureness

fulfilment, assurance is made doubly sure. Prophecy assures us

that Christ's sufferings, now past, are to be followed by

Christ's glory, still future: the Transfiguration gives us a

pledge to make our faith still stronger, that "the day" of His glory

will "dawn" ere long. He does not mean to say that "the word of

prophecy," or Scripture, is surer than the voice of God heard at

the Transfiguration, as English Version; for this is plainly not

the fact. The fulfilment of prophecy so far in Christ's history

makes us the surer of what is yet to be fulfilled, His

consummated glory. The word was the "lamp (Greek for 'light')

heeded" by Old Testament believers, until a gleam of the "day dawn" was

given at Christ's first coming, and especially in His Transfiguration.

So the word is a lamp to us still, until "the day" burst forth

fully at the second coming of "the Sun of righteousness." The

day, when it dawns upon you, makes sure the fact that you

saw correctly, though indistinctly, the objects revealed by the

lamp.

whereunto--to which word of prophecy, primarily the Old

Testament in Peter's day; but now also in our day the New

Testament, which, though brighter than the Old Testament (compare

1Jo 2:8,

end), is but a lamp even still as compared with the brightness

of the eternal day (compare

2Pe 3:2).

Oral teachings and traditions of ministers are to be tested by the

written word

(Ac 17:11).

dark--The Greek implies squalid, having neither

water nor light: such spiritually is the world without, and the smaller

world (microcosm) within, the heart in its natural state. Compare the

"dry places"

Lu 11:24

(namely, unwatered by the Spirit), through which the unclean spirit

goeth.

dawn--bursting through the darkness.

day star--Greek, the morning star," as

Re 22:16.

The Lord Jesus.

in your hearts--Christ's arising in the heart by His

Spirit giving full assurance, creates spiritually full day in the

heart, the means to which is prayerfully giving heed to the

word. This is associated with the coming of the day of the

Lord, as being the earnest of it. Indeed, even our hearts

shall not fully realize Christ in all His unspeakable glory and

felt presence, until He shall come

(Mal 4:2).

Isa 66:14, 15,

"When you see this, your heart shall rejoice . . .

For, behold, the Lord will come." However, TREGELLES' punctuation is best, "whereunto ye do well to

take heed (as unto a light shining in a dark place, until the day have

dawned and the morning star arisen) in your hearts." For the day has

already dawned in the heart of believers; what they wait for is its

visible manifestation at Christ's coming.

20. "Forasmuch as ye know this"

(1Pe 1:18).

first--the foremost consideration in studying the word of

prophecy. Laying it down as a first principle never to be lost

sight of.

is--Greek, not the simple verb, to be, but to

begin to be, "proves to be," "becometh." No prophecy is found to be

the result of "private (the mere individual writer's uninspired)

interpretation" (solution), and so origination.

The Greek noun epilusis, does not mean in itself

origination; but that which the sacred writer could not always

fully interpret, though being the speaker or writer (as

1Pe 1:10-12

implies), was plainly not of his own, but of God's disclosure,

origination, and inspiration, as Peter proceeds to add, "But

holy men . . . spake (and afterwards wrote)

. . . moved by the Holy Ghost": a reason why ye should "give"

all "heed" to it. The parallelism to

2Pe 1:16

shows that "private interpretation," contrasted with "moved by

the Holy Ghost," here answers to "fables devised by

(human) wisdom," contrasted with "we were eye-witnesses

of His majesty," as attested by the "voice from God." The words

of the prophetical (and so of all) Scripture writers were not mere

words of the individuals, and therefore to be interpreted by

them, but of "the Holy Ghost" by whom they were "moved." "Private"

is explained,

2Pe 1:21,

sense the text teaches also, as the word is the Holy Spirit's,

it cannot be interpreted by its readers (any more than by

its writers) by their mere private human powers, but by

the teaching of the Holy Ghost

(Joh 16:14).

"He who is the author of Scripture is its supreme interpreter"

[GERHARD]. ALFORD

translates, "springs not out of human interpretation," that is, is not

a prognostication made by a man knowing what he means when he

utters it, but," &c.

(Joh 11:49-52).

Rightly: except that the verb is rather, doth become, or

prove to be. It not being of private interpretation, you must

"give heed" to it, looking for the Spirit's illumination

"in your hearts" (compare Note, see on

2Pe 1:19).

21. came not in old time--rather, "was never at any time borne"

(to us).

Jer 23:26,

"prophets of the deceit of their own heart." Compare

2Pe 3:5,

"willingly."

holy--One oldest manuscript has, "men

FROM God": the emissaries from God. "Holy,"

if read, will mean because they had the Holy Spirit.

moved--Greek, "borne" (along) as by a mighty wind:

Ac 2:2,

"rushing (the same Greek) wind": rapt out of themselves:

still not in fanatical excitement

(1Co 14:32).

The Hebrew "nabi," "prophet," meant an announcer

or interpreter of God: he, as God's spokesman, interpreted not

his own "private" will or thought, but God's "Man of the Spirit"

(Ho 9:7,

Margin). "Thou testifiedst by Thy Spirit in Thy prophets."

"Seer," on the other hand, refers to the mode of receiving the

communications from God, rather than to the utterance of them to

others. "Spake" implies that, both in its original oral announcement,

and now even when in writing, it has been always, and is, the living

voice of God speaking to us through His inspired servants.

Greek, "borne (along)" forms a beautiful antithesis to "was

borne." They were passive, rather than active instruments. The Old

Testament prophets primarily, but including also all the

inspired penmen, whether of the New or Old Testament

(2Pe 3:2).