To them that have obtained — Not by their own works, but by the free grace of God. Like precious faith with us — The apostles. The faith of those who have not seen, being equally precious with that of those who saw our Lord in the flesh. Through the righteousness — Both active and passive. Of our Go... [ Continue Reading ]
Through the divine, experimental knowledge of God and of Christ.... [ Continue Reading ]
As his divine power has given us all things — There is a wonderful cheerfulness in this exordium, which begins with the exhortation itself. That pertain to life and godliness — To the present, natural life, and to the continuance and increase of spiritual life. Through that divine knowledge of him —... [ Continue Reading ]
Through which — Glory and fortitude. He hath given us exceeding great, and inconceivably precious promises — Both the promises and the things promised, which follow in their due season, that, sustained and encouraged by the promises, we may obtain all that he has promised. That, having escaped the m... [ Continue Reading ]
For this very reason — Because God hath given you so great blessings. Giving all diligence — It is a very uncommon word which we render giving. It literally signifies, bringing in by the by, or over and above: implying, that good works the work; yet not unless we are diligent. Our diligence is to fo... [ Continue Reading ]
And to your knowledge temperance; and to your temperance patience — Bear and forbear; sustain and abstain; deny yourself and take up your cross daily. The more knowledge you have, the more renounce your own will; indulge yourself the less. "Knowledge puffeth up," and the great boasters of knowledge... [ Continue Reading ]
And to godliness brotherly kindness — No sullenness, sternness, moroseness: "sour godliness," so called, is of the devil. Of Christian godliness it may always be said, "Mild, sweet, serene, and tender is her mood, Nor grave with sternness, nor with lightness free: Against example resolutely good, Fe... [ Continue Reading ]
For these being really in you — Added to your faith. And abounding — Increasing more and more, otherwise we fall short. Make you neither slothful nor unfruitful — Do not suffer you to be faint in your mind, or without fruit in your lives. If there is less faithfulness, less care and watchfulness, si... [ Continue Reading ]
But he that wanteth these — That does not add them to his faith. Is blind — The eyes of his understanding are again closed. He cannot see God, or his pardoning love. He has lost the evidence of things not seen. Not able to see afar off — Literally, purblind. He has lost sight of the precious promise... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore — Considering the miserable state of these apostates. Brethren — St. Peter nowhere uses this appellation in either of his epistles, but in this important exhortation. Be the more diligent — By courage, knowledge, temperance, &c. To make your calling and election firm — God hath called you... [ Continue Reading ]
For if ye do so, an entrance shall be ministered to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom — Ye shall go in full triumph to glory.... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore — Since everlasting destruction attends your sloth, everlasting glory your diligence, I will not neglect always to remind you of these things — Therefore he wrote another, so soon after the former, epistle. Though ye are established in the present truth — That truth which I am now declarin... [ Continue Reading ]
In this tabernacle — Or tent. How short is our abode in the body! How easily does a believer pass out of it!... [ Continue Reading ]
Even as the Lord Jesus showed me — In the manner which had foretold, John 21:18, &c. It is not improbable, he had also showed him that the time was now drawing nigh.... [ Continue Reading ]
That ye may be able — By having this epistle among you.... [ Continue Reading ]
These things are worthy to be always had in remembrance For they are not cunningly devised fables — Like those common among the heathens. While we made known to you the power and coming — That is, the powerful coming of Christ in glory. But if what they advanced of Christ was not true, if it was of... [ Continue Reading ]
For he received divine honour and inexpressible glory — Shining from heaven above the brightness of the sun. When there came such a voice from the excellent glory — That is, from God the Father. Matthew 17:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
And we — Peter, James, and John. St. John was still alive. Being with him in the holy mount — Made so by that glorious manifestation, as mount Horeb was of old, Exodus 3:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
And we — St. Peter here speaks in the name of all Christians. Have the word of prophecy — The words of Moses, Isaiah, and all the prophets, are one and the same word, every way consistent with itself. St. Peter does not cite any particular passage, but speaks of their entire testimony. More confirme... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye do well, as knowing this, that no scripture prophecy is of private interpretation — It is not any man's own word. It is God, not the prophet himself, who thereby interprets things till then unknown.... [ Continue Reading ]
For prophecy came not of old by the will of man — Of any mere man whatever. But the holy men of God — Devoted to him, and set apart by him for that purpose, spake and wrote. Being moved — Literally, carried. They were purely passive therein.... [ Continue Reading ]