Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Peter 1:13,14

13, 14. It is the more necessary for me to remind you, since I shall not be long with you.

ἐν is here used of the instrument.

ταχινή, speedy: we may take it to mean that the change is to come soon, and also that it will be sudden and violent when it comes: certainly the former. ὁ καιρὸς τῆς� says St Paul at a similar time, 2 Timothy 4:6.

ἀπόθεσις τοῦ σκηνώματος. In N.T. the metaphor is employed in 2 Corinthians 5:2-4. The word occurs 1 Peter 3:21 σαρκὸς�. The verb is common, e.g. ἀπέθεντο τὰ ἱμάτια, Acts 7:58.

καθὼς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰ. Χ. ἑδήλωσέν μοικαθὼς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰ. Χ. ἑδήλωσέν μοι. We have of course an account of one occasion on which our Lord spoke of St Peter’s death, and predicted that it would be a violent one (possibly even by crucifixion) in John 21:18-19. It has been usual to interpret our passage as referring to that. On the other hand, it is urged that the point of the prophecy in John is the violent death, while here the writer seems to say that he has been told that he is to die shortly. There is a famous and ancient legend that St Peter fleeing from the Neronian persecution at the instance of the brethren met our Lord just outside the gates of Rome, and asked whither He was going (Domine, quo vadis?). “I am about to be crucified again” (ἄνωθεν μέλλω σταυρωθῆναι in the oldest form of the story) was the reply: and Peter turned back and fulfilled his destiny. The Lord’s words here have been variously interpreted, (a) Since you flee I am come to be crucified in your stead; (b) more probably: It is ordained that you are to be crucified, and I suffer in the person of all my disciples who suffer; (c) the word ἄνωθεν is not impossibly the origin of the story that Peter was crucified head downwards.

Possibly this legend may have been in the mind of the writer of 2 Peter.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 Peter 1:13,14

Old Testament

New Testament