ANTIDOTE AGAINST DESPISING THE DAY OF THE LORD. EXHORTATION. DOXOLOGY 2 Peter 3 may be subdivided into three parts: (_a_) 2 Peter 3:1. 'This Second Epistle is a reminder of what prophets and apostles have said. Those who would understand it must first know that, though mockers will deny this, there... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS SECOND EPISTLE.. I NOW WRITE] RV 'This is now.. the second epistle that I write': see Intro. YOUR PURE MINDS BY WAY OF REMEMBRANCE] RV 'your sincere mind by putting you in remembrance.'... [ Continue Reading ]
US THE APOSTLES OF THE LORD AND SAVIOUR] RV 'of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles.' Prophets of old and Apostles now have alike uttered the commandment of Christ: cp. 1 Peter 1:11.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL COME.. SCOFFERS] RV 'mockers shall come with mockery,' a repetition in the style of 1 Pet.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FATHERS] i.e. the men of Old Testament times: cp. Romans 9:5; Hebrews 1:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
WILLINGLY ARE IGNORANT OF] RV 'wilfully forget.' That by THE WORD OF GOD, etc.] RM 'that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and through water, by the word of God' (cp. Genesis 1:2); a thing is made both out of and through its material. What the mockers forgot was tha... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREBY] i.e. by means of the water and of the word: cp. Hebrews 11:7, 'word' and 'fire.'... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT IGNORANT] RV 'forget not': cp. 2 Peter 3:5. Another characteristic repetition. THAT ONE DAY, etc.] from Psalms 90:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT WILLING] RV 'not wishing'; in spite of this different word we are reminded of 1 Timothy 2:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT] cp. 1 Thessalonians 5:2. RV 'as a thief': cp. Matthew 24:43. All through this passage the Apostle has in mind the prophecy of our Lord which is recorded in that chapter THE ELEMENTS] the parts into which we might, roughly speaking, divide the world, e.g. earth, sea, sky. But... [ Continue Reading ]
CONVERSATION] RV 'living.'... [ Continue Reading ]
HASTING UNTO] RV 'earnestly desiring,' RM 'hastening.' It is written in the Talmud, 'If Jews exercised penitence for one day, Messiah would straightway come.' WHEREIN] RV 'by reason of which.' The Day of God is the cause. 'There will be a judgment,' not, 'the world will come to an end,' is the point... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE] given in Isaiah 65:17. After all, the world will be renewed rather than destroyed: cp. Revelation 21:5. WHEREIN DWELLETH RIGHTEOUSNESS] cp. Revelation 22:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
SUCH THINGS] RV 'these things,' i.e. new heavens, new earth, righteousness. THAT YE MAY BE FOUND] the same word as that which is translated 'discovered' in 2 Peter 3:10 (RM). There may be a reference back to it: whatever the earth and the works therein may be found to be, take care that you are fou... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH WRITTEN] RV 'wrote.' Such teaching is found in Romans and in the Pastoral Epistles (Romans 2:4 cp. Acts 17:30; 1 Timothy 2:4), but the letters referred to in this v. may not be preserved in our collection of St. Paul's Epistles. As the author of this Epistle has noticed, patience and confidence... [ Continue Reading ]
THE OTHER SCRIPTURES] RV '.. scriptures.' The Scriptures proper of the Apostolic Church were the books of the OT. But the letters of the Apostles were read publicly in the churches to whom they were addressed, and in others: see Colossians 4:16. Hence they would gradually come to be called 'scriptur... [ Continue Reading ]
GROW IN GRACE, AND _IN_ THE KNOWLEDGE OF] RV 'grow in the grace and knowledge of.' Grace is the gift of, as knowledge is directed towards, Christ. 'Grow' sums up in one word the admonitions of 1 and 2 Pet. FOR EVER] RM 'unto the day of eternity.' This is the goal of hope in both Epistles.... [ Continue Reading ]