THE SECOND GENERAL EPISTLE OF PETER. _Chronological Notes relative to this Epistle._ -Year of the Constantinopolitan era of the world, or that used by the Byzantine historians, and other eastern writers, 5568. -Year of the Alexandrian era of the world, 5562. -Year of the Antiochian era of the wo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Peter 1:2. _GRACE_] God's favour; _peace_-the effects of that favour in the communication of spiritual and temporal blessings. _THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD_] ενεπιγνωσει. _By the_ _acknowledging of God, and of Jesus our Lord_. For those who acknowledge him in all their ways, he will direct... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Peter 1:3. _AS HIS DIVINE POWER_] His power, which no power can resist, because it is _Divine_-that which properly belongs to the infinite Godhead. _HATH GIVEN UNTO US_] δεδωρημενης. _Hath endowed us with the_ _gifts_; or, hath _gifted us_, as Dr. _Macknight_ translates it, who observes th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 4. _WHEREBY ARE GIVEN UNTO US_] By his own glorious power he hath _freely given unto us exceeding great and invaluable_ _promises_. The Jews were distinguished in a very particular manner by the _promises_ which they received from God; the promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and the pro... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 5. _AND BESIDE THIS_] Notwithstanding what God hath done for you, in order that ye may not receive the grace of God in vain; _GIVING ALL DILIGENCE_] _Furnishing_ all _earnestness_ and _activity_: the original is very emphatic. _ADD TO YOUR FAITH_] επιχορηγησατε. _Lead up hand in hand_; allud... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 6. _TEMPERANCE_] A proper and limited use of all earthly enjoyments, keeping every sense under proper restraints, and never permitting the animal part to subjugate the rational. _PATIENCE_] Bearing all trials and difficulties with an even mind, enduring in all, and persevering through all. _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 7. _BROTHERLY KINDNESS_] φιλαδελφιαν. _Love of the_ _brotherhood_-the strongest attachment to Christ's flock; feeling each as a member of your own body. _CHARITY_] αγαπην. _Love_ to the whole human race, even to your persecutors: love to God and the brethren they had; love to all _mankind_ th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 8. _FOR IF THESE THINGS BE IN YOU AND ABOUND_] If ye possess all there graces, and they increase and abound in your souls, _they will make_-show, you to be neither αργους, _idle_, nor ακαρπους, _unfruitful, in the acknowledgment of our Lord Jesus_ _Christ_. The common translation is here very... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 9. _BUT HE THAT LACKETH THESE THINGS_] He, whether Jew or Gentile, who professes to have FAITH in God, and has not added to that FAITH _fortitude, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness,_ _brotherly kindness_, and universal _love_; is _blind_-his understanding is darkened, _and cannot see... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 10. _WHEREFORE_] Seeing the danger of apostasy, and the fearful end of them who obey not the Gospel, and thus receive the grace of God in vain; _give all diligence_, σπουδασατε, hasten, be deeply careful, labour with the most intense purpose of soul. _TO MAKE YOUR CALLING_] From deep Gentile... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 11. _FOR SO AN ENTRANCE SHALL BE MINISTERED_] If ye _give_ _diligence_; and do _not fall_, an abundant, free, honourable, and triumphant entrance shall be ministered to you into the everlasting kingdom. There seems to be here an allusion to the _triumphs_ granted by the Romans to their general... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 12. _WHEREFORE I WILL NOT BE NEGLIGENT_] He had already written _one_ epistle, this is the _second_; and probably he meditated more should he be spared. He plainly saw that there was no way of entering into eternal life but that which he described from the 5th to the 10th verse; 2 Peter 1:5 an... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 13. _AS LONG AS I AM IN THIS TABERNACLE_] By _tabernacle_ we are to understand his _body_; and hence several of the versions have σωματι, _body_, instead of σκηνωματι, _tabernacle_. Peter's mode of speaking is very remarkable: as long as I AM in this _tabernacle_, so then the _body_ was not _P... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _KNOWING THAT SHORTLY I MUST PUT OFF_] St. Peter plainly refers to the conversation between our Lord and himself, related John 21:18; John 21:19. And it is likely that he had now a particular intimation that he was _shortly_ to seal the truth with his blood. But as our Lord told him that h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _MOREOVER, I WILL ENDEAVOUR_] And is not this endeavour seen in these two epistles? By leaving these among them, even after his decease, they had _these things always in_ _remembrance_. _AFTER MY DECEASE_] μετατηνεμηνεξοδον. _After my going out_, i.e. of his _tabernacle_. The real Peter... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 16. _CUNNINGLY DEVISED FABLES_] σεσοφισμενοιςμυθοις. I think, with Macknight and others, from the apostle's using εποπται, _eye witnesses_, or rather _beholders_, in the end of the verse, it is probable that he means those _cunningly_ devised _fables_ among the heathens, concerning the _appea... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _FOR HE RECEIVED HONOUR AND GLORY_] In his transfiguration our Lord received from the Father honour in the voice or declaration which said, This is my Son, the beloved One, in whom I have delighted. And he received glory, when, penetrated with, and involved in, that excellent glory, the fa... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _AND THIS VOICE - WE HEARD_] That is, himself, James, and John heard it, and saw this glory; for these only were the εποπται, beholders, on the holy mount. It is worthy of remark that our blessed Lord, who came to give a new law to mankind, appeared on this holy mount with splendour and gr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _WE HAVE ALSO A MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY_] εχομεν βεβαιοτεροντονπροφητικονλογον. We have the prophetic doctrine more firm or more confirmed; for in this sense the word βεβαιοω is used in several places in the New Testament. See 1 Corinthians 1:6: Even as the testimony of Christ εβεβαιωθ... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _KNOWING THIS FIRST_] Considering this as a first principle, that no prophecy of the Scripture, whether that referred to above, or any other, is of any private interpretation-proceeds from the prophet's own knowledge or invention, or was the offspring of calculation or conjecture. The word... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Peter 1:21. _FOR THE PROPHECY CAME NOT IN OLD TIME_] That is, in any former time, by the will of man-by a man's own searching, conjecture, or calculation; but holy men of God-persons separated from the world, and devoted to God's service, spake, moved by the Holy Ghost. So far were they fro... [ Continue Reading ]