2 Peter · Chapter 1

V. 1. 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 God and Saviour-It is this alone by which the justice of God is satisfied, and for the sake of which he gives this precious faith.

Verse 1. Simon Peter] Symeon, sumewn, is the reading of almost all the versions, and of all the most important MSS. And this is the more remarkable, as the surname of Peter occurs upwards of seventy times in the New Testament, and is invariably read simon, Simon, except here, and in Acts 15:14, where James gives him the name of Symeon. Of all the versions, only the Armenian and Vulgate have Simon. But the edit. princ., and several of my own MSS. of the Vulgate, write Symon; and Wiclif has Symont.

A servant] Employed in his Master’s work.

And an apostle] Commissioned immediately by Jesus Christ himself to preach to the Gentiles, and to write these epistles for the edification of the Church. As the writer was an apostle, the epistle is therefore necessarily canonical. All the MSS. agree in the title apostle; and of the versions, only the Syriac omits it.

Precious faith] isotimon pistin. Valuable faith; faith worth a great price, and faith which cost a great price. The word precious is used in the low religious phraseology for dear, comfortable, delightful, &c.; but how much is the dignity of the subject let down by expressions and meanings more proper for the nursery than for the noble science of salvation! It is necessary however to state, that the word precious literally signifies valuable, of great price, costly; and was not used in that low sense in which it is now employed when our translation was made. That faith must be of infinite value, the grace of which Christ purchased by his blood; and it must be of infinite value also when it is the very instrument by which the soul is saved unto eternal life.

With us] God having given to you-believing Gentiles, the same faith and salvation which he had given to us-believing Jews.

Through the righteousness of God] Through his method of bringing a lost world, both Jews and Gentiles, to salvation by Jesus Christ; through his gracious impartiality, providing for Gentiles as well as Jews. See the notes on Romans 3:21-26.

Of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ] This is not a proper translation of the original tou qeou hmwn kai swthrov ihsou cristou, which is literally, Of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ; and this reading, which is indicated in the margin, should have been received into the text; and it is an absolute proof that St. Peter calls Jesus Christ GOD, even in the properest sense of the word, with the article prefixed. It is no evidence against this doctrine that one MS. of little authority, and the Syriac and two Arabic versions have kuriou, Lord, instead of qeou, God, as all other MSS. and versions agree in the other reading, as well as the fathers. See in Griesbach.

Verses 1, 2. 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 of the same nature, value, and virtue, equally precious, with that of those who saw our Lord in the flesh; en, in, or through the righteousness of God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ — That is, faith in, and received through, the mercy (in consistence with the justice) of God the Father, and in and through the obedience unto death of our Saviour Jesus Christ. This is according to the common translation. “But on what authority,” says Macknight, “our translators have rendered tou qeou hmwn kai swthrov, of God and our Saviour, I know not.” The literal translation of the clause undoubtedly is, Faith in, or through, the righteousness, (namely, both active and passive,) of our God and Saviour, which is at once a principal object of saving faith, and that through which alone the justice of God is satisfied, and saving faith conferred upon us. Some, however, are of opinion that the relative our, in the first clause, though omitted in the second, is to be understood as repeated. The reading would then be, the righteousness of our God, and of our Saviour. But the propriety of this construction is justly questioned. Grace and peace — See on 1 Peter 1:2; through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord — Through the experimental, practical knowledge of the Father and of the Son, (who, as appears from the order of the original words, are both here intended,) even that knowledge which is communicated by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, (see Matthew 11:27; Ephesians 1:17; 1 John 5:20,) and in which consisteth our eternal life, John 17:3, where see the note.

Verse 1, 2. Simon Peter, the Greek is Symeon, as in two other places of the Greek text. To them that have obtained like precious faith, the christians of every name. Through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Isaiah 45:8. Romans 3:20. Middleton, on the Greek article, says that this is spoken of one Person, the same as in Titus 2:13. The argument is fair, because God the Father is the fountain of deity. The like argument applies to verse the second. Grace and peace — through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:3. Christ being called God our Saviour, he is to us what he was to Abraham. Genesis 17:7.

1. Peter’s address to those of like faith; and benediction, 1, 2.

1. Simon—Greek, Symeon, used only here and by James in Acts 15:14. Servant—So St. Paul, Romans 1:1. An apostle—See on 1 Peter 1:1. The assertion of apostolic authority is here eminently important in view of the purpose to se t forth the true doctrine of Christ in opposition to the heresies of false teachers. To them—The same persons primarily as are addressed in the first epistle, (chap. 3:1,) yet including all believers in Christ. It is, thence, a catholic epistle. Have obtained—As a gracious gift, as if by divine allotment. Like precious faith—A faith of equal value with that which the apostles themselves possessed, procuring the same salvation and on the same terms. Through the righteousness—Rather, in the righteousness. Righteousness is not the instrument by which faith results, but the element in which it rests. Nor do we understand by it God’s attribute of righteousness, or his righteous way of dealing, but the righteousness which he gives to the believer. To those in this state of salvation this epistle is addressed. Of God and our Saviour—In the English form the first term signifies the Father and the second the Son; but the Greek requires us to read, Of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, thus identifying God with Christ. Note on Titus 1:3. At the outset the apostle asserts the Godhead of Christ, in view of the errorists against whom he is writing.

V. 2. Through the divine, experimental knowledge of God and of Christ.

Verse 2. Grace] God’s favour; peace-the effects of that favour in the communication of spiritual and temporal blessings.

Through the knowledge of God] en epignwsei. By the acknowledging of God, and of Jesus our Lord. For those who acknowledge him in all their ways, he will direct their steps. Those who know Christ; and do not acknowledge him before men, can get no multiplication of grace and peace.

Verses 1, 2. 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 of the same nature, value, and virtue, equally precious, with that of those who saw our Lord in the flesh; en, in, or through the righteousness of God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ — That is, faith in, and received through, the mercy (in consistence with the justice) of God the Father, and in and through the obedience unto death of our Saviour Jesus Christ. This is according to the common translation. “But on what authority,” says Macknight, “our translators have rendered tou qeou hmwn kai swthrov, of God and our Saviour, I know not.” The literal translation of the clause undoubtedly is, Faith in, or through, the righteousness, (namely, both active and passive,) of our God and Saviour, which is at once a principal object of saving faith, and that through which alone the justice of God is satisfied, and saving faith conferred upon us. Some, however, are of opinion that the relative our, in the first clause, though omitted in the second, is to be understood as repeated. The reading would then be, the righteousness of our God, and of our Saviour. But the propriety of this construction is justly questioned. Grace and peace — See on 1 Peter 1:2; through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord — Through the experimental, practical knowledge of the Father and of the Son, (who, as appears from the order of the original words, are both here intended,) even that knowledge which is communicated by the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, (see Matthew 11:27; Ephesians 1:17; 1 John 5:20,) and in which consisteth our eternal life, John 17:3, where see the note.

Verse 1, 2. Simon Peter, the Greek is Symeon, as in two other places of the Greek text. To them that have obtained like precious faith, the christians of every name. Through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Isaiah 45:8. Romans 3:20. Middleton, on the Greek article, says that this is spoken of one Person, the same as in Titus 2:13. The argument is fair, because God the Father is the fountain of deity. The like argument applies to verse the second. Grace and peace — through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:3. Christ being called God our Saviour, he is to us what he was to Abraham. Genesis 17:7.

2. Grace—In which the believer lives. Peace—Its fruit. Be multiplied— With this prayer for increase agrees the final exhortation to growth, in chap. 3:18. Through the knowledge—’Epignwsiv, knowledge upon, full knowledge; the keynote of the epistle. It occurs, also, in verses 3, 8, and 2 Peter 2:20. Of God—The Father, who is truly known only as revealed in the Son. Of Jesus our Lord—The Saviour, who is also supreme Lord. This unusual expression, found only here and in Romans 4:24, lifts the standard against the deniers of 2 Peter 2:1. This knowledge is both doctrinal and experimental. It lies at the foundation of all true religion, and is the element in which all grace and peace begin and grow. Moreover, increase of the knowledge is the indispensable condition of increase in the grace.

2. God’s great gifts and promises call for rich Christian culture and graces, 3-9.

V. 3. 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-Of Christ.

Who hath called us by-His own glorious power, to eternal glory, as the end; by Christian virtue or fortitude, as the means.

Verse 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] dedwrhmenhv. Hath endowed us with the gifts; or, hath gifted us, as Dr. Macknight translates it, who observes that it refers to the gifts which the Holy Spirit communicated to the apostles, to enable them to bring men to life and godliness; which were, 1. A complete knowledge of the doctrines of the Gospel. 2. Power to preach and defend their doctrines in suitable language, which their adversaries were not able to gainsay or resist. 3. Wisdom to direct them how to behave in all cases, where and when to labour; and the matter suitable to all different cases, and every variety of persons. 4. Miraculous powers, so that on all proper and necessary occasions they could work miracles for the confirmation of their doctrines and mission.

By life and godliness we may understand, 1. a godly life; or, 2. eternal life as the end, and godliness the way to it; or, 3. what was essentially necessary for the present life, food, raiment, &c., and what was requisite for the life to come. As they were in a suffering state, and most probably many of them strangers in those places, one can scarcely say that they had all things that pertained to life; and yet so had God worked in their behalf, that none of them perished, either through lack of food or raiment. And as to what was necessary for godliness, they had that from the Gospel ministry, which it appears was still continued among them, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit which were not withdrawn; and what was farther necessary in the way of personal caution, comfort, and instruction, was supplied by means of these two epistles.

That hath called us to glory and virtue] To virtue or courage as the means; and glory-the kingdom of heaven, as the end. This is the way in which these words are commonly understood, and this sense is plain enough, but the construction is harsh. Others have translated dia doxhv kai arethv, by his glorious benignity, a Hebraism for dia thv endoxou arethv. and read the whole verse thus: God by his own power hath bestowed on us every thing necessary for a happy life and godliness, having called us to the knowledge of himself, by his own infinite goodness. It is certain that the word areth, which we translate virtue or courage, is used, 1 Peter 2:9, to express the perfection of the Divine nature: That ye may show forth tav aretav, the virtues or PERFECTIONS, of him who hath called you from darkness into his marvellous light.

But there is a various reading here which is of considerable importance, and which, from the authorities by which it is supported, appears to be genuine: tou kalesantov hmav idia doxh kai areth, through the knowledge of him who hath called us by his own glory and power, or by his own glorious power. This is the reading of AC, several others; and, in effect, of the Coptic, Armenian, Syriac, Æthiopic, Vulgate, Cyril, Cassiodorus, &c.

Verses 3, 4. As his divine power hath 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, termed here godliness; through the knowledge — The divine and saving knowledge; of him — Christ; that hath called us to glory — Eternal glory hereafter, as the end; and to virtue — Or holiness, as the way leading thereto. Or fortitude, one particular branch of holiness, (frequently meant by the word areth,) may be here intended, as it is by the same word, verse 5. The original phrase, however, dia doxhv kai arethv, is literally, by, or through glory and virtue; that is, as some understand it, by his glorious power; or the glorious and powerful effusion of the Spirit, as Whitby understands the words. Whereby — By means of which glorious power, or illustrious seal set to the declaration of the gospel; or, as some would render di wn, for the sake of which things; that is, that we might attain to this glory and virtue; are given unto us great and precious promises — Namely, the promises of the gospel, which he calls great and precious, because the things promised are the grandest that can be conceived by the human mind, and infinitely more valuable than any present enjoyments or expectations: promises of the pardon of sin, of acceptance with God, of his peculiar favour, adoption into his family, and being treated as his sons and daughters; favoured with liberty of access to him, and intercourse with him; with direction in difficulties, protection in dangers, succour in temptations, comfort in troubles, a supply of all our wants, and an assurance that all things shall work for our good; promises of the Spirit of adoption, of regeneration and sanctification, to be sent into our hearts as a pledge and earnest of our future felicity; and, to crown the whole, the promise of everlasting life, felicity, and glory. Both the promises and the things promised, which follow in their due season, are here intended; that by these — By the consideration of, and faith in, these true and faithful promises, and the great and glorious blessings exhibited in, and ensured to, true and persevering believers thereby, you might be encouraged and induced to renounce the world and sin, with every corrupt inclination and affection, design and desire, and be made partakers of the divine nature — Of a new, holy, and heavenly nature, derived from God, through the influence of his Spirit renewing you in his image, and giving you communion with himself so as to dwell in God, and God in you; having escaped the corruption that is in the world — The corrupt customs and habits, principles and practices, that are found in worldly men, en epiqumia, through desire, namely, irregular and inordinate desire, the desire of unlawful things, or the immoderate desire of things lawful, that fruitful source of sin and misery.

Ver. 3. According to his divine power; for we are blessed in Christ according to the fulness of the promises, and according to his abundant mercy. The inestimable love of God is the source whence all our comforts flow. The two words, doxa and areth, glory and virtue, are used here emphatically to denote the glory to which we are called, as in Romans 8:21; or the courage and constancy with which we should confess the truth.

3. A proper punctuation commences here a new sentence, which extends through verse 7. According as—Rather, Forasmuch as; laying the foundation for the exhortation in verses 5-7. Given… us all things— Whatever pertains to the work of salvation and the life of holiness is God’s gracious gift, originating in, and bestowed by, him. The all things is, in the Greek, emphatic, and must be taken in the broadest sense, as including whatever is in any way connected with raising us up from the death and ruin of sin to the fulness of the glory of heaven. They are brought to us by his divine power; probably referring less to its operation in their provision, as in the incarnation and resurrection, than to it in the actual gift of salvation. Life—Spiritual life. Godliness—Reverential piety toward God. The two words express inward and outward holiness. Through the knowledge—No mystical rites or superstitious observances can obtain the least of the all things: the declared and successful instrument is knowledge, the coming to a full knowledge. Grace and power are the supernatural essentials to holiness, but they work through the truth received, and in accord with our rational nature. Him that hath called us—God, yet, nevertheless, our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, as in verse 1, and especially because verse 8 defines the knowledge as of our Lord Jesus Christ. To glory and virtue—The best texts agree in reading, By his own glory and virtue. Glory belongs to his Godhead: virtue is, as in the Greek of 1 Peter 2:9, his moral excellence and perfections. By all the attributes of his nature he called us to the blessings of the gospel.

V. 4. 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 manifold corruption which is in the world-From that fruitful fountain, evil desire.

Ye may become partakers of the divine nature-Being renewed in the image of God, and having communion with them, so as to dwell in God and God in you.

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 prophets. God promised to be their God; to protect, support, and save them; to give them what was emphatically called the promised land; and to cause the Messiah to spring from their race. St. Peter intimates to these Gentiles that God had also given unto them exceeding great promises; indeed all that he had given to the Jews, the mere settlement in the promised land excepted; and this also he had given in all its spiritual meaning and force. And besides ta megista epaggelmata, these superlatively great promises, which distinguished the Mosaic dispensation, he had given them ta timia epaggelmata; the valuable promises, those which came through the great price; enrolment with the Church of God, redemption in and through the blood of the cross, the continual indwelling influence of the Holy Ghost, the resurrection of the body, and eternal rest at the right hand of God. It was of considerable consequence to the comfort of the Gentiles that these promises were made to them, and that salvation was not exclusively of the Jews.

That by these ye might be partakers] The object of all God’s promises and dispensations was to bring fallen man back to the image of God, which he had lost. This, indeed, is the sum and substance of the religion of Christ. We have partaken of an earthly, sensual, and devilish nature; the design of God by Christ is to remove this, and to make us partakers of the Divine nature; and save us from all the corruption in principle and fact which is in the world; the source of which is lust, epiqumia, irregular, unreasonable, in ordinate, and impure desire; desire to have, to do, and to be, what God has prohibited, and what would be ruinous and destructive to us were the desire to be granted.

Lust, or irregular, impure desire, is the source whence all the corruption which is in the world springs. Lust conceives and brings forth sin; sin is finished or brought into act, and then brings forth death. This destructive principle is to be rooted out; and love to God and man is to be implanted in its place. This is every Christian’s privilege; God has promised to purify our hearts by faith; and that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so shall grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life; that here we are to be delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, and have even “the thoughts of our hearts so cleansed by the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit, that we shall perfectly love him, and worthily magnify his holy name.” This blessing may be expected by those who are continually escaping, apofugontev, flying from, the corruption that is in the world and in themselves. God purifies no heart in which sin is indulged. Get pardon through the blood of the Lamb; feel your need of being purified in heart; seek that with all your soul; plead the exceeding great and invaluable promises that refer to this point; abhor your inward self; abstain from every appearance of evil; flee from self and sin to God; and the very God of peace will sanctify you through body, soul, and spirit, make you burning and shining lights here below, (a proof that he can save to the uttermost ail that come to him by Christ,) and afterwards, having guided you by his counsel through life, will receive you into his eternal glory.

Verses 3, 4. As his divine power hath 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, termed here godliness; through the knowledge — The divine and saving knowledge; of him — Christ; that hath called us to glory — Eternal glory hereafter, as the end; and to virtue — Or holiness, as the way leading thereto. Or fortitude, one particular branch of holiness, (frequently meant by the word areth,) may be here intended, as it is by the same word, verse 5. The original phrase, however, dia doxhv kai arethv, is literally, by, or through glory and virtue; that is, as some understand it, by his glorious power; or the glorious and powerful effusion of the Spirit, as Whitby understands the words. Whereby — By means of which glorious power, or illustrious seal set to the declaration of the gospel; or, as some would render di wn, for the sake of which things; that is, that we might attain to this glory and virtue; are given unto us great and precious promises — Namely, the promises of the gospel, which he calls great and precious, because the things promised are the grandest that can be conceived by the human mind, and infinitely more valuable than any present enjoyments or expectations: promises of the pardon of sin, of acceptance with God, of his peculiar favour, adoption into his family, and being treated as his sons and daughters; favoured with liberty of access to him, and intercourse with him; with direction in difficulties, protection in dangers, succour in temptations, comfort in troubles, a supply of all our wants, and an assurance that all things shall work for our good; promises of the Spirit of adoption, of regeneration and sanctification, to be sent into our hearts as a pledge and earnest of our future felicity; and, to crown the whole, the promise of everlasting life, felicity, and glory. Both the promises and the things promised, which follow in their due season, are here intended; that by these — By the consideration of, and faith in, these true and faithful promises, and the great and glorious blessings exhibited in, and ensured to, true and persevering believers thereby, you might be encouraged and induced to renounce the world and sin, with every corrupt inclination and affection, design and desire, and be made partakers of the divine nature — Of a new, holy, and heavenly nature, derived from God, through the influence of his Spirit renewing you in his image, and giving you communion with himself so as to dwell in God, and God in you; having escaped the corruption that is in the world — The corrupt customs and habits, principles and practices, that are found in worldly men, en epiqumia, through desire, namely, irregular and inordinate desire, the desire of unlawful things, or the immoderate desire of things lawful, that fruitful source of sin and misery.

Ver. 4. Whereby, di’ wn; the antecedent is, God our Saviour, the ever- living and self-existent God, as appears from Revelation 1:8. 4:8. 11:17. He ever lives to perform to posterity what he promised to the fathers in past ages. He has given us in the grand chain of our calling, exceeding great and precious promises in the new covenant, to allure us from corruption, and to make us partakers of the divine nature; or to give us a new heart, and a right spirit, that this new nature may be in us what concupiscence is in the world.

The manner in which the promises have been given is particularly worthy of remark. When Abraham was afraid of the cruel kings of Canaan, God said, “Fear not, Abraham, I am thy shield and exceeding great reward.” Such also were the seasonable promises which he gave to Paul, in Corinth, in prison, and when at sea. As the clouds rise out of the ocean, and water all the plains in their course, and descend on the droughty mountains, so the precious promises, after watering all ages of the church, descend on the hill of Zion with the rich treasures of grace reserved for the latter day. Our weak faith underrates the inestimable value of the promises, which contain all the treasures of grace and glory.

4. Whereby—By which, namely, his own glory and virtue. Are given— Better, He hath given. He who called us has also, by the same instruments, supplied the means of attaining the object of the call. Exceeding great— Rather, the greatest; greater cannot easily be conceived. Precious—Of inestimable value in themselves, and costly in their price. The promises are not Old Testament promises of gospel blessings, but general promises contained in the gospel itself, such as of pardon of sin to the penitent, the ever-availing atonement and powerful intercession of Christ, and the renewing and sanctifying Spirit. That by these—By means of these promises, heartily believed in and fulfilled. Ye might be—Rather, Ye may become; for it is to be completed as well as begun. The apostle now changes from the us hitherto used, meaning Christians in general, to ye, bringing the grand aim of these glorious promises directly home to his readers. Partakers of the divine nature—Pantheism holds that we, and indeed all things, are a part of God. Buddhism teaches the highest perfection to be absorption into God, ultimating in nonentity. Christianity, by the divine presence in us, makes us like God in holiness, love, and all the characteristics of his moral nature. This is Christian perfection. Beginning in the new birth, its advancement and completion are by the promises, which belong to the all things; so that most truly does divine power work out for faithful believers the divine nature. Fundamental to all, however, is the fleeing away from, the renunciation of, the moral corruption that so widely befouls the world, and that has its source in base, wicked lust. God’s call is to purity: that of the false teachers is to corruption. 2 Peter 2:18.

V. 5. 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 follow the gift of God, and is followed by an increase of all his gifts. Add to-And in all the other gifts of God. Superadd the latter, without losing the former. The Greek word properly means lead up, as in dance, one of these after the other, in a beautiful order.

Your faith, that "evidence of things not seen," termed before "the knowledge of God and of Christ," the root of all Christian graces. Courage-Whereby ye may conquer all enemies and difficulties, and execute whatever faith dictates. In this most beautiful connexion, each preceding grace leads to the following; each following, tempers and perfects the preceding. They are set down in the order of nature, rather than the order of time. For though every grace bears a relation to every other, yet here they are so nicely ranged, that those which have the closest dependence on each other are placed together.

And to your courage knowledge-Wisdom, teaching how to exercise it on all occasions.

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] epicorhghsate. Lead up hand in hand; alluding, as most think, to the chorus in the Grecian dance, who danced with joined hands. See Clarke’s note on this word, “2 Corinthians 9:10”. Your faith-That faith in Jesus by which ye have been led to embrace the whole Gospel, and by which ye have the evidence of things unseen. Virtue] arethn. Courage or fortitude, to enable you to profess the faith before men, in these times of persecution.

Knowledge] True wisdom, by which your faith will be increased, and your courage directed, and preserved from degenerating into rashness.

Verse 5. And besides this — Besides your renouncing the corruption that is in the world, you must increase in all the graces of God’s Spirit, and in the virtues to which they naturally lead. Or, as auto touto is rendered by some learned critics, (the particle eiv being supposed to be understood,) for this purpose, or for this very reason, namely, because God hath given you such great blessings; giving all diligence — Or, showing all earnestness, and making all haste, as spoudhn pasan implies. The word pareisenegkantev, rendered giving, literally signifies, bringing in by the by, or over and above; implying that God works the work, but not unless we are earnest and diligent. Our earnestness and diligence must follow the gift of God, and will be followed by an increase of all his gifts. Add to — And in, or by, the promises of God, and his other gifts, the graces here mentioned: superadd the latter without losing the former. The Greek word epicorhghaste properly means, lead up as in a dance, one of these graces in, by, or after the other in a beautiful order. Add to (en, in, or by) your faith that evidence of things not seen, termed before, the knowledge of God and of Christ, the root of all Christian graces; virtue — Or, courage; amidst all the difficulties, dangers, trials, and troubles you meet with, exercise that courage, or fortitude, whereby you may conquer all enemies and oppositions, and execute whatever faith dictates. In this most beautiful connection, each preceding grace leads to the following: each following tempers and perfects the preceding. They are set down in the order of nature, rather than the order of time: for though every grace bears a relation to every other, yet here they are so nicely ranged, that those which have the closest dependance on each other are placed together. The propriety of the apostle’s exhorting those to whom he wrote, to add courage to their faith, will more clearly appear, if we recollect that, in the first age, the disciples of Christ were frequently accused before the heathen magistrates of being Christians, and that, “on such occasions, it was incumbent on them to acknowledge it, notwithstanding they exposed themselves thereby to every species of persecution; because, by boldly professing their faith, they not only encouraged each other to persevere in their Christian profession, but they maintained the gospel in the world. Accordingly Christ solemnly charged all his disciples to confess him before men, and threatened to inflict the severest punishment on those who denied him, Matthew 10:32, 33.” — Macknight. And even in the present state of the world, true and vital religion will always, more or less, meet with opposition from the carnal and wicked, and will frequently expose those who possess it to no little persecution, especially in some countries; if not to imprisonment, and the spoiling of their goods, yet to contumely, reproach, revilings, and various insults; so that it is still necessary, if we would prove ourselves the genuine followers of Jesus, that we should add to our faith courage, or fortitude and firmness of mind, that we may stand in the evil day, and war a good warfare. And to your courage, knowledge — Wisdom, teaching you how to exercise it on all occasions. The word may include also a general knowledge of the doctrines, precepts, and promises of the gospel, and of the whole nature and design of Christianity; as also an acquaintance with the principal evidences of its truth and importance: for, without a full persuasion of these, our courage must want its proper support, and will desert us in the day of trial.

Ver. 5-7. Add to your faith virtue. Faith, embracing the promises, must be vigorous, must display its energies from the interior life which the promises communicate, by boldly confessing the truth. This faith, which renews the heart, must be associated with the knowledge of Christ, the grace, which according to Paul, gave him confidence concerning the stability of the churches. Temperance, the grace which commands the passions, regulates the affections, and the appetite, in diet, in dress and behaviour, and patience in bearing afflictions. Godliness, which by conversing with heaven, sheds a glory on all our walk and outward conduct. And particularly so in brotherly kindness, regarding the brethren with affection and goodwill. If we love God for himself, we shall love the brethren as his children.

5. And besides this—Rather, Even for this very reason. Giving—The Greek means, bringing in by the side of. God has done his part, as shown in verses 3, 4; now do you do your part in bringing your own diligence into action by the side of what he has done. Add to your faith—Rather, furnish in your faith; that is, in the exercise of your faith furnish, besides it, virtue. The verb originally means to furnish the musicians and equipments of a chorus. In this choir of Christian graces each added one, as Bengel suggests, prepares for the next, and corrects and perfects that which precedes. Faith is already in possession, (verse 1;) but faith may become feeble or antinomian. Therefore, in its exercise, furnish virtue, or all moral excellence, especially courage to do and suffer. Lest virtue, unguarded, should be impulsive or rash, furnish in it knowledge of God, truth, self, and duty.

V. 6. 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 (the Gnostics) were those that "turned the grace of God into wantonness." But see that your knowledge be attended with temperance. Christian temperance implies the voluntary abstaining from all pleasure which does not lead to God. It extends to all things inward and outward: the due government of every thought, as well as affection. "It is using the world," so to use all outward, and so to restrain all inward things, that they may become a means of what is spiritual; a scaling ladder to ascend to what is above. Intemperance is to abuse the world. He that uses anything below, looking no higher, and getting no farther, is intemperate. He that uses the creature only so as to attain to more of the Creator, is alone temperate, and walks as Christ himself walked.

And to patience godliness-Its proper support: a continual sense of God's presence and providence, and a filial fear of, and confidence in, him; otherwise your patience may be pride, surliness, stoicism; but not Christianity.

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.

Godliness] Piety towards God; a deep, reverential, religious fear; not only worshipping God with every becoming outward act, but adoring, loving, and magnifying him in the heart: a disposition indispensably necessary to salvation, but exceedingly rare among professors.

Verses 6, 7. And to knowledge, temperance — This virtue consists in a confirmed habit of ruling all the affections, passions, and appetites of our nature in a proper manner, by placing our affections on proper objects; by restraining our angry, peevish, envious, and unholy tempers, and by using moderation in gratifying our appetites. Christian temperance, indeed, includes the voluntary abstaining from all pleasure which does not lead to God, extending to all things inward and outward, and implying the due government of our thoughts and imaginations, as well as of our desires and designs. It is the using the world properly: so to use all outward, and so to restrain all inward things, that they may become a means of what is spiritual; a scaling-ladder to ascend to what is above. Intemperance is to abuse the world. He that uses any thing below, looking no higher, and getting no farther, is intemperate. He that uses the creature only so as to attain to more of the Creator, is alone temperate in all things, and walks as Christ himself walked; and to temperance, patience — Bear as well as forbear; sustain as well as abstain; take up your cross, as well as deny yourself, daily; and the more knowledge you have, do this the more: the more steadily and resolutely renounce your own will; submit to, and acquiesce in, the will of God; and indulge yourself the less. Knowledge puffeth up; and the great boasters of knowledge, the Gnostics, were those that turned the grace of God into wantonness, being lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, and of course effeminate and unprepared to encounter any opposition, or to endure any hardship on account of truth and a good conscience. But see that your knowledge be attended with temperance, and your temperance with patience; and to patience, godliness — Its proper support; a continual sense of God’s wisdom, power, and goodness; of his holiness, truth, justice, and mercy; of his presence and providence, with a reverential, awful, filial, and loving fear of, and confidence in him. Otherwise your patience may be pride, surliness, stoicism; but it will not be Christianity. And to godliness, brotherly kindness — Sullenness, sternness, moroseness, are not consistent with genuine godliness. 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,

Fervent in zeal, and warm in charity.”

And to brotherly kindness, love — The pure and perfect love of God and of all mankind. The apostle here makes an advance upon the preceding article, brotherly kindness, which seems only to relate to the love of Christians toward one another.

Ver. 5-7. Add to your faith virtue. Faith, embracing the promises, must be vigorous, must display its energies from the interior life which the promises communicate, by boldly confessing the truth. This faith, which renews the heart, must be associated with the knowledge of Christ, the grace, which according to Paul, gave him confidence concerning the stability of the churches. Temperance, the grace which commands the passions, regulates the affections, and the appetite, in diet, in dress and behaviour, and patience in bearing afflictions. Godliness, which by conversing with heaven, sheds a glory on all our walk and outward conduct. And particularly so in brotherly kindness, regarding the brethren with affection and goodwill. If we love God for himself, we shall love the brethren as his children.

6. Knowledge, perverted, may become conceited and self-indulgent, as in the idol feasts at Corinth, (1 Corinthians 8:1, 10,) and in the teachings of the Gnostics; in your knowledge, therefore, furnish temperance— self-control—by which all desires and passions shall be held in proper check, often even to total abstinence, as, for instance, in intoxicating drinks. The question of amusements falls under this rule. But as severe self-control may become ascetic and intolerant, it must be tempered by patience, or patient endurance; and in exercising patience, to guard against a stoical apathy or indifference, furnish godliness, fearing, trusting, and communing with God.

V. 7. 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,

Fervent in zeal, and warm in charity."

And to brotherly kindness love-The pure and perfect love of God and of all mankind. The apostle here makes an advance upon the preceding article, brotherly kindness, which seems only to relate to the love of Christians toward one another.

Verse 7. Brotherly kindness] filadelfian. Love of the

brotherhood-the strongest attachment to Christ’s flock; feeling each as a member of your own body.

Charity] agaphn. Love to the whole human race, even to your persecutors: love to God and the brethren they had; love to all mankind they must also have. True religion is neither selfish nor insulated; where the love of God is, bigotry cannot exist. Narrow, selfish people, and people of a party, who scarcely have any hope of the salvation of those who do not believe as they believe, and who do not follow with them, have scarcely any religion, though in their own apprehension none is so truly orthodox or religious as themselves.

After agaphn, love, one MS. adds these words, en de th agaph thn paraklhsin, and to this love consolation; but this is an idle and useless addition.

Verses 6, 7. And to knowledge, temperance — This virtue consists in a confirmed habit of ruling all the affections, passions, and appetites of our nature in a proper manner, by placing our affections on proper objects; by restraining our angry, peevish, envious, and unholy tempers, and by using moderation in gratifying our appetites. Christian temperance, indeed, includes the voluntary abstaining from all pleasure which does not lead to God, extending to all things inward and outward, and implying the due government of our thoughts and imaginations, as well as of our desires and designs. It is the using the world properly: so to use all outward, and so to restrain all inward things, that they may become a means of what is spiritual; a scaling-ladder to ascend to what is above. Intemperance is to abuse the world. He that uses any thing below, looking no higher, and getting no farther, is intemperate. He that uses the creature only so as to attain to more of the Creator, is alone temperate in all things, and walks as Christ himself walked; and to temperance, patience — Bear as well as forbear; sustain as well as abstain; take up your cross, as well as deny yourself, daily; and the more knowledge you have, do this the more: the more steadily and resolutely renounce your own will; submit to, and acquiesce in, the will of God; and indulge yourself the less. Knowledge puffeth up; and the great boasters of knowledge, the Gnostics, were those that turned the grace of God into wantonness, being lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, and of course effeminate and unprepared to encounter any opposition, or to endure any hardship on account of truth and a good conscience. But see that your knowledge be attended with temperance, and your temperance with patience; and to patience, godliness — Its proper support; a continual sense of God’s wisdom, power, and goodness; of his holiness, truth, justice, and mercy; of his presence and providence, with a reverential, awful, filial, and loving fear of, and confidence in him. Otherwise your patience may be pride, surliness, stoicism; but it will not be Christianity. And to godliness, brotherly kindness — Sullenness, sternness, moroseness, are not consistent with genuine godliness. 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,

Fervent in zeal, and warm in charity.”

And to brotherly kindness, love — The pure and perfect love of God and of all mankind. The apostle here makes an advance upon the preceding article, brotherly kindness, which seems only to relate to the love of Christians toward one another.

Ver. 5-7. Add to your faith virtue. Faith, embracing the promises, must be vigorous, must display its energies from the interior life which the promises communicate, by boldly confessing the truth. This faith, which renews the heart, must be associated with the knowledge of Christ, the grace, which according to Paul, gave him confidence concerning the stability of the churches. Temperance, the grace which commands the passions, regulates the affections, and the appetite, in diet, in dress and behaviour, and patience in bearing afflictions. Godliness, which by conversing with heaven, sheds a glory on all our walk and outward conduct. And particularly so in brotherly kindness, regarding the brethren with affection and goodwill. If we love God for himself, we shall love the brethren as his children.

7. Godliness, unguarded, becomes morose and estranged from brethren, and loves its own solitude; therefore, in your godliness furnish brotherly kindness, or rather, brotherly love. And lest this become narrow and bigoted, in your love of the Christian brotherhood, furnish charity, a love that looks out beyond and embraces all mankind. Of these graces, love, then, is the crown. The order is not that of succession, for they all grow together, and are all essential to a full symmetrical Christian character.

V. 8. 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, since we were pardoned, than there was before, and less diligence, less outward obedience, than when we were seeking remission of sin, we are both slothful and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ, that is, in the faith, which then cannot work by love.

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 argouv, idle, nor akarpouv, unfruitful, in the acknowledgment of our Lord Jesus Christ. The common translation is here very unhappy: barren and unfruitful certainly convey the same ideas; but idle or inactive, which is the proper sense of argouv, takes away this tautology, and restores the sense. The graces already mentioned by the apostle are in themselves active principles; he who was possessed of them, and had them abounding in him, could not be inactive; and he who is not inactive in the way of life must be fruitful. I may add, that he who is thus active, and consequently fruitful, will ever be ready at all hazard to acknowledge his Lord and Saviour, by whom he has been brought into this state of salvation.

Verse 8. For if these things be in you — This faith, this courage, this knowledge, &c. Not if they be understood and professed by you merely, but if they be in you, experienced in your hearts, and evinced in your lives; and abound — Increase more and more, otherwise you fall short; they make you — They cause; that ye shall neither be barren — Or rather, slothful, as argouv signifies; nor unfruitful — Cumberers of the ground; or taking pains to do good, but without success, your efforts being fruitless through your want of one or other of these graces. But these graces, possessed by you and kept in lively exercise, will neither suffer you to faint in your minds, nor be without fruit in your lives. Observe, reader, if there be in us less faithfulness, less watchfulness and care, less tenderness of conscience, less fervour of spirit, and diligence in working out our salvation: and serving God, and his cause, and people, since we were pardoned, than there was before; less outward obedience to the law of God, and less zeal and conscientiousness in doing his will, and glorifying him in and with our body and spirit, which are his, than when we were seeking remission of sins and regenerating grace, we are both slothful and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ — That is, in the faith, which in that case does not, cannot work by love.

Ver. 8, 9. If these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The true way to attain the knowledge of the Lord is to do his will: he is blind that seeks it in any other way. The fathers in Christ have known him that is from the beginning.

8. These things—The graces just enumerated. Be in you—Not merely existing, but residing. Abound—Increase and grow, as they ought and will, if, while God does his part, we are careful to do ours toward becoming partakers of the divine nature. They make you—Such is their true function. Sanctification is by faith, indeed, but these things must accompany the faith. Barren—Better, Inactive. In the knowledge— Rather, Toward the full knowledge. This is the goal. The culture and increase of these graces leave no room for idle dreams; and work produces its fruit in a true progress toward the perfect knowledge of our Lord, the Sovereign; Jesus, the Saviour; Christ, the Messiah.

V. 9. 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 promises: perfect love and heaven are equally out of his sight. Nay, he cannot now see what himself once enjoyed.

Having, as it were, forgot the purification from his former sins-Scarce knowing what he himself then felt, when his sins were forgiven.

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 afar off, muwpazwn, shutting his eyes against the light, winking, not able to look truth in the face, nor to behold that God whom he once knew was reconciled to him: and thus it appears he is wilfully blind, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins-has at last, through his nonimprovement of the grace which he received from God, his faith ceasing to work by love, lost the evidence of things not seen; for, having grieved the Holy Spirit by not showing forth the virtues of him who called him into his marvellous light, he has lost the testimony of his sonship; and then, darkness and hardness having taken place of light and filial confidence, he first calls all his former experience into doubt, and questions whether he has not put enthusiasm in the place of religion. By these means his darkness and hardness increase, his memory becomes indistinct and confused, till at length he forgets the work of God on his soul, next denies it, and at last asserts that the knowledge of salvation, by the remission of sins, is impossible, and that no man can be saved from sin in this life. Indeed, some go so far as to deny the Lord that bought them; to renounce Jesus Christ as having made atonement for them; and finish their career of apostasy by utterly denying his Godhead. Many cases of this kind have I known; and they are all the consequence of believers not continuing to be workers together with God, after they had experienced his pardoning love. Reader, see that the light that is in thee become not darkness; for if it do, how great a darkness!

Verse 9. But he that lacketh these things — And does not add them to his faith; is blind — With respect to spiritual things. The eyes of his understanding are again closed; he hath lost the evidence of things not seen; he no longer sees by faith God reconciled to him in Christ. Inward and outward holiness being the natural fruit of the knowledge of Christ, the person who pretends to have that knowledge, and yet does not aspire and labour after that holiness, is blind with respect to the nature of true Christianity; and cannot see afar off — Namely, the things of another world, but only the things of this world, which are present. The word muwpazwn signifies literally, he is pur-blind. He has lost sight of the precious promises: perfect love and heaven are equally out of sight. Nay, he cannot now see what he himself once enjoyed, having, as it were, forgot that he was purged, &c. — Greek, lhqhn labwn tou kaqarismou twn palai autou amartiwn, having forgotten the purification from his former sins; not remembering, or not having a proper sense of what he himself felt when his past sins were forgiven him, and he was first assured of his acceptance with God. “The apostle’s expression here, in which he alludes to baptism, together with Ananias’s words to Paul, (Acts 22:16,) Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, is thought by many to imply, that in baptism the guilt of former sins is washed away. But Paul himself hath taught the sound meaning of Ananias’s words, (Hebrews 10:22,) Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Besides, Peter, in his first epistle, tells us expressly that baptism is not the washing away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, in which respect it resembles circumcision, which is not that which is outward, but of the heart, by cutting off all irregular passions and appetites. The washing in baptism, therefore, is not a real, but an emblematical washing of the sinner from the guilt of his sins.” Which emblem, as it contains a promise of pardon, so it is realized to all truly penitent sinners, who believe in Christ with their hearts unto righteousness, and to none else. See Macknight.

Ver. 8, 9. If these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The true way to attain the knowledge of the Lord is to do his will: he is blind that seeks it in any other way. The fathers in Christ have known him that is from the beginning.

9. But—For; enforcing ver. 8 from the contrary view. He that lacketh these things—Literally, To whom these things are not present; making a sharp contrast with be in you, in verse 8. They should supplement faith, but do not. Is blind—To God’s law of holiness, and self-blinded by his own neglect. Cannot see afar off Literally, is near-sighted. He sees only things near by—as the present moment and personal gratification; and constant looking at objects close to the eyes destroys the power of seeing those at a distance. And hath forgotten… purged—Literally, Having received forgetfulness of the purification of his former sins. The simple falling out of memory of so momentous an event as the soul’s cleansing from sin, is sad; but here is lethean forgetfulness inflicted by a judicial hand. So backsliders sometimes come to deny that they were ever pardoned.

3. And for diligence to secure our election and heavenly entrance,

V. 10. 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 by his word and his Spirit; he hath elected you, separated you from the world, through sanctification of the Spirit. O cast not away these inestimable benefits! If ye are thus diligent to make your election firm, ye shall never finally fall.

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, spoudasate, hasten, be deeply careful, labour with the most intense purpose of soul.

To make your calling] From deep Gentile darkness into the marvellous light of the Gospel.

And election] Your being chosen, in consequence of obeying the heavenly calling, to be the people and Church of God. Instead of klhsin, calling, the Codex Alexandrinus has paraklhsin, consolation.

Sure] bebaian. Firm, solid. For your calling to believe the Gospel, and your election to be members of the Church of Christ, will be ultimately unprofitable to you, unless you hold fast what you have received by adding to your faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, &c.

For if ye do these things] If ye be careful and diligent to work out your own salvation, through the grace which ye have already received from God; ye shall never fall, ou mh ptaishte pote, ye shall at no time stumble or fall; as the Jews have done, and lost their election, Romans 11:11, where the same word is used, and as apostates do, and lose their peace and salvation. We find, therefore, that they who do not these things shall fall; and thus we see that there is nothing absolute and unconditional in their election. There is an addition here in some MSS. and versions which should not pass unnoticed: the Codex Alexandrinus, nine others, with the Syriac, Erpen’s Arabic, Coptic, Æthiopic, Armenian, later Syriac with an asterisk, the Vulgate, and Bede, have ina dia twn kalwn (umwn) ergwn, THAT BY (your) GOOD WORKS ye may make your calling and election firm. This clause is found in the edition of Colinæus, Paris, 1534, and has been probably omitted by more recent editors on the supposition that the edition does not make a very orthodox sense. But on this ground there need be no alarm, for it does not state that the good works thus required merit either the calling and election, or the eternal glory, of God. He who does not by good works confirm his calling and election, will soon have neither; and although no good works ever did purchase or ever can purchase the kingdom of God, yet no soul can ever scripturally expect to see God who has them not. I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat; thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: go, ye cursed. I was hungry, and ye gave me meat; &c., &c.; come, ye blessed.

Verses 10, 11. Wherefore — Considering the miserable state of these apostates; the rather — That you may not be destitute of these things, but be fruitful in all graces and virtues; brethren — St. Peter nowhere uses this appellation, in either of his epistles, but in this important exhortation; give diligence — Namely, by the exercise and increase of the fore-mentioned graces. The word spoudasate means also be in earnest, and make haste, the matter being of infinite moment, and delays extremely dangerous. To make your calling and election sure — Bebaian, firm. As if he had said, God hath called you by his word, his providence, and his Spirit, to repentance, faith, and new obedience. By obeying this call, and turning sincerely to God, you became God’s elect or chosen people; even elect, through the sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience. See on 1 Peter 1:2. Now as you made your calling firm or effectual by obeying it: so make your election firm by enduring to the end, remembering the Lord’s words: Many are called, but few finally chosen. For if ye do these things — If you thus give diligence, and are thus in earnest, without delay, to add the graces and virtues here inculcated to your faith, and to make your calling and election firm; ye shall never finally fall — Nay, ye shall not fall, pote, once, or at any time, into known sin, so as to come under guilt, condemnation, and wrath; nay, ou mh ptaishte pote, ye shall not so much as stumble at any time. Stumbling-blocks will, indeed, be in your way, probably not a few, but you shall not stumble at them, much less shall you fall over them; but you shall proceed forward on your way with steadiness, alacrity, and joy. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly — Plousiwv, richly, freely, and in the most honourable manner; into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour — The kingdom of his eternal glory. You shall depart hence in peace and triumph, knowing that as soon as you are absent from the body you shall be present with the Lord; and you shall be received as with a cordial welcome, and shall sail, as it were, into that blessed harbour with a full gale of consolation and joy.

Ver. 10. Give diligence to make your calling and election sure, as the husbandman is indefatigable in all the labours of agriculture to ensure, with the blessing of heaven, a joyful harvest. This exhortation associates with all others of a like nature. Give diligence that ye may be found of him in peace — so run that ye may obtain — let no man take thy crown. A world of snares and dangers require cautions.

10, 11.

10. Give diligence—In ceaseless effort, because of what has just been urged, and of the promised glorious result. Your calling—To faith and holiness. Election—To a place in the spiritual Israel. Sure—Firm, secure, a proven fact. The reason assigned is, if ye do these things, ye shall never fall; and, as St. Peter could not employ an unmeaning hypothesis, it follows, if ye do not these things, ye surely will fall. The calling and election are both God’s work. The calling precedes the election, both in the text and in order of fact. These brethren had been called; they were also elect, (1 Peter 1:1,) and elected on their acceptance of the call. The apostle’s object was not, as some theologians suppose, to show how they might themselves assuredly know that they were truly called and elected, but to teach them how to maintain their already accomplished calling and election to the end. They might fall; in which case the election would become null, and their rejection of God would be followed by his rejection of them from his elect people. The absurdity of a fall from something they had never had, is a conception of a later date.

V. 11. 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.

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 generals who had distinguished themselves by putting an end to a war, or doing some signal military service to the state. (See the whole account of this military pageant in Clarke’s note on “2 Corinthians 2:14”.) “Ye shall have a triumph, in consequence of having conquered your foes, and led captivity captive.”

Instead of everlasting kingdom, aiwnion basileian, two MSS. have epouranion, heavenly kingdom; and several MSS. omit the word kai swthrov, and Saviour.

Verses 10, 11. Wherefore — Considering the miserable state of these apostates; the rather — That you may not be destitute of these things, but be fruitful in all graces and virtues; brethren — St. Peter nowhere uses this appellation, in either of his epistles, but in this important exhortation; give diligence — Namely, by the exercise and increase of the fore-mentioned graces. The word spoudasate means also be in earnest, and make haste, the matter being of infinite moment, and delays extremely dangerous. To make your calling and election sure — Bebaian, firm. As if he had said, God hath called you by his word, his providence, and his Spirit, to repentance, faith, and new obedience. By obeying this call, and turning sincerely to God, you became God’s elect or chosen people; even elect, through the sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience. See on 1 Peter 1:2. Now as you made your calling firm or effectual by obeying it: so make your election firm by enduring to the end, remembering the Lord’s words: Many are called, but few finally chosen. For if ye do these things — If you thus give diligence, and are thus in earnest, without delay, to add the graces and virtues here inculcated to your faith, and to make your calling and election firm; ye shall never finally fall — Nay, ye shall not fall, pote, once, or at any time, into known sin, so as to come under guilt, condemnation, and wrath; nay, ou mh ptaishte pote, ye shall not so much as stumble at any time. Stumbling-blocks will, indeed, be in your way, probably not a few, but you shall not stumble at them, much less shall you fall over them; but you shall proceed forward on your way with steadiness, alacrity, and joy. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly — Plousiwv, richly, freely, and in the most honourable manner; into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour — The kingdom of his eternal glory. You shall depart hence in peace and triumph, knowing that as soon as you are absent from the body you shall be present with the Lord; and you shall be received as with a cordial welcome, and shall sail, as it were, into that blessed harbour with a full gale of consolation and joy.

11. For so—You, for your part, doing these things. Shall be ministered—The same Greek as add, verse 5. God, on his part, will richly furnish you with your hoped-for entrance into the heavenly kingdom. Thus God’s work and man’s work unite in securing our eternal salvation. Kingdom… Christ—The assertion of the kingship of Christ fitly closes the discussion.

4. Hence, this his solemn apostolic reminder, specially in view of his near decease, 12-15.

V. 12. 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 declaring.

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 1:5-10} and although they knew and were established in the present truth, yet he saw it necessary to bring these things frequently to their recollection.

Verses 12-14. Wherefore — Considering the evil consequent on the want or neglect of these graces, and the benefit which will arise from the exercise of them; since everlasting destruction would be the consequence of your lukewarmness and sloth, and everlasting glory will be the fruit of your earnestness and diligence, I will not be negligent, &c. — Therefore he wrote another letter so soon after the former; to put you in remembrance of those things, though, as I am aware, you already know them in a great measure, and are established in the present truth — The truth which I am now declaring; yea, I think it meet — Dikaion, just or reasonable, as long as I am in this tabernacle — Or tent. See on 2 Corinthians 5:1. How short is our abode in the body! how easily does a believer pass out of it! To stir you up — To seek an increase of all Christian graces, and to practise all the Christian virtues; by putting you in remembrance — That they are necessary to your entrance into Christ’s kingdom; knowing — As if he had said, I am the more earnest in this, because I know that I must shortly put off, &c. — That my death is soon to happen; even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me — By an express prophecy; meaning the revelation which Christ made to him, John 21:18, 19. And it is not improbable that Christ had showed him by a late revelation that the time was now drawing nigh.

Ver. 12-15. I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things. St. Peter had the crown of martyrdom before him, as the Lord had showed him, and remarkably so. John 21:18. Thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, to be nailed to the cross, as Origen testifies in Eusebius.

12. Wherefore—Because the only way for you to heaven is that above set forth. I… not… negligent—The best texts have mellhsw, I shall be about to, nearly equivalent to, I shall be careful. Here speaks the faithful pastor. These things—The things already written and those connected with them. They already had his first epistle, and would soon receive the present one, by which they would always be reminded of these vital truths. Ye know—Yet need the reminder. Established—With firm conviction. The present truth—Not the truth herein set forth, but the truth already received and present with them.

V. 13. In this tabernacle-Or tent. How short is our abode in the body! How easily does a believer pass out of it!

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 swmati, body, instead of skhnwmati, tabernacle. Peter’s mode of speaking is very remarkable: as long as I AM in this tabernacle, so then the body was not Peter, but Peter dwelt in that body. Is not this a proof that St. Peter believed his soul to be very distinct from his body? As a man’s house is the place where he dwells, so the body is the house where the soul dwells.

Verses 12-14. Wherefore — Considering the evil consequent on the want or neglect of these graces, and the benefit which will arise from the exercise of them; since everlasting destruction would be the consequence of your lukewarmness and sloth, and everlasting glory will be the fruit of your earnestness and diligence, I will not be negligent, &c. — Therefore he wrote another letter so soon after the former; to put you in remembrance of those things, though, as I am aware, you already know them in a great measure, and are established in the present truth — The truth which I am now declaring; yea, I think it meet — Dikaion, just or reasonable, as long as I am in this tabernacle — Or tent. See on 2 Corinthians 5:1. How short is our abode in the body! how easily does a believer pass out of it! To stir you up — To seek an increase of all Christian graces, and to practise all the Christian virtues; by putting you in remembrance — That they are necessary to your entrance into Christ’s kingdom; knowing — As if he had said, I am the more earnest in this, because I know that I must shortly put off, &c. — That my death is soon to happen; even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me — By an express prophecy; meaning the revelation which Christ made to him, John 21:18, 19. And it is not improbable that Christ had showed him by a late revelation that the time was now drawing nigh.

Ver. 12-15. I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things. St. Peter had the crown of martyrdom before him, as the Lord had showed him, and remarkably so. John 21:18. Thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, to be nailed to the cross, as Origen testifies in Eusebius.

13. In this tabernacle—His body, the tent in which the I, the real Peter, dwelt. See notes on 2 Corinthians 5:1. He thinks it right, as long as he remains in it, to stir them up by reminding them of the truth, and admonishing them of the danger of departing from it through the seductions of the false teachers.

V. 14. 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.

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,

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 his death would take place when he should be old, being aged now he might on this ground fairly suppose that his departure was at hand.

Verses 12-14. Wherefore — Considering the evil consequent on the want or neglect of these graces, and the benefit which will arise from the exercise of them; since everlasting destruction would be the consequence of your lukewarmness and sloth, and everlasting glory will be the fruit of your earnestness and diligence, I will not be negligent, &c. — Therefore he wrote another letter so soon after the former; to put you in remembrance of those things, though, as I am aware, you already know them in a great measure, and are established in the present truth — The truth which I am now declaring; yea, I think it meet — Dikaion, just or reasonable, as long as I am in this tabernacle — Or tent. See on 2 Corinthians 5:1. How short is our abode in the body! how easily does a believer pass out of it! To stir you up — To seek an increase of all Christian graces, and to practise all the Christian virtues; by putting you in remembrance — That they are necessary to your entrance into Christ’s kingdom; knowing — As if he had said, I am the more earnest in this, because I know that I must shortly put off, &c. — That my death is soon to happen; even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me — By an express prophecy; meaning the revelation which Christ made to him, John 21:18, 19. And it is not improbable that Christ had showed him by a late revelation that the time was now drawing nigh.

Ver. 12-15. I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things. St. Peter had the crown of martyrdom before him, as the Lord had showed him, and remarkably so. John 21:18. Thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, to be nailed to the cross, as Origen testifies in Eusebius.

14. Knowing—The Lord Jesus had said to him, pointing to his death by martyrdom, “When thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” John 21:18. He was now become old, and well knew that the end could not be far distant. It is not needful to suppose, as do some, that he had received a recent revelation of his death as near. Shortly—Quickly, swiftly, rather than soon. Whenever the departure might come, it would be sudden and rapid. Calmly does the apostle speak of the putting off of my tabernacle, as if it were a garment, leaving the inner man, the soul, living and untrammelled.

V. 15. That ye may be able-By having this epistle among you.

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] meta thn emhn exodon. After my going out, i.e. of his tabernacle. The real Peter was not open to the eye, nor palpable to the touch; he was concealed in that tabernacle vulgarly supposed to be Peter. There is a thought very similar to this in the last conversation of Socrates with his friends. As this great man was about to drink the poison to which he was condemned by the Athenian judges, his friend CRITO said, “But how would you be buried?-SOCRATES: Just as you please, if you can but catch me, and I do not elude your pursuit. Then, gently smiling, he said: I cannot persuade Crito, wv egw eimi outov o swkrathv o nuni dialegomevov, that I AM that Socrates who now converses with you; but he thinks that I am he, on oyetai oligon usteron nekron, kai erwta pwv edi me qaptein, whom he shall shortly see dead; and he asks how I would be buried? I have asserted that, after I have drunk the poison, I should no longer remain with you, but shall depart to certain felicities of the blessed.” PLATONIS Phædo, Oper., vol. i, edit. Bipont., p 260.

Verse 15. Moreover I will endeavour — By writing these things in this epistle, and by every other means in my power, while it pleases God to continue me among you; that ye may be able — Through frequently reading what I here write; after my decease to have these things always in remembrance — “The apostle’s care in this was highly commendable; because the most important truths, if they are not remembered, have no influence on the mind. The gradation in this passage is beautiful. He proposed to put the brethren in remembrance of some revealed truths, with which they were acquainted; he proposed to do this, not once or twice, but always, as long as he lived; nay, he proposed [by leaving this written testimony among them] to put them in remembrance of these things after his death. Wherefore the ministers of the gospel, following Peter’s example, ought to insist most on the things which are of most importance to their people, although they are already well instructed in them, the influence of truth depending not so much upon the knowledge, as upon the frequent recollection of it.” — Macknight.

Ver. 12-15. I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things. St. Peter had the crown of martyrdom before him, as the Lord had showed him, and remarkably so. John 21:18. Thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, to be nailed to the cross, as Origen testifies in Eusebius.

15. I will endeavour—The give diligence of verse 10. In verses 12, 13, he proposes a continued reminding of his readers during his life, but he now intends to enable them, after his death, to always remember his teachings. It may be, that besides the two epistles he also contemplated some further writing. My decease—The very word used in Luke 9:31 of the topic of the conversation of Moses and Elias with Jesus; literally, my exodus. In three successive verses we have the dwelling in, the putting off, and the going out of my tabernacle. Clearly, St. Peter was no materialist or annihilationist.

5. For no fable is our gospel; being confirmed by the

transfiguration voice, 16-18.

V. 16. 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 their own invention, then to impose such a lie on the world as it was, in the very nature of things, above all human power to defend, and to do this at the expense of life and all things only to enrage the whole world, Jews and Gentiles, against them, was no cunning, but was the greatest folly that men could have been guilty of.

But were eyewitnesses of his majesty-At his transfiguration, which was a specimen of his glory at the last day.

Verse 16. Cunningly devised fables] sesofismenoiv muqoiv. I think, with Macknight and others, from the apostle’s using epoptai, 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 appearance of their gods on earth in human form. And to gain the greater credit to these fables, the priests and statesmen instituted what they called the mysteries of the gods, in which the fabulous appearance of the gods was represented in mystic shows. But one particular show none but the fully initiated were permitted to behold; hence they were entitled epoptai, beholders. This show was probably some resplendent image of the god, imitating life, which, by its glory, dazzled the eyes of the beholders, while their ears were ravished by hymns sung in its praise; to this it was natural enough for St. Peter to allude, when speaking about the transfiguration of Christ. Here the indescribably resplendent majesty of the great God was manifested, as far as it could be, in conjunction with that human body in which the fulness of the Divinity dwelt. And we, says the apostle, were epoptai, beholders, thv ekeinou megaleiothtov, of his own majesty. Here was no trick, no feigned show; we saw him in his glory whom thousands saw before and afterwards; and we have made known to you the power and coming, parousian, the appearance and presence, of our Lord Jesus; and we call you to feel the exceeding greatness of this power in your conversion, and the glory of this appearance in his revelation by the power of his Spirit to your souls. These things we have witnessed, and these things ye have experienced: and therefore we can confidently say that neither you nor we have followed cunningly devised fables, but that blessed Gospel which is the power of God to the salvation of every one that believes.

Verses 16-18. For — These things are worthy of being always remembered and regarded; for we have not followed cunningly-devised fables — Like those common among the heathen, but things infallibly true and infinitely momentous; when we made known unto you the power — The evidences and demonstrations which we gave of his divine power; (in the miracles which he wrought, whereby he demonstrated himself to be the Son of God;) and coming of our Lord Jesus — Namely, that the promised Messiah was already come, and that Jesus of Nazareth was he. Or his second coming to raise the dead, to judge mankind, and to introduce his people into his eternal kingdom, might be chiefly intended. But it may be observed, if what the apostles have advanced concerning Christ had not been true, if it had been only of their own invention, then, to have imposed such a lie on the world, as it was in the very nature of things above all human power to defend, and to have done this at the expense of life and all things, only to engage the whole world, Jews and Gentiles, against them, would not have been cunning, but the greatest folly that men could have been guilty of. But were eye-witnesses of his majesty — At his transfiguration, which was a specimen of his glory at the last day. For he received from God the Father divine honour and inexpressible glory — Shining from heaven above the brightness of the sun; when there came such a voice from the excellent glory — From the Shechinah, as the Jews termed that glorious appearance which was a symbol of the presence of Jehovah; This is my beloved Son, &c. — See notes on Matthew 17:2-5. This voice we heard — Namely, Peter, James, and John. St. John was still alive when Peter wrote this; when we were with him in the holy mount — The mount made holy by that glorious manifestation, as mount Horeb was of old by the peculiar presence of God, Exodus 3:4, 5.

Ver. 16-18. We have not followed cunningly devised fables, ingeniously composed with intent to deceive, which Erasmus opposes to the rustic simplicity of truth. We were eye-witnesses of his majesty, of the honour and glory he received on the mount, when a voice proceeding from the excellent glory said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Yes, we testify this in life, and under the aspects of death, that we saw this glory and heard this voice. We know therefore on whom we have believed, and are sure that this Saviour is the Son of God.

16. Made known… power and coming—It seems evident that the false teachers, in full view of whom the apostle is writing, had pronounced his teachings respecting the present lordship and future appearing of Christ without foundation. If made known refers to his oral teaching, we may learn its character from Acts 2:32-36; 3:16, 20. Our Lord’s resurrection, reign, and coming to judgment, were staple topics of apostolic preaching. A fine Pauline specimen is in Acts 17:31. More probably, however, the reference is to St. Peter’s first epistle. The power of Christ is clearly declared. The “lively hope” is by his “resurrection.” 1 Peter 1:3. He is the Redeemer. 1 Peter 1:18. He is “on the right hand of God,” and supreme over “angels, and authorities, and powers.” 1 Peter 3:22. He is the final Judge. 1 Peter 4:5. As to his coming, we read of his “appearing,” 1 Peter 1:7; his “revelation,” 1 Peter 1:13; the revealing of “his glory,” 1 Peter 4:13; and the appearing of the “chief Shepherd,” 1 Peter 5:4. That these things are myths, those false teachers asserted, and modern infidelity insists. Cunningly devised fables—Pagan mythology was full of them, as were the cabalistic stories of the Jews. Such, too, were the fanciful systems of the Gnostics and others. St. Peter may have had especially in mind his old acquaintance at Samaria, Simon Magus, who, besides giving himself out as “the great power of God,” (Acts 8:9, 10,) claimed that of him and his paramour, Helena, were born the angels, who made the world. Now, St. Peter says, it was not following such skilfully-devised fictions he made known the Lord’s power and coming. On the other hand, he had had a personal view of his glory. Were—Better, Had been made. Eye-witnesses—A technical term given to those initiated into the Eleusinian mysteries, and allowed to have the nearest view of them. So Peter, James, and John, had been admitted to a full view of Christ’s glorious majesty at his transfiguration. Matthew 17:1-5.

V. 17. 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.

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 fashion of his countenance was altered, for his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white and glistening, exceeding white like snow; which most glorious and preternatural appearance was a confirmation of the supernatural voice, as the voice was of this preternatural appearance: and thus his Messiahship was attested in the most complete and convincing manner.

Verses 16-18. For — These things are worthy of being always remembered and regarded; for we have not followed cunningly-devised fables — Like those common among the heathen, but things infallibly true and infinitely momentous; when we made known unto you the power — The evidences and demonstrations which we gave of his divine power; (in the miracles which he wrought, whereby he demonstrated himself to be the Son of God;) and coming of our Lord Jesus — Namely, that the promised Messiah was already come, and that Jesus of Nazareth was he. Or his second coming to raise the dead, to judge mankind, and to introduce his people into his eternal kingdom, might be chiefly intended. But it may be observed, if what the apostles have advanced concerning Christ had not been true, if it had been only of their own invention, then, to have imposed such a lie on the world, as it was in the very nature of things above all human power to defend, and to have done this at the expense of life and all things, only to engage the whole world, Jews and Gentiles, against them, would not have been cunning, but the greatest folly that men could have been guilty of. But were eye-witnesses of his majesty — At his transfiguration, which was a specimen of his glory at the last day. For he received from God the Father divine honour and inexpressible glory — Shining from heaven above the brightness of the sun; when there came such a voice from the excellent glory — From the Shechinah, as the Jews termed that glorious appearance which was a symbol of the presence of Jehovah; This is my beloved Son, &c. — See notes on Matthew 17:2-5. This voice we heard — Namely, Peter, James, and John. St. John was still alive when Peter wrote this; when we were with him in the holy mount — The mount made holy by that glorious manifestation, as mount Horeb was of old by the peculiar presence of God, Exodus 3:4, 5.

Ver. 16-18. We have not followed cunningly devised fables, ingeniously composed with intent to deceive, which Erasmus opposes to the rustic simplicity of truth. We were eye-witnesses of his majesty, of the honour and glory he received on the mount, when a voice proceeding from the excellent glory said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Yes, we testify this in life, and under the aspects of death, that we saw this glory and heard this voice. We know therefore on whom we have believed, and are sure that this Saviour is the Son of God.

17. He received… honour—In what the voice of God, the Father Almighty, declared. And glory—From the brightness of the

overshadowing cloud of glory, transcending that of the transfigured Jesus, whose “face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” “We beheld his glory,” said John, referring to the same scene, “the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father.” John 1:14. There came… glory— Literally, a voice was borne to him by the excellent glory, such as this, this is my beloved Son. This excellent glory must be taken as identical with God.

V. 18. 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, 5.

Verse 18. And this voice-we heard] That is, himself, James, and John heard it, and saw this glory; for these only were the epoptai, 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 great glory, as God did when he came on the holy mount, Sinai, to give the old law to Moses. And when the voice came from the excellent glory, This is my Son, the beloved One, in whom I have delighted; hear him: the authority of the old law was taken away. Neither Moses nor Elijah, the law nor the prophets, must tabernacle among men, as teaching the whole way of salvation, and affording the means of eternal life; these things they had pointed out, but these things they did not contain; yet the fulfilment of their types and predictions rendered their declarations more firm and incontestable. See below.

Verses 16-18. For — These things are worthy of being always remembered and regarded; for we have not followed cunningly-devised fables — Like those common among the heathen, but things infallibly true and infinitely momentous; when we made known unto you the power — The evidences and demonstrations which we gave of his divine power; (in the miracles which he wrought, whereby he demonstrated himself to be the Son of God;) and coming of our Lord Jesus — Namely, that the promised Messiah was already come, and that Jesus of Nazareth was he. Or his second coming to raise the dead, to judge mankind, and to introduce his people into his eternal kingdom, might be chiefly intended. But it may be observed, if what the apostles have advanced concerning Christ had not been true, if it had been only of their own invention, then, to have imposed such a lie on the world, as it was in the very nature of things above all human power to defend, and to have done this at the expense of life and all things, only to engage the whole world, Jews and Gentiles, against them, would not have been cunning, but the greatest folly that men could have been guilty of. But were eye-witnesses of his majesty — At his transfiguration, which was a specimen of his glory at the last day. For he received from God the Father divine honour and inexpressible glory — Shining from heaven above the brightness of the sun; when there came such a voice from the excellent glory — From the Shechinah, as the Jews termed that glorious appearance which was a symbol of the presence of Jehovah; This is my beloved Son, &c. — See notes on Matthew 17:2-5. This voice we heard — Namely, Peter, James, and John. St. John was still alive when Peter wrote this; when we were with him in the holy mount — The mount made holy by that glorious manifestation, as mount Horeb was of old by the peculiar presence of God, Exodus 3:4, 5.

Ver. 16-18. We have not followed cunningly devised fables, ingeniously composed with intent to deceive, which Erasmus opposes to the rustic simplicity of truth. We were eye-witnesses of his majesty, of the honour and glory he received on the mount, when a voice proceeding from the excellent glory said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Yes, we testify this in life, and under the aspects of death, that we saw this glory and heard this voice. We know therefore on whom we have believed, and are sure that this Saviour is the Son of God.

18. This voice… we heard—And hearing, the three fell to the ground. Holy mount—Now generally admitted to be Mount Hermon, called holy because of this manifestation there, just as Moses at the burning bush in Horeb stood on “holy ground.” See Exodus 3:5. The apostle’s personal presence, his personal seeing, and his personal hearing, as described by himself, show his competency for this solemn authentication. The facts thus testified to exhibit Christ as the proclaimed Son of God, and as possessing the full dignity and glory of that sonship.

How the transfiguration proves the second coming, is a difficult question with expositors. Some take it, as Wordsworth, as a type and pledge of the coming; but this is nowhere affirmed in Scripture; nor do we agree that Matthew 16:28, to which they refer, points to either the transfiguration or the coming. The transfiguration did present our Lord in his glorious personality and divine Lordship irrespective of any advent.

6. And by more sure spirit-moved prophecy, 19-21.

V. 19. 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 confirmed-By that display of his glorious majesty. To which word ye do well that ye take heed, as to a lamp which shone in a dark place-Wherein there was neither light nor window. Such anciently was the whole world, except that little spot where this lamp shone.

Till the day should dawn-Till the full light of the gospel should break through the darkness. As is the difference between the light of a lamp and that of the day, such is that between the light of the Old Testament and of the New.

And the morning star-Jesus Christ, Revelation 22:16. Arise in your hearts-Be revealed in you.

Verse 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy] ecomen bebaioteron ton profhtikon logon. We have the prophetic doctrine more firm or more confirmed; for in this sense the word bebaiow is used in several places in the New Testament. See 1 Corinthians 1:6: Even as the testimony of Christ ebebaiwqh, was CONFIRMED, among you. 2 Corinthians 1:21: Now he which stablisheth us, o de bebaiwn hmav, who CONFIRMETH US. Colossians 2:7: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, bebaioumenoi, CONFIRMED in the faith. Hebrews 2:3: How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation htiv ebebaiwth, which was CONFIRMED to us. Hebrews 6:16: And an oath, eiv bebaiwsin, for CONFIRMATION. This is the literal sense of the passage in question; and this sense removes that ambiguity from the text which has given rise to so many different interpretations. Taken according to the common translation, it seems to say that prophecy is a surer evidence of Divine revelation than miracles; and so it has been understood. The meaning of the apostle appears to be this: The law and the prophets have spoken concerning Jesus Christ, and Isaiah has particularly pointed him out in these words: Behold my servant whom I uphold, my CHOSEN IN WHOM MY SOUL DELIGHTETH; I have put my Spirit upon him, and he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and THEM THAT SIT IN DARKNESS out of the prison house, Isaiah 42:1, 7. Now both at his baptism, Matthew 3:17, and at his transfiguration, Jesus Christ was declared to be this chosen person, God’s only Son, the beloved One in WHOM HE DELIGHTED. The voice, therefore, from heaven, and the miraculous transfiguration of his person, have confirmed the prophetic doctrine concerning him. And to this doctrine, thus confirmed, ye do well to take heed; for it is that light that shines in the dark place-in the Gentile world, as well as among the Jews; giving light to them that sit in darkness, and bringing the prisoners out of the prison house: and this ye must continue to do till the day of his second, last, and most glorious appearing to judge the world comes; and the day star, fwsforov, this light-bringer, arise in your hearts-manifest himself to your eternal consolation. Or perhaps the latter clause of the verse might be thus understood: The prophecies concerning Jesus, which have been so signally confirmed to us on the holy mount, have always been as a light shining in a dark place, from the time of their delivery to the time in which the bright day of Gospel light and salvation dawned forth, and the Son of righteousness has arisen in our souls, with healing in his rays. And to this all who waited for Christ’s appearing have taken heed. The word fwsforov, phosphorus, generally signified the planet Venus, when she is the morning star; and thus she is called in most European nations.

Verse 19. We have also — Peter speaks here in the name of all Christians, a more sure word — Than that voice from heaven, or any particular revelation, not in itself, but more satisfactory to us, as being less liable to be mistaken; of prophecy — He means the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah, which, one being consistent with another, and connected together, might properly be represented as one and the same word of prophecy. Some are of opinion that the apostle intended no comparison in this place, but that the comparative is used for the positive, and that his words were only intended to signify a very sure word of prophecy, or prophetical word; and it is certain that there are many instances in the New Testament of a similar kind, in which, though the comparative degree is used, the positive or superlative is evidently intended. Others assert, with much truth and propriety, that the series of prophecies contained in the Old Testament concerning Christ, when explained in the light of the New Testament, is a much clearer proof of Jesus being the Messiah, than any single miraculous fact, such as Christ’s transfiguration was. Whereunto — Unto which chain of prophecy concerning the conception and birth, the character, doctrine, miracles, sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of the Messiah, with the erection and establishment, the extent, prosperity, and duration of his kingdom, and his second coming to raise the dead, and judge the world in righteousness — all evidently accomplished in Jesus of Nazareth, ye do well to take heed — In order that your faith, instead of being shaken by the objections of the enemies of the gospel, may be more fully confirmed; even as unto a light — Lucnw, a lamp, that shineth in a dark place — The whole world anciently was indeed a dark place with respect to the knowledge of divine things, except that little spot, Judea, where this light shone; until the day should dawn — Till the full light of the gospel should break through the darkness. As is the difference between the light of a lamp and that of the day, such is that between the light of the Old Testament and that of the New. Or the apostle meant by these words, that those to whom he wrote should attend to these prophecies concerning the Messiah, and compare them with the facts attested by the apostles and evangelists concerning Jesus of Nazareth, till their minds should be more fully enlightened by the word and Spirit of God; and the day-star should arise in their hearts. — Till the Lord Jesus, the bright and morning star, (Revelation 22:16,) should be more fully revealed in them. Or “till the Holy Spirit should discover to their souls the glory and excellence of the gospel, and by his sanctifying and comforting influences give them the dawning of heaven in their hearts; and till the knowledge of Christ, and the experience of his power, truth, and love, had formed within them an assurance and anticipation of the light, holiness, and felicity of the saints in the presence of their glorified Saviour, even as the morning-star preceded and ushered in the rising sun and the perfect day.” — Scott. Who adds, that nothing can be more manifest than that the day-dawn and day-star are spoken of as arising in the hearts of true Christians, and that no external evidence of the divine origin of Christianity is meant, nor even that internal evidence of the divine inspiration of the Scriptures which they contain in themselves, arising from the excellence of their doctrines, precepts, promises, &c. But the expressions must mean what is internal in our own experience. “The unnatural and far-fetched interpretations of those who oppose this conclusion, serve only to confirm the author in his judgment. This inward demonstration of the truth of Christianity would render the external evidences less necessary to those who enjoyed it; as they could no longer doubt of it when they saw the glory, and tasted the comfort of it, and experienced the truth and power of it in their hearts, and manifested it in their conduct.”

Ver. 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy. So John Calvin reads, and our version, made in Swisserland, has copied the difficulty. The adverb also disturbs the sense. The Mons version is worse. Mais nous avons les oracles des prophetes, dont la certitude est plus affermie. Certainly St. Peter did not meant to say, that any oracle of the prophets was more sure than the testimony of the three disciples, who saw the glory, and heard the voice upon the mount. Erasmus relieves us here: he refers the word of prophecy to the voce Patris, the voice of the Father. This is equivalent to, And therefore we have a more sure word of prophecy, surpassing any thing that the seers ever witnessed; to which ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts. The critics are not agreed here. Some say that the jews, not yet enlightened by the gospel, would do well to attend to the prophets, as to the light of the stars till Christ, the sun of righteousness, should arise and shine into their hearts. Others think, and with fairer ground, that the present state of our christian knowledge is but in its infancy, and must be so till the light himself shall be revealed from heaven. Now we know in part, till that which is perfect shall come.

19. The connection with the preceding, as the kai, also, shows, is very close. A more sure word—It is incredible that St. Peter meant to say, as he is commonly understood, that the testimony of prophecy to Christ is more sure than his own, just given, of God’s uttered words, or than that of miracles, like raising the dead; and his Greek, better translated, really says, And we have more sure the prophetic word, namely, respecting Christ’s character and glory, than we had it before the transfiguration. That word or doctrine, pronounced him “Mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth,” (Isaiah 42:1;) the audible words of God confirmed it; as did the scene on the mount the loftiest Old Testament description of him. Or, more generally, its predictions of him, (not prophecy generally,) summarized by St. Peter as “the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow,” (1 Peter 1:11,) are confirmed by their fulfilment. Bloomfield quotes from Rosenmuller, “The prophecies had always a great authority with us; but now they have a far greater, since we see events so aptly corresponding to the predictions.” And thus, assured faith more firmly holds those of his kingdom and glory not yet fulfilled. Whereunto… take heed—In giving attention to the prophetic doctrine concerning Christ, ye do well, comparing it with the historic facts of his birth, life, character, death, resurrection, and exaltation, thus increasing in “the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Verses 2, 8. As unto a light—A lamp glimmering in a dark dismal place, and necessary until the day dawn, dispelling the darkness. The daystar—Phosphorus, the morning star, the forerunner of the sun. The prophecies of Christ were intended to give a degree of light to benighted minds; feeble, indeed, as compared with that received from the evangelists: but their fulfilment shows clearly both the truth, and the way to happiness. To this light they were to take heed. There seems to be here no reference to the second coming of our Lord, as even Alford admits.

V. 20. 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.

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 epilusiv signifies also impetus, impulse; and probably this is the best sense here; not by the mere private impulse of his own mind.

Verses 20, 21. Knowing this first — That you may not rashly or ignorantly put a sense upon any part of the prophetic writings, not intended by the Divine Spirit which dictated them; that no prophecy of the Scripture — No prediction contained therein; is of any private interpretation — Greek, idiav epilusewv, an expression of which various interpretations have been given, but only two of them shall be here noticed; namely, Doddridge’s, who renders it, of private impulse, or original; and Macknight’s, who reads, of private invention. But certainly no such sense can, with propriety, be forced upon the words: and why should it? Why should not the literal signification of them be acquiesced in? namely, that given in our translation. For surely no prophecy of Scripture, and hardly any doctrine, precept, or promise thereof, will or can be properly or fully understood by any man, let his natural abilities be what they may, without supernatural light from God, without the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, Ephesians 1:17. For, as the apostle argues, 1 Corinthians 2:11, 14, (where see the notes,) as a man could not understand the things that belong to human nature, if he had not a human spirit in him, so the things of God, divine things, knoweth no man, clearly and fully, but by the illumination of the Spirit of God, which must be sought by sincere, fervent, importunate, persevering prayer. In other words, No man’s private natural reason will enable him to understand the Scriptures, and the truths which they contain, properly and fully, and especially to relish, love, and delight in them, without the guidance of that Spirit which dictated them. And if this be true respecting the Scriptures in general, it is particularly so with regard to the prophetic writings; for prophecy especially came not of old by the will of man — Of any man’s own will or pleasure. No true prophet either prophesied when he pleased or what he pleased. But holy men of God — The penmen of the sacred Scriptures; spake — Uttered their predictions or recorded them; as they were moved by the Holy Ghost — By an extraordinary impulse of the Divine Spirit, whose organs only they were in declaring what he was pleased to suggest to them; and what he moved, and enabled them to communicate, he must enable us to understand and profit by.

20. Knowing this first—The apostle knew well the need of this caution for all prophetic investigators. No prophecy—Not limited now, as in verse 19, but general. Of any private interpretation—”The cross of interpreters,” says Wolf. Whitby, Macknight, Clarke, and others, understand private invention or suggestion, which, however, is about what is said in the next verse. Epilusiv occurs only here, but its verb is used in Mark 4:34, of Jesus’s expounding his parables to his disciples; and its usual meaning is explanation or interpretation. The various expositions of private may be reduced to three:—(1) The prophets themselves often did not know the import of their own predictions. This is true; but it is no reason for the caution; nor does the divine inspiration of the prophecies explain the inability of the prophets to understand them. (2) Some refer it to the readers; but to bid them give attention to the prophecies, and then add that they cannot understand them, would be a singular procedure. Nevertheless, as matter of fact, prophetic interpretations before fulfilment are seldom verified by events, as, for instance, in the Jewish preconceptions of the Messiah. (3) As meaning that prophecy is not self-interpreting. St. Peter uses the word idiov in eight other places, and in the sense of its own in every instance. This fits the caution, assuring them that the full meaning does not lie on the surface, and that they will need to search for it, as did the prophets themselves, (1 Peter 1:10;) and also intimating that the explanation must be found in the event. The Gnostics interpreted many of the prophecies after their own fancies, often violently torturing them to adapt them to their own systems. On the other hand, though the prophecies are not self-interpreting, they are true, for they proceed from the Holy Ghost.

V. 21. 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.

Verse 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 from inventing these prophetic declarations concerning Christ, or any future event, that they were feromenoi, carried away, out of themselves and out of the whole region, as it were, of human knowledge and conjecture, by the Holy Ghost, who, without their knowing any thing of the matter, dictated to them what to speak, and what to write; and so far above their knowledge were the words of the prophecy, that they did not even know the intent of those words, but searched what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. See 1 Peter 1:11, 12, and the notes there.

1. As the writer of this epistle asserts that he was on the holy mount with Christ when he was transfigured, he must be either Peter, James, or John, for there was no other person present on that occasion except Moses and Elijah, in their glorious bodies. The epistle was never attributed to James nor John; but the uninterrupted current, where its Divine inspiration was granted, gave it to Peter alone. See the preface.

2. It is not unfrequent for the writers of the New Testament to draw a comparison between the Mosaic and Christian dispensations; and the comparison generally shows that, glorious as the former was, it had no glory in comparison of the glory that excelleth. St. Peter seems to touch here on the same point; the Mosaic dispensation, with all the light of prophecy by which it was illustrated, was only as a lamp shining in a dark place. There is a propriety and delicacy in this image that are not generally noticed: a lamp in the dark gives but a very small portion of light, and only to those who are very near to it; yet it always gives light enough to make itself visible, even at a great distance; though it enlightens not the space between it and the beholder, it is still literally the lamp shining in a dark place. Such was the Mosaic dispensation; it gave a little light to the Jews, but shone not to the Gentile world, any farther than to make itself visible. This is compared with the Gospel under the emblem of daybreak, and the rising of the sun. When the sun is even eighteen degrees below the horizon daybreak commences, as the rays of light begin then to diffuse themselves in our atmosphere, by which they are reflected upon the earth. By this means a whole hemisphere is enlightened, though but in a partial degree; yet this increasing every moment, as the sun approaches the horizon, prepares for the full manifestation of his resplendent orb: so the ministry of John Baptist, and the initiatory ministry of Christ himself, prepared the primitive believers for his full manifestation on the day of pentecost and afterwards. Here the sun rose in his strength, bringing light, heat, and life to all the inhabitants of the earth. So far, then, as a lantern carried in a dark night differs from and is inferior to the beneficial effects of daybreak, and the full light and heat of a meridian sun; so far was the Mosaic dispensation, in its beneficial effects, inferior to the Christian dispensation.

3. Perhaps there is scarcely any point of view in which we can consider prophecy which is so satisfactory and conclusive as that which is here stated; that is, far from inventing the subject of their own predictions, the ancient prophets did not even know the meaning of what themselves wrote. They were carried beyond themselves by the influence of the Divine Spirit, and after ages were alone to discover the object of the prophecy; and the fulfilment was to be the absolute proof that the prediction was of God, and that it was of no private invention-no discovery made by human sagacity and wisdom, but by the especial revelation of the all-wise God. This is sufficiently evident in all the prophecies which have been already fulfilled, and will be equally so in those yet to be fulfilled; the events will point out the prophecy, and the prophecy will be seen to be fulfilled in that event. II PETER

Verses 20, 21. Knowing this first — That you may not rashly or ignorantly put a sense upon any part of the prophetic writings, not intended by the Divine Spirit which dictated them; that no prophecy of the Scripture — No prediction contained therein; is of any private interpretation — Greek, idiav epilusewv, an expression of which various interpretations have been given, but only two of them shall be here noticed; namely, Doddridge’s, who renders it, of private impulse, or original; and Macknight’s, who reads, of private invention. But certainly no such sense can, with propriety, be forced upon the words: and why should it? Why should not the literal signification of them be acquiesced in? namely, that given in our translation. For surely no prophecy of Scripture, and hardly any doctrine, precept, or promise thereof, will or can be properly or fully understood by any man, let his natural abilities be what they may, without supernatural light from God, without the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, Ephesians 1:17. For, as the apostle argues, 1 Corinthians 2:11, 14, (where see the notes,) as a man could not understand the things that belong to human nature, if he had not a human spirit in him, so the things of God, divine things, knoweth no man, clearly and fully, but by the illumination of the Spirit of God, which must be sought by sincere, fervent, importunate, persevering prayer. In other words, No man’s private natural reason will enable him to understand the Scriptures, and the truths which they contain, properly and fully, and especially to relish, love, and delight in them, without the guidance of that Spirit which dictated them. And if this be true respecting the Scriptures in general, it is particularly so with regard to the prophetic writings; for prophecy especially came not of old by the will of man — Of any man’s own will or pleasure. No true prophet either prophesied when he pleased or what he pleased. But holy men of God — The penmen of the sacred Scriptures; spake — Uttered their predictions or recorded them; as they were moved by the Holy Ghost — By an extraordinary impulse of the Divine Spirit, whose organs only they were in declaring what he was pleased to suggest to them; and what he moved, and enabled them to communicate, he must enable us to understand and profit by.

Ver. 21. Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man. The version is uncouth. The reading of the Vulgate is preferable: “prophecy never came by the will of man.” All is glory in the characters of revelation. The truths of God must not be confounded with the reasonings of men.

21. Not… of man—The Scripture prophecy had no human author. It was not borne to the prophet or to men by the will of himself or of any man. He was simply the instrument in delivering it. Holy men of God—They were called to a holy office and used in a holy work; besides which, they were, as a rule, holy in character and life. But holiness does not constitute a prophet. They spake, being borne by the Holy Ghost. He was sole author: their minds and speech were taken possession of, and borne along by his might, and made to utter, under his impulse, whatsoever he pleased, whether they at the time understood it or not.