Bede : For this is hidden from them willingly, that the heavens existed long ago and the earth, out of water, etc. The earth consists out of water, for at the beginning of creation God said: "Let the waters be gathered together in one place, and let the dry land appear;" and it was so (Gen. I). It consists also by water by the word of God, because by divine arrangement the veins of water fill the whole depth within, just as we see the bodies of living creatures overflowing with veins of blood, lest they fail in dryness if the irrigation of water ceases. Finally, we see that with the heat of summer, the lands with their absorbed moisture wither away, and soon are turned into dust which the wind casts. Another Edition has: "The heavens existed long ago out of water and through water." But it signifies this humid and cloudy air. For Scripture is accustomed to call this air, and sometimes the heavens. Whence it is written: "The hawk in heaven knows its appointed time" (Jerem. VIII). — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles Eusebius of Caesarea : "In the beginning you, O Lord, laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands," said the psalmist. If you did not know from the beginning, O Lord, who laid the foundation of the earth, and if the heavens were not the work of your hands, it would be impossible for them to be changed or to be transformed into anything else. If they had not been created, they would have to remain incomplete forever. But since you were their maker, you can do whatever you want to with them. They are made of destructible matter and did not exist at all until you made them by your will and power. There is only one that is eternal and can never be removed and that is you, the only maker of everything that exists. — CATENA Hilary of Arles : The whole creation is basically formed out of water, even if it is solidified in the form of earth or elevated in the way that heaven is. — INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER Oecumenius : For they willingly do not know that the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water by the word of God: by which the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. And what is it that they do not know? That just as in the flood, the heavens were from the water according to the creation of the world narrated by Moses: (for he himself says that God commanded that a firmament be made in the midst of the waters (Gen. 1:6), that is, a firmer substance than the waters): so also the earth appeared from the waters at the command of the Creator, which had also been submerged at first. And just as the flood unexpectedly came upon the heavens and the earth constituted from water, so it has now been established that the corruption of the universe will occur through fire, with which the wicked will also perish. Since these two elements, water and fire, were created along with the universe, from which the other two elements are also derived: air indeed from the evaporated waters, but the earth from the compacted ones: namely, just as it was made from fire through evaporation and compression, with no one who has a mind objecting (for this virtue has been bestowed upon fire by God the Creator), since these two, I say, have always existed in this way, and previously the destruction of the wicked was made through water, it is necessary that the destruction of those who act wickedly will again occur through fire. Moreover, that the corruption of this universe is evident not only to Christians but also to the wise men of the Greeks, as is the case with Heraclitus of Ephesus and Empedocles of Etna12. But someone might say: And what is the reason for its creation if the world must again be reduced to nothingness? And we will say that the world does not tend entirely towards corruption, but towards renewal; therefore, the Prophet also says: "And you will renew the face of the earth." (Ps. 103:32) For just as the creation, being from God from the beginning, was good, and not merely good by chance: through the transgression of man, the creation itself became subject to vanity, that is, not having a firm existence, but being in a state of instability and change. Then in the flood, when few men had persevered in divine worship, the world again seemed to take on the beginning of its reconstruction through Noah and those who had been saved in the ark along with the animals for the establishment of seeds: nevertheless, even then, human nature did not persist in its previous state, but rather declined to worse conditions than those that had existed before, from which neither the law given by Moses turned them away, nor the presence of the Lord, except that a few turned aside to those things which led to salvation. For how great is the multitude of those who are saved if you compare it to the multitude of those who perish, who are generated daily? For this reason, it seems to me that the time of fulfillment is delayed until the number of the saved is completed. Therefore, since the call to salvation has been made in various ways, and the destruction from unbelief is diverse: for this reason, a cataclysmic fire is necessary, indeed a destruction, although not entirely perfect: not indeed of souls, but neither of bodies. For we must all be revealed before the tribunal of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), not with our souls naked, but together with our bodies, and with them incorruptible. For how could a naked soul account for those things which have been done through the body? Indeed, it is not the part of a just judge, when two have sinned in the same way, to dismiss one and transfer the whole crime to the other. Furthermore, if we are accustomed to melt certain corporeal things again with fire, not to attribute to them absolute destruction, but to provide them with purity and sincerity: let no one doubt that God, who has promised completion through fire, will either not bring about corruption, or will indeed do so in such a way that through the corruption of one, He makes another. But even if it were to corrupt, what would it corrupt? The superfluous and those related to present life: and what are those? Beasts, herbs, plants. Indeed, herbs are for the beasts, and the beasts are for the service of this corruptible life. "Producing," he says, "hay for the beasts and herbs for the service of men." (Ps. 103:14) As for the plants, some are indeed for covering and for building houses, while others are for providing food. Moreover, the fact that animals require food is a sign of corruption. For what else could the middle and fullness provide but corruption? Therefore, those things which are superfluous to immortal life would be corrupted. But He will create new heavens and a new earth (Isa. 65:17), not another in terms of material. For even one who builds a new house does not indeed make it from non-existing material. Thus, God created the material and shaped it from the beginning, as much as was certainly necessary for the use of that time. To the incorruptibility, however, which will corrupt that which is useless and unnecessary after the present state. If something is useful, it will allow for an improvement with immortal and incredible beauty, so as to perfect and complete another and incorruptible world. "by which," namely heaven and earth, indeed submerged by waters, but the heavens sending down their gushes, that is, as if through gushes urging water downwards. "by which the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished." It perished, not for the entire world, but for the living beings, which indeed represent the whole world. If indeed the place was deserted of living beings, the world would not even be considered. Furthermore, what is stated, "reserved for fire on the day of judgment of ungodly men," is thus arranged: reserved for the day of judgment and for the day of destruction; for "on the day" is resumed from common sense. However, judgment means condemnation: — Commentary on 2 Peter Oecumenius : For they willingly do not know that the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water by the word of God. "and the earth standing out of the water." The earth indeed from water as from a material principle, but through water as through a perfecting principle. For water contains the earth like a certain glue that is to it; unless it were to touch it, it would necessarily dissolve and be carried into the air. However, perhaps someone will approach us with vain thought saying: For what reason did God, who produced this visible world, not create it firm and unchangeable from the beginning, but subject to changes? Hence, it was also immediately necessary to be restored, indeed at the time of Noah through water, but reserved unto fire, as Peter now says? To which we will say that it was not possible for it to have changelessness. How indeed, for he who has received his being from change? If indeed it was produced from non-being to being, which no wise person would say is not a change. And in what way has the change progressed to worse, mixed with worse, it was necessary for this Creator to restore it to better; indeed, at the time of Noah he purified through water, but in the end he will do so through fire. Just as we are accustomed to melt certain material things again with fire, not for destruction, but for purification. — Commentary on 2 Peter Shepherd of Hermas : First of all, believe that there is one God who created and finished all things, and made all things out of nothing. He alone is able to contain the whole, but Himself cannot be contained. — Shepherd of Hermas, Commandment 1