1. Introduction (1:1–2) Promises and Virtues (1:3–11) and Divine Revelation (1:12–21) Outline 1:1–2 I. Introduction 1:1 A. Greetings 1:2 B. Salutation 1:3–11 II. Promises and Virtues 1:3–4 A. Promises 1:5–7 B. Virtues 1:5–1. Faith, Goodness, and Knowledge 1:6–2. Self-control, Perseverance, and Godliness 1:7–3. Brotherly Kindness and Love 1:8–9 C. Growth 1:10–11 D. Assurance 1:12–21 III. Divine Revelation 1:12–15 A. Memory 1:16–18 B. Eyewitnesses 1:16–1. Christ's Coming 1:17–2. Christ's Glory 1:18–3. Christ's Companions 1:19–21 C. Prophecy 1:19–1. Certainty 1:20–2. Origin 1:21–3. Source I. Introduction 1:1–2 1 1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: 2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. A. Greetings 1:1 In the first verse of this epistle the author tells us something about himself by revealing his name and status. And in his address, he describes the recipients of the epistle in terms of righteousness and faith, which are spiritual qualities that come to them from God and Jesus Christ. 1. Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours. a. Name This self-identification of Peter is a point of debate among scholars who defend apostolic authorship of this epistle^[1] and those who question it.^[2] If Peter is the author, why does he not identify himself as Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:1)? Instead, he introduces himself as Simon Peter, which many early manuscripts have as Simeon Peter.^[3] The name Simeon is a variant of Simon and occurs in the address that James delivered at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:14). Moreover, the name Simeon belongs to the head of one of Israel's tribes (Rev. 7:7). It is also the name of an elderly man who, filled with the Holy Spirit, uttered a hymn while holding the baby Jesus (Luke 2:25 28, 34). One of Jesus ancestors bore the name Simeon (Luke 3:30) and so did Simeon Niger (Acts 13:1). In short, the name occurs rather frequently in Scripture and perhaps was a preferred pronunciation among some Jews. The name Simon in Hebrew is a diminutive form of Samuel, which means God has heard. Simon's parents gave him this name at birth. But when Jesus called Simon to be his follower, he gave him the name Peter (rock), which in the Aramaic language is Cephas. Simon Peter is not the only one with this name, for in the New Testament at least nine different persons bear the name Simon.^[4] The combination Simon Peter occurs numerous times in all four Gospels and in Acts. In the early church, among Gentile Christians who spoke Greek, Peter apparently was known by his double name. For example, when Luke describes Peter's visit to the house of Cornelius the Roman centurion, he uses the double form (Acts 10:5, 18, 32; 11:13). Likewise, John, who presumably wrote his Gospel in Asia Minor, almost exclusively uses the double name Simon Peter. Of the twenty-two times that John mentions the apostle, seventeen are the combination form the other five instances either introduce Simon (1:41, 42) or indicate the special circumstance of Simon's reinstatement as an apostle (21:15, 16, 17).^[5] When reinstating Simon after his denial, Jesus refrained from calling him Peter (rock) because the significance of that name was inappropriate at that moment. b. Function Peter calls himself a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ. The word servant also occurs in the greetings of the epistles of James (1:1) and Jude (1). Both James and Jude refrain from using the double title servant and apostle. Peter uses this combination to indicate that as a servant he stands next to any other servant of Jesus Christ. He is ready to accept, obey, and fulfill the orders of his Lord. Peter applies the term servant to all believers (I Peter 2:16). Peter adds that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ. Although he served as leader of the twelve apostles and head of the Jerusalem church, he places himself not above but next to the other apostles. Peter writes that he is an apostle and not the apostle of Jesus Christ. Note that Paul also introduces himself as a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle (Rom. 1:1; also see Gal. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:1; Rev. 1:1). With the other apostles, Peter is a servant and an apostle of his Sender, Jesus Christ. As an apostle, he seeks to make disciples of all nations by baptizing them and by teaching them the gospel (Matt. 28:19–20).^[6] The term apostle means not only that someone is sent out, but also that he has received full authority from Jesus Christ. In his preaching and in his writing, Peter delivers not his own message but that of the Lord (I Peter 1:1; Gal. 1:1). Therefore, Peter writes his second epistle on behalf of Christ, who confers his authority upon this letter. Peter writes his epistle in the capacity of an apostle of Jesus Christ, and he expects its recipients to acknowledge it as an apostolic document (Luke 10:16).^[7] c. Addressees In his first epistle, Peter lists the places where the addressees reside. He does not list them in his second letter. Peter writes to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours. Peter is not interested in locations but in spiritual possessions which the readers have in common with the apostle. Peter addresses people who &have received a faith as precious as ours. First, let us consider the meaning of the Greek verb to receive. It suggests that someone obtains something by casting lots (Luke 1:9; John 19:24) or by the will of God (Acts 1:17).^[8] Peter uses this verb to indicate that man receives his faith from God in accordance with God's will. He reminds his readers that faith does not originate in themselves but is a gift from God. Second, how do we understand the term faith? Faith, which both the readers and Peter have in common, can be either objective or subjective. Objective faith refers to a body of Christian truths formulated, for example, in a creed. Subjective faith is the trust a believer places in God. Scholars are unable to agree on the interpretation of the word faith. Some interpret it in the objective sense and others in the subjective sense. However, the context points to the subjective meaning: first, because God grants subjective faith and, second, because in this context subjective faith is closely linked to the concept righteousness. God imparts righteousness to the believer. Next, Peter notes that the recipients of his letter share the same faith with him. [You] have received a faith as precious as ours. He stresses equality and with this choice of words he seems to point to his unassuming self-identification, a servant. In the Christian community every believer receives the same precious gift of faith from God. Peter uses the plural pronoun our in this text to demonstrate that the faith of the apostles is the same as that of the readers. In other words, the apostles are on the same spiritual level as all the other Christians. The word our should not be interpreted to refer to a distinction between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians, because the epistle itself fails to support such a distinction. Fourth, what is the meaning of the prepositional phrase through the righteousness of our God? The expression righteousness refers to God's justice in respect to man.^[9] In fact, some translators have the reading the justifying power of our God (NAB; also see NEB). The concepts righteousness and faith are closely linked in Scripture, especially in the epistles of Paul. For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with himself: it is through faith from beginning to endRom. 1:17, GNB . Here are two observations: In the relation of faith and righteousness, faith is a personal trust in God; righteousness originates with God and through Christ it flows down to us. ^[10] Last, scholars differ in their interpretation of the words our God and Savior Jesus Christ. Is Peter writing about God and Jesus Christ or is he saying that Jesus Christ is God? With variations some translators present this reading: the righteousness of our God and of our Savior, Jesus Christ (SEB).^[11] However, numerous translators and commentators prefer the translation the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. They base their preference on the Greek in which one definite article links the two nouns God and Savior. Notice, then, that at the beginning of his epistle Peter emphasizes the divinity of Jesus Christ. Calling Jesus our God is not at all unusual, for one week after Jesus resurrection Thomas said to Jesus, My Lord and my God! (John 20:28). New Testament writers stress the divinity of Christ. Paul writes, For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form (Col. 2:9; also see Rom. 9:5; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8). Jesus Christ is both God and Savior. Of course, the name Jesus itself signifies salvation. The angel told Joseph to give Mary's Son the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). The word Savior does not occur in Peter's first epistle, but in his second it appears five times (1:1, 11; 2:20; 3:2, 18). Except for the first instance (1:1), all these verses have the familiar expression Lord and Savior. Because Jesus is God and Lord, he is able to set us free from sin, to make us righteous, and to restore us completely. Therefore, in response we joyfully and thankfully sing, Hallelujah! what a Saviour! Hallelujah! what a Friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, He is with me to the end. J. Wilbur Chapman Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 1:1 [Greek] the second aorist active participle is derived from the verb [Greek] (I receive by lot). See its use in Acts 1:17. [Greek] when one definite article connects two nouns of the same case, it relates to the same person.^[12] In at least four instances, Peter adheres to this rule when he writes the combination Lord and Savior (1:11; 2:20; 3:2, 18). B. Salutation 1:2 At the beginning of this epistle, Peter follows the conventional rules of letter-writing. He identifies himself, describes the addressees, and greets them with an apostolic salutation. 2. Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. The words grace and peace are part of a fixed formula that appears in many epistles.^[13] In the two letters of Peter, the formula has the verb be in abundance (NIV), which literally means be multiplied (Jude 2). How do we multiply grace and peace? We are unable to comprehend how abstract qualities can be increased in number. The source of grace is God, who also grants peace. Furthermore, the Greek verb is in the passive voice that appears in the form of a wish. Peter's prayer is that God will send us an increasing quantity of both grace and peace. Although the term grace is used as a greeting, the term itself implies the qualities of mercy, love, and pardon that God extends to man. Peace flows forth from grace and is man's internal happiness which he desires to share with his fellow man. The concepts grace and peace are like two sides of the same coin. Peter adds the phrase through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. In a sense, this is the theme of Peter's letter, because the concept knowledge occurs repeatedly.^[14] Here Peter writes the noun in compound form to express acknowledgment. He conveys the thought that knowledge is not merely an ability to recite facts but an experience that promotes fellowship. The believer who is the recipient of God's grace and peace experiences these gifts through intimate fellowship with God (see vv. 3, 8; 2:20–21). By increasing his knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, he acknowledges that grace and peace are multiplied for him. Peter expands the reference to the believer's knowledge of God by adding a comment about the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. He reaffirms the words of Jesus: No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him (Matt. 11:27). Throughout this epistle Peter urges the readers to increase their knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (refer to v. 8; 2:20; 3:18).^[15] This is Peter's main concern in writing his epistle. He urges his readers to increase their personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior. He begins his epistle with a prayerful wish for grace and peace through knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ. He concludes his letter with an exhortation to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (3:18). Practical Considerations in 1:2 If I wish to know Jesus Christ as my Savior, I must have an intellectual and an experiential knowledge of him. By reading the Scriptures I learn about his birth, ministry, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension, and the promise of his return. From reading the Bible I come to know Jesus Christ, the Son of God, my Savior. Jesus wants me to study the Scriptures, for they testify about him (John 5:39). However, I must also know Jesus Christ through the personal experiences of answered prayer, the strengthening of faith, the evident blessings of the Lord, and the assurance that I am doing the will of God. I walk and talk with Jesus, because he is my friend (John 15:15), my brother (Heb. 2:11), and my adviser. Like Enoch, who daily walked with God, I confide in Jesus and thus know him more and more. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 1:2 [Greek] only here and in I Peter 1:2and Jude 2this particular verb occurs in the aorist passive optative. The passive voice implies that God is the agent. The aorist is constative, because it encompasses the entire action without regard to time. And the optative expresses a wish. II. Promises and Virtues 1:3–11 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall,11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A. Promises 1:3–4 The transition from the preceding verse (v. 2) to these two verses is abrupt. The word knowledge gives the passage continuity, but the construction of verse 3 causes a break with the salutation. Perhaps the writer deleted a clause that would make the transition smooth between the two verses. Deletion of a clause is not uncommon in Greek manuscripts. If we include such a clause, we can bridge the gap between verses 2 and 3. For example, We are receiving God's grace and peace, [because] his divine power has given us everything we need. ^[16] An alternative is to take verse 2 as the salutation and the next verse as the beginning of the letter proper, and indicate a definite break between them. Then we accept verses 3 and 4 as part of a lengthy thought with verses 5 7. But the words for this very reason (v. 5) do not lend themselves as a natural transition. Taking the simple rule of thumb, Take Greek as it comes, I prefer to see verse 3 as a continuation of the message that the salutation conveys and thus supply a short clause to introduce verse 3. 3. His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Some translations, including the New International Version, omit the first Greek word in this verse. The versions that translate this word have the reading according as (KJV), seeing that (NASB), as (NKJV), or for (MLB). These translators use it as a bridge between the salutation (v. 2) and this verse. a. His divine power has given us everything we need. To whom is Peter referring when he writes, his divine power? Commentators have different opinions. Some say that this is a reference to God, but that the pronouns him and his relate to Christ.^[17] Others say that Peter is thinking of Christ; first, because Jesus is mentioned in the preceding text, and second, because the entire epistle is an exposition of Jesus deity (e.g., see v. 1).^[18] Perhaps we can say that in this verse Peter fails to present a clear distinction between God and Jesus and, therefore, that we ought to refrain from being dogmatic. The words divine power describe the godhead and everything that belongs to it. ^[19] They are an example of the Hebrew fondness for using a circumlocution to avoid mentioning the name of God. Because of his divine power, God has given us everything we need. This is an amazing statement! In fact, in this introductory verse of the epistle we encounter a wonderful cheerfulness.^[20] Peter exclaims that he and the readers are the recipients of untold blessings; the word everything sums up this idea. b. For life and godliness. Observe that God has granted and continues to grant us everything for life and godliness. He wants us to live in harmony with his Word by honoring, loving, and serving him. Eternal life is not an ideal that becomes reality when we depart from this earthly scene. On the contrary, we possess eternal life through our daily exercise of living for God and our fellow man. By obeying God's will in our lives we practice godliness and experience the possession of eternal life. c. Through our knowledge of him who called us. Peter tells the readers of his epistle that God grants them everything they need to enjoy life in his service. He indicates that God grants his gifts liberally through our knowledge of him. Once again Peter speaks of knowledge (see v. 2) and informs us that God makes his gifts available to us when we come to know him. Knowledge is a basic concept in Peter's epistle. The question is whether the phrase knowledge of him applies to God or to Christ. If we understand the pronoun to refer to Christ, then we have to conclude that the word us refers to the apostles. But the pronoun us in the first part of verse 3 is all-inclusive, for Peter speaks of himself and the readers. Should we interpret the pronoun to apply only to the apostles and not to the readers, we would negate the statements on equality within the church, which Peter teaches by implication in the first two verses of this epistle. We expect, however, that Peter is consistent in the use of this pronoun. Accordingly, we understand the word him to point to God and not to Christ. John Calvin observes that Peter makes God the author of this knowledge, because we never go to him except when called. ^[21] God has called us, through Christ, to salvation (Rom. 8:28, 30; I Peter 1:15; 2:9; 5:10). And last, in the broader context of this chapter, Peter once more mentions the calling of the readers; he writes, Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure (v. 10). d. By his own glory and goodness. The act of calling us is a demonstration of God's own glory and goodness. These two characteristics are highly personal; the adjective own modifies both terms. Moreover, the two terms, although in a sense synonymous,^[22] differ. We are able to observe glory with our eyes (John 1:14), and we become aware of goodness (praise) with our minds and hearts. Conclusively, God reveals his essential being through visible glory and he displays his goodness in his deeds. 4. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. We see a correlation between verses 3 and 4 whereby the author is clarifying his message. Here is the parallel: Verse 3 Verse 4 His divine power Through these has given us he has given us everything we need his very great and precious for life and godliness promises, through our knowledge so that through them of him who called us by his you may participate own glory and goodness. in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. Note also the cross-shaped configuration of some of the parts: his divine power (v. 3) corresponds with in the divine nature (v. 4), and glory and goodness (v. 3) is the antecedent of through these (v. 4). From another point of view, the conclusion of verse 4 contrasts with the last line of the preceding verse: the corruption in the world is the opposite of glory, and evil desires is antithetical to goodness. a. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises. To whom does the pronoun he refer to God or to Christ? Scripture teaches that God has given his people numerous promises, but also Christ has promised his followers that he will return (1:16; 3:4, 9). Because Peter is not specific in distinguishing between God and Christ, we ought to refrain from restricting the meaning of the pronoun. The promises themselves are an important part of this verse, for Peter describes them as very great and precious. Observe that he uses the superlative form to depict these promises. With the perfect tense he has given, he implies that God not only has given these promises to us but also has fulfilled them in the person and work of Christ. b. So that through them you may participate in the divine nature. Peter needs an additional clause to tell us what God's purpose is in giving us these promises (I Peter 2:9). He informs us that through these promises we share God's nature. Although this statement lends itself to many interpretations, we ought to notice how precisely Peter has chosen his words. He says that we participate in God's nature, not in God's being. He has chosen the term nature because it indicates growth, development, and character. The expression being, by contrast, points to essence and substance. We can never participate in God's essence, for we are and remain human beings who have been created by God. What Peter discloses is that we share God's holiness, which we experience through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our hearts (I Cor. 6:19). What, then, is God's purpose in making us share in his nature? In the words of Calvin, Let us then mark, that the end of the gospel is, to render us eventually conformable to God, and, if we may so speak, to deify us. ^[23] Peter borrows the term divine nature from the philosophical vocabulary of the Greeks. To refute his opponents (see 2:1) he employs their terminology but gives the words a Christian meaning. Greek philosophers taught that man who is living in a corrupt world of physical pleasure must become like the gods. They advised their followers to share the divine nature. Peter resorts to using the same expression, participate in the divine nature. But whereas the philosophers took their point of departure in man and claimed for him a share in the nature of the gods, Peter views our sharing of God's nature in the light of God's promises. There is a world of difference between these two concepts. The first is humanistic and reflects the vaulted self-appraisal of natural man. The other is Christian and exalts the gracious provision of God. ^[24] Through the promises in Christ, we obtain God's holiness. God has called us into the sphere of holiness in which we have fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ (I John 1:3). By fixing our thoughts on Jesus, we share in the heavenly calling and in Christ himself (Heb. 3:1, 14). c. And escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. Already in his life, the believer participates in God's divine nature by reflecting his virtues. He shuns sin and evil because he knows that he belongs not to the world but to God (John 17:14 18; also compare I Thess. 5:22; James 1:27). Surely, when he leaves this earthly scene and participates in eternal glory, he fully displays God's nature. While on earth, he lives in the world even though he is not of the world. He has put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:24; also see Col. 3:10; Heb. 12:10; and I John 3:2). Doctrinal Considerations in 1:4 A skilled communicator expresses himself in the language of the people he addresses; he uses their vocabulary and idioms to identify with his audience. But as he employs their terminology, he is completely free to proclaim his own message. Peter selects a phrase that was current in the Hellenistic world of his day: participate in the divine nature. Even though Peter avails himself of Hellenistic terminology, he does not teach a Hellenistic view of man, which advocated escape from this material world because of its corruption. Peter is careful to define the nature of the corruption he has in mind, i.e. corruption that is in (en) the world because of (en) passion. There is a deliberate avoidance of the concept that the material world is itself evil. ^[25] Peter, therefore, teaches not the doctrine of Hellenistic philosophers who reason from man's perspective. Instead, he presents God's revelation, in which God calls man to have fellowship with him. In short, not man but God takes the initiative. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 1:3–4 Verse 3 [Greek] omitted in some translations, this particle performs the functions of introducing a genitive absolute construction: [Greek] (power) and [Greek] (perfect middle participle from [Greek] [I give, present, bestow]). Verse 3, however, lacks a main verb, which perhaps has been deleted in the transition from verse 2 to verse 3. Notice that the perfect tense of the participle indicates a past action that has lasting effect for the present. [Greek] this adjective, meaning divine, occurs also in verse 4 and in Acts 17:29, where Paul uses it in his address to Athenian philosophers. It appears frequently in Hellenistic writings, probably because its very broad usage gave it a polytheistic or pantheistic flavor. ^[26] We assume that both Paul and Peter accommodated themselves to the vocabulary used by their audiences. Jewish Christians who lived in a Hellenistic environment were acquainted with this word.^[27] [Greek] the Majority Text and Textus Receptus have the reading [Greek] (through glory), which has the support of some ancient manuscripts. Bruce M. Metzger comments that the majority of the Editorial Committee of the United Bible Societies edition preferred the reading [Greek] because it is more likely that [Greek] would have been written by mistake for [Greek] than vice versa; and [Greek] is a favorite word with the author of 2 Peter, occurring six other times in three chapters. ^[28] Verse 4 [Greek] as an adjective in the superlative degree, it is emphatic in the sense of very or exceedingly. ^[29] [Greek] the aorist subjunctive from the verb [Greek] (I become, am) expresses the process that occurs in regard to a believer's sanctification. The aorist is constative. [Greek] from the verb [Greek] (I escape), this active participle in the aorist tense denotes single occurrence. As a compound, the participle governs the genitive case without a preposition. B. Virtues 1:5–7 1. Faith, Goodness, and Knowledge 1:5 The apostle specifies how a Christian ought to live virtuously by claiming God's promises and avoiding the corruption of the world. He lists the qualities the Christian must have to lead a spiritually productive and effective life. He exhorts the believer to possess a number of virtues; faith heads the list. 5. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge. Peter reiterates the idea of the preceding verses in the words for this very reason. He has alluded to God's work in saving us; now he stresses our work in the process of salvation. In a sense, he says the same thing Paul wrote in one of his epistles: Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you (Phil. 2:12–13). God has given us his promises and, true to his word, fulfills them. Now God expects us to do our part. Therefore, Peter writes, Make every effort to add. The Greek for this particular phrase is interesting indeed. Peter uses the noun effort, then the verb to apply, and last the verb to add. Peter writes the noun first to give it emphasis. The noun itself means diligence and even conveys the idea of haste. That is, when God calls a person, he wants him to put forth every possible effort to obey this divine call and to do so without delay. The verb to apply signifies that we must bring our diligence into God's presence and place it next to what God does for us. Even though the initiative in salvation comes from God, he works out our sanctification by putting us to work. The verb to add is meaningful in the Greek. The word comes from the Greek world of stage and drama. The director of a play not only coached the cast. Together with the state, he also paid the expenses the members incurred for giving a performance on stage. In other words, the choirmaster added his financial contribution to the amount the state supplied.^[30] This verb to add, then, signifies that the believer contributes lavishly to the work of his salvation. Peter presents a list of eight virtues, of which faith is the first and love the last (Gal. 5:6, 22). These are the first three virtues: Faith Faith is the personal reliance of the believer (see also v. 1). It is his subjective trust in his Lord and Savior and therefore is the basis of his spiritual life. Faith is the root of all the other virtues Peter mentions. Peter exhorts the readers of his letter to add the seven following virtues to faith. These other virtues are unattainable until the step of faith has been taken. ^[31] Moreover, because of our trust in Jesus, our faith has its source in him (Mark 9:24). Goodness Of the seven virtues that are directly related to faith, Peter mentions goodness first. It relates to one of God's characteristics (see v. 3). Because it is a divine attribute, we ought to reflect this virtue in our lives. Our daily conduct should be a demonstration of moral excellence. Faith and excellence support one another. Knowledge The next virtue that flows from faith is knowledge. The Greek word implies that we use our minds, have correct insight in all circumstances, and know the moral quality of the people we meet. We put our knowledge to work by using common sense in everything we say, do, and think. Furthermore, knowledge and faith go hand in hand, for faith is strengthened through knowledge and the increase of knowledge is rooted in trust. 2. Self-control, Perseverance, and Godliness 1:6 6. And to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness. The next three qualities that contribute to the believer's sanctification are: Self-control In the Hellenistic world of Peter's day, this word pertained to sports. As Paul puts it, Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict trainingI Cor. 9:25; the italicized words convey the concept self-control . The athletes in preparation for the games abstained from unwholesome food, wine, and sexual indulgence. ^[32] A Christian must exercise self-discipline in all circumstances and should do so by placing his trust in God. The apostles, however, refrain from issuing a detailed command on self-control that covers every situation. They mention self-control as a virtue the believer must practice (I Cor. 7:9; Gal. 5:23; Titus 1:8). Martin Luther aptly remarks, People are not alike. One is strong, another is weak by nature, and no one is always as fit in every respect as the other person is. ^[33] A Christian ought to maintain his self-control in complete reliance on God. Perseverance A momentary lack of self-discipline leads to failure and a loss of self-respect. Therefore, Peter adds the New Testament concept perseverance. This word means to remain under a particular conflict. Perseverance is defined as the characteristic of a man who is unswerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings. ^[34] The word appears repeatedly in the New Testament (Rom. 5:3–4; I Tim. 6:11; Heb. 12:2; James 1:3; I Peter 2:20; Rev. 2:19). Perseverance is related to faith as daughter to mother. It originates in faith, for the believer knows that God is in complete control of every situation. Accordingly, Zacharius Ursinus explained the combination of perseverance and trust in these words: We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father.^[35] Godliness Peter tells us to add godliness to perseverance. This is the second time he introduces the expression godliness (see v. 3). He also mentions it in the context of Christ's return. As Noah and Lot, whom Peter calls righteous (2:5, 7), lived among ungodly people, so the Christian today pursues godliness in a sinful world. A Christian practices godliness when he is fully conscious of God's presence in every circumstance, so that his life is guided by the motto of the Genevan Reformer John Calvin: Coram Deo (in the presence of God). 3. Brotherly Kindness and Love 1:7 7. And to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. The last two virtues are significant, because both of them express love. Notice that when we show brotherly affection and love, we fulfill the summary of the Ten Commandments: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. [Matt. 22:37–39] Transliterated from the Greek, the term brotherly kindness is philadelphia (Rom. 12:10). The term implies that we express our love to the brothers and sisters in the church and that we love one another deeply, from the heart (I Peter 1:22). Peter writes, [Add] to brotherly kindness, love. He seems redundant in his emphasis on love. But Peter does not want us to restrict our love to the members of the church. He knows the teaching of Jesus, Love your enemies (Matt. 5:44). Love is a debt we owe our fellow man (Rom. 13:8) without exception. In other words, whereas we can limit the application of brotherly kindness to the Christian community, we are unable to restrict the practice of love. God is love, writes John. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him (I John 4:16). Love, which Peter mentions as the last characteristic in the series of eight virtues, is the fruit of faith in God. C. Growth 1:8–9 What are we doing with the virtues Peter enumerates in the preceding verses? He exhorts us to apply them so that we may reap an abundant harvest in knowing Jesus Christ. A neglect of these virtues results in spiritual loss and deprivation. Peter states the matter first positively (v. 8) and then negatively (v. 9) to show the purpose of these virtues and the consequence of lacking them. 8. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. a. Translations This verse lends itself to two possible translations because of the word order in the Greek. The lengthy prepositional phrase in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ can be taken either with the adjectives ineffective and unproductive (NIV and other versions) or with the Greek verb to bring. This is the first translation: If you have a generous supply of these [virtues], &they will bring you to a real knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (JB). However, the other translation is preferred, because the verb to bring also has the meaning to make, which with the adjective ineffective appears to be an idiom. Most translators favor this combination and present the reading, and make you not useless and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. b. Meaning If we possess these eight virtues, says Peter, and if they continue to increase, we are reaping an abundant harvest. Peter is not indicating that we must take the virtues successively, as if the one depends on the other. Rather, he means that we must cultivate all of them at the same time and see them grow and develop (I Thess. 3:12). The consequence of this development is that we are not ineffective and unproductive in our spiritual lives (Gal. 6:10). We are busy applying these virtues and thus witness their visible results. When we are ineffective, we are idle; and when we fail to be productive, we are useless in society (Mark 4:19). Such is not the case when all our virtues increase and bear fruit, especially with reference to our knowledge of Christ. Peter unfolds a favorite theme in this epistle: Grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord (1:2, 3, 8; 3:18). As parents want to see their infants gain weight, so Peter desires our spiritual growth in knowing Jesus more and more. More about Jesus would I know, More of his grace to others show; More of his saving fullness see, More of his love who died for me. Eliza E. Hewitt 9. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Here is the reverse, namely, the negative side of the previous statement (v. 8). We consider the following points: deficient, blind, forgetful. a. Deficient The first word in this verse presents a contrast: but. That is, if there is a person in the Christian community who lacks the eight virtues that range from faith to love, he is ineffective and unproductive. In this verse, Peter uses the word anyone and no longer the pronoun you. He is not accusing the readers. He only states a fact. To illustrate his point, Peter uses the metaphor of a person who is nearsighted and blind. b. Blind The New International Version has the reading nearsighted and blind, but the Greek text has the inverse order. A blind person cannot be nearsighted, but a nearsighted person can eventually become blind. However, the two adjectives are in effect synonymous.^[36] The term nearsighted, which in transliterated form from the Greek is myMpazMn (myopic), means to close the eyes, that is, to squint. The intent, therefore, is to say that a person without spiritual virtues is as blind as someone who contracts his eyelids. With this illustration, Peter wishes to say that a person who neglects the cultivation of spiritual values is blind to the truth of God's Word. Such a man is able to see earthly things that are nearby but unable to see heavenly things that are far away. He is spiritually blind. In his first epistle, John describes the man who claims to be in the light but hates his brother as a person who stumbles in the darkness because the darkness has blinded him (2:11). c. Forgetful From the illustration of blindness, Peter proceeds to the point at issue: [This person] has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Forgetfulness is detrimental to one's spiritual life. It shuts out the past and blocks the memory of Christ's forgiving grace and love. This forgetfulness is itself an example of failure in the knowledge of Christ. ^[37] On the other hand, anyone who looks to Jesus in gratitude for his salvation and who continues to develop in his personal relationship with the Lord always remembers his conversion and time of baptism. Peter's statement he has been cleansed has bearing on baptism. It harmonizes with Paul's remark concerning the church: Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word (Eph. 5:25–26; also see I Peter 3:21). Baptism is the symbol of this cleansing, and Jesus sacrificial death on the cross is a reality. With the term past Peter indicates that someone who lived in sin was converted and baptized. Perhaps this person failed to realize the significance of his cleansing and therefore did not break with his past but mingled his worldly life with Christian living. Perhaps he gradually drifted from his commitment to Christ by forgetting the significance of his baptism and returning to his former sinful life.^[38] Doctrinal Considerations in 1:8–9 Verse 8 For Peter, faith is a basic virtue. He mentions it in his address: To those who &have received a faith as precious as ours (v. 1). In verse 5, he places faith at the head of the list of virtues. Faith is the mother of all the spiritual qualities he enumerates. Therefore, we should not view these virtues in a descending order of importance but as equally significant in relation to faith. Verse 9 Is it possible for a believer to sing the hymn Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine and forget his baptism? Hardly. By itself, baptism is no guarantee that a person is saved. Baptism is an external ceremony that must have its counterpart in an internal commitment to Christ. But if true faith is lacking in the heart of a person who has been baptized, all the other virtues that Peter mentions also are absent. John writes about people who in his day had left the church: They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us (I John 2:19). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 1:8–9 Verse 8 [Greek] from the verb [Greek] (I am present), this present active participle in the nominative plural neuter denotes a conditional statement of simple fact. With the pronoun [Greek] (you), which is a dative of possession, the participle is translated with the verb to have, If you have these qualities. [Greek] as a present active indicative third person singular, the verb can mean either it brings or it makes. With the adjectives [Greek] and [Greek], the preferred reading is it makes. The preposition [Greek], then, means in respect to instead of into. Verse 9 [Greek] because of the dative case of this pronoun and the verb to be in the compound [Greek] (it is present), here is a dative of possession (see v. 8). Note that the verb [Greek], which is present active indicative, is negated by the participle [Greek] (not).^[39] [Greek] this present active participle is a contraction of the words [Greek] (to shut the eyes).^[40] D. Assurance 1:10–11 Here is the conclusion to Peter's exhortation in the section about promises and virtues. Peter encourages his readers to gain certainty in regard to their salvation. He writes, 10. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall. Observe three aspects in this verse: a. Eagerness With the adverb therefore, Peter summarizes what he has been saying in the preceding verses. The adverb encompasses the assurance of verse 8 and the warning of verse 9. With the personal address my brothers, Peter speaks to the people described in verse 8 and separates himself from the persons mentioned in verse 9. The tender address my brothers occurs only here in the two epistles of Peter. But the term dear friends is common in both letters.^[41] By addressing the recipients pastorally, Peter stresses the importance of their spiritual well-being. Be all the more eager. In a sense Peter is using the same exhortation in verse 5. Now he is saying, Put forth every effort you can muster. The Greek verb also includes the notion of urgency (compare 1:15; 3:14). In fact, Peter commands the readers to act immediately without delay. They must continue to do this by making it part of their daily routine and thus show diligence. b. Election Make your calling and election sure. These two nouns are synonymous, for in the Greek they share one definite article. Although God elects and calls a person, and although from a divine aspect the chronological order should be that election is followed by calling, Peter indicates that in this verse he views calling and election from man's perspective. In the Greek word order, the expression sure follows the verb be eager, and because it precedes the combination calling and election, the expression is emphatic. Peter wants the readers to realize that God calls them in their lifetime, but that they must exert themselves diligently in ascertaining and appropriating their calling and election (Phil. 2:12–13). Peter stresses man's responsibility in regard to salvation. Election and calling are and remain God's redemptive acts. God elects man in eternity (Eph. 1:4) but calls him in time (Rom. 8:30). Man does not elect or call himself, for Paul writes, God's gifts and his call are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29). Hence, God alone decrees man's election and calling. The task for man is to appropriate his salvation, so that he is absolutely certain of the calling with which God has called him and can live in the knowledge that he is God's child (II Tim. 1:9).^[42] Calling is not merely an invitation; it is a royal command which man must obey. And election is evidence of God's grace and love toward man.^[43] Man, then, must take possession of his election by exercising the virtues Peter outlines in verses 5 7. c. Established The purpose of the believer's exertion is that he is able to stand. Says Peter, If you do these things, you will never fall. In the Greek, the expression never is emphatic and indicates that the believer's fall cannot happen when he is all the more eager to make [his] calling and election sure. The believer is firmly established, unmoved, and absolutely sure of his salvation because he knows that he cannot lose it (Ps. 15:5; 37:24; Jude 24). 11. And you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A literal translation of the beginning of this text is, for in this way (NASB). That is, by personally affirming his calling and election, the believer enters Christ's kingdom. a. Rewards God responds to man's faithfulness and richly provides for him an entrance into the kingdom. Note that Peter employs the word rich to describe not the manner but the event of the believer's entrance into heaven. When God welcomes the believer to his heavenly abode, he considers the believer his child. Therefore, God lavishes gifts upon him to make him a rich person who enters heaven as a victor. John Albert Bengel writes, You may be able to enter, not as having escaped from a shipwreck, or from fire, but as it were in triumph. ^[44] (Incidentally, contrast the text If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? [I Peter 4:18] with this text. Obviously, the contexts of these two verses call for a difference in expression.) Peter uses the personal pronoun you and tells the readers, You will receive a rich welcome. The meaning of the verb to receive, which is the same Greek verb translated to add in verse 5, implies that God will bless abundantly all those who cultivate spiritual virtues. b. Place Only in this verse the adjective eternal is used to describe the kingdomPs. 145:13; and see II Tim. 4:18, heavenly kingdom . Christ's kingdom is eternal because he himself is eternal. In other words, the kingdom of Jesus is not subject to limitations of cosmic time; it exists forever. In this kingdom, Christ is king. As Jesus clearly teaches, God rules through his Son, Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18). Peter is fond of calling Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior (see 2:20; 3:2, 18). In verse 1 he calls Jesus God and Savior to emphasize his divinity. c. Significance Because the recipients of this epistle know the Lord as their Savior, Peter is not teaching that they will enter either the church or the kingdom of Christ here on earth. The future tense causes us to look expectantly to the coming of Christ's eternal kingdom. We do not simply identify the kingdom with heaven, even though believers when they die enter this kingdom. The broader perspective, in Peter's own words, is that we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness (3:13). Doctrinal Considerations in 1:10–11 How do I know that I am a child of God? When I search my spiritual life, I know that the certainty of salvation does not come to me through dreams, visions, and revelations. I have assurance of salvation because God has given me his Word, has revealed himself in Jesus Christ, and has worked and continues to work in my heart through the Holy Spirit. God has created faith in my soul so that I put my complete confidence and trust in him. I know not how this saving faith To me he did impart, Nor how believing in his Word Wrought peace within my heart. But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able To keep that which I've committed Unto him against that day. [II Tim. 1:12, KJV] Daniel W. Whittle What is the effect of this gift of faith? When I obediently listen to God's call and do his will, when I experience God's nearness in my soul, then I begin to understand that God's calling and election are an unspeakable source of comfort to me. I realize that as long as I reflect God's virtues in my life, I shall never fall. I know that God is able to keep me from falling and to present me faultless before him in love and with great joy (Jude 24). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 1:10–11 Verse 10 [Greek] here are two nouns introduced by one definite article. The nouns are considered synonyms in this construction.^[45] [Greek] the use of the present middle (reflexive) infinitive shows that Peter instructs every believer to make his own calling and election sure. [Greek] the present active participle denotes both a continuing activity and a condition: If you keep on doing these things. [Greek] this is the only time in Peter's epistles that the double negative occurs. The use of this combination signifies emphasis. Also, the aorist subjunctive indicates single occurrence. Verse 11 [Greek] see verse 5, where the same verb appears in the aorist active. Here it is in the future passive. The future is definite. Notice that the adverb [Greek] (richly) precedes the main verb and is in a position of emphasis. [Greek] see verse 1. When one definite article governs two nouns, the construction shows that the writer refers to one person. III. Divine Revelation 1:12–21 12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. 16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. 19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. A. Memory 1:12–15 Peter informs his readers that he himself is about to leave his physical body and thus enter the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ. But before he departs this earthly scene, he wants to be absolutely sure that his readers know the truth. He gives them an additional reminder. 12. So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. From his perspective as an apostle of Jesus Christ, Peter expresses his interest in and concern for the spiritual well-being of the church. He views the life of the church in relation to the truth of God's Word. a. So I will always remind you of these things. Even though Christians have a basic knowledge of the truth, Peter sees the necessity of reminding them. The Greek, at this point, causes some difficulties for translators. In effect, the Greek verb translated I will in the New International Version is a double future. Here is a version that has captured the thought best: That is why I am continually recalling the same truths to you (JB).^[46] Whenever and wherever the believers read this epistle, they are reminded of the words Peter has written. The content of this letter, then, serves as a reminder of the truth of God's revelation. For this reason Peter qualifies his statement with the adverb always. Not merely the spoken word of an apostle but the written word of God's revelation will continually remind the people of the truth. Peter knows that although his earthly life will come to an end, his epistle will remain as a constant reminder. Paul and John, in their epistles, also remind the readers of the truth they have taught. Says Paul, I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again (Rom. 15:15); It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you (Phil. 3:1). And John testifies, I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it (I John 2:21). They leave written documents that are God's inspired Word. b. Even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. What are the things that the readers know? Certainly they are the truths Peter has written in the first part of this chapter. These truths, then, are not new teachings for the recipients of this letter. They have known them ever since they heard the gospel proclaimed (Jude 5). Peter is descriptive when he says, [You] are firmly established in the truth (I Peter 5:10). He is not addressing recent converts, but Christians who have been fully indoctrinated in the truths of the gospel. Perhaps Peter chooses the words firmly established because of his own lack of commitment when he disowned Jesus in the high priest's courtyard (Matt. 26:69–75). Granted that the believers have the truth of God now, they readily forget and need someone to refresh their memories. 13. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14. because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. Notice that Peter speaks pastorally in a personal manner and with apostolic authority. He is convinced of his duty to help the people recall what they have learned. He regards this work as his pastoral task of preaching and teaching the Word of God. The Greek verb to refresh means to wake up, to rouse. The human mind is apt to take a rest and readily becomes sleepy. Peter is not referring to normal nighttime sleep but to a lack of attentiveness. Too often we rest on the laurels of past achievements and fail to be alert. We are lulled asleep, as if we are living in peace while the spiritual warfare against Satan and his cohorts is raging all around us. The time to awaken our minds comes at least once a week on the Lord's Day when God, through his servants, addresses us in the worship service. Peter rouses his readers by refreshing their memories in a way that builds their faith in God and avoids offense. He does this pastorally and tactfully; yet at the same time he expresses the urgency of his duty. Calvin observes, We are also taught by the example of Peter, that the shorter term of life remains to us, the more diligent ought we to be in executing our office. ^[47] Peter resorts to using a metaphor when he speaks of his physical body. He designates it a tent, much the same as Paul calls it an earthly tent (II Cor. 5:1, 4). The illustration is telling, because a house provides a sense of permanence, but a tent is a temporary dwelling. Peter gives no indication that he despises the body and glorifies the soul. On the contrary, his figure of speech conveys the idea of temporality. The time allotted for Peter's earthly ministry is brief. Because of the brevity of the time that still remains, Peter wants to make his readers conscious of the authority and importance of his teachings. Therefore, as long as he is physically capable, he devotes his time to refreshing the memories of the believers. Peter knows that his physical tent will be taken down in the near future. He writes, I know that I will soon put it aside. We are not told exactly when Peter died, for then we would be able to determine when Peter composed this epistle. If Peter suffered a martyr's death in the last few years of Nero's reign, according to tradition, we aver that Peter died in the mid-sixties. Nero committed suicide on the ninth of June a.d. 68. Using the expression soon, Peter indicates that the end of his life will come suddenly. The Greek adjective soon appears only once more in the New Testament, in 2:1 ( swift, NIV). There it conveys the thought of suddenness, bringing swift destruction. He anticipates not a lingering illness which eventually ends in death, but a swift, unexpected execution that terminates his earthly life. He speaks of his impending death as if he removes a piece of clothing. He says of his body, I will soon put it aside (Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:9). Peter is not afraid of death, for he will enter eternal glory with Jesus Christ (I Peter 5:10). As our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. Peter is guided not by premonitions but by a clear revelation given to him by Jesus Christ. The scriptural reference to this prophecy is Jesus word recorded by John in the last chapter of his Gospel: I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go (21:18). These words predict that Peter will become an old man, but they do not say anything about a sudden death. We assume, then, that Jesus saying was widely known in the early Church, as a prophecy of Peter's martyrdom. ^[48] 15. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things. Observe these matters: First, Peter writes the pronoun I repeatedly in his letters. In his first epistle, this personal pronoun appears in the last chapter (5:1, 12). In his second letter, he uses the first person singular in the first and third chapters (1:12, 13, 14, 15; 3:1, 2). Peter addresses the readers to demonstrate his personal interest in them. Next, Peter has a penchant for repetition. For instance, the command make every effort also appears in Greek as a noun in 1:5 and as a verb in 1:10 and in 3:14. In 1:15, he writes the verb in the future tense, as if to make a solemn pledge. Third, why does Peter use the future tense and not the present? If we take these words at face value, we must conclude that Peter intends to write still another document. Some scholars interpret Peter's declaration to mean that together with Mark he wrote the Gospel of Mark. Certainly no document would redeem the apostle's promise so well as a gospel; and if a gospel is meant, the reference can hardly be to any other than that of St. Mark. ^[49] Christian writers in the second and third centuries testify to the fact that Mark composed his Gospel with the help of Peter. About a.d. 125, Papias, who was bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor and a former disciple of the apostle John, wrote: Mark became Peter's interpreter and wrote accurately all that he remembered, not, indeed, in order, of the things said or done by the Lord. For he had not heard the Lord, nor had he followed him, but later on, as I said, followed Peter, who used to give teaching as necessity demanded.^[50] Some sixty years later, Irenaeus, bishop of the churches in Lyons, also testifies to this fact. Writing about the death of Peter and Paul, he says: But after their death [departure], Mark also, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, himself handed down to us in writing the things which were preached by Peter. ^[51] Even though the evidence from the early church points in the direction of Mark's Gospel, we can only assume but not prove that Peter is thinking of the Gospel. Fourth, a key word in verse 15 is departure. This is a term Peter uses to describe his impending death. Undoubtedly he implicitly teaches that his death is a transition from this earthly life to an unending life with Christ. Therefore, he views his death not as a cessation but as a departure. In the New Testament, this expression occurs in two other placesLuke 9:31and Heb. 11:22[ end, NIV] This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/hendriksen/ 2. False Teachers (2:1–22) Outline 2:1–22 IV. False Teachers 2:1 A. Destructive Heresies 2:2–3 B. Shameful Ways 2:4 10a C. Condemnation 2:4–1. Angels 2:5–2. Flood 2:6–8 3. Cities 2:9 10a 4. Sin 2:10b 16 D. Flagrant Misconduct 2:10b 11 1. Slander 2:12–2. Blasphemy 2:13–14 3. Adultery 2:15–16 4. Wickedness 2:17–22 E. Inevitable Doom 2:17–19 1. Description 2:20–22 2. Doctrine IV. False Teachers 2:1–22 2 1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. 12 But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish. 13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey a beast without speech who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness. 17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: A dog returns to its vomit, and, A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud. A. Destructive Heresies 2:1 The topic Peter discusses in this chapter appears to be opposite from the theme he develops in the previous chapter. In chapter 1, Peter hints at the pernicious influence of false teachers when he assures the readers that the apostles had not followed cleverly invented stories (v. 16). He implies that these stories, perpetrated by teachers who opposed Christ, were circulating within the broader Christian community. When we consider the false teachings that the early church faced, we can understand Peter's desire to encourage the believers to be strong in their spiritual lives. Peter provides all the necessary ammunition for the Christians so that they may successfully oppose the false teachers and defeat their purposes. He alerts the Christians to the war they must fight and equips them with spiritual armor to resist and dispel the anti-Christian forces. For Peter, the time has come to depict these enemies of Jesus Christ. In the first three verses of this chapter he portrays the objectives of these false teachers (v. 1), shows the intended result of their activities (vv. 2 3a), and mentions their impending condemnation and destruction (v. 3b). 1a. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. Peter marks the contrast between chapters 1 and 2 with the word but. He introduces a new subject that is familiar to anyone who knows the history of Israel. By mentioning the term false prophets, Peter is able to call to mind the spiritual struggle in which Israel was engaged in earlier years. While true prophets conveyed God's Word to the people of Israel (see 1:19), false prophets introduced their own inventions. Here are a few instances in which God reveals his opposition to false prophets: 1. He instructs the people of Israel to put to death a prophet who preaches rebellion against the Lord GodDeut. 13:5; also see 18:20 . 2. He compares the false prophets to Sodom because they commit adultery and live a lieJer. 23:14; also see 6:13 . 3. Among the people upon whom God pours out his wrath are the prophets who utter false visions and lying divinations (Ezek. 22:28). These prophets were false for two reasons: because of their message and their claim to the prophetic office. God condemned them for the lie they taught and lived. Furthermore, they were residing among God's people with the purpose of leading them astray. Just as there were false prophets in Israel, Peter writes, so there will be false teachers among you. Notice that he uses the future tense to warn the people about the coming of false teachers. He is aware of their presence and knows that others will come. He is saying that the believers in the Christian era can expect just as many false teachers as God's people encountered in Old Testament times. Peter repeats the warning Jesus gave in the discourse on the signs of the time: Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Christ, and will deceive many (Matt. 24:4–5). This is an apostolic warning; Paul, John, and Jude also utter this same warning.^[1] 1b. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them bringing swift destruction on themselves. Mark the following questions: a. What is the objective of these teachers? Peter uncovers their practices and motives when he reveals that these false teachers will secretly introduce destructive heresies. Furtively and unlawfully, they enter the Christian community to disseminate their heresies.^[2] In the parallel account, Jude has virtually the same wording: Certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you (v. 4). b. What are heresies? The word heresies derives from the Greek verb which signifies to take something for one's self, to choose, or to prefer. It refers to a chosen course of thought or action that an individual takes or that a group of people adopts as an article of faith or way of life. The inevitable result is the act of separation which gives the term heresy an unfavorable connotation. Thus, the Pharisees separated themselves from the Jewish people, and the Christians were known as a sect (Acts 24:5, 14; 28:22). In the early church, Paul instructs Titus to warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him (Titus 3:10; and see Matt. 18:15–17; II John 10).^[3] c. What is the result? Peter leaves no doubt that he uses the term heresy in a negative sense, for he says that false teachers will secretly introduce destructive heresies. The literal reading is, heresies of [for] destruction. The false teachers, then, slyly entered the Christian community with doctrines designed to destroy the spiritual and moral lives of the Christians. The term destruction occurs twice in the last part of this verse. Peter writes that these teachers, because of their anti-Christian activities, bring swift destruction on themselves. By furtively entering the church for the purpose of destroying its members with false doctrines, these teachers destroy themselves. Indeed, they are on a suicidal mission. d. Were the false teachers former members of the church? The answer to the question must be affirmative. Peter writes that these teachers are even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them. Note that Peter emphatically adds the word even. In addition to subverting the believers, these teachers continue to say that they have nothing to do with the sovereign Lord, who bought them. The expression sovereign Lord applies equally to God (Luke 2:29; Acts 4:24; Rev. 6:10) and Christ (Jude 4). To Jesus has been given all authority and power in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18). In the Greek, the word is despots, from which we have the derivative despot. It is closely connected with the verb to buy. In the New Testament, this Greek verb occurs twenty-five times in a commercial setting, but on five other occasions it describes the buying of Christians. This clearly reflects the contemporary terminology of the slave-marketI Cor. 6:20; 7:23; II Peter 2:1; Rev. 5:9; 14:3[redeemed] .^[4] With his blood Christ has bought his people that they may do his will. But these false teachers who refuse to obey him demonstrate the height of insolence toward the sovereign Lord. Just as a master has bought slaves from whom he expects obedience, so Jesus as sovereign Lord has bought his servants and demands obedience. But instead of obeying Jesus, these servants continue to reject him (Heb. 10:29). They are apostate Christians who have disowned their Master. ^[5] In due time, therefore, Jesus will swiftly destroy them. Doctrinal Considerations in 2:1 The clause who bought them presents difficulties for the interpreter. Can those whom Christ has redeemed ever be lost? Did the false teachers lose their salvation? Some commentators assert that Christ bought them at the tremendous price of his blood to be his own forever. ^[6] But the fact that the teachers faced swift destruction contradicts this interpretation. Commenting on this clause, Henry Alford confidently states, No assertion of universal redemption can be plainer than this. ^[7] But if Jesus had given these teachers eternal life, they would never have fallen away. Scripture clearly teaches that those people to whom Jesus has given eternal life shall never perish (John 10:28; also see Rom. 8:29–30, 32 35; Eph. 1:3–14). Although Christ's death was sufficient to redeem the whole world, its efficiency comes to light only in God's chosen people. Were the false teachers recipients of God's saving grace? Apparently not, for they repudiated Christ. If we look at the words denying the sovereign Lord who bought them in the light of the broader context, we discover a clue. We notice that at one time these false teachers professed the name of Christ, for they said that they knew him and the way of righteousness (2:20–21). They made it known that Jesus had bought them, but they eventually rejected Christ and left the Christian community. As John writes, They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us (I John 2:19; and see Heb. 6:4–6; 10:26–29). Hence, their denial of Christ showed that they were not redeemed. B. Shameful Ways 2:2–3 Peter reveals to what conditions adherence to false teaching leads. He presents a graphic description of the lot of gullible Christians who follow false teachers. He shows that their example serves as a grim warning. 2. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. The effect of this infiltration into the Christian community is detrimental, for many will follow these false teachers. In spite of apostolic teaching and admonition, numerous Christians are ready to listen to cleverly invented stories (1:16). Jesus pointedly warns, Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves (Matt. 7:15). Unfortunately, however, many Christians will eagerly adopt the teachings and the lifestyle of these heretics (observe that the same verb occurs in 1:16). Instead of shunning their evil practices, gullible Christians follow their shameful ways. What are these shameful ways? In the Greek, Peter uses the expression again when he describes the sexually immoral residents of Sodom and Gomorrah. He writes, [God] rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (v. 7, italics added). The words in italics are a translation of that same Greek term. Accordingly, we understand the term to mean sexual excesses and extremes. Teaching and conduct go together. What the false teachers taught, they also practiced, with the inevitable result that Christians who followed them brought the Christian way of life into disrepute. A Christian lives in a glass house, so to speak, because unbelieving neighbors are always observing the Christian's conduct. By accepting false doctrine and falling into immorality, these Christians were bringing shame upon the way of truth. Mark that Peter borrows the expression way of truth from (Psalms 119:30. Also, he has a fondness for using the term way: the way of truth (v. 2), the straight way (v. 15), the way of righteousness (v. 21). These phrases are synonymous and reflect the idiom the Way that designates Christianity in its early stagesActs 9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22). In his first epistle, Peter tells the believers to live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God (2:12; and see 3:16; 4:15). Christianity is not merely a way of life. Christianity is guided by the truth of the gospel. True doctrine must issue in true living. ^[8] 3. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. Observe two points: a. Purpose What is the motive of these false teachers? Peter's answer is brief: greed. They are interested in money that Christians have. When they achieve their purpose, they discover that greed impels them to get more. Greed spawns greed. The false teachers, Peter says, are experts in greed (v. 14). In his epistles, Paul warns against this sin. He identifies greed with idolatry (Col. 3:5). People who have fallen into the sin of greed exclude themselves from the kingdom of God, for they have severed the bond between God and the creature (Rom. 1:29; I Cor. 5:10; 6:10; Eph. 5:3). They worship money instead of God. The false teachers, Peter warns his readers, will exploit you with stories they have made up. They enter the Christian community with fabricated stories that unsuspicious believers accept as gospel. Paul also is acquainted with such unscrupulous peddlers who are interested in not the souls but the possessions of the people. He writes, Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit (II Cor. 2:17). Peter employs the word exploit to portray the activities of these teachers. This is a term borrowed from the marketplace, where the merchant is interested in making a profit. The unwary buyer becomes an object of exploitation. Notice that Peter writes the personal pronoun you to tell the believers about the perfidious scheme of these peddlers. b. Punishment What is the destiny of these false teachers? God is in control of every situation and he has assigned them to doom and destruction. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. Peter's statement appears as typical Hebrew parallelism. The second clause supports the first one, for the nouns and verbs of these clauses correspond. God pronounced a verdict upon these people long ago (Jude 4). What is the significance of the term long ago? Peter explains this term in the succeeding context where he describes the destiny of fallen angels, the destruction of ungodly people in the days of the flood, and the condemnation of Sodom and Gomorrah (vv. 4 9). In short, the phrase points to similar incidents in the past. The words Peter adopts are derived from the courtroom. God is the Judge who hands down the verdict. The verdict that God has rendered is ultimate destruction of the guilty party. Already Peter has stated that this destruction will be swift (v. 1; and see 3:7). These teachers who have received God's verdict are like prisoners on death row; their condemnation is hanging over them. Literally the Greek says, Their judgment has not been idle (NKJV). Peter personifies the word destruction by describing it as not sleeping. Judgment and destruction are two forces that are at work and awake to fulfill their mandate in obedience to God. God will not permit these wicked men to escape their punishment. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:3 [Greek] the adjective in the dative case (dative of means) describes the words that are spoken. It derives from the verb [Greek] (I Tim. 2:13), and connotes fabrication or pretense. [Greek] this compound verb signifies to travel for business (James 4:13) or to trade for profit (transitive). It occurs twice in the New Testament.^[9] Here the direct object of the verb is the unassuming Christian. [Greek] from the verb [Greek] (I judge), this noun with the [Greek] ending denotes the result of the process of judging, that is, the verdict. C. Condemnation 2:4 10a 1. Angels 2:4 Peter provides three illustrations from the past to show that God judges those who oppose him and protects those who love him. The first example concerns the fallen angels (v. 4), the second is a portrayal of the flood (v. 5), and the third refers to the doom of Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 6). Here is the first illustration: 4. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment. This is the beginning of one lengthy sentence that introduces the repetitive first parts of a condition. The recurring if clause in verses 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 (in the NIV) finally has its conclusion in verse 9. In this lengthy discourse, Peter presents examples from history. a. For if God did not spare angels. Peter reminds the readers that the example he gives is based on historical fact, which he uses to prove his point. He writes, If God did not spare angels. This clause is not so much a condition as a statement of fact, because the punishment of angels has actually taken place. Peter chooses his first illustration from the angelic world in which the angels are next to God and surround his throne. But numerous angels sinned against God and no longer appear before him. When did the angels fall into sin? Scripture provides little information. The Bible is God's revelation about the creation, fall, and redemption of man but not about angels. The angelic world is mentioned only tangentially in Scripture. God's Word teaches us that many of the angels rebelled against God, yet we do not know the nature of their sin. Therefore, we ought not to speculate and say that angels sinned when they, the sons of God, married the daughters of men (Gen. 6:2). Angels are spiritual beings without physical bodies and are incapable of procreation. In fact, Jesus explains that at the resurrection, people, like the angels in heaven, will neither marry nor be given in marriage (Matt. 22:30). b. When they sinned, but sent them to hell. Peter states only that angels sinned but omits the details of their sin. These details are not important for his discussion. We infer that the angels who followed Satan fell into sin before Satan tempted Adam and Eve in Paradise. We have no information on God's decision to put some of them into gloomy dungeons while others were permitted to afflict mankind. In his first epistle Peter writes about the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago (3:19–20). And in Jude's parallel account, the writer says that these angels did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home (v. 6). God sent the fallen angels to hell, Peter writes. He borrows the word hell from Greek mythology, which designated a place called Tartarus an abode for the wicked. Peter uses this term not to teach or approve of Greek mythology but to speak the language of his readers. They understood the term to describe that part of hell where the worst offenders were kept. Just as Paul could quote an apt verse of the pagan poet Aratus (Acts xvii. 28), so could Peter make use of this Homeric imagery. ^[10] Within the Christian community, the term Tartarus was not unfamiliar, as is evident from Jewish-Greek literature in the first century. c. Putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment. Because of a variant reading in the Greek, another translation has these words: delivered them into chains of darkness (NKJV).^[11] That is, due to the variation of one letter in the Greek word in question, one translation has the term dungeons and the other chains. Scholars are unable to decide their translation on the basis of manuscript evidence, for both readings have equal support. However, in view of the context that features the term hell, most translators favor the reading dungeons. On the other hand, in apocryphal literature we encounter this text: For with one chain of darkness they all were bound (Wis. 17:17, RSV). Indeed, the choice is difficult. The evil angels remain in hell awaiting the judgment of God. This does not mean that on the day of judgment they will be set free. Certainly not! The evidence is being gathered so that when God pronounces the verdict on that fearful day, they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever (Rev. 20:10). By implication, the conclusion to this verse results in an argument from the greater to the lesser. If God did not spare the angels who beheld his glory in heaven but cast them into hell, will he not punish teachers who are bent on leading his people astray? To ask the question is to answer it. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:4 [Greek] the introductory particle of the simple-fact condition stands at the head of one lengthy sentence (vv. 4 10) that forms the protasis. The apodosis appears in verse 9. [Greek] these two nouns stand next to each other to express contrast. The aorist active participle [Greek] (from [Greek], I sin) denotes single action in the past and states the cause for God's anger toward the evil angels. [Greek] this is the aorist active participle from the verb [Greek] (I hold captive in Tartarus). 2. Flood 2:5 Of the three examples Peter gives to support his claim that the false teachers face doom and destruction, the first one relates to the fallen angels. Whereas the first example reveals only God's wrath and eventual judgment for these angels, the second illustration reveals both divine wrath and divine protectiveness. God destroys the ungodly world with the flood but protects Noah and his family. 5. If he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others. Note the following points: (a) Ancient world In both his epistles, Peter uses the theme of the flood to depict the disobedience of the ungodly and the salvation of the righteous. In his first epistle he writes, The spirits in prison &disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water (3:19–20). He refers to the evil spirits who successfully led the entire ancient world into disobedience, except for Noah and the seven members of his family. Once again he mentions the ancient world and the destructive power of the flood when he says in his second epistle, By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed (3:6). Who were these ungodly people of the ancient world? In Genesis we read that every inclination of the thoughts of [man's] heart was only evil all the time (6:5), and the earth was corrupt and full of violence (vv. 11 12). In many respects, we see a parallel to modern times in which news reporters daily feature the sad accounts of crime and corruption in our society. They remind us that we are living in an increasingly violent world and even predict that the human race will destroy itself someday. Jesus compares the days that precede his return to the time when Noah was building the ark (Matt. 24:37–39). (b) Flood Scripture reminds us that the flood was God's judgment upon the ungodly world in the time of Noah. God destroyed the human race and the animals, except for the eight persons and the pairs of animals he protected in the ark. Whether the flood was universal or local is not relevant at this point. Of importance is that God pronounced judgment upon the ungodly world and destroyed it with the waters of the flood (Gen. 6:5 8:19). (c) Noah Peter calls Noah a preacher of righteousness. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews confirms this observation. He says that when Noah built an ark to save his family, he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith (Heb. 11:7). The construction of a boat on dry ground afforded numerous opportunities to preach righteousness to the wicked inhabitants of the world. For 120 years Noah built the ark and exhorted the people to repent. Yet no one accepted his teaching, for everyone perished. In addition to his emphasis on the destruction of the world, Peter stresses the protection of Noah and his family. Of those whom God spared from the raging flood, Noah was the eighth, as the Greek text literally indicates. Translators convey the meaning of this phrase by saying that God protected Noah and seven others. The seven included Noah's wife, three sons, and their wives. God spared their lives because they were righteous in his sight. These eight people continued the human race. If God did not spare the ancient world in the days of Noah, how much less can he be expected to spare the false teachers in Peter's day? Yet as God protected believing Noah and his household, so he will spare believers who remain true to the teaching of Scripture. In other words, Peter's message is designed to exhort and encourage the readers of his epistle. 3. Cities 2:6–8 The third example that Peter cites depicts the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24–29). From the devastation of the flood, he turns to the burning of two cities. And as eight people were saved from the deluge, so only three escaped the burning salt and sulfur that rained down upon the cities in the plain of the Jordan. Even Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:26). Only Lot and his two daughters survived. 6. If he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly. (a) Places Peter mentions only the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as representative places. The other cities were Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela, also known as Zoar (Gen. 14:2). When Lot chose to dwell near Sodom, the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt (Gen. 13:10). Even in those days Sodom and Gomorrah were chief cities known for the wickedness and especially for the homosexuality of their inhabitants (Gen. 19:4–5). The sin of these people was so grievous that God determined to destroy the entire plain of the Jordan. By means of natural causes he permanently devastated this area. In all likelihood since volcanic eruption is geologically improbable it was an earthquake accompanied by the explosive ejection of gas, bitumen and rock salt that wrought destruction to Sodom and Gomorrah. ^[12] God destroyed all living beings in the plain of Jordan with burning sulphur (Gen. 19:24). (b) Example Jewish people were thoroughly familiar with the history of Sodom and Gomorrah. Through his prophets, God reminded them of the sin, condemnation, and destruction of these city dwellers. For example, Moses refers to the fierce anger of the Lord that caused the total devastation of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim (Deut. 29:23). He uses this calamity as an example of what God will do to the Israelites if they disobey the Lord. The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, and Amos also cite the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as an example of God's anger against sin.^[13] Even Jesus compares the destiny of these two cities to the doom that awaits the unbeliever (Matt. 10:15; 11:23–24; and see Rom. 9:29). In his parallel account, Jude specifies the sin of these condemned cities. He writes, In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire (v. 7). 7. And if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8. (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard). (a) Rescued The second illustration of the flood is paralleled by the third illustration of the cities. Both examples contrast the destruction of the wicked with the rescue of the righteous. In the third example, Lot is the counterpart of Noah. However, the difference between Noah and Lot is that God protected the one and rescued the other. This difference in wording is not merely stylistic. Rather, Peter accurately describes the historical circumstances of Lot's life in Sodom. Lot hesitated to leave the city. Indeed, the angels had to grasp his hand and the hands of his wife and daughters to lead them to safety (Gen. 19:16). Through his angels, God literally rescued Lot and his daughters. But Lot's wife perished when she disobediently looked back at the burning of Sodom. (b) Righteous Notice that both Noah and Lot are described as righteous men, even though the life of Lot (portrayed in Genesis) is not commendable. When the Sodomites surrounded Lot's house and demanded that he deliver his two guests to them, so that we can have sex with them (Gen. 19:5), Lot offered his two virgin daughters to these lecherous men. His reasoning seems to have been that it would be better that they satisfy their uncontrollable sexual cravings through natural acts than by grossly unnatural excess. ^[14] We cannot excuse Lot's reasoning and conclude that he was morally weak. Moreover, Lot's drunken stupor which brought the sin of incest into his own family put a permanent stain on his personal morality (Gen. 19:30–38). Abraham, however, considered Lot a righteous man, because he pleaded with God not to destroy the cities if there were only ten righteous people living there (Gen. 18:32). Jesus mentions Lot in his discourse on the the end of time (Luke 17:28). And in apocryphal literature Lot is called a righteous man (Wis. 10:6; 19:17). Observe that Peter emphatically describes Lot three times with the adjective righteous: A righteous man (v. 7); That righteous man (v. 8a); His righteous soul (v. 8b). We should understand Lot's righteousness against the background of God's mercy (Gen. 19:16). In his mercy God rescued Lot, and he also knows how to rescue us from trials (v. 9). Peter portrays Lot as a man whose righteous soul was distressed by the immoral practices of the Sodomites. As a believer, Lot objected to the sins of the people among whom he lived day after day, for he was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard. Lot and his family were not swallowed up by the tide of immorality that had swept through the cities of the plain. Like Noah and his household in earlier days, so Lot and his family withstood the onslaught of sin. In brief, Lot's soul was not numbed by the lawless deeds that he saw daily. (c) Tormented We should not take this word, which in the Greek is in the imperfect tense to indicate continuous action in the past, too lightly. In this verse the word connotes Lot's state of mind; the lawless deeds of the Sodomites affected Lot's soul. If we assume that Lot preached to his fellow citizens, even though he is not known as a preacher of righteousness (v. 5), we place him next to Noah. However, Lot chose to live in Jordan's fertile valley not for evangelistic reasons but because of economic considerations (Gen. 13:10–11). Accordingly, Lot lost all his material possessions when he had to flee for his life. Perhaps we should translate the participle living in verse 8 as either cause or concession. That is, we translate the verse either because he lived among them &or although he lived among them day after day, he was tormented. ^[15] The phrase day after day shows that Lot persisted in his opposition to the sinful acts of his neighbors. For this reason, Peter writes that Lot's righteous soul was tormented by lawless deeds. What Lot saw and heard came from people who lived without the law of God. They either knew the law of God but purposely lived in disobedience or were completely ignorant of divine law. Whatever the case, these people daily tormented Lot's righteous soul until God in his mercy rescued him. Doctrinal Considerations in 2:7–8 God loves the sinner but abhors sin. He loves the homosexual person but detests his sinful acts. In the Scriptures God repeatedly reveals his love toward man (John 3:16). But in these Scriptures he also expresses his abhorrence of sin. In clear language, the Old Testament condemns the acts of a homosexual as repulsive to God (Lev. 18:22; 20:13). And in the New Testament, Paul states unequivocally that neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders &will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (I Cor. 6:9–11). God pronounces his divine judgment on the sexually perverse acts of these persons. Hence Paul writes, Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. [Rom. 1:26–27] However, what should be the reaction of a Christian to homosexuality? He must distinguish carefully between condition and conduct.^[16] He ought to express Christian love toward the homosexual person, but disapprove of his homosexual acts. A Christian must regard unnatural sexual behavior as a sin against his fellow human beings and a defiance of God's law. Nevertheless, he ought to extend compassion to the homosexual person and understand that he needs social acceptance. Therefore, guided by the teachings of God's Word, he must love the sinner but condemn sin. He should direct him to Jesus Christ, who invites sinners to come to God. Come ye needy, come and welcome, God's free bounty glorify; True belief and true repentance, Ev ry grace that brings you nigh, Without money, without money, Without money, Come to Jesus Christ and buy. Joseph Hart Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:6–8 Verse 6 [Greek] the aorist active participle from [Greek] (I reduce to ashes, I cover with ashes) occurs only here. [Greek] with the aorist active indicative [Greek] (he condemned to destruction), the noun describes the ruin of Sodom. The dative is instrumental. Some manuscripts omit this noun, perhaps due to an oversight in transcription. [Greek] this noun occurs three times in the second epistle of Peter (2:5, 6; 3:7) and means ungodly men. Here it is in the dative plural as an indirect object. A variant reading is the present active infinitive [Greek], which has strong textual support. However, from the point of view of intrinsic probability, the noun gives better sense than the verb. ^[17] Verse 8 [Greek] this present active participle occurs once in the New Testament. It denotes either cause or concession. [Greek] the imperfect active from [Greek] (I torment) expresses continuous activity. This verb is also used by demons who shout to Jesus, Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time? (Matt. 8:29). 4. Sin 2:9 10a After giving examples of fallen angels, Noah's contemporaries, and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, Peter is ready to formulate his conclusion. He informs his readers how the truth stated earlier applies to them and their godless companions. In this conclusion, he speaks a word of encouragement to the righteous, but for the wicked he reveals God's continuing punishment. 9. If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. In his conclusion to the section on the ruin of the ungodly and the protection of the believer, Peter speaks as a pastor who encourages the members of his flock. He first addresses the believers with a message of encouragement and then discloses the future of the unbelievers. His words also sound a warning to those people who are drifting from the truth of God's Word. a. The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials. The New International Version has added a short statement that summarizes the essence of the preceding verses. With the addition of this clause, the sentence itself has a proposition and a conclusion. What is the point of presenting three illustrations? In one word, assurance. Peter wants his readers to know that God is in control of every situation and that they have this assurance. As Paul puts it, God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear (I Cor. 10:13). The readers experienced the pernicious influence of the false teachers who infiltrated the Christian church. They saw the evidence of the erroneous doctrines in the shameful conduct of these teachers. And they undoubtedly asked why God allowed his people to be harassed by evil men. John Calvin formulates a question that disheartened Christians usually ask: If the Lord would have his own to be safe, why does he not gather them all into some corner of the earth, that they may mutually stimulate one another to holiness? Why does he mingle them with the wicked by whom they may be defiled? ^[18] In his role as pastor, Peter knows that despondency is apt to appear. Peter says that the Lord knows how to rescue. He probably chooses the expression Lord either as a variation of the word God (with which he began the series of examples [v. 4]) or as a name that conveys the grace and mercy of the Lord. God's mercy is linked to the verb rescue (v. 7) in the case of Lot (Gen. 19:16). The Lord has shown in numerous instances how he rescues godly men from difficult circumstances. The examples of Noah and Lot are cases in point. If God is able to protect Noah's family from a perverse humanity and rescue Lot and his daughters from a godless society, he knows how to deliver Christians from immoral and corrupt people today. The language Peter uses at this point is reminiscent of the last petition in the Lord's Prayer: And lead us not into temptation [trial], but deliver [rescue] us from the evil one (Matt. 6:13). God tested Noah when he told him to build the ark. And God permitted Lot to enter into temptation when Lot chose to live near Sodom. But as God delivered both of these men from an evil world in ancient times, so he will rescue godly people from trials and temptations today (II Tim. 4:18; Rev. 3:10). b. And to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. In the second half of verse 9, Peter reveals what is happening to people who revel in sin. Because they willfully violate God's law, God keeps them in custody for the day of judgment. Jesus speaks of this day, for example, when he refers to the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (Matt. 10:15).^[19] And Peter discloses that the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men (3:7). What will happen on that judgment day? The ungodly who refuse to turn away from their sinful life will receive everlasting punishment. They will be thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death (Rev. 20:14). As prisoners are held in custody until the day they appear in court, so God keeps the ungodly for the judgment day. However, Peter adds the clause while continuing their punishment. We can interpret this clause with either a present or a future connotation. Here is a representative translation that clearly expresses the present tense: The Lord, indeed, knows &how to continue the punishment of the wicked up to the day of judgment (NAB). And in the following version the future tense is evident: The Lord knoweth how to &reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished (KJV). Although both translations are current, I favor the first one, because the Greek has a present participle to which we cannot easily attribute a future tense. ^[20] Moreover, in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus teaches that the ungodly suffer while waiting for the day of judgment (Luke 16:19 31). Granted that we have no indication that the false teachers at the time of Peter's writing endured divine punishment, we know that by their conduct they were advancing their own destruction. 10a. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Modern translations divide this text into two parts. The first part of verse 10 forms a conclusion to the preceding context, while the second part is an introduction to the verses that follow. This first part, then, summarizes what Peter has said about the false teachers and their ultimate ruin. He mentions two characteristics of these godless people: they are sexually corrupt and they are spiritual anarchists. The phrase this is especially true puts the present situation of the readers in sharp focus. The false teachers engaged in shameful ways, Peter writes (v. 2), and they introduced destructive heresies (v. 1). Even though Peter resorts to euphemism in his description of these ungodly practices, the message is sufficiently clear: [They] follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature [literally, flesh]. In his parallel, Jude gives a similar report: These dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings (v. 8). Both Peter and Jude intimate that these godless people are engaging in homosexual practices similar to those pursued by the Sodomites (Gen. 19:5). The result of their practices will be utter destruction. The wording of this text indicates that these sexually immoral people are slaves to their corrupt desires. They are not leaders, but travel or trail along and follow their sinful nature which poses as their leader (Jude 16, 18).^[21] Instead of shunning defilement, these false teachers take great pleasure in moral impurity. A literal translation, therefore, has the reading those who walk &in the lust of uncleanness (NKJV). The Greek word translated uncleanness refers to the act of polluting oneself and others. It is preceded by the term lust and forms the phrase lust of uncleanness. The phrase means a hankering after unlawful and polluting use of the flesh. ^[22] The doctrines espoused by these teachers lead to deliberate rejection of divine authority. Peter says only, [They] despise authority. These words communicate that these teachers scorned the authority of Jesus Christ (refer to v. 1). The verb despise in the Greek signifies that a person expresses his hatred toward Christ through ridicule and contempt (Matt. 6:24; Luke 16:13). The false teachers hate Jesus Christ. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:9 10a Verse 9 [Greek] this present middle infinitive expresses God's constant care for his people. [Greek] note the lack of the definite article to express the absolute character of this awesome day. [Greek] the present passive participle from the verb [Greek] (I punish) implies a divine agent. The present tense denotes continuous activity. Verse 10a [Greek] the lack of the definite article emphasizes the nature of the persons who lust for pollution. The genitive is either objective or descriptive. [Greek] the present tense of this middle participle and the present tense of the active participle [Greek] describe the daily activities of the false teachers. D. Flagrant Misconduct 2:10b 16 1. Slander 2:10b 11 Some translators see this passage as a continuation of the preceding section. Others introduce verse 10b as the beginning of a new paragraph and regard this verse as an introduction to the following segment. In it Peter vividly describes the conduct of these arrogant men who are unafraid to slander angels. 10b. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11. yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. Note these observations: (a) Attitudes Peter calls these false teachers bold and arrogant. They are bold in the sense of being rashly insolent and so adhere to the well-known saying, Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. The term bold in this verse points to presumptuous and conceited individuals whose pursuits in life are self-gratification and physical pleasures. Moreover, they are self-willed to the extent of being arrogant. (b) Angels To what extent are these teachers bold and arrogant? They are unafraid to slander angels. Here we encounter an exegetical difficulty in the Greek text which centers on one word and which, because of its brevity, is hard to explain. In the Greek the word glories appears, which translators have tried to render in one of two ways, literal or interpretive. For instance, the New International Version (among others) translates the expression glories celestial beings. ^[23] Even if we take the Greek text literally, we still must indicate who the glorious beings are. Some interpreters apply the word glories to those human dignitaries who give leadership either in the church or in civic matters.^[24] But the succeeding context (v. 11) seems to speak not of church or civil authorities but of angels (Jude 8). If we interpret the term glories to refer to angels, the question arises whether they are fallen angels or good angels. We readily identify the good angels as glorious beings, for they surround God's throne, share in God's glory, and serve as his messengers. However, verse 11 clearly indicates that angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. The tacit implication is that not the good angels but the evil angels merit condemnation. ^[25] Granted that the text (v. 11) appears to suggest this interpretation, numerous questions remain. Here are two of them. Why are fallen angels called glorious when obviously they are condemned? What were the accusations that were hurled against Satan and his followers? We are unable to answer these questions because the text itself provides no further clues. (c) Accusations Peter reveals that the angels refrain from accusing fallen angels in the presence of the Lord. He uses a comparative clause to describe the angels by describing them as stronger and more powerful. With whom is Peter comparing the angels? The comparison could be with the false teachers or the celestial beings. Within the structure of verse 11, the juxtaposition of the celestial beings to the angels makes the devils a point of comparison. The angels who are upright have reason to accuse those who at one time belonged to their ranks but have since fallen away from God. Nevertheless, God's faithful angels carefully avoid raising accusations against Satan and his cohorts (Zech. 3:2; Jude 9), but leave the matter of judging the devils in the hands of God. Conversely, we think that the comparison is between the angels and the false teachers. Note that the dominant subject in this section is not that of the celestial beings but that of the heretics. These people are bold and arrogant; they are unafraid to slander celestial beings; they blaspheme even the devils and in their arrogance transgress the limits God has set. Writes I Peter H. Davids, The devil himself is not to be the object of insult. The N[ew] T[estament] looks on such mockery as gross presumption, a pride based on a false claim to knowledge and power (Jude 8 10; II Pet. 2:10–12). ^[26] These people, then, are devoid of any sense of propriety and show no hesitation in hurling insults at the devils. In their arrogance, the apostates are of the opinion that they are stronger than demons. They repudiate the power and might of these fallen angels and think that they can insult them by bringing slanderous accusations against them. But notice that God's angels, who stand in the presence of God, do not dare to accuse demons. By contrast, Satan and his followers are denied a place in heaven. They lost the battle against the archangel Michael and his forces, were thrown out of heaven, and were hurled to the earth (Rev. 12:7–9). In short, devils now find their place among men. Bold and arrogant apostates, however, fail to realize the might and power of Satan's forces on earth. With their slanderous accusations they seal their own destruction, as Peter explains in the next verse. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:10b 11 Verse 10b [Greek] this adjective in plural form derives from the pronoun [Greek] (self) and the verb [Greek] (I am pleased with). See Titus 1:7. [Greek] the present active participle is supplementary to the main verb [Greek] (they tremble) and is therefore equivalent to the present infinitive, These men are not afraid to slander. ^[27] Verse 11 [Greek] figuratively as a particle, this word introduces a conditional statement that is translated insofar as. ^[28] [Greek] the comparative adjective from [Greek] (great), even though it appears without an object of comparison, functions as a true comparative.^[29] 2. Blasphemy 2:12 12. But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish. What a denunciation! Peter minces no words in describing the heretics. These people claim to have knowledge but in effect live and act in abysmal ignorance that inevitably leads to their own destruction. They have rejected wisdom that God grants to all who ask him (James 1:5) and are teaching destructive heresies instead (v. 1; also see vv. 3, 18). Three times in as many verses (vv. 10 12) Peter mentions the slander and blasphemy of these teachers. He notes that they sin in self-willed ignorance, while they parade as teachers of religion. Implicitly, Peter calls attention to two kinds of knowledge: spiritual and natural. The heretics have spurned spiritual knowledge, for in their ignorance they slander celestial beings. They possess only natural knowledge, which brute beasts also possess. Such knowledge eventually leads to destruction.^[30] In his epistle, Jude writes a parallel to this verse: Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals these are the very things that destroy them (v. 10). Even though the two texts in Peter's and Jude's epistles present the same message, Peter's wording is more descriptive than that of Jude. Both writers refer to the ignorance and slander of the false teachers, but Peter compares this ignorance to that of animals. He describes animals as creatures of instinct. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct. Animals lack the power of reasoning that man possesses and thus rely on created instinct for meeting the necessities of daily existence. Although this innate quality guides and directs them, they nevertheless run the risk of being caught and destroyed by man or beast. [They are] born only to be caught and destroyed. Peter uses this illustration to imply that man was not born to be captured and killed, but rather to live in freedom and with spiritual knowledge, in full reliance on God.^[31] But these men who have deliberately departed from God are like the beasts of the field. They live by instinct and because of their spiritual ignorance they will soon perish (Ps. 49:12). Like beasts they too will perish. A generally accepted interpretation of commentators is that these false teachers meet a sudden and violent death, much the same as animals that are hunted and killed by men.^[32] Another translation puts the emphasis on the destructive work which the false teachers do: [They] shall in their destroying surely be destroyed (ASV; also see JB). In the context of the passage, this translation has merit. Practical Considerations in 2:10b 12 The sin of cursing and swearing is a blight on mankind. Countless people not only misuse the names of God and Christ, but also resort to using the words hell and damn in numerous connections. But in their cursing, these people reveal their absolute ignorance of spiritual matters. In fact, calloused by the frequency of its use, they are virtually unaware of the profanity they utter. They show their ignorance especially when they are asked about the existence, power, and influence of the devil. For them, Satan is a figment of the imagination whom cartoonists have portrayed as a goat with a tail that ends in an arrow. They do not think that the devil pictured with a three-pronged spear in his hand has any power over them. They are of the opinion that any reference to the devil is made in jest. They imagine that they are in control of their lives and thus they can even taunt Satan to tempt them. They do not know that Jesus calls Satan the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), and that the apostle John writes, The whole world is under the control of the evil one (I John 5:19). The sad fact, however, is that Satan is tempting them with the mortal goal of destroying them. Satan's authority is awesome indeed and his power of deception is unrivaled (II Cor. 11:14). Only the person who in faith prays the sixth petition of the Lord's Prayer, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matt. 6:13), is able to resist the might and power of the devil. Fully aware of the spiritual battle that we fight, Paul exhorts us to put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand (Eph. 6:13). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:12 [Greek] from the verb [Greek] (I destroy), this noun can be translated in an active form or as a passive. [Greek] translators generally understand this pronoun to refer to the noun beasts. 3. Adultery 2:13–14 We face a question of paragraph division at this juncture. Some translators place a comma after verse 12, and then continue with verse 13. Others see a definite break and begin a new sentence or paragraph with verse 13. Unfortunately, the ancient manuscripts of the Greek New Testament are of little help at this point, for they provide no indication of a break. The New International Version marks a division and presents verse 13 as the beginning of a new paragraph. 13. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. In the first sentence, the Greek has a play on words that Peter has chosen intentionally. Literally translated it means suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong (NASB). But the verb suffering wrong with the phrase the wages of doing wrong can also be translated being cheated of the profits of their wrong-doing. ^[33] A number of Greek manuscripts, however, have another verb at this point, which a few translations have adopted as the better reading: [But these] will receive the wages of unrighteousness (NKJV; also see KJV, JB). However, it is likely that Peter introduced a play on words and that scribes in the first few centuries altered the text. Therefore, translators favor the reading with verbal witticism. The intent of Peter's message is to point out the truth of the adage, A man reaps what he sows (Prov. 22:8; Hos. 10:12–13; II Cor. 9:6). That is, the false teachers will be paid in full for the wrongs they have perpetrated. What, then, is the harm these apostates have done? In verses 13 through 15 Peter presents a catalogue of evils. Here are the first two: a. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. The object of this sentence is not to imply that carousing at night is acceptable. Sin is usually committed under cover of darkness (John 3:19); for instance, Paul writes, Those who get drunk, get drunk at night (I Thess. 5:7; also compare Rom. 12:11–13). But these people scorn all norms of behavior and carouse even during the day. Apparently the heretics have no desire to be gainfully employed, are idle during the day, and spend their time in drunken revelry (Isa. 5:11).^[34] Apart from the verb to carouse, the sentence itself conveys a positive message, for pleasure and broad daylight are delightful gifts of God. But the verb changes the entire message: pleasure and daylight are pressed into the service of sin. These people are slaves of Satan. b. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. The words blots and blemishes are the reverse of Peter's description of the believers. He urges them to make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with [the Lord] (3:14). In describing Jesus Christ, Peter portrays him as a lamb without blemish or defect (I Peter 1:19). The people described in this text, however, are the exact opposite of Christ and his church. They enter the homes of church members and partake of the food and drink which the host provides. How is it possible for these revelers to have table fellowship with the believers? The parallel verse in Jude 12has, These men are blemishes at your love feasts. The better manuscripts of Peter's epistle do not have the reading love feasts, but rather a noun that has a primary meaning deceptions and a secondary meaning pleasures. Many versions have chosen the primary translation, but the secondary reading fits perfectly. Peter perhaps seeks to avoid the explicit use of the term love feast. What was this feast? [It] was a meal at which not only bread and wine but all kinds of viands were used, a meal which had the double purpose of satisfying hunger and thirst and giving expression to the sense of Christian brotherhood. At the end of this feast, bread and wine were taken according to the Lord's command.& The agape [love feast] was thus related to the eucharist as Christ's last Passover to the Christian rite which He grafted upon it.^[35] Perhaps already in Peter's time, the communal meal was separated from the Lord's Supper. The love feast stressed the brotherhood of the participants; the eucharist marked the unity the believers have in Christ. Paul instructs the Corinthian Christians to make a distinction between these two celebrations when he asks, Don t you have homes to eat and drink in? (I Cor. 11:22). Whether the revelers defiled the Lord's table in Peter's day, the text does not say. Peter, however, indicates that they were feasting to the point of being blots and blemishes in the Christian community. 14. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed an accursed brood! In a series of short clauses Peter continues his enumeration of vices. In a company of revelers, the consumption of alcohol often leads to lust and sexual abuse. Hence Peter provides this graphic description: a. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning. The literal reading of the term adultery is adulteress. In this sentence the word refers to eyes that are full of (desire for) an adulteress, always looking for a woman with whom to commit adultery. ^[36] Peter's descriptive language echoes the words of Jesus: Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matt. 5:28). Translators have connected the two clauses that are dependent on each other in forming one sentence. Peter portrays these teachers as adulterers who because of their lustful looking at women never stop sinning. What a degrading view of the opposite sex! In the eyes of these men, a woman is not a person but a tool designed to fulfill their sexual craving.^[37] b. They seduce the unstable. Peter borrows a word from the fisherman who casts out a lure to catch an unwary fish (James 1:14). These teachers try to ensnare men and women, especially those Christians who are unstable in their faith, into sexual sins. They look for church members who have neglected to put on the armor of God (Eph. 6:13) and who have not heeded Peter's admonition to be firmly established in the truth (1:12). They are persons who, because of instability, distort the Scriptures (3:16) and thus become an easy prey for the devil and his henchmen. This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/hendriksen/ 3. The Day of the Lord (3:1–13) and Exhortations (3:14–18) Outline 3:1–13 V. The Day of the Lord 3:1–2 A. Reminder 3:3–4 B. Scoffers 3:5–7 C. Destruction 3:8–9 D. Time 3:10 E. Elements 3:11–13 F. Consummation 3:14–18 VI. Exhortations 3:14 A. Be Blameless 3:15–16 B. Accept God's Truth 3:17 C. Reject Error 3:18 D. Grow in Grace V. The Day of the Lord 3:1–13 3 1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. 2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. 3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. A. Reminder 3:1–2 After an interlude in which Peter describes the character, life, and destiny of false teachers, the apostle continues to exhort and encourage the members of the Christian church. In this chapter, Peter writes apocalyptically about the day of the Lord. In his teaching, however, he again directs some of his remarks to scoffers. Presumably these scoffers are the same people as the heretics he describes in the preceding chapter. 1. Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. The address is rather common in this chapter: it occurs four times (vv. 1, 8, 14, 17). Incidentally, except for the greeting my brothers (1:10), dear friends is the only salutation used in both I and II Peter (I Peter 2:11; 4:12). A literal translation is beloved, which is a frequent address in the New Testament epistles. Peter wants to make certain that the readers know of his pastoral love and concern for them. The recipients are dear friends and differ from the apostates. a. This is now my second letter to you. If this is the second letter, which is the first epistle Peter wrote? Commentators provide a number of answers. Here are some of them: 1. Second Peter is a combination of two epistles: the first two chapters form the first epistle and the last chapter constitutes the second letter. This view, however, faces difficulties, for the three chapters in II Peter are interrelated. 2. Peter wrote another letter which is no longer extant, just as Paul wrote more than two epistles to the Corinthian church. These other letters of Peter and Paul are not part of Scripture (I Cor. 5:9). We have no problem assuming that the apostles composed more letters than those which the church has placed in the canon. However, we hesitate to adopt the hypothesis that Peter is referring to an epistle that is lost. We accept this hypothesis only when all other explanations fail to prove satisfactory. 3. The first epistle Peter wrote is I Peter. Some scholars see problems in regard to Peter's express purpose stated at the beginning of II Peter 3: I have written both [letters] as reminders (v. 1). They point out that in the Greek the term reminder appears in II Peter 1:13but not in I Peter. In respect to the term itself, these scholars are correct.^[1] In Peter's first epistle, however, not the term but the concept occurs repeatedly (refer to 1:13–17; 2:11–12; 4:13, 17 19; 5:4). Although scholars raise questions regarding the relationship of I and II Peter, these concerns appear to be insufficient to discount the validity of identifying the two letters. We assume, then, that Peter's remark, I have written both of them, refers to I Peter.^[2] b. As reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. Peter intimates that with these two letters he puts the minds of the readers to work (see 1:13). Another version says, I have been recalling to you what you already know, to rouse you to honest thought (NEB). What is the meaning of the phrase wholesome thinking? Peter means unsullied and pure thinking. The expression common sense comes close to conveying what Peter means. He contrasts the thinking of the believers with that of the false teachers; and he implies that Christians should be mentally alert to discern truth from error. 2. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. Notice the following points: a. Prophets Peter wants his readers to start recalling the prophecies recorded in the Old Testament. This is the second time in this epistle that Peter calls attention to the word of the prophets (I Peter 1:10–12). In the context of this verse, we interpret the expression words to mean the Old Testament prophecies that pertain to the day of the Lord. In Greek, Peter uses the perfect tense for the word spoken to indicate that although these prophecies were uttered in the past they are valid in the present. And who communicated these utterances? Holy prophets spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (1:21). Peter designates them holy, which seems to have been a common description for the Old Testament prophets. For example, in his song Zechariah says that God spoke through his holy prophets of long ago (Luke 1:70). And when Peter preached after the healing of the lame man at the temple, he mentioned that God would restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets (Acts 3:21). The qualification holy differentiates the true prophets from those who are false, and it discloses that their prophecies have a divine origin. b. Christ Peter writes, And the command given by our Lord and Savior. This is the second time in his epistle that Peter employs the word command (2:21). In view of the earlier use and interpretation of this word, it is acceptable to say that the term signifies the gospel of Christ that calls man to repentance and faith.^[3] It is also feasible to look at the context of chapter 3 and say that the word refers to the second coming of Christ.^[4] Still another view is to relate the expression command to Peter's warning about the doctrines of false teachers.^[5] However, this last view faces the objection that the command originates not with Peter but with our Lord and Savior. The words Lord and Savior occur four times in this epistle; in three instances Peter has added the names Jesus Christ (1:11; 2:20; 3:18, and v. 2 without the names). By combining the two titles, Peter teaches that sovereignty includes also salvation. ^[6] Throughout Peter's epistle, the doctrine concerning Christ receives special attention. c. Apostles The reading through your apostles has caused some interpreters to say that Peter could not have penned these words; instead an author of a later date wrote them because he wanted to express his respect for the apostles as a group.^[7] But this approach to the text is unnecessary when we consider the development of the New Testament Scriptures in the middle of the first century. The words of Jesus were accorded the same authority as those of the Old Testament. Hence the apostles who taught the gospel of Christ were placed on the same level as the holy prophets who wrote the prophecies. The expression your apostles, then, means that Peter speaks as a representative of that group. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:1–2 Verse 1 [Greek] &[Greek] &[Greek] notice the position of each word in the Greek text. Peter wants to emphasize each word individually. [Greek] although this is the present active indicative, translators look at the word from the recipient's point of view. They put it in the past tense. [Greek] the placement of this personal pronoun is unusual because it modifies not [Greek] (reminder) but [Greek] (mind).^[8] Verse 2 [Greek] the aorist passive infinitive of [Greek] (I remind myself, remember) stands in apposition to the preceding verse (v. 1).^[9] The aorist is ingressive. [Greek] the feature of linking the numerous genitives in this verse is unique. Translators avoid literalism by introducing the concept agency, by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles (italics added). B. Scoffers 3:3–4 Peter describes the New Testament age, which he characterizes as the last days (II Tim. 3:1; Jude 18). He refers to the entire period from the ascension of Jesus to Christ's eventual return; thus he includes the times in which he himself lives. Peter himself encounters scoffers whom he describes as false teachers (see the preceding chapter). 3. First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. When Peter says first of all, he is not enumerating a list of items. Rather, he stresses the primary importance of what he is about to teach. He intimates that his readers should be alert to and on guard against the errors of these scoffers (see 3:17). And he teaches the believers to be constantly aware of the fact that they are living in the last days. The expression last days is common in the New Testament. For instance, it appears in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where the writer notes that God has spoken through his Son (1:2); and Peter mentions that in this last period God has revealed Jesus (I Peter 1:20; also consider James 5:3). The implied comparison is that the Old Testament era preceded the coming of Christ. That period is first and the one of the New Testament is last. Scoffers will come, scoffing. These people know God's revelation and his impending judgment. Because they are familiar with the Scriptures, they have become habitual mockers of God and his Word. Scoffing should not be confused with jesting. Jesting depicts frivolity, but scoffing is a sin that is deliberate. Scoffing occurs when men show willful contempt for God and his Son. We understand that the mockers are the false teachers Peter has described in the previous chapter. But we can also hear a prophetic note in the future tense will come. Peter is saying that in the years that precede the return of Christ numerous scoffers will ridicule Christians for their faith in God. Scoffers indeed demonstrate that they themselves are apostates in word and deed. Says Peter, [They follow] their own evil desires. Having rejected God's revelation, the scoffers take pleasure in following their natural desires. This is the exact opposite of doing the will of God, for they continually seek fulfillment in physical pleasures. When believers observe these people, they have visible evidence that they are living in the last days, during which false prophets are rampant (Matt. 24:3–5, 11, 23 26). 4. They will say, Where is this coming he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. Here, then, are the words these scoffers speak. Arrogantly they deny that the judgment day will come. They repudiate the message that they must give an account of their words and deeds. They scoff at Jesus promise that he will return on the last day and contemptuously they ask, Where is this coming he promised? Notice that they are not interested in the time of Jesus return but they ask the question where? Hence, they doubt the truthfulness of the written and spoken word of God, much the same as the Jewish people in the days before the exile mockingly asked, Where is the word of the Lord? Let it now be fulfilled! (Jer. 17:15; also compare Isa. 5:19; Ezek. 12:22). In the middle of the first century, Christians asked the apostles about Christ's return.^[10] For them, the second coming was a matter of time. They expected the day of the Lord to come in their day. For this reason, then, the question raised by the scoffers fits that particular time in history.^[11] Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. If in the middle of the first century Christians queried the apostles about the return of Christ, we can understand that even the unbelievers scoffingly repeated the same question. But the apostates go much further, for in their obstinacy they declare that nothing has changed. Who are these fathers? Some translations add the possessive pronoun our to the word fathers, which in the Greek is lacking. Are they the forefathers of the scoffers or are they the Christians who have died? Phillips has this reading: Since the first Christians fell asleep, everything remains exactly as it was. The scoffers are saying that the coming of Christ has not made any difference in respect to death and dying. They say that the first Christians die just the same as other people. They conclude, therefore, that the gospel is irrelevant. Granted that this conclusion is correct, we still face the question why the scoffers would call the first Christians fathers, especially when they link the word to creation since the beginning of creation and not to the birth of Christ. In the New Testament, the expression our fathers signifies the Old Testament fathers (John 6:31; Acts 3:13; Rom. 9:5). Because this was a standard expression, we are not amiss in asserting that Peter appears to conform to the usage that was current in his day.^[12] Everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. These scoffers leave out the account of the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Christ and then reason that everything remains the same since the day of creation. They intimate that the person and work of Christ are without any validity and have no bearing on the natural order of events. But this is exactly the point: the coming of Christ has changed everything and his eventual return will bring about the consummation. Jesus will return. Doctrinal Considerations in 3:3–4 Hymn writers have composed many hymns about the return of Christ. John Newton depicts the day of Christ's return in these words: Day of judgment! day of wonders! Hark! the trumpet's awful sound, Louder than a thousand thunders, Shakes the vast creation round. How the summons Will the sinner's heart confound! Jesus tells us that when he returns, the people who reject him will be as surprised as Noah's contemporaries were when they perished in the flood (Matt. 24:37–39). They will be like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah who were destroyed by fire and sulfur (Luke 17:28 29). The suddenness of Jesus return will overtake the scoffers who loudly proclaim that he will not come back. In their writings, Peter, Paul, and John compare the second coming of Christ to the arrival of a thief who suddenly steals someone's possessions (I Thess. 5:2; Rev. 3:3; 16:15). The writers of the New Testament consistently teach the doctrine of Jesus return. In fact, it is found in every N[ew] T[estament] book except Galatians and the short Philemon, 2 John, and 3 John. ^[13] Despite the scriptural evidence, some scholars hold that this doctrine is a creation of the Christian church. They even contend that Jesus himself never taught that he would return.^[14] Jesus says that the believer must watch the signs of the times. Some of these signs are the proclamation of the gospel to all nations (Matt. 24:14), the appearance of false Christs and false prophets (Mark 13:22), a period of increased lawlessness (II Thess. 2:7), and the coming of the Antichrist (I John 2:18). By observing the signs, believers are strengthened in their faith that God is at work in directing world history to the glorious day of Christ's return. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:3–4 Verse 3 [Greek] this present active participle should have been in the accusative plural instead of the nominative plural. The implied subject [Greek] (you) of the aorist passive infinitive in the preceding verse demands the accusative case. Peter, however, writes the nominative to express the sense of the participle. [Greek] scoffing scoffers; here is a Semitic idiom that parallels the Hebrew use of the infinitive absolute of a verb with another part of the same verb so as to express emphasis or frequency. ^[15] [Greek] this adjective own expresses contrast to obedience to the will of God. Verse 4 [Greek] as an abbreviation, the preposition and relative pronoun means since. The pronoun has its antecedent in the understood noun [Greek] (day). [Greek] grammarians call this present tense either a progressive present^[16] or a static present, that is, a condition which is assumed as perpetually existing. ^[17] C. Destruction 3:5–7 Peter answers his opponents by reminding them that they deliberately forget two pertinent facts. One of these facts is the flood; the other is the destruction of the world. 5. But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. a. But they deliberately forget. ^[18] The apostates know the account of the flood, but they have chosen the path of deliberate forgetfulness. Accordingly, Peter reminds them of God's word by which heaven and earth were formed. By that same word the flood destroyed the world. Peter wants his opponents to understand that their arguments are erroneous and misleading in the light of God's revelation. God rules his creation and governs the course of world history. b. Long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed. Does Peter mean that the heavens are eternal but the earth is created? Certainly not. The words heavens and earth must be understood as a pair that is mentioned in one breath. With this expression, he tells the reader to recall the creation account in Genesis. The use of the plural heavens unmistakably reveals the hand of a Jew. In Hebrew this word is always plural, and throughout this chapter Peter writes the plural form in Greek (vv. 7, 10, 12, 13).^[19] c. The earth was formed out of water and by water. Peter reminds the reader of the creation story: And God said, Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear (Gen. 1:9). The land itself, then, comes forth out of the water. This interpretation relates more to origin than to substance; that is, the text explains how the earth was formed, and does not disclose the source of matter. Peter also says that the earth was formed by water. Here again he refers to the first chapter of Genesis, where we read that God's creative word separated the water under the expanse from the water above it (Gen. 1:7). Not only were the water from oceans and lakes and the precipitation from the skies instrumental in shaping the earth, but also rain and dew, snow and ice nourish and sustain the earth. This verse presents some difficulties in interpretation because of the brevity of this text. Translators have tried to overcome these problems by offering a smooth rendition of the text, but some ambiguity still remains. For instance, the phrase formed &by water seems to be a repetition of the words formed out of water. Is Peter making a distinction between out of and by or do these two prepositions in the Greek mean the same thing? In the next verse (v. 6) Peter uses the same preposition by with the meaning by means of. In the interest of consistency, therefore, we assert that the two Greek prepositions in verse 5 are virtually the same in meaning. 6. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. God, who made the world, also has the power to destroy it. He upholds his creation by his power. However, just as by his divine word the universe came into existence, so at his command he can unleash natural elements in creation to destroy that which he has made. As he formed the earth out of water, so he destroys the world by water.^[20] The scoffers of Peter's day saw God's creation but refused to recognize the Creator and his authority. The translators of the New International Version have given a literal interpretation of the Greek which has the two words by which. The pronoun which is in the plural and is translated by these waters. When God commanded the waters to destroy man and beast on the face of the earth, all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were openedGen. 7:11; also see 8:2 . Water came from below and from above and covered the earth so that everything on dry land that had the breath of life in its nostrils died (7:22). Only Noah and his household, along with the animals he had brought into the ark, survived the raging waters of the flood. An objection to this interpretation is that water at the time of the flood is the only destructive element and thus should be presented in the singular. Should we adopt an alternate reading in the Greek text for the phrase by which (in the singular), we would be able to relate the term which to God's word (v. 5). Then we can say that at God's command the world came into being and at his command the flood deluged and destroyed the earth. But this variant reading in the Greek appears to be a correction made by a scribe. The more difficult text is the plural of which, translated by these waters (NIV).^[21] This text remains problematic. What is the meaning of the phrase world of that time? Scripture says that all living things on dry land perished (Gen. 7:22), which is more extensive than saying only that the wicked human race drowned. God's condemnation struck man and beast; heaven and earth were affected by the deluge. Notice that Peter draws a parallel (see vv. 6 and 7); he contrasts the ancient world with the present heavens and earth. The world of Noah was destroyed by water; the present world will be burned with fire. The conclusion seems to be that the flood was universal, much the same as the imminent destruction by fire will be universal. The message Peter leaves for the scoffers is direct: as God destroyed the world with the flood, so he will destroy heaven and earth with fire. God's condemnation is hanging over [the scoffers], and their destruction has not been sleeping (2:3). 7. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. Consider the following points: a. Word God determines the beginning of this universe and the end.^[22] He speaks as the Creator in the beginning, with the result that the heavens and the earth are formed. He speaks as the Judge on the last day, with the consequence that heaven and earth will be destroyed by fire. God saved believing Noah and his family while the whole world perished. He also will save believers when the conflagration of the world takes place. b. Fire The present heavens and the earth are reserved for fire. A more literal translation of the text is, [They are] kept in store by the same word, reserved for fire (NKJV), which comes closer to the Greek text: have been and are treasured for fire. The readers of Peter's letter knew about God's destructive fire because of their knowledge of the Old Testament.^[23] But in other literature, the doctrine concerning the destruction of the world by fire was also current. It appears in Jewish writings, Qumran documents, apocalyptic literature, apocryphal books, and early Christian and Roman works.^[24] In the church universal and the world at large, the teaching of a fiery destruction of the world was not unknown. The nature of this fire is not revealed. Whether a nuclear holocaust will destroy the heavens and the earth remains to be seen. Three times in this chapter Peter discloses the impending destruction of God's creation (vv. 7, 10, 12). The purpose of this fiery demise of the world is for God to judge the wicked. c. Men Peter writes, [Fire is] kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. This day of judgment (2:9) or day of the Lord (3:10) not only transforms the present form of God's creation. It also cleanses the earth of the wicked people who inhabit this planet. God exercises patience, but when his forbearance has come to an end, he pronounces divine judgment upon the scoffers. Their time for destruction has arrived and consequently they receive their due reward.^[25] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:5–7 Verse 5 [Greek] this pronoun can be either nominative or accusative. In the nominative, it is the subject of the main verb: this eludes their attention because they wish that.& As an accusative, the pronoun is the direct object of the present participle [Greek] (they wish): because they want this, it escapes their notice that &. Both versions are grammatically correct, yet translators prefer the first one. [Greek] &[Greek] without the definite article, this combination constitutes a pair. In English, heaven and earth are also mentioned in the same breath.^[26] Verse 6 [Greek] the relative pronoun in the plural has a number of possible antecedents: word, water, and heavens. The double use of [Greek] (v. 5) perhaps serves as the plural antecedent, yet the presence of [Greek] (v. 6) is grammatically redundant. [Greek] from the verb [Greek] (I deluge, submerge), this aorist passive participle occurs only here in the New Testament. Verse 7 [Greek] this is the perfect passive participle from the verb [Greek] (I store up, treasure). The perfect denotes an action in the past that has lasting effect in the present. [Greek] the present passive of [Greek] (I keep, reserve) conveys the message of continuous activity. [Greek] the genitive is descriptive. However, the genitive case of [Greek] is objective. D. Time 3:8–9 The day of the Lord will come as irrevocably as the day of the flood dawned in Noah's day. From God's initial announcement of impending judgment to its final execution when he closed the ark, God extended a period of grace to 120 years (Gen. 6:3). Likewise, the day of the Lord will appear at the time God has appointed. True, some people question the coming of this day. Yet that day will come, and then cosmic time, which God has created, will end. God set cosmic time in motion when he made the universe. But when the day of the Lord dawns, chronological time disappears in eternity. God regards time from a perspective that differs from ours. In the next two verses, Peter teaches the reader to consider both time and patience from God's point of view. Relativity 8. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. a. Dear friends. Peter now turns his attention to the readers; he exhorts and encourages them by teaching them the significance of time. He addresses them as friends (see vv. 1, 14). The readers are people whom Peter loves and for whom he cares as a pastor. Literally, he addresses them as beloved. b. But do not forget this one thing. After they have learned what the destiny of the scoffers will be, the readers are anxious to know what will become of them on the judgment day. Peter has described that day as a day of destruction for the wicked. What will happen to the believer? When will that day come? Although the readers are anxious to multiply their questions concerning the last day, Peter discusses only time itself. In a single sentence, he discloses the relativity of time. He teaches the readers that they should keep one thing in mind: God views time from a perspective that differs from that of man. Introducing this concept, however, Peter tells the recipients of his letter not to forget this one thing. Notice that the verb to forget in verse 8 is the same as in verse 5. There Peter writes that the scoffers deliberately forget pertinent facts concerning creation. Here he exhorts believers not to forget one thing. But what is this one thing? Peter sums it up in one sentence: c. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. Peter echoes a verse from a prayer of Moses (Ps. 90:4): For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by. Of course, Peter refrains from speculating when the end will come. He knows the word of Jesus on this subject: No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father (Matt. 24:36). Besides, he knows that God looks at time from the perspective of eternity, and that man, who is conditioned by cosmic time, is unable to comprehend eternity. Peter is not interested in explicating the difference between time and eternity, as Moses does in Psalms 90.^[27] Rather, he describes time in relation to the last day. The expression a thousand years occurs in the New Testament only in this verse (v. 8) and in Revelation 20:2 7. Verse 8 provides no information about a literal millennium. In the first two centuries of the Christian era, however, some writers explained this verse in terms of a thousand-year period. These authors used only the words, With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and developed a millennial doctrine. Thus the unknown author of the Epistle of Barnabas writes that the Lord will make an end of everything in six thousand years, for a day with him means a thousand years. ^[28] And Irenaeus says, For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year. ^[29] These early Christian writers neglect to recite the second part of verse 8, and a thousand years are like a day. This cancels out the first part of the verse and, therefore, makes it difficult to develop a millenary theory. Peter is not interested in such theories. He faces the taunts of scoffers who express their doubt about the promise of the Lord's eventual return (compare v. 4). Patience 9. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Because the Christians of the first century expected the imminent return of the Lord and waited patiently, they needed a word of encouragement from Peter. a. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise. The term Lord in this verse and the next (v. 10) is a synonym for God. In other words, Peter refers not to Jesus but rather to God with his use of an Old Testament designation for God. Peter alludes to the Old Testament prophecy of Habakkuk: For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. [2:3] The writer of Hebrews, who assures his readers that God will fulfill the promises that he made to them, quotes this same Old Testament prophecy (Heb. 10:37). Why does God delay the return of Christ? The cause of the delay stems not from indifference or inattentiveness on the part of God. It lies in God's grace and mercy toward sinners. He allows them time to repent of their sins. Jesus will return when God's patience has ended, when the time allotted has expired, and when the last believer has accepted Christ as Savior. Not human sin, but divine forbearance, which cannot be constrained, determines the delay. It is the sovereign God who graciously grants an interval for repentance. ^[30] God works out his plan and purpose even though man expresses doubts. b. As some understand slowness. We understand that the some in this verse are not the scoffers (v. 3) but believers who have been influenced by these scoffers. Some Christians are unable to explain the delay of Christ's return and begin to doubt as they listen to the scoffers.^[31] They need not doubt, because God is in full control. c. He is patient with you. Notice that Peter addresses the readers, not the scoffers, when he writes the pronoun you.^[32] He indicates that God does not judge his people hastily, but grants them sufficient time to come to repentance (I Peter 3:20). d. Not wanting anyone to perish. Peter is not teaching universalism in this sentence. In his epistle, he clearly states that the false teachers and the scoffers are condemned and face destruction (Rom. 9:22). Does not God want the false teachers to be saved? Yes, but they disregard God's patience toward them, they employ their knowledge of Jesus Christ against him, and they willfully reject God's offer of salvation. They, then, bear full responsibility for their own condemnation.^[33] d. [God wants] everyone to come to repentance. God provides time for man to repent, but repentance is an act that man must perform. Take the case of Esau, who led a godless life and sold his inheritance rights to his brother Jacob. When he wanted to receive the blessing, Esau was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears (Heb. 12:17; also compare Rom. 2:4). Likewise the scoffers in Peter's day refuse to come to repentance, even though God is granting them a period of grace. Doctrinal Considerations in 3:8–9 So wonderful is [God's] love towards mankind, that he would have them all to be saved, and is of his own self prepared to bestow salvation on the lost. ^[34] So writes John Calvin on verse 9 and thus touches the doctrine of God's mercy toward sinful man. Here are two examples of this divine love; one is from the Old Testament, the second from the New Testament. First, God showed his love to Cain when he asked, If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? (Gen. 4:7). Yet Cain, filled with anger and jealousy, murdered Abel (v. 8). When God continued to speak to Cain, he did not meet a repentant sinner but a selfish individual who sought protection from an avenger. Cain went out from the Lord's presence (v. 16), although God demonstrated mercy by shielding him (v. 15). Cain belonged to the evil one, says the apostle John (I John 3:12). That is, he rejected God's grace and mercy and willfully departed from God. Second, before Jesus appointed the twelve disciples, he spent a whole night in prayer (Luke 6:12). He called Judas Iscariot to the circle of his immediate followers. After a period of instruction, Jesus commissioned the twelve disciples to preach the gospel, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse the lepers, and to drive out demons (Matt. 10:7–8). In his love, Jesus commissioned Judas, too. Even at the last Passover celebration in the upper room, Jesus visibly indicated to Judas that he knew of the betrayal (John 13:26). Yet Judas delivered his Master to the chief priests. Granted that Judas was filled with remorse, he never repented (Matt. 27:3). He never returned to Jesus, but instead committed suicide. When Paul writes that God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth (I Tim. 2:4; also see Ezek. 18:23, 32), he does not mean that all men are indeed saved. Although God desires the redemption of the entire race, he does not decree universal salvation. Therefore, in respect to the verb want or wish theologians distinguish between God's desire and God's decree.^[35] God extends his mercy to sinful man. However, when man repudiates God's grace, divine condemnation hangs over him (II Peter 2:3) and he faces the inevitable day of judgment (3:7). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:9 [Greek] he hesitates; as a verb of separation, it controls the genitive case of [Greek] (promise).^[36] [Greek] the present middle participle from [Greek] (I wish) denotes cause.^[37] E. Elements 3:10 In the immediately preceding verse, Peter answers his opponents with a reference to God's time and patience. Now he tells them what will happen when the day of the Lord appears. 10. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Observe these two points: a. Assurance As a contrast to God's patience with the sinner, Peter emphatically states that the day of the Lord will come like a thief (compare v. 12). This is an indisputable fact taught also by the apostle Paul. In response to a question concerning the coming of the Lord, Paul writes, You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (I Thess. 5:2). The coming of this day will be marked by an unexpected suddenness.^[38] Both Paul and Peter use the metaphor of a thief. When a thief strikes under cover of darkness, he provides no warning. Similarly, Christ will come unexpectedly. b. Events Peter describes the events that will take place when Jesus returns. Heavens Using a word that imitates the sound associated with it, Peter declares that the heavens will disappear with a roar. That is, the atmospheric heavens will vanish, as John describes the events of the last day: The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up (Rev. 6:14; see Isa. 34:4). As the sky passes away, a crackling sound as of roaring flames will be heard. Peter further explains this point in verse 12: That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. Elements What are the elements that will be destroyed by fire? Scholars usually present two interpretations: 1. The reference to the elements (v. 10) means earth, water and air, of which only the first is named explicitly, the last being understood as the heavens. ^[39] An objection to this view is that to identify the elements with heaven and earth is redundant in the context of this verse. 2. Peter relies on an Old Testament prophecy: All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved and the sky rolled up like a scroll; all the starry host will fall (Isa. 34:4). The expression elements signifies the celestial bodies the sun, moon, and stars. This prophecy reflects the Jewish belief that in the last day even the stars will be destroyed.^[40] Other parts of Scripture also indicate the heavenly bodies will be affected when the day of the Lord appears (Joel 2:10; Matt. 24:29; Mark 13:24; Rev. 6:12–13). As sun, moon, and stars are mentioned in the creation account (Gen. 1:16), so in the day of consummation these celestial light-bearers will disappear. Earth And the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Translations of this sentence differ because of the variant readings of the Greek manuscripts. Most versions have the translation And the earth and its works will be burned up (NASB; italics added). Another reading is will be gone (SEB). However, the most difficult and oldest Greek reading is will be laid bare (NIV). A sound exegetical rule is to accept the hardest reading as the original, for the most perspicuous readings usually are derived from it. In this case, due to its lack of perspecuity the verb itself has given rise to all the other variants, even to the point where some Greek manuscripts have omitted the last line of verse 10 altogether. But because the day of the Lord is seen as the judgment day, the verb will be laid bare most likely means that the earth and all man's works will appear before God's judgment seat. ^[41] The conclusion must be that the verb in the last line remains problematic. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:10 [Greek] the future passive indicative from the verb [Greek] (I find), this form is difficult to interpret. Therefore, numerous emendations have been suggested. Here are a few: the earth and the things in it will be found useless; the earth and the things in it will flow; &will flow together; &will be burnt to ashes; and will be judged. ^[42] An emendation is acceptable only when the word in question is devoid of any suitable meaning. This is not true for the translation will be laid bare which, as a passive form, implies that God is the agent. God, who created the earth and everything in it, will lay bare this great creation in the judgment day. F. Consummation 3:11–13 God's revelation about the end of the world ought to make the believer aware of living a life that is pleasing to God. The short time that separates us from the dawning of the last day is short. In fact, Peter even uses the word speed. 11. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12a. as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. a. Fact What impact does the information about the end of the world have upon man? The word everything is inclusive, for it refers to all that God has made. Man is part of God's creation and he, too, will perish. When the destruction takes place, man will inevitably meet his creator and judge. Before that day of judgment comes, God grants man a period of grace to reflect upon ethical questions. b. Character Peter asks the readers a personal question: What kind of people ought you to be? He by-passes the scoffers, who, he says, are kept for the day of judgment and destruction (v. 7). Instead, he challenges the recipients of his letter to examine carefully what their purpose in life is. The verb ought indicates that a divine obligation rests upon the readers; they are to be holy in all that they do (I Peter 1:15–16). Peter exhorts them to live in the sphere of God's holiness, so that when that great and awful day appears they continue to live in the presence of God. In the introduction to his first epistle, John encourages the Christians to have fellowship &with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ (1:3). In different wording, Peter says the same thing. Christians must cultivate holy living in full awareness of God's sacred presence, so that they become outstanding people. This is exactly Peter's question: What kind of people ought you to be? c. Expectation Christians must look into the future and expect the return of the Lord. Says Peter, Live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God. Throughout his letter, Peter frequently fails to distinguish between God and Jesus. For him, the day of the Lord and the day of God are one and the same. d. Interpretation Peter adds the clause and speed its coming. Another translation is possible: While you wait and long for the Day of God to come (JB), or As you wait eagerly for the day of God to come (marginal reading in NIV). The first translation, speed its coming, is active; the second translation, long for, is reflexive. Some commentators have opted for this second version because they believe that man is unable to change the time God has set for Christ's return.^[43] However, the cumulative evidence from Scripture, intertestamental literature, and Jewish sources supports the first translation, and speed its coming. This is a startling statement indeed. Peter is saying that we have a vital part in shortening the time set for the coming of God's day. This saying corresponds with the ancient prayer the church has prayed since the first century: Maranatha, Come, O Lord! (I Cor. 16:22; also see Rev. 22:20). Furthermore, it harmonizes with the petition your kingdom come (Matt. 6:10; Luke 11:2). In his discourse on the last day Jesus instructs his followers to proclaim the gospel to all nations, and then the end will come (Matt. 24:14). And last, Peter exhorts Christians to live holy and godly lives to speed the coming of God's day. When Peter addresses a crowd of people after healing the crippled beggar at the temple, he tells the people to repent in order to hasten the coming of Christ (Acts 3:19 21). In later Judaism, the teaching is prominent that repentance hastens the coming of the Messiah. For instance, here is a statement from a Jewish rabbi of about a.d. 300: If the Israelites were to repent for one day, then the Son of David (the Messiah) would come. ^[44] Peter writes that God delays the coming of the day of the Lord because God wants everyone to come to repentance (v. 9). Accordingly, if we wish to speed the coming of God's day, we should evangelize the world. When we bring the last of God's children to faith and repentance so that his house may be full (Luke 14:23), then the end comes. 12b. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. The wording of this text is a repetition of verse 10. However, because the last clause in verse 10 is not repeated, we should regard verse 12b as a refrain. Notice also a difference of purpose in relation to these two texts. In verse 10 Peter presents the manner, that is, how the day of the Lord will come; in verse 12b he indicates the result of this day, namely, the destruction of the heavens by fire. ^[45] In the Old Testament, the prophets frequently mention fire in connection with the final judgment. Here is one description of the day of the Lord: Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire (Mal. 4:1).^[46] In the New Testament John mentions fire in the eschatological setting of the final judgment (Rev. 8:7–8; 9:17–18; 16:8; 18:8; 20:9). The words the elements will melt in the heat are an echo of Isaiah's prophecy: All the stars of the heavens will be dissolved (34:4). Moreover, the Old Testament uses the verb to melt of the dissolution of the earth (Ps. 46:6) and the disappearance of mountains (Mic. 1:4). We assume that Peter relied on the wording of these Old Testament prophecies when he wrote this text. This reliance on Scripture is especially evident in the next verse. 13. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. a. Promise Christians need not fear when they learn that fire will destroy God's creation. Living in God's fellowship, they belong to him and know that he keeps them safe. In addition, they have his promise to reassure them. What is this promise? In the three instances where the word promise occurs (vv. 4, 9, 13), Peter puts the term in the context of the day of the Lord. The promise is that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1); at the end of time, he will create a new heaven and a new earth. This Old Testament message is paralleled in the next to the last chapter of the Bible. John writes, Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away (Rev. 21:1). b. Renewal Peter writes that we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth. He borrows the wording from the prophecy of Isaiah: This is what the sovereign Lord says: Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. [65:13, 17] As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me, declares the Lord, so will your name and descendants endure. [66:22] Peter stresses the adjective new in his wording. Literally he says, new heavens and earth new. With the word new, Peter teaches that this new creation comes forth out of the old creation. That is, the old has given birth to the new. The flood did not annihilate the earth, but changed it; and as the new earth was the consequence of the flood, so the final new heavens and earth shall be of the fire. ^[47] Observe also that the nouns heaven and earth lack definite articles, so that these two form a pair (see v. 10). The term heaven refers to the atmospheric heavens and not to the abode of the glorified saints. This abode needs no renewal because it is unaffected by sin. (c) Home Because of sin, God's entire creation has been groaning as in pain, Paul writes (Rom. 8:22). It is eagerly waiting for the day when creation is set free from the shackles of sin to share the glory of God's children. God banishes sin from the new heaven and the new earth and thus liberates his creation from its bondage. Peter calls this new creation the home of righteousness. He personifies the term righteousness and says that it has taken up its permanent abode in heaven and earth. This term brings these two together and makes them one. Doctrinal Considerations in 3:13 The Bible is a book that teaches us about the creation of man, his fall into sin, his redemption through the atoning work of Jesus Christ, and the promise of complete restoration. When a follower of Christ leaves this earthly scene, he is translated to glory. He joins the countless multitude, dressed in white apparel, that surrounds God's throne (Rev. 7:9). On the last day when the graves are opened and all the saints receive glorified bodies, they will live on a new earth in holiness and righteousness (Isa. 60:21; Rev. 21:27). The inhabitants of this new earth will be forever with Jesus, who as the Son of Man will dwell with the saints. For the saints, to be eternally with Jesus is to be in heaven. They will always be in the light, for Jesus is their source of light (Rev. 21:22–24; also refer to Isa. 11:4–5; 61:10–11; Jer. 23:6). There they need no sunshine bright, In that city four-square; For the Lamb is all the light, And there is no night there. God shall wipe away all tears; There's no death, no pain, nor fears; And they count not time by years; For there is no night there. John R. Clements Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:11–13 Verse 11 [Greek] &[Greek] this is the genitive absolute construction that has a causal connotation. The present passive participle relates to the future passive indicative [Greek] in the preceding verse (v. 10). The adjective [Greek] (all) is inclusive. Verse 12 [Greek] from the verb [Greek] (I hasten), this present active participle takes a direct object [Greek] (coming). In this context, the participle should not be taken as intransitive: exert oneself. [Greek] in the present passive from [Greek] (passive: melt), this verb conveys the future tense. Verse 13 [Greek] the adjective is used in comparing the new with the old, as in the saying, The new is better than the old. By contrast, the adjective [Greek] (new, novel) refers to that which has recently come into existence. ^[48] [Greek] from the Septuagint, this noun is in the plural ( heavens; a Hebrew usage) instead of the singular. [Greek] Peter purposely chooses this compound verb to express permanence. The compound consists of the preposition [Greek] (down) and the basic verb [Greek] (I dwell). VI. Exhortations 3:14–18 14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. A. Be Blameless 3:14 If the believers look forward to living eternally in a home of righteousness on the new earth, then already on this earth they ought to practice righteousness. For this reason, Peter devotes the rest of his epistle to a series of exhortations in which he repeats and summarizes his pastoral concerns. 14. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. a. Desire The transition between this verse and the preceding verse (v. 13) is summed up in the expression so then. That is, the righteousness that characterizes the sinless environment of the saints in the day of the Lord already must be at work in the hearts and lives of the redeemed. As a loving pastor, Peter addresses the readers with the term dear friends, which literally means beloved (vv. 1, 8, 17). Three times in as many verses, Peter uses the verb to look forward to (vv. 12, 13, 14). He knows that Christians live by hope, especially in respect to the return of the Lord. For hope is living and efficacious; therefore it cannot be but that it will attract us to itself. ^[49] b. Work Peter directs the attention of the readers to Jesus and thus exhorts them to make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Note that Peter is fond of the Greek expression to make every effort, which occurs in 1:5, 10, and 15. This word stresses the responsibility of the individual Christian to exert himself in developing Christian conduct (Phil. 2:12).^[50] How does the Christian live righteously? Peter says that the believer must be found spotless and blameless. This means that the believer ought to follow the example of Jesus, who himself is without blemish or defect (I Peter 1:19). Peter's choice of words is deliberate, for he intimates that the readers are the exact opposite of the false teachers. He portrays these teachers as blots and blemishes (2:13). By contrast, Christians should pray Paul's prayer: that they may be blameless and holy in God's presence when Jesus returns (I Thess. 3:13; also see Jude 24). c. Peace Here is the conclusion to this verse: Make every effort to be &at peace with [Jesus]. The Christian knows that through Jesus Christ he has been justified by faith and that as a consequence he has peace with God (Rom. 5:1). When the Christian lives in the light of God's Word and has fellowship with the Father and the Son, he is at peace with his Creator and Redeemer. He confesses his sin, receives remission, and is purified from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). B. Accept God's Truth 3:15–16 God communicates directly with his people through his Word. He asks them to accept this Word in faith, to claim salvation through Jesus Christ, and to treasure the Scriptures. Salvation 15a. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation. Peter repeats himself for the sake of emphasis. Once more he thinks of the argument of the false teachers who scoff at Christ's return and the judgment day. Peter enjoins the readers to put their minds to work and seriously think about the reason for the delay. He wants them to understand the purpose for the patience God exhibits. For Peter, the reason is clear: Our Lord's patience means salvation. He exchanges the word God for Lord. God's patience, then, results in granting his people a period of extended grace. God is waiting patiently for the sinner to come to repentance and inherit salvation. God's patience is marvelously displayed in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11 32). In this parable, the father did not go to that distant land where his son herded pigs for a Gentile farmer. If he had gone there and invited his son to come home, he would have had no guarantee of receiving an affirmative reply. Instead, the father waited patiently for the son to come to his senses, to confess his sins to God, to come home of his own accord, and to be reconciled.^[51] The patience of the waiting father was amply rewarded. Peter calls God's grace that leads to salvation patience (see v. 9). Paul puts the same subject in different wording and calls it kindness. Rhetorically he asks, Or do you &not [realize] that God's kindness leads you toward repentance? (Rom. 2:4). Yet when the period of grace has come to an end, the door that leads to salvation will be shut. Wisdom 15b. Just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. (a) Paul and Peter Apart from the incident in Antioch where Paul rebuked Peter for yielding to Jewish pressure not to eat with Gentile Christians (Gal. 2:11–14), the relationship between Peter and Paul was harmonious. Paul frequently mentions Peter in the First Epistle to the Corinthians (1:12; 3:22; 9:5; 15:5). He also visited Peter for fifteen days in Jerusalem (Gal. 1:18). Next, he states that Peter is an apostle to the Jews (Gal. 2:8) and is a pillar in the church (v. 9). Last, they met each other at the Jerusalem Council where both spoke regarding missions to the Gentiles (Acts 15:6 21). (b) A dear brother Peter holds no grudge against Paul for the correction he received in Antioch and for seeing the incident recorded in Paul's letter to the Galatians. The apostle is not afraid to admit his personal failure. Peter considers Paul a dear brother. In the New Testament, the term brother refers to a fellow believer; yet in this verse Peter may be thinking of the apostolic church when he writes the adjective our (compare 1:1, 16 19). We receive the distinct impression that a warm relationship existed between Peter and Paul.^[52] Also notice that Silas, who was a fellow worker of Paul (Acts 15:40; 16:22–40), serves Peter as a scribe and presumably as his letter carrier (I Peter 5:12). (c) Paul's letters Peter introduces the clause Paul also wrote you with the words just as, which refer to the previous verse (v. 15a). For this reason, scholars have searched the letters of Paul to find a distinct reference to God's patience and man's salvation.^[53] Because (Romans 2:4is a parallel to verse 15a, they have suggested that Paul's letter to the Romans must have been sent to the readers of II Peter. Some scholars glean the indirect information that this letter was an epistle sent to all the churchesRom. 16:4). Although this suggestion has its merits, other scholars think that the recipients of II Peter are the same as those of I Peter. The readers, therefore, are residents of Asia Minor. Since Paul wrote letters to the churches in Asia Minor, one of these epistles (Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians) must be the letter Peter has in mind.^[54] However, difficulties remain, because the readers were acquainted with a number of Paul's epistles (see v. 16). Perhaps we should refrain from guesswork and simply admit that we do not know which letter Paul wrote to the readers of II Peter. (d) God-given wisdom Peter recognizes the spiritual gift that Paul had received from God. This gift is demonstrated in the inspired epistles he wrote and which were accepted by Christians as Scripture (see v. 16). For instance, Clement of Rome regards as inspired Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians.^[55] In that epistle, Paul relates that he has received wisdom from the Holy Spirit (2:6–16). He acknowledges that this gift of wisdom has been granted to him by the Spirit (see 12:8).^[56] Consciously Paul employed this gift in writing his letters to churches and individuals. Scriptures 16. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. We make the following comments: (a) Write He writes the same way in all his letters. Although a literal translation has the word speaking as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things (NASB) the sense demands the verb to write. Of greater importance is the fact that Peter and Paul are saying the same thing concerning the day of the Lord and God's patience toward the sinner. Peter's remark can refer to the letters that the church possessed up to that time. We are unable to say how many of Paul's thirteen canonical letters are included; nevertheless we assume that Peter's remark encompasses nearly all of them. From Paul's epistles we learn that he urged the churches to exchange the letters he had written, so that the people might come to know his teachings (Col. 4:16; I Thess. 5:27). We conclude that in Peter's day the church had a definite collection of Pauline epistles which were accepted as canonical (see v. 16b). (b) Understand His letters contain some things that are hard to understand. Peter informs the reader that he has difficulties understanding Paul's teachings. (Some passages in Peter's epistles are not all that easy to explain either.) But, to the point, Peter acknowledges that Paul writes about the return of Christ in terms that are not clear. For example, Paul informs the believers in Thessalonica about the coming of Jesus Christ, the revelation concerning the man of lawlessness, and the one who holds it [the power of lawlessness] backII Thess. 2:1–12; see especially vv. 6 7 This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/hendriksen/