SUMMARY.--The Purpose of the Second Epistle.
The Sayings of Scoffers.
God's Apparent Delay to Give Opportunity for Repentance.
The Day of the Lord.
The New Heavens and New Earth.
The Blameless Lives We Ought to Live.
Paul's Writings.
Final Admonitions.
1-4. This second epistle. This language implies a former letter
written to the same persons to whom this is addressed.
I stir up your pure minds. In both letters his object was mainly
to exhort them to holy lives.
By way of remembrance. By reminding you of the claims of Christ
as shown by prophets and apostles.
2. That ye be mindful of the words. Both of what was spoken by
the prophets in the Old Testament, and of what the apostles have now
spoken.
Us the apostles. The Twelve, and Paul, who is alluded to in
verse 15.
3. Knowing this first. The apostles and prophets have reminded
them that there will be scoffers
in the last days. Under the last dispensation. [376]
4. Where is the promise of his coming? This question is asked by
the scoffers, as though the coming of Christ was so long delayed that
all hope had ended. They take advantage of the disappointment to try to
destroy faith.
All things continue. The scoffers assert that the regular order
of nature continues right on as it was from the beginning. They forget
the deluge.
5-7. For this they willingly are ignorant of. Their ignorance
which causes them to speak thus is wilful. They obstinately forget all
the lessons taught by the deluge. There the fixed order was
interrupted.
That there were heavens. This alludes to the beginning of
creation. See
Gen. 1:1, 2.
By the word of God. See
Gen. 1:6, 9.
And the earth. The Revision translated, "compacted out of
water." That is, water is a principal element in its formation, a fact
seen in three-fourths of its surface being sea, and water being found
in the depths of the earth everywhere, and being found largely in
earthly combinations.
6. Whereby. By means of the waters of heaven and earth; "the
fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were
opened," the old world was overflowed and perished.
7. By the same word. The heavens and earth of old were formed by
the word of God, but the same word, which has always been sure,
declares that they are reserved for fire. See
Ps. 50:3; 97:3;
Isa. 66:15, 24; Dan. 7:9; Mal. 4:1.
Against the day of judgment. This destruction by fire will be
when the Lord is revealed in judgment and when perdition comes on
ungodly men.
8-13. But, beloved, be not ignorant. Delay was the objection of
the scoffers, but time is no element in the counsels of God. He has
eternity in which to work out his purposes. He can as well take a
thousand years as a day. If he seems to us short lived creatures to
delay it for wise purposes. See
Ps. 90:4.
9. The Lord is not slack. If the day of the Lord seems delayed
it is not due to slackness. It is rather because God is long suffering
and is giving time to call the world to repentance. See
1 Tim. 2:4.
10. But the day of the Lord will come. This expression usually,
but not always, refers to the [377]
second advent. Such is the meaning here.
As a thief. When people are not expecting it. Compare
1 Thess. 5:2; Matt. 24:43.
The heavens shall pass away. See
Luke 21:33.
The elements shall melt. The material of which they are
composed.
The earth also and the works. The earth and all man's creations.
That the world shall come to an end seems to be written in its very
constitution. A slight change in the constitution of the atmosphere, or
the decomposition of its water would wrap it in flame. Science finds
the elements of final dissolution in the relations of the earth and
sun. According to the ratio of increase in two centuries the world will
not have resources to feed its population. In a few hundred years the
coal resources of the world will fail. These and many other facts point
to a necessary and inevitable change.
11. What manner of persons ought ye to be. Since we have no
abiding home on this earth and seek one beyond, we should live in a
state of preparation.
12. Looking for. Looking for, preparing for, and desiring the
Lord's coming. Dreadful as that day will be for the impenitent it is a
day of relief and of glorious attainment to the saint.
13. We, according to his promise. See
Isa. 65:17; also 66:22.
The heavens and the earth are not to be blotted out, but changed,
purified, and made better for the home of the righteous.
14-18. Wherefore, beloved. Now follows an earnest exhortation to
holiness in view of the coming of the Lord.
15. Account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation.
That God's long suffering is designed to promote salvation.
Even as our beloved brother Paul . . . hath written to
you. We cannot tell what epistles of Paul are alluded to. We have
at least three which were written to the same churches Peter was
addressing. See
1 Pet. 1:1, 2.
16. As also in all his epistles. Peter knew of many epistles,
then, that Paul had written, and knew also that they contained some
very profound argument, which a Jew especially found it difficult to
understand (See
Galatian Letter).
The unlearned and unstable. The ignorant and vacillating
wrest. Pervert and give meanings that were never meant.
As also the other scriptures. The other scriptures may mean the
Old Testament, or New Testament writings already written. The point to
be noted is that already when Peter wrote Paul's epistles were accepted
as a part of the Scriptures.
To their own destruction. This should be a [378]
warning to all in our day who twist the Scriptures from their real
meaning.
17. Seeing ye know these things before. That there shall be
false teachers; hence beware of them.
18. Grow in grace. How they may so grow was shown in
1 Peter 2:2.
And in the knowledge of our Lord. The two kinds of growth must
keep equal pace. He who grows in the one will grow in the other.
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