2 Peter 1:4

whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises Better, the verb being the same as in the previous verse, through which (the glory and the virtue just mentioned) He hath given unto us. The nature of the promises is indicated by the words that follow. They included pardon, peace, eternal life, participation in the Divine Nature. In the word "precious" we note a reproduction of the phraseology of the First Epistle (1 Peter 1:7; 1 Peter 1:19), but it should be noted that the apparent parallelism with 1 Peter 2:7 is in the English only, and not in the Greek.

that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature The words seem bold, but they simply shew how deeply St Peter had entered into the meaning of more familiar phrases. If men were "partakers of Christ," brought by His own ordinance into communion and fellowship with Him (1 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Corinthians 1:7) and with the Father (John 14:20-23; John 17:21-23; 1 John 1:3) and with the Holy Ghost (2 Corinthians 13:14), did not this involve their partaking in that Divine Nature which was common to the Three Persons of the Godhead? Christ was one with them and with the Father, dwelling in them by the power of the Spirit.

having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust The verb, which occurs again in chap. 2 Peter 2:18; 2 Peter 2:20, is peculiar to this Epistle in the New Testament. The word for "corruption," though not peculiar, is yet characteristic (chap. 2 Peter 2:12; 2 Peter 2:19). The "corruption" has its seat outwardly, as contrasted with the kingdom of God, in the world that lies in wickedness (1 John 5:19); inwardly in the element of desire ("lust" in its widest sense), which makes men live to themselves and not to God. The moment of escape must be thought of as that of conversion, of which baptism was the outward sign.