1.Lest they should be wearied with the Second Epistle as though the
first was sufficient, he says that it was not written in vain, because
they stood in need of being often stirred up. To make this more
evident, he shews that they could not be beyond danger, except they
were well fortified, because... [ Continue Reading ]
2._That ye may be mindful. _By these words he intimates that we have
enough in the writings of the prophets, and in the gospel, to stir us
up, provided we be as diligent as it behoves us, in meditating on
them; and that our minds sometimes contract a rust, or become bedimmed
through darkness, is owi... [ Continue Reading ]
3._Knowing this first. _The participle _knowing _may be applied to the
Apostle, and in this way, “I labor to stir you up for this reason,
because I know what and how great is your impending danger from
scoffers.” I however prefer this explanation, that the participle is
used in place of a verb, as t... [ Continue Reading ]
4._Where is the promise. _It was a dangerous scoff when they
insinuated a doubt as to the last resurrection; for when that is taken
away, there is no gospel any longer, the power of Christ is brought to
nothing, the whole of religion is gone. Then Satan aims directly at
the throat of the Church, whe... [ Continue Reading ]
5._For this they willingly are ignorant of. _By one argument only he
confutes the scoff of the ungodly, even by this, that the world once
perished by a deluge of waters, when yet it consisted of waters.
(Genesis 1:2.) And as the history of this was well known, he says that
they _willingly, _or of th... [ Continue Reading ]
It seems, however, strange that he says that the world perished
through the deluge, when he had before mentioned the heaven and the
earth. To this I answer, that the heaven was then also submerged, that
is, the region of the air, which stood open between the two waters.
For the division or separatio... [ Continue Reading ]
7._But the heavens and the earth which are now. _He does not infer
this as the consequence; for his purpose was no other than to
dissipate the craftiness of scoffers respecting the perpetual state of
nature, and we see many such at this day who being slightly embued
with the rudiments of philosophy,... [ Continue Reading ]
8._But be not ignorant of this one thing. _He now turns to speak to
the godly; and he reminds them that when the coming of Christ is the
subject, they were to raise upwards their eyes, for by so doing, they
would not limit, by their unreasonable wishes, the time appointed by
the Lord. For waiting se... [ Continue Reading ]
9._But the Lord is not slack, _or, _delays not_. He checks extreme and
unreasonable haste by another reason, that is, that the Lord defers
his coming that he might invite all mankind to repentance. For our
minds are always prurient, and a doubt often creeps in, why he does
not come sooner. But when... [ Continue Reading ]
10._But the day of the Lord will come. _This has been added, that the
faithful might be always watching, and not promise to-morrow to
themselves. For we all labor under two very different evils — too
much haste, and slothfulness. We are seized with impatience for the
day of Christ already expected;... [ Continue Reading ]
Heaven and earth, he says, shall pass away for our sakes; is it meet,
then, for us to be engrossed with the things of earth, and not, on the
contrary, to attend to a holy and godly life? The corruptions of
heaven and earth will be purged by fire, while yet as the creatures of
God they are pure; what... [ Continue Reading ]
12_Looking for and hasting unto, _or, _waiting for by hastening_; so I
render the words, though they are two participles; for what we had
before separately he gathers now into one sentence, that is, that we
ought hastily to wait. Now this contrarious hope possesses no small
elegance, like the prover... [ Continue Reading ]
14._Wherefore. _He justly reasons from hope to its effect, or the
practice of a godly life; for hope is living and efficacious;
therefore it cannot be but that it will attract us to itself. He,
then, who waits for new heavens, must begin with renewal as to
himself, and diligently aspire after it; bu... [ Continue Reading ]
15._The long-suffering of our Lord. _He takes it as granted that
Christ defers the day of his coming, because he has a regard for our
salvation. He hence animates the faithful, because in a longer delay
they have an evidence as to their own salvation. Thus, what usually
disheartens others through we... [ Continue Reading ]
16._In which are some things. _The relative _which _does not refer to
_epistles, _for it is in the neuter gender. (185) The meaning is, that
in the things which he wrote there was sometimes an obscurity, which
gave occasion to the unlearned to go astray to their own ruin. We are
reminded by these wo... [ Continue Reading ]
17._Ye, therefore, beloved. _After having shewn to the faithful the
dangers of which they were to beware, he now concludes by admonishing
them to be wise. But he shews that there was need of being watchful,
lest they should be overwhelmed. And, doubtless, the craft of our
enemy, the many and various... [ Continue Reading ]
18._But grow in grace. _He also exhorts us to make progress; for it is
the only way of persevering, to make continual advances, and not to
stand still in the middle of our journey; as though he had said, that
they only would be safe who labored to make progress daily.
The word _grace, _I take in a... [ Continue Reading ]