2 Peter 3:15

καὶ τὴν τοῦ κυρίου … ἡγεῖσθε. Cf. 2 Peter 3:9. The Divine long-suffering is capable of interpretation as “slackness,” or as opportunity for license instead of as σωτηρίαν, an opportunity for repentance. καθὼς καὶ ὁ ἀγαπητὸς … ἔγραψεν ὑμῖν. The interpretation here largely depends on (1) whether the reference of καθὼς is confined to the idea in the first clause of the verse, or (2) is to be extended to include ἄσπιλοι καὶ ἀμώμητοι … εἰρήνῃ in 2 Peter 3:14, or (3) is still further extended to include the whole treatment of moral disorder arising from delayed Parousia. In the case of (1) Romans would be the most appropriate among the known canonical epistles. In that epistle the idea of God's long-suffering is most prominent (cf. Romans 2:4; Romans 3:25-26; Romans 9:22-23; Romans 11:22-23). (2) Almost any of St. Paul's epistles might be meant. (3) If the question of moral disorder arising from difficulties about the παρουσία is placed in the foreground, “none of the existing Pauline Epistles can be in question except 1 Corinthians (in this Church there were very similar extravagances, and the Resurrection was by some denied) and Thessalonians” (Bigg). A decision on this point involves the discussion on the destination of the epistle, for which see Introduction, pp. 205 f. (cf. Zahn., Introd. ii., pp. 211 2). ὁ ἀγαπητὸς … Παῦλος need not imply that Paul was alive. κατὰ τὴν δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ σοφίαν. Cf. 1 Corinthians 3:10; Galatians 2:9; Galatians 2:1 Cor. 3:66, Colossians 1:28.