2 Peter 1:14

2 Peter 1:14 ‘knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.'

‘the laying aside' -‘a putting off or away' (Vine p. 238); ‘removal, getting rid of' (Arndt p. 91). Notice Peter's attitude towards death: ‘We have much to learn (in our generation, when death has replaced sex as the forbidden subject) from Peter's attitude to death. He had for years been living with death; he knew that his lot would be to die in. horrible and painful way. And yet he can speak of it in this wonderful way, apparently without fear or regret..' (Green p. 79)

‘earthly dwelling' -If Peter is going to put off his earthly dwelling, then it is obvious that Peter is more than his physical body. Notice the attitude towards the physical body. It is not to be worshipped and neither is it the end all of our existence. Consider the freedom that God has given the Christian. Death is something that we don't have to fear (Hebrews 2:15).

‘imminent' -‘swift, quick, of events soon to come or just impending' (Thayer p. 616); ‘a swift approach' (Vine p. 99).

Points to Note:

Various writers who lived after the days of the apostles mention that Peter died during the persecution instigated by Nero. This would place the death of Peter prior to June. th. 68 A.D., when Nero took his own life. ‘All the earliest records say that Peter was crucified, and Origen says he was crucified upside down.' (Lucas/Green p. 69). 2. ‘the adverb (tachinos)…means literally swift, speedy, and may have reference to the manner of his death, not the time. His life was to be taken abruptly and suddenly in his old age.' (Oberst p. 277) 3. And yet, in view of the urgency in the context, the meaning of “imminent” seems to refer to the time of his death.

‘as also our Lord Jesus Christ had made clear to me' -Many commentators link this statement back to John 21:18. where Jesus predicts what will happen at the end of Peter's life. If this is the reference in the above passage, then Peter is citing this event before John recorded it. The word “imminent” suggests that this revelation from Jesus to Peter could have been. recent communication.