INTRODUCTION TO II PETER 1 In this chapter, after the inscription and salutation, the apostle takes notice of gifts of grace bestowed; and exhorts to the exercise of holiness and good works; and gives the reasons why he was so pressing to them; and endeavours to establish the saints in the Gospel t... [ Continue Reading ]
SIMON PETER, A SERVANT, AND AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST,.... The writer of this epistle is described first by his names, Simon Peter; the first of these was the name by which he was called from his infancy by his parents, and by which he was known when Christ called him to be a disciple and follower... [ Continue Reading ]
GRACE AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED UNTO YOU,.... By a multiplication of grace may be meant a larger discovery of the love and favour of God; which though it admits of no degrees in itself, being never more or less in God's heart, yet, as to the manifestations of it, it is different, and capable of being... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING AS HIS DIVINE POWER,.... Meaning either the power of God the Father, to whom belong eternal power and Godhead; and he is sometimes called by the name of power itself; see Matthew 26:64 being all powerful and mighty; or rather the power of Christ, since he is the next and immediate antecede... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREBY ARE GIVEN UNTO US,.... Or "by which", that is, glory and virtue; by the glorious power of Christ, or by the glorious and powerful Gospel of Christ; and so the Arabic version renders it, "by both of which"; or "by whom", as the Vulgate Latin version reads; that is, by Christ; for as in him ar... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BESIDES THIS, GIVING ALL DILIGENCE,.... "Or upon this", as the Syriac and Arabic versions read, bestow all your labour, diligence, and care; namely, on what follows, and that from the consideration of what goes before; for nothing can more strongly animate, and engage to the diligent exercise of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TO KNOWLEDGE, TEMPERANCE,.... Avoiding all excess in eating and drinking, and all impure and unclean lusts; for it signifies nothing what a man knows, or professes to know, if his life is a scene of intemperance and debauchery: this seems to be levelled against the followers or Simon Magus, who... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 7 AND TO GODLINESS, BROTHERLY KINDNESS,.... Without which, godliness, or external worship, or a profession of religion, is a vain show; for this is both the evidence of regeneration, and of the truth and power of real godliness; and also the beauty, comfort, and security of Christian society an... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF THESE THINGS BE IN YOU,.... Are wrought in you by the Spirit of God, and exercised and performed by his assistance, who works in his people both to will and do: AND ABOUND; increase in their acts and exercises by the frequent performance of them: they make you; both by way of influence and e... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE THAT LACKETH THESE THINGS,.... Or in, and with whom, they are not; that is, these virtues, as the Arabic version reads, as faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity; where the principles of those things are not, and they are not exercised and p... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE THE RATHER, BRETHREN, GIVE DILIGENCE,.... To exercise the afore mentioned graces, and to perform the above duties, since this is the way TO MAKE YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION SURE; by calling is not meant a call to any office in the church, nor an external call, either by the voice of nature,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR SO AN ENTRANCE SHALL BE MINISTERED UNTO YOU ABUNDANTLY,.... An abundant supply of grace and strength shall be freely afforded, to carry you through all the duties and trials of life; and when that shall be ended, an admission will be granted INTO THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE I WILL NOT BE NEGLIGENT,.... The apostle having made use of proper arguments to excite the saints he writes to regard the exhortation he had given, to the diligent exercise of grace, and discharge of duty, proceeds to give the reasons of his own conduct, why he gave such an exhortation to... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, I THINK IT MEET,.... Or "just". This is the apostle's other reason for his conduct, taken from the duty of his place and office; judging it to be what became him as an apostle and elder, and the minister of the circumcision, and was what was due to God and Christ, whom he served, and the souls... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWING THAT SHORTLY I MUST PUT OFF THIS MY TABERNACLE,.... Which is another reason why the apostle was so pressing in this case, and so much urged the exhortation, and was so diligent in reminding the saints of it, and stirring them to observe it, because he knew he had but a little time to live, a... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, I WILL ENDEAVOUR,.... He signifies, that he should not only use all diligence to stir them up to, and put them in remembrance of the necessary duties of their calling while he was alive, but should make it his study to concert some measures, and take some steps, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE AFTER... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WE HAVE NOT FOLLOWED CUNNINGLY DEVISED FABLES,.... Such as Jewish fables, cautioned against Titus 1:14 which their traditionary and oral law, their Talmud, and other writings, mention; as concerning the temporal kingdom of the Messiah, the sumptuous feast, and carnal pleasures and entertainments... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE RECEIVED FROM GOD THE FATHER HONOUR AND GLORY,.... Not as an inferior from a superior, for he was equal in glory with the Father, and was, and is, the brightness of his Father's glory; nor essentially, having the same glory as his Father, and to which nothing can be added; but declaratively,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS VOICE, WHICH CAME FROM HEAVEN, WE HEARD,.... Peter, who wrote this epistle, and James and John, the favourite disciples of Christ; and who were a sufficient number to bear witness of what they then saw and heard: WHEN WE WERE WITH HIM; and saw his glory, and the glory of Moses and Elias, a... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 19 WE HAVE ALSO A MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY,.... Though this word of prophecy is generally understood of the writings and prophecies of the Old Testament concerning Christ, yet different ways are taken to fix the comparison: some think the sense is, that they are more sure than the cunningly d... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWING THIS FIRST,.... Especially, and in the first place, this is to be known, observed, and considered; THAT NO PROPHECY OF THE SCRIPTURE, that is contained in Scripture, be it what it will, IS OF ANY PRIVATE INTERPRETATION: not that this is levelled against the right of private judgment of Scr... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE PROPHECY,.... The whole Scripture, all the prophetic writings; so the Jews call the Scriptures הנבואה, "the prophecy" g, by way of eminence, and from the subject matter of the sacred word: CAME NOT IN OLD TIME BY THE WILL OF MAN; was not brought into the world at first, or in any period of... [ Continue Reading ]