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2 Peter Chapter
Three
2 Peter 3
In the last chapter
as we have said
it is materialism:
trust in the stability of that which can be seen
in contrast with trust in the
word of God which teaches us to look for the coming of Jesus
the return of the
Lord. They judge by their senses. There is
say they
no appearance of change.
This is not the case. To the eye of man it is indeed true that there is none.
But these believers are willfully ignorant of the fact that the world has been
already judged once; that the waters
out of which by the mighty word of God
the earth came
had for the moment swallowed it up again
all perishing except
those whom God preserved in the ark. And by the same word the present heavens
and earth are reserved for the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. It
is not that the Lord is slack concerning the promise of His return
but that He
is still exercising grace
not wishing any to perish
but that all should come
to repentance. And a thousand years are to Him but as a day
and a day as a
thousand years. But the day of the Lord shall come
in which all things will
pass away
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat and all that is on the
earth will be consumed. Solemn consideration for the children of God
to
maintain them in complete separation from evil
and from all that is seen
looking for and hastening the day in which the heavens shall be dissolved
and
the elements shall melt with fervent heat! Everything on which the hopes of the
flesh are founded shall disappear for ever.
Nevertheless
there shall be new heavens and a new earth
in which
righteousness shall dwell. It is not here said
"shall reign
" which
would be the thousand years of the Lord's dominion; here it is the eternal
state
in which the government
that has brought all things into order
will
terminate
and unhindered blessing will flow from God
the kingdom being given
up to God the Father.
It is in following out the ways of God in government that
the apostle carries them on to the eternal state
in which the promise will be
finally accomplished. The millennium itself was the restitution
of which the
prophets had spoken; and
morally
the heavens and the earth had been changed
by the imprisonment of Satan and the reign of Christ (see Isaiah 65:17
18
Jerusalem
having been made a rejoicing); and the heavens indeed entirely cleared by
power
never to be defiled by Satan again
the saints on high too in their
eternal state
the earth delivered
but not yet finally freed. But
materially
the dissolution of the elements was
necessary for the renewal of all things.
It will be observed
that the Spirit does not speak here
of the coming of Christ
except to say that it will be scoffed at in the last
days. He speaks of the day of God
in contrast with the trust of unbelievers in
the stability of the material things of creation
which depends
as the apostle
shews
on the word of God. And in that day everything on which unbelievers
rested and will rest shall be dissolved and pass away. This will not be at the commencement
of the day
but at its close; and here we are free to reckon this day
according to the apostle's word
as a thousand years
or whatever length of
period the Lord shall see fit.
So solemn a dissolution of all that the flesh rests upon
should lead us so to walk as to be found of the Lord
when He comes to
introduce that day
in peace and blameless; accounting that the apparent delay
is only the Lord's grace
exercised for the salvation of souls. We may well
wait
if God makes use of this time to rescue souls from judgment
by bringing
them to the knowledge of Himself
and saving them with an everlasting
salvation. This
the apostle says
had been taught by Paul
who wrote to them
(the Hebrew believers) of these things
as he did also in his other epistles.
It is interesting to see that Peter
who had been openly rebuked
before all by Paul
introduces him here with entire affection. He notices that
Paul's epistles contained an exalted doctrine
which they who were unstable
and not taught of God
perverted. For Peter in fact does not follow Paul in the
field on which the latter had entered. This however does not prevent his
speaking of Paul's writings as forming a part of the scriptures; " as also
the other scriptures
" he says. This is an important testimony; which
moreover gives the same character to the writings of one who is able to bestow
this title on the writings of another.
Let Christians then be watchful
and not allow themselves
to be seduced by the errors of the wicked but strive to grow in grace
and in
the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now
and for ever. Amen!
── John Darby《Synopsis of 2 Peter》
2 Peter 3
Chapter Contents
The design here is to remind of Christ's final coming to
judgement. (1-4) He will appear unexpectedly
when the present frame of nature
will be dissolved by fire. (5-10) From thence is inferred the need for
holiness
and stedfastness in the faith. (11-18)
Commentary on 2 Peter 3:1-4
(Read 2 Peter 3:1-4)
The purified minds of Christians are to be stirred up
that they may be active and lively in the work of holiness. There will be
scoffers in the last days
under the gospel
men who make light of sin
and
mock at salvation by Jesus Christ. One very principal article of our faith
refers to what only has a promise to rest upon
and scoffers will attack it
till our Lord is come. They will not believe that he will come. Because they
see no changes
therefore they fear not God
Psalm 55:19. What he never has done
they fancy
he never can do
or never will do.
Commentary on 2 Peter 3:5-10
(Read 2 Peter 3:5-10)
Had these scoffers considered the dreadful vengeance with
which God swept away a whole world of ungodly men at once
surely they would
not have scoffed at his threatening an equally terrible judgment. The heavens
and the earth which now are
by the same word
it is declared
will be
destroyed by fire. This is as sure to come
as the truth and the power of God
can make it. Christians are here taught and established in the truth of the
coming of the Lord. Though
in the account of men
there is a vast difference
between one day and a thousand years
yet
in the account of God
there is no
difference. All things past
present
and future
are ever before him: the
delay of a thousand years cannot be so much to him
as putting off any thing
for a day or for an hour is to us. If men have no knowledge or belief of the
eternal God
they will be very apt to think him such as themselves. How hard is
it to form any thoughts of eternity! What men count slackness
is
long-suffering
and that to us-ward; it is giving more time to hisown people
to advance in knowledge and holiness
and in the exercise of faith and
patience
to abound in good works
doing and suffering what they are called to
that they may bring glory to God. Settle therefore in your hearts that you
shall certainly be called to give an account of all things done in the body
whether good or evil. And let a humble and diligent walking before God
and a
frequent judging of yourselves
show a firm belief of the future judgment
though
many live as if they were never to give any account at all. This day will come
when men are secure
and have no expectation of the day of the Lord. The
stately palaces
and all the desirable things wherein wordly-minded men seek
and place their happiness
shall be burned up; all sorts of creatures God has
made
and all the works of men
must pass through the fire
which shall be a
consuming fire to all that sin has brought into the world
though a refining
fire to the works of God's hand. What will become of us
if we set our
affections on this earth
and make it our portion
seeing all these things
shall be burned up? Therefore make sure of happiness beyond this visible world.
Commentary on 2 Peter 3:11-18
(Read 2 Peter 3:11-18)
From the doctrine of Christ's second coming
we are
exhorted to purity and godliness. This is the effect of real knowledge. Very
exact and universal holiness is enjoined
not resting in any low measure or
degree. True Christians look for new heavens and a new earth; freed from the
vanity to which things present are subject
and the sin they are polluted with.
Those only who are clothed with the righteousness of Christ
and sanctified by
the Holy Ghost
shall be admitted to dwell in this holy place. He is faithful
who has promised. Those
whose sins are pardoned
and their peace made with
God
are the only safe and happy people; therefore follow after peace
and that
with all men; follow after holiness as well as peace. Never expect to be found
at that day of God in peace
if you are lazy and idle in this your day
in
which we must finish the work given us to do. Only the diligent Christian will
be the happy Christian in the day of the Lord. Our Lord will suddenly come to
us
or shortly call us to him; and shall he find us idle? Learn to make a right
use of the patience of our Lord
who as yet delays his coming. Proud
carnal
and corrupt men
seek to wrest some things into a seeming agreement with their
wicked doctrines. But this is no reason why St. Paul's epistles
or any other
part of the Scriptures
should be laid aside; for men
left to themselves
pervert every gift of God. Then let us seek to have our minds prepared for
receiving things hard to be understood
by putting in practice things which are
more easy to be understood. But there must be self-denial and suspicion of
ourselves
and submission to the authority of Christ Jesus
before we can
heartily receive all the truths of the gospel
therefore we are in great danger
of rejecting the truth. And whatever opinions and thoughts of men are not
according to the law of God
and warranted by it
the believer disclaims and
abhors. Those who are led away by error
fall from their own stedfastness. And
that we may avoid being led away
we must seek to grow in all grace
in faith
and virtue
and knowledge. Labour to know Christ more clearly
and more fully;
to know him so as to be more like him
and to love him better. This is the
knowledge of Christ
which the apostle Paul reached after
and desired to
attain; and those who taste this effect of the knowledge of the Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ
will
upon receiving such grace from him
give thanks and
praise him
and join in ascribing glory to him now
in the full assurance of
doing the same hereafter
for ever.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on 2 Peter》
2 Peter 3
Verses 2-3
[2] That
ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets
and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: [3]
Knowing this first
that there shall come in the last days scoffers
walking
after their own lusts
Be the more mindful thereof
because ye know
scoffers will come first - Before the Lord comes.
Walking after their own evil desires — Here is the origin of the error
the root of libertinism. Do we not see
this eminently fulfilled?
Verse 4
[4] And saying
Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell
asleep
all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Saying
Where is the promise of his coming — To judgment (They do not even deign to name him.) We see no sign of any
such thing.
For ever since the fathers — Our first ancestors.
Fell asleep
all things — Heaven. water
earth.
Continue as they were from the beginning of
the creation — Without any such material change as might
make us believe they will ever end.
Verse 5
[5] For
this they willingly are ignorant of
that by the word of God the heavens were
of old
and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
For this they are willingly ignorant of — They do not care to know or consider. That by the almighty word of God -
Which bounds the duration of all things
so that it cannot be either longer or
shorter.
Of old —
Before the flood. The aerial heavens were
and the earth - Not as it is now
but standing out of the water and in the water - Perhaps the interior globe of
earth was fixed in the midst of the great deep
the abyss of water; the shell
or exterior globe standing out of the water
covering the great deep. This
or
some other great and manifest difference between the original and present
constitution of the terraqueous globe
seems then to have been so generally
known
that St. Peter charges their ignorance of it totally upon their
wilfulness.
Verse 6
[6]
Whereby the world that then was
being overflowed with water
perished:
Through which —
Heaven and earth
the windows of heaven being opened
and the fountains of the
great deep broken up.
The world that then was — The whole antediluvian race.
Being overflowed with water
perished — And the heavens and earth themselves
though they did not perish
yet
underwent a great change. So little ground have these scoffers for saying that
all things continue as they were from the creation.
Verse 7
[7] But the heavens and the earth
which are now
by the same word are kept in
store
reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly
men.
But the heavens and the earth
that are now — Since the flood. Are reserved unto fire at the day wherein God will
judge the world
and punish the ungodly with everlasting destruction.
Verse 8
[8] But
beloved
be not ignorant of this one thing
that one day is with the Lord as a
thousand years
and a thousand years as one day.
But be not ye ignorant — Whatever they are.
Of this one thing — Which
casts much light on the point in hand.
That one day is with the Lord as a thousand
years
and a thousand years as one day —
Moses had said
Psalms 90:4
"A thousand years in thy sight
are as one day;" which St. Peter applies with regard to the last day
so
as to denote both his eternity
whereby he exceeds all measure of time in his
essence and in his operation; his knowledge
to which all things past or to
come are present every moment; his power
which needs no long delay
in order
to bring its work to perfection; and his longsuffering
which excludes all
impatience of expectation
and desire of making haste.
One day is with the Lord as a thousand years — That is
in one day
in one moment he can do the work of a thousand
years. Therefore he "is not slow:" he is always equally ready to
fulfil his promise.
And a thousand years are as one day — That is
no delay is long to God. A thousand years are as one day to the
eternal God. Therefore "he is longsuffering:" he gives us space for
repentance
without any inconvenience to himself. In a word
with God time
passes neither slower nor swifter than is suitable to him and his economy; nor
can there be any reason why it should be necessary for him either to delay or
hasten the end of all things. How can we comprehend this? If we could
comprehend it
St. Peter needed not to have added
with the Lord.
Verse 9
[9] The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise
as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward
not willing that any should perish
but that all
should come to repentance.
The Lord is not slow — As if the time fixed for it were past.
Concerning his promise — Which shall surely be fulfilled in its season.
But is longsuffering towards us — Children of men. Not willing that any soul
which he hath made should
perish.
Verse 10
[10] But
the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens
shall pass away with a great noise
and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat
the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief — Suddenly
unexpectedly.
In which the heavens shall pass away with a
great noise — Surprisingly expressed by the very sound
of the original word.
The elements shall melt with fervent heat — The elements seem to mean
the sun
moon
and stars; not the four
commonly so called; for air and water cannot melt
and the earth is mentioned
immediately after. The earth and all the works - Whether of nature or art.
That are therein shall be burned up — And has not God already abundantly provided for this? 1. By the stores
of subterranean fire which are so frequently bursting out at Aetna
Vesuvius
Hecla
and many other burning mountains. 2. By the ethereal (vulgarly called
electrical) fire
diffused through the whole globe; which
if the secret chain
that now binds it up were loosed
would immediately dissolve the whole frame of
nature. 3. By comets
one of which
if it touch the earth in its course toward
the sun
must needs strike it into that abyss of fire; if in its return from
the sun
when it is heated
as a great man computes
two thousand times hotter
than a red-hot cannonball
it must destroy all vegetables and animals long
before their contact
and soon after burn it up.
Verse 11
[11]
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved
what manner of persons
ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness
Seeing then that all these things are
dissolved — To the eye of faith it appears as done
already.
All these things —
Mentioned before; all that are included in that scriptural expression
"the heavens and the earth;" that is
the universe. On the fourth day
God made the stars
Genesis 1:16
which will be dissolved together
with the earth. They are deceived
therefore
who restrain either the history
of the creation
or this description of the destruction
of the world to the
earth and lower heavens; imagining the stars to be more ancient than the earth
and to survive it. Both the dissolution and renovation are ascribed
not to the
one heaven which surrounds the earth
but to the heavens in general
2 Peter 3:10
13
without any restriction or
limitation.
What persons ought ye to be in all holy
conversation — With men.
And godliness —
Toward your Creator.
Verse 12
[12]
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God
wherein the heavens
being on fire shall be dissolved
and the elements shall melt with fervent
heat?
Hastening on — As
it were by your earnest desires and fervent prayers.
The coming of the day of God — Many myriads of days he grants to men: one
the last
is the day of God
himself.
Verse 13
[13]
Nevertheless we
according to his promise
look for new heavens and a new
earth
wherein dwelleth righteousness.
We look for new heavens and a new earth — Raised as it were out of the ashes of the old; we look for an entire new
state of things.
Wherein dwelleth righteousness — Only righteous spirits. How great a mystery!
Verse 14
[14]
Wherefore
beloved
seeing that ye look for such things
be diligent that ye
may be found of him in peace
without spot
and blameless.
Labour that whenever he cometh ye may be
found in peace - May meet him without terror
being sprinkled with his blood
and sanctified by his Spirit
so as to be without spot and blameless. Isaiah 65:17; Isaiah 66:22.
Verse 15
[15] And
account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved
brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
And account the longsuffering of the Lord
salvation — Not only designed to lead men to
repentance
but actually conducing thereto: a precious means of saving many
more souls.
As our beloved brother Paul also hath written
to you — This refers not only to the single
sentence preceding
but to all that went before. St. Paul had written to the
same effect concerning the end of the world
in several parts of his epistles
and particularly in his Epistle to the Hebrews. Romans 2:4.
Verse 16
[16] As
also in all his epistles
speaking in them of these things; in which are some
things hard to be understood
which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest
as they do also the other scriptures
unto their own destruction.
As also in all his epistles — St. Peter wrote this a little before his own and St. Paul's martyrdom.
St. Paul therefore had now written all his epistles; and even from this
expression we may learn that St. Peter had read them all
perhaps sent to him
by St. Paul himself. Nor was he at all disgusted by what St. Paul had written
concerning him in the Epistle to the Galatians.
Speaking of these things — Namely
of the coming of our Lord
delayed through his longsuffering
and of the circumstances preceding and accompanying it. Which things the
unlearned - They who are not taught of God.
And the unstable —
Wavering
double-minded
unsettled men.
Wrest — As
though Christ would not come.
As they do also the other scriptures — Therefore St Paul's writings were now part of the scriptures.
To their own destruction — But that some use the scriptures ill
is no reason why others should not
use them at all.
Verse 18
[18] But
grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To
him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
But grow in grace —
That is
in every Christian temper. There may be
for a time
grace without
growth; as there may be natural life without growth. But such sickly life
of
soul or body
will end in death
and every day draw nigher to it. Health is the
means of both natural and spiritual growth. If the remaining evil of our fallen
nature be not daily mortified
it will
like an evil humour in the body
destroy the whole man. But "if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds
of the body
" (only so far as we do this
) "ye shall live" the
life of faith
holiness
happiness. The end and design of grace being purchased
and bestowed on us
is to destroy the image of the earthy
and restore us to
that of the heavenly. And so far as it does this
it truly profits us; and also
makes way for more of the heavenly gift
that we may at last be filled with all
the fulness of God. The strength and well-being of a Christian depend on what
his soul feeds on
as the health of the body depends on whatever we make our
daily food. If we feed on what is according to our nature
we grow; if not
we
pine away and die. The soul is of the nature of God
and nothing but what is
according to his holiness can agree with it. Sin
of every kind
starves the
soul
and makes it consume away. Let us not try to invert the order of God in
his new creation: we shall only deceive ourselves. It is easy to forsake the
will of God
and follow our own; but this will bring leanness into the soul. It
is easy to satisfy ourselves without being possessed of the holiness and
happiness of the gospel. It is easy to call these frames and feelings
and then
to oppose faith to one and Christ to the other. Frames (allowing the
expression) are no other than heavenly tempers
"the mind that was in
Christ." Feelings are the divine consolations of the Holy Ghost shed
abroad in the heart of him that truly believes. And wherever faith is
and
wherever Christ is
there are these blessed frames and feelings. If they are
not in us
it is a sure sign that though the wilderness became a pool
the pool
is become a wilderness again.
And in the knowledge of Christ — That is
in faith
the root of all.
To him be the glory to the day of eternity — An expression naturally flowing from that sense which the apostle had
felt in his soul throughout this whole chapter. Eternity is a day without
night
without interruption
without end.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on 2 Peter》
Chapter 3. Things to Recall
A Day is Like a
Thousand Years
A Thousand Years Is Like a Day
I. Original
Heavens and Earth
II. Re-created
Heavens and Earth
III. Future
Heavens and Earth
── Chih-Hsin
Chang《An Outline of
The New Testament》
When People Scoff About The Lord's Return (3:1-9)
INTRODUCTION
1. A wonderful promise that serves to motivate Christians toward godly living is that concerning our Lord's return... a. A promise made first by Jesus Himself - Jn 14:1-3 b. A promise made at His ascension into heaven - Ac 1:9-11 c. A promise not far from the lips of devoted disciples... 1) "O Lord
come!" - 1 Co 16:22 2) "Even so
come
Lord Jesus!" - Re 22:20 2. But it is also a promise that some delight to scoff (i.e.
to mock
deride
reproach
ridicule) - cf. 2 Pe 3:3-4 3. As we patiently await the coming of the Lord
what can we do when faced by those who ridicule the hope that we have? 4. Peter addresses this concern in 2 Pe 3:1-9
and will serve as the basis for this lesson entitled: "When People Scoff About The Lord's Return" [The key element to dealing with such scoffers can be summarized in oneword: "remember" This becomes evident as we find Peter stressing that we should first...] I. REMEMBER THAT SCOFFERS ARE TO BE EXPECTED (1-4)
A. ONCE AGAIN
WE SEE THE VALUE OF BEING REMINDED... 1. Earlier in this epistle
Peter stressed his desire to remind them - 2 Pe 1:12-15 2. Now
he does it again - 2 Pe 3:1-2 3. In both passages
his desire is to "stir up" their pure minds - 2 Pe 1:13; 3:1 B. WE ARE TO BE ESPECIALLY MINDFUL OF... 1. The words spoken before by the holy prophets a. Peter may have reference to New Testament prophets b. But he might also be referring to Old Testament prophets
to whom we were told to give heed earlier in this epistle - 2 Pe 1:19 2. The commandment of the apostles of the Lord and Savior a. As the Lord's "ambassadors" (cf. 2 Co 5:20)
the apostles speak for the Lord Himself - cf. 1 Co 14:37 b. Therefore
we need to "continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine" - Ac 2:42 C. IF WE ARE MINDFUL OF THEIR WORDS
SCOFFERS WILL NOT BE UNEXPECTED...
1. We will know that they will come "in the last days" - 2 Pe