14. Shortly | must put off this my tabernacle (tayuvy éorw % amdSeows TOD cKnVopaTOs pov). Lit., quick is the put-
684 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cu. I.
ting off of my tabernacle. Rev., the putting off. of my taber- nacle cometh swiftly. Possibly in allusion to his advanced age. Putting off is a metaphor, from putting off a garment. So Paul, 2 Cor. v. 3,4, being clothed, wnclothed, clothed upon. The word occurs, also, 1 Pet. iii. 21, and is used by Peter only. Cometh swiftly, implying the speedy approach of death ; though others understand it of the gwick, violent death which Christ prophesied he should die. “Even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me.” See John xxi. 18,19. Compare, also, John xili. 36, and note the word follow in both passages. “ Peter had now learnt the full force of Christ’s sayings, and to what end the following of Jesus was to bring him ” (Lumby).
Hath shewed (éd7Awoev). But the tense is the aorist, point- ing back to a definite act at a past time (John xxi. 18). eae chewed me, or, as Nev., segnified. Compare 1 Pet. i. 11, did
signify.
15. Ye may be able (éyew tuas). Lit., that you may have it. A similar use of Aave, in the sense of to be able, occurs Mark xiv. 8. The same meaning is also foreshadowed in Matt. xviii. 25, had not to pay ; and John viii. 6, have to accuse.
Decease (€fodov). Hxodus is a literal transcript of the word, and is the term used by Luke in his account of the transfigura- tion. ‘ They spake of his decease.” It occurs only once lee where, Heb. xi. 22, in the literal sense, the departing or exodus of ie gildten of Israel. “It is at least remarkable,” says Dean Alford, “that, with the recollection of the scene on the mount of tr: ee floating in his mind, the apostle should use so close together the words wick were there also associated, tabernacle and decease. The coincidence should not be for gotten in treating of the question of the genuineness of the epistle.”
Call to remembrance (uyjunv moveic9ar). The phrase oc- curs nowhere else in the New Testament. In classical Greek, to make mention of. An analogous expression is found, Rom. i.
Cat) THE SECOND GENERAL EPISTLE OF PETER. 685
9, pvelav rovodpat, I make mention. See, also, Kpin i 165 1° Thess. i. 2; Philem. 4. Some render it thus here, as express- ing Peter’s desire to make it possible for his readers to report these things to others. Rev., to call these things to remem- brance.
16. We have not followed (od é€axonovInoartes). A strong compound, used only here and ch. il. 2, 15. The é& gives the force of following out; in pursuance of ; closely.
Cunningly devised (cecogucpévois). Only here and 2 eliima: iii. 15, in which latter passage it has a good sense, to make thee wise. Here, in a bad sense, artfully framed by human clever- ness (copia). Compare feigned words, ch. ii. 3.
Fables (uvJos). This word, which occurs only here and in the Pastoral Epistles, is transcribed in the word myth. ‘The reference here may be to the Jewish myths, rabbinical embel- lishments of Old-Testament history; or to the heathen myths about the descent of the gods to earth, which might be sug- gested by his remembrance of the transfiguration; or to the Gnostic speculations about aeons or emanations, which rose from the eternal abyss, the source of all spiritual existence, and were named Mind, Wisdom, Power, Truth, ete.
Coming (rapovalav). Or presence. Compare ch. iii. 4. Another word, dmoxddv is, revelation, is used in 1 otein b 13; iv. 13, to describe the appearing of Christ.
Eye-witnesses (érérrav). See on behold, 1 Pet, 1512. Only, here in New Testament. Compare the different word in Luke i. 2, abromras, eye-witnesses.