and those which follow, we have that which man himself ought to add [lit. to pour upon it], the presence of Divine grace being presupposed. — r%$ 0e/ag Suvu/isMg auroD, the Divine power of Him) of Him , that is, God : for this is to be repeated from the word divine. From the power of God proceeds all power to life and godliness. — rot, rrphg ^mtjv %ui eixtefisiav) those things which pertain unto life from God, and earnestness towards God. Observe, it is plainly not by godliness that we obtain life. The Divine glory imparts life (comp. Pom. vi. 4, note) ; His power , godliness. To the one corruption is opposed, to the other lust ; ver. 4. — 8s8Mpr\fjjivrig, has given) Thus dibwpqrai, He hath given : used twice in an active sense. Thus Gen. xxx. 20, Septuagint, dsduprjra/ 6 &sog /iot dupov xaXov, God hath given me a goodly gift. — rou xaXetfavrog, of Him that called us) To this refer the calling in ver. 10. The calling and knowledge are correlative terms. It is the knowledge of God which is meant ; and to this God calls us. — Wop 86^y xa /' apery, by His own glory and virtue J) This is an explanation of what His Divine power is : so that the natural attributes of God have reference to His glory ; those attributes which are called moral, have reference to His virtue. The two are closely united.
4. 81 m, by which) that is, by His glory and virtue. His glory causes, that the promises are very great ; His virtue, that they are precious. — ijfiTv — yzvwfc, to us — ye might become) He now gradually approaches to the exhortation. And the expression, equally precious , in ver. 1, supports the change from the first person to the second. — i<iruyyi\iLuru bsbMpqrai, has given us promises) The promise itself is a gift ; then also that which follows it, the thing promised. Peter, both when speaking in the Acts, and when writing in his Epistles, with great? solemnity, se^vcog, is accustomed to put sub- stantives in the plural number. — ha 8ia tovtmv, that by these) that is, by the glory and virtue of Him. Communion itself with God was promised : wherefore Peter might have said because ; but he says that, with greater force. For the promise is given, that being allured by it, we may obtain the thing promised, which is great and precious. — foiag xoivMvot <pvasMg, partakers of the Divine nature) The Divine nature is God Himself. Thus we have Divine power, ver. 3 ; excellent glory, ver. 17 ; the holiness of God, Heb. xii. 10, for God Himself. See Macarius, Homil. 39. In like manner, the nature of man, etc., is used, James iii. 7. As escaping is op-
1 Connected with bstiapyipievYic, not with x«Xg< txvto;. — E.