89
towards relatives, parents, brothers, etc. ; but it is a sanctified af- fection. Comp. 1 Tim. v. 4.
7. <&i\ade\<piav, brotherly affection ) towards the saints who are united with you in God. — ryv dydcnjv, love ) From brotherly affection is deduced love : 1 Pet. i. 22.
8. TuZru, these things) Virtue , moderation , etc. A condition is involved : If you have these things, then indeed you have true knowledge. Comp. ver. 9, for. — v/nTv v-rdp^ovra, if they are in you ) in truth. The same phrase occurs, Acts iii. 6. The expression, not barren , refers to this. — xa) nKeovd^ovru, and abound ) copiously. Abundance quickly follows truth. The expression, nor unfruitful , refers to this : that is, you shall have the fruit, which the knowledge of Jesus Christ produces, in excellence and abundance : ch. i. 3. — xudiarriffiv, they render or establish ) at present. — sJg, in) Comp, sis, in , in respect to , Rom. iv. 20. — icr/y vuav, the acknowledging) the recognition , united with the cleansing from sins.
9. Tap , for) in its proper sense. — rvpXog i<sn, x.r.'X ., he is blind , etc.) The steps of his relapses are depicted by a choice retrogression or inversion of style. Such a man, 1) forgets that he was cleansed from his sins, which are past ; 2) he is dim-sighted as to present privileges, ver. 12 ; 3) he is altogether blind as to those that are future , ver. 11. The inversion of the style consists in this, that the reference to past time in the text is put in the last place, whereas according to the nature of the subject it should be said, past, present , future. — /uvoond^uv, dim-sighted) Hesychius, ^uw-rd^w;, 6<pduXfj.iuv, affected with ophthalmia. — XyOriv Xa(3dv) having obtained forgetfulness. A most appropriate phrase, the participle having obtained expressing that which the man willingly undergoes ; comp, note on Rom. v. 19. He who reflects how many are the old sins from which he has been cleansed, the more easily abstains.
10. MdXXoy, the more) They who have diligence ought to have more. — ddsXpoi, brethren) Peter never employs this address in the former Epistle, he uses it once only in the latter : from which the weightiness of this passage is plainly seen. — / 3s(3aiav , firm) This confirmation takes place by means of virtue , moderation , abstinence , etc. ; and therefore there follows immediately, for if ye do these things. Comp. Heb. vi. 10. — / 3s(3a/av \jfiuv rriv x\r\<uv uai sxXoyi jv, your calling and election firm) that is, yourselves firm in your call- ing and election. For the confirmation belongs to those to whom the falling would otherwise belong. The calling is put before the election , as far as relates to us.