before altogether shut up. Prophecy is not at first of man, nor does it ever so far depart from itself as to begin to be the word of private , that is, of human interpretation (smXUeug), but it is alto- gether of Divine unfolding or revelation, and is known to be so in its results and issue ; and it even becomes more firm. So /or, ver. 21, agrees with this. — oh yiverai , does not become) That which has once been truly spoken by the prophets, remains truth even to the present day. A lamp is not the day ; but still it prevails over the darkness.
21. 0fcX^ar/, by the will) the desire: Jer. xxiii. 26, Septuagint. Man often feigns by fables, or conceals by error, that which he wishes. Comp, willingly, ch. iii. 5. — uvdpuinov) of man, alone. There is an antithesis between this and holy men of God , the definition of the prophets. — was borne) Thus ver. 17 and 18. Heb.
from KKO, to bear. — n ore) ever , at a remote or nearer time : hence prophecy , without the article, is used indefinitely. — i-ro, but by) Comp. John xi. 51. — cpspofisvot , carried) This has reference to w'exQ?), was borne. A most beautiful antithesis : they did not bear, but were borne : they were passive, not active instruments. That which is borne, is borne by no force of its own ; it does not move and advance anything forward by its own labour. Comp, respecting the prophets, Ps. xlv. 2 ; Jer. xxxvi. 18. Shortly after- wards, the word spake denotes also the readiness with which they uttered prophecies. — eXoLAqouv, spake) This has also reference to the pen of the written word. They spake : the past tense shows that Peter is speaking particularly of the prophets of the Old Testament. Comp. ch. ii. 1, note, and ch. iii. 2. — ayioi, holy) Because they had the Holy Spirit.