Ver. 9g. µυωπάζων : ‘“short-sighted”’. Only once elsewhere in Greek literature in Ps. Dionys. Eccl. Hier. ii. 3. This is one of the words to which exception has been taken in 2 Peter. It is both rare, and it seems to contradict τυφλός. Spitta and Von S. translate ‘“ wilfully blind”. Mayor (p. Ixi.) (fo lowing Beza
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125
e Heb. i. 3.
τοῦ καθαρισμοῦ τῶν πάλαι αὐτοῦ " ἁμαρτιῶν.
1Ο. διὸ μᾶλλον,
ἀδελφοί, σπουδάσατε βεβαίαν ὑμῶν τὴν κλῆσιν καὶ ἐκλογὴν
f Moulton, Proleg. pp. 188 ff.
g Matt. Xxiv. 6 only.
1 weAAnow ΝΑΒΟΡ, ve., Ti., Treg., WH; ουκ apeAnow KL, syrr.
ποιεῖσθαι ' ταῦτα γὰρ ποιοῦντες οὐ μὴ πταίσητέ ποτε" II. οὕτως γὰρ πλουσίως ἐπιχορηγηθήσεται ὑμῖν ἡ εἴσοδος εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον βασιλείαν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ.
12. Διὸ ΕΣ µελλήσω] det ὑμᾶς ὑπομιμνήσκειν περὶ τούτων,
The analogy
ο{[σπουδασω in ver. 15 favours reading adopted. Yet, in MSS., there is frequent con- fusion between µελλω and pedo, ¢.g., John xii. 6, 1 Peter v. 7, Matt. xxii. 16, where
µελλω is incorrect.
Field (Notes on Trans. of N.T. p. 240) suggests that true
reading here is peAnow (cf. on σπουδαζω νετ. 15).
Grotius, Huther, etc.) interprets the word as limiting τυφλός. ‘ He who is with- out the virtues mentioned in i. 5-7 is blind, or to put it more exactly is short- sighted ; he cannot see the things of heaven, though he may be quick enough in regard to worldly matters.” λήθην λαβὼν. A periphrastic form. Cf. Jos. Ant. ii. 6,9; also2 Tim. 1.5, Heb. xi. 29. τοῦ καθαρισμοῦ τῶν πάλαι αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτιῶν. Is the reference to baptism? This view is rendered very probable by the use of πάλαι. For the idea of cleansing from pre-baptismal sin, cf. Barnabas, xi. 11, Hermas, Mand. iv, 3. Vis. ii. 1. Spitta adheres to the general interpretation of καθ. as the work of Christ on the moral life. Cf. ii. 20-22, 1 Jn. ΠΠ. 3. While καθαρισμός is used of the ceremonial washings of the Jews, John iii. 25, it is also used of the work of Christ in Heb. i. 3 (cf. Zahn. Introd. ii. 232).
Ver.10. σπουδάσατε. An Imperative. ‘A sharp and urgent form” (Moulton, Proleg. i. 173). βεβαίαν. Cf. Deiss- mann, B. S. pp. τος ff. The word has a legal sense. βεβαίωσις is the legal guar- antee, obtained by a buyer from a seller, to be gone back upon should any third party claim the thing. Here the readers are exhorted to produce a guarantee of their calling and election. This may be done by the cultivation of the Christian graces, Cf. Eph. iv. 1. ‘‘ To walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye are called.”’ κλῆσιν καὶ ἐκλογὴν. What is the differ- ence between these two?
in Gospels = “' bid toa feast”. κλητοί
would, therefore, imply those bidden; ,
ἐκλεκτοί = those who have become true partakers of God’s salvation. Cf. Matt. xxii. 14. Not all who hear the Divine Voice (κλῆσιν) progress in Christian con- duct, which is the token of ἐκλογήν. ov py πταίσητε, as a blind or short- sighted person might do.
Ver. 11. Note the accumulation in this verse of words suggesting splendour
καλέω used |
and fulness. ἐπιχορηγηθήσεται. Cf. note on v. 5. Mayor says that here the word ‘‘ suggests the ordering of a trium- phal procession,’ and compares Plut. Vit. 994, 6 δῆμος ἐθεᾶτο τὰς θέας ἀφειδῶς πάνυ χορηγουµένας. εἴσοδος. Cf. Heb. x. Ig. Ina theatre, εἰσ. is the place of entrance for the chorus (Ar. Nub. 326: Av. 296), and in Ῥ. Par. ii. 41, we find εἴσοδος κοινήΞ-οξ the door of a house. The great description of the entrance of the pilgrims into the celestial city in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, Pt. i., may be quoted in illustration. αἰώνιον βασιλ- είαν. does not occur elsewhere in N.T. or Apostolic Fathers (cf. Aristotle’s Afol. xvi., and Clem. Hom. x. 25), but αἰωγίου ἀρχῆς Occurs in the Stratonicean inscrip- tions already quoted (Deissmann, of. cit. Ρ. 361).