P. bids his readers make a practical use of the knowledge that the Lord is about to come unexpectedly. ‘Do not be blind to the symptoms of the breaking up of the frame of nature (perhaps a re- ference to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes). Make ready for the coming of the day of God by the practice of holiness and piety. Look forward to the fulfilment of the promise of the reign of righteousness in a new earth and heaven.”
At this point J. and P. again come together in J. νετ. 20 and P.. iti. 14, both commencing a new section with ἀγαπητοί. J.’s exhortation to his readers ‘to build themselves up on their most holy faith and keep themselves in love’”’ has been already used by P., as we have seen, ini. 5-7. His reference to the Spirit’s help in prayer may be compared with P. i. 20 on the inspiration of the prophets. His phrase in ver. 21, προσδεχόµενοι τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον is taken up in the προσδοκῶντας of P. ΠΠ. 12 and προσ- δοκῶμεν Of iii, 13, and again initi. 14, while the goal eis ζωὴν αἰώνιον may be compared with εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον βασιλείαν in P. i. 11. P. inserts ἄσπιλοι καὶ ἀμώμητοι (cf 1 P.1. 19) from J.’s ἀμώμους in ver. 24, and in contrast to his own σπίλοι καὶ μῶμοι in ii, 13, and to J.’s ἐσπιλω- peévov in νετ. 23. ἐν εἰρήνη looks back to J. ver. 2and P. i. 2. While in vv. 22, 23 we have J.’s stern rule for the treatment of backsliders, Ρ. gives utterance again (iii. 15) to the more hopeful view of iii. 9, and claims for it the inspired support of Paul. ‘‘ Yet Paul’s letters, wise and good as they are, offer some difficulties, which have been misunderstood and perverted, like the rest of the Bible,! by the un- learned and unstable to their own destruction.” The word σωτηρία jn iil. 15 reminds us that J. had originally intended to write περὶ τῆς κοινῆς σωτηρίας (ver. 3) and that his purpose is apparently carried out to a certain extent in these last verses from 20 onwards. In ver. 24 J. begins an Ascription partly borrowed from St. Paul, ad- dressed ‘“‘to Him who {5 able to keep His people free from stumbling (cf. P. i. 10) and present them before His glory in exceeding joy” (cf. P. 1. 11). P. bids his readers, “knowing these things before- hand (see above i. 12, iti. 2) to be on their guard, that they may not be led away by the error (J. ver. 11, P. ii. 18) of the wicked (P. ii. 7, cf. J. ver. 23, ἐλεᾶτε ἐν φόβῳ), and so fall from their own steadfast- mess” (cf. P. i. 12, ti. 14, ili. 16). ὅ.5 ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει soars higher than the lesson which P. here inculcates: it may be compared, as we have seen, with the πλουσίως ἐπιχορηγηθήσεται Of i. 11. P. con- tinues his exhortation in iii. 18, αὐξάνετε ἐν χάριτι καὶ γνώσει, for which
1 For the justification of this rendering see explanatory notes in my edition of 2Ε,