The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Peter — Section 13

used here ( 6'rd.pxov-ra) implies a.ctun.l pos- cannot reach nnto the knowledge of our session ; these graces must be made our Lord Jesus Christ (comp. I Cor. vi. 11; own; they must be wrought into our Eph. v. 26; 1 Pet. iii. 21). characters ; then they will increase and Ver. 10,-Wherefore the rather, brethren, multiply, for tbe graco of God cannot lie give diligence. The two fir~t words 8,1, still, it must ever be advancing from glory µa.hl\ov, " wherefore the rather," ar; by to glory. They make you that ye shall some understood_ as ret'erring only to tho neither be barren nor unfruitful in the last clause; as 1f St. Peter were saying, knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; "Rather than follow those who lack the literally, they make you; not idle nor yet graces enumerated nbove, ancl forget that 11,11/ru.itful towards the full k11owledge. The they were cleansed from their former sins Greek word for "knowledge" is brl"f""'"" give diligence." Muhl\ov is not unfrequently (on which see ver. 2, and note there). Hera used in this antithetical sense, as in 1 Cor. we know only in part, we see through e. v. 2; Heb. xi. 25. But it seems better to glass darkly; bnt that imperfect knowledge refer 8,6 to the whole passage (vers. 3-9), should be ever growing, increasing in and to understand µ.a/\hov in its more usual fulness and distinctness (see eh. iiL 18). intensive sense, "all the more," as in 1 Thess. The various graces of the Christian charac- iv. 10, eto. BP-cause God has bestoweu ter, realized in the heart, will lead us on snch gifts on men, because the use of those towards that fuller knowledge of Christ; gifts leads on to the full knowledge of if they are really ours, they will not allow Christ, therefore all the more give diligence. us to he idle, they must bring forth the fruit The word 111rou811rra..-., "give diligence," of good works; e.nd the life of righteowness recalls the 111rou811v 1ra11a.v, "all diligence," by faith draws the Christian onwards in the of ver. 5. The aorist seems, as it were, to knowledge of Christ: we learn to know him sum up the continued diligence of daily life by following him (comp. Phil. ill. 9, 10; into one vivid description. This is the only Col. i. 10). place in which St. Peter uses the vocative Ver. 9.-But he that lacketh these things "brethren; '' he baa "beloved" in the First ls blind, e.nd cannot see afar off'; literally, Epistle (ii. 11) e.nd in eh. iii. 1, 8. Both /or he to whom these things are not present words imply affectionate exhortation. Two is blind, short-sighted, We cannot attain ancient manuscripts, the Alexan<lrine and to the knowledge of Christ without these the Sina.itic, insert here, " Through your graces; for ho who hn.s them not is blind, good works (8,a. -rwv 1<a.>..wv lp-ywv, or -rwv or, e.t the best, short-sighted, like one who 1<a.l\wv ut,,iiiv lp-ywv)." To make your blinks with his eyes when he tries to see oalling and electjon sure. Alford calls distant objects, e.nd cannot bear the full attention to the middle voice of the verb, light of day. Such a man can only see the "Not ,roie,v, which lo.y beyond their power, things which lie close around him-earth but 1roie,rr8a.,, on their side, for their part. n.nd earthly things; he cannot lift up his But the verb must not be explained a.way eyes by faith and behold "the fond that is into a. pure subjectivity, 'to make sure to very far off;" he cannot '' ace tho King in yourselves;' it cnrries the reB.exi ve force, his beauty" (Isa. xxxiii. 17). The word but only in so far as the act is and must be for" short-sighted" (µ.uw1rd.(wv) occurs only done for a.nil quoad o. man's own self, the here iu the New Testament. And hath for- a.bsolute and fiual determioo.tion resting gotten that he was purged from hie old with Another." The calling nnd clectiou sins ; Ii tere.lly, having incurred /orgetfu;lness are the act of God (comp. 1 Pet. i. 2; ii. 21). of the cleansing from his old sins. St. Peter All the baptized, o.11 who bear the nnmo of is apparently thinking of tho one baptism Christ, aro called into tbe Church, but few for the remission of sin. Ananias had comparo.tively a.re chosen, elect ( o,\!i'o, lie said to Sn.ul, "Arise, and be baptized, and /1<1\<K-ro!, l\fott. xx. 16). We look, us it were, wash away thy sins" (Acts xxii. Hl); St. from fe.r below up to tho mysteries of Go,l's Pater hirnsolf he.d eaiJ, in his first greiit sovereign goverument; we caunot re,1d tho sermon, "Repent, ancl be baptized every list of blessed Mmos written in the Lamb's one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for book of life; we cannot lift ourselves to the remission of sins." Those who clo not a. point high enough to comprehend tho rce.lizo in the religious lifo that death unto secrets of God's dealing with mankind, and sin of which holy baptism is the sign and to reconcile the Divine foreknowledge and the beginning, incur forgetfulness of the omnipotence with the free agency of man. clen.nsing from sin which they then received; But we feel the energy of that free agency they do not uso the grace once given for the within us; w~ know that Holy Scripture nttainment of those higher gro.cos of which bide us to work out our sal\'ution, and tells St. Peter has bean speaking. The one talent us of some who receive the gmce of God iQ onoe entrusted to them must be taken from vain (2 Cor. vi. 1), or frustrate the grace of them; they are idle 11nd unfruitful, and God (Gal. ii. 21); and we feel that wht'11  TIIB S[CO:Nb EPISTLE GENETIAL OF PETER. [err. I. 1-lH.