The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Peter — Section 15

Alford quotes Josephus, • Ant.,' iv. 8. 2, things;" but the usual rendering seems where Moses says, " Since I must depart more suitable here. St. Peter was anxinus from life, I have thought it right not even rather that his renders should have the now to le.y aside my zee.l for your lrn.ppi- truths of the gospel living in their me- ness." The word used here for "putting mories, than that they should talk about off" (&,,.&D<<Tu) is one of the links between them; that would follow as u matter of 1he two Epistles; it occurs also in 1 Pet. course: "Out of the o.bun<lance of the heart iii. 2 l. Even as our Lord J eeus Christ hath the mouth speaketh." Some Roman Ca- showed me ; better, as in the Revised tholic commentators think that this passao-e Version, signified -unto me. ·, The aorist contains a promise that the apostle would points to a definite time. St. Peter is still, after his death, continue to remember thinking of our; Lord's prophecy, which the needs of the Church on earth, e.nd to St. John afterwards recorded (John xxi. help them by his intercessions; but this 18); he could never forget the.t touching interpretation involves a. complete disloca- interview ; he had already referred to it tion of clauses, and cannot possibly be the once in 1 Pet. v. 2. true meaning of the words. Ver. 15.-Moreover I will endeavour that Ver. 16.-For we have not followed ye may be able after my decease to have cunningly devised fables; rather, did not these things always in remembrance; rather, follow. The participle U~ar<oll.ouefio-a,,.,.es) is but I will also give diligence that ye may aorist. This compound verb is used only be able at every time after my decease to call by St. Peter in the New Testament; wo these things to remembrance. Of the two find it again in eh. ii. 2 e.nd 15. Bengel particles used here the lie connects this and others have thought the.t the preposi- verse with ver. 13; the 1<al implies a flll'ther tion l!, from or out of, implies wandering resolve. St. Peter will not only stir up the from the truth after false guides; but pro- minds of his readers during his life, but he bably the word merely means "to follow will give diligence to enable them to call closely," though in this case the guides to remembrance, after his death, the truths were going astray. Perhaps the use of the which he had preached. These words me.y plural number is accounted for by the ract refer simply to the present Epistle; but it that St. Peter was not the only witness o[ seems more natural to understand them of the glory of the Transfiglll'ation; he asso- an intention to commit to writing the facts ciates in thought his two brother-apostles of the gospel history ; if this be so, we with himself. The word µiiBo,, fables, with have here a confirmation of the ancient this exception, occurs in the New Testa- tradition that the Second Gospel was ment only in St. Paul's p'.lstoral Epistles. written by St. Murk at the dictation of There is e. remarkable parallel in the pro- St. Peter. The ve1·b o-,rou5&o-., is that used cemium of the •Antiquities' of J osepbns, in ver. 10, and should be transfoted in the sect. 4, 01 µ<v l!/\./1.01 voµoDfra, .,-o,s 11u8ois se.me we.y; they must give diligence to l(a,co/\.ou8171TavTes. St. Peter may be re- make their calling and election sure. St. ferring to the "Jewish fables" mentioned Peter, for his part, will give diligence to by St. Puul (Titus i. 14), or to the stories furnish them with a lasting record of the about the beatllen gods such os those in truths of Christianity. The adverb 11«!- Hesiod and Ovid, or possibly to some eorly u.,-0.,-,, at every time, whenever there mny inventions, such e.s those oscribcd to Simon be need, occurs only here in the New the Sorcerer, which were ofterwards to be Testament. (For lxEtv in the sense of "to developed into tho strange fiction~ of Gnos- be able," compare the Greek of Murk xiv. 8.) ticism (comp. 1 Tim. i. 4: iv. 7; 2 'rim. i,. It is remarkable the.t we have here, in two 4). The word rendered "cunningly de- consecutive verses, two words which remind vised" occurs elsewhere in tl.10 New 'Testa- us of the history of the Transfiguration, ment only in 2 Tim. iii. 15; but there o. "tabernacle," and "deceo.se" ((!oBos; see different part of tho verb is used, and in Luke ix. 31). Then Peter proposed to mo.ke e. different sense. When we me.de known three tabernacles; then he heard Moses and unto you the power e.nd coming of our Lord Elijah speaking of the Lord's decease Jesus Christ. St. Peter can scarcely bo which he should accomplish ut J erusnlem. refe1Ting to St. Paul or other missionaries, The simple unconscious occurrence of these as the following words identify the preachers coincidences is a strong proof of the genuine- with the witnesses of the Trnnsfigurntion; ness of our Epistle; it is inconceivablo that he must be alluding either to his First nn imitator of the second century should Epistle (comp. I Pet. i. 7, 13; iv. 13), or huve shown this delicate skill in adapting to pcrsonol teaching of his which hlls not liis production to the cii'cumstances of the been recorded, or, just possibly, to the supposed writor. The last words of the Gospel of St. Mark. St. Peter had seen verse may mean (and in olnssioal Greek the power of the Lord Jesus manifested in would metin) "to me.ke mention of these his mirncles; he had heanl the o.unounce-  8 'l'llE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. [en. I. 1-21,