The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Peter — Section 35

Vers. 12-15.-The·saint's earnest endeavour to enforce spiritual truth. At the close of Peter's life the corrupt heresies of the second and third centuries were threatened, and against these be would fortify the Church by making them "mindful" of the Word of God. 'l'he Church would be strong-strong to resist the encroachments of heresy, if established in the knowledge of God through Scripture. 'fhe apostle's work was nearly done, the end of his pilgrimage was in sight, but he could not rest 'till he had again urged the old theme; and he writes this second letter, which they might keep and read, and thus remember what he had said when he bad passed away, 'l'he touching earnestness in these words is not so much that of Christ's servant (speaking by the Holy Ghost) as of his Lord, and the lessons it involves come to us with the authority of the throne. L THE SUPREME IMPORTANCE OF BF.ING ESTABLISHED IN DrvrnE TRUTH. '!'here are certain fundamental facts which are essential t,o salvation, and essential to the under- standing of the rest; certain great doors, so to speak, without passing through whic~ it is not possible to thread the winding corridors within, and gaze upon the glory of the inner shrine. I understand it to be these whose constant remembrance is here enforced. Earnest re.~earch after truth is part of the honour due to the God of truth. It were an error to confine ourselves to one set of truths, and still more to any one aspect of them; yet there are some which are the key-note to the others,_ and ~be main channels through which life flows to the believer, and we must be established m them, and we must endeavour to "have these things always in remembrance." "These things are written that we may know; " and not to know them intelligently were fatal, if not to salvation, at least to spiritual peace and strength and hope. JL THE SAINT'S RESPONSIBILITY FOB THIS WITH REGARD TO THOSE BE LOVES, 1. Tiu, apostle reco_qnizes that human teaching is a Divine agency. God can dispense with human teaching. His Spirit accompanies bis Word; though there may be no instru- mentality, that Word may be "the power of God unto salvation." But none the less has he made it incumbent on those who know the truth to teach it. Think of this in connection with parental teaching. On parents the primary obligation of teaching their children rests; let them do it day by day, patiently, systematically, prayerfully instructing them in those things which it most concerns them to know. 2; The apostle recognizes that this must be continued so long as opportunity lasts. "Ye kn~w these things, and are established in the truth," he says, and yet he will not be negligent to put them always in remembrance; he knows that it is not so much tho knowledge as the recollection of truth that is operative. We think that because we know the truth we can dispense with the study of it; That is a great error, and full of evil. It is not tLe truths that are stored away in the memory which serve us in the battle of life, but thoGe which can be grasped in a moment; they are they which operate on our spirituality and become ceaseless means of grace. That is why we nrnd to study Scripture day by day, if not that we may know it, at least that we may remember it. And if this be true of us, bow much more is it true of those we teach-the children I We must sow the same iround again and again if we wo11ld reap a harvest, 3. '171e apoBtle re,;ovni?.es tl,at tlio on. 1. 1-21.] 'fHE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. 29