The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Peter — Section 46

our ambition. Let us not be content with 11. bare entrance; let us, by increased diligence, enrich the entrance that we are to have.-R. F. Vera. 12-21.-Putting in mind. I. TrrE TIME OF PUTTING IN MIND, 1. Putting in mind as long as he was in this tabernacle. "Wherefore I shall be ready always to put you in remeru bra.nee of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth which is with you. And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signified unto me." Because of the importance of the things dealt with in the previous verses, Peter <leclares that be would be ready always, i.e. would take every opportunity, to put them in mind of them. "In matters of such importance reminders can never be superfluous; where- fore they should never be troublesome" (Calvin). In one way there was not need for putting them in mind ; for he bears testimony courteously to their knowing these things, and being established, i.e. having a firm standing, in the truth that was with them (not the present-day truth, as is suggested by the old translation). Feeling their importance himself, he thought it right to tell them the same things again and again, thereby to stir them up, i.e., to a due sense of their meaning. It is important to enlarge the circle of human knowledge-to get new thoughts, new facts, new combina- tions of facts; but it is a thousand times more important to have the complete realiza- tion of one or two things that we know. Even with those who knew and were established Peter laboured, by reiteration, to stir them up-to give them a deeper impression of a few simple gospel truths. He was resolved to stir them up by putting them in mind, as long as he was in this tabernacle. This is a familiar designa- tion of the body in relaLion to the soul (in 2 Cor. v. 1 it is "tabernacle-house"). 'fbe body is a covering to the soul; it keeps it from being exposed to the glare of the world. "Tabernacle" also suggests that which can be quickly taken down (in Isa. xx.xviii. 12 there is the association of death with the removal of a shepherd's tent); the connection of the body with the soul is not so close but that it can be quickly removed as a shepherd's tent. Peter was incited to action by the knowledge of what our Lord Jesus Christ had signi5.ed unto him. There is unmistakable reference to John xxi. 18, 19. Our Lord, according to what is recorded there, signified to Peter tbat he was to die a martyr's death. Let Peter's la!iguage here be observed. There was to be not the striking of his tent, but still, not out of keeping with the idea. of a tent as a temporary soul-covering, the putting of it off. And swift or sudden was the manner in which it was to be put off. We are not to think of the swiftness of death's approach (unless in tbe use of the present tense), but of death's swift work when it did come. He was to end his life by a violent death. Our Lord had signified to him that he was not to die soon ; it was only when he became old that he was to stretch forth his hands, and another was to gird him, and carry him whither he would not. He was now old, without the assurance he had once had of li,ing long; and as our Lord had signified to him that not much time was to be occupied in the putting off of his tabernacle, so long as he was in it he would let slip no opportunity of putting them in mind. "Teachers who are long sick can still feed others. The cross was not to permit that to Peter. So he sees to doing before- hand what required to be done" (Bengel). 2. Putting in mind as affected by his decease. "Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my dtcease to call these things to remembrance." "Decease" is literally "departure," which, from the context, we may take to be departure out of the tabornacle of the body. In view of what follows, it is to be remarked that both" tabernacle" and "decease" are words associated with the Transfiguration-scene. How were they to be provided _for after his decease? He was to use diligence, that they would then be able, as occas10n arose, to call these things to mind. We can think of Peter here reflecting the Divine thoughtfulness. The apostles were not to live al way; so God saw to the important things being put down in a permanent form in the New Testament. Peter, now an old man, was to die swiftly; so, as the servant of God, he was to see to the important things heiug put down in writing, that, as occasion arose, they might be able to call 1.hem clearly to mind. II. PUTTING IN MIND WITH REFERENCE TO THE SUDJECT OF THE SECOND COMING, l. The certainty of the coming. "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when err. r, 1-~1.] THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. 41