The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Peter — Section 51

Ver. 6.-And turning the cities of Sodom to be punished. We have here the apodosis and Gomorrah into aehee condemned them correspondini with the conditional sontenco with an overthrow. The striking word beginning at ver. 4. 'l'he three examples ,,.,rppC:,cra.s, turning into ashes, occurs no- cited by St. Peter show that tbe Lord where else in the New Testament; and the knows (and with the Lord knowledge in- word for "overthrow" (1<a.Ta.cr-rpo,P~) only in volves power) how to deliver the righteous 2 Tim. ii. 14. It iB need in the Septuagint ond to punish the wicked. The Greek Version of Gen. xix. 29 of this same judg- words for "godly" and " unjust" a:re both ment. Perhaps "to an overthrow" is a without the article. The word rendered better translation (comp. Luke xvii. 26-29; "to be punished" (Ko'A.a(oµ.evovs) is a present Jude 7). Making them an enaample unto participle, not future, and is better ren- those that after should live ungodly j rather, dered, as in the Revised Veraion, "under having made. The example is to be a punishment." The wicked are already lasting warning; literally, an ezample of under punishment while awaiting the juclg- those that should live ungodly; i.e. an ex- ment; the Lord had taught this in tlie ample of their punishment, their end. In parable of Dives and Lazarus (comp. also this verse the Vatican Manuscript omits Jude 6, 7, and ver. 4 of this chapter). "with an overthrow," and reads "an ex- Aristotle makes a distinction between 1<6- ample of things to come unto the ungodly." 'A.a.<115 and ,,.,µ.wpfa., the first being "chas- Ver. 7.-And delivered jUBt Lot, vexed tisement inflicted for the good of those with the :filthy converution of the wicked; chastised; " the second, " punishment in- lite1·ally, and delivered righteous Lot, who flicted on the incorrigible for the satisfaction was being worn out (ua.ra.1rovovµ.evov; comp. of justice" (see 'Rhet.,' i. 10); but it is Acts vii. 24, the only other place of the doubtful whether this distinction e:xists in New Testament where the word occnrd) the New Testament (comp. Matt. x:xv. 46). with the bdiaviour of the lawless in licen- Therefore it seems dangerous to lay much tiousness. The word translated "lawless" stress on the use of the word 1Coil.a{oµ.,vovs (d9ecrµ.wv) is found only in one other place here (comp. Clement, I. xi.). of the New Testament ( eh. iii.17); but it is Ver. 10.-Jlut chiefly them that walk near akin to the a.9•µ.fro,s (" abominable '') of after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness; 1 Pet. iv. 3. literally, in the lust of pollution. 'fhe word Ver. 8.-For that righteous ma.n dwelling occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, among them; literolly, for the righteous but the corresponding verb is found in man. It was through hie own choice that several places (Titus i. 15; Heb. xii. 15; he dwelt among the people of Sodom. The Jude 8). We observe thnt in this verse St. recollection of this grave mistake must have Peter passes from the future tense to the added bitterness to the daily distress caused present. And despise government ; rather, by the sine of his neighbours (Gen. xiii. 11). lordship ( ,cvp10-r71Tos). St. Jude has the In seeing and hearing, vexed hie righteous same word in ver. 8. In Eph. i. 21 and soul from day to day with their unlawful Col. i. 16 it is used of angelio dignities. deeds. The words," in seeing and hearing," Here it seems to staud for all forms of are best connected with the verb that authority. Presumptuous are they, self- follows, not with "righteous" according willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of to the Vulgate (thougl, this would be the dignities; literally, daring, self-willed, they natural connection, if with the Vatican tremble not when speaking evil of glories; or, Manuscript we omit the article), nor with they fear not glories, blasphemilig. The word "dwelling among them." The literal trans- rendered "during" (-ro'A.µ.71-ra() occurs no- lation is, "was to1·menting hie righteous where else in tl1.0 New Testament. ThestJ soul." The sight of Iuwless deeds and the de.ring, self-willed men despise oll lordsh.ip, sound of wicked words were a daily grief all glories, whether the glory of Christ(" the to Lot. He distressed himself; he felt the excellent glo1·y,'' eh. i. 17), or the glory of guilt and danger of his neighbours, the the angels, or the glory of holiness, or the dishonour dune to God, and his own glory of earthly sovereignty. The next unhappy choice. St. Peter cannot mean verse, however, makes it probable that the (as CEcumenius and Theophylact suppose) glory of the angels was the thought present that Lot's affliction was caused by the sus- to St. Peter's mind. It way be that, us tained effort to resist the temptE,tion of some folse teachers ha,l inculcated the faUing iuto the like vices himself. The worship of angols (Col. ii. 18), others had Greek words for "seein"" 0 nnd "dwellin 00 gone to the opposite extreme (comp.Jude S). among" occur only here in the New Testa':. 'l'he Vulgate straugely trnnsbtcs a&~as by ment. sectas. Ver. 9.-The Lord knoweth how to de- Ver. 11.-Whereas angels, which are liver the godly out of temptations, and to greater in power and might, bring not reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment railing aoous&ti.on against them before the  46 THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. [cu. II, 1-22,