The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Peter — Section 71

EXPOSITIO:--. 10). Compare also" the angels of the seven CHAPTER III. Churches" in the Hevelation. St. Peter Ver. 1.-This Second Epistle, beloved, I shows an intimate knowledge of s<;veml of now write unto you; literally, this Epistle St. Panl's Epistles, and of that of St.Ja.mes ; alroady a second one I 'lll1-ite unto you. 'l'he he is writing to the Churche3 addressed in -if611 ("already") implies that the interval his First Epistle, most of which were fonniled between the two Epistles was not long. The by St. Paul or his companions. We must expression " beloved," four times repeated therefore understand this passage, as well as in this chapter, shows the apostle's affec- ver. 15 of this chapter, as a distinct recog- tionate interest in his readers; and the word nition of the apostleship of St. Paul. The " second " forces us to make our choice be- translation of the Authorized Version, "the tween the Petiine authorship of the Epistle apostles of the Lord and Saviour," involves or the hypothesis of a direct forgery. In a violent disturbance of the order; it seems both whioh I stir up your pure minds by best to make both genitives depend on '' com- way ofremembranoe; literally, in which, i.e. mandment: " "your apostles' command- " Epistles; " the word "second" implied an ment of the Lord;" the first genitive being allusion to a First Epistle. St. Peter repeats that of announcement, the second of origin. the words which he bad used in eh. i. 13, The commandment was announced by the "I think it meet . . . to stir you up by put- apostles, but it was the Lord's command- ting you in remembrance." Mind (6,cfvo,a) ment. (For the double genitive, comp. Jas. is the reflective faculty (see 1 Pet. i. 13); ii. 1 and Acts v. 32. For the whole verse, that faculty should be exercised in holy see the pare.lie! passage in Jude 17.) things. The thoughts that pass through the Ver. 3.-Xnowing this first, the.t there Christian's mind should be holy thoughts; shall come in the le.st days scoffers. (For the his mind should be pure. 'flie word ren- irregular construction of ")'iv~u1eovTEr, see dered "pure" (elll.ucpn/4s) occurs in Phil. i. Winer, iii. 63. 2, a.) St. Peter has the words, 10 (where see note); the corresponding sub- "knowing this first," in eh. i. 20, where he stantive is found in 1 Cor. v. 8 ; 2 Cor. i. 12; ie speaking of the interpretation ofpropbecy: ii. 17. It is said of things which can bear to he repeats them now when referring to the be judged in the sunlight, and so means scoffers who mocked at the long delay of the "pure, clear," or (according to another Lord's coming foretold by the prophets. possible etymology) "unmixed," and so (For" the last days," see note on 1 Pet. i. 20.) "genuine, sincere.'J The Revised Version has, "l\lockers shall Ver. 2.-The.t ye me.y be mindful of the come with mockery." This represents tlie words whioh were spoken before by the holy words Iv eµ.1ra,,,µ.ovfi, found in nearly a.JI t!Je prophets. " The.t ye may be mindful" is best manusoripts, which give emph,isis to represented by one word in the Greek the expression after the Hebrew manner. (µv11u8ijva1); compare the exact pure.lie! in The word lµ.1ra,,,µ.ovf, occurs nowhere else Luke i. 72. Great stress is le.id on the word in the New Testament, and {u.1ra,tcT<1.1, scof- of prophecy in both Epistles (see 1 Pet. i. fers, only in the parallel pnsse.ge, Ju<l.e 1S. 10-12 and eh. i. 19). And of the oom- Walking after their own lusts. Self-indul- mandment of us the apostles of the Lord gence often leads to scepticism. This verse and Saviour; rather, as in the Revised is quote<l. in a homily C1scribed to Hippnlytus. Version, and the commandment of the Lord Ver. 4.-And sa.ying, Where is the promise and Saviour through your apostles. All of hie comingl (comp. l\Ial. ii. 17, "Where the best manuscripts read l,µwv he1·e. It is the God of judgment? "). The Lord had is a remarkable expression; but Christ's prophesied of his coming; St. Paul had apostles ce.n be rightly called the apostlos epoken more th11n once as if that coming of those to whom they are sent, as being wero very near at hand (I Cor. xv. 51 : 2 their teachers, sent to them for their benefit; Cor. v.4; I Thess. iv. 15). Yet he came not. just as the ungols of God are ea.lied a.lso Already men were brginning to mock, nnd the angels of Christ's little ones (Mutt. xviii. to question whether the l011g-llelti.yed pro- ll. l:'ETl£B. ~·  THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PE'l'ER. [orr. m. 1-18.