The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Peter — Section 75

better manuscripts read, instead of otv, then, thought famishes aa argument of consider- o~T"'s, thus : "seeing that all these things able weight in favonr of the genuineness of a1·e thus being clissolvecl." What manner this Epistle. Another possible rendering of of persons ought ye to be in all holy conver- the word is "earnestly desiring," whkh is sation and godliness l The Greek word for adopted in the text of the Revised Version, "who.t manner of persons" means literally, e.nd is preferred by some commentators. "of what country; " it seems to point to the Wherein the heavens being on fire shall be great truth that Gorl's people are fellow- dissolved. The Greek for "wherein" is 6,' citizens of the saints, that the commonwealth ~"• on account of which, i.e. on account of of which they a.re citizens is in heaven. the day of God, or, what comes to much tb,i The word for "to be " is the emphatic same meaning, on account of the coming, lnrd.pxE<v, which denotes original, essential, the presence, of that day. Old things must continuous being. (On the word for" con- pass away because of the coming of the clay versation" (avalTTporpais, behaviour, conduct), of God; the old order mnst give place to see note on 1 Pet. i. 15.) Both this noun new. And the elements shall melt with and the following are plural in the Greek, fervent heat. The apostle repeats the strik- and therefore mean " in all aspects and ing worcls which he had already used in forms of holy conduct and godliness." Some ver. 10, with a different verb. The Greek commentators connect these last words, "in word for "shall melt " here is not At18~ue,,-cz,, all holy conversa.tion and godliness," with as in ver. 10, but a stronger word T,f1CeTa,, the next verse: "looking in all holy conver- are being melted, or wastecl away. The sation," etc. Some, again, unrlerstand this tense is the prophetic present, implying a verse as asking a question, which is answered certain fnlfilment. There is probably a in the next ; but the Greek word for "what reference to Isa. xxxiv. 4, where the Septna- manner of persons " ( 1r0Ta1r&s) seems to be gint rendering is Kal Ta1<7J1To1"Ta1 ,raua, a/ used in the New Testament as an exclama- avvd.µeis TWJJ oVpavWv. tion only, not interrogatively. Ver. 13.-Nevertheless we, aocording to Ver. 12.-Looking for and basting unto his promise, look for new heavens and a the coming of the day of God. The pre- new earth; rather, but, according tv his position "unto" is inserted without authority. promise, we look for. The promise is that in The second participle 1T1re66onas is followed Isa. lxv. 17, "Behold, I create new heavens directly by the accusative, and is evidently and a new earth" (see a.lso Isa.. !xvi. 22 n.nd transitive. In the Septuagint Version of Rev. xxi. 1). St. John saw in vision the Isa. xvi. 5, 1T1reo60,11 li11Cawu6111w represents fulfilment of the prophecy of Is[liah ancl St. the" basting righteousness" of our transla- Peter: "The first heaven and the first earth tion (comp. Pindar, 'lsthm.,' v. 22, where were passed away." It may be that, e.s the u1reo6etv apeTd.v means "to pursue virtue"). water of the Deluge was the baptism of the Here the translation "hastening" is most ancient world into a new life, so the fire of appropriate. 'fhe Father hath put the times the great day will be the means of pnrifying and seasons in his own power; but as the and refining the universe, transforming it long-suffering of God waitecl in the days of into new heavens and a. new earth, making Noah, so now he is "long-suffering to us- all things new. Our Lord's use of the word ward, not willing that nny should peri.:ib;" "regeneration,'' in Matt. xix. 28, seems to and in his gracious mercy waits for the favour this view. In the regeneration of repentance of his chosen. St. Peter seems the individual soul the personality remains, to represent Christians as "hastening the the thoughts, desires, affections, a.re ohanged; coming [literally, 'presence'] of the day of so, it may be, in the regeneration of the God" by working out their own salvation, world the substance will remain, the fashion and helping to spread the knowledge of the (tTxijµa) of the old world will pass a.way (1 gospel (Matt. xxiv. 14), and so rendering Cor. vii. 31). But it is impossible to pro- the long-suffering patience of God no longer nounce dogmatically whether the new necesstiry. The worcls imply also the duty heavens and e[lrth will be a reproduction of of praying for that coming, 11s we do in the tl1e old in a. far more glorious form, through second petition of the Lord's Prayer, and in the agency of the refining fire, or an ab.;o- the Funeral Service, "Beseeching thee, that lntely new creation, as the words of Isaiah it may please thee, of thy gracious goodness, seem to imply. St. John, like St. Peter, shortly to accomplish the number of thine speaks of a new earth, and tells us that that elect, and to hasten tlJy kingdom." Compare new earth will be the dwelling-place of th;; St. Petor's speech in Act iii., where he says, blessed. He s,iw the holy city, new Jerusa- "Repent ye therefore . . . that so (a,.-..,s 11v) lem, coming down from God out of heaven; thel'e may come seasons of refreshing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (he teli'~ the presence of the Lord, and that he may us) shall be in it: "The te.bernacle of God\;' sen,l the Cl1rist" (vcrs. I!), 20, Revised with men, and he will dwell with them.·· Version). This reme.rkable coincidence of Tho holy city, JerUSll,\ew, which ill above, :s  THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. [cu. m.1-18.