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Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Peter 3:4

Where is the promise of his coming? - Perhaps the false teachers here referred to were such as believed in the eternity of the world: the prophets and the apostles had foretold its destruction, and they took it for granted, if this were true, that the terrestrial machine would have begun long ago to have shown some symptoms of decay; but they found that since the patriarchs died all things remained as they were from the foundation of the world; that is, men were propagated by natural... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Peter 3:5

For this they willingly are ignorant of - They shut their eyes against the light, and refuse all evidence; what does not answer their purpose they will not know. And the apostle refers to a fact that militates against their hypothesis, with which they refused to acquaint themselves; and their ignorance he attributes to their unwillingness to learn the true state of the case. By the word of God the heavens were of old - I shall set down the Greek text of this extremely difficult clause: ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Peter 3:7

But the heavens and the earth, which are now - The present earth and its atmosphere, which are liable to the same destruction, because the same means still exist, (for there is still water enough to drown the earth, and there is iniquity enough to induce God to destroy it and its inhabitants), are nevertheless kept in store, τεθησαυρισμενοι , treasured up, kept in God's storehouse, to be destroyed, not by water, but by fire at the day of judgment. From all this it appears that those... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Peter 3:3

Verse 3 3.Knowing this first. The participle knowing may be applied to the Apostle, and in this way, “I labor to stir you up for this reason, because I know what and how great is your impending danger from scoffers.” I however prefer this explanation, that the participle is used in place of a verb, as though he had said, “Know ye this especially.” For it was necessary that this should have been foretold, because they might have been shaken, had impious men attacked them suddenly with scoffs of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Peter 3:4

Verse 4 4.Where is the promise. It was a dangerous scoff when they insinuated a doubt as to the last resurrection; for when that is taken away, there is no gospel any longer, the power of Christ is brought to nothing, the whole of religion is gone. Then Satan aims directly at the throat of the Church, when he destroys faith in the coming of Christ. For why did Christ die and rise again, except that he may some time gather to himself the redeemed from death, and give them eternal life? All... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Peter 3:5

Verse 5 5.For this they willingly are ignorant of. By one argument only he confutes the scoff of the ungodly, even by this, that the world once perished by a deluge of waters, when yet it consisted of waters. (Genesis 1:2.) And as the history of this was well known, he says that they willingly, or of their own accord, erred. For they who infer the perpetuity of the world from its present state, designedly close their eyes, so as not to see so clear a judgment of God. The world no doubt had its... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Peter 3:6

Verse 6 It seems, however, strange that he says that the world perished through the deluge, when he had before mentioned the heaven and the earth. To this I answer, that the heaven was then also submerged, that is, the region of the air, which stood open between the two waters. For the division or separation, mentioned by Moses, was then confounded. (Genesis 1:6;) and the word heaven is often taken in this sense. if any wishes for more on this subject, let him read Augustine on the City of God.... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Peter 3:7

Verse 7 7.But the heavens and the earth which are now. He does not infer this as the consequence; for his purpose was no other than to dissipate the craftiness of scoffers respecting the perpetual state of nature, and we see many such at this day who being slightly embued with the rudiments of philosophy, only hunt after profane speculations, in order that they may pass themselves off as great philosophers. But it now appears quite evident from what has been said, that there is nothing... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Peter 3:1-9

The Divine commandment. A careful study of this passage is necessary to a clear understanding of the apostle's meaning, and of the place of this urgent exhortation in his argument. For such a study it may be welt to gather up his teaching here round three points. I. THE " WORD " OR " COMMANDMENT " HERE INTENDED . Concerning such we ask: 1 . By whom is it proclaimed? 2 . How is it to be received? 3 . What is it? The theme of both Epistles—Christ's coming. II. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Peter 3:1-10

The certainty of the Lord's coming. I. CONFUTATION OF SCOFFERS . 1 . St. Peter's purpose in writing, He took a deep interest in the spiritual welfare of the Christians of Asia Minor; he felt a great affection for them; he calls them "beloved" four times in this chapter. We do not know whether he had ever seen them face to face. It may be that Silvanus had made known to him their circumstances, their dangers, their temptations. So he writes to them. In the First Epistle he... read more

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