Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Introduction. 2 PETER. Introduction.
the Church in Babylon, and closes with 'the children of tliine elect sister (the Asiatic (;iiurcli) greet tliee;" cf. /ntraduction to 2 John). Erasmus explains, " Mark whoiiin the place of a son to me: ' cf. Acts 12. 12, implying Peter's connection witli Mark; whence the mention of him in connection with the Church at Babylon, in which he laboured under Peter before he went to Alexandria is not unnatural. Papias reports from the presbyter John (B.
Ac, you, V. 10 13. Silvaiins Silas, the companion of Paul and Timothy: a suitable messenger by whom to confirm, as Peter here does, Pattys doctrine of "tlie true grace of God" In the same churches (cf. 2 Peter 3. 16). We never meet with Silvanus as Paul's companion after Paul's last journey to Jerusalem. His connection witli Peter was plainly subsequent to that journey, as I suppose—Join "faithful unto you [SteigekJ, as I suppose." Silvanus may have stood in a close relation to tlie churches in Asia, perhaps having taken the oversiglit of them after Paul's departure, and had afterwards gone to Peter, by whom he Is now sent back to them with this Epis-
3.39), that Mark was interpreter of Peter, recording in his Gospel the facts related to him by Peter. Silvanus or Silas had been substituted for John Mark, as Paul's coml)anion, because of Mark's temporary unfaithfulness. But now Mark restored is associated with Silvanus, Paul's companion, in Peter's esteem, as Mark was already reinstated in Paul's esteem. That Mark had a spiritual connection with the Asiatic churches which Peter addresses, and so naturally salutes them, appears from 2 Timothy 4.
tle. He did not knotv, by positive observation, Hilvanug' faithfulness to them ; he therefore says, " faitliful to you, as I suppose," from the accounts I hear; not expressing doubt. Alford joins "I have written unto you," which the Greek order favours. The seeming uncertainty, tlius, is not as to Silvanus' faithfulness, which is strongly marked by the Chreek article, but as to whether he or some other would prove to be the bearer of the letter, addressed as it was to five provinces, all of which Silvanus might not reach
11; Colossians 4. 10. Babylon—The Chaldean Babylon on the Euphrates. See Introduction, ON the Place of Writing this Epistle, in prcxjf that Rome is not meautas Papists assert; cf. Lightfoot »r)-»io«. How unlikfy that in a, friendly salutation the enigmatical title of Rome given in prophecy (John, Revelation 17. 5), should be used ! Babylon was the centre from which the Asiatic dispersion whom Peter addresses was derived. Philo, Legal, ad Cttium, sec. 36, and Josephus, Antiquities, 15. 2. 2; 23. 1"2, Inform us that Babylon contained a great many Jews in the apostolic age (whereas those at Rome were comparatively few, about 8000, JosEPiius 17. U); so it would naturally be visited l)y the apostle of the circumcision. It was the headquarters of those whom he had so successfully addressed on Pentecost, Acts 2.9, Jewish "Parlhiaiis . . . dwellers in Mesopotamia" (the Parthiaiis were then mas-
"By Silvanus, that faithful brother, as I expect, I have written to you." [Birks.] briefly Greek, "in few (words)," as compared with the importance of the subject (Hebrews 13. 22). exhorting—not so much formally teaching doctrines, which could not be done in so "few words."' testifying-bearing my testimony in confirmation (so the Greek compound verb implies) of that truth which ye have already heard from Paul and Silas (1 John 2. 27). that tills—of which I have just written, and of which Paul before testified to you (whose testimony, now that he was no longer in those regions, was called in question probably by some; cf. 2 Peter 3. 15, 16^. 2 Peter 1. 12, " the present truth," viz., the grace fornjerly promised by the prophets, and now manifested to you.
ters of Mesopotamian Babylon); these he ministered to in person. His other hearers, the Jewish "dwellers in Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia," he now ministers to by letter. The earliest distinct authority for Peter's martyrdom nt Borne is DloNYSiirs, bishop of Corinth, in the latter half of the second century. The desirableness of representing Peter and Paul, the two leading apostles, as together founding the Church of the me-
"Grace" is the key-note of Paul's doctrine which Peter now confirms (Ephesians 2. 5, 8). Their sufi'erings for the Gaspel made them to need some attestation and confirmation of the truth, that they should not fall back from it. wherein ye stand-The oldest MSS. read Imperatively, "Stand ye." Lit., "into which (having been already admitted, ch. 1. 8, 21; 2. 7, 8, 9) stand (tlieretropolis, seems to have originated the tradition. Ci,emeijT OF Rome (1 Epislola ad Corinthins, sec. 4. 5), often quoted for, in)." Peter seems to have in mind Paul's words (Romans 5. 2; 1 Corinthians 15. 1). "The grace wherein we stand must be true, and our standing in it true also." [Bengel.] Cf. in Steioer, "He began his Episiie with grace (ch. 1. 2), he finishes it with grace, he has besprinkled the middle with grace, that In every part he miglit teach that the Cliurch is not saved but l)y grace." 13. The ... at Babylon—Alfokd, Benoel, Ac, translate, "Slie that is elected together with you In Babylon," v/z., Peter's wife, whom he ledabout with liim In his missionary Journeys. Cf. ch. 3. 7, "heirs together of tlie grace of life." But why she should be called "elected togetlier witli you is really against it. He mentions Paul and Peter together, but makes it as a distinguishing circumstance of Paul, that he preache<i both In the East and West, Implying that Peter never was in the West. In 2 Peter 1. U, he says, "I mnat .^h<rrtly put ott' this tabernacle," Implying his martyrdom was near, yet he makes no allusion to Rome, or any intention of his visiting it. I t. kiss of eharlly-Romans 1(>. Hi, "an holy kiss:" the token of love to God and the brethren. Love and Ao/incvs are inseparable. Cf. the Instance, Acts 20. 37. prnce— Peter's chxsing salutation ; as Paul's Is, "Grace be witli you," though he accompanies It with " peace be to the brethren." " Peace" (flowing from in Babylon," as if tliere had been no Christian woman In Babylon besides, is Inexplicable on this view. In English Version the sense is clear: "That portion of the whole dispersion (ch. 1. 1, Greek), or Church of Christianized Jews, with Gentile converts, which resides In Babylon." As Peter and John were closely associated, Peter addresses the Church In John's peculiar province, Asia, and closes with "your co-elect sister Church at Babylon saluteth fou;" and John similarly addresses the "elect lady," i. e., i«/rr(//f<«) was Christ's own salutation after the resurrection, and from llim IVtcr derives it. be with you all that are In Christ—The oldest MSS. omit "Jesus." In Ephesians 0.21, addressed to the same region, the same limitation of the salutation occurs, whence, perhaps, Peter here adopts it. Contrast " Be wilh you al^" Uomans
10.21; 1 Corinthians 1«.33.
THE SECOND EPISTLE GENER.\L OF
PETER. INTRODUCTION.
AUTHENTICITY AND genuineness.—If not a gioss linposturc. t/» oicn inlerttal untness Is unequivocal In 11.4 taroar.
It hus Peter't name and apostleship In Its heading: not only his surname, hut his original name Simon, or SOiieon.ttm
Introdiiclum. 2 PETER. Yntroduciion thus, at the close of his life, reminding his readers who he originally was before his call. Again, in ch. 1. 16-18, ho mentions his presence at the Transfiguration, and Christ's prophecy of his death: and in ch. 3. 15, his brotherhood with Paul, Again, in ch. 3. 1, the author speaks of liimself as author of tlie former Epistle : it is, moreover, addressed so as to incline (but not to be restricted to) the same persons as the first, wliom he presupposes to be acquainted witli the writings of Paul, by that time recognized as "Scripture" (ch. 3. 15, " the long-suffering of God," cf. Romans 2. 4). This necessarily implies o late date, when Paul's Epistles (including Romans) already had become generally diffused and accepted as Scripture In tlie Church. The Churcli of the fourth century had, besides the testimony which we have of the (iyubtx of the earlier Christians, other external evidence wliich we have not, and which, doubtless, under God's overruling providence, decided them on accepting it. It is hard to understand how a book palpably false (as it would be if Peter be not the author) could have been accepted in the Canon as Anally established in the Councils of Laodicea, 360 a. d. (if the 59th article be genuine), Hippo, and Carthage in the fourth century (393 and 397). The whole tone and spirit of the Epistle disprove its being an imposture. He writes as one not speaking of himself, but moved by the' Boly Ghosl(ch. 1. 21). An attempt at such a fraud in the first ages would have brought only shame and suffering, alike from Christians and heathen, on the perpetrator: there was then no temptation to pious frauds as in later times. That
It must have been written in the earliest age, is plain from the wide gulf in style which separates it and the other New Testament Scriptures from even the earliest and best of the post-apostolic period. Daille well says, " God has al- -owed a fosse to be drawn by human weakness around the sacred canon to protect it from all invasion."
Traces of acquaintance with it appear in the earliest Fathers. Hermas, Similes ti. 4 ; cf. ch. 2. 13, Greek, " luxury in the day ... luxuriating with their own decelvings;" and Shepherd, Vision S.7, "They have left their true way" (cf. ch.2.
15); and Vision i.S, "Thou hast escaped this world" (cf. eh. 2. 20). Clement of Rome, ad Corinlhios,c.7.9 and 10, as to Noah's preaching a,nA Lot's deliverance, "the Lord making it known that He does not abandon those that trust in Him, but appoints those otherwise inclined to judgment" (cf. ch. 2. 5, fi, 7, 9). Iken.bus, a. a. 178 (" tlie day of the Lord is as a thousand years"), and Justin Martyr, seem to allude to ch. 3. 8. Hippolytus, De A ntichristo, seems to refer to ch. 1.
21, "The prophets spake not of their own private (individual) ability and will, but what was (revealed) to them alone by God." The difficulty is, neither Tertullian, Cyprian, Clement of Alexandria, nor the oldest Syriac {Peschito) version (the later Syriac has it), nor the fragment known as Muratori's Canon, mentions it. f\\e first writer who has expressly named it is Origen, in the third century (Homily on Joshua; also 4th Ilamily on Leviticus, and 13th on Numbers), who names it " Scripture," quoting ch. 1. 4 ; 2. 16 ; however (in Euskbius, Ecclesiastical History, 6. 25), he mentions that the Second Epistle was doubted by some. Firmilian, bishop of Cappudocia, in Epistle ad Cyprian spe.'iks of Peter's Epistles as warning us to avoid heretics (a monition which occurs in the Second, not the First Epistle). Now Cappadocia Is one of the countries mentioned (cf. 1 Peter 1. 1 with ch. 3. 1) as addressed ; and it is striking, that from Cappadocia we get the earliest decisive testimony. " Internally it claims to be written by Peter, and this claim is confirmed by the Christians of that very region in whose custody it ought to have been found."^' [Tregelles.J The books disputed (Antilegomena), as distinguished fi'om those universally recognized (Homologoumena), are Epistles, 2 Peter, James, 2 and 3 John, Jude, the Apocalypse, Epistle to Hebrews (cf. Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 3. 3,
25). T\\e Antilegomena stand in quite a different class from t\\e Spurious ; of these there was no dispute, they were universally rejected, e.g., the Shepherd of Hermas, the Revelation of Peter, the Epistle of Barnabas. Cyril of Jerusalem
(a. d. .348) enumerates seven Catholic Epistles, including 2 Peter; so also Gregory of Nazianzkn (389 a.d.), and EpiPHANIUS, A.D. .367. The oldest Greek MS.S. extant (of the fourth century) contain the Antilegomena. Jerome, De
Viris Illustribus, conjectured, from a supposed difference of style between the two Epistles, that Peter, being unable to write Greek, employed a different translator of his Hebrew dictation in the Second Epistle, and not the same as translated the First into Greek. Mark is said to have been his translator in the case of the Gospel according to St. Mark ; but this is all gratuitous conjecture. Much of the same vi-ews pervade both Epistles. In both alike he looks for the Lord's coming suddenly, and the end of the world (cf. ch. 3. 8-10 with 1 Peter 4. 5) ; the inspiration of the prophets (cf. 1 Peter 1. 10-12 with ch. 1. 19-21
8. 2); the new birth by the Divine word a motive to abstinence from worldly lusts (1 Peter 1. 22; 2. 2; cf. ch. 1. 4); also
1 Peter 2. 9 with ch. 1. 3, l)oth containing in the Greek the rare word " virtue" (1 Peter 4. 17 with ch. 2. 3).
It is not strange that distinctive peculiarities of style should mark each Epistle, the design of both not being the same. Thus the tufferings of Christ are more prominent in the First Epistle, the object there being to encourage thereljy Christian sufferers ; the glory of tlie exalted Lord is more prominent in the Second, the object being to communicate fuller " knowledge" of Him as the antidote to the false teaching against which Peter warns his readers. Hence His title of redemption, "Christ," is the one employed in the First Epistle ; but in the Second Epistle, " the Lord." Hope is characteristic of the First Epistle ; full knowledge, of the Second Epistle. In the First Epistle he puts his apostolic ai Ufuyrity lesR prominently forward than In the Second, wherein his design is to warn against false teachers. The same difference Is observable in Paul's Epistles. Contrast 1 Thessalonians 1. 1 ; 2 Thessalonians 1. 1 ; Philippians 1. 1, with Galatians 1. 1; 1 Corinthians 1. 1. The reference to Paul's writings as already existing in numbers, and as then a recognized part of Scripture, implies that this Epistle was written at a late date, Just before Peter's death.
Striking verbal coincidences occur : cf. 1 Peter 1. 19, end, with ch. 3. 14, end ; ch. 1. .3, "His own," Greek, 2. 16; 3. 17 with 1 Peter .3. 1, 5. The omission of the Greek article, 1 Peter 2. 13 with ch. 1. 21 ; 2. 4, 5, 7. Moreover, two words occur, ch. 1. 13, "tabernacle," f. e., the bodj', and 15, "decease," which at once remind us of the transfiguration narrative iu the Gospel. Both Epistles refer to the Deluge, and to Noah as the eighth that was saved. Though the First Epistle abounds in gruotations of the Old Testament, whereas the Second contains none, yet references to the Old Testament occur often (ch. 1. 21 ; 2. 15 ; -3. 5, 6, 10, 13). Cf. Greek, 1 Peter .3. 21, " putting away," with ch. 1. 14 ; 1 Peter 1. 17, Greek, Pass the time, with ch. 2. 18; 1 Peter 4. 3, "walked In," with ch. 2. 10; 3. 3; "called you," 1 Peter 1. 15; 2. 9; 5. 10, with ch. 1. 3.
Moreover, more verbal coincidences with the speeches of Peter In Acts occur In this Second, than In the First Epistle. Cf. Greek, " obtained," ch. 1. 1 with Acts 1. 17 ; ch. 1. 6, Greek, " godllnert," with Acts 3. 12, the only passage where the term occurs, except In the Pastoral Epistles; and ch. 2. 9 with Acts 10.2,7; ch. 2. 9, " punished," with Acts 4. 21, the only places where the term occurs; ch. .3. 2, the double genitive, with Acts 5. 32; " the day of the I-ord," ch. 3. 10, with Acts 2. 20, where onlj' It occurs except in 1 Thessalonians 5. 2. The testimony of Jude, 17, 18, Is strong for Its genuineness and Inspiration, by a<loptinK its very words, and by referring to It as received by the churches to which he, St. Jude, wrote, " Remember the words which were spoken before