Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
3e Ex\orrelh the Brethren, h\j Faith and 2 PETEll I. Guud Works, to moke their Calling Swn, element: God Is in redeinplion " righteous,"' and at the same time a '• Saviour ;' ct'. Isaiah 45. 21, " a juiit tJod and a Saviour.'' 3. Grace . . . peace—(1 Peier 1.2.1 ilirnugli— Oi'eek, "in:" tlie sphere in wliieli alone f/nirc and peace can be multiplied, knowledge— Crj-ce/r, Itnowleilge." of Goil, and of Jesus onr Lord—tlie Father is here meant by "(iod," but the ISon in v. 1: marlciiig liow entirely one the Father and Son are {.lohn li. 7-11). The Vuli/ate omits "of God and;" but oldest MS.S. support the words. Still the prominent object of Peter's exiiortation is " the knowledge of Jesus our Lord" (a phrase only in Romans former. Faith leads the bana, lore brings up the rear fBEXGEL.] The fruits of faith specified are seven, the perfect number, virtue—moral excellency; manly, strenuous energy, answering to tile Dtcue (energetic excellency) of God. and to— G'reeA, " in ;" "and in (tlie exercise Of your virtue knowledge," viz., practical discrimination of goixl and evil; intelligent appreciation of what is the will of God in each detail of practice. G. Greek, "And in your knowledge self-control." In the exercise of Ciiristian
or discernment of God's will, let there be the practical fruit of «e//-con<>-oi as to one's lusls and passions. Incontinence weakens the mind
4. 24), and, only secondarily, of the Father through Him; continence, or self-control, removes weakness and imparts strengtli. [Bengel.j "And in your self-control patient endurance" amidst sufl'erings, so much dwelt on in the First Epistle, ch. 2., 3., and 4. "And in your patient endurance godliness;" it is not to be mere stoical endurance, but united to (and flowing from] God-trusting. [Alford.] 7. "And in your godliness brotherly kindness;" not suffering your go<Iliiiess to be moroseness, nor a sullen solitary habit of life, but kind, generous, and courteous. [Alfohd.] Your natural atfection and brotherly kindness are to be sanctified by godliness. "And in your brotlieriy kindness love," uiz., to all men, even to enemies, in thought, word, and deed. From brot/ierly kindness we are to go forward to love. Cf.
(v. 8; eh. 2. 20; 3. 18). 3. According as—Seeing that. [AlFORD.] "As He hath given us all things (needful) for life and godliness, (so) do you give us all diligence," &o. The oil and flame are given wholly of grace by God, and " taken" by believers : tlieir part henceforth is to "trim their lamps" (of. v. 3, 4 with 5, &c.). life and sodllncss— Spiritual li/e must exist first before there can lie true godliness. Knoivledye of God cxperimenlaily is the firsi Ktep to life (John 17. .3). . Tile child must have vital breath first, and then cry to, and walk in tlie ways of, his father. It is not by i/odliness that we oljtain life, but b.y lifp, godliness. To life stands opposed eorruj>tion ; to ffodliness, lust {v. 4). cnlltd ns— f. lu—"calling" (1 IVter
2. 9). to glory and virtue— ratiier, "through (His) glory." Tlius English Version reads as one oldest MS. But other oldest MSS. and Vulgate reail, "ISi/ J/i.s own (peculiar) glory and virtue;" being the explanation of "His Divine power;" glory and moral excellency (the same attril)ute is given to God in 1 Peter 2. 9, " praises,"
1 Thessalonians3. 12, "Love one toward another (brotherly kindness), and toward all men" (charity). So charity completes the choir of graces in Colossians 3. 14. In a retrograde order, lie who has love will exercise brotherly kindness; lie who has brotherly kindness will feel godliness needful; the godly will mix nothing stoical with his patience ; to the patient, temperance is easy; tlie temperate lit., xirlues) characterize God's "power." "Virtue," the standing word in heathen ethics, is found only once in Paul (Philippians 4. 8), and in Peter in a distinct sense from its classic usage; it (in the heathen sense) is a term too low and earthly for expressing the gifts of the Spirit. [Trench, Synonyms.] 4. VVliereby—By His glory and virtue: His glory making tiie "promises" to be exceeding great; His virtue making them "precious." [Bengel.J 'Precious promises are the object of precious
Weighs things well, and so has knowledge; knowledge guards against sudden impulse carrying away its virtue. [Bengel.J 8. be— GceeA:, " sul)sist," i. e., supi)Osing tliese things to have an actual subsistence in you; " be" would express the mere matter-offact being (Acts Iti. 20). abound —r/iO)-e than in others ; so the Greek, make—" render," "constitute you," habitually, by the very tact of possessing these graces, barren — "inactive," and, as a field l.ying fallow and unworked (Greek), so barren and useless. unfruitful In—rather," . . . in respect to," &c. "The full knouledge (Greek) of Christ" is the goal towards wliich all these graces tend. As their subsisting in us constitutes us not barren or idle, so tlieir abounding in us constitutes us not unfruitful in respect to it. It is through doing His will, and so becoming like Him, tliat we grow in knowing Him (John 7. 17). 9. Bwt— Greek, " For." Confirming the need of these graces (v. 5-8) by tlie fatal consequences of the want of them, he that lacketh Greek, " he to wliom these are not present." blind—as to the spiritual realifaith, given—the promises themselves are a gift: for God's promises are as sure as if they were fulfilled. l>y these—promise*. They are tlie object of faith, and even now have a sanctifying effect on the believer, assimilating him to God. Still more so, when they shall be fulfilled, might Greek, " that ye may become partakers of the Divine nature," even now in part ; hereafter perfectly
1 John 3. 2, " We shall be like Him." the Divine nature — not God's essence, but His lioliness, inclu<ling His "glory" and " virtue," v. 3 ; the opposite to "corruption througli lust." Sanclification is the imparting to us of God /^ir/wei/bj' the Holy Spirit in the soul. We by faith partake also of the material nature of Jesus (Ephesians ties of the unseen world, and cannot see afar off—Explanatory of "blind." He closes his eyes (Greek) as unable to see distant objects (viz., heavenly things), and fixes his gaze on present and eartlily things which alone he can see. Perhaps a degree of wilfulness in the blindness is implied in the Cr»-eeA;, "closing tlie eyes," which constitutes its culpability; hating and rebelling against tlie light shining around him. forgotten Greek, " contracted forgetfulness," wilful and culpable obliviousness, that he was purged—The continually present sense of one's sins having been once for all forgiven, is tlie strongest stimulus to every grace (Psalm 130.4). This once-for-all ac(!omplished cleansing of unbelievers at their new birth
5.30.) The " Divine power" enables us to be partakers of "the Divine nature." escaped the corruption—wliich ;.nvolves In, and with itself, destruction at last of soul and body; on "escaped" as from a condemned cell, cf. ch. 2.
18-20; Genesis 19. 17; Colossians 1. 13. throughG'T-ee/c, "in." "The corruption in the world" has its seat, not so much in the surrounding elements, as in the "lust" or concupiscence of men's hearts. 5. And besides this rather, "And for this very reason," viz., "seeing that His Divine power hath given unto us all tilings that pertain to life and godliness" (v. 3). giving— introducing , side by side with God's gift, on yoxxx part " diligence." Cf. an instance, v. 10; ch. 3. 14 ; 2 Corinthians 7. 11. aU—all possiis taught symbolically by Christ, John 13. 10, Greek, "He that has been bathed (once for all) needeth not save to ble, add— "minister additionally," or abundantly {ct. Greek, 2 Corinthians 9. 10) ; said properly of the on*, vho lupplied all the equipments of a chorus. So accordingly, " there will be ministered abundantly unto you an entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Saviour" (v. 11). to— Greek, "IN;" in the possession of your faith, minister wa.Hh his feet (of the soils contracted in the daily walk), but is clean every whit (in Christ our rigliteousness)." "Once purged (witli Christ's blood), we should have no more consciousness of sin" (as condemning us, Hebrews
10. 2), because of God's promise. Baptism is the sacramental pledge of this. 10. Wherefore—Seeking the blessed consequence of having, and the evil effects of not having, these graces (v. 8, 9). the rather—the more earnvirtue. Their faith (answering to "knowledge of Him," t>.
8) Is presupposed as the gift of God (v. 3; Ephesians 2. 8), ^nd is not required to be ministered by us ; in its exercise, estly, brethren—marking that it is affection for them wliich constrains him so earnestly to urge them. Nowhere else does ne so address them, which makes his calling them so here the more craphatioal. give diligence— virtue is to be, moreover, ministered. Each grace being assumed, becomes the stepping-stone to the succeeding grace; and the latter in tarn qaalifies and completes the
The ApoMie Speaheth of hk Death, 2 PETER I. avd Warnelh them to be Constant in Faith, occasion may require, to have . . . In remembrance— Greek, "to exercise remembrance of." Not merely "to remember," as sometimes we do, things we care not about; but "hiive them in (earnest) remembrance," as momentous and precious truths. 10. For—Reason why he is so earnest that the remembrance of these things should be continued after his death, followed—out in detail, cunningly-devised Greek, "devi.sed hy {man's) wisdom;" as distinguished from what the Holy Ghost teaches (ef. ) Corinthians 3. 13). But cf. also ch. 2. 3, "feigned words." fables—as the heathen mythologies, and the subsequent Gnostic "fables and genealogies," of which the germs alrea<ij' existed in thejunction of Judaism with Oriental philosophy in .\sia Minor. A precautionar.y protest of the Spirit against the rationalistic theory of the Gospel history being myth, when we made known unto you—not that Peter himself had personally taught the churches in Pontus, Galatia, Ac, hut he was one of the apostles whose testimony was borne to them, and to the Church in general, to whom this Epistle is addressed (ch. 1. 1, including, but not restricted, as 1 Peter, to
The Greek aorist implies one life-long effect, fAlford.] to make Greek middle voice ; lo make so far as it dcpendu on you; to do your part towards making. "To make" absolutely and tlually is God's part, and would be in tlie active, yonr calling and election sure—by " miaistirring additionally in your faith virtue, and in your virtue knowledge,'' &c. God must work all these grace's in us, yet not so that we should be mere machines, but willing instru7nenls in His hands in making His election of us "secure." Tlie ensuring of our election is spoken of not in respect to'God, whose counsel is steadfast and everlasting, but in respect to our part. There is no uncertainty on His part, but on ours the only security is out faith in His promise and the fruits of the Spirit (ti. 5-7, 11). Peter sulijoins election to calling, because the calling is the effect and proof of God's election, vfh\ch goes before and is the main thing (Romans
8. 28, 30, 33, where God's "elect" are those " predes'innted," and election is "His purpose," according to wliioh he "called" them). We know His calling before His election, thereby calling is put first, fall— Greet, "stumble" and fall finally (Romans 11. 11). Metaphor from one stumbling tlie churches in Pontus, itc). power—the opposite of "lal)les:" cf. the contrast of "word" and "power,"' 1 Corinthians 4. 20. A specimen of His poiver was given at the Transfiguration ; also of His "coming" again, and its attendant glory. The Greek for "coming" is always used of His iccond advent. A refutation of the scoffers (ch. 3.
In a race (1 Corinthians 9. 24). 11. an—rather as Greek, "the entrance" which ye look for. ministered—the same verb as in v. 5. Ministerin yonr faith virtue and the other graces, so shall there be ministered to you the entrance into that heaven where these graces shine most briglitly. The reward of grace hereafter shall correspond to the work of grace here, abundantly— GreeA-, " richly." It answers to "abound," v. 8. If these graces abound in .you, you shall have your entrance into heaven not merely "scarcely"
4): I, James and John, saw with our own eyes a mysterious sample of His coming glory, were Greek, "were made." eye-witnesses-As initiated spectators of mysteries (so the Greek), we were admitted Into His innermost secrets, viz., at the Transliguration. his-Emphatlcal (cf. Greek): THAT great One's majesty. 17. received . . . honour— in the voice that spake to Him. glory—in the
(as he had said, 1 Peter 4. 18), nor "so as by fire," like one escaping with life after having lost all his goods, but in triumph without "stumbling and falling." 12. Wherefore—as these graces are so necessary to your abundant entrance into Christ's kingdom (u. 10, 11). I will not be negligent—The oldest MSS. read, "I will be about always light whidi shone around Him. cnme— Greek, "was borne :" the same phrase occurs only In 1 Peter 1. 13: one of several instances sliowing that the argument against the authenticity of this Second Epistle, from its dissimilarity of style as compared with 1 Peter, is not well founded, such a voice—as he proceeds to describe, from to put you in remembrance" (an accumulated future : I will regard you as always needing to be reminded) : cf. " I will endeavour," v. 15. "I will be sure always to remind you." [Alford.] "Always:" implying the reason why he writes the second Epistle so soon after the tirst. He tlie excellent glory—rather as Greek, "BY (t. e., uttered by) the magnificent glor.v" (i. e., by God: as His glorious manifested presence Is often called by the Hebrews "the Glory," cf. " His Excellency," Deuteronomy 33. 26; Psalm feels there is likely to be more and more need of admonition on account of the increasing corruption (cli. 2. 1, 2). In tlie present truth—//le Gospel-truth note present with you: formerly promised to Old Testament believers as about to be, now in the New Testament actually present with, and in, l)elievers, so that they are "eslablished" in it as a " present" reality. Its importance renders frequent monitions never superfluous: cf. Paul's similar upolog.v, Romans 15. 14, 15. 13. "Vea.—Greek, "Rut;" though "you know" the truth (r. 12). this tabernacle—soon to be taken down (2 Corinthians 5. 1): I therefore need tomake
21. 5). in ^vhom— Greek, " tn regard to whom" (accusative); but Matthew 17. 5, " in whom" (dative) centres and rests my good pleasure. Peter also omits, as not required by his purpose, "hear Him," showing his ln<lependence in his inspired testimony. I am Greek aorist, past time, "My gofid pleasure rested from eternil.v." 18. wc—Emphatlcal : we, James and John, as well as m.vself. which came—rather as Greek, " we heard l)orne from heaven." holy mount—as the Transfiguration mount came to be regarded, on account of the manifestation of Christ's Divine glory there. 19. and—and so, viz., by this santple of Christ's glory in His humiliation (John 1. 14), and earnest of His coming glory In His exaltation. 'We—all believers, a more sure—rather as Greek, "we have ttie word of prophecy more sure" (confirmed). Previously we knew Its sureness by faith, but, through that visible specimen of Its hereafter entire fulfilment, assurance Is made doubly sure. Prophecy assures us that Christ's stif Terings, now past, are to l)e followed by Christ's glory, still future: the Transfiguration gives us a pledge to make our faith still stronger, that' "the day" of His glor.v will "dawn" ere long. He does not mean to sa.v that " the word of prophecy," or Scripture, is surer than the voice of God heard at the Transfigurat ion, as Knglish }'ersi<m ; for this Is plainly not the fa<-t. The fulfilment of propheci/ no tar In (^lirlst's history makes us the si/rcr of what is yet to he fulfilled. His consnmnuited glor.v. The word was the " lamp (Greek for the most of my short lime for the good of Christ's Church. The zeal of Satan against It, the more intense as hi.itime
Usliort, ought to stimulate Christians on the same ground.
Greek, " in" (cf. eh. 3. 1). 14. shortly I must put olT —Greek, " the putting oIT (as a garment) of my tabei iiacle
Is speedy :" implying a soon approaching, i\\>d alsoa.vi/(/- den death (as a violent death Is). Christ's words, .lolin 21.
18, 19, "When thou art old," &c., were the ground of his "knowing," now that he was old, that his foretold martyrdom was near. Cf. as to Paul, 2 Timothy 4. (i. Though a violent d<"ath, ho calls Ita "departure" (drcck tor "decease," V. 15), cf. Acts 7. GO. 15. endeavour—" use my diligence:" the same Greek word as in v. 10: this Is the field In which my diligence has scope. Peter thus lulllls Christ's charge, "Feed my sheep." decensc— " di'partlire." The very word (exodus) used In the Transfiguration, Moses and Kllas conversing al)out Christ's decease (found nowhere else in the New Testament, but Hel)rews 11.
22, "the departing of Israel" out of Egypt, to wliW'li the saints' deliverance from the present liondage of (corruption answers). "Tal)ernacl('" Is another term fnund here as well an there (r,uke 9. 31, .'!:!): an undesigned coincidence confirming Peter's authorshlpof this Epistle, that ye may be able—by the help of this wrltt<'n Epistle; and perhaps also of St. Mark's Gospel, which Peter superintended, always— G'J'ceA:, " on each occasion :" as often as
' light') heeded" b.v Old Testament l>ellevers, until a gleatn of the " daydawn" was given at Christ's first comaig, niul especially In His Transliguration. So the word Is a /<i?np to us still, until "the day" burst forth lull.vat the second coming of "the Sun of rigliteousness." The day, when
It dawns upon y(ui, nnikes sure the fact that you saw correctly, though indistinctly, the objects revealed by th*
Ko Proyheaj is oj PrivaU Interpretation. 2 PETER II. False Teacher to Arise among them.
lamp, whereunto—to which word of prophecy, primarily the 01(1 Testameut in Peter's day; but now also tifiedst by thy spirit in thy prophets." "Seer," on the other hand, refers to the mode of receiving tlie communications from God, rather than to the utterance of them to others. "Spake" implies that, both in its original oral announcement, and now even when in writing, it has been always, and is, the living voice of God speaking to us through His inspired servants. Greek, "Borne, (along)" forms a beautiful antithesis to "was borne." They were passive, rather than active instruments. The Old Testament prophets primarily, but including also all the inspired penmen, whether of the New or Old Testament (ch. 3. 2).
in our day the New Testament, which, tliough brigl)ler than the Old Testament (cf. 1 John 2. 8, end), is but a lamp even still as compared with the brightness of the eternal day (cf. ch. 3. 2), Oral teachings and traditions of ministers are to be tested by the written word (Acts 17. 11). dark—the Oreekimpliea squalid, having neither water nor light: such spiritually is the world without, and the smaller world (microcosm) within, the heart in its natural state. Cf. the "dry places" Luke 11. 21 (viz., un watered by the Spirit), through whicli the unclean spirit goetli. dawn—bursting through the darkness, day-star Greek, "the morning star," as Revelation 22. IG. Tlie Lord Jesus. \n your liearts—Christ's arising in the heart by His Spirit giving full assurance, creates spiritually full day in tlie heart, the means to which is prayerfully giving heed to the word. This is associated witli the coming of theday of the Lord, as being the earnest of it. Indeed, even our hearts shall not fully realize Christ in all His unspealial)le glory and felt presence, until He shall come (Malachi i. 2). Isaiah 66. 14, 15, "When you see this, your lieart shall rejoice . . . For, behold, the Lord will come." However, Tregelles' punctuation is best, "whereunto ye do well to take heed (as unto a light shining in a dark place, until the day have dawned and the morning star arisen) in your hearts." For the day has already dawned in the heart of believers; what they wait for is,
CHAPTER II.
Ver. 1-22. False Teachers to Arise: Their Bad Practices and sure Destruction, from which thk GODI/Y SHAI.1. be DELIVERED; AS LOT WAS. 1. But—In contrast to the prophets " moved by the Holy Ghost " (ch.
1. 21). also—as well as the true prophets (ch. 1. 19-21), Paul had already testified the entrance of false prophets into the same churches, among the people—Israel: ho is writing to believing Israelites primarily (Note, 1 Peter
1. 1). Such a "false prophet" was Balaam (u. 15). there shall be—already symptoms of the evil were appearing
(u. 9-22; Jude 4-13). false teachers—teachers of falsehood. In contrast to the true teachers, whom he exhorts his readers to give heed to (cli. 3. 2). who such as (lit., "the which ") shall, privily—not at first openly and directly, but by the way, bringing in error by the side oi the true doctrine (so the Greek) : Rome objects, Protestants cannot point out the exact date of the beginnings of tlie false doctrines superadded to the original trutli; we answer, Peter foretells us it would be so, that the first introduction of them would be stealthy and unobserved (Jude 4). damnable—^it., "of destruction:" entailing destruction (Pliilippians 3. 19) on all who follow them, heresies selfchosen doctrines, not emanating from God (cf. "will-worship," Colossians "2. 23). even—going even tosucii a length as to deny both in teacliing and practice. J'eter knew, by bitter repentance, what a fearful thing it is to dejiy the Lord (Luke 22. 61, 62). denying—Hini whom, above all others, they ought to confess. Lord—" Master and Owner " its visible manifestation at Christ's coming, ao. "Forasmuch as ye know this" (1 Peter 1. 18). first—the foremost consideration in studying the word of prophecy. Laj'ing it down as a. first principle never to be lost sight of.
Is Greek, not the simple verb, to be, but to begin to be, "proves to be," "becometh." No prophecy is found to be the result of "private (the mere individual writer's uninspired) interpretation" (solution), and so origination. The Greek noun epilusis, does not mean in itself origination; but that which the sacred writer could not always fully interpret, though being the speaker or writer (as 1 Peter 1. 10-12 implies), was plainly not of his own, but of God's disclosure, origination, and inspiration, as Peter proceeds to add, "But holy men . . . spake (and afterwards wrote) . . . moved by the Holy Ghost:" a reason why ye should "give" all "heed" to it. The parallelism to v. 16 shows that "private interpretation," contrasted with "moved by the Holy Ghost," here answers to " fables deXHsed by {human) wisdom," contrasted with " we were eyewitnesses of His majesty," &c., as attested by the "voice from God." The words of the prophetical (and so of all) Scripture writers were not mere words of the individuals, and therefore to be interpreted by them, but of " the Holy Ghost " by whom they were "moved." " Private" is explained, V. 21, " by the will of man " (viz., the individual writer). In a secondary sense tiie text teaches also, as the word is the Holy Spirit's, it cannot be interpreted by its reader* (any more than by its writers by their mere private human powers, but by the teaching of the Holy Ghost (John 16. 14). "He who is the author of Scripture is its supreme interpreter." [Gerhard.] Alford translates, "Springs not out of human interpretation," i. e., is not a prognostication made by a man knowing ivhat he means when he utters it, but, &c. (John 11. 4a-52). Kiglitly: except that the verb is rather, Dotli become, or prove to be. It not being of private Interpretation, you mual" give heed V
(Greck),cf. Jude 4, Greek. Whom the true doctrine teaches to be tlieir Owner by right of purchase. Lit., "denying Him who bought them (tliat He should be thereby), their Master." bought them—even llie ungodly were bought by His "precious blood." It shall lie their bitterest sellreproach in hell, that, as far as Christ's redemption was concerned, they might have been saved. The denial of His propitiatory sacrifice is included in the meaning (cf. 1 John 4. 3). bring upon themselves—cf. "God bringing in the flood upon the world," v. a. Man brings upon liimself the vengeance which God brings upon him. switt swiftly descending : as tlie Lord's coining shall be swift and sudden. As the ground swallowed up Korah and Dathan, and "they went down quick into tlie pit." Cf. Jude 11, whicli is akin to this passage. ^. follow—out: so the Greek, pernicious ways—The oldest MSS. and Vulgate read, "licentiousness" (Jude 4). False doctrine and immoral practice generally go together iv. IS, 1!)). by reasoik of whom—"on account ol whom," viz., the followers of the false teachers, the way of truth shall be evil spoken of—" blasphemed " by those witliout, who shall lay on Christianity itself the blame of its professors' evil practice. Contrast 1 Peter 2. 12. 3. Ilirough— (ycee/fc, " IN covetousness " as their element (v. H, eiul). Ci)nlrast2 Corinthians 11.20; 12. 17. of a long (linein God's eternal purpose. " Before of old ordained to condoniiiation " to it, looking for the iSpirtT* Illumination "in your hearts "
(cf. Notes, V. 19). 21. came not In old time— rattier, " was never at any time borne " (to us), by tJie will of maih— alone. Jeremiah 23. 28, "prophets of the deceit of their own heart." Cf. ch. 3. 5, "willingly." Uoly—One oldest MS. has, "men from God:" the emissaries from God. "Holy," If read, will mean because tliey had the Holy Spirit, mo-ved— Greek, "borne" (along) as by a mighty Wind: Acts 2.2, "j-ushing (the same Greeks wind:'' rapt out of themselves: still not in fanatical exciti'mcnt (1 Corinthians 14. 3'2). The Hebrew nabi, " propliet," meant an announcer or interpreter of God: he, as God's spokesman, interpreted not his own "private" will or thought, but Uod'ti. " Man o/tfie /Spirit" (Margintliosca. 0.7). "Tlioutes-
(Jude i). lingereth not—tliougli sinners think it lingers. "Is not idle." damnationG'lccA:, "destruction" (Notit
V. I). Personified, slumbereth not— though sinners slumber. 4. If—The apodosis or consequent member of the sentence is not expressed, but is vii tually contained in V. 9. If God in past time has punished the ungodly, and saved His people. He will be sure to do so also in our days (cf. end of v. 3). angels— llie highest of intelligent creatures (cf. with this verse, Jude 6), yet not spared when they sinned, hell— GreeA, " Tartarus :" nowhere else In