Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Gains Commended for his Piety, 3 JOHN. ind His Hofpitulilif to True Preackcn. such of good speed and joy (the lit. meaning of the Greek), and tliat you wish him it wliilst opposing Christ; so you identify yourself with "his evil deeds." The Greek ot "partaker" is "having communion with." We cannot have communion with saintsand with Antichrislal once. Here we see John's naturally fiery zeal directed to a right end. PoLYCAKP, the disciple of John, told contemporaries of iRENus, who narrates the story on their authority, that on one occasion when John was about to bathe, and heard that Cerinthus, tlie heretic, was within, he retired with abhorrence, exclaiming. Surely tbe liousewiU fall in ruins since the enemy of the truth is there. 1^. I would not write—A heart full of love pours itself out more freely face to face, than by letter, paper—made of Egyptian papyrus. Pens were then reeds split, ink—made of soot and water, thickened with gum. Parchment was used for the permanent MSS. in which the Epistles were preserved. Writing tablets were used merely for temporary purposes, as our slates, face to face lit., "mouth to mouth." full— Greek, "tilled full." Your joy will be complete in hearing from me in person the joyful Gospel truths which I now defer communicating till I see you. On other occasions his writing the glad truths was for the same purpose. 13. Alford confesses, The non-mention of the "lady" herself here seems rather to favour the hypothesis that a reward of the saints. It is either lost altogether, or received !)i full; in full communion with Goil." [ISengeu]
Still no service of minister or people shall fail to receive
Its reward. 9. The loss (v. 8) meant is here explained : the not having God, whicli results from abiding not in the doctrine of Christ, transgresseth—The oldest MSS. and versions read, "Every one who takes the lead;" lit., goes, or leads oti before ; cf. John 10. 4, " He goeth before them " (not the same Greek). Cf. 3 John 9, "Loveth to have the preeminence." hath not God— (1 John 2. Zi ; 5. 15.) The second " of Christ" is omitted in the oldest MSS., but is understood in tlie sense, he—Emphatieal : He and He alone. 10. If there come any—as a teacher or brother. The Greefc is indicative, not sulijunctive ; implying that sucli persons do actually come, and are sure to come ; when any comes, as there will. True love is combined with hearty renunciation and separation from all that is false, whether persons or doctrines, receive him not . . . neither toi<l !»lm God speed—This is not said of those who were always aliens from the Church, but of tliose who wish to be esteemed brethren, and subvert the true doctrine. [Grotius.] The greeting salutation forbidden in the case of such a one is that usual among Christiati brelhrei in those days, not a mere formality, but a token of Christian brotherhood. 11. By wishing a false brother or teacher " God (or good) speed," you imply that he is capable as Church Is meant.
THE THIRD EPISTLE OF
Ver. 1-H. Addkes-s: Wish for G.\ius' Prosperity: Joy at his Walking in the Truth. His Hospitality TO THE Brethren and Strangers the Fruit of Love. Diotuephes' Opposition and Ambition. Pr.^ise OF Demetrius. Conclusion. 1. I—Emphatieal : I personally, for my part. On Gains or Caius, see Jntroduclion before Second Epistle, love in the tnth—(2 John 1.) "Beioved" is repeated often in this Epistle, indicating strong affection {v. 1, 2, 5, 11;. 3. above nil tilings Greek, " cmicerning nil things:" soAi.ford: in all respects. But Wahl justifies English Version (cf. 1 Peter I. 8). Of course, since his .soul's prosperity is presupposed, " aliove all things" does not imply that John wishes Caius' bodily the way. after a godly sort— Greek, "in a manner worthy of God," whose ambassadors they are, and whose servant thou art. He who honours God's missionary servants (r. 7), honours God. 7. his name's sake—Christ's, went forth—as missionaries, taking nothing—refusing to receive aught by way of pay, or maintenance, though justly entitled to it, as Paul at Corinth and at Thessolonica. Gentiles—the Christians just gathered out by their labours from among the heathen. As Caius himself was a Gentile convert, "the Gentiles" here must mean the converts just made from the heathen, the Gentiles to whom they had gone fwth. It would have been inexpedient to have taken aught (the Greek meden implies, not that they got nothing, though they had desired it, but that it was of their own choice they took nothing) from the Infant churches among the heathen : the case was dif Terent in receiving hospitallt.v from Caius. R. We—In contradistinction to " the Gentiles" or " heathen" referred to, healtii above that of his soul, but as the first object to be desired next after spiritual health. 1 know you are prospering ill tlie concerns of your soul. I wish you similar prosperity in your body. Perhaps John had heard from the brclliren (v. 3) that Caius was in bad health, and was r. 7. therefore-as they take nothing from the Gentiles or heathen, receive—The oldest MSS. read, "take up." As they take nothing from the Gentiles, we ought to take them up so as to support them. fellow-Iielpcrs—with them, to tlie truth— i. e., to promote the truth, t). I wrote —The oldest MSS. add "something:" 'a communication, piob.ably, on the subjocti of nveiving the brethren with tried in otlier ways {v. 10), to which the wish, v. 2, refers. pro Hper— In general, he in health—In particular, testlfled of tintrulli that Ih in thee — <;rer!;, "of (or to) thy Irutli :" thy share of that truth in which thou walkest. [ALFOitn.] even aa thou—In contrast to Dlotrephes ft). 4. n»y children-members of the Qhurch: confirming the view that the elect lad)/ Is a (Miurch. !i. 'fnltlifully— an act becoming a faithful man. wiintsoevcr thoti doent-A distinct Greek word from the former "doost:" translate, "workest:" whatsoever work, or brotlifi ly love (v. 8, 10). That Epistle was not designed by the .Spirit for the universal Church, or else it would have been preserved, unto tl»e ('hurcli—of which Caius Is a inembor. lovetli . . . pre-eminence—through ambition. Evidently occupying a high place In the Churdkhere Caius was (v. 10). amon;; tl«em—oi'cr the members of the (;hurch. receiveth uh not—virtually, viz., by no\. receiving with love the brethren whom we recommended to bo received (r. 8, 10 ; cf. Matthew 10. -10). 10. if I eome—( V. H.) lalxi'.ir of love, tliou dost perform. So Matthew 20. 10, ".She hath wrought a good ivork u|)on me." and to gtrnn Kern—The oldtst MSS., "And that (i. c, and those brethren) strangers." The fact of the brethren whom thou didst entertain being "strangers," enli Mnces the love uianlfcsted in the act. 0. borne wllncHM of tliy • liarlty before tlic Church—to stimulate others by the good cxiunple. The brethren so entertained liy Cains were uilsslonary evangelists (i'. 7); and, probably. In the course of narrat ing their missionary labours lor the cdl Hcallon of the Church where John then was. Incidentally
I will rememlwr- "I will liilng to niind" before all
Iiy stigmatizing and punishing, prating — with merp silly tattle, neitlner dotli he . . . receive tiic I>rethreiii —with hospitality. "The brethren" are the misslonivrlet on their journey, forl>iddeth tliein Mint would- -r©. ineiitioni'd the loving hospitality shown th<>m by Caius. hrlnn '<*•'""•'' on tlieir Journey— " If thou (continue to) lorwurd on their Journey" by glv'ng thctii iirovlslims for 540 celv(^ them, easteth tliem—those that would recidve the brethren, by excommunication from the Church, which his liitlucnce, as a leading man (v. I') in It, enabled hini to Introduction. JUDE. TntrodurMon. do. Neander thinks that the missionaries were Jews by birth, whence it is said in their praise tliey look nothing /roTO THE Gentiles: in contrast toother Jewisli missionaries who abused ministers' right of maintenance elsewliere, as Paul tells us, 2Corinthians 11.22; Pliilippians 3. 2,5,19. Now In the Gentile cliurches there existed an ultra-Pauline party of anti-Jewish tendency, the forerunners of Marcion: Dlotrephes possibly stood at the head of this party, which fact, as well as his domineering spirit, may account for his hostility to tlie missionaries, and to the apostle J3hn, who had, by the power of love, tried to harmonize the various elements in the Asiatic churches. At a later period, Marcion, we know, attached himself to Paul alone, and paid no deference to the authority of John. H. follow not that wliieU Is evil as manifested in Dlotrephes (v. 9, 10). tout . . . good—as manifested in Demetrius (v. 12). is of God.—is born of God, who is good, hath not seen God—spiritually, not literally. 13. of all men—who have had opportunity of knowing his character, of tlie truth itself—The Gospel Standard ot truth bears witness to him that he walks conformably to it, in acts of real love, hospitality to the brethren (in contrast to Diotrepties), &c. Cf. John 3. 21 " He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God. we also—besides tlie testimony of •' a 1 men," and "of th* truth itself." ye know—The oldest MSS. read, " thoi knowesf." 13. I will not—rather a;i Greek, "I wish no.
. . . to write" more. 14. face to face— GreeA, "mouth to mouth." peace—Peace inward of conscience, peace fraternal of friendship, peace supernal of glory. [Lyra.] friends—a title seldom used in the New Testament, as it is absorbed in the higher titles of " brotlier, brethren." Still Christ recognizes the relation offriend also, based on the highest grounds, obedience to Him from love, and entailing the highest privileges, admission to the intimacy of the holy and glorious God, and sympathizing Saviour; so Christians have "friends" in Clirist. Here In a friendly letter, mention of " friends" appropriately occurs, by name—no less than if their names were written. [Bengel.J
THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF
JUDE.
INTRODUCTION.
AuTiiOK.—He calls himself In the address " the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James." See Introduction to the Epistle of James, in proof of James the ax>ostle, and James the Lord's brother, the bishop of Jerusalem, being one and the same person. Galatlans 1. 19 alone seems to me to prove this. Similarly, Jude the brother of our Lord, and Jude the apostle, seem to be one and the same. Jerome, Contra Helvidiam, rightly maintains that by the Lord's bretliren are meant his cousins, children of Mary and Cleophas (the same as Alphseus). From 1 Corinthians 9. 5 (as "brethren of tlie Lord" stands between "other apostles" and " Cephas"), it seems natural to think that the brethren of the Lord are distinguislied from the apostles only because all his brethren were not apostles, but only James and ,Jude. Jude'.s reason for calling himself " brother of James," was that James, as bishop of Jerusalem, was better known than him* self. Had he been, in the strict sense, brother of our Lo^-d, he probably would have so entitled himself. His omission of mention of his apostleship is no proof that he was not an apostle; for so also James omits it in his heading; and Paul, in his Epistles to the Philippians, The.ssalonians, and Philemon, omits it. Had the writer been a counterfeiter of the apostle Jude, he would doubtless have called himself an " apostle." He was called also Lebbeeus and Thaddeus, probably to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot, the traitor. Lebbseus, from Hebrew leeh, "heart," means courageous. Tliaddeus is the same as Theudas, from Hebreiv thad, the "breast." Luke and John, writing later than Matthew, when there would be no confusion between him and Judas Iscariot, give his name Judas. The only circumstance relating to him recorded in tiie Gospels occurs John It. 22, "Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, liow is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?" &c. Jerome {Annotaiiones in MatlhcKum) says, that he was sent to Edessa, to Abgarus, king of Osroene, or Edessa, and that he preached in Syria, Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Persia, in which last country he suffered martyrdom. Tlie story is told on Eusebius' authority, that Abgarus, on his sick bed, having heard of Jesus' power to heal, sent to beg Him to come and cure him, to which the Lord replied, praising his faith, that though he had not seen the Saviour, he yet believed ; adding, "As for what thou hast written, that I should come to thee, it is necessary that all tliose things for which I was sent should be fulfilled by me in tills place, and that having filled them I should be received up to Him tliat sent me. When, tlierefore, I shall be received into heaven, I will send unto tliee some one of my disciples who shall both heal thy distemper and give life to thee and those with thee." Thomas is accordingly said to have been inspired to send Thaddeus for the cure and baptism of Abgarus, The letters are said to have been shown Tliaddeus among the archives of Edessa. It is possible such a message was verbally sent, and tlie substance of it registered in writing afterwards (cf. 2 Kings 5. ; and Matthew 15. 22). Hegesip-
PU.S {in Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 3. 20) states, that when Domitian inquired after David's posterity, .some grandsons of Ju.de, called the Lord's brother, were brought into his presence. Being asked as to their possessions, they said that they had tliirty-nine acres of the value of 90OO denarii, out of which tliey paid him taxes, and lived by the labour of their hands, a proof of which they gave by showing tlie hardness of tlieir hands. Being interrogated as to Christ and His kingdom, they replied, that it was not of tliis world, but heavenly; and that it would be manifested at the end of the world, when He would come in glory to judge the living and the dead.
Authenticity.—Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 3. 25, reckons it among the Anliler/omena or controverted Scriptures, "thougli recognized by tlie majority." Tlie reference to tlie contest of Michael, the archangel, witli the devil, for the body of Moses, not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament, but found in the apocrijphal " Book of Enoch," probably raised doubts as to its authenticity, as Jehome (CaiaJoi/ui Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum, 4) says. Moreover, its not being addres.sed to one particular Cliurcli, or individual, caused it not to be so immediately recognized as canonical. A counterfeiter would have avoided using what did not occur in the Old Testament, and whicli might be regarded as apocryphal.
As to tlie book of Enoch, If quot<^d by Jude, his quotation of a pa.ssage from It gives ar inspired sanction only to Oi' truth of that passage, not to the whole book; just as Paul, by inspiration, sanctions particular sentiments from oil
Tntroduction. JUDE. Introduction.
Aratus, Epimenides, and Menander, but not all their writings. I think, rathei fts t.iere is some slight variation between Jude's statement and that of tlie booli of Eiiocli, tliat Jude, though probably not ignorant of the book of Enoch, Btanips with inspired sanction the current tradition of the Jews as to Enocli's prophecies; just as Paul mentions the names of the Egyptian magicians, " Jannes and Jambres," not mentioned in the Old Testament. At all events, tho prophecy ascrilied to Enoch by Jude was really his, being sanctioned as such by this inspired writer. So also the narration as to the archangel Michael's dispute with Satan concerning the body of Moses, is by Jude's inspired authority (d. 9) declared true. The book of Enoch is quoted by Justin Martyr, Irencs, Clement of Alexandria, &c. Bruce, the Abyssinian traveler, brought liome tliree copies of it in Ethiopic, from Alexandria, of which Archbishop Lawrence, in 1821, gave an English translation. The Ethiopic was aversion from the Greek, and th« Greek doubtless a version from the Hebrew, as tlie names of the angels in it show. The postolic Constitutions, Origen (Contra Celsum), Jerome, and Augustine, pronounce it not canonical. Yet it is in the main edifying, vindicating God's government of the world, natural and spiritual, and contradicting none of the Scripture statements. The name Jesus never occurs, though "Son of man," so often given to Messiah in the Gospels, Is frequent, and terras are used expressive of His dignity, character, and acts, exceeding the views of Messiah in any other Jewish book. The writer seems to have been a Jew who had become thoroughly imbued with the sacred writings of Daniel. And. though many coincidences occur between its sentiments and the New Testament, the Messianic portions are not distinct enough to prove that the writer knew the New Testament. Rather, he seems to have immediately preceded Christ's coming, about the time of Herod the Great, and so gives us a most interesting view of believing Jews' opinions before the advent of our Lord. The Trinity is recognized, 60. 13, 14. Messiah is " the elect One"' existing from et«rnity, 48. 2, 3, 5; "Ail kings shall fall down before Him, and worship and fix their hopes on this Son of man," 61.
10-13. He is the object of worship, 48. 3, 4; He is the supreme Judge, 60. 10, 11; 68. 38, 39. There shall be a future state of retribution, 93. 8, 9 ; 94. 2, 4 ; chs. 95., 96., 99., 103. The eternity of future punishment, 103. 5. Volkmau, in Alford, thinks the book was written at tlie time of the sedition of Barchochebas (A. d. 132), by a follower of Rabbi Akiba, the upholder of that impostor. This would make tlie book Antichristian in its origin. If this date be correct, doubtless it copied some things from Jude, giving them the Jewish, not the Christian, colouring. ^ EuSEBius (Demonstratio JSvangelica, 3. 5) remarks, it accords with John's humility that In 2 and 3 John he calls himself " the elder." For the same reason James and Jude call themselves "servants of Jesus Christ." Clemens Alexandrinus (Adumbrations, in Ep. Jud., p. 1007) says, "Jude, through reverential awe, did not call himself brother, but servant, of Jesus Clirist, and brotlier of James."
Tertullian (De Cultu Fa:minarum, c. 3) cites the Epistle as that of the apostle James. Clemens Alexandrinus quotes it (v. 8, 17) as Scripture, Slromata 3., 2. 11 ; and (v. 5) in Pcedagogus 3., 8. 44. The Muratori fragment asserts its canonicity. [Routh, Reliquia <Sae)-re, 1. ,306.1 Origen (Commentary on Matthew 13. 55) says, "Jude wrote an Epistle of few lines, but one filled full of the strong words of lieavenly grace." Also, in Commentary on Matthew 22. 23, he quotes V. 6; and on Matthew 18. 10, he quotes v. 1. He calls the writer "Jude the apostle," in the Latin remains of his works (cf. Davidson, Introduction III. 498). Jerome (Catalogus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum 4) reckons It among the Scriptures. Though the oldest MSS. of the Peschito omit it, Ephrem Syrus recognizes it. Wordsworth reasons for Its genuineness tlius: St. Jude, we Itnow, died before St. Jolin, i. e., before the beginning of the second century. Now Eusebius (Ecclesiastical History 3. 32) tells us that St. James was succeeded in the bishopric of Jerusalem by SymeoD his brother: and also tliat Symeon sat in tliatsee till a. d. 107, wlien as a martyr he was crucified in his 120th year, We find that the Epistle to Jude was known in the East and West in the second century; it was therefore circulated in Symeon's lifetime. It never would have received currency such as it had, nor would Symeon have permitted a letter bearing the name of an apostle, his own brother Jude, brother of his own apostolical predecessor, St. James, to have been circulated, if it were not really St. Jude's. To Whom Addressed. — The references to Old Testament history, v. 5, 7, and to Jewish tradition, v. 14, Ac, make it liliely that Jewish Christians are the readers to wliom Jude mainly (though Including also all Christians, v.
1) writes, just as the kindred Epistle, 2 Peter, is addressed primarily to the same class; cf. Introductions to 1 and 2
Peter. The persons stigmatized in it were not merely libertines (as Alford thinks), though no doubt that was one of their prominent characteristics, but lieretics in doctrine, "denying tlie only Lord God, and our Saviour Jesus
Christ." Hence he urges believers " earnestly to contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints." Insubordination, self-seeking, and licentiousness, the fruit of Antinomian toacliings, were the evils against which Jude warns his readers; reminding them that, to build themselves in their most holy faith, and to pray In the Holy Ghost, are tlie only effectual safeguards. The same evils, along willi mocking skepticism, shall characterize the last days before the final judgment, even as in the days when Enoch warned the ungodly of the coming flood. As Peter was in Babylon In writing 1 Peter 5. 13, and probably also in writing 2 Peter (cf. Introductions to 1 and 2 Peter), it seems not unlikely that Jude addressed his Epistle primarily to the Jewith Christians in and about Mesopotamian Babylon (a place of great resort to the Jews In that day), or else to the Christian Jews dispersed in Fontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, the persons addressed by Peter. For Jude Is expressly said to have preached In Mesopotamia (Jerome, Annotaliones in Matlhceum), and his Epistle, consisting of only twenty-five verses, contains in tliem no less than eleven passages from 2 Peter (see the list In my Introduction to 2 Peter). Probably In v. 4 ho witne'sses to the fulfilment of I'eter's prophecy, "There are cei tnlii men crt'j)t in unaivares, who were before of old ordained (rather as Oreek, ' forewritten,' i.e., announced beforehand by the apostle Peter's uyritten prophecy) to this condemnatitm, ungodly men denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." Cf. 2 I'eler 2. 1, "There shall be false teacliers among you who primly shall bring In damnable heresies, even denying the lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." Also t). 17, 18 plainly refers to the very words of 2 Peter 3. 3, " Remember tho words which were spoken belong of the apostles of our Lord Jesus; how they told you tluno should be mockers in the last time who should walk vjlcr their own ungodly lusts." This proves, in opposl Moii to Alfoui), that Judo's Epistle Is later than Peter's (whose Inspiration he thus confirms. Just as I'eter eonfli ins Paul's, 2 Peter 3. 15, 16), not vice versa. TiMK ANH Place ok Writing.—Aliord thinks, that, considering St. Judo was writing to Jews and citing signal Instances of Divine vengeance. It Is very unlikely lie would have omitted to allude to the d(«tructlon of Jeruxalem if he had written after that event which uprooted lliir Jewish polity and people. He conjectures from the tcmeaiid rclerences that tlie writer lived in I'lilcstine. lUil as to the former, negative evidence Is doubtful ; for neither does John allude In his Epistles, written after the destruction of Jerusalem, to that event. Mill fixes on A. D., 90, nfter the death of all the apostles suvo John. I lucllne to think from v. 17, 18 that some llmu had elapsed st Doe the Exhortation to be Constant in the Faith. JUDE. False Teachers Creep in to Seduee them.
Second Epistle of Peter (written probably about a. d. 68 or G9) when Jude wrote, and, therefore, that the Eplstlo of Tilde was written after the destruction of Jerusalem.
Ver. 1-25. ADDRESS : Greeting : His Object in Wkittng: Warning against Seducers in Doctrine and overtook the apostate angels. The disobedient Israelites, Sodom and Gomorrah, Balaam and Core, and which are written "for an example" (v. 7, and 5, 6, H). God's eternal character as the Punisher of sin, as set forth in Scripture "of old," is the ground on which such apostate characters are ordained to condemnation. Scripture is the reflection of God's book of life in which believers are " written among the living." "Forewritten" is applied also in Romans 15. 4 to the things written in Scripture. Scripture itself reflects God's character from everlasting, which is the ground of His decrees from everlasting. Bengel explains it as an abbreviated phrase for, "Tiiey were of old foretold by Enoch {v. 14, who did not write his prophecies), and afterwards marked out by the written word." to this condemnation—Jude giaphically puts their judgment as Practice from God's Vengeance on Apostates, Israel, the Fallen Angels, Sodom and Gomorrah. Description of these Bad Men, in Contrast to Michael: Like Cain, Balaam, AND Core: Enoch's Prophecy AS to them: The Apostles' Forewarning: Concluding Exhortation as to Preserving their own Faith, and Trying to Save Others : Doxology. 1. servant of Jesus Christ—as His minister and apostle, brother of James — wlio was more widely litiown as bishop of Jerusalem and " broliier or the Lord " (;'. c, either cousin, or stepbrother, being son of Josepli by a former marriage; for ancient traditions universally agree that Slary, Jesus' mother, continued perpetually a virgin). Jude therefore calls himself modestly " brother of James." See my IntroducCion. to them . . . sanctified by Gofl the Father—Tlie oldest MSS. and versions, Origen, Lucifer, it were present before the eyes, " this." Enoch's prophecy comprises the "ungodly men" of the last days before Christ's coming to judgment, as well as their forerunners, tlie "ungodly men" before the flood, the type of the last
&c., read, "beloved " for satictified. If English Version be read, cf. Colossians 1. 12; 1 Peter 1. 2. The Greek is not "by," but "in." God the Father's love is the element in wh ch they are "beloved." Thus the conclusion, v. 21, corresponds, " Keep yourselves in the love of God." Cf. "Beloved of the Lord " 2 Thessalonians 2. 13. preserved in Jesus Christ— "kept." Translate not "in," but as Greek "for Jesus Christ." "Kept continually (so the Greek perfect participle means) by God the Father for Jesus Christ," against the day of His coming. Jude, beforehand, iflentions the source and guarantee for the final accomplishment of believers' s.alvatiou; lest tliey sliould be disheartened by the dreadful evils which he proceeds to announce. [Bengel.] and called—Predicated of " them judgment (Matthew 24. 37-39 ; 2 Peter 3. 3-7). The disposition and the doom of both correspond, the grace of our God—A phrase for the Gospel especially sweet to believers who appropriate God in Christ as "our God," and so rendering the more odious the vile perversity of those who turn the Gospel state of grace and liberty into a ground of licentiousness, as if their exemption from the law gave them a. license to sin. denying the only Lord —The oldest MSS., versions, and Fathers omit "God," which follows in English Version. Translate as the Greek, "the only Master;" here used of Jesus Christ, who is at once Master and " Lord" (a dlflferent Greekword). So 2 Peter 2. 1, Note. By virtue of Christ's perfect oneness with the Father, He, as well as the Father, is termed " th(! ONLY" God and "Master." Greek, "Master," Implies God's absolute ownership to dispose of His creatures as He likes. 5. (Hebrews 3. 16; 4. l;J.) therefore—Other oldest MSS. and Vulgate read, "But;" in contrast to the ungodly tliat are beloved in G9d the Father, and preserved in Jesus f'hrist: who are called." God's effectual calling In the exercise of His Divine prerogative, guarantees their eternal safety. iJ. Mercy—in a time of wretcliedness. Therefore mercy stands. first; tlie mercy of Christ (v. 21). peace—in tlie Holy Ghost {v. 20). love—of God (v.
V. i. though ye once—rather, "once for all." Translate, " I wish to remind you, as knowing all (viz., that lam referring to. So the oldest MSS., versions, and Fathers) once for all." As already they know all the facts once for 21). The three answer to the Divine Trinity, be multiplied— in you and towards you. 3. Design of the Epistle (cf. V. 20, 21). all diligence — (2 Peter 1. 5.) As the minister is to give all diligence to admonish, so the people should, In accordance with his aduionition, give all, he needs only to " remind" them, the Liord—The oldest M.SS. and versions read, " Jesus." So " Christ" is said to have accompanied the Israelites In the wilderness ; so perfectly is Jesus one with the God of the Israelite theocracy, saved—brought safely, and Into a state of safety and salvation, afterward Greek, "secondly;" in the ne.xt instance "destroyed them that believed not," as contrasted with His in the first instance having saved them, 6. (2 Peter 2.4.) kept not their first estate Vulgate translates, "their own principality," which the fact of angels being elsewhere called "principalities," favours: " their own" implies that, instead of being content with the dignity once for all assigned to them under the Son oi God, they aspired higher. Alford thinks the narrative in Genesis 6. 2 is alluded to, not the fall of the devil amu his angels, as he thinks "glvin-g themselves over to fornication" (u. 7) proves; cf. Greek, "in like manner to all diligence to have all Christian graces, and to make tlielr calling sure, the common salvation — wrought by Christ. Cf. Note, "obtained like precious faitli,"' 2 Peter 1. 1. This community of faith, and of the object of faith, salvation, forms the ground of mutual exhortation by appeals to common hopes and fears, it was needful for me—rather, " I felt it necessary to write (now at once; so the Greek aorist means ; tlie present infinitive
to write,' which precedes, expresses merely the general fact of writing) exhorting you." The reason wliy he felt
It necessary "to write with exhortation," he states, v. A, "For there are certain men crept in," Ac. Having intended to write generally of i/ie common so Joaiort, he found it necessary from the existing evils in the Church, to write specially that they sliouhl contend for. the faith agaiixst those evils, earnestly contend—Cf. Philippians these," viz., to the angels [v. 6). It seems to me more natural to take "sons of God" (Genesis 6. 2) of the Sethiles, than of angels, who, as " spirits," do not seem capable of carnal connection. The parallel, 2 Peter 2. 4, plainly re-
1.27, " striving together for the faith of the Gospel." once — Greek, "once for all delivered," <tc. No odier faith or revelation is to supersede it. A strong argunifut for resisting heretical innovators (d. 4). Believers, like Nehemlali's workmen, with one hand " build themselves up in their most holy faith," with the other they "contend ca'-nestly for the faith" against its foes, the sninis—all tMiristlans, holy (i. e., con.secrated to God) by their calling, and in God's design. crept in unawarei>—sIcalUilly and unlawfully. jyote,'ZPi:U-T 2. 1, "7;rii'i/i shall bring in damnable heresies." certain men — Implying disparagement, before . . , ordained— C/rffc, " forewritten," viz., in Peters prophecy v. 17, 18; and in Paul's before that, 1 Timothy 4. 1 fers to the fall of the apostate angels. And " in like manner to these," v. 7, refers to the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, "the cities about them" sinning "in like manner" as they did. [E.STius and Calvin.] Even If Greek "these," V. 7, refer to the angels, the sense of "in like manner as these" will bo, not that tlie angels carnally fornicated with the daughters of men, but that their ambilion, whereb.v their affections went away from God and they fell, is in God's view a sin of like kind spiritually as Sodom's going away from God's order of nature after strange flesh; the sin of tlie apostate angein after their 643
2Ttmothy .'1. 1 ; and by implication in thejudgments which