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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Bengel Commentary - 2 Peter 1:4 - 1:4
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2Pe 1:4. διʼ ὧν, by which) that is, by His glory and virtue. His glory causes, that the promises are very great; His virtue, that they are precious.-ἡμῖν-γένησθε, to us-ye might become) He now gradually approaches to the exhortation. And the expression, equally precious, in 2Pe 1:1, supports the change from the first person to the second.-ἐπαγγέλματα δεδώρηται, has given us promises) The promise itself is a gift; then also that which follows it, the thing promised. Peter, both when speaking in the Acts, and when writing in his Epistles, with great solemnity, σεμνῶς, is accustomed to put substantives in the plural number.-ἳνα διὰ τούτων, that by these) that is, by the glory and virtue of Him. Communion itself with God was promised: wherefore Peter might have said because; but he says that, with greater force. For the promise is given, that being allured by it, we may obtain the thing promised, which is great and precious.-θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως, partakers of the Divine nature) The Divine nature is God Himself. Thus we have Divine power, 2Pe 1:3; excellent glory, 2Pe 1:17; the holiness of God, Heb 12:10, for God Himself. See Macarius, Homil. 39. In like manner, the nature of man, etc., is used, Jam 3:7. As escaping is opposed to partakers, so corruption through lust is opposed to the Divine nature. Moreover glory and corruption, virtue and lust, are contraries. And thus the title, the Divine nature, includes glory and virtue; and the same is called the Divine power, inasmuch as it is the origin of all that is good; and the Divine nature, inasmuch as it admits us to itself. But there is a gradation; and these two things differ as a part and the whole, namely, to receive the gifts of the Divine POWER (δυνάμεως), and to he a partaker of the Divine NATURE, that is, to become holy; comp. Rom 1:20.-ἀποφυγόντες, escaping) hastily and swiftly. Φεύγω, I flee; ἀποφευγω, I flee from, escape. This flight is here put, not so much for our duty, as for a Divine benefit, accompanying communion with God: comp. ch. 2Pe 2:18; 2Pe 2:20.-τῆς ἐν κόσμῳ ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ φθορᾶς, the corruption which is in the world through lust) ch. 2Pe 2:20; 2Pe 2:18-19. The sentiment is: In the world is corruption through lust.