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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2Pe_3:14-18
14Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
2Pe_3:14 "be diligent to be found by Him in peace" This is an aorist active imperative, which emphasizes urgency. Believers have a responsibility to live godly lives. There must be an appropriate covenantal response to God's love.
The second verbal is an aorist passive infinitive. It apparently refers to "the day of God" in 2Pe_3:12. Jesus often uses the illustration of believers as stewards put in charge of their master's estate. They must be ready at any time for His return and at that time to give an account of their stewardship (cf. Mar_13:33-37; Luk_18:8).
Peace is only possible if (1) the person has responded to the gospel offer; (2) the person understands the gospel message; and (3) the person is daily living out the gospel. The false teachers and their followers fail on all three counts and they have no peace!
▣ "spotless and blameless" This phrase is used in 1Pe_1:19 to refer to Christ (cf. Joh_8:46; Joh_14:30; Luk_23:41; 2Co_5:21; Heb_4:15; Heb_7:26-27; 1Pe_2:22; 1Pe_3:18; 1Jn_2:2; 1Jn_4:14). It is an OT metaphor to describe the purity of sacrificial animals (cf. Lev_22:19-20). We are to live in light of (1) Christ's example, (2) Christ's commands, and (3) Christ's coming!
2Pe_3:15
NASB, NRSV "regard the patience of our Lord assalvation"
NKJV "and accountthat the longsuffering of our Lord issalvation"
TEV "Look on our Lord's patience as the opportunity he is giving you to be saved"
NJB "Think of our Lord's patience as your opportunity to be saved"
To whom does this refer (1) Christians who are already saved or (2) the ungodly and rebellious false teachers and their followers? It is obviously looking back to God's patience in 2Pe_3:9. Some take advantage of God's mercy to sin and live self-centered lives. Others embrace God's forgiveness and emulate His character.
▣ "just as our beloved brother Paul" This phrase clearly shows that there was no tension between Paul and Peter. Each of them recognized the call and giftedness of the other (cf. Gal. 2 7-10). The incident recorded in Gal_2:11-21 did not cause a permanent rift.
▣ "wrote to you" It is uncertain as to which of Paul's letters this refers. If the recipients (Asia Minor) are the same as 1 Peter and Paul wrote Galatians to a northern group of churches in Asia Minor, then Galatians was written early to the same area that 2 Peter is written to, and the best possible option is Galatians. But in reality we do not know.
Option number two is that since the general topic of this chapter is the Second Coming, then possibly Paul's early letters to the Thessalonians is what is referred to. Option three is that some speculate that part of Romans functioned originally as a cyclical letter. For me Galatians or Romans, which are Paul's more salvation-oriented theological books, are probably the best guess.
2Pe_3:16 "as also in all his letters" Much of the criticism of 2 Peter being written by the Apostle Peter relates to this reference to Paul's letters. It is true that all of Paul's letters were gathered together and circulated under the title "The Apostle," but this happened much later than Peter's death under Nero (a.d. 64-68). However, this text does not assert how many of Paul's letters Peter is talking about, nor does this reference imply the circulation of the entire corpus.
▣ "speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to understand" What things? (1) Revelation (cf. 2Pe_3:2); (2) the last days (2Pe_3:3-4 a); (3) creation (2Pe_3:4-5); (4) the flood of Noah (2Pe_3:6); (5) judgment day (2Pe_3:7; 2Pe_3:10); (6) God's time (2Pe_3:9); (7) the Second Coming (2Pe_3:12); (8) the new age of righteousness (2Pe_3:12-13); (9) personal salvation (2Pe_3:14 a, 15a); (10) godly living (2Pe_3:11; 2Pe_3:14 b); or (11) something in chapter one or two?
Whatever it was the false teachers misunderstood it and twisted it to their own ruin. In this sense it is possibly Paul's emphasis on salvation as a free gift from God apart from human works of righteousness (i.e., justification by faith). It is possible that James (cf. Jas_2:14-26) corrects another misunderstanding of Paul's preaching.
▣ "which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures"It is helpful to me to realize that the Apostles who personally walked with Jesus for several years did not always understand Him (cf. Mar_9:32; Luk_2:50; Luk_9:45; Luk_18:34; Joh_2:22; Joh_10:6; Joh_12:16; Joh_16:18). Neither did all the Apostles understand the writings of other Apostles. We are called to be a faithful witness and godly covenant brother! None of us understands all things.
In the NT the term "Scriptures" always refers to the OT. The NT was not completed and compiled until the end of the first century. Most of the familiar texts on inspiration and trustworthiness of Scripture refer to the OT (cf. Mat_5:17-19; 1Co_2:9-13; 1Th_2:13; 2Ti_3:16; 1Pe_1:23-25; 2Pe_1:20-21).
This is one of the very few places where NT writings are equated with OT Scriptures. Peter affirms Paul's inspiration and the authority of his writings by this phrase.
▣ "to their own destruction" The Bible is God's self-revelation to a lost and needy world. Sinful humans (i.e., false teachers) twist it to their own peril. Judgment is coming; Jesus is the only hope; everyone will stand before God one day!
2Pe_3:17 "knowing this beforehand" False teachers are always present! The readers were worried about the false teachers' use of Scripture (i.e., OT) and Apostolic writings (cf. 2Pe_3:2). There are several biblical ways to discern a false teacher.
1. signs or wonders, but in the name of another god (Deu_13:1-5)
2. accurate prediction of the future, but in the name of another god (Deu_18:18-22)
3. lifestyle (Matthew 7; James, 1 John, and 2 Peter)
4. miracles are not automatically a sign of God (Mat_24:24)
5. message must be Christocentric (1Jn_4:1-6)
6. misinterpretation of God's revelation (2Pe_3:2)
▣ "be on your guard" This is a present middle imperative. This is a military term like 1Pe_1:4. Believers have a personal responsibility to continue to check and evaluate what others say about God/Christ. There are deceivers both within and without the fellowship (cf. Eph_4:14; Eph_6:11-12). Do not be spiritually naive!
▣ "so that you are not carried away" This is an aorist passive participle. It is the opposite of the OT term for faith that meant to be firm-footed (i.e., steadfastness or stability). This same term describes Peter's own actions in Gal_2:13.
2Pe_3:18 "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior" This is a present active imperative. It has been a central theme of the book. Believers guard against error by growing in the knowledge of the gospel and living out the gospel. This is parallel to Jud_1:20.
▣ "To Him be the glory" This phrase is used predominately of God the Father (see note at 1Pe_4:11, cf. Jude; 2 Pet. 3:24-25), but occasionally of Christ (cf. 2Ti_4:18; 2Pe_3:18; Rev_1:6).
In the OT the most common Hebrew word for "glory" (kbd) was originally a commercial term which referred to a pair of scales and meant "to be heavy." That which was heavy was valuable or had intrinsic worth. Often the concept of brightness was added to express God's majesty (cf. Exo_19:16-18; Exo_24:17; Isa_60:12). He alone is worthy and honorable. He is too brilliant for fallen mankind to behold (cf. Exo_33:17-23; Isa_6:5). God can only be truly known through Christ (cf. Jer_1:14; Mat_17:2; Heb_1:3; Jas_2:1).
The term glory is somewhat ambiguous.
1. it may be parallel to "the righteousness of God"
2. it may refer to the holiness or perfection of God
3. it could refer to the image of God in which mankind was created (cf. Gen_1:26-27; Gen_5:1; Gen_9:6), but which was later marred through rebellion (cf. Gen_3:1-22)
It is first used of YHWH's presence with His people in Exo_16:7; Exo_16:10; Lev_9:23; Num_14:10.
NASB, NRSV "both now and to the day of eternity"
NKJV "both now and forever"
TEV "now and forever"
NJB "in time and eternity"
This is literally "both now and unto a day of age." It is a unique form of a typical ending, somewhat parallel to Jud_1:25. The Jews saw history in terms of two ages, an evil age and a coming age of righteousness. This coming age is synonymous with the eternal kingdom. See Special Topic at Mar_13:8.
▣ "Amen" This word is absent in the ancient uncial Greek manuscript B (i.e., Vaticanus), but present in P72, à , A, and C. See Special Topic at Mar_3:28.
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