"Living In The Shadow Of The
Coming Day Of The Lord"
2 Peter 3:14-18
(This Sermon was preached at Trinity Bible Church
on September 30, 2001. All Scripture
references used in this sermon are based upon the NASB®,
unless otherwise stated)
| This Sermon was written and submitted by: Joseph M. Willmouth, Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Biloxi, Mississippi 39532. This contributed article is copyright protected, and the sole property of the contributing author. It may be freely copied and used provided the above credits are included. Document expiration: indefinite. |
14 Therefore, 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 to be 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.17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you 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.
Introduction: Peter closes out this epistle by stating that while we expectantly wait for the coming Day of the Lord, we should do so with a deepened desire to live a life that is pleasing to God knowing that we shall soon stand before the Lord to give an account of our lives. Elwood McQuaid sums it up like this, "It has been said that a person's relationship with Jesus Christ is the first and last event in the journey through this life. When we first become believers our thinking is dominated by the thought that we have 'found the Lord.' That emphasis marks the first stage of our journey. As we approach the end of the journey, however, another thought ascends to prominence. We wonder how God will 'find' (appraise) us. Peter again reminds his readers to watch for the Lord's return and the new reality awaiting them" (SFLD). Sadly what is missing is how we live the "middle" part of our Christian life, the part in between the "first and last event" in our Christian journey. The Christian attitude in this area should be consistent from start to finish, because we are Living In The Shadow Of The Coming Day Of The Lord.
I. Be Diligent To Live A Godly
Life (v.14).
1. Live in peace with one another (v.14a).
A. Godly living is sustained from beginning to end by diligence.Application: If we are not willing to endeavor do our best to live godly lives, then we will never do it, and we will certainly not live in peace with others. This is probably the number one reason why many Christian marriages fail, because they cannot live in peace with one another if they are not trying to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. This is probably the number one reason why churches are tearing themselves apart, because they cannot live in peace with one another if individual Christians are not willing to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. Living a godly life requires an intense effort on the part of the believer, because our sin nature continues to battle for control of our lives. This is why the apostle Paul said in Romans 7:18-20, "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me." But Paul goes on to tell us how we can overcome our fleshly nature in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." To live a godly life, a life that is at peace with itself and others, we have to rely upon Christ's strength to see us through this life; and this can only be done through daily prayer and the studying of God's Word. There are no shortcuts in the Christian life, and when you try to take them they will only lead you further away from the Lord and to a mediocre Christian life.1) Peter commands (aorist imperative) Christians to "be diligent," literally "be diligent now!"B. Believers are to diligently seek to live in peace.A) "spoudazo" {spoo-dad'-zo}); to exert one's self, endeavor, give diligence, do your best to.2) The apostle Paul says the same thing in 2 Timothy 2:15, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth."B) The word speaks of intense effort (Wuest).
A) KJV uses the word "study."B) It is also in the aorist imperative, thus it is a command to "do it now!"
1) "peace," ("eirene" {i-ray'-nay}); peace, the disposition characterized by inner rest and harmony, freedom from anxiety, undisturbed.A) This refers to the saints living at peace with one another (Wuest).2) Knowing that the Day of the Lord can come at any moment should make us zealous to be found in a state of peace (BBC).B) True peace doesn't come through external things, but thought a knowledge of God's plans and a perfect reliance upon Him (EBC).
(1) Philippians 4:6-7, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."C) Peace is used in its fullest sense -- peace with God and with man; the peace which Christ giveth; "In peace" was a common inscription on Christian graves (PC).(2) Even in the midst of great calamity, the believer can have peace that passes worldly understanding.
2. Live a life that is morally clean (v.14b).
A. Peter tells us that Christians are to make intense efforts to be morally pure ("spotless, blameless") like Christ (EBCNT).Application: How do you want Christ to find you when He returns? Warren Wiersbe states, ". . .we should be careful to follow His[i.e., Christ] example. . . The separated Christian will not permit himself to be 'spotted and blemished' by the false teachers! He wants to meet his Lord wearing pure garments. How do we maintain this eager expectancy that leads to holy living? By keeping 'His promise' before our hearts (2 Peter 3:13). The promise of His coming is the light that shines in this dark world (2 Peter 1:19), and we must be sure that 'the day star' is aglow in our hearts because we love His appearing" (BEC). Our love for the Lord is the key to diligently live a morally clean life in a filthy world. When we lose our "first love" (Rev.2:4), we will also lose our love for living for the Lord. When we lose our love for the Lord, we will also lose our love for the brethren. When a believer loses their love for the Lord they will wander away from the Lord and will take on the characteristics of the world. Listen to what the apostle Paul says about the qualities found in love, and see if you have any of these in your heart when it comes to living your life for the Lord; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, "Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails;. . ." Where will the Lord find you when He returns? In love with Him or in love with the world?1) These two words used here occur in reverse order in 1 Peter 1:19 ("without blemish or defect"), where they refer to Jesus.B. When the Lord comes, all will appear before him, so it should motivate the believer to live a life that is morally clean.A) "spotless," ("aspilos" {as'-pee-los}); spotless, without defect, used here in a moral sense of being pure, clean, or uncorrupted.2) In 2:13 Peter has called the false teachers "blots and blemishes."B) "blameless," ("amometos" {am-o'-may-tos}); (morally) blameless, without rebuke, without reproach.
- "that which cannot be blamed or found fault with." (Wuest).A) The idea of being without spot stands in contrast to the false teachers (EBC).B) There will be no false teachers in heaven (LBC).
- 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."
II. Be On Guard Against False
Teachers (vv.15-17).
1. Be patient while waiting for the fulfillment of God's plan (v.15).
A. Peter encourages believers to patient with the Lord as He delays His coming to give men full opportunity to be saved (v.15a; see v.9).Application: Albert Barnes points out that we should regard the Lord's delay as evidence of his mercy, and of his desire that men should be saved. He goes on to state that, "wicked men should not infer, because God does not cut them down, that therefore they never will be punished, or that God is not faithful to his threatenings. They should rather regard it as a proof that he is willing to save them; because: (1)He might justly cut them off for their sins;(2)the only reason of which we have knowledge why he spares the wicked is to give them space for repentance; and (3)as long as life is prolonged a sinner has the opportunity to repent, and may turn to God." The Lord longs to see men repent from their sins and come unto Him, and is wonderfully patient with them. This passage should speak to the believer's attitude toward the lost. We too need to be patient, even when people don't seem to respond to our sharing the gospel with them. Sometimes we get impatient wishing the Lord would return, but when we do this we forget that the Lord is patiently waiting on others to accept His gift of salvation. The first step for patience in the believer is to have the attitude that Christ displayed in Luke 22:42b, ". . .yet not My will, but Thine be done." A believer's patience is founded upon the desire to see God's will done, and not their own will be done. When we put God first, then we will have all the patience we will need to see us through this life, and we will not be easily misled by any false teachers that may come our way.1) "patience," ("makrothumia" {mak-roth-oo-mee'-ah}); as a state of emotional quietness in the face of unfavorable circumstances, patience, longsuffering.B. Peter reminds us that Paul also wrote of these things (v.15b).- J. Vernon McGee says that "Our patient waiting is a mental adjustment to the present world situation."2) "salvation," ("soteria" {so-tay-ree'-ah}); salvation, deliverance, preservation, safety.A) When the readers see the Lord's longsuffering and see it as salvation for so many they will be strengthened against the mockers of the promise of the coming Day of the Lord (Lenski).B) The longer the Lord delays, the more people can be saved (LBC).
1) Paul also made the point that the Lord's patience leads people towards repentance (BKC).2) Romans 2:4, "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"
2. Know that false teachers will distort God's Word (v.16).
A. Peter isn't criticizing Paul's writings here or his writing style, but that some of his subjects can be hard to understand (v.16a: BBC).Application: False teachers have to twist and distort God's Word because it is the only way they can make it fit into what they are teaching. Warren Wiersbe points out that "Most heresies are the perversion of some fundamental doctrine of the Bible. False teachers take verses out of context, twist the Scriptures , and manufacture doctrines that are contrary to the Word of God." This is why we must not try to make Scripture fit our views, but instead we should conform our views to what the Scriptures teach. There's something else that is going on today that Peter doesn't address here but is just as bad as twisting the Scriptures, and that is when churches remove or down grade God's Word from their services. In the book "The Issachar Factor," by Glen Martin and Gary McIntosh (both are Southern Baptist), we are told that worship services that are attracting people today have a "festival atmosphere" rather than an "oppressive one" [i.e., traditional church services]. They call these services "celebrative worship." They say the trend among the growing churches today is for a well-planned, rehearsed worship services using the best in musicians, sound equipment, and communication skills. They also say that Pastors are artistic overseers of worship, so they must be creative, combining the elements of mood, sound, timing, and energy to create an atmosphere where worship can happen. They say that people today are looking for "application instead of content," and "truth instead of doctrine." This type of "Pop-Churchology" that is going on today is just as bad as twisting or distorting God's Word, because it down plays the importance of God's Word in the life of the believer. Instead to bringing someone closer to God in worship, it is taking people further away from true worship by trying to entertain them. The truth is you can't separate application from content, nor can you separate truth from doctrine because doctrine is simply the teachings of the Bible. Any false teacher or teaching will only separate people further from God and not bring them closer. It may make you feel good for a while or it may entertain you, but it will do nothing toward helping you to really grow in your Christian walk.1) "hard to understand," ("dusnoetos" {doos-no'-ay-tos}); hard to be understood, of things difficult to understand.B. The main point of this verse is not that some of Paul's writing were hard to understand, but that there are people who twist and distort his writings to fit their own purpose (v.16b).2) Some bible truths will never be fully understood on this side of heaven.
A) The Trinity.3) The Word of God is infinite and inexhaustible, and the mind of man is finite and limited.B) God's election and man's free will.
C) The mystery of suffering.
4) J. Vernon McGee says here that Peter was saying that Paul wrote of truth in depth.
1) These untaught and unstable people were not Christians.C. Peter also points out that these individuals not only distorted Paul's writings, but they treated all of God's Word in that way (v.16c).A) "untaught," ("amathes" {am-ath-ace'}); unlearned, ignorant, uneducated, untaught people.2) These individuals twisted and distorted God's Word to use it for their own gain.- Literally, "not a learner," and, as the opposite of "disciple" (mathetes), thus indicating that there people were non-Christians (LBC).B) "unstable," ("asteriktos" {as-tay'-rik-tos}); unstable, unsteadfast, used here of people who are not settled in their thinking, unstable persons.A) "distort," ("strebloo" {streb-lo'-o: indic, pres, act}); to twist or wrench, distort, misinterpret words to a false meaning.(1) The KJV uses the old English word, "wrest," which means to twist, deflect, misapply, pervert (KJBWB).B) The point that Peter makes is the fact that some people, namely the ignorant and unstable, twist these difficult things in Paul's letters, "torture" them, "put them on the rack," force them to say what they want them to say (Lenski).(2) "to twist, turn away." The noun form refers to an instrument of torture (Wuest).
- The verb thus means also, "to torture, put to the rack, to twist or dislocate the limbs on the rack."- Note that Peter's statement puts Paul's letters on par with the rest of the Scriptures.
3. Guard against false teachers and their teachings (v.17).
A. The knowledge that there will always be false teachers and teachings should keep the believer alert (v.17a).Application: How can a believer guard against and recognize false teaching and teachers? J. Vernon McGee does a great job of telling us how, "Oh, don't be a lazy Christian not learning the Word of God. There is not little gimmick, there is no little course you can take in a week, there is not little program that you can go through that will change and revolutionize you life--there is no easy way. We are to seriously study the entire Word of God, not just a few little verse of Scripture that we throw about and kick around like a football. . . My friend, if you have a comprehensive knowledge of Scripture and apply it to your own life, you will be a steadfast Christian." We live in an age of fast foods, fast service, and sound bites. Everybody wants everything now! We see this worldly attitude in most Christians and churches today, where very few Christians take time to study God's Word for themselves. They want to be spoon fed, and want God to supernaturally inspire them to give forth His Word. They seek signs and wonders instead of Word of Truth. Most think that being led by the Holy Spirit is sort of like wetting your figure and holding it up to see which way the wind is blowing. But the truth is as we study and learn God's Word the Holy Spirit uses it to guide, direct, and convict us. That's how the Holy Spirit works in the life of the average believer, so stop looking for miracles and start looking at God's Word, or you may find yourself being led about by "another spirit." I think that most believers need to stop reading all the books that supposedly tell us how to live as Christians, and open the Book of Life. You will never be steadfast in your walk until you get steadfast in your study of God's Word. When you learn to stand upon the foundation of God's Word, then when false teaching comes your way it will not sweep you away, but it will run off like rain off of a roof.1) "knowing this beforehand," ("proginosko" {prog-in-oce'-ko}); to know something beforehand or in advance, foreknow, know before.B. Therefore, believers must be constantly on guard against these things, and should not be caught off guard (v.17b).2) We get our English word, "prognosis" from this Greek word (BKC).
A) When a medical prognosis is made, a patient is better able to prepare themselves for what is ahead and if possible, to correct themselves.B) The patient "knows beforehand" and can therefore change his life in accord with the information he has.
1) "be on your guard," ("phulasso" {foo-las'-so}); keep under watch, carefully guard, take care, be on guard against, look out for, avoid.C. The result of not being on guard will lead the sleepy believer into false teaching and away from the firm foundation of God's truth (v.17c).A) Imperative mood with Present tense: a command to "do it now and keep on doing it."2) A good soldier obeys his orders, but a poor soldier ignores them and then must pay the price for his insubordination.B) Peter uses a military term and commands us literally to "be on guard and keep being on guard."
- Likewise a good Christian obeys their orders, but if they chose to ignore them they will incur the cost of their insubordination in their life.1) This verse indicates that those Christians who fail to be on guard against false teaching can find themselves being swept away or caught up in the lie, and follow after false teachers.A) "being carried away," ("sterigmos" {stay-rig-mos'}); be carried off along with, be led astray, to lead away with or together.2) When this happens, these believers will not be able to maintain their secure position in God's truth, that is they will become doctrinally unstable.B) "error," ("plane" {plan'-ay}); a straying about, one led astray from the right way, error (which shows itself in action), wandering, delusion, deception.
C) "unprincipled men," ("athesmos" {ath'-es-mos}); lawless, unprincipled, of a man who breaks through the restraint of law to satisfy selfish desires or lusts.
A) "fall from," ("ekpipto" {ek-pip'-to}); to fall out of or down from, fall from a position.(1) Note that this isn't speaking of losing one's salvation, but one's steadfast persuasion in God's truth.B) "steadfastness," ("sterigmos" {stay-rig-mos'}); steadfastness of mind, perseverance, firm position as a state of inner stability.(2) This word is used in Acts 27:29 concerning the wreck of a ship, likewise, a Christian who fall from the truth makes a wreck of his life (EBC).
III. Be Growing In Your Faith
(v.18).
1. Continue to grow in God's grace (v.18a).
A. Peter commands us to continue to grow in both God's grace and our knowledge of Jesus Christ.2. Continue to grow in your understanding of God's Word (v.18b).1) "grow," ("auxano" {owx-an'-o}); cause to grow or increase, become greater, grow up.B. Most Christians only think of God's grace as "God's unmerited favor bestowed upon man by giving him salvation when he didn't deserve it."A) Imperative mood with Present tense: a command to "do it now and keep on doing it."2) "grace," ("charis" {khar'-ece}); grace, good will, favor; of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christ faith, knowledge, affection and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.B) Present active imperative, "but keep on growing." (Robertson).
1) While this is true, what Peter is showing us here is a other side of God's grace, that not only did God's grace save us but it continues to work in the life of the believer to help us to grow and mature in Christ.2) Peter spoke of our growing in the grace of God in 2 Peter 1:5-7, "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love."
3) Growing in grace doesn't mean just head knowledge or tireless activity, but it means that we are becoming more like Jesus Christ.
A. Not only are we to grow in God's grace, but in our knowledge of Jesus Christ.Application: Louis Barbieri best sums up this portion of verse 18 like this, "The Christian life is either a life of growth, or it is a life of deterioration. The growth must be both in grace and in knowledge. The knowledge of the Lord. . .will be the safeguard against all apostasy and heresy. The Christian life begins with the knowledge of the Lord, continues in the knowledge of Him as a safeguard, and will eventually culminate in the full knowledge of Him" (EBC). Growth is necessary for steadfastness; we cannot persevere unless we continually advance in faith. Peter insists on the knowledge of Christ as being essential for growth in grace, at the beginning, as well as at the end of this Epistle (PC).1) "knowledge," ("gnosis" {gno'-sis}); knowledge, understanding, as the result of divine enlightenment, insight.B. We grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ by means of His Word and our subjection to His words, works, and ways (BBC).2) Growing in God's grace is objectively related to Peter key word, "knowledge" (BKC).
- It is only as we spend time with Christ, as He is revealed in His Word, can we grow in our knowledge of Him (McGee).
3. Continue to give God the glory forever (v.18c).
A. Peter ends this letter with an exhortation and an affirmative word of praise.Application: We must never forget that in all that we do and say, should glorify God. Peter did not forget this truth. He gave the glory to God for our redemption, for our spiritual growth, for our manifesting the grace of God, for our escaping the false teachers, and for the ultimate return of Jesus Christ (BKC). The glory of man will fade away, but the glory of God will remain for all eternity. Lets commit ourselves to living and giving the glory to whom the glory is due: Jesus Christ.B. This is the ultimate reason for our existence -- to glorify God.
Truths To Ponder:
1. Christians are to be a diligent people.
A. Diligent in peace.2. Christians are forewarned to watch out for false teachers and teachings.B. Diligent in godly living.
A. There is no excuse for a believer in Jesus Christ to be misled by false teaching.3. Christians are saved to grow in Christ.B. False teaching will always lead believers from the sound teaching in God's Word to the unsound teachings of men.
A. Both in God's grace and in our knowledge of Jesus Christ.Word Study NotesB. In all that we do, we should strive to bring glory to God.
Verse Fourteen:
- "therefore," ("dio" {dee-o'});
for this reason, therefore, wherefore.
- "beloved," ("agapetos"
{ag-ap-ay-tos'}); beloved, dearly beloved, very much loved.
-- Wuest: "divinely-loved ones." Peter is reminding the saints that they are loved ones of God, loved with a divine and infinite love.- "look for," ("prosdokao" {pros-dok-ah'-o: part, pres, act}); wait for, look for, expect, anticipate (with an element of tension
-- Aorist Tense with Imperative Mood: "do it now," i.e., "be diligent now!"- "be found," ("heurisko" {hyoo-ris'-ko: inf, aor, pass}); be found to be, proved to be, discovered.
-- Wuest: "do your best, make haste, take care, hurry on." Paul uses this same word in 2 Timothy 2:15. The word speaks of intense effort.
-- Lenski: "Be found by him" undoubtedly refers to the judicial finding of Christ, the Judge, at the day of his Parousia (return, or coming).- "peace," ("eirene" {i-ray'-nay}); peace, the disposition characterized by inner rest and harmony, freedom from anxiety,
-- Wuest: This refers to the saints living at peace with one another.- "spotless," ("aspilos" {as'-pee-los}); spotless, without defect, used here in a moral sense of being pure, clean, or
-- Wuest: "free from censure, irreproachable."- "blameless," ("amometos" {am-o'-may-tos}); (morally) blameless, without rebuke, without reproach.
-- Wuest: "that which cannot be blamed or found fault with."
Verse Fifteen:
- "regard" ("hegeomai" {hayg-eh'-om-ahee:
imper, pres}); regard, esteem, as making a decision after weighing the
facts or
circumstances, consider, think, have an opinion.
- "patience," ("makrothumia"
{mak-roth-oo-mee'-ah}); as a state of emotional quietness in the face of
unfavorable
circumstances, patience, longsuffering.
- "Lord," ("kurios" {koo'-ree-os});
Lord, Master, Sovereign, the possessor and disposer of.
- "salvation," ("soteria"
{so-tay-ree'-ah}); salvation, deliverance, preservation, safety.
-- Lenski: The Lord does not intend that some should perish (v.9), but that all have room for repentance. When the readers see this longsuffering and see it as salvation for so many they will be fortified against all mockers of the promise of the Parousia.- "just as," ("kathos" {kath-oce'}); according as, just as, even as.
-- Robertson: Peter claimed wisdom for himself, but recognizes that Paul had the gift also. His language here may have caution in it as well as commendation. "St. Peter speaks of him with affection and respect, yet maintains the right to criticize" (Bigg).- "wrote," ("grapho" {graf'-o: indic, aor, act}); to write, with reference to the form of the letters.
Verse Sixteen:
- "all," ("pas"); each,
every, all, the whole, collectively.
- "letters," ("epistole"
{ep-is-tol-ay'}); a letter, epistle, a transmitted message.
-- Robertson: We do not know to how many Peter here refers. There is no difficulty in supposing that Peter "received every one of St. Paul's Epistles within a month or two of its publication" (Bigg). And yet Peter does not here assert the formation of a canon of Paul's Epistles.- "speaking," ("laleo" {lal-eh'-o: part, pres, act}); to utter a voice, to speak, tell, say, preach.
-- Robertson: That is to say, Paul also wrote about the second coming of Christ, as is obviously true.- "in," ("en"); in, by, with.
-- Robertson: We know that the Thessalonians persisted in misrepresenting Paul on this very subject of the second coming as Hymenaeus and Philetus did about the resurrection (2Tim 2:17) and Spitta holds that Paul's teaching about grace was twisted to mean moral laxity like Gal 3:10; Ro 3:20,28; 5:20 (with which cf. 6:1 as a case in point), etc. Peter does not say that he himself did not understand Paul on the subject of faith and freedom.- "which," ("hos"); which, that, what.
-- KJBWB: The KJV uses the old English word, “wrest,” which means to twist, deflect, misapply, pervert.- "rest," ("loipoy" {loy-poy'}); the remaining, the other, the rest.
-- Robertson: Peter thus puts Paul's Epistles on the same plane with the O.T., which was also misused (Mt 5:21-44; 15:3-6; 19:3-10).
-- Vincent: Meaning, originally, to hoist with a windless or screw; to twist or dislocate the limbs on a rack. It is a singularly graphic word applied to the perversion of scripture.
-- Lenski: The point that Peter makes is the fact that some people, namely the ignorant and unstable, wrest these difficult things in Paul’s letters, “torture” them, “put them on the rack,” force them, like some want them to say. These difficult things are chosen for torture because the easier things cannot so readily be forced and twisted.
-- Wuest: “to twist, turn away.” The noun form refers to an instrument of torture. The verb thus means also, “to torture, put to the rack, to twist or dislocate the limbs on the rack.”
-- Lenski: These ignorant persons do not stop with certain things in Paul’s letters; they do the same with the rest of the Scriptures; they would be compelled to because all inspired writign speaks the same thing with the same wisdom.- "Scriptures," ("graphe" {graf-ay'}); scripture, sacred writing (as a whole or any particular part or single passage).
-- Vincent: Showing that Paul’s epistles were ranked as scripture.- "to," ("pros"); to, towards, unto, with regard to.
Verse Seventeen:
- "therefore," ("oun" {oon});
then, therefore, accordingly, consequently, these things being so.
- "beloved," ("agapetos"
{ag-ap-ay-tos'}); beloved, dear, very much loved.
- "knowing this beforehand," ("proginosko"
{prog-in-oce'-ko: part, pres, act, nom}); to know something beforehand
or in
advance, foreknow, know before.
-- Robertson: Hence they are without excuse for misunderstanding Peter or Paul on this subject.- "be on your guard," ("phulasso" {foo-las'-so: imper, pres}); keep under watch, carefully guard, take care, be on guard
-- Robertson: To guard.- "lest," ("hina me" {hin'-ah may}); lest that...not, that...no, that nothing, so that not.
-- Lenski: “keep guarding yourselves.”
-- Wuest: a military term which means, “to guard.” Lit., used here as “be on your guard.”
-- Robertson: To carry away together with, in N.T. only here and Gal 2:13.- "error," ("plane" {plan'-ay}); a straying about, one led astray from the right way, error (which shows itself in action),
-- Vincent: Carried away. It is the word used by Paul of Barnabas, when he dissembled with Peter at Antioch. “Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation” (Galatians 2:13).
-- Robertson: Instrumental case, "by the error" (the wandering).- "unprincipled men," ("athesmos" {ath'-es-mos}); lawless, unprincipled, of a man who breaks through the restraint of law to
-- Wuest: “lawless,” of one who breaks through the restraints of law and gratifies his lusts.- "fall from," ("ekpipto" {ek-pip'-to: subj, aor, act}); to fall out of or down from, fall from a position.
-- Robertson: To fall out of.- "own," ("idios" {id'-ee-os}); his own, their own, pertaining to one's own self.
-- Vincent: Lit., “fall out of.”
-- Lenski: The danger is that of being led away by the error of the nefarious ones and thus falling from (out of) your own stability, and “having been made stable in present truth.”
Verse Eighteen:
- "grow," ("auxano" {owx-an'-o:
imper, pres, act}); cause to grow or increase, become greater, grow up.
-- Robertson: Present active imperative, "but keep on growing."- "grace," ("charis" {khar'-ece}); grace, good will, favor; of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence
-- Lenski: One grows in grace and knowledge by assimilating more and more of the divine favor and of its gifts and of the divine truth. The key word “knowledge” again appears here at the very end of the epistle.- "Lord," ("kurios" {koo'-ree-os}); Lord, Master, Sovereign, the possessor and disposer of.
Study References
Albert Barnes - Notes on the Bible, vol.17
BBC - William MacDonald, Believer's Bible
Commentary
BEC - Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition
Commentary
BKC - John Walvoord & Roy Zuck, The
Bible Knowledge Commentary (New Testament ed)
EBC - Louis Barbieri, Everyman's Bible
Commentary (First & Second Peter).
EBCNT - Zondervan's, Expositor's Bible
Commentary, New Testament.
KJBWB - The King James Bible Word Book,
by Ronald Bridges and Luther Weigle.
LBC - Liberty Bible Commentary on the
New Testament
Lenski - R. C. H. Lenski, Commentary on
the New Testament.
McGee - J. Vernon McGee, II Peter (commentary).
PC - The Pulpit Commentary, AGES Software
Rio, WI (2 Peter).
Vincent - Marvin Vincent, New Testament
Word Studies.
Robertson - A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures
in the New Testament
SFLD - Elwood McQuaid, Standing Fast in
the Last Days (Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry).
Wuest - Kenneth Wuest, Word Studies in
the Greek New Testament
Greek Study Reference Tools
A Parsing Guide to the Greek New Testament, by Nathan E. Han, Herald Press, Scottdale PA, 1971.
A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, by Walter Bauer, augmented by William F. Arndt & F. Wilbur Gingrich, 2nd Ed., University of Chicago Press, Chicago IL, 1979.
The Analytical Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, by Wigram, Associated Publishers & Authors Inc (APGA), Lafayette IN, 1980.
Bible Works 4.0 for Windows, Hermeneutika Bible Research Software, Big Fork MO., 2nd edition.
The Complete Word Study Bible & Reference CD, by Dr. Spiros Zodhiates, AMG Publishers, 1997.
Essentials Of New Testament Greek, by Ray Summers, Broadman Press, Nashville TN., 1950.
Greek Enchiridion, A Concise Handbook of Grammar for Translation and Exegesis, by William G. MacDonald, Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody MA., 1998.
The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament (The Nestle Greek Text), by Rev. Alfred Marshall, D.Litt, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids MI, 1958.
The New Analytical Greek Lexicon, Wesley J. Perschbacher, Editor, Hendrickson Publishers, 1996.
New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Colin Brown, General Editor, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids MI, 1986.
The New Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, by J. H. Thayer, APGA Lafayette IN, 1981.
Syntax Of The Moods And Tenses In New Testament Greek, by Ernest De Witt Burton, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids MI., 1978.
Theological Dictionary of The New Testament (Abridged), by Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Gerhard Kittel & Gerhard Friedrich Editors, Willaim B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids MI, 1992.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, by W. E Vine, M.A., Mac Donald Publishing Company, McLean Virginia.
Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament, vol. 1 the Epistles of James, Peter, and Jude, by Marvin Vincent, AGE'S Software, Albany OR., ver.2.0, 1997.
Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, by Kenneth S. Wuest, Willaim B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids MI, 1988.
Word Pictures in the New Testament, by Archibald Thomas Robertson, Broadman Press, Nashville TN, 1930.