(Chapter 3)
In this last chapter, Peter shows that the government of God will bring everything in Christendom and the world to its proper end. In the Day of the Lord, every evil will be judged, and all in the heavens and the earth will be re-arranged according to the will of God, for the glory of God and for man’s eternal blessing.
The Importance of Having the Word of God Always in Remembrance
Vss. 1-2—Having, in chapter 2, set forth the character of evil that would come into the Christian testimony through false teaching, in this 3rd chapter, Peter mentions another thing that would mark Christendom in the last days—unbelief. With this in view, Peter undertakes to prepare the saints for the dark times ahead. He says: “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour.” Every believer, through new birth, has a “pure” mind, but God would have us to be exercised about keeping our minds pure in a practical sense. This is a considerable challenge indeed, and especially so for those who live in the last days when corruption will be escalated on every side. Peter indicates here, that this is done on the principle of displacement. We are to have our minds filled with the truth that God has given—both in the writings of “the holy prophets” (the Old Testament) and “the commandment of us the apostles” (the New Testament). When our hearts and minds are full of the Word of God, there is no room for the corruption to get in. This means that we need to be occupied with what is positive and up-lifting, not with what is negative and defiling. And where else can we go for this but to the Holy Scriptures? There is nothing so sanctifying to the soul of the believer than to have his mind saturated with the Word of God (John 17:1717Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)).
Peter doesn’t tell us to look for some new revelation of truth, but to be more intimately acquainted with the truth that God has given in both Testaments. We are to keep it “in remembrance” by going over it again and again because we forget so easily. This shows that there is value in repetition. Being equipped with such knowledge, we will be able to discern the false teachings of men. Thus, the way to meet the dangers of the day is by knowing and walking in the truth; it is our greatest defense against the errors of Christendom.
Vss. 3-4—Peter then explains why it is important to have the truth always in remembrance—there would be an attack on it by those who profess to be Christian! Peter gives us an example: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” Thus, the false teaching in Christendom will produce a generation of merely professing believers who will openly deny and scoff at the truth—especially the truth of the coming of Christ.
It seems hard to believe that those who profess to be Christian would oppose the plain statements of Scripture concerning the second coming of Christ. But living in “the last days,” as we are in today, we can see in retrospect how this has come to be. A large sector of the Christian profession (Neo-orthodox Protestantism, Unitarianism, etc.) has given itself over to so-called “Higher Criticism,” which has led scholars to conclude that many parts of the Bible are not divinely inspired—such as the first ten chapters of Genesis, Jonah, etc. This has weakened the confidence of the masses in Christendom as to the reliability of Scripture, and there has come out of this infidelity those who mock God’s Word. Peter says that the reason they scoff at the thought of the Lord’s coming is because (they say) “all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
Three Catastrophic Interventions of Judgment
Vss. 5-7—Peter exposes the folly of their reasoning by stating that all things haven’t continued from the beginning without divine interventions of judgment. He points to two such catastrophic judgments in history and tells us that there is a third judgment coming that will far exceed the proportions of the other two. He says: “For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing [having its subsistence] out of the water and in [through] the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now [present], by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”
Verse 5, is a reference to a primeval intervention of judgment, by God, that left the earth in the chaotic state of “having its subsistence out of water and in water.” This lacustrine scene is described in Genesis 1:22And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2). Some think that this 5th verse is referring to the flood in Noah’s day, but if that were the case, it would contradict the Genesis account of the flood. Genesis 7:19-2019And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. 20Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. (Genesis 7:19‑20), states that the waters of the flood completely covered the earth; there were no pieces of land “standing out of the water and in the water,” as verse 5 states. This verse, therefore, must be referring to something other than the flood. Since Peter speaks of it before he describes the flood, in verse 6, he must be speaking of something that happened before the flood. What else could it be but Genesis 1:22And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)? Many Bible teachers correlate it with Genesis 12And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2).
The description of the earth, in verse 5, may not look like the description given in Genesis 1:22And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2) when compared, but there is really no difficulty in reconciling the two passages when we remember that the Bible is a progressive revelation of truth. That is, what is given in the Old Testament is often expanded upon in the New, wherein more detail is given. This, we believe, is the case with 2 Peter 3:55For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: (2 Peter 3:5). From reading Genesis 1:22And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2), we might have thought that the waters covered the earth, but taking a closer look at the passage, we see that it doesn’t say that. It may be argued that it wasn’t until the 3rd day that the land emerged from the waters. Again, Scripture doesn’t say that; it says that the earth became “dry” on the 3rd day. (The word “land” in Genesis 1:9-109And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:9‑10) is in italics, indicating that it is not in the Hebrew text.) Putting the two passages together, we gather that the earth’s condition when it was “waste and empty” was a partially submerged wasteland.
In verse 6, Peter speaks of a second intervention of divine judgment which is, unquestionably, the deluge in Noah’s day. W. Kelly remarked, “The passage before us [vss. 5-6] is by some applied only to the earth’s primeval constitution, by others to the deluge. It is plain enough that the Apostle looks successively at each.” (The Second Epistle of Peter, p. 165) Since “Higher Criticism” denies the divine inspiration of the first ten chapters of Genesis, we can see why these so-called scholars would say that nothing has changed from the beginning of the creation; the two judgments that Peter cites, in verses 5-6, are both recorded in those early chapters of Genesis, which they don’t accept!
In verse 7, Peter points to a third intervention of judgment that is yet to come. He tells us that the instrument that God will use in this coming judgment will not be water, as in the flood, but “fire.” Moreover, this judgment will touch everything in “the heavens and the earth,” unlike the flood which affected the earth only. Thus, everything that we lay our eyes upon in this creation is “reserved unto fire.” This third judgment will not occur at the second coming of Christ; nevertheless, the coming of Christ, which these men deny, is as sure as the Word of God itself. In fact, Christ’s coming is stated in 23 of the 27 books of the New Testament!—Galatians, Philemon, 2 John, and 3 John are the exceptions. Denying that Christ will come again, as the scoffers do, is a clear proof of the rank infidelity that exists in these last days.
Vss. 8-9—As to the time when Christ will come, Peter explains that God doesn’t count time as men do. He says: “Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (See also Psalm 90:44For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. (Psalm 90:4).) Thus, while the infidels of this world are “willingly ignorant” (vs. 5), let not the saints be “ignorant” concerning these things (vs. 8). In God’s reckoning, the time of Christ’s absence from this world has really only been about two days, which is not long at all! Peter tells us that the reason for the short delay is that God is merciful! It is clear from Scripture that when Christ does come (His Appearing), it will be to execute judgment upon the ungodly sinners of this world (Jude 14-1514And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14‑15))—for God will not allow things to go on in their present state indefinitely. He says, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Thus, the lapse of time in regard to Christ’s coming is a proof of God’s longsuffering mercy, not His inability to bring it to pass. If the ungodly sinners of this world were in their right mind, and understood this, they would be thanking God that Christ’s coming has been delayed.
The Day of the Lord
Vs. 10—Let us be assured, Christ will come again, and judgment will be executed in the Day of the Lord. In that day, there will be a closing up of everything connected with this present creation and the beginning of a new order of things in a new heavens and earth. Peter says: “The Day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” In this statement, he speaks of two future events happening in “the Day of the Lord”—the Lord’s coming as “a thief in the night,” which is His Appearing (Matt. 24:43-4443But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:43‑44); Luke 12:39-4039And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. 40Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. (Luke 12:39‑40); 1 Thess. 5:22For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2); Rev. 3:5; 16:155He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5)
15Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. (Revelation 16:15)), and the dissolving of “the elements” of the material creation, which will happen in man’s reckoning of time, a thousand years later (Rev. 20:44And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)–21:8). Thus, Peter shows us that “the Day of the Lord” is not a 24-hour day, but a period of one thousand years when Christ will exercise His Lordship authority over the world. This, as he has explained in verse 8, is just “one day” with the Lord. He does not speak of the Millennium here, which comes between these two events, but skips over it to focus on the moment when God will fulfil His Word in the dissolution of all things. Hence, Christ will appear at the beginning of the Day of the Lord, and at the end of that day He will effect a dissolution of everything in the material creation (Matt. 24:3535Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (Matthew 24:35); Heb. 1:11-1211They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; 12And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. (Hebrews 1:11‑12); 2 Peter 3:7, 10-127But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:7)
10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? (2 Peter 3:10‑12); Rev. 20:11And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (Revelation 20:1)1b; 21:1).
The Practical Effect These Things Should Have on Us
Vss. 11-16—Having informed us of the things that are coming, in the latter part of the chapter, Peter turns to speak of the practical effect that those things should have upon our lives, and exhorts us to that end. Thus, his purpose in bringing up future events is intensely practical.
Vs. 11—He asks rhetorically, “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation [manner of life] and godliness?” The very first effect that these things should have on us is to produce an exercise to live godly lives in the little while that we have left. Thus, the knowledge of prophecy has been given to us not merely to build a calendar of future events in our minds, but also to build solid Christian character in our lives.
The Day of God
Vss. 12-13—Peter continues: “Looking [waiting] for and hasting unto the coming of the Day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look [wait] for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Knowing that these things are coming should not produce laxity in us, but an earnest expectation of those things. His logic is simple and poignant; if there is going to be a dissolution of everything that is material, then we ought to be living for spiritual things which are eternal, rather than for present things that are going to pass away.
“The Day of God” is the Eternal State, which follows the Millennium. There are only three places in Scripture where the Eternal State is described—1 Corinthians 15:24-28; 224Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:24‑28)
8Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. 9For we are laborers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 10According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. 11For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; (1 Corinthians 3:8‑12) Peter 3:12-13; Rev. 21:1-81And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:1‑8). Besides being called the Day of God, it is also called “the Day of Eternity” (vs. 18) and “the Ages of Ages” (Gal. 1:55To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Galatians 1:5); Eph. 3:2121Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:21); Phil. 4:2020Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Philippians 4:20); 1 Tim. 1:17; 217Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)
2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; (1 Timothy 3:2) Tim. 4:18; Heb. 1:8; 13:218But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8)
21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:21); 1 Peter 4:11; 5:1111If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11)
11To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:11); Rev. 1:6, 18; 4:9-10; 5:13; 7:12; 10:6; 11:15; 15:7; 19:3; 20:10; 22:56And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:6)
18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:18)
9And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, (Revelation 4:9‑10)
13And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:13)
12Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 7:12)
6And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: (Revelation 10:6)
15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)
7And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. (Revelation 15:7)
3And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. (Revelation 19:3)
10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)
5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:5)). This eternal day is one of three future things we are to be “looking” for:
Peter says that we should not only be “waiting” for that eternal day with earnest expectation, but that we should also be “hastening” it! What does this mean? In what way can we hasten the coming of that day? Reformed (Covenant) Theologians tell us that it means that we need to get busy in evangelistic work and convert the world to God, for the Lord will not come until this is done. In being so engaged, we “speed” (NIV) up His coming and the accomplishment of His purposes. But this is not true; the time of its arrival is set in God’s perfect timetable, we can’t hurry it up. Furthermore, verses 12-13 are not speaking of the promise of the Lord’s coming as these theologians imagine, but of “the promise” of the coming of the Day of God—the Eternal State. It is not that we can make its time arrive more quickly than God has ordained, but if we would live morally and spiritually as though we were in that day now, as to our experience, we bring it closer to us personally.
The phrase, “a new heavens and a new earth,” is borrowed from Isaiah 65:17; 66:2317For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. (Isaiah 65:17)
23And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 66:23); but there, it is referring to the millennial kingdom of Christ. This can be seen in the fact that sin and death are seen in those passages as still being present. In Isaiah, the expression is used figuratively to describe the new moral order of life that will be enforced through righteousness reigning in that day (Isa. 32:1; 61:111Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. (Isaiah 32:1)
11For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:11)). The Lord referred to it as “the regeneration” (Matt. 19:2828And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28)). Here, in 2 Peter 3, the term involves not only a new moral order (which should be exhibited by Christians now – Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)), but also a new physical creation of the heavens and earth.
Peter adds, “Wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Today, in the time of Christ’s absence, righteousness suffers because sin is abounding on every hand. Grace reigns through righteousness in the believer’s heart (Rom. 5:2121That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)), but publicly, in every aspect of life in the world, righteousness suffers. But when Christ appears and judges this world in righteousness (Acts 17:3131Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:31)), He will set up His millennial kingdom wherein righteousness will reign (Isa. 32:11Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. (Isaiah 32:1)). Sin will still exist in the creation, but it will be subdued. If and when it is manifested, it will be judged (Psa. 1011<<A Psalm of David.>> I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O Lord, will I sing. (Psalm 101:1)). When the Day of God (the Eternal State) is ushered in, righteousness will dwell in perfect repose, for sin and death will be eradicated (1 Cor. 15:2626The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26); Rev. 21:44And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)). There will be no need to enforce righteousness in that day because everything will be ordered according to the mind of God.
Vss. 14-15a—Peter then addresses our outward life before the world in view of sharing the gospel with the lost. He says, “Be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of the Lord is [to be] salvation.” We see from this statement that it is important that our lives are ordered rightly before the world if we expect to have them receive what we say in regard to being saved. Gospel work without a life that backs up what we say will lack power and sincerity. We must, therefore, first live in “peace” with our fellow man (without compromising Christian principles) and be “without spot and blameless” before them. When that is the case, we can use our time profitably in sharing the gospel, and it might result in their “salvation.” Thus, the delay of the coming of the Lord and the coming of the Day of God, if rightly understood, does not make believers careless, but motivates them to godly living (vs. 11), earnest expectation (vss. 12-13), and diligent service (vss. 14-15a).
Three Heavens and the Earth
In review, Peter has spoken of three different “heavens and the earth” in this chapter:
• The heavens and the earth that “are now,” which is the reconstructed earth and heavens described in Genesis 1:33And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (Genesis 1:3)–2:3. This is presently waiting to be dissolved with fire at the end of time (vss. 6-7).
• A “new” heavens and earth in the Eternal State that is yet to be created (vs. 13: Rev. 21:1-81And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:1‑8)).
The Importance of Paul’s Epistles
Vss. 15b-16—In drawing the epistle to a close, Peter takes the opportunity to endorse Paul’s epistles and to encourage the saints to receive them. He says, “Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given to him hath written unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned [untaught] and unstable [ill-established] wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.” It is sweet to see Peter affectionately calling Paul “beloved.” After Paul’s public rebuke of Peter at Antioch (Gal. 2:11-2111But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:11‑21)), Peter could well have harboured feelings of resentment toward him, but this shows that that was not the case. Peter then tells the saints that the things which he had taught them were “also” taught by Paul in “his epistles.” This shows that their ministry is complementary. Thus, the things that Peter had penned in his epistles were not some private opinion of his own.
Peter also makes reference to Paul having “written” an epistle to the Jewish saints. Most, if not all, reliable Bible teachers say that this is an allusion to the epistle to the Hebrews. It may be asked that if Paul is the writer of that epistle, why didn’t he introduce himself in his normal fashion as an apostle, as he does in his other epistles? There are at least three reasons why he didn’t: Firstly, because Paul’s apostleship was exclusively for his work among the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13; 15:1613For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: (Romans 11:13)
16That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:16); Gal. 2:88(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) (Galatians 2:8)). He had no authority to address his fellow countrymen as an apostle. This does not mean that Paul couldn’t address his Jewish brethren; it is just that he couldn’t do it with apostolic authority; hence, his apostleship is not mentioned. A second reason why he did not mention his apostleship was because the burden of the Spirit of God, in Hebrews, is to present Christ as the great “Apostle” of our confession (Heb. 3:11Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)). For Paul to have brought in his apostleship there might have distracted from this truth. He wanted his readers to understand that the message in the epistle was coming from One who was a far greater Apostle than himself (chaps. 1:2; 12:24-25). Paul, therefore, happily remains in the background in order to bring Christ to the forefront in a more pronounced way. A third reason is that if the epistle, which was written to believing Jews, fell into the hands of unbelieving Jews, and they knew that its author was Paul, they would never have received it. They would have dismissed the whole thing immediately because they saw him as a renegade from Judaism.
Peter recognized that for a person coming from a Jewish background, Paul’s doctrine (especially his dispensational teaching) would be “hard to be understood”—not in the sense of intellectually grasping what he taught, but in accepting that it was truly from God. The truth concerning God’s temporary setting aside of Israel on account of the Jews’ rejection of the Messiah (Mic. 5:1-31Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. 2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. 3Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. (Micah 5:1‑3), etc.) and a consequent outreach toward the Gentiles through the gospel to bring them into greater blessing in the Church than was ever offered to Israel (Acts 15:1414Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. (Acts 15:14), etc.) was a hard thing for them to believe. Peter also recognized that there was a present attack upon Paul’s doctrine by men who were “unlearned [untaught] and unstable [ill-established].” This attack has only intensified in our day.
Two Final Admonitions
Vss. 17-18—Closing the epistle, Peter gives two final admonitions: One is a warning against becoming affected by the apostasy that would characterize the last days. He says: “Beware lest ye also, being led away [along with – JND] the error of the wicked [unprincipled men – NASB], fall from your own stedfastness.” It is not that real believers can apostatize (abandon the Christian faith), but that they can be swept “along with” the current of apostasy and give up certain Scriptural principles and practices that they once held. This was Peter’s concern. The other is a word of encouragement to continue in the truth, and thus, to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” He deserves all the glory and praise, “both now and to the day of eternity.”