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Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
Verse 1. In the justice (or by the justice) of our God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. As justice and sanctification are equally attributed to God and to Jesus Christ, it shews that the Son was equally and the same God with the Father. Witham.
“Christ” means “Anointed One”.
Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
seeing that his divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and virtue,
Verse 3. Glory and virtue. [1] By the Greek text, virtue is not here the same as power, as commonly in other places, but signifies God’s goodness, mercy, and clemency. Witham.
by which he has granted to us his precious and exceedingly great promises; that through these you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.
Verse 4. Partakers of the divine nature. Divine grace infused into our souls, is said to be a partaking in the divine nature by an union with the spirit of God, whereby men are made his adoptive children, heirs of heaven, and so forth Witham.
Yes, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence; and in moral excellence, knowledge;
Verse 5. Join with your faith, virtue: think not that faith alone will save you without the practice of virtues and good works. By abstinence or temperance, is understood that virtue which helps to moderate the inordinate love of sensual pleasures, and to govern all disorderly passions and affections. Witham.
and in knowledge, self-control; and in self-control, perseverance; and in perseverance, godliness;
and in godliness, brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love.
For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to not be idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For he who lacks these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
Verse 9. Groping, [2] like one that is blind. The Greek may signify one who hath his eyes shut, or that is like a blind mole. Witham.
Therefore, brothers, be more diligent to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.
Verse 10. By good works you may make sure, and so forth without diving into the hidden mysteries of predestination, and so forth—You shall not sin at any time. These words evidently suppose, that the graces and assistances of God will not be wanting; for it would be in vain to command, unless a man had both free will and capacity to perform. But, as it follows, these helps shall be abundantly ministered to you. Witham.
The word for “brothers” here and where context allows may also be correctly translated “brothers and sisters” or “siblings.”
For thus you will be richly supplied with the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them and are established in the present truth.
Verse 12. I will begin. [3] That is, by the Greek, I will take care. Witham.
I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,
Verse 13. As long as I am in this tabernacle: to wit, of the body, in this mortal life. Witham.
knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.
Verse 14. The laying aside, [4] or dissolution; that is my death is at hand. Witham.
Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure.
Verse 15. That you frequently have after my decease, [5] and so forth Some expounded these words to signify: I will have you frequently in my thoughts, and remember you, praying for you after my death. But this does not seem the true and literal sense, nor do we need such arguments to prove that the saints pray for us. Witham.
For we didn’t follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Verse 16. We have not by following artificial fables. Lit. learned fables, [6] invented to promote our doctrine. We, I with others, were eye-witnesses of his glory on Mount Thabor. Witham.
For he received from God the Father honor and glory when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
We have the more sure word of prophecy; and you do well that you heed it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts,
Verse 19. And we have the surer word of prophecy, or to make our testimonies and preaching of Christ more firm. The revelations of God made to the prophets, and contained in the holy Scriptures, give us of all others the greatest assurance. Though the mysteries in themselves remain obscure and incomprehensible, the motive of our belief is divine authority. Witham.—If our testimony be suspicious, we have what you will certainly allow, the testimony of the prophets: attend then to the prophets as to a lamp that illumines a dark place, till the bright day of a more lively faith begins to illumine you, and the day-star arises in your heart: till this faith, which is like the day-star, give you a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ. It is by the divine oracles you will acquire this knowledge, provided you peruse them with proper dispositions.
knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of private interpretation.
Verse 20. No prophecy of the scripture is made by private interpretation; or, as the Protestants translate it from the Greek, is of any private interpretation, that is is not to be expounded by any one’s private judgment or private spirit. Witham.—The Scriptures cannot be properly expounded by private spirit or fancy, but by the same spirit wherewith they were written, which is resident in the Church.
For no prophecy ever came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke, being moved by the Holy Spirit.
Verse 21. For prophecy came not by the will of man at any time. This is to shew that they are not to be expounded by any one’s private judgment, because every part of the holy Scriptures is delivered to us by the divine spirit of God, wherewith the men were inspired who wrote them; therefore they are not to be interpreted but by the spirit of God, which he left, and promised to his Church to guide her in all truth to the end of the world. Our adversaries may perhaps tell us, that we also interpret prophecies and Scriptures; we do so; but we do it always with a submission to the judgment of the Church, they without it. Witham.