Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Peter 3:2
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 Savior:
2. the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets ] The conjunction of “prophets” and “apostles” here is so entirely after the pattern of the like combination in Eph 2:20; Eph 3:5; Eph 4:11, that there can scarcely be a doubt that the writer meant at least to include the New Testament prophets who had spoken of the coming of the Lord, and whose predictions were now derided.
the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour ] The better MSS., with an overwhelming weight of authority, give of your Apostles. It is obvious that the reading thus supported gives a special interest to the words. They are a distinct recognition like that in 1Pe 5:12, and here in 2Pe 3:15, of the Apostleship of St Paul and his fellow-workers. The Asiatic Churches were to remember his commandment (such, for example, as the rule of life in Ephesians 4-6.), and to fashion their lives accordingly.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That ye may be mindful of the words – Of the doctrines, the truths; the prophetic statements. Jude Jud 1:18 says that it had been foretold by the apostles, that in the last days there would be scoffers. Peter refers to the instructions of the apostles and prophets in general, though evidently designing that his remarks should bear particularly on the fact that there would be scoffers.
Which were spoken before by the holy prophets – The predictions of the prophets before the advent of the Saviour, respecting his character and work. Peter had before appealed to them 2Pe 1:19-21, as furnishing important evidence in regard to the truth of the Christian religion, and valuable instruction in reference to its nature. See the notes at that passage. Many of the most important doctrines respecting the kingdom of the Messiah are stated as clearly in the Old Testament as in the New Testament (compare Isa 53:1-12), and the prophecies therefore deserve to be studied as an important part of divine revelation. It should be added here, however, that when Peter wrote there was this special reason why he referred to the prophets, that the canon of the New Testament was not then completed, and he could not make his appeal to that. To some parts of the writings of Paul he could and did appeal 2Pe 3:15-16, but probably a very small part of what is now the New Testament was known to those to whom this epistle was addressed.
And of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour – As being equally entitled with the prophets to state and enforce the doctrines and duties of religion. It may be observed, that no man would have used this language who did not regard himself and his fellow apostles as inspired, and as on a level with the prophets.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The words which were spoken before by the holy prophets; the word of prophecy, 2Pe 1:19; he joins the prophets and apostles together, as concurring in their doctrine, and so useth it as an argument to persuade them to constancy in the faith of the gospel, that what the apostles preached to them was confirmed by what the prophets under the Old Testament had taught before, Act 26:22; Eph 2:20.
And of the commandment of us; by this he means the whole doctrine of the gospel preached by him and the other apostles: see 2Pe 2:21; 1Jo 3:23.
The apostles of the Lord and Saviour; who was the author of this commandment, and the principal in giving it, and from whom the apostles received it, who were but ministers and instruments in delivering it to others.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. prophetsof the OldTestament.
of usThe oldestmanuscripts and Vulgate read, “And of the commandment ofthe Lord and Saviour (declared) by YOURapostles” (so “apostle of the Gentiles,” Ro11:13) the apostles who live among you in the present time,in contrast to the Old Testament “prophets.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
That ye may be mindful,…. This is an explanation of the above mentioned end of his writing this and the other epistle; which was, that those saints might be mindful of two things more especially:
of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets; that is, the prophets of the Old Testament, who were holy men of God, and therefore their words are to be regarded, and retained in memory; the Gospel itself was spoken by them, and so was Christ, and the things relating to his person and offices, and to his incarnation, sufferings, and death, and the glory that should follow; and indeed the apostles said no other than what they did, only more clearly and expressly; and particularly many things, were said by them concerning the second coming of Christ to judge the world, and destroy it, and to prepare new heavens and a new earth for his people, which is what the apostle has chiefly in view; see Jude 1:14;
and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour; that is, Jesus Christ, as Jude 1:17 expresses it, and the Ethiopic version adds here; and which likewise, and also the Syriac version, and some ancient copies, read, “our Lord and Saviour”, and omit the us before the apostles; by whom are meant the twelve apostles of Christ, of which Peter was one, and therefore says, “us the apostles”; though the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, and the Complutensian edition, read “your apostles”, and so the Alexandrian copy; but the former is the received reading: now “the commandment” of these intends either the Gospel in general, so called because it was the commandment of our Lord to his apostles to preach it; and therefore the word “commandment”, in the original, stands between “us the apostles”, and “the Lord and Saviour”, as being the commandment of the one to the other; unless it can be thought any regard is had to the new commandment of love, or that of faith, inculcated both by Christ and his apostles; Joh 13:34; or rather, particularly the instructions, directions, and predictions of the apostles concerning the second coming of Christ, and what should go before it, as appears from the following words, and the parallel place in Jude 1:17, the words of the prophets and apostles being here put together, show the agreement there is between them, and what regard is to be had to each of them, and to anything and every thing in which they agree.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That ye should remember (). First aorist passive (deponent) infinitive of , to remind. Purpose (indirect command) is here expressed by this infinitive. Imperative in Jude 1:17.
Spoken before (). Perfect passive participle of (defective verb). Genitive case after .
And the commandment ( ). Ablative case with (agency).
Of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles ( ). H (your) is correct, not (our). But the several genitives complicate the sense. If (through) occurred before , it would be clear. It is held by some that Peter would not thus speak of the twelve apostles, including himself, and that the forger here allows the mask to slip, but Bigg rightly regards this a needless inference. The meaning is that they should remember the teaching of their apostles and not follow the Gnostic libertines.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “That ye may be mindful of the words.” (mnesthenai) “to remember” (Greek ton hrematon) the words,” sayings, declarations
2) “Which were spoken before by the holy prophets.” (Greek proeiremenon) “having been previously spoken,” (hupo) “by or under” the holy prophets. Things aforewritten by Holy prophets, men inspired, Peter would have the brethren recall and consider for wisdom and instruction, 2Pe 1:21.
3) “And of the commandment of us.” (Kai tes entoles) and of the commandment of you” (and us), (Joh 13:34-35); received from the Lord thru the apostles.
4) “The apostles of the Lord and Saviour.” (Greek ton apostolon) “the ones sent from.” Lord and (Greek soteros) Saviour or deliverer. Peter wanted the brethren obediently to adhere to the Word of God as written and spoken by prophets and apostles. Jud 1:14; Heb 10:36-37.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
2. That ye may be mindful. By these words he intimates that we have enough in the writings of the prophets, and in the gospel, to stir us up, provided we be as diligent as it behoves us, in meditating on them; and that our minds sometimes contract a rust, or become bedimmed through darkness, is owing to our sloth. That God may then continually shine upon us, we must devote ourselves to that study: let our faith at the same time acquiesce in witnesses so certain and credible. For when we have the prophets and apostles agreeing with us, nay, as the ministers of our faith, and God as the author, and angels as approvers, there is no reason that the ungodly, all united, should move us from our position. By the commandment of the apostles he means the whole doctrine in which they had instructed the faithful. (176)
(176) The construction of the passage is as follows: — “In both which I, by admonition, arouse your sincere mind to remember the words, aforetime spoken by the holy prophets, and the doctrine of us, the apostles of our Lord and Savior.”
The verb μνησθὢναι is connected with “arouse;” and it is in this tense used actively as well as passively. See Mat 26:75, and Act 10:31. There is in the noun ἐντολὴ, a metonymy, the commandment for what was commanded to be taught, the doctrine. It has this meaning, according to Schleusner, in Joh 12:50, and in this Epistle, 2Pe 2:21. — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(2) By the holy prophets.Appealed to before in 2Pe. 1:19. (Comp. Jud. 1:17.) The coherence of the Epistle as a whole comes out strongly in this last chapter: 2Pe. 3:1 recalls 2Pe. 1:12-13; 2Pe. 3:17 recalls 2Pe. 1:10-12; 2Pe. 3:18 recalls 2Pe. 1:5-8. In this verse the Apostle commends the warnings of the Old Testament and the New Testament, as to the coming of Christ, to Christians throughout all ages.
The commandment of us the apostles of the Lord.Of us is, beyond all doubt, a false reading; it should be of you, or your. The Greek is somewhat awkward, owing to the number of genitives, but the order of the words is conclusive as to the meaningthe commandment of your Apostles (or rather) of the Lord and Saviour. The commandment is at once a commandment of the Apostles and of the Lord. The Apostles of the Lord must not be taken together, as in our version. The expression your Apostles may be taken as a mark of genuineness rather than of the contrary. It is at least not improbable that a true Apostle, having once stated his credentials (2Pe. 1:1), would sink his own personality in the group of his colleagues from a feeling of humility and of delicacy towards those whom he was addressing, especially when they owed their Christianity mainly to other Apostles than himself. It is not improbable that a writer personating an Apostle would have insisted on his assumed personality and personal authority here.
What commandment is meant? Surely not the whole Christian law; but either the command to beware of false teachers (Mat. 7:15; Mat. 24:5; Mat. 24:11; Mar. 13:22; Rom. 16:17; Eph. 5:6; 2Ti. 4:3), or, more probably, what is the main subject of this Epistle, to be ready for Christs coming (Mat. 24:36-39; Mar. 13:35-37; Luk. 12:40; 1Th. 5:2-4).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. The holy prophets Of the Old Testament, whose predictions of a day of judgment all culminate in the one final day.
The apostles Literal Greek, your apostles of the Lord and Saviour. These are your apostles as sent to you, and Christ’s, as sent by him. The model comprehensive prediction is that of Matthew 24, 25, on which see our notes.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Pe 3:2. That ye may be mindful, &c. This is an allusion to what he had said ch. 2Pe 1:12-21 where he had alleged the authority both of the prophets and apostles. By the prophets are meant the Old Testament prophets, who are properly placed before the apostles of Christ, as having lived long before them. The prophets had foretold Christ’s second coming. See ch. 2Pe 1:19. The apostles had commanded the Christians steadfastly to look and diligently to prepare for that day; and as there were now rising up scoffers, who ridiculed all expectation of any such thing, it was highly proper to put them in mind of what they had formerly learned. It was with equal propriety that St. Peter intimated whose apostles they were, when he took notice of the commandment which they had given. When our Lord gave the apostles their commission, he ordered them to teach men to observe whatsoever he had commanded them. St. Peter here intimates, that they had kept to that order; and that the commandment which they his apostles had delivered, was not their own, nor any other than the commandment of Jesus Christ himself: and what Christian would dare to call in question such a commandment? When men would move us from the truth or simplicity of the gospel, a careful attention to the words of the apostles and prophets will be of eminent service to keep us steady to truth and purity.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Pe 3:2 . Cf. Jud 1:17 ; in Jude mention is not made of the apostles, but only of the prophets.
] Infin. of purpose: “ in order that ye may remember ,” equivalent to (Vorstius).
] This applies evidently to the Old Testament prophets; and with especial reference to the prophecies which relate to the of Christ (cf. 2Pe 3:4 and chap. 2Pe 1:19 ). [84] The Vulg. wrongly translates: ut memores sitis eorum quae praedixi verborum a sanctis prophetis (or sanctorum prophetarum).
] On the commonly accepted reading , a double interpretation has been given; some, making depend on , for the most part regard as in apposition to , thus: “of our, the apostles’, command” (Luther: “the commandment of us, who are the apostles of the Lord;” thus, too, Calvin, Hornejus, Wolf, Pott, Dietlein, etc.); whilst Bengel more correctly takes as in apposition to , as in Act 10:41 : ; for otherwise must have stood before ; cf. also 1Co 1:18 . Others, again, hold that is dependent on ; thus de Wette: “the commandment of our apostles of the Lord, i.e. of the apostles who have preached to us, and are sent from the Lord.” But against this interpretation is the circumstance, that whilst he elsewhere in the epistle designates himself as an apostle, the author of the epistle would thus make a distinction between himself and the apostles. [85] On the true reading: , the gen. does not, as was for the most part formerly assumed, depend on , but on (Brckner, Wiesinger, Schott, Steinfass); either in the sense: “the commandment of the Lord of the apostles, i.e. the commandment of the Lord, which the apostles have proclaimed;” or: “ is added by way of supplement to .,” and the expression is to be left as it stands originally: “ your command of the apostles, of the Lord , i.e. which the Lord has given ” (Brckner; thus also Wiesinger, Schott); the latter is to be preferred. No doubt the parallel passage in Jude runs: ; but the whole epistle, and especially this passage of it, shows that the author of our epistle, even if he had Jude’s composition before him, in no way bound himself slavishly to individual expressions in it. According to Wiesinger, Schott, Steinfass, by the . . Paul and his fellow-labourers are meant; this, too, is more probable than that the apostle included himself among them.
By is here, as little as in chap. 2Pe 2:21 , to be understood the gospel or the Christian religion (or, as Dietlein thinks: “the announcement, i.e. the historical proclamation, of those predictions of the prophets, partly fulfilled, partly yet unfulfilled, which was entrusted to the apostles”); but means here, as it always does, the commandment; according to de Wette: “the commandment to guard against the false teachers,” after 1Ti 4:1 ff. But it is more appropriate, and more in harmony with the connection of thought, to understand by it the command to lead a Christian life, in expectation of the second coming of Christ (Wiesinger, Schott, Brckner); cf. chap. 2Pe 2:22 , 2Pe 1:5 ff., 2Pe 3:12 .
[84] Of course does not mean “what has been said before,” but “the words aforetime spoken,” and Hofmann did not require to insist upon it; the more so that the contrary is not asserted in the commentaries against which his argument is directed.
[85] De Wette thinks, indeed, that here the non-apostolic writer has involuntarily betrayed himself; but, as Stier justly observes, it can indeed hardly be supposed that the writer should have “so grossly failed to keep up the part” which he had distinctly assumed.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
2 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:
Ver. 2. Mindful of the words ] See Trapp on “ 1Co 15:2 “ Run to this armoury of the Scriptures for weapons against seducers and epicures.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2 .] that ye should remember (= : compare the infinitives and abruptly introduced in a similar manner in Luk 1:72 ) the words spoken before by the holy prophets (i. e. the O. T. prophets, as referred to above ch. 2Pe 1:19 ff. The vulg. has curiously misrendered: “ eorum qu prdixi verborum a sanctis prophetis ”), and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour given by your apostles (as commonly taken, this sentence is made to contain a violent inversion, . . . being taken out of its place after and attached to . . Any how, the construction is harsh, the double gen. being unavoidable: but it is surely much better to take in its most obvious connexion, and make the second genitive the command originating in our Lord, and given you by the Apostles who preached to you: . meaning “ your Apostles” as we call St. Paul . It is quite impossible that can stand: and difficult, even if it did, to render as E. V. “of us the Apostles.” It is obvious, from the constant independence even in very similar sentences, of the two Epistles, that the [21] place in St. Jude, where it stands . . . , is no guide here, nor reason why the same words should be joined together):
[21] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1Co 11:23-25 , the sign () occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign () is qualified , thus, ‘ Mk.,’ or ‘ Mt. Mk.,’ &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
2Pe 3:2 . Borrowed from Jud 1:17 . : epexegetical infinitive. See grammatical note. , . . . Double possessive genitive “of the Lord’s command delivered by your apostles”. Chase ( op. cit. p. 811 a) suggests that should be inserted after , and compares the title of the Didache, . = teaching of our Lord on the fulfilment of the moral law, cf. 2Pe 2:21 , Joh 12:50 . : Are the Twelve meant? cf. Introd. pp. 103 4. Probably . signifies just those from whom they received the first knowledge of the gospel, accredited missionaries of the Church. The word is used of Epaphroditus, Phi 2:25 , and of other than apostles, 2Co 8:23 .
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
That ye may = To.
be mindful. See 2Ti 1:4.
words. Greek. rhema. See Mar 9:32.
by. App-104.
prophets. App-189.
us the. The texts read “your”.
apostles. App-189.
Lord. App-98.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2.] that ye should remember (= :-compare the infinitives and abruptly introduced in a similar manner in Luk 1:72) the words spoken before by the holy prophets (i. e. the O. T. prophets, as referred to above ch. 2Pe 1:19 ff. The vulg. has curiously misrendered: eorum qu prdixi verborum a sanctis prophetis), and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour given by your apostles (as commonly taken, this sentence is made to contain a violent inversion, . . . being taken out of its place after and attached to . . Any how, the construction is harsh, the double gen. being unavoidable: but it is surely much better to take in its most obvious connexion, and make the second genitive-the command originating in our Lord, and given you by the Apostles who preached to you: . meaning your Apostles as we call St. Paul . It is quite impossible that can stand: and difficult, even if it did, to render as E. V. of us the Apostles. It is obvious, from the constant independence even in very similar sentences, of the two Epistles, that the [21] place in St. Jude, where it stands . . . , is no guide here, nor reason why the same words should be joined together):-
[21] When, in the Gospels, and in the Evangelic statement, 1Co 11:23-25, the sign () occurs in a reference, it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in the other Gospels, which will always be found indicated at the head of the note on the paragraph. When the sign () is qualified, thus, Mk., or Mt. Mk., &c., it is signified that the word occurs in the parallel place in that Gospel or Gospels, but not in the other or others.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
2Pe 3:2. , by prophets) Jud 1:14.- , , of us, the apostles) In apposition, as Act 10:41. Others read, ,[14] of your apostles; who live among you at the present time, in antithesis to the ancient prophets. Comp. the apostle of the Gentiles, Rom 11:13.- , of the Lord) This is to be taken with the apostles.
[14] ABC Vulg. read : Rec. Text, with cursive MSS. of later date, .-E.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Saviour
(See Scofield “Rom 1:16”).
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
ye may: 2Pe 1:19-21, Luk 1:70, Luk 24:27, Luk 24:44, Act 3:18, Act 3:24-26, Act 10:43, Act 28:23, 1Pe 1:10-12, Rev 19:10
and of: 2Pe 3:15, 2Pe 2:21, Eph 2:20, 1Jo 4:6, Jud 1:17
Reciprocal: Deu 8:2 – remember Deu 11:18 – ye lay up 2Ki 4:9 – this is Psa 89:19 – Then Zec 1:5 – General Mat 28:20 – them Luk 6:13 – apostles Joh 20:30 – General Act 1:2 – the apostles Act 2:42 – they Act 3:21 – holy Act 10:22 – and to Act 13:23 – raised Rom 15:15 – as 1Co 14:37 – let Eph 3:5 – as it 1Th 2:13 – because 1Ti 4:6 – thou put 2Ti 1:10 – our Tit 1:4 – our Tit 3:1 – Put Heb 11:32 – the prophets Rev 18:20 – and ye Rev 22:6 – the holy
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Pe 3:2. The holy prophets refers to those of the Old Testament times and the apostles pertain to the New. The truthfulness of each is the same, because the former “spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost or Spirit (chapter 1:21), and the latter spoke “as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Act 2:4). The particular things in their sayings being considered were predictions of complainers that were to show up. Peter wishes his brethren not to be confused and hence he is reminding them about it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
2Pe 3:2. in order that ye may remember the words spoken before by the holy prophets. The importance of the testimony of prophecy (obviously here O. T. prophecy, and specially those sections of it which spoke of the Advent of Messiah) is again pressed, as was already the case in chap. 2Pe 1:19, etc. In the parallel passage of Jude (Jud 1:17, etc.) this reference to prophecy, which is so characteristic of Peter, does not appear.
and the commandment of the Lord and Saviour by your apostles. Instead of the pronoun of the first person which leads to the rendering of the A. V., the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour, the best authorities give the pronoun of the second person. We thus get a sentence which is variously translated. Some, e.g., render it your commandment of the Lord of the apostles, meaning by that the commandment given you by Him who is the Lord of the apostles. Others put it thus: your commandment of the apostles, of the Lord, that is to say, your commandment, which the apostles, nay, the Lord Himself, gave. Literally, however, it may be rendered, and your apostles commandment of the Lord and Saviour, i.e the commandment given by the Lord and Saviour, and made known to you by your apostles. This is sufficiently in harmony with the parallel in Jud 1:17, and yields on the whole the most pertinent sense. The expression your apostles may point to Paul and those who were united with him in the original evangelization of these parts. The commandment means here neither the Gospel generally (which is a sense too broad for it); nor the particular injunction directed by Christ against false teachers in such passages as Mat 7:15; Mat 24:5; Mat 24:11 (which is too narrow a sense); far less the preaching of the prophecies as a charge committed to the apostles (Dietlein). It has substantially the sense which it had in Rev 2:21,the new evangelical law of life, or the Gospel on its ethical side. The only difference is that, as the great subject now in band is the frivolous denial of the likelihood of Christs Return to earth, this new evangelical law of life is presented specially in its opposition to the kind of life to which such a denial served as a temptation.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 2
The commandment of us; the commandment delivered by us.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Again Peter put the teaching of the apostles, which these men received from Jesus Christ, on a level of authority equal with the writings of the Old Testament prophets (cf. 2Pe 1:12-21; 2Pe 3:16; Act 1:16; Rom 9:29; Heb 4:7).
"The ’commandment’ is used here in the same way as in 2Pe 2:21 . . .: it emphasizes the ethical aspect of the Christian message because it is on this, along with the eschatological expectation, that the author wishes to insist, in opposition to the false teachers." [Note: Bauckham, p. 288.]