Andreas of Caesarea

In his own words on 2 Peter

• 2 Peter 1:1

  Notice how right from the start Peter encourages the souls of the believers by raising them up to the same spiritual level as that of the apostles. For the grace of baptism is the same in every believer.

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• 2 Peter 1:4

  God has blessed us abundantly—that is the meaning of this passage. We have received thousands of good things as a result of Christ's coming, and through them we can become partakers of the divine nature and be turned toward life and godliness. Therefore we must behave in such a way as to add virtue to faith, and in virtue walk along the way which leads to godliness until we come to the perfection of all good things, which is love.

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• 2 Peter 1:10

  Lest you be judged unmindful of God's gift, you must stand fast, having a sure calling.

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• 2 Peter 1:12

  Peter repeats what he has already said about virtue and the commandments consequent on it, through which we shall enter the kingdom of heaven with great assurance. Notice how, when speaking of the kingdom of heaven, Peter first goes over the things we should be afraid of and then over the good things, ending up with the judgment seat.

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• 2 Peter 1:15

  The reason why we have to remember these things is that we hope that Christ will soon come back and transform our present life.

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• 2 Peter 1:18

  This was the third time this happened. The first was at Jesus' baptism, and the second was when the Son cried to the Father: "Father, glorify me with the glory which I had with you before the foundation of the world." The transfiguration was therefore the third time.

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• 2 Peter 1:19

  The prophets of the New and of the Old Testament spoke in the same Spirit. If it is true that some things were saved to be revealed in the New Testament, it is also true that the prophets of the Old Testament were commanded to be silent about them. For prophets are not what they are merely because of what they say. Their whole being proclaims their calling. Willingly and knowingly they ministered to the word which came to them, for no such word ever came by the will of man. Rather it was conveyed by God to men, and the men who received it ministered to it. Thus even Balaam was commanded to speak what had been given to him, even though he had the power not to say anything if he did not want to. Jonah is another example of the same phenomenon.

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• 2 Peter 1:21

  Peter does not say that the prophets interpreted their own sayings. They were not speaking to themselves but serving the Holy Spirit. What is the interpretation of their words if not the works which Christ revealed when he came? So if anyone wants to understand the words of the prophets properly, let him obtain faith in Jesus Christ, through which he will recognize the divine message. John bore witness before we did. Christ came from heaven, enlightening everyone. Likewise he showed that the power to prophesy is of the Holy Spirit, as did the apostle Paul when he said: "To another [the gift of] prophecy, etc." So the one who prophesies is undoubtedly speaking with a tongue inspired by the Holy Spirit.

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• 2 Peter 2:1

  Peter says this so that people will not just listen to everyone who claims to be a prophet, without discerning whether they really are or not. He tells them to be careful not to listen to false prophets instead of the true ones.

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• 2 Peter 2:2

  The heresy of the Nicolaitans had already appeared at that time. Peter says that it was evil in two ways. The Nicolaitans were wrong in their doctrine, and they were also wicked in their behavior. It reminds us of what was said about the Jews: "Because of you my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles."

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• 2 Peter 2:3

  They were doing this for money. Excess is sometimes geared toward wickedness and sometimes toward profit, but here the addition of the word exploit makes the meaning clear. They will indeed have their reward, which is death. The phrase "of old" indicates God's foreknowledge of what they would do. For just as God foresaw who would be good and prepared good things for them in heaven, so he also foresaw who would be evil and prepared the other place for them.

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• 2 Peter 2:10

  This refers to the Simonians, who combined wicked behavior with false doctrine.

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• 2 Peter 2:13

  Peter means that after they went astray they were able to lead others astray after them, but that in the end they will have to pay the price of their wickedness.

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• 2 Peter 2:14

  Peter says that these people are not motivated by love. Their only interest is to find the right moment when they can seduce women.

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• 2 Peter 2:15

  As we know from the Old Testament, Balaam was hindered by God for his greed in trying to obtain a living off his prophetic spirit. He obstinately tried to run to Balak a second time, and only after he was corrected by the fear of God and the terrors which he met along the way was he able to get the word of blessing right, so that what he said was from God and not his own wicked preference. For even his tongue was not totally given over to the service of a lie.

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• 2 Peter 2:16

  The common interpretation of this is that Balaam's ass condemned him because it obeyed the angel and submitted to him, whereas Balaam, although he heard God, did not go and warn the people, nor did he obey God's will. Thus the ass became Balaam's teacher.

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• 2 Peter 2:17

  They did not have the living word of the Spirit, the channel of delights which overflows to the glory of the nations. They were not clear-sighted like the saints. They were in some sense like clouds but more like "mists" covered in darkness and ignorance, for they were governed by an evil spirit.

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• 2 Peter 2:18

  They are not punished merely for their ungodliness but for the enormity of it as well.

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• 2 Peter 2:19

  These men promised people freedom from deception when in fact they were encouraging others to lapse back into it.

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• 2 Peter 2:21

  Peter shows by this that these men were not liberating those who followed them from their deception but merely making that deception worse.

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• 2 Peter 3:13

  It is not just we, says Peter, but the whole creation around us also, which will be changed for the better. For the creation will share in our glory just as it has been subjected to destruction and corruption because of us. Either way it shares our fate.

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• 2 Peter 3:14

  Everything in creation was made for our enjoyment, and it will be remade along with us.… This new life is for all who believe, and not just for Israel, for the Lord has exalted the Gentiles, lifting us up by the cross toward himself. Has he not provided for believers? Indeed he has. He has lifted them up and carried them and placed them in the many mansions which there are in the Father's presence.

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• 2 Peter 3:15

  This is a reference to what Paul said when he wrote: "Do you not know that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?"

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