Hilary of Arles

In his own words on 2 Peter

• 2 Peter 1:1

  In his second letter Peter describes himself both as Simon and as a servant, in order to show that he was humble and obedient. In his first letter he confined himself to the name Peter, which had been given to him by the Lord himself and signified that he was the chief of the apostles, but here he reverts to his original name Simon in order to show those who preferred to forget his Jewish origins that he had not rejected them.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:3

  Here Peter is talking about the Scriptures, the miracles which Christ did in the flesh, the work of baptism and the doctrine which was preached, all of which bring us into the enjoyment of eternal life.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:4

  Just as God stepped out of his nature to become a partaker of our humanity, so we are called to step out of our nature to become partakers of his divinity.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:9

  If these virtues are present, we can see God, but if they are absent, we are blind.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:10

  Peter is telling us that we should not be content with our baptism but should go on and grow in our faith.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:11

  Here Peter reminds us that the entrance into heaven is the narrow way of following God's commandments.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:12

  The people to whom Peter is writing already know what he has to say because they have read his first letter. The truth which he has to share with them is the New Testament, for as Paul said: "The old has passed away, and all things are made new in Christ."

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:13

  Peter thought that it was right to call Gentiles to faith, but the Jews did not. This is why he expresses himself like this here.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:14

  The Lord Jesus showed Peter that his end was near either by a revelation through the Holy Spirit or by his response to Peter when he said: "Get behind me, Satan" or perhaps by dreams and visions in the night.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:15

  By writing to them often Peter hoped to leave something behind him after his death.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:17

  The one who received glory and honor was not inferior to the one who bestowed these things, because it was in his human flesh that the Son received them, not in his eternal divinity.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:18

  Tradition says that the transfiguration took place on Mt. Tabor.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:19

  The light which shone on them was the light of Scripture.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 1:20

  You must take care when interpreting the Scriptures not to be too greatly fixated upon the places, times and people who wrote them down, as if they were merely human compositions. Rather you ought to rely on the clarity and sufficiency of the Spirit.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:1

  It is typical of false teachers that they cannot accept the full equality of the persons of the Trinity.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:2

  They revile the way of truth because they have turned orthodox doctrine into heresy, or because they have rejected the rule given to them at their baptism, or because they have abandoned the way of truth.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:3

  The destruction of these people comes from none other than the God of Israel, who is never idle or asleep.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:4

  The angels sinned in three ways, by their pride, by their envy and by their lust. In this verse it is made clear that sin can occur even if it is not done overtly in the flesh. It is obvious that the essence of sin is consent to do evil.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:5

  The ungodliness of those who lived in the time from Adam to Noah was what caused the flood.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:14

  These people even greeted one another with kisses which were full of lust. What was meant to be a sign of peace was transformed into adultery by those who had turned away from God.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:15

  The right way is the way of Christ, who said: "I am the way, the truth and the life."

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:16

  The ass spoke with a human voice so that Balaam would understand what God was saying to him. He had become a madman because of his disobedience to the commandments of God, and dumb animals are wiser than that, since they observe the law of nature.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:17

  These people are empty wells of the kind that animals fall into and die in, because there is no water at the bottom.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:18

  Pride is always vain because it makes people stupid, as they are without God insofar as they are proud.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:19

  A man is the slave of whatever vice controls him.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:20

  It is always worse to sin knowingly than to sin in ignorance.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 2:21

  To know the way of righteousness is to know Christ and the holy gospel. Peter is talking here about people who have been baptized after professing faith in Jesus but who have then turned away from him.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:1

  Peter makes a point of mentioning that this is his second letter, so that the recipients will not doubt its authenticity.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:3

  Here Peter prophesies what will happen in the future, for we must always remember that there are prophets in the New Testament too.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:4

  People were talking this way as if the flood had never occurred and as if fire had never come down from heaven in the past.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:5

  The whole creation is basically formed out of water, even if it is solidified in the form of earth or elevated in the way that heaven is.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:8

  Just as a man works for a day and afterwards remembers what he has done, so God does not forget even after a thousand years. It may be a long time before he gets round to punishing sinners, but when he does so he uses his power in a single instant.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:11

  As you wait for the end of all things, you must live holy lives according to the three laws—the Old Testament, the New Testament and the law of nature—and you must keep faith in the Trinity, which is the law of godliness.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:12

  You are waiting for the end as the virgins waited for the bridegroom.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:14

  When he returns, Christ wants to find you spotless in your faith and uncorrupted in the chastity of your body.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:15

  Note that Paul wrote to them not according to the wisdom which he possessed but according to the wisdom which was given to him specifically for that purpose.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:16

  Peter says this because he himself was overwhelmed by Paul's brilliance.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER

• 2 Peter 3:18

  Grow in the faith which is yours by baptism and in the knowledge which comes from putting that faith into practice.

  INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 PETER