CHAPTER 3
Repetition of the wickedness of heretical men: in which it is also discussed how Christ will suddenly come at the end of this age: therefore it is said that one must be adorned with every virtue.
2 Peter 3:1-4 I am writing to you, dear ones, in these letters, in which I stir up your sincere mind in remembrance: that you should 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 Jesus: 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 .
From these, we learn that there are two universal letters of Peter. Furthermore, what he says, " in which I stir up your sincere mind by way in remembrance ," is to be understood in this way: In which letters, that is, through which letters, I stir up the sincere mind that is in you. For it is the nature of a sincere and pure mind to remember and be stirred up with all virtue and readiness of spirit regarding what has been heard or the useful things that have been deposited, in order to repeat the actions of these. However, these have been deposited through prophetic sayings and apostolic preachings. For this reason, Paul also says: "Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets:" (Eph. 2:20) For all of them announced the coming of the Lord, both the first and the second, and it is not right to doubt such great and numerous witnesses. And what do I say, he asks, about the prophets and apostles, who announced both the first and the second coming of the Lord?
And this is how the order should be taken: that you should 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 . For the preposition ὑπὸ is taken from the common, that is, “by”. And why Peter should order this remembrance to be stirred up, he adds: Because those who live addicted to passions according to their own desires, seeing the coming of God, are afraid, which the Lord himself also announced along with others divinely inspired, and therefore despising their dishonorable life: then also seeing that the words do not immediately take effect, but are delayed for the salvation of many, they approach the faithful as if they were deceivers, and say:
Where is the promise of his coming ? For this one, who is not yet complete due to a certain arrangement, they also distort the other beneficial teachings of the Lord, so that faith is not held by them. However, in those times, the Gnostics or Naassenes were indeed quiet, as were the Lampetians and Euchites. All of whom, Peter says, willingly do not know. For they voluntarily close their eyes to the truth, as we have said before.
2 Peter 3:5-9 For they willingly do not know that the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water by the word of God: by which the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But 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. But, 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. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance .
And what is it that they do not know? That just as in the flood, the heavens were from the water according to the creation of the world narrated by Moses: (for he himself says that God commanded that a firmament be made in the midst of the waters (Gen. 1:6), that is, a firmer substance than the waters): so also the earth appeared from the waters at the command of the Creator, which had also been submerged at first. And just as the flood unexpectedly came upon the heavens and the earth constituted from water, so it has now been established that the corruption of the universe will occur through fire, with which the wicked will also perish. Since these two elements, water and fire, were created along with the universe, from which the other two elements are also derived: air indeed from the evaporated waters, but the earth from the compacted ones: namely, just as it was made from fire through evaporation and compression, with no one who has a mind objecting (for this virtue has been bestowed upon fire by God the Creator), since these two, I say, have always existed in this way, and previously the destruction of the wicked was made through water, it is necessary that the destruction of those who act wickedly will again occur through fire. Moreover, that the corruption of this universe is evident not only to Christians but also to the wise men of the Greeks, as is the case with Heraclitus of Ephesus and Empedocles of Etna 12 . But someone might say: And what is the reason for its creation if the world must again be reduced to nothingness? And we will say that the world does not tend entirely towards corruption, but towards renewal; therefore, the Prophet also says: "And you will renew the face of the earth." (Ps. 103:32) For just as the creation, being from God from the beginning, was good, and not merely good by chance: through the transgression of man, the creation itself became subject to vanity, that is, not having a firm existence, but being in a state of instability and change.
Then in the flood, when few men had persevered in divine worship, the world again seemed to take on the beginning of its reconstruction through Noah and those who had been saved in the ark along with the animals for the establishment of seeds: nevertheless, even then, human nature did not persist in its previous state, but rather declined to worse conditions than those that had existed before, from which neither the law given by Moses turned them away, nor the presence of the Lord, except that a few turned aside to those things which led to salvation. For how great is the multitude of those who are saved if you compare it to the multitude of those who perish, who are generated daily? For this reason, it seems to me that the time of fulfillment is delayed until the number of the saved is completed. Therefore, since the call to salvation has been made in various ways, and the destruction from unbelief is diverse: for this reason, a cataclysmic fire is necessary, indeed a destruction, although not entirely perfect: not indeed of souls, but neither of bodies. For we must all be revealed before the tribunal of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), not with our souls naked, but together with our bodies, and with them incorruptible. For how could a naked soul account for those things which have been done through the body? Indeed, it is not the part of a just judge, when two have sinned in the same way, to dismiss one and transfer the whole crime to the other. Furthermore, if we are accustomed to melt certain corporeal things again with fire, not to attribute to them absolute destruction, but to provide them with purity and sincerity: let no one doubt that God, who has promised completion through fire, will either not bring about corruption, or will indeed do so in such a way that through the corruption of one, He makes another. But even if it were to corrupt, what would it corrupt? The superfluous and those related to present life: and what are those? Beasts, herbs, plants. Indeed, herbs are for the beasts, and the beasts are for the service of this corruptible life. "Producing," he says, "hay for the beasts and herbs for the service of men." (Ps. 103:14) As for the plants, some are indeed for covering and for building houses, while others are for providing food. Moreover, the fact that animals require food is a sign of corruption. For what else could the middle and fullness provide but corruption? Therefore, those things which are superfluous to immortal life would be corrupted. But He will create new heavens and a new earth (Isa. 65:17), not another in terms of material. For even one who builds a new house does not indeed make it from non-existing material. Thus, God created the material and shaped it from the beginning, as much as was certainly necessary for the use of that time.
To the incorruptibility, however, which will corrupt that which is useless and unnecessary after the present state. If something is useful, it will allow for an improvement with immortal and incredible beauty, so as to perfect and complete another and incorruptible world.
" and the earth standing out of the water ." The earth indeed from water as from a material principle, but through water as through a perfecting principle. For water contains the earth like a certain glue that is to it; unless it were to touch it, it would necessarily dissolve and be carried into the air. However, perhaps someone will approach us with vain thought saying: For what reason did God, who produced this visible world, not create it firm and unchangeable from the beginning, but subject to changes? Hence, it was also immediately necessary to be restored, indeed at the time of Noah through water, but reserved unto fire , as Peter now says? To which we will say that it was not possible for it to have changelessness.
How indeed, for he who has received his being from change? If indeed it was produced from non-being to being, which no wise person would say is not a change. And in what way has the change progressed to worse, mixed with worse, it was necessary for this Creator to restore it to better; indeed, at the time of Noah he purified through water, but in the end he will do so through fire . Just as we are accustomed to melt certain material things again with fire, not for destruction, but for purification.
" by which ," namely heaven and earth, indeed submerged by waters, but the heavens sending down their gushes, that is, as if through gushes urging water downwards. " by which the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished ." It perished, not for the entire world, but for the living beings, which indeed represent the whole world.
If indeed the place was deserted of living beings, the world would not even be considered. Furthermore, what is stated, “ reserved for fire on the day of judgment of ungodly men ,” is thus arranged: reserved for the day of judgment and for the day of destruction; for “on the day” is resumed from common sense. However , judgment means condemnation:
“ The Lord is not slack .” Having completed the discourse on the End, which will necessarily be through fire , all of which we have explained more fully, it transitions to the production or extension of the time until the world is ended, and says: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise , as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient, waiting for our salvation, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance : for certainly to him who is infinite and the sea of essence unconstrained, nothing is extended, but a thousand years are just like a single day with him. Or rather, according to David, there is no multiplication of days: for he says in this way: "A thousand years in your sight, O Lord, are like a day that has just gone by and like a watch in the night" (Ps. 89:4): by watch signifying the briefest span of the night. For the night is divided into four watches: since the Lord came to the holy apostles in the fourth watch. (Matt. 14:25)
2 Peter 3:10-14 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless, we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless, and consider that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation .
The uncertainty of the Lord's coming is signified as a theft, when it is least expected, through the thief and the night : through the night indeed, because of uncertainty; for all things in the night are uncertain: through the thief , because he is not expected; for no one will be robbed who expects a thief, but those who least expect him will be robbed. Therefore, the Lord also says that just as in the days of Noah there were men rejoicing in weddings and drinking, thinking nothing of the future calamity that would overtake them (Matt. 24:38), until the flood overwhelmed them: so too will the coming of the Lord suddenly come upon the wicked.
The word “ noise ” (᾿Ροιζηδὸν) indeed means sound . However, the sound of this kind is proper to fire in those things that are fed by fire. Note, however, that it has said the earth and what is in it must be burned up , but not men, but only destruction has been said concerning the wicked or their transgressions. For the way of the wicked will perish, but the wicked himself will not.
" According to his promise ." For He promised the faithful, saying: "I will come and take you, etc. (Jn. 14:33) “In my Father's house there are many mansions.” (Jn. 14:2) Therefore, Paul also says that, when the angel shall sound the trumpet from heaven, and the dead shall rise immortal (1 Thess. 4:15), they themselves will also meet the Lord in glory, signifying immortality by what he said about glory. But if they are immortal or incorruptible, surely they will also be new. If, however, these are new, it is evident that a new creature has been born to be changed along with the establishment of men: corruptible indeed because of the corruptible downfall of men, but incorruptible because of the renewal of men. Consider, moreover, that both the delay of time until the Lord's coming and the long-suffering expectation itself are said to effect our salvation.
2 Peter 3:15-18 Just as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, speaking in almost all his letters about these things: among which are some things hard to understand, which the unlearned and unstable distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, take care that you are not led astray by the error of the wicked and fall from your own commitment, but grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen .
" Just as our beloved brother Paul ," And where did Paul say anything of this sort? In these words when he says: "The goodness of God invites you to repentance." (Rom. 2:4) If the patience of God invites to repentance, then repentance is certainly beneficial for us, and the patience of God is for our benefit and salvation.
However, he says that the things hard to understand are interpreted by the wicked in a perverse way; for this means to be twisted, and to demonstrate the whole matter from one point, as Paul said, "Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more," (Rom. 5:20) they perverted this to mean that we sin more so that we may be forgiven more abundantly.
However, they do this , he says, to their own destruction . Just as those who killed the prophets and apostles are liable to the same judgment, so too are those who distort their words: for those killed them so that those who were being taught salvation by them could not be helped by them; and likewise, these distort the words so that no one may work salvation through them. Truly, he calls faith in the Lord its own commitment . And just as he concludes in his other Epistle with prayer, so in this one, he prays for an increase in faith in the Lord for them.
The end, with the help of divine favor, of the later Catholic Epistle of Peter.
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Translation Footnotes for 1-2 Peter
1 This section had an odd placement of a number of verses from chapter one. I am not sure if it was a copyist error or if Oecumenius actually wrote it. I simply abbreviated it.
2 Irenaeus of Lyons, Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenæus, 13
3 John Chrysostom, in his Homily 23 on Romans
4 Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 45.24
5 Epicurus, "Letter to Menoeceus", contained in Diogenes Laertius, Lives of Eminent Philosophers, Book X
6 Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle
7 Basil of Caesarea, Letter 155
8 Fragments of St. Justin Martyr, 4
9 For there is an ancient text called A Valentinian Exposition (150-350 A.D.), which is found in the Nag Hammadi Library, it demonstrates what Oecumenius says here about the Valentinians fleeing into profound depths and silence, in their own words. There is an English translation by John D. Turner.
10 Tartarus, a term from Greek mythology representing a deep abyss for torment and suffering, is mentioned in the New Testament once, in 2 Peter 2:4. Besides Hades and Gehenna, we find in the New Testament many other names for the abode of the damned. Tartarus is called "lower hell" (2 Peter 2:4), "abyss" (Luke 8:31 and elsewhere), "place of torments" (Luke 16:28), "pool of fire" (Revelation 19:20 and elsewhere), "furnace of fire" (Matthew 13:42, 50), "unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12, and elsewhere), "everlasting fire" (Matthew 18:8; 25:41; Jude 7), "exterior darkness" (Matthew 7:12; 22:13; 25:30), "mist" or "storm of darkness" (2 Peter 2:17; Jude 13). The state of the damned is called "destruction" (apoleia, Philippians 3:19 and elsewhere), "perdition" (olethros, 1 Timothy 6:9), "eternal destruction" (olethros aionios, 2 Thessalonians 1:9), "corruption" (phthora, Galatians 6:8), "death" (Romans 6:21), "second death" (Revelation 2:11 and elsewhere). [Catholic Encyclopedia]
11 Sharing bread and salt is an ancient custom, prevalent in the Middle East and parts of Europe, symbolizing welcome, gratitude, friendship, and trust.
12 Heraclitus of Ephesus (5th and 6th century B.C.) is renowned for his doctrine of flux. Empedocles on Etna (494–434 B.C.)
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OECUMENIUS
on the Epistles of John
HYPOTHESIS OF THE CATHOLIC EPISTLES OF JOHN
This epistle was written by the same John who wrote the Gospel, suggesting these things to those who had already believed in the Lord. And indeed, just as in the Gospel, so in this Epistle he theologically discusses the Word, showing that it has always been in God, and teaching that the Father is light, so that we may also know the Word as a radiance from Him. However, in discussing the theology, John teaches that the mystery which is among us is not recent: but indeed, it has always been from the beginning, and now it has been manifested through the Lord, who is eternal life and the true God. And he states the reason for His coming and manifestation, saying that it is to destroy the works of the Devil, and that we might be freed from death, and that we might know the Father and His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. It is therefore written for all ages: for children, for adolescents, for the elderly, that God indeed be known, but that the diabolical energy has been defeated thereafter, taken away by death. Then the entire subsequent Epistle teaches about love and charity, wanting us to love one another: and showing that we ought to love each other, since Christ loved us. Therefore, it teaches about the distinction between fear and love, and the children of God and the children of the Devil, and about sin leading to death and that which does not lead to death, and about the diversity of spirits, and afterwards distinguishes which spirit is from God and which spirit is of error: and how we know the children of God and the children of the Devil, and for what sin that we should pray and for those who sin, and for what we should not pray: and that those who do not love their neighbor are not worthy of the calling, nor can they be called Christ's. It also shows the unity of the Son with the Father: and that he who denies the Son does not have the Father. However, in this Epistle, it argues that it is characteristic of the Antichrist to say that the Son, Jesus Christ, does not exist, so that when he does not exist, he falsely claims to be. Moreover, the entire Epistle encourages believers in the Lord not to be troubled if they are hated in the world, but rather to rejoice, as the hatred of the world shows that believers have migrated from this world and henceforth have a heavenly conversation. And at the end of the Epistle, it again brings to mind that the Son of God is eternal life and the true God, and that we should serve Him and be wary of idols.
THE FIRST CATHOLIC EPISTLE OF JOHN.
SECTIONS
1. Evangelical theology of Christ; in which it also deals with confession and the observance of sin, which confirms the knowledge of God through the observance of His commandments.
2. Of love without which impiety remains: in which it also acts according to each one's age, and concerning the hatred from the love of the world.
3. Of false brothers denying God, and that piety in Christ is the confession of the Father: for the glorification of the Father is the theology of the Son. In which he also speaks of the divine and spiritual gift in sanctification for the hope of attaining the knowledge of God, that everyone who is in Christ is without sin: for whoever sins is of the Devil.
4. Of love towards one's neighbor and the affection for giving alms: in which it also deals with good conscience that is through faith in Jesus Christ: and with discerning spirits through the confession of the Lord's incarnation.
5. From brotherly love to divine worship.
6. Theology of the Son who is in the glory of the Father, and victory against the Evil One through faith in Jesus Christ unto life.
7. By assisting the sinning brother through prayer, and that it should not be sinful: in which it also deals with abstaining from the worship of demons.
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THE APOSTLE JOHN
THE FIRST CATHOLIC EPISTLE