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Commentary on James, Peter, 1 John, JudeTranslator's PrefaceCalvin's DedicationThe Argument1 Peter 1:1-21 Peter 1:3-51 Peter 1:6-91 Peter 1:10-121 Peter 1:13-161 Peter 1:17-221 Peter 1:23-251 Peter 2:1-51 Peter 2:6-81 Peter 2:9-101 Peter 2:11-121 Peter 2:13-161 Peter 2:171 Peter 2:18-201 Peter 2:21-231 Peter 2:24-251 Peter 3:1-41 Peter 3:5-61 Peter 3:5-61 Peter 3:8-91 Peter 3:10-151 Peter 3:15-161 Peter 3:17-181 Peter 3:19-221 Peter 4:1-51 Peter 4:6-111 Peter 4:12-171 Peter 4:17-191 Peter 5:1-41 Peter 5:5-71 Peter 5:8-111 Peter 5:12-14The Argument1 John 1:1-21 John 1:3-71 John 1:8-101 John 2:1-21 John 2: 3-61 John 2: 7-111 John 2:12-141 John 2:15-171 John 2:18-191 John 2:20-231 John 2:24-291 John 3:1-31 John 3:4-61 John 3:7-101 John 3:10-131 John 3:15-181 John 3:19-221 John 3:23-241 John 4:1-31 John 4:4-61 John 4:7-101 John 4:11-161 John 4:17-181 John 4:19-211 John 5:1-51 John 5:6-91 John 5:9-121 John 5:13-151 John 5:16-181 John 5:19-21The ArgumentJames 1:1-4James 1:5-8James 1:9-11James 1:12-15James 1:16-18James 1:19-21James 1:22-27James 2:1-4James 2:5-7James 2:8-11James 2:12-13James 2:14-17James 2:18-19James 2:20-26James 3:1-5James 3:5-6James 3:7-12James 3:13-18James 4:1-3James 4:4-6James 4:7-10James 4:11-12James 4:13-17James 5:1-6James 5:7-9James 5:10-11James 5:12-13James 5:14-15James 5:16-18James 5:19-20The Argument2 Peter 1:1-42 Peter 1:5-92 Peter 1:10-152 Peter 1:16-182 Peter 1:19-212 Peter 2:1-32 Peter 2:4-82 Peter 2:9-112 Peter 2:12-162 Peter 2:17-192 Peter 2:20-222 Peter 3:1-42 Peter 3:5-82 Peter 3:9-132 Peter 3:14-18The ArgumentJude 1-2Jude 3-4Jude 5-7Jude 8-10Jude 11-13Jude 14-16Jude 17-19Jude 20-25First Peter · Chapter 1First Peter · Chapter 2First Peter · Chapter 3First Peter · Chapter 4First Peter · Chapter 5First John · Chapter 1First John · Chapter 2First John · Chapter 3First John · Chapter 4First John · Chapter 5James · Chapter 1James · Chapter 2James · Chapter 3James · Chapter 4James · Chapter 5Second Peter · Chapter 1Second Peter · Chapter 2Second Peter · Chapter 3Jude · Chapter 1

John Calvin · 113 of 142

2 Peter 3:9-13

9. But the Lord is not slack, or, delays not. He checks extreme and unreasonable haste by another reason, that is, that the Lord defers his coming that he might invite all mankind to . For our minds are always prurient, and a doubt often creeps in, why he does not come sooner. But when we hear that the Lord, in delaying, shews a concern for our salvation, and that he defers the time because he has a care for us, there is no reason why we should any longer complain of tardiness. He is tardy who allows an occasion to pass by through : there is nothing like this in God, who in the best manner regulates time to promote our salvation. And as to the duration of the whole world, we must think exactly the same as of the life of every individual; for God by prolonging time to each, sustains him that he may . In the like manner he does not hasten the end of the world, in order to give to all time to .

This is a very necessary admonition, so that we may learn to employ time aright, as we shall otherwise suffer a just punishment for our idleness.

Not willing that any should perish. So wonderful is his love towards mankind, that he would have them all to be saved, and is of his own self prepared to bestow salvation on the lost. But the order is to be noticed, that God is ready to receive all to , so that none may perish; for in these words the way and manner of obtaining salvation is pointed out. Every one of us, therefore, who is desirous of salvation, must learn to enter in by this way.

But it may be asked, If God wishes none to perish, why is it that so many do perish? To this my answer is, that no mention is here made of the hidden purpose of God, according to which the reprobate are doomed to their own ruin, but only of his will as made known to us in the gospel. For God there stretches forth his hand without a difference to all, but lays hold only of those, to lead them to himself, whom he has chosen before the foundation of the world.

But as the verb χωρὢσαι is often taken passively by the Greeks, no less suitable to this passage is the verb which I have put in the margin, that God would have all, who had been before wandering and scattered, to be gathered or come together to .

10. But the day of the Lord will come. This has been added, that the faithful might be always watching, and not promise to-morrow to themselves. For we all labor under two very different evils — too much haste, and . We are seized with impatience for the day of Christ already expected; at the same time we securely regard it as afar off. As, then, the Apostle has before reproved an unreasonable ardor, so he now shakes off our sleepiness, so that we may attentively expect Christ at all times, lest we should become idle and negligent, as it is usually the case. For is it that flesh indulges itself except that there is no thought of the near coming of Christ?

What afterwards follows, respecting the burning of heaven and earth, requires no long explanation, if indeed we duly consider what is intended. For it was not his purpose to speak refinedly of fire and storm, and other things, but only that he might introduce an exhortation, which he immediately adds, even that we ought to strive after newness of life. For he thus reasons, that as heaven and earth are to be purged by fire, that they may correspond with the kingdom of Christ, hence the renovation of men is much more necessary. Mischievous, then, are those interpreters who consume much labor on refined speculations, since the Apostle applies his doctrine to godly exhortations.

Heaven and earth, he says, shall pass away for our sakes; is it meet, then, for us to be engrossed with the things of earth, and not, on the contrary, to attend to a holy and godly life? The corruptions of heaven and earth will be purged by fire, while yet as the creatures of God they are pure; what then ought to be done by us who are full of so many pollutions? As to the word godlinesses (pietatibus,) the plural number is used for the singular, except you take it as meaning the duties of godliness. Of the elements of the world I shall only say this one thing, that they are to be consumed, only that they may be renovated, their substance still remaining the same, as it may be easily gathered from Romans 8:21, and from other passages.

12 Looking for and hasting unto, or, waiting for by hastening; so I render the words, though they are two participles; for what we had before separately he gathers now into one sentence, that is, that we ought hastily to wait. Now this contrarious hope possesses no small elegance, like the proverb, “Hasten slowly,” (festina lente.) When he says, “Waiting for,” he refers to the endurance of hope; and he sets hastening in opposition to topor; and both are very apposite. For as quietness and waiting are the peculiarities of hope, so we must always take heed lest the security of the flesh should creep in; we ought, therefore, strenuously to labor in good works, and run quickly in the race of our calling. What he before called the day of Christ (as it is everywhere called in Scripture) he now calls the day of God, and that rightly, for Christ will then restore the kingdom to the Father, that God may be all in all.