Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Peter 3:12

"looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" — 2 Peter 3:12 (ASV)

Hasting unto.—There is no “unto” in the Greek. The margin is probably right, hasting the coming—that is, hastening Christ’s coming by holy lives, by helping to make the Gospel known to all nations (Matthew 24:14), so as to “accomplish the number of the elect,” and by praying Thy kingdom come (Compare 2 Timothy 4:8; Revelation 22:20).

The thought is singularly parallel to Saint Peter’s speech in Solomon’s Porch (Acts 3:19–21, where see notes); and as the thought is striking and unusual—perhaps nowhere else in the New Testament distinctly—this coincidence may fairly be admitted as a note of genuineness.

The coming of the day of God.—This phrase occurs here only. It is doubly remarkable:

1. “coming,” in the special sense indicated by the particular word used in the Greek, is elsewhere used of Christ Himself, not of the day;
2. “the day of God” is a very unusual expression.

Wherein.—Rather, by reason of which, either “the day” or “the coming” being meant.

Shall melt.—“Melt” is here correct, being quite a different word from that rendered “melt” in 2 Peter 3:10, which is the same as that here translated “be dissolved.” In the so-called Second Epistle of Clement (chapter 16) we have a somewhat similar passage—“The day of judgment comes even now as a burning oven (Malachi 4:1), and [the powers] of the heavens shall melt, and all the earth as lead melting on the fire.”