Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Peter 3:16

"as also in all [his] epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." — 2 Peter 3:16 (ASV)

As also in all his epistles.—All those known to the writer. The expression does not necessarily imply that Saint Paul was dead, and that his Epistles had been collected into one volume. That each church made a collection of them as they became known to it, and that in the great centers they became known soon after they were written, are conjectures of great probability.

Speaking in them of these things—namely, of the return of Christ and of the destruction of the world. Some, however, understand the words as meaning the exhortations to holiness here given.

Some things hard to be understood.—Certainly the difficulties with which 2 Thessalonians 2:0 bristles are well described by this expression, and they relate to the very point in question—the time of Christ’s coming.

Moreover, scoffers could easily exploit them by arguing that “the man of sin” had not yet appeared, and that therefore there was no likelihood of the end of the world coming just yet. But in admitting that 2 Thessalonians 2:0 is among the passages alluded to here, we are not committed to the theory that 1 and 2 Thessalonians are alluded to in 2 Peter 3:15. Many refer these words to Saint Paul’s doctrine of justification by faith as wrested to mean “faith without works.” So, again, Ephesians 2:5–6, and Colossians 2:12 might be wrested to mean that the resurrection is past already (2 Timothy 2:18). (See Note on Romans 3:8 regarding the perversion of his teaching.)

Unlearned and unstable.—The word for “unlearned” here is not the same as that translated “unlearned” in Acts 4:13. (See Note there.) That signifies “without special study;” this means “without ordinary instruction.” Ignorance naturally produces instability; those who have no clear principles of Christian doctrine easily fall victims to seductions of all kinds. (Compare 2 Peter 2:14.)

Wrest.—Literally, torture by means of the rack; and hence “strain,” “distort.” That Saint Paul’s doctrine of Christian liberty, as opposed to the bondage of the Law, was seen by himself to be liable to great abuse, and had already begun to be abused, we learn from his own writings (1 Corinthians 6:12–20; Galatians 5:13–26; see Notes. Compare Revelation 2:20.)

The other scriptures.—The Old Testament can hardly be meant. Saint Peter would scarcely have placed the writings of a contemporary side by side with the Scriptures of the Old Testament (the canon of which had long since been closed) without some intimation of a grouping which at that time must have been novel, and probably was quite unknown. It is much more probable that Christian writings of some kind are intended, but we can only conjecture which—any of the canonical writings of the New Testament then in existence, and perhaps some that are not canonical.

That an Apostle should speak of the writings of a brother-Apostle in the same terms as the books of the Old Testament—namely, as Scripture—need not surprise us, especially when we remember the large claims made by Saint Paul for his own words (1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:15; Ephesians 3:3–5. Compare Acts 15:28; Revelation 22:18–19).

In 1 Peter 1:12, Evangelists are almost made superior to the Old Testament Prophets—a statement indicating a view which harmonizes well both with 2 Peter 1:15–19 and with the view set forth here; for in 2 Peter 1:15 he assigns to this Epistle much the same purpose as he assigns to the Old Testament Prophets in 2 Peter 1:19. Moreover, we have seen how Clement of Rome uses the term “Scripture” of a passage which comes from some uncanonical book (see above on 2 Peter 3:4). See Introduction, I. c. δ. 4.

Unto their own destruction.—The Greek is very emphatic that it is “their own.” (Compare Bring upon themselves swift destruction, 2 Peter 2:1.) It is their own doing—Saint Paul and other writers of Scripture are not to blame; and it suits them—they will find the end they deserve.

This passage does not support the Roman doctrine that all Scripture is hard to understand, and therefore not to be read by the people. All that is said here is that some Scripture is hard to understand, and that bad men make a bad use of the fact. The inference drawn from this by Saint Peter is not, “Do not read Scripture,” nor even “Pass over what seems to be hard,” but “Be on your guard against being led astray by interpretations contrary to the spirit of the gospel.”