Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Peter 3:15

"And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you;" — 2 Peter 3:15 (ASV)

Again Peter stresses the purpose of the Lord’s “patience” (GK 3429), that it is designed for salvation. Some confuse the divine patience with slackness. But Christians should esteem it as “salvation.” “Just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you” is significant in the light of Paul’s rebuke of Peter (Galatians 2:11–14). Peter had recognized the ministry of Paul and Barnabas to the Gentiles. What had Paul written to the recipients of 2 Peter? We cannot answer that question. Nor is it necessary to do so in view of Peter’s general statement: “He [Paul] writes the same way in all his letters.” In Ro 2:4 Paul says that “God’s kindness leads you toward repentance.” Peter goes on to affirm that Paul’s letters contain “some things that are hard to understand.” The difficulty in Paul’s letters stems from the profundity of the God-given wisdom they contain.

Apparently false teachers were seeking to use Pauline support for their opposition to Peter. Paul’s letters contain things—e.g., slogans and arguments—that can be given meanings far beyond what Paul intended. The unlearned (NIV, “ignorant”; GK 276) are those who have not learned the apostolic teaching (Acts 2:42), nor have they been taught by the Father . They are “unstable” because they are without a foundation (cf. comment on 2:14). They “distort” the things in Paul’s letters as they do the “other Scriptures.” Like Satan, the false teachers and their followers can quote Scripture out of context for their purpose (cf. Matthew 4:6). Does Peter’s expression “the other Scriptures” imply that Paul’s writings were already considered Scripture by this time (c. A. D. 64)? This is the normal understanding of the Greek. That Paul’s writings should be considered “Scripture”—i.e., authoritative writing—is not surprising, for from the moment of composition they had the authority of commands of the Lord through his apostle (Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 14:37; Galatians 1:1). Twisting the Scriptures leads to “destruction” (GK 724; cf. comments on 2:1, 3) because it is the rejection of God’s way and the setting up of one’s own way in opposition to God (cf. Romans 8:7). In a time when the Christian church is plagued by heretical cults and false teaching, Peter’s warning about the irresponsible use of Scripture is important. Correct exegesis must be a continuing concern of the church.