John Calvin Commentary 2 Peter 1:14

"knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signified unto me." — 2 Peter 1:14 (ASV)

I must put off this my tabernacle. Literally, the words are, "Short is the putting away of this tabernacle." By this way of speaking, and afterwards by the word "departing," he designates death, which it is important for us to notice, for we are taught here how much death differs from perdition.

Besides, an excessive dread of death terrifies us because we do not sufficiently consider how fading and transient this life is, and do not reflect on the permanence of future life. But what does Peter say? He declares that death is a departure from this world, so that we may move elsewhere, even to the Lord. Therefore, it ought not to be dreadful to us, as though we were to perish when we die.

He declares that it is the putting away of a tabernacle, by which we are covered only for a short time. Therefore, there is no reason why we should regret being removed from it.

But an implied contrast is to be understood between a fading tabernacle and a permanent habitation, which Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 5:1.

When he says that it had been revealed to him by Christ, he refers not to the kind of death but to the time. But if he received the oracle at Babylon concerning his death being near, how was he crucified at Rome? It certainly appears that he died very far from Italy, unless he flew in a moment over seas and lands.

But the Papists, in order to claim Peter's body for themselves, make themselves Babylonians and say that Peter calls Rome Babylon; this will be refuted in its proper place.

What he says about remembering these things after his death was intended to show that posterity ought to learn from him when he was dead. For the apostles did not only have regard for their own age, but also intended to do us good. Therefore, though they are dead, their doctrine lives and prevails, and it is our duty to profit from their writings, as though they were clearly present with us.