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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 2 Peter 3:3–7. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
To quicken and excite us to a serious minding and firm adhering to what God has revealed to us by the prophets and apostles, we are told that there will be scoffers, men who will make a mock of sin, and of salvation from it. God's way of saving sinners by Jesus Christ is what men will scoff at, and that in the last days, under the gospel. This indeed may seem very strange, that the New Testament dispensation of the covenant of grace, which is spiritual and therefore more agreeable to the nature of God than the Old, should be ridiculed and reproached; but the spirituality and simplicity of New Testament worship are directly contrary to the carnal mind of man, and this accounts for what the apostle seems here to hint at, namely, that scoffers shall be more numerous and more bold in the last days than ever before. Though in all ages those who were born and walked after the flesh persecuted, reviled, and reproached those who were born and did walk after the Spirit, yet in the last days there will be a great improvement in the art and impudence of bantering serious godliness, and those who firmly adhere to the circumspection and self-denial which the gospel prescribes. This is what is mentioned as a thing well known to all Christians, and therefore they ought to reckon upon it, that they may not be surprised and shaken, as if some strange thing happened unto them. Now to prevent the true Christian's being overcome, when attacked by these scoffers, we are told,
I.What sort of persons they are:
they walk after their own lusts, they follow the devices and desires of their own hearts, and carnal affections, not the dictates and directions of right reason and an enlightened well-informed judgment. This they do in the course of their conversation, they live as they list, and they speak as they list; it is not only their inward minds that are evil and opposite to God, as the mind of every unrenewed sinner is (Rom 8:7), alienated from God, ignorant of him, and averse to him; but they have grown to such a height of wickedness that they proclaim openly what is in the hearts of others who are yet carnal; they say, "Our tongues are our own, and our strength, and time, and who is lord over us? Who shall contradict or control us, or ever call us to an account for what we say or do?" And, as they scorn to be confined by any laws of God in their conversation, so neither will they bear that the revelation of God should dictate and prescribe to them what they are to believe; as they will walk in their own way, and talk their own language, so will they also think their own thoughts, and form principles which are altogether their own: here also their own lusts alone shall be consulted by them. None but such accomplished libertines as are here described can take a seat, at least they cannot sit in the seat of the scornful. "By this you shall know them, that you may the better be upon your guard against them."
II.We also are forewarned how far they will proceed:
they will attempt to shake and unsettle us, even as to our belief of Christ's second coming; they will scoffingly say, Where is the promise of his coming? Pe2 3:4. Without this, all the other articles of the Christian faith will signify very little; this is that which fills up and gives the finishing stroke to all the rest. The promised Messiah has come, he was made flesh, and dwelt among us; he is altogether such a one as in stated before, and has done all that for us which has been before taken notice of. These principles the enemies of Christianity have all along endeavoured to overturn; but as these all rest upon facts which are already past, and of which this and the other apostles have given us the most sure and satisfying evidence, it is probable that they will at last grow weary of their opposition to them; and yet, while one very principal article of our faith refers to what is still behind, and only has a promise to rest upon, here they will still attack us, even to the end of time. Till our Lord shall have come, they will not themselves believe that he will come; nay, they will laugh at the very mention of his second coming, and do what in them lies to put all out of countenance who seriously believe and wait for it. Now therefore let us see how this point stands, both on the believer's part and on the part of these seducers: the believer not only desires that he may come, but, having a promise that he will come, a promise that he himself has made and often repeated, a promise received and reported by faithful witnesses, and left upon sure record, he is also firmly and fully persuaded that he will come: on the other hand, these seducers, because they wish he never may, therefore do all that in them lies to cheat themselves and others into a persuasion that he will never come. If they cannot deny that there is a promise, yet they will laugh at that very promise, which argues much higher degrees of infidelity and contempt: Where is the promise, say they, of his coming?
III.We are also forewarned of the method of their reasoning, for while they laugh they will pretend to argue too.
To this purpose they add that since the fathers fell asleep all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation, Pe2 3:4. This is a subtle, though not a solid way of reasoning; it is apt to make impressions upon weak minds, and especially upon wicked hearts. Because sentence against them is not speedily executed, therefore they flatter themselves that it never will, whereupon their hearts are fully set in them to do evil (Ecc 8:11); thus they act themselves, and thus they would persuade others to act; so here, say they, "The fathers have fallen asleep, those are all dead to whom the promise was made, and it was never made good in their time, and there is no likelihood that it ever will be in any time; why should we trouble ourselves about it? If there had been any truth or certainty in the promise you speak of, we should surely have seen somewhat of it before this time, some signs of his coming, some preparatory steps in order to it; whereas we find to this very day all things continue as they were, without any change, even from the beginning of the creation. Since the world has undergone no changes in the course of so many thousand years, why should we affright ourselves as if it were to have an end?" Thus do these scoffers argue. Because they see no changes, therefore they fear not God, Psa 55:19. They neither fear him nor his judgments; what he never has done they would conclude he never can do or never will.
IV.Here is the falsehood of their argument detected.
Whereas they confidently had said there had not been any change from the beginning of the creation, the apostle puts us in remembrance of a change already past, which, in a manner, equals that which we are called to expect and look for, which was the drowning of the world in the days of Noah. This these scoffers had overlooked; they took no notice of it. Though they might have known it, and ought to have known it, yet this they willingly are ignorant of (Pe2 3:5), they choose to pass it over in silence, as if they had never heard or known any thing of it; if they knew it, they did not like to retain it in their knowledge; they did not receive this truth in the love of it, neither did they care to own it. Note, It is hard to persuade men to believe what they are not willing to find true; they are ignorant, in many cases, because they are willing to be ignorant, and they do not know because they do not care to know. But let not sinners think that such ignorance as this will be admitted as an excuse for whatever sin it may betray them into. Those who crucified Christ did not know who he was; for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (Co1 2:8); but, though ignorant, they were not therefore innocent; their ignorance itself was a sin, willing and wilful ignorance, and one sin can be no excuse for another. So it is here; had these known of the dreadful vengeance with which God swept away a whole world of ungodly wretches at once, they would not surely have scoffed at his threatenings of any after equally terrible judgment; but here they were willingly ignorant, they did not know what God had done because they had no mind to know it. Now therefore we shall proceed to consider the representation which the apostle here lays down both of the destruction of the old world by water and that which awaits this present world at the final conflagration. He mentions the one as what God has done, to convince and persuade us the rather to believe that the other both may be and will be.
1.We begin with the apostle's account of the destruction which has once already come upon the world (Pe2 3:5, Pe2 3:6): By the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water, whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. Originally the world was otherwise situated, the waters were most wisely divided at the creation and most beneficially for us; some of the waters had proper repositories above the firmament, here called the heavens (as it is also Gen 1:8), and others, under the firmament, gathered together unto one place; there were then both sea and dry land, commodious habitation for the children of men. But now, at the time of the universal deluge, the case is strangely altered; the waters which God had divided before, assigning to each part its convenient receptacle, now does he, in anger, throw together again in a heap. He breaks up the fountain of the great deep, and throws open the windows (that is, the clouds) of heaven (Gen 7:11), till the whole earth is overflowed with water, and not a spot can be found upon the highest mountains but what is fifteen cubits under water, Gen 7:20. Thus he made known at once his terrible power and his fierce anger, and made an end of a whole world at once: The world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished, Pe2 3:6. Is not here a change and a most awful change! And then it is to be observed that all this was done by the word of God; it was by his powerful word that the world was made at first, and made in so commodious and beautiful a frame and order, Heb 11:3, Katērtisthai. He said, Let there be a firmament, etc., Gen 1:6, Gen 1:7. And let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, etc., Gen 1:9, Gen 1:10. Thus he spoke, and it was done, Psa 33:9. Thus, says our apostle, by the word of the Lord the heavens were, as they were of old (that is, at first creation) and the earth (as it was at first a terraqueous globe) standing out of the water and in the water. Not is it only the first frame and order of the world that is here said to be by the word of God, but the after-confusion and ruin of the world, as well as the utter destruction of its inhabitants, were also by the same word; none but that God who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundation of the earth could destroy and overthrow such a vast fabric at once. This was done by the word of his power, and it was also done according to the word of his promise; God had said that he would destroy man, even all flesh, and that he would do it by bringing a flood of waters upon the earth, Gen 6:7, Gen 6:13, Gen 6:17. This was the change which God had before brought upon the world, and which these scoffers had overlooked; and now we are to consider,
2.What the apostle says of the destructive change which is yet to come upon it: The heavens and the earth, which now are, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men, Pe2 3:7. Here we have an awful account of the final dissolution of the world, and which we are yet more nearly concerned in. The ruin that came upon the world and its inhabitants by the flood, we read, and hear, and think of, with concern, though those who were swept away by it were such as we never knew; but the judgment here spoken of is yet to come, and will surely come, though we know not when, nor upon what particular age or generation of men; and therefore we are not, we cannot be, sure that it may not happen in our own times: and this makes a very great difference, though it should be admitted that they were equal in every other respect, which yet must not be allowed, for there were some, though very few, who escaped that deluge, but not one can escape in this conflagration. Besides, we were not in reach of the one, but are not sure that we shall not be included in the other calamity. Now therefore to see the world to which we belong destroyed at once - not a single person only, not a particular family only, nor yet a nation (even that which we are most nearly interested in and concerned for), but the whole world, I say, sinking at once, and no ark provided, no possible way left of escaping for any one from the common ruin, this makes a difference between the desolation that has been and what we yet are to expect. The one is already past, and never to return upon us any more (for God has said expressly that there shall never any more be a flood to destroy the earth, Gen 9:11-17); the other is still behind, and is as certain to come as the truth and the power of God can make it: the one came gradually upon the world, and was growing upon its inhabitants forty days, before it made an utter end of them (Gen 7:12, Gen 7:17); this other will come upon them swiftly and all at once (Pe2 2:1): besides, there were in that overthrow (as we have said) a few who escaped, but the ruin which yet awaits this world, whenever it comes, will be absolutely a universal one; there will not be any part but what the devouring flames will seize upon, not a sanctuary left any where for the inhabitants to flee to, not a single spot in all this world where any one of them can be safe. Thus, whatever differences may be assigned between that destruction of the world and this here spoken of, they do indeed represent the approaching as the most terrible judgment; yet that the world has once been destroyed by a universal deluge renders it the more credible that it may be again ruined by a universal conflagration. Let therefore the scoffers, who laugh at the coming of our Lord to judgment, at least consider that it may be. There is nothing said of it in the word of God but what is within reach of the power of God, and, though they still should laugh, they shall not put us out of countenance; we are well assured that it will be, because he has said it, and we can depend upon his promise. They err, not knowing (at least not believing) the scriptures, nor the power of God; but we know, and we do or ought to depend upon, both. Now that which he has said, and which he will certainly make good, is that the heavens and the earth which now are (which we are now related to, which still subsist in all the beauty and order in which we see them, and which are so agreeable and useful to us, as we find they are) are kept in store, not to be, what earthly minds would wish to have them, treasures for us, but to be what God will have them, in his treasury, securely lodged and kept safely for his purposes. It follows, they are reserved unto fire. Observe, God's following judgments are more terrible than those which went before; the old world was destroyed by water, but this is reserved unto fire, which shall burn up the wicked at the last day; and, though this seems to be delayed, yet, as this wicked world is upheld by the word of God, so it is only reserved for the vengeance of him to whom vengeance belongs, who will at the day of judgment deal with an ungodly world according to their deserts, for the day of judgment is the day of the perdition of ungodly men. Those who now scoff at a future judgment shall find it a day of vengeance and utter destruction. "Beware therefore of being among these scoffers; never question but the day of the Lord will come; give diligence therefore to be found in Christ, that that may be a time of refreshment and day of redemption to you which will be a day of indignation and wrath to the ungodly world."
Historical interpretation
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People were talking this way as if the flood had never occurred and as if fire had never come down from heaven in the past.
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying: Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Where is the promise of his coming? For this one, who is not yet complete due to a certain arrangement, they also distort the other beneficial teachings of the Lord, so that faith is not held by them. However, in those times, the Gnostics or Naassenes were indeed quiet, as were the Lampetians and Euchites. All of whom, Peter says, willingly do not know. For they voluntarily close their eyes to the truth, as we have said before.
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Summary
The Apostle Peter articulates the central challenge posed by the scoffers of the last days: a cynical questioning of the promised return of Jesus Christ. These mockers dismiss the eschatological hope of believers by appealing to a perceived uniformitarianism in the natural world, arguing that since the patriarchs died, all things have continued without change from the very beginning of creation, thereby implying the promise of Christ's advent is a delusion or a forgotten decree. This verse sets the stage for Peter's profound theological rebuttal, which grounds Christian hope in God's faithfulness and His sovereign control over time and history.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is pivotal, introducing the specific argument of the "scoffers" (Gk. empaiktai) first mentioned in 2 Peter 3:3. Peter's entire third chapter is dedicated to refuting their claims and bolstering the faith of his readers regarding the certainty of Christ's return and the coming judgment. The preceding verses establish the prophetic foundation for Peter's teaching, reminding them of the words spoken by the holy prophets and the commandment of the apostles. Verse 4 directly quotes the scoffers, presenting their core objection before Peter systematically dismantles it by recalling God's past interventions in creation and the flood (2 Peter 3:5-7) and by reorienting their understanding of divine time (2 Peter 3:8-9).
Historical & Cultural Context
Peter's audience likely faced increasing pressure from within and without the Christian community. Internally, false teachers (addressed extensively in 2 Peter 2) promoted libertinism and denied the Lordship of Christ, often by dismissing future judgment. Externally, the delay of Christ's parousia (coming) was a genuine point of contention and mockery for those who observed the passing of generations since the early apostles and Jesus Himself had promised His return. This skepticism was not unique; ancient philosophical schools, particularly Epicureanism, often promoted a worldview of natural continuity and denied divine intervention or a final judgment, which would have resonated with the scoffers' argument that "all things continue as they were from the beginning." The phrase "since the fathers fell asleep" likely refers to the patriarchs of the faith, or perhaps even the apostles and early believers, whose deaths without the Lord's return fueled the scoffers' cynicism.
Key Themes
2 Peter 3:4 contributes significantly to several major themes within the book and the broader New Testament. Firstly, it highlights the theme of eschatological skepticism, directly confronting the challenge to Christian hope concerning the Second Coming. Secondly, it introduces the uniformitarian argument, where the scoffers deny divine intervention based on their observation of natural processes, contrasting sharply with the biblical emphasis on God's active involvement in creation, judgment (e.g., Genesis 6-9), and future consummation. Finally, the verse implicitly sets up Peter's subsequent teaching on God's unique perception of time, demonstrating that human impatience and limited temporal understanding cannot define or negate God's eternal purposes and promises, as further elaborated in 2 Peter 3:8.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word signifies "an announcement for information, assent, or pledge," specifically a "divine assurance of good." In this context, it refers to the definite, divinely given assurance of Christ's return. The scoffers are not merely questioning a vague hope but a specific, authoritative declaration made by God through Christ and His apostles. Their skepticism is a direct assault on the reliability of God's word.
Derived from the present participle of páreimi ("to be near"), parousía denotes "a being near," "advent," or "presence." It was a common term in the ancient world for the official visit of a king or dignitary. Here, it specifically refers to the personal, authoritative, and visible return of Jesus Christ. The scoffers are mocking the delay of this promised, tangible arrival, implying it will never occur.
This verb literally means "to put to sleep" or "to slumber." In biblical usage, particularly when referring to believers, it is a common and tender euphemism for death, emphasizing that death is a temporary state from which one will awaken, much like sleep. The scoffers use this term to highlight the long period that has elapsed since the "fathers" (early believers, patriarchs, or apostles) died, suggesting that the promise has failed because generations have passed without its fulfillment.
From diá (through) and ménō (to remain), diaménō means "to stay constantly (in being or relation)." It conveys the idea of unbroken continuity or persistence. The scoffers observe the apparent unchanging order of the natural world and extrapolate this continuity indefinitely, denying any future divine disruption or intervention. They assert that the world has always been, and will always be, the same.
This term refers to "original formation," "the act of creating," or "the thing created." The scoffers' argument that "all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" implies a static, unalterable cosmos that has operated on the same principles since its inception, without any past or future divine interruptions. This directly challenges the biblical narrative of a dynamic God who actively created and intervenes in His creation.
Verse Breakdown
"And saying, Where is the promise of his coming?"
This clause introduces the direct challenge from the scoffers. It is a rhetorical question, laden with sarcasm and doubt, implying that the promise of Christ's return (parousia) is either non-existent, forgotten, or simply a false hope. They are mocking the core eschatological expectation of the Christian faith.
"for since the fathers fell asleep,"
This provides the basis for the scoffers' skepticism. The phrase "the fathers" likely refers to the revered figures of Christian history, perhaps the patriarchs of the Old Testament, but more immediately, the apostles and early believers who had died. Their "falling asleep" (a euphemism for death) signifies the passage of a significant amount of time since the initial promise of Christ's return was made, leading the scoffers to conclude that the delay negates the promise.
"all things continue as [they were] from the beginning of the creation."
This is the scoffers' uniformitarian argument. They observe the apparent constancy of natural processes and extrapolate this backward to "the beginning of the creation" and forward indefinitely. Their worldview denies any past divine interventions (like the Flood, which Peter addresses next) or future disruptions (like the Second Coming and final judgment), asserting that the world operates on immutable, self-sustaining principles, making divine intervention unnecessary or impossible.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Rhetorical Question is evident in "Where is the promise of his coming?", which is not a genuine inquiry but a sarcastic challenge designed to express doubt and ridicule. Euphemism is used with "fell asleep" (κοιμάομαι) to refer to death, a common biblical idiom that softens the harshness of death and hints at a future awakening. Irony is subtly present, as the scoffers, in their attempt to dismiss divine intervention, inadvertently highlight the very patience of God that Peter will later explain as a means to repentance. Furthermore, the scoffers' argument itself presents a form of False Analogy or Fallacy of Uniformitarianism, where they assume that because things appear constant in their limited observation, they must always have been and always will be constant, disregarding the possibility of divine, supernatural intervention.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This verse lays bare a fundamental tension between human perception of time and God's eternal perspective, a tension that echoes throughout Scripture. The scoffers' argument is rooted in a naturalistic worldview that denies God's active involvement in creation and history, contrasting sharply with the biblical narrative where God is sovereign over all, including time and judgment. Their skepticism about Christ's return is a direct attack on the parousia, a central tenet of Christian hope and motivation for holy living. Peter will address this by reminding his readers of God's past judgments (the Flood) and His unique relationship with time, emphasizing that the delay is not a sign of forgetfulness but of divine patience, allowing more time for repentance before the inevitable day of the Lord.
Reflection and Application
The scoffers' question in 2 Peter 3:4 resonates deeply in every generation, including our own. In a world increasingly prone to skepticism and naturalistic explanations, the apparent delay of Christ's return can be a stumbling block for some and an excuse for others to live without accountability. For believers, this verse serves as a powerful call to steadfast faith and diligent living. It reminds us that our hope is not based on human timelines or observable natural patterns, but on the unfailing promises of a faithful God. The scoffers' argument, far from disproving God's word, highlights the very patience of God, who delays His return not out of apathy, but out of a desire for all to come to repentance. Therefore, we are called to live with an eager expectation, allowing the certainty of Christ's coming to purify our lives and motivate our mission, knowing that God's timing is perfect and His word is true.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "promise of his coming" that the scoffers are mocking?
The "promise of his coming" refers to the explicit and repeated New Testament promise of Jesus Christ's Second Coming, or parousia. This promise was made by Jesus Himself (e.g., John 14:3), reaffirmed by angels at His ascension (e.g., Acts 1:11), and taught consistently by the apostles (e.g., 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). It is the central eschatological hope of the Christian faith, signifying Christ's personal, visible, and triumphant return to establish His full reign and bring about final judgment and redemption. The scoffers are deriding the apparent delay of this promised event.
Who are "the fathers" mentioned in this verse?
"The fathers" (Gk. patéres) in this context most likely refers to the patriarchs of the Old Testament, the early generations of believers, or perhaps more specifically, the apostles and other foundational figures of the early Christian church who had died since the promise of Christ's return was first given. The scoffers use their deaths, and the subsequent passage of time without the parousia, as evidence that the promise has failed or was never true.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While 2 Peter 3:4 presents the scoffers' cynical challenge to Christ's return, it implicitly points to the absolute necessity and certainty of that return for the full realization of God's redemptive plan in Christ. The "promise of his coming" is not merely an isolated event but the culmination of God's work initiated through Jesus' first advent. His parousia is the glorious consummation of the New Covenant, where the Lamb of God, who took away the sin of the world (John 1:29), will return as the conquering King and righteous Judge (Revelation 19:11-16). The scoffers' argument that "all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" is a denial of God's active role in history, a role supremely demonstrated in Christ's incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. The very existence of the church, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17), and the ongoing proclamation of the Gospel are all direct results of Christ's finished work and the anticipation of His glorious return, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Thus, the scoffers' challenge, rather than negating Christ's future coming, underscores its indispensable place in God's sovereign plan for the redemption of creation and the ultimate triumph of His kingdom.