II Peter 1:4
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Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Whereby, &c.--By His glory and virtue: His glory making the "promises" to be exceeding great; His virtue making them "precious" [BENGEL]. Precious promises are the object of precious faith. given--The promises themselves are a gift: for God's promises are as sure as if they were fulfilled. by these--promises. They are the object of faith, and even now have a sanctifying effect on the believer, assimilating him to God. Still more so, when they shall be fulfilled. might, &c.--Greek, "that ye MAY become partakers of the divine nature," even now in part; hereafter perfectly; Jo1 3:2, "We shall be like Him." the divine nature--not God's essence, but His holiness, including His "glory" and "virtue," Pe2 1:3; the opposite to "corruption through lust." Sanctification is the imparting to us of God Himself by the Holy Spirit in the soul. We by faith partake also of the material nature of Jesus (Eph 5:30). The "divine power" enables us to be partakers of "the divine nature." escaped the corruption--which involves in, and with itself, destruction at last of soul and body; on "escaped" as from a condemned cell, compare Pe2 2:18-20; Gen 19:17; Col 1:13. through--Greek, "in." "The corruption in the world" has its seat, not so much in the surrounding elements, as in the "lust" or concupiscence of men's hearts.
Open source ↗In this chapter we have, I. An introduction, or preface, making way for, and leading to, what is principally designed by the apostle (Pe2 1:1-4). II. An exhortation to advance and improve in all Christian graces (Pe2 1:5-7). III. To enforce this exhortation, and engage them seriously and heartily to comply with it, he adds, 1. A representation of the very great advantage which will thereby accrue to them (Pe2 1:8-11). 2. A promise of the best assistance the apostle was able to give to facilitate and forward this good work (Pe2 1:12-15). 3. A declaration of the certain truth and divine origin of the gospel of Christ, in the grace whereof they were exhorted to increase and persevere.
Open source ↗1:4 enable you to share his divine nature: Peter probably did not mean that our souls are merged with God but that believers share God’s qualities (cp. Lev 11:44; Matt 5:43-48; Eph 4:24; 5:1).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.
The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life.
For all the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him, our “Amen” is spoken to the glory of God.
Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:
Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.