Verse 11 --

• Peter gives the only reasonable question in response: what manner of persons* ought ye to be? *Peter especially wants to focus on holy conversation and godliness.

  • While he asks the question, he only gives a very brief response, and not until verse 14. It seems to be more of a question for personal reflection than for direct instruction.

    
    

• Verse 12 --

  • It makes sense for Peter to tell his listeners to be looking for...the coming of the day of God but why and how does he ask them to be hasting unto the coming of this day?

    • The word hastingσπεύδω [speudo], from which we get speeding.

    • The text literally says hasting the coming of the day of God (see marginal note, KJV).

    • But how can one do anything to speed God's timing on the Kingdom?

      
      

  • I believe even Bullinger got this wrong, saying,

    • “Man can neither hinder nor advance the kingdom of God. But here the meaning is “Looking for, yes and earnestly looking for, the coming of the day of God" (The Companion Bible, note on 2 Peter 3:12). .

    • While this is true for man in this dispensation, it is not true for the nation of Israel.

    • The nation of Israel is specifically told by the Lord that there is a threefold requirement for the coming of its Kingdom:

      • Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to all the world - Matthew 24:14.

      • Repent, ushering in times of refreshing - Acts 3:19.

      • Call (collectively) on Jesus as Messiah - Matthew 23:39.

        
        

  • “advance the Kingdom" doctrine by believing that the Kingdom has already been established but is not yet fully established.

  • Bullinger and other more literalist believers avoid this problem but seek to change the clear meaning of the words of this verse by mistakenly applying them to the believer today.

  • Note that Peter uses the phrase day of God, describing it in the same terms as the day of the Lord in verse 10. Revelation 16:14 speaks of this day as the great day of God Almighty.

    
    

• Verse 13 --

  • Since Peter again speaks of *that which immediatly follows* the day of the Lord as the new heavens and a new earth, then we are forced by scripture into one of the following conclusions:

    • An amillennial conclusion. But this would conflict with far too many scriptures, requiring far too much allegorization.

    • A conclusion that says that Peter simply wrote in the broadest language possible concerning the millennial kingdom.

    • A conclusion that makes the new heavens and earth premillennial (or at the beginning of the millennium).

      
      

  • I think the final option is worthy of consideration. Looking at Revelation 21, there are a few problems with the standard post-millennial interpretation. For example, Isaiah 65:17 speaks of a new heavens and a new earth but the context is clearly the beginning of the millennium. Further study is warranted.

  • Verse 14 - The nation of Israel looks for such things as the new heavens (v. 13). This is added indication that these new things are associated with the beginning of the Kingdom rather than the end.