2 Peter - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis

virtue], you do not drift off course from your own steadfastness [residence and
function inside the divine system],
KW 2 Peter 3:17 As for you, therefore, divinely loved ones, knowing [these things]
beforehand, be constantly on your guard, lest having been carried away by the error of
unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness.
KJV 2 Peter 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also,
being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
TRANSLATION HIGHLIGHTS
Peter closes this epistle with warning and encouragement, addressing his readers once
again as beloved members of the royal family of God. Since they have now received
advanced warning from both Peter and Paul (Attributive/Causal Participle), they are
commanded to be constantly on guard (Imperative mood). They are to remember what
the apostles have told them (remain in their custody) and avoid prolonged deception.
Since they have been thoroughly warned about false teachers, they are to guard
themselves without ceasing (Durative Present tense). There is a purpose and potential
result behind this command. The reason they should remain on close guard is so that if
they happen to slip-up and are carried away by the error of unprincipled men
(Conditional Participle), they will not drift off course from their own secure spiritual life
(Potential Result).
Maybe in a weak moment, some false teacher mixes some biblical truth in with his
heresy and some of Peter’s less-prepared readers get caught up in it (Ingressive Aorist
tense). Maybe they are initially deceived, but they realize as things start to develop that
their spiritual life is running aground. The idea behind standing guard is so that you are
cautious enough not to allow this to happen (Culminative Aorist tense). Peter warns them
not to let this happen (Subjunctive of Prohibition). He wants them to remain steadfast in
the spiritual life, firmly residing in the divine system and securely functioning in the
same. It doesn’t take much to fall out of step with the divine plan, and there are plenty of
false teachers and reversionistic believers out there to spring the trap on you. Get in your
defensive mental stance with abundant doctrine in the soul and stand guard in the filling
of the Spirit!
RELEVANT OPINIONS
The inherent warning is that those who so err will suffer the fate of the false teachers, that is,
destruction, and will loose their reward ... 2 Peter makes it very clear that the matter affects
the audience, because it is they who are subject to the error of the false teachers and stand to
falter in their Christian lives. He also makes it clear that emulating the error of the false
teachers that he speaks against leads to the loss of stability. (D. Watson) Christians need to
become alert and discerning every time they listen to teaching or a sermon. They need to
grow in grace – God’s power to understand, live, and serve – as well as in the knowledge
of Christ to avoid being victimized by men who have no qualms about distorting and
perverting the truth of Scripture. The hazard is that they may fall from their steadfastness