Paul in his writings also speaks “these things” (except the new heavens and the new earth). Hence, Peter refers to Paul’s writings to strengthen his writings, especially concerning God’s governmental and disciplinary judgment upon the believers. Paul also strongly and repeatedly emphasizes this matter in his writings (1 Cor. 11:30-32; Heb. 12:5-11; 2:3; 4:1; 6:8; 10:27-31, 39; 12:29; 1 Cor. 3:13-15; 4:4-5; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10). This should be the reason that Peter highly commends Paul’s writings.
What beauty and excellency are in this commendation! Although the Corinthians attempted to divide Peter and Paul according to their own divisive preference (1 Cor. 1:11-12), Peter commends Paul, and says that both of them teach the same things, “these things,” and that Paul’s writings should not be twisted, but be regarded as “the rest of the Scriptures” and receive the same respect as the Old Testament. For Peter to make such a commendation is a great thing, for it was he who was rebuked by Paul to his face regarding the New Testament faith (Gal. 2:11-21). This indicates that Peter was bold in admitting that the early apostles, like John, Paul, and himself, although their style, terminology, utterance, aspects of their views, and presentations of their teachings differed one from another, participated in the same unique ministry, the ministry of the New Testament (2 Cor. 3:8-9; 4:1). Such a ministry ministers to people, as its focus, the all-inclusive Christ as the embodiment of the Triune God, who, after passing through the process of incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, dispenses Himself through the redemption of Christ and by the operation of the Holy Spirit to His redeemed people as their unique portion of life, life supply, and everything, for the building up of the church as the Body of Christ, which will consummate in the full expression, the fullness, of the Triune God, according to the eternal purpose of the Father.
In 3:16 Peter says that the unlearned and unstable twist Paul’s writings and also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. This indicates that the mockers (2 Pet. 3:3) and their followers must have twisted the Scriptures and the apostles’ teachings.
According to the context, “destruction” in verse 16 refers not to eternal perdition, but to the punishment of the divine governmental discipline.
In 3:17 and 18 we have the conclusion of this Epistle. In verse 17 Peter says, “You, therefore, beloved, knowing these things before, be on your guard lest being carried away by the error of the lawless, you fall from your own steadfastness.” Here Peter tells us to be on our guard because of the apostasy, the heretical teachings, that may carry us away to destruction by twisting the apostles’ writings or the Scriptures. The Greek word rendered “carried away” here is the same word used in Galatians 2:13 concerning Peter, Barnabas, and other Jewish believers. In verse 17 “the lawless” must refer to the false teachers and mockers (2 Pet. 2:1; 3:3) as the early heretics. Peter is concerned lest the saints fall from their own steadfastness. To fall from our steadfastness is to become unstable.
In verse 18 Peter concludes, “But grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.” The word “grow” indicates that what Peter has written in his two Epistles is a matter of life. To grow in grace is to grow by the bountiful supply of eternal life provided by the divine power (1:3-4), and to grow in the knowledge of the Lord is to grow by the realization of what Christ is. This is to grow by the enjoyment of grace and realization of truth (John 1:14, 17).
Grace is the Triune God being life and the life supply to us. We need to grow in this life supply, in this nourishment. Therefore, to grow in grace means to grow in this inward source of the supply of life. At the beginning of this Epistle Peter speaks of grace, and now at the end he charges us to grow in this grace.
Peter also encourages us to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The realization of the knowledge of our Lord equals truth, the reality of all that He is, as in John 1:14 and 17. Peter charges the believers to grow not only in grace but also in this truth.
Peter ends this Epistle with the word, “To Him be the glory both now and unto the day of eternity.” The pronoun “Him” refers to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Since such a praise is one that is rendered to God (Rom. 11:36; 16:27), this indicates that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is God.