to be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the Lord and Saviour by your apostles;
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
knowing this first, that there shall come at [the] close of the days mockers with mocking, walking according to their own lusts,
Peter has just sent his readers back to the words of the prophets and the apostles. Now he tells them the first thing they must know about the days ahead. The danger is ridicule, and it aims at one promise in particular: that Christ will come again.
Peter uses this phrase a second time here. One writer points out what the repetition is doing.
So here the repetition of "knowing this first" marks the importance of the truth. The gospel was preached to all creation. It might have seemed that this must have disarmed the hostile spirit, even in those who never believed to the saving of their souls, because of pride, pleasure, and lusts of all kinds. But the mind of the flesh is enmity against God.
These men do not come in from outside. One commentator names when they appear, where they rise, and what feeds them:
The apostle goes on to warn us against the special evils of the last days of the Christian world. He tells us that among those who profess to be Christians a class of unbelieving scoffers will arise. As always, unbelief is joined to a low moral condition. Unbelief has its spring in lust, and these men are described as "walking after their own lusts". The man who cannot believe what God says is doing what God forbids.
The same commentator finds the same pattern earlier, in Israel's own history:
In Bethel, the place distinguished in the history of Israel as the house of God, we find a band of mockers. It is no different in this day of grace. There is still ignorance and unbelief in the religious circle, and indifference among the men of the world. But the most terrible mark of the last days will be the appearance of scoffers among those who profess to be Christians — the very circle that claims to be the house of God. For such there is nothing but judgment — a judgment that begins at the house of God.
Of all the truths they could attack, they choose the Lord's return. One writer links that choice to the way they live.
First of all he issues a warning. He warns especially about the opposition to expect in the last days from scoffers, walking after their own lusts. Wishing to give free rein to their bodily desires, they deride the very thing that would put a check upon them.
So the failure is not one of evidence. Another writer ties the way these men walk to their refusal to know:
This brings out a most important truth. Whether a man can and will receive the truth of God is very largely a moral matter. Often a man wants to go on with his sin, or the flesh has a natural dislike of God. Perhaps they resent how the light searches them, and how the Bible holds them back. It is not the head that is so much at fault as the heart. "Walking after their own lusts … willingly ignorant" describes these latter-day scoffers well.
Peter warns us in advance so that the scoffing will not shake us. The mockery itself confirms his word.
Scripture gives us knowledge beforehand of the last days, so that we may be prepared. So it is no surprise that mockers have come. They walk in the lusts of self-pleasing, and shamelessly mock the promise that Christ will come. Their character, their conduct, and their sayings are all irresponsible and blameworthy. Such characters prove to us that the last days have come; so they really prove what they strongly deny. But this is always the case with unbelief: it proves itself to be folly.
- Know it first. Peter puts this warning at the head of the list on purpose. The repeated "knowing this first" marks how much weight the truth carries. Do not expect the last days to improve.
- Know where it starts. The scoffers rise among people who profess Christ, not outside them. For such there is nothing but judgment, and it begins at the house of God.
- Know the root. Unbelief here springs from lust, not from evidence. The man who cannot believe what God says is doing what God forbids; the fault lies in the heart rather than the head.
- Know the target. They mock the Lord's coming because it is the truth that would restrain them. They want free rein for their desires, so they laugh His return away.
- Know the outcome. By scoffing they date themselves. They prove the very thing they deny, and unbelief once again shows itself to be folly.