Welcoming the Thief Part IV: Different Worlds

We can begin to discern the answer to this question by first looking at the text as it has been translated in English. Upon reading the passage, it is important to recognize a shift in Peter’s language that may go unnoticed at first glance. Beginning in verse 5, we see that Peter employs the use of a word-pair that he uses consistently throughout the passage. “For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,” (3:5, emphasis added). Beginning in the text of 3:5, where he speaks of God’s act of creation, through the text of 3:13, the promise of the renewal of creation, every time Peter mentions the “heavens”, “hoti uranoi”, he also mentions the “earth”, “hay gay”. There is one exception, however, in 3:12: “Looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!” This derivation from Peter’s use of his word-pair, may be accounted for by his use of the word for “elements”. “Stoichaion”, as used here sometimes carries a meaning that supports the understanding of elements being “elemental substances, the basic elements from which everything in the natural world is made, and of which it is composed” (Arndt, 769). Considering this definition, along with the fact that Peter uses the word in conjunction with the “heavens and earth” in verse 10, “...the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up,” it appears that he continues this pairing here in 3:12 with “elements” instead of “earth”.

Recognizing Peter’s use of this word-pair is important to us not only in taking note of where he does use it, but also of where he does not. Verses 5 and 6 are of particular concern in this regard. “For when [the mockers] maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water” (2 Pet 3:5-6, NAS). While we see clearly that Peter uses the pairing in verse 5, we must also notice that he does not use it in verse 6. Though he tells his readers that it is “the world” that was destroyed by the flood, he intentionally delineates from his word-pair and instead uses the word ko,smos, “kosmos”. Although this change occurs after only one use of “heaven and earth”, he quickly returns to it in verse 7 and, as was already demonstrated, establishes the pattern of its usage through to the end of the text. And so we must acknowledge the shift, the delineation in verse 6, to be intentional. Peter’s reasoning in using “kosmos” instead of “gay” , or even “stoichayon”, can be elucidated by considering the surrounding text and his aforementioned use of “apolaya” and “apollumi”. As we read in verse 7: “...kept for the day of judgment and destruction [apolaya] of ungodly men.” (3:7, emphasis added), we similarly see in verse 9: “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish [apollumi] but for all to come to repentance.” (3:9, emphasis added). When reading these verses, we must note that the object of the verb is human in both cases; the thing experiencing destruction is mankind. In contrast, whenever the object of the verb is Peter’s heaven and earth word-pair, the verb he uses is lu,w, “luo”. We will return to the meaning of this verb and its connotations momentarily, but for now, it is important to simply make note of the difference in the use of the two verbs, and that the usage is linked to specific objects. So we see that there are two factors that we must take into consideration while seeking to determine what Peter is really saying: First, that Peter intentionally shifts away from using his word-pair in verse 6 and uses “kosmos” in its place, and, second, that in conjunction with “kosmos” he uses “apollumi” , which he uses elsewhere only in conjunction with a human object. These two factors seem to force us to the conclusion that when Peter uses the word “kosmos”, he is not using it to refer to the heavens and the earth, “hoti uranoi [and] hay gay”, that which God created from the waters, but rather to that which was judged by and perished in the waters: sinful man. The Greek completely allows for and supports the understanding of “kosmos” as “sinful man”, as the word carries an enormous range of meaning and is often used to speak of “the world as mankind,” and “the world as the scene of earthly joys, possessions, cares, sufferings.” (Arndt, 446). While it is true that “kosmos” can also be used to talk about the creation and its order (446), the two factors mentioned above, at very least, strongly push us to conclude Peter is employing the former use. Having reached this conclusion, let us reconsider the meaning of the text of 2 Peter 3:5-6. “For when [the mockers] maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the created heavens existed long ago and the created earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the sinful men of that time [were] destroyed, being flooded with water.” (emendations added).

To be Continued...