epistle.  To this we have now added some idea of the general scope of this

epistle, and of 2 Peter 3:3 -14 in particular.  We are, therefore, now ready

to give 2 Peter 3:3 -14 a fuller and more detailed examination.

Before we can come to any definite conclusion about the intention of

the apostle in 2 Peter 3:3 -14, we must arrive at some certain understanding

of the terms he uses.  There are few students of Scripture who, when they

read the words of 2 Peter 3:4, `the Beginning of creation', but will go back

in mind immediately to Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1, where the same word arche

`beginning' is found either in the Septuagint or in the original Greek New

Testament.  Yet upon examination, such a reference back is proved to be

untrue.  We have already spoken of Mark the `interpreter' of Peter and the

present is an opportunity to test his words.  Mark uses the word arche

`beginning' four times thus:

A

`The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God' (1:1).

B

`From the beginning of the creation' (10:6).

A

`The beginnings of sorrows' (13:8).

B

`The beginning of the creation which God created' (13:19).

The two references to creation challenge our attention, and we are sure that

the established meaning of these two passages in Mark's Gospel must influence

most profoundly our interpretation of the same words in 2 Peter 3.  Here,

therefore, is the second passage in full:

`But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female'

(Mark 10:6).

It is not a matter of debate, therefore, that Mark uses

the expression, `the beginning of the creation', to refer exclusively to the

creation of Genesis 1:3 to 2:3, and so by logical necessity cannot include

Genesis 1:1.

Let us read the second reference:

`For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the

beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither

shall be' (Mark 13:19).

All we need to do to show that the same limitation must be observed is

to place beside this reference, two parallel passages:

`For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the

beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be' (Matt.

`There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a

nation even to that same time' (Dan. 12:1).

We cannot conceive that any reader with these passages before him,

would wish to read into Mark 13:19 a reference back to Genesis 1:1.  The

words `since there was a nation' being the earliest statement, out of which

the others have grown.