2 Peter 3:11 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved— Some would read this and the following verse thus; As then all these things are to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be?—Even such, as by a holy conversation and pious life shew that you expect, and eagerly desire, or aspire after the coming, &c. These words are St. Peter's practical improvement of the foregoing doctrine concerningthecertain,sudden,andterriblecoming of Christ to judgment. If the whole frame of heaven and earth shall be so wonderfully changed, and a new world made, how great a degree of purity should they labour to attain, who expect to live in this new world? The word rendered melt, is a metaphor taken from metals dissolving in the fire, or wax before the flame: so will the fierce and spreading fire of the last day melt down this globe, and its surrounding atmosphere. Dr. Burnet in his Theory, vol. 2: p. 30 having considered the antiquity and universality of this opinion, "That the world is at last to be destroyed by fire," says, "We have heard, as it were, a cry of fire, throughout all antiquity, and throughout all the people of the earth: let us then examine what testimony the prophets and apostles give to this ancient doctrine of the conflagration of the world. The prophets see the world on fire at a distance, and more imperfectly; as a brightness in the heavens, rather than a burning flame: but St. Peter describes it as if he had been by, and seen the heavens and earth in a red fire, heard the cracking flames, and the tumbling mountains: the heavens shall pass away, &c. This is as lively as a man could express it, if he had the dreadful spectacle before his eyes."