As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Also in all his letters. Romans 2:4 is similar to 2 Peter 3:15, beginning. The Pauline letters were by this time the common property of all the churches. The "all" implies they were now completed. The Lord's coming is handled, 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - 2 Peter 3:11: cf. 2 Peter 3:10. Peter distinguishes Paul's letter, or letters, "TO YOU," from "all his (other) letters," showing that definite churches, or particular classes of believers, are meant by "you."
In which - letters. ['Aleph (a) A B read the feminine relative ( hais (G3739)); not as C ( hois (G3739)), 'in which things.']
Some things hard to be understood - namely, concerning Christ's coming, the man of sin, and the apostasy, previously. 'Paul seemed thereby to delay Christ's coming to a longer period than the other apostles, whence some doubted it altogether' (Bengel). Though there be some things hard to be understood, there are enough besides plain, easy, and sufficient for perfecting the man of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). There is scarce anything drawn from the obscure places, but the same in other places may be found most plain' (Augustine). It is our own prejudice, foolish expectations, and carnal fancies, that make Scripture difficult (Jeremy Taylor). Unlearned - not those wanting human learning, but lacking the learning imparted by the Spirit. The humanly learned have been often deficient in spiritual learning, and originated most heresies. Compare 2 Timothy 2:23, a different word, "unlearned" [apaideutous], 'untutored.' When religion is studied as a science, nothing is more abstruse; when studied to know and practice our duty, nothing is easier.
Unstable - not established in what they have learned; shaken by every difficulty; who, in perplexing texts, instead of comparing them with other Scriptures, waiting until God by His Spirit make them plain, hastily adopt distorted views.
Wrest - strain and twist х streblousin (G4761)], as with a hand-screw, what is straight in itself: e.g., 2 Timothy 2:18.
Other scriptures. Paul's letters were by this time recognized in the Church as scripture:' a term never applied, in any of the fifty places where it occurs, except to the Old and New Testament writings. Men in each church having discernments of spirits, would have prevented any uninspired writing from being put on a par with the Old Testament word of God; the apostles' lives were providentially prolonged-Paul's and Peter's at least to thirty-four years after Christ's resurrection; John's, to thirty years later; so that fraud in the canon is out of question. The first three gospels and Acts are included in "the other scriptures;" perhaps all the New Testament books, except John and Revelation, written later.
Unto their own destruction - not through Paul's fault (2 Peter 2:1).