2 Corinthians 6:2
2. For—God's own promise is the ground of our exhortation.
he saith—God the Father saith to God the Son, and so to all believers who are regarded as one with Him. heard thee—In the eternal purposes of my love I have hearkened to thy prayer for the salvation of thy people (compare Joh 17:9, 15, 20, 24). accepted . . . accepted—The Greek of the latter is more emphatic, "well-accepted." What was "an accepted time" in the prophecy (Isa 49:8, Hebrew, "in the season of grace") becomes "the well-accepted time" in the fulfilment (compare Ps 69:13). As it is God's time of receiving sinners, receive ye His grace: accept (2Co 6:1) the word of reconciliation in His accepted time. in the day of salvation—"in a day of salvation" (Lu 4:18, 19, 21; 19:42; Heb 3:7). 1 Peter 4:2-4
2. That he, &c.—"That he (the believer, who has once for all obtained cessation from sin by suffering, in the person of Christ, namely, in virtue of his union with the crucified Christ) should no longer live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God" as his rule. "Rest of his time in the flesh" (the Greek has the preposition "in" here, not in 1Pe 4:1 as to Christ) proves that the reference is here not to Christ, but to the believer, whose remaining time for glorifying God is short (1Pe 4:3). "Live" in the truest sense, for heretofore he was dead. Not as ALFORD, "Arm yourselves . . . with a view no longer to live the rest of your time."
3. may suffice—Greek, "is sufficient." Peter takes the lowest ground: for not even the past time ought to have been wasted in lust; but since you cannot recall it, at least lay out the future to better account.
us—omitted in oldest manuscripts. wrought—Greek, "wrought out." Gentiles—heathen: which many of you were. when, &c.—"walking as ye have done [ALFORD] in lasciviousness"; the Greek means petulant, immodest, wantonness, unbridled conduct: not so much filthy lust. excess of wine—"wine-bibbings" [ALFORD]. abominable—"nefarious," "lawless idolatries," violating God's most sacred law; not that all Peter's readers (see on 1Pe 1:1) walked in these, but many, namely, the Gentile portion of them.4. Wherein—In respect to which abandonment of your former walk (1Pe 4:3).
run not with them—eagerly, in troops [BENGEL]. excess—literally, "profusion"; a sink: stagnant water remaining after an inundation. riot—profligacy. speaking evil—charging you with pride, singularity, hypocrisy, and secret crimes (1Pe 4:14; 2Pe 2:2). However, there is no "of you" in the Greek, but simply "blaspheming." It seems to me always to be used, either directly or indirectly, in the sense of impious reviling against God, Christ, or the Holy Spirit, and the Christian religion, not merely against men as such; Greek, 1Pe 4:14, below.