10.  The general tone of the first epistle is in harmony with its occasion.  The apostle seeks to animate and strengthen his brethren in view of the “fiery trial” of persecution that had already begun to come upon them.  To this end he sets before them in glowing language the greatness and glory of the heavenly inheritance in reserve for them, which was purchased by the precious blood of Christ, and the dignity and blessedness of suffering for Christ’s sake, with the assurance of God’s faithful presence and protection.  With these encouragements he intermingles admonitions suited to their circumstances.  He exhorts them as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts and all the other vices of their former life in ignorance; to commend their religion by a holy deportment which shall put to shame the calumnies of their adversaries; to perform faithfully all the duties of their several stations in life; to be humble, sober, vigilant, and ready always to give a reason of their Christian hope; and above all things to have fervent charity among themselves.  The fervent spirit of the great apostle of the circumcision, chastened and mellowed by age, shines forth conspicuously in this epistle.  The closing chapter, where he addresses first the elders, then the younger, then the whole body of believers, charms the reader by the holy tranquillity which pervades it throughout—­a tranquillity deeply grounded in that faith which is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

11.  THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER.  The address of this epistle is general (chap. 1:1); yet the reference which it contains to the first (chap. 3:1) shows that the apostle had in mind primarily the same circle of churches.  The character of this reference—­“This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you, in which [two epistles] I stir up your pure minds by way of reminding [you]”—­indicates that the second was not separated from the first by a very great space of time, certainly not many years.  The apostle wrote with the conviction that his decease was near at hand (chap. 1:13-15).  There is a tradition, the correctness of which, however, is doubted by many, that he suffered martyrdom at Rome under the persecution raised by Nero against the Christians.  This would be about A.D. 67.  As to the place from which the epistle was written we have no information.

12.  The present epistle is one of the disputed books.  Chap. 5, No. 7, and Chap. 6.  The question respecting its genuineness may be conveniently considered under the two heads of external and internal evidence.