2 Peter 3:16

as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own destruction.

The acceptance by the apostle Peter, in this passage, of Paul's letters as "Scripture" is most important; but it was nothing new. Paul himself quoted from Luke 10:7 a passage clearly meant to be received as "Scripture," despite its being nowhere else in the Bible. The apostles accepted other New Testament writers as inspired.

In all his epistles ... This indicates that Peter was familiar with a number of the New Testament letters ascribed to Paul in the New Testament, all of them being considered "Scripture" and "inspired." Kelcy was doubtless correct in the observation that, "The canon of Scripture, which later was to exist in completeness, was in process of formation."[61]

Speaking in them of these things ... There are many subjects discussed in 1Peter, which were also discussed by Paul in his letters. Among these are: (1) the great apostasy; (2) the eternal judgment; (3) the second coming of Christ; (4) the longsuffering of God; (5) the character of lawless and wicked men; (6) the need for watchfulness; (7) the fact of sinners being slaves of sin, etc., etc.

Some things hard to be understood ... Note that this does not say that it was impossible to understand them. The difficulties with some of Paul's teaching invariably yield themselves to careful study. As Plummer said, "The inference to be drawn from what Peter said here is not `Do not read Scripture,' but, `Be on your guard against being led astray.'"[62]

The ignorant and unstedfast ... Despite the views of some, this is not an accusation that merely the "uneducated" are the ones who wrest Scripture, the truth being that some of the most tortured wresting of the Scriptures ever seen on earth has been by men of the highest academic training. Macknight gave the true meaning thus, "The unteachable are persons whose passions blind their understanding and make them averse to truth."[63]

Wrest ... This word, also translated "twist" carries the meaning of "to twist with a windlass, to strain, to torture, to distort."[64] It means to use Scripture contrary to the way it was intended, extracting meanings that are foreign to it.

As they do also the other Scriptures ... Some very profound deductions are inherent in this. Paul's writings here are clearly called "Scripture." "We cannot escape the conclusion that the writings of Paul are classed with the `rest of the scriptures.'"[65] Green's grasp of the meaning here is thorough:

Peter constantly correlates apostles and prophets; both are led by the Holy Spirit. In 2 Peter 1, the apostolic testimony to the divine voice, and the divine voice through the Old Testament Scriptures, are regarded in the same light. In 2 Peter 2:1ff, the false teachers are accused of wresting the Old Testament; in 2 Peter 3 of wresting Paul.[66]

Thus, there appears right here in this epistle a practice that in time was to become universal, referring to the writings of both the Old Testament and the New Testament as "Scripture." Nor can this be urged as proof of a late date. Clement of Rome (before 70 A.D.) "quoted a combination of Old and New Testament texts as Scripture."[67]

Unto their own destruction ... This is the warning that God will not deal easily with those who pervert his word and torture its meaning to support their own theories.

[61] Raymond C. Kelcy, op. cit., p. 162.

[62] Alfred Plummer, op. cit., p. 462.

[63] James Macknight, op. cit., p. 577.

[64] B. C. Caffin, op. cit., p. 71.

[65] R. H. Strachan, op. cit., p. 147.

[66] Michael Green, 2Peter Reconsidered, p. 31 (As quoted by Robinson).

[67] Michael Green, op. cit., p. 148.