The Orthodox Study Bible: Cosmos
Preface
The Orthodox Study Bible, New Testament and Psalms, (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
From this Bible's Glossary and Reverend John W. Morris, Ph.D.
Cosmos
Cited
'The universe, or "world," created by God from nothing. It is controlled by God; He is the life of the world. Sin has corrupted the entire cosmos, and the rule of evil will not be abolished until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The universe will finally be redeemed by Christ when He comes again to transform the cosmos into a new heaven and new earth.' (796).
Related:
Cosmology
Whale writes that cosmology is looking at the cosmos and visible universe from a theistic perspective denying that it is self-explanatory. Whale (1958: 22). Pojman mentions that theistic versions of cosmology deduce something outside of the universe is required to explain its existence. Pojman (1996: 37). Paul Edwards (1973) explains cosmology reasons that all things come into being through other things (Edwards (1973: 377-378)) and since a causal series of events cannot go back in infinity, there must be a first cause. Edwards (1973: 377-378)
In regards to the new heaven and new earth from the Orthodoxy text...
In the Orthodox Bible notes for 2 Peter 3: 10-12, it states that because this world will pass away, we ought to be holy and godly (566). Those in Christ should live as citizens of the new heaven and new earth (566), the Kingdom of God, that will one day be culminated. The text suggests...
Evangelism (566)
Prayer (566)
Holy living (566)
Repentance and obedience (566)
I would add...
Bible study, sermons, theology
Church fellowship, with like-minded
I agree with the Orthodoxy text here at the note for 2 Peter 3: 13. 'We look for not other heaven and earth, but the same ones transfigured for the better.' (566). The text lists Revelation 21-22 for reference. (566).
Archives
At the end of 2 Peter 3: 10 there are variant endings from extant Greek manuscripts.
Monday, October 21, 2019: 2 Peter 3: 10 (Non-exhaustive)
Galaxie: Larry Overstreet
A Study of 2 Peter 3:10-13 -- By: R. Larry Overstreet: Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra Volume: BSAC 137:548 (Oct 1980) Article: A Study of 2 Peter 3:10-13 Author: R. Larry Overstreet BSac 137:548 (Oct 80) p. 354 A Study of 2 Peter 3:10-13 R. Larry Overstreet [R. Larry Overstreet, Professor of Homiletics, Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana]
Cited
At the conclusion of 2 Peter 3:10 the United Bible Societies’ Greek text gives the word εὑρεθήσεται, a future passive indicative of the verb εὑρίσκω, meaning, in general terms, “to find.” The verb has various shades of meaning, such as, “to find after seeking,” “to find without seeking,” or “to obtain.”2 However, for the present discussion the meaning “to find” is sufficient. The word in the text would thus be translated “shall be found.”
Although some dissenting opinion can be found, most modern textual critics would regard this reading as having the strongest manuscript support.
Metzger comments that this reading is the “oldest reading, and the one which best explains the origin of the others that have been preserved….”3 BSac 137:548 (Oct 80) p. 355
Several variant readings must be noticed and examined before a conclusion can be drawn regarding the text. One of these is a major variation involving the substitution of another word with a complete change of thought while the others are minor variations in comparison with the first.
The Variant Readings The major variation is the substitution of κατακαήσεται for εὑρεθήσεται. The translation would then read, “the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up,” as κατακαίω means “to burn up.”4...
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εὑρεθήσεται: To find, to obtain, shall be found, is according to Metzger, the oldest reading.
κατακαήσεται: To burn up, is a variant, newer, reading.
Marshall presents εὑρεθήσεται in the Interlinear KJV-NIV, and defines it as 'will be destroyed'. (703). In the text, the King James version documents 'shall be burned up', while the NIV states 'will be laid bare'.
The Greek New Testament also provides εὑρεθήσεται.
The Orthodox Study Bible uses 'will be burned up', from its 2 Peter 3 text. (566)
2 Peter 3:10
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and [a]its works will be [b]burned up.
Footnotes:
a 2 Peter 3:10 Lit the works in it
b 2 Peter 3:10 Two early mss read discovered
There is a theological, cosmological debate on whether or not, biblically, the universe and earth will be destroyed, but restored, or will it be destroyed and then created new, out of nothing (ex nihilo). The use of εὑρεθήσεται may better support interpretations of restoration. While κατακαήσεται may lead to interpretations of a completely new creation.
While I tentatively favour, due to the textual evidence and my restoration theology for humanity and its realm, εὑρεθήσεται and a restoration view of the universe, as opposed to ex nihilo, and a second creation; scientifically, according to the Oxford Dictionary of Science, the universe will eventually have a heat death. (386). When entropy is maximized and 'all large-scale samples of matter are at a uniform temperature.' (386).
2 Peter 3: 10: For those that reasonably (to be academically fair) embrace κατακαήσεται: To burn up, as a variant, newer, reading, or εὑρεθήσεται: To find, to obtain, shall be found, the older reading, but contrary to my leanings, define this second term as meaning to be burned up, as meaning ex nihilo, new creation, this is still problematic. I can agree that a completely new universe and earth would have theologically never been tainted by sin, but scientifically and philosophically, as long as it is a finite, physical universe of time, space, and matter, it would still need to be supernaturally maintained to not eventually reach a 'uniform temperature' (Oxford Dictionary of Science).
Romans 8: 21 New American Standard Bible: 'that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God'. I suppose that within everlasting life, human science could develop to maintain the earth and universe, but with God’s guidance. But, God can maintain a restored earth and universe and this means avoiding creating new universes infinitum.
From the Oxford Dictionary of Science:
Entropy
Symbol (S) a measure of the unavailability of a system's energy to do work; in a closed system an increase in entropy is accomplished by a decrease in energy available. When a system undergoes change the entropy (S) changes by the amount equal the energy (Q) transferred to the system by heat divided by the thermodynamic temperature (T) at which this occurs. However, all real processes are to a certain extent irreversible changes and in any closed system, an irreversible change is accompanied by an increase in entropy. (292).
In a wider sense entropy is interpreted as a measure of disorder, the higher the entropy, the greater the disorder and it states see the Boltzmann Formula. This is the second law of thermodynamics and involves the heat death of the universe. (292).
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A Study of 2 Peter 3:10-13 -- By: R. Larry Overstreet: Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra Volume: BSAC 137:548 (Oct 1980) Article: A Study of 2 Peter 3:10-13 Author: R. Larry Overstreet BSac 137:548 (Oct 80) p. 354 A Study of 2 Peter 3:10-13 R. Larry Overstreet [R. Larry Overstreet, Professor of Homiletics, Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, Indiana]
BAUER, WALTER. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
COURSON, JON (2003) Jon Courson's Application Commentary, Nashville, Thomas Nelson.
EDWARDS, PAUL AND ARTHUR PAP (1973)(eds.),
A Modern Introduction To Philosophy, New York, The Free Press.
MARSHALL, ALFRED (1975)(1996)
The Interlinear KJV-NIV, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
MOUNCE, ROBERT H. (1990)
The Book of Revelation, Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Oxford Dictionary of Science, (2010), Sixth Edition, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
PAYNE DAVID F.(1986) ‘2 Peter’, in F.F. Bruce, (ed.),
The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Marshall Pickering/Zondervan.
POJMAN, LOUIS P. (1996) Philosophy: The Quest for Truth, New York, Wadsworth Publishing Company.
THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT (1993) Stuttgart, United Bible Societies.
THE ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE, NEW TESTAMENT AND PSLAMS (1993) Saint Athanasius Orthodox Academy, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
WHALE, J.S. (1958) Christian Doctrine, Glasgow, Fontana Books.
