the Apostle Paul
on his missionary journeys. [157:8] Silvanus had been for many years
acquainted with the brethren to whom the letter is addressed, and
therefore was well suited to be its bearer. But though he had long
occupied a prominent position in the Church, he seems to have been very
little known to Peter; and hence the somewhat singular manner in which
he is noticed towards the close of this epistle--"By Silvanus, a
faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly,
exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye
stand." [158:1]

If this letter was written from Rome about the time of the death of
Paul, it is not strange that Peter deemed it prudent to conceal his
place of residence under the designation of Babylon. Nero was then
seeking the extermination of the Christians in the capital; and they had
enemies in all quarters who would have rejoiced to point out to him such
a distinguished victim as the aged apostle. And how could Peter more
appropriately describe the seat of Empire than by naming it _Babylon?_
Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned so gloriously in the great Eastern capital,
had destroyed the temple of God; and now Nero, who ruled in the Western
metropolis, was seeking to ruin the Church of God. Nebuchadnezzar had
led the Jews into captivity; but Rome now enthralled both Jews and
Gentiles. If Nebuchadnezzar had an antitype in Nero, assuredly Babylon
had an antitype in Rome. [158:2]

The Second Epistle of Peter was written soon after the first, and was
addressed to the same Churches. [158:3] The author now contemplated the
near approach of death, so that the advices he here gives may be
regarded as his dying instructions. "I think it meet," says he, "_as
long as I am in this tabernacle_, [158:4] to stir you up by putting you
in remembrance--knowing that _shortly_ I must put off this my
tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me." [159:1] If
then Peter was martyred at Rome, we may infer that this letter must have
been written somewhere in the same neighbourhood, and probably in the
same city. We have thus a corroborative proof that the Babylon of the
first letter is no other than the great metropolis.

It deserves notice that in this second epistle, Peter bears emphatic
testimony to the character and inspiration of Paul. The Judaizing party,
as there is reason to think, were in the habit of pleading that they
were supported by the authority of the apostle