Matthew Poole and continuators on 2 Peter 1:3

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things k that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue ;

This may refer either, 1. to what goes before, Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you, &c. according as his divine Power hath given unto us, &c. and then in these words the Apostle shews what Reason there was to hope, that Grace and Peace should be multiplied to them, and perfected in them, viz. because God hath already given them all things pertaining to Life and Godliness, q. d. he that hath done thus much for you, will do more, and finish his Work in you. Or, 2ly. to what follows, and then the Greek Phrase rendred, according as, is not a Note of Similitude, but of Illation, and may be rendred, since, or seeing that, and so the words are not a part of the Salutation, but the beginning of the Body of the Epistle, and relate to v. 5. Seeing that his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain, &c. add to your Faith, Virtue, &c. as God hath done his part, so do you yours in the diligent Performance of what he hath enabled you unto.

Divine Power may relate either to God, or rather to Christ, immediately going before, and then it tends to the confirming their Hope of the Multiplication of Grace, and Peace to them, not only from God, but from Christ, in that they had already experienced his Divine Power in giving them all things pertaining to Life and Godliness, i. e. whatever may be helpful to it, the Spirit, Faith, Repentance, &c. Ioh. 7.39. and 2 Cor. 4.6. and 2 Tim. 2.25.

Either, 1. spiritual Life, and then Godliness may be added by way of Explication, that Life which consists in Godliness, or a godly Life; or, by Life, may be meant the inward permanent Principle of spiritual Acts, and the Exercise of them may be called Godliness, as the Perfection of that Principle is called Glory. Or, 2ly. Eternal Life, to which we attain through Godliness, as the way; and then likewise they are understood distinctly, Life as the end, and Godliness as the means; and so Life in this Verse is the same as Peace in the former; and Godliness the same as Grace.

According to our Translation, Glory may be the same as Life, before, and Virtue the same with Godliness, and then the words set forth the end of God's calling us, viz. unto Glory, or Life hereafter, as well as Virtue or Godliness now. But the Greek Preposition [non-Latin text not transcribed], is no where (as some observe) in the New-Testament found to signifie to; for in Rom. 6.4. (which some alledge) it is best rendred by; Glory being there put for God's power, and therefore our Margin here reads it by Glory and Virtue; which may either be, by an Hendiadis, for gorious Virtue, taking Virtue for Power, that glorious Power of God, which is put forth in calling us, Ephes. 1.18, 19. or his Goodness and Mercy which appears in the same Calling, in which sense the word may be understood, See Tit. 3.4, 5. 1 Pet. 2.9. or (which comes to the same) Glory being often taken for Power, Ioh. 2.11. by Glory and Virtue may be meant God's Power, and Goodness, or Mercy.

Marginal references: Joh. 17.3.; Or, by.