Lexical Summary kausoo: To burn, to scorch Original Word: καυσόω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fervent heat. From kausis; to set on fire -- fervent heat. see GREEK kausis Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2741: καυσόωκαυσόω, καύσω: (καῦσος); to burn up, set fire to; present participle passive καυσουμενος, 2 Peter 3:10, 12 (A. V. with fervent heat). (Elsewhere only (chiefly; see Sophocles Lexicon, under the word) in Dioscorides ( Topical Lexicon Occurrences in Scripture Strong’s Greek 2741 appears solely in 2 Peter 3, twice in participial form describing the destiny of “the elements” at the future Day of the Lord (2 Peter 3:10, 12). Both occurrences convey the same picture: the created order “burning with intense heat.” Imagery of Cosmic Conflagration Peter borrows the prophetic vocabulary of passages such as Isaiah 34:4, Zephaniah 1:18, and Malachi 4:1 to announce a fiery dissolution of the present heavens and earth. The apostle does not envision a random catastrophe but a purposeful, divine act that clears the way for “a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). The participle translated “being burned up” stresses process as well as certainty—flame already kindled, judgment already decreed. Relation to the Day of the Lord 2 Peter 3:10: “But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.” 2 Peter 3:12: “as you look forward to the day of God and hasten its coming. On that day the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.” Both verses anchor the fiery imagery to the Day of the Lord, a theme running from the prophets through the New Testament. The burning underscores God’s absolute sovereignty, His intolerance of sin, and His commitment to final restoration. Theological Implications for Creation and Eschatology 1. Continuity and renewal: Scripture presents fire not merely as annihilation but as refinement (Isaiah 1:25; 1 Corinthians 3:13). Peter’s language allows for a purified cosmos, transformed rather than utterly obliterated. Call to Holy Living Peter consistently links eschatology to ethics. Directly after describing the heavens “being burned,” he asks, “What kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives” (2 Peter 3:11). The intensity of the coming heat demands present-day purity, diligence, and evangelistic urgency. Historical Interpretation in the Early Church Early Christian writers such as Clement of Rome and Justin Martyr echoed Peter’s expectation of cosmic purification by fire, applying it to exhort believers toward perseverance. Patristic sermons often used the imagery of burning elements to confront complacency and idolatry within the church. Practical Ministry Applications • Preaching: Emphasize both hope and warning—hope of a renewed creation, warning of unrepentant judgment. Summary Strong’s 2741, though occurring only twice, carries immense theological weight. Its depiction of creation “being burned” anchors Peter’s eschatology, roots Christian ethics in future reality, and reassures believers of God’s ultimate victory and restoration. Forms and Transliterations καυσουμενα καυσούμενα kausoumena kausoúmenaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Peter 3:10 V-PPM/P-NNPGRK: στοιχεῖα δὲ καυσούμενα λυθήσεται καὶ NAS: will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth KJV: shall melt with fervent heat, the earth INT: elements moreover burning with heat will be dissolved and 2 Peter 3:12 V-PPM/P-NNP |
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