1:16 cunningly devised fables. Peter thus labels all pantheistic cosmogonies and soteriologies as nothing but clever myths (so also did Paul in II Timothy 4:4; the Greek word in both cases is muthos, from which we get the word “myth”). He may also have been thinking of similar Jewish fables. All such myths and fables are based on a pantheistic form of evolutionism and denial of true creation. In the modern context, we could well take this as a warning against “cunningly devised evolutionary myths,” whether they are promoted by Darwinian atheists or New Age pantheists.

1:16 coming. The “coming” of Christ is the parousia, referring to the “personal presence” of the Lord at His imminent second coming.