2 Peter Chapter 1
Salutation
1:1 From Simeon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, have been granted a faith just as precious as ours.
The author is Simeon Peter. Simeon is his Jewish name. Cephas was not used in this epistle, but it was his Aramaic name. Peter was the name which was given to him by Jesus.
Peter means little rock or pebble. Peter was a little pebble which came off of the mother rock. The mother rock was Christ. The foundation of the church was built upon Christ as the rock, not Peter (as Catholics falsely claim). In the Book of Acts, Peter opened the door of the gospel “to those in Jerusalem, those in Judea, those in Samaria, and to those in the utter most parts of the world”. Nowhere in Scripture does it teach that Peter was the first Pope, or that he even visited Rome.
The Greek word for “slave” is δοῦλος (doulas), meaning a bond slave. Peter introduced himself as a bond slave of Jesus the Messiah. A bond slave was one who received his freedom from his master, but the slave loved his master so much, that he renounced his freedom and served the master freely forever.
The Greek word for “apostles is ἀπόστολος (apostolos), meaning one who was sent. Peter was sent by God to be “the Apostle to the circumcised”.
Jesus was the human name, emphasizing His humanity. In Hebrew, it means “Jehovah saves”. Christ is the deity name. In Hebrew, it is Messiah, meaning the anointed King. The Messiah is the god-man who was predicted in the Old Testament. The Messiah was predicted to be virgin born, the Suffering Servant, the Lamb of God, the Prophet, the Priest, the King, etc.
According to 2 Peter 3:1, Peter was writing to the same audience of 1 Peter. This audience was the Messianic believers who were scattered throughout the diaspora. These Messianic Jews had been chosen by God to receive equal citizenship in heaven.
1:2 May grace and peace be lavished on you as you grow in the rich knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!
Grace was the Greek greeting. Peace was the Hebrew greeting. Now that the Messianic believers were saved, they needed to grow in the faith.
Believers’ Salvation and the Work of God
1:3 I can pray this because his divine power has bestowed on us everything necessary for life and godliness through the rich knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence.
Spiritual growth comes by God’s power.
1:4 Through these things he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises, so that by means of what was promised you may become partakers of the divine nature, after escaping the worldly corruption that is produced by evil desire.
Spiritual growth also comes by God’s promises. God had promised to select His elect from the satanic world system. He had promised to sanctify His elect so that they will become partners with Christ. They will eventually co-reign with Christ.
1:5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith excellence, to excellence, knowledge; 1:6 to knowledge, self-control; to self-control, perseverance; to perseverance, godliness; 1:7 to godliness, brotherly affection; to brotherly affection, unselfish love.
Peter encouraged these Messianic believers to add to their knowledge. One can add to his knowledge by studying Bible doctrine at the deepest level. Peter listed seven graces (or gifts) which God has given the believer. If all of these gifts are used together, then the believer will be singing in harmony with God.
The first gift is virtue, meaning moral power. Second is knowledge, which means insight and understanding with the ability to discern the truth. Third is self-control, which involves self discipline. Fourth is patience, which means perseverance in trials. Fifth is godliness, which means reverence for spiritual things. Six is brotherly love, which is the showing of love for the brothers in Christ. Seventh is ἀγάπην (agape) love, meaning divine love. These seven gifts are the process of sanctification.
1:8 For if these things are really yours and are continually increasing, they will keep you from becoming ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately. 1:9 But concerning the one who lacks such things – he is blind. That is to say, he is nearsighted, since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins. 1:10 Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. For by doing this you will never stumble into sin. 1:11 For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.
Peter gave six reasons for the need of spiritual growth. First, believers must be fruitful. Second, they must gain full knowledge of the mind of Jesus the Messiah. Third, they must avoid spiritual blindness. Fourth, they should produce divine viewpoint works to demonstrate that they were part of the elect of God. Fifth, they were to avoid stumbling into sin. Sixth, they were to receive a good position in the Millennial Kingdom.
Salvation Based on the Word of God
1:12 Therefore, I intend to remind you constantly of these things even though you know them and are well established in the truth that you now have.
Peter constantly taught and reminded them of the new revelation of the teachings of Jesus. The teachings of Jesus were New Testament doctrine.
1:13 Indeed, as long as I am in this tabernacle, I consider it right to stir you up by way of a reminder,
The tabernacle was the temporary physical body of Peter. As long as Peter was in this physical body, it was his duty and responsibility to remind them continually of the teachings of Jesus.
1:14 since I know that my tabernacle will soon be removed, because our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me.
Peter wrote this epistle between 64-68 A.D. He was an old man at this time. Jesus predicted his martyrdom, so he knew that his death was near.
1:15 Indeed, I will also make every effort that, after my departure, you have a testimony of these things.
Peter and the apostles placed the teachings of Jesus in writing so that there would be a written record after their death.
1:16 For we did not follow cleverly concocted fables when we made known to you the power and return of our Lord Jesus Christ; no, we were eyewitnesses of his grandeur.
The Jewish fables were the Mishnah, which was the man-made oral traditions of the Pharisees. They later became the written Talmud. Peter did not use these man-made mythological sources for his exegesis. Instead, he was an actual eyewitness to the teachings and miracles of Jesus. He actually saw the Shekinah Glory penetrate through the physical body of Jesus at the Transfiguration. He taught what he saw and heard.
1:17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory: “This is my dear Son, in whom I am delighted.”
At the Transfiguration of Jesus, the voice of God the Father honored and glorified Jesus by stating “This is my Son, in whom I am delighted”. Peter actually saw the transfiguration and heard the voice of God the Father.
1:18 When this voice was conveyed from heaven, we ourselves heard it, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
John and James were present as eye witnesses at Mount Hermon as well.
1:19 Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
The Messianic believers can also grow spiritually by the prophetic word, which is Old Testament revelation. The prophecies of the Old Testament were basically history written in advance. No one can record history in advance unless they can see the future. Only God can see the future. The revelation of the Old Testament was even a better witness for these Messianic believers of Peter’s eye witness event of the Transfiguration.
The Messianic believers were walking in the darkness of the satanic world system. Their only light was the Word of God. Believers will remain in this dark world until the Messiah reruns as the Morning Star. The Morning Star is the first star which comes out of darkness to start a new day of brightness and light.
1:20 Above all, you do well if you recognize this: No prophecy of scripture ever comes about by the prophet’s own imagination,
The prophets did not invent these prophecies from their own human nature.
1:21 for no prophecy was ever borne of human impulse; rather, men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
The prophets who recorded Scripture were blown by the wind of the Holy Spirit. The prophets used their own personalities, their own languages, and their own style, but wrote exactly what the Holy Spirit wanted them to write.