2 Peter 1:12-21
Notes
Transcript
Background
2 Peter is the second letter that we have from the Apostle Peter in the New Testament, written to Gentile believers in Asia Minor. The overall theme of the book is that believers ought to continue faithfully in the truth as they await Christ’s return.
12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you.
13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,
14 knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.
As we saw last week, Peter was addressing qualities of those who are “partakers of the divine nature,” i.e. believers in Jesus Christ.
The “therefore” is referring back to these qualities, namely faith, moral excellence (virtue), knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.
Believers are to show diligence in supplying, or practicing, these qualities.
It is important to note 2 things here:
These qualities are not required FOR salvation, they are evidence OF salvation; and
We are NOT expected to exercise these qualities perfectly or unceasingly.
The evidence of our faith shows through in our lives.
The evidence of our faith shows through in our lives.
Because of the importance of these things, Peter is saying that, though his recipients know these things, he feels it is his responsibility to remind them of the truths of our faith.
He says he will do so for as long as he is alive.
He also mentions that he will be diligent to instruct and establish these truths within believers so that they might continue to remember them even after he is gone.
Peter makes note that his death is imminent: he was martyred for the faith. Tradition states he was crucified upside down in Rome.
Jesus prophesied about Peter’s death.
18 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”
19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”
Compelling evidence for authenticity.
Peter understood the value of succession: no one lives forever. The next generation must be taught and prepared to carry the message of the gospel.
1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
Living out the truth of the gospel, according to the Great Commission, is how it is passed on to the next generation.
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Peter wrote this letter to fulfill the latter command.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”—
18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,
21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
In an effort to give credibility to his teaching, Peter is referencing his method and style of preaching - testimony.
Peter acknowledges that he is not clever or witty, nor does his speech or writing impress on its own.
He simply bares bold testimony to the truth.
Paul says the same thing:
1 And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,
4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
Other religions point people to a religious leader who tells people how to save themselves. Christianity points people to the God who saves us.
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ”
14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
Peter himself acknowledged this truth even before Christ’s glory was revealed.
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
He then relates his eyewitness testimony of Jesus being glorified.
1 Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.
2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.
3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”
6 When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground and were terrified.
7 And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, “Get up, and do not be afraid.”
8 And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus Himself alone.
9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.”
10 And His disciples asked Him, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
11 And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things;
12 but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.”
13 Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.
Peter’s testimony is his lived experience of what Jesus did in his life. All of us have a testimony.
If you don’t, then that means Jesus hasn’t done anything in your life.
1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—
2 and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—
3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
Peter then shifts from the testimony of eyewitnesses to the testimony of Scripture.
God established the Scriptures (OT for the NT writers) to share His story.
About a quarter of the Bible is related to prophecy.
The importance of fulfilled prophecy in Scripture is that it gives credibility and authority.
9 “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
As we’ve been seeing in Genesis, many prophecies in Scripture had to do with, or were directly related to, the nation of Israel.
Not only was prophecy given and fulfilled in ancient times, but prophesies were made that point far into the future, to point to Jesus Christ.
21 “Declare and set forth your case; Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this from of old? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me.
Prophecies act as a lamp to light a dark path. The truth of fulfillment is like the rising of the sun, illuminating everything.
Example - Isaiah 53.
God established His Word before the foundation of the world to reveal His glory.
God established His Word before the foundation of the world to reveal His glory.
Authority is being conveyed here, from Scripture to the testimony of the apostles.
Interpretation of prophecy is made in light of context.
God is foretelling and forthtelling His Word, not man.
This is leading into an argument that Peter will pick up in the following chapters against false prophets/teachers.
Authority of the message is abused when Scripture is mishandled and prophecy is misinterpreted.
APPLICATION
APPLICATION
The evidence of our faith shows through in our lives.
God established His Word before the foundation of the world to reveal His glory.
Next week, we will continue through 2 Peter.