Sermon Tone Analysis

In a 2012 auction, the painting catalogue, Sotheby’s, sold an oil painting named Saint Jerome, attributed to the 16th-century artist Parmigianino, for $842,500.

With care, the catalogue only ventured that the work was from the “circle of” Parmigianino– an idiom to convey that it was painted by an artist influenced by, and perhaps a pupil of, Parmigianino.

But the entry also cited several experts who believed it was by Parmigianino himself.

The works were full of striking, scrupulous detail.

On Jerome’s arm, for example, dozens of faint horizontal cracks have appeared; every so often, a clean, vertical split intersects them.

In French canvases from the 18th century, cracks in paint tend to develop like spider webs; in Flemish panels, like tree bark.

In Italian paintings of the Renaissance, the patterns resemble rows of untidy brickwork.

On the Saint Jerome, the cracks match perfectly.

Prof David Ekserdjian, one of the few art historians who doubted that the painting was a Parmigianino, said he just didn’t feel the prickle of recognition that scholars claim as their gift: the intimacy with an artist that they liken to our ability to spot a friend in a crowd.

“But I have to be frank, I didn’t look at it and say: ‘Oh, that’s a forgery.’”

Peter is writing this 2nd letter in order to warn the flock of the error of lawless, wicked, false teachers.

Peter takes two primary approaches to safe-guard these local church congregations against false teacher- against forgeries of the truth.

Much of the letter is given to direct statements of warning against being led astray by the error of the wicked.

But that is not the way Peter starts his letter.

He begins the job of protecting believers against error by first grounding them in the truth.

Peter wanted these believers to be so familiar with the truth, so intimate with the truth, that they would be able to spot it like a friend in a crowd, or like a prickle of recognition.

Peter begins his argument against the false teachers, against the error of the wicked, by presenting in detail the truth.

Peter begins his letter by describing the purpose of divine grace.

Peter wanted these local church believers to understand, fully and completely, the wonderful purpose of God’s divine grace.

This was Peter’s first safeguard against error.

Knowing the truth, knowing the purpose of God’s grace for their lives, so that they could pick it out like a close friend in a crowd.

So we must too be closely familiar with the wonderful purpose of God’s grace in our lives, so that we do not become led away by the error of the wicked.

What is the purpose of Divine Grace?

Peter gives us multiple truths that help us understand why God bestowed upon us His Divine Grace.

I.

The purpose of divine grace is inextricably linked to the righteousness of Jesus Christ (v. 1)

In the introduction to the letter Peter begins his discussion of the salvation which these believers were blessed with.

That salvation was by God’s grace and His grace is tied into the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

A. The divine gift of faith (v.

1a)

After naming himself as a servant or a slave and an apostle (official capacity) of Jesus Christ, Peter addresses his recipients.

He does not address them in terms of their location like he did in I Peter.

Instead, here Peter addresses them as those who have obtained like precious faith with us.

The Greek verb, “obtained” is an interesting word.

This word connotes the receiving of something by lot.

Zechariah obtained by lot the privilege of offering incense in the temple (Luke 1:9).

Roman soldiers cast lots to see who would get Jesus’ garment (John 19:24).

Judas was appointed to serve in an apostolic ministry (Acts 1:17).

In each instance receiving something by lot is a gift that one receives.

Here Peter says to these believers in these local NT church, that they had been given, by the lot of the divine will, the gift of like precious faith in Jesus Christ.

Faith, which is necessary for salvation, is a divine gift.

It cannot be produced by the mere will of human beings but must be received from God himself.

He appointed, as it were by lot, that Peter’s readers would receive such faith.

We know that salvation is a gift given to us by God, in other words it is all a matter of God’s grace, but we do not often think of the fact that even the faith necessary to receive that salvation was indeed itself a divine gift of grace.

We cannot even boast of our faith, for faith is a divine gift of God.

Salvation, from beginning to end, is all a matter of grace.

B. The equal value of faith (v.

1b)

Like precious faith- Only used here in the NT- equal, like, of the same kind/value, equal in honor

The regular members of these NT local church had, according to Peter (and by inspiration of the HS), a faith of the same kind as an apostle or a faith of equal standing with the apostles or a faith as precious as the faith of the apostles.

Wow! Did you know that?

Your faith is the same kind, it is on equal standing with, it is as precious as the faith of even the apostles?

Why is that?

Why is our faith equal in value or honor?

Our text says that we have like precious faith through what?

The righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

Our faith is equally precious because our faith is precious not because of who we are (whether we are talking about an apostle or the church janitor), our faith is equally precious because it has afforded to every one who believes the very righteousness of Jesus Christ.

It is equal in honor and value because genuine faith in Christ produces in everyone the exact same genuine righteousness.

Jesus Christ not only forgives you all your sin, but he credits you with His righteousness.

​2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV 190021 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

When we are made to be the righteousness of God in Christ because of our faith, we are all given the full righteousness of Christ, and because we are all equally righteous in God’s eyes because of our faith- Peter can say to these dear church saints- we have obtained like precious faith!

Wow!

If you are in Christ you are equally as righteous as your pastor, as Missionary John Paton, Charles Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, even the Apostle Peter- because the gift of divine faith bestowed upon you by God himself has with equal merit transferred to you the full righteousness of Jesus Christ Himself.

You have been made the the very righteousness of God in Him!

This is part of the purpose of divine grace.

God graciously bestowed upon you the gift of faith, a faith that is the same kind of faith as the Apostles themselves, by the righteousness of Christ.

God’s purpose in His grace is tied to His purpose of making you into the very likeness of the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

C. The source of God’s saving righteousness (v.

1c)

The source of God’s saving righteousness is Jesus Christ.

The end of 2 Peter 1:1 is very significant theologically.

The end of the verse states this:

Through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

Here is a case where having some knowledge of the original langue is very advantageous.

There is a Greek rule that comes into play with this verse called the Grandville Sharp Rule.

In Greek, when two nouns are connected by kai (a Greek conjunction) and the article precedes only the first noun, there is a close connection between the two nouns.

THE God our AND Savior Jesus Christ

Here the definite article precedes only the first noun (God) and the two nouns are connected by a kai (AND).

That means there is a close connection between the two nouns.

That means a proper translation of this text would read:

Our God and Savior, Jesus Christ

Why is this a theologically significant translation?

It affirms the deity of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is both God and Savior.

He is fully divine.

The other instance of this same rule is found in Titus 2:13

Again we have the same rule applying here so we could (and should) translate this verse as NASB

Again, we have a clear statement of the deity of Christ- He is both God and Savior.

Both Peter and Paul make that statement abundantly clear.

Our Divine Savior, Jesus Christ, is the very source of our righteousness.

And the purpose of the divine grace of God is tied inextricably to that righteousness.

What is the purpose of Divine Grace?

Peter gives us multiple truths that help us understand why God bestowed upon us His Divine Grace.

II.

The purpose of divine grace is inextricably linked to the knowledge of Jesus Christ (vv.

2-3)

The grace of God, and everything that He wants to accomplish in us, is tied directly to the knowledge of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

A. Knowledge of Jesus Christ produces grace multiplied (v. 2)

Peter here in a prayer to God asks that grace and peace would be multiplied to these believers.

God is the source of grace and peace.

In other words the progress of these believers Christian lives was dependent upon God alone.