Introduction and Greeting
Notes
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Introduction
Introduction
As we begin this second letter of Peter’s we will begin with what is clear
This is a letter by Peter the apostle the same Peter who wrote 1 Peter
The letter was written shortly before Peter’s death somewhere between 60-68 AD
Douglas Moo argues that Peter died in AD 65 and that the letter was written briefly before that.
Notice
Some argue that the letter referred to here is 1 Peter and if that is the case then the letter was sent to churches in Asia Minor, churches that were mainly Gentile.
The audience is not clear
As we walk through the letter it will be clear that Peter is writing to fight false doctrine, false teachers.
Who are these false teachers that Peter writes to oppose?
It is evident that they were from the church and that they were claiming to be Christians
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!
For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.
Peter viewed them as false teachers who had emerged from within the congregation.
Apparently they initially gave evidence of being converted but later they began to live and teach in a way that revealed their apostasy.
Looks as if they denied the future coming of Christ
since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.
They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
Denying future judgment, 2:3-10
Notice this denial of a future judgment opened the door for all kinds of vile licentious living
2:1-3 and 11-16
Maybe they used God’s grace as a license to sin, arguing that God’s grace set them free from moral obligation, either way these were vile men, ungodly men.
And in the face of this false teaching Peter is writing them to remind them of the Apostolic doctrine. He is giving them the truth to protect them from being lead astray.
Interesting of how we see in Peter’s two letters the same thing that we see in the book of Acts
1 Peter, Peter is writing to encourage the church as it is being attacked from without with persecution
Now Peter is writing the church to instruct it as it is being attacked from within with false doctrine.
I think also of Paul’s exhortation in
Acts 20.
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
speak to the danger of false teaching and how the leaders of the church are charged to protect God’s people from false teaching.
I will point out as well before we begin walking through the book
Some of the central themes that we will see in 2 Peter are centrality of faith in the Christian life, the saving righteousness of God, the primacy of Jesus Christ, and the importance of knowing God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We see the themes of grace and knowledge at the beginning and the ending of the book
1:2 and then 3:18
I. Greeting (v.1-2)
I. Greeting (v.1-2)
v.1
Simon Peter and notice how he describes himself.
Servant
Apostle
The word translated servant is the greek word doulos and one could argue is best translated slave.
Peter is a slave of Jesus Christ. Peter was under the authority of Jesus Christ, he submitted to His Lordship and did not write as one who had any inherent authority.
But we also need to remember that even though we think of the word slave negatively, it is an honor to be able to serve the Lord
Peter was honored to be a servant of Jesus Christ
Think of
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ”
Moses
So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord,
Samuel
Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.”
1 Samuel
David
And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
Now then bring it about, for the Lord has promised David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.’ ”
What did Jesus say?
NT
Paul
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
James
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:
Greetings.
Jude
Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,
To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:
All of these men are referred to as douloi or doulos
The terms suggests humility but it is also a great honor.
Apostle
Peter refers to himself not only as a slave but also as an apostle of Jesus Christ
We see authority of the apostles in
that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles,
Peter is not just sharing his opinions in this letter, he wrote as a servant of the Lord, he wrote as one commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ, he was an appointed apostle.
Peter is writing authoritatively to a church that is being threatened by false teachers.
And again notice, he is writing to a church, notice those receiving the letter
To those who have obtained a faith.....
Those word translated obtained could and maybe even should be translated received
The word carries the idea of receiving something by lot, to be chosen to receive something as a gift.
What does it mean to have received a faith?
I think the idea is this brothers and sisters, that saving faith is a divine gift.
Saving faith cannot be produced by the mere will of human beings but must be received from God Himself.
Peter is saying, that God appointed, as it were by lot, that Peter’s readers would receive such a faith.
Their faith was a gracious gift from God.
He talks more about this faith
this faith is of equal standing with ours
What is the contrast here? Is it apostle and other Christians?
Is it Jewish and Gentile Christians?
Not certain about that but the point is simple
All believers of all places, classes, backgrounds all share the same faith.
Faith in Christ unites us to God. We are all united to Christ and we all share the same blessings.
received a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ
In the Psalms we see that we are saved by God’s righteousness
Psalm
In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me!
Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,
according to your righteousness,
and let them not rejoice over me!
I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.
We also see this with some of the prophets. An example would be Isaiah.
“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,
“Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the clouds rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;
let the earth cause them both to sprout;
I the Lord have created it.
O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised,
and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”
I will bear the indignation of the Lord
because I have sinned against him,
until he pleads my cause
and executes judgment for me.
He will bring me out to the light;
I shall look upon his vindication.
The faith received is rooted in God’s saving righteousness, his free gift of salvation, which is in accord with his steadfast love and mercy.
The source of God’s saving righteousness is Jesus Christ.
God’s saving righteousness comes to us through Jesus Christ.
The construct of the end of this verse makes it clear that Jesus is referred to here as our God and our Savior.
Again this speaks to the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are a number of texts that clearly refer to the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
This letter again is bound by the supremacy of Christ
here and then
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Jesus is referred to as Lord all through the letter
1:2, 8, 11, 14, 16, 2:20, 3:18
Jesus is referred to as Master
2:1
An interesting thing again is that the same word Lord is used for Jesus and for the Father throughout the letter
Father
2:9, 11, 3:8-12
Again as we put these things together we see the NT clear teaching of the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ
But notice again here in v.1. He is our God and He is our Savior.
Know this brothers and sisters if you are trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, He is your God and your Savior.
Our Savior is Divine, He is none less that the infinite, eternal, immutable, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God of the Bible.
What comfort that should give us, that our salvation is in His hands.
II. V.2
II. V.2
In this greeting he prays for grace and peace.
The same grace that saved them in Christ
The same grace that brought them to faith
Peace
Those who know the grace of God also know the peace of God
The peace the Paul talks about in Philippians, the peace that passes all understanding.
Grace and peace come how?
Through knowing God and Jesus Christ our Lord.
This knowledge of God is personal, it is relational, it is experiential, but it also involves intellectual content.
The Bible does not divorce the head from the heart if you will.
Believers grow in grace and peace as they grow in their knowledge of God but as they also grow in their relationship with God. Knowing Him as they experience Him, knowing Him as they walk in His Word, as they wrestle in prayer, as they serve in the church.
We come to know God when we are saved but brothers and sisters we are to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ
That is Peter’s prayer and that is his exhortation to us as we walk through this letter together.
notice v.2
then
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
May the Lord use this book to that end in our lives