2 Peter 1:1-10

Introduction

This letter was written in mid 60’s AD, Just prior to Peters Execution. With the Christian movement rapidly growing the church began to encounter false teachers. This is not unlike today is it?

If something starts getting a lot of attention all sorts of people jump on board and tries to get involved. Maybe make a buck or two!!

This letter addresses some of those false teachers. We will see in the beginning of second peter we will be addressing a group of false teachers that were saying that Christ was not returning and you can live however you want to live.

2nd Peter was written by of course Simeon Peter. Just like 1 Peter. However there is a belief, do to some differences in the way it was written that Peter may have had a different secretary, however there is a belief that one of Peters disciples wrote it on his behalf following him being martyred in Rome. The act of compiling a letter based on the teachers words was a great compliment in the ancient world. When a teachers authority was evoked it was done on the basis of a disciple succeeding the teacher or extending the teachers reach.

2 Peter 1:1–9 ESV

1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

Verses one and two we see an introduction to the letter. 3 then begins to take us into the call to develop Christian virtues.

We are going to tear apart this introduction and maybe lead us into some underlying reasoning that if you just read the Bible you may not see.

Simeon Peter - We see here the use of Peters Hebrew and Greek Name.

You may wonder why if When Peter became an apostle he changed his name then why would he go back here and go by his former name? Some believe he did this because his Greek name parallels the theme or can accent the theme of this epistle. In that Simeon means hearing. This is the design of the second letter. To warn the Christians of the many false teachers, Hear what he has to say. The “Rock” of the Church. Being that Peter means Rock

So he says a lot here by just giving his name and the way he gave it. Now we move on to the Letters after the name. If you have been to a doctor, dentist or worked in the corporate world you will see that people like to put letters after their name. Why is that?

They want everyone to know who they are talking to, calling, emailing or so on. Its like a snapshot of their resume.

So he is Simeon Peter Slave, Apostle.

Slave, Servant, Bondsman - How does one acquire a Slave or bondsman? They are purchased. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Maybe he is referring to Matthew 23:11-12 “11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

When he called himself an Apostle he was basically saying:

A man who held the office of apostle was:

1. an eyewitness of the resurrection

2. who had been personally appointed by Christ

3. to govern the early church

4. to teach or write with authority as one who had received special revelation from God

He is putting himself on the same level with other believers by calling himself Slave, because as a believer we are all slaves to Christ. but then comes the BUT I am speaking with authority from Christ. The greatest authority that has ever or will ever be given to anyone.

To those (To them) - Peters second letter addresses a broader audience. He writes this letter to ALL believers. If you remember in 1 Peter It listed Exile Elect that lived in certain regions.

who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours - Peter carefully addresses the fact that the recipients of the letter have the same faith. This is humility. I maybe an apostle but we share the same faith, a precious faith, obtained the same way through grace. Writers often liked to establish an intimate relationship with their readers. Peter was connecting his faith to the readers faith.

by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:” -

- Other translations read Through righteousness of our God. Making it known that the faith they recieved as not their own efforts or strength. Through Gods Favor alone. The other important thing to note here is that he Identifies Jesus as GOD. The Greek here actually would say THE God and savior Jesus Christ. This would have offended most Jews that were not believers.

2 Peter 1:2 “2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”

Peter is giving a typical grace and Peace introduction but throws in Knowledge of God and Jesus. This is maybe the Knowledge or complete understanding of God that will help with whats coming later in this letter. Addressing the False profits.

The Greek word used here for Knowledge is kind of complicated the one commentary I read said that not one single word in English can explain the knowledge that is being referred to here. Knowledge of the truth, a divine knowledge.

The same word is used in 1 Timothy 2:4 “4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

and 2 Timothy 3:7 “7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.”

2 Peter 1:3 “3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,”

His divine power - Peter uses a singular term to reference God and Jesus once again identifying them as one being. Granted (Given us) ALL things. This is Gods power exercised on our behalf.

The amazing thing here and what I get out of these few scriptures is that its nothing that Christians do its all God. What he does for us.

we see reiterated that it comes through he Knowledge of God.

Who CALLED us. To his Glory and Excellence. A goal of Christians should be to live in a way that reflects God’s Glorious attributes and his excellence.

The Greek word used here is used to describe the sum of all desirable character qualities.

2 Peter 1:4 “4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

What is the Great promise? Peter is dropping a few hints as to the theme of this letter. He granted us his own glory and excellence by granting us his precious and great promise. This promise is the promise of the return of christ. The Second coming of Christ. We see more attention drawn to this later in the letter.

Through these thing we will be partakers of divine nature. The Bible gives multiple references to believers taking on divine characteristics.

Romans 8:29 “29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 “18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

Phil 3:21 “21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

And finishing up 1:4 Peter again references the theme of this letter. The specific type of corruption that Peter is addressing in this letter. The corruption of the false teachers.

2 Peter 1:5-7 “5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.”

In verse 5 we begin the stair step of virtues that a Christian should maintain.

A sorites is a literary term where on virtue leads to another virtue. used in grecko-roman literature. Socrates used sorites in his writings.

Sorites is derived from the Greek word soros. meaning heap. At what point the number of any item becomes a heap is really unknown. If one virtue is not a heap, two virtues is not either. How many does it take to make a heap?

Basically this type of writing gives many arguments with one conclusion.

Peter tells us here to supplement our faith with

Virtue - Manliness, Valor, Excellence

Knowledge - Knowing, this is different then the previous knowledge (divine knowledge)

Self Control - Temperance

Steadfastness - endurance, patience, continuance

godliness - holiness - self explanatory. Being more like Christ.

brotherly affection - Kindness - Love of the Brethren, family affection. Loving your fellow believers.

Love - This is Agape Love. affection, benevolence, kindness. The kind of love that is described in 1 Corinthians. The very love the God is. It is not based on feeling is is based more on actions.

2 Peter 1:8 “8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

All of these virtues are goals. It doesn't mean if we fall short in one we are not going to make. Like the one quote I have seen on social media Being a Christian doesn't mean I am perfect it just means I am trying to get there.

We should strive to have each of these goals as descriptors of us and continually grow in them

When we grow in them we will bear the fruit of Christ. We know what happens to the non fruit bearing tree. If we own these virtues and continue to grow in them we can be effective and bear fruit in the Knowledge of Christ. We are back to the Divine Knowledge.

2 peter 1:9 “9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.”

And finally Peter contrast verse 8 by basically saying that if you don't hold fast to these virtues that you have forgotten your salvation.

Interestingly enough Peter uses two words Nearsighted and blind. there are two basic thoughts for this. One is When you are nearsighted and cant see the truth at a distance what do you do. You squint. If you squint to much you cant see. Almost a deliberate rejection of the truth.

And second is that he basically used two words that mutually exclusive for effect. either way your forgetting your salvation.