Above picture is the result of inputting the 2 Peter into "Wordle"
The larger the word, the more frequently in the document.
Source: http://identity33.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/2peter3.gif
Read all of 2 Peter before getting into the study!
WHO:
- By whom:
- Stated in the first verse to be written by Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ.
- He also says he's an eyewitness of the transfiguration (1:16-18).
- Some scholars have claimed that someone else wrote this epistle using Peter's name because the literary style is different from 1st Peter.
- To whom: to you who share the same precious faith we have. Per 3:1, to the same believers to whom he wrote the 1st letter - This is my second letter to you.
WHAT:
- To remind them of what they have and to encourage them to grow so they won't fall prey to the coming false teachers. Peter’s second letter is intended to be a follow up to his first letter (2 Peter 3.1).
WHEN:
- Probably not too long before his death. Posssibly in Rome around 64-67 A.D.
WHERE:
- He says he's writing from Babylon in 1st Peter chapter 5. But, we're not sure if he's referring to the physical Babylon or to Rome.
WHY:
- His death is approaching and he's warning them of false teachers that will arise.
KEY VERSES: 2 Peter 3:17-18: I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.
(1) This letter is from Simon Peter, a *slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious **faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our **God and Savior.
- *slave (Greek doulos): The order of these titles is important. Peter considers himself first a slave (bondservant) and then an apostle. Once again, as in 1 Peter, he is not elevating himself above others as does the pope who claims that Peter was the first pope. Peter is nothing like the modern day Roman popes!
- **faith: used 7 times in Peter's epistles.
- ***God: Jesus is both God and man (Savior). Peter had no doubt about Christ's divinity.
(2) May God give you *more and more grace and peace as you grow in your **knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
- *more and more: Here's Peter's hope and prayer for them!
- *knowledge: Greek - epignosis = precise, true, thorough and complete knowledge.
Occurs 7 times in 2 Peter.
(3) By his divine power, God has given us *everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
- *everything: God has supplied unto us everything that we need to live a successful Christian life; so, we have no excuse for not growing. We've been given the tools - what are we going to do with them?
(4) And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to *share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
- *share his divine nature: As we mature spiritually, we become more like Christ.
- In the next few verses, notice the progression of growth based on faith and leading to usefulness in responding to God's promises:
- Moral excellence
- Knowledge
- Self-control
- Patient endurance
- Godliness
- Brotherly affection (philadelphia)
- Love for everyone (agape)
(5) In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with *knowledge,
- *knowledge: Greek - gnosis = knowledge acquired by experience, learning or effort.
- Philippians 1:9: I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.
(6) and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with *godliness,
- *godliness – This word literally means, "Walking in view of His greatness."
(7) and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
(8) The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your *knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- *knowledge: Greek - epignosis = precise, true, thorough and complete knowledge.
(9) But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
- Many Christians have forgotten how much God has forgiven them, or they have appreciated His forgiveness only superficially. James called this dead faith (James 2:17, 26).
(10) So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.
(11) Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
(12) Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught.
(13) And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live.
- Greek - as long as I am in this tent [or tabernacle]. The idea is that he is "tabernacling" through life as did Abraham, awaiting his true home. Our more permanent place to live is heaven, and we should invest more in heaven than in our tent.
- 2 Corinthians 5:1: For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.
(14) For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life,
- Greek - "I must soon put off my tent [or tabernacle]."
- John 21:18-19: “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
(15) so I will work hard to make sure you always remember these things after I am gone.
(16) For we were not making up *clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes
- *clever stories: Greek - mythos (myths). One of the falsehoods the false teachers will teach is that the story about Jesus was just a myth. How many preachers and seminar leaders now teach that the Bible is mostly a collection of myths?
(17) when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
- Matthew 17:1-5: Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”
(18) We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain.
(19) Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the *Morning Star shines in your hearts.
- *Morning Star: Greek - phosphoros. Only here.
- Revelation 2:28: They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star!
- Revelation 22:16: “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright morning star.”
(20) Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding,
- Or "is a matter of one’s own interpretation."
(21) or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.
- All the Old Testament Scriptures that pointed to Christ were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
- 2 Timothy 3:16: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
- Hebrews 1:1-2: Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe.
NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation.
References and sources are listed at http://epistles-of-peter.blogspot.com/2010/10/2-peter-references.html
