Second Epistle of Peter
AUTHOR AND READERS
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:1 (KJV)
The first verse of this second epistle is somewhat like the first verse of the first epistle. Both give the name of the author and tell us to whom the epistle was written. However, there are marked differences. In the first epistle we have only the name Peter, while here we have both of his names, Simon and Peter. He here describes himself as "servant and apostle of Jesus Christ," while in the first epistle it is only "an apostle of Jesus Christ." There is also a marked difference in the way his readers are described. In the first epistle he mentions the places in which they lived, but here he speaks of them as those who "have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ." We learn from 3:1 that he addresses this epistle to the same persons to whom he sent the first.
"Simon Peter"
We begin to wonder at once whether there could be a reason for using both of his names, "Simon Peter." "Simon" was his given name, while "Peter" was given to him by the Lord Jesus. "Simon" would remind us of the old Peter, impetuous, but changeable and useable. "Peter" reminds us of his new life in Christ; not the. Peter who denied his Lord, but the one who preached at Pentecost and saw 3,000 saved; the Peter who was unafraid and spoke and lived for his Lord in spite of persecution. When Andrew brings Peter to Christ, the Lord says to him, "Thou art Simon the son of Jonah: thou shalt be called Cephas (Peter), which is by interpretation, A song'' (John 1:42). Perhaps Peter discovered that although he was on the Rock and his new name meant "stone," yet he had his old nature with him and he was after all "Simon" as well as "Peter." Many besides Peter have discovered that they do not lose their old nature, even though they have received a new one from the Lord Jesus.
In time past some have questioned whether Peter was the author of the epistle, and whether it should be included in the canon of Scripture. The first epistle has never been questioned, and yet it appears this second epistle has more internal evidences of Peter's authorship than the first. Peter's name is not only signed at the outset, but various incidents from his life are mentioned in it. In 1:14 he says, "Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me." This refers to John 21:18, 19. In 1:16-18, the author claims to have been with the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Only Peter, James and John were there. In 3:1 he claims to have written another epistle to the same Christians, no doubt referring to Peter's First Epistle. Obviously, Peter wrote both of these epistles which bear his name.
This second epistle is somewhat different in style from the first. This is evident especially in the second chapter. There he deals with false teachers and the difference in subject is without doubt the reason for the difference in style. This second chapter resembles Jude and some have thought there may have been copying by one from the other. There is no proof at all of this; they both may have realized the need to be similar and were led of the Spirit to write similarly. Both Jude and 2 Peter were probably written late – 64 to 66 a.d., perhaps even later. Peter knew of at least some of Paul's epistles as gathered from 3:15-16. Paul may have already been executed. It appears from 1:14 that it was written a short time before Peter's death.
"a servant"
Peter was one of the chief apostles; one of the first called and always played a leading part. However, he claimed no priority over the other apostles and here, like Paul (Rom. 1:1) and James (James 1:1), calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ. "Servant" here is literally "bondsman" or "slave." One well know church has made him out to be the first
Pope, but he himself claimed no higher place than that of apostle. He calls himself an elder in 1 Peter 5:1. There is no Scriptural reason to believe that he held any higher office than that of apostle, as our verse says.
Peter, James, John and Paul were great men, but they all realized that they were bondsmen of Jesus Christ. It would seem they never forgot the lesson the Lord taught them as recorded in Matthew 23:8-12. "Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant" (Matt. 23:10, 11). Many have not learned this lesson today. Like the Pharisees, they still want the uppermost rooms, the chief seats, and to be called of men "teacher, teacher" (Matt. 23:6, 7). How wonderful some think it is to be called a pope; a cardinal, a bishop or priest. Someone said, "I went to school for ten years to get my title and I want to be called 'Reverend'" – the same spirit as the Pharisees. Is the title "Reverend" any more Scriptural than "Cardinal"? A man might not believe in flattering titles, yet manifest the spirit of lordship. Diotrophes carried no title, but he surely demanded and assumed the chief place (3 John 9, 10).
To call himself a bondsman of Jesus Christ demonstrated humility on the part of Peter. He realized his nothingness when compared to the Lord Jesus. He is like John the Baptist, who said, "One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose" (Luke 3:16). It behooves all of us to manifest a true spirit of humility before Him.
Peter knew that he was not his own and that he had been bought with a price; he must do his Master's bidding. He understood that he belonged to the Lord, spirit, soul and body; that he had no rights of his own. He put himself in a position of absolute obedience to the Lord. To serve one so wholly whom you love is not slavery. A father who loves his family serves it freely and gladly and so a mother. One who serves the Lord Jesus does not consider it slavery, but a joy and a delight. He is like Jacob, who served Laban seven additional years happily because of love to Rachel (Gen. 29:20).
There are great blessings connected with being a bondsman of Jesus Christ. One could serve no better master. He will see that all the needs of His servants are met. He will give joy in the service and great reward in eternity. To be with Him then forever will be compensation enough. "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor" (John 12:26). The least bit of service, even to the giving of a cup of cold water in His name, shall not lose its reward (Mark 9:41).
"an apostle"
"An apostle" is the highest Peter ever claimed for himself. "Apostle" means "sent one" in the official sense. Peter's apostleship was never questioned. He rose from a lowly fisherman to one of the leading disciples. He is nearly always the first one named in any list of the apostles. He was one of the three in the garden of Gethsemane, as well as on the Mount of Transfiguration. He was very devoted to Christ, and professed to be ready to die with Him (Matt. 26:35). He did not, however, know his weakness and failed miserably. He denied his Lord three times that very night.
A few claim today to be apostles in the official sense, but I am sure they are not right in their assumption. Only those who were with the Lord and personally commissioned by Him claimed that in the Scriptures. However, we can all be sent ones of Jesus Christ. As He sent the apostles into the world, so He sends us into the world. He may not send us out of our home town, but He may send us to the other side of the world. If we are truly His servants, we will be ready to go anywhere He may desire.
"of Jesus Christ"
Peter professed to be "a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ." By this he surely puts the stamp of deity on our Lord Jesus. Surely he would not consider being a slave to one who was merely man and one who was not even any longer living on the earth. It showed too, that he believed the Lord Jesus to be alive and able to give him instructions as to where to go and what to do.
Peter, in his epistles, never calls our Lord by the single name of "Jesus." He always links it up with "Lord" or "Christ" and sometimes with both. He does at times use "Lord" alone or "Christ" alone, but never "Jesus." As we noticed in our study of Peter’s First Epistle, "Jesus" is a compound name meaning "God saves," and "Christ" is the Greek for "Messiah," or literally "Jesus the one anointed by God to be the Savior of sinners." So, by the use of this name, Peter affirms that "Jesus" was His earthly name.
The last half of our verse tells us to whom Peter addresses his epistle. He does not say it is for Jew or Gentile or for any group of Christians living in a certain city or country. It is for those who "have obtained like precious faith with us;" or in other words, all Christians. For this reason we can say without hesitation, it is for us today. However, from 3:1 we can safely conclude that it was originally sent to the same Christians to whom the first epistle was sent. There Peter says, "This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you." From 1 Peter 1:1, we know that these were Christians living up in Asia Minor, in the country which Paul and his disciples evangelized.
"obtained like precious faith with us"
When Peter says, "to them that have obtained like precious faith with us," he is telling his readers that their faith was exactly the same as his own. When he says "with us" some have thought that he meant that his readers had obtained the same kind of faith as the apostles. Others have thought that Peter's readers were mostly Gentile, and that he was hereby telling them that they had obtained the same kind of faith as the Jews. It does not matter much how this is understood, because from the weakest to the strongest whether Jew or Gentile, all have the same kind of faith, if they are saved at all. Every saved one has put his trust in and obeyed the same Person, the Lord Jesus Christ – "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4:5). At the beginning of his epistle, Peter puts his readers on exactly the same level as himself. This demonstrates real tact and courtesy.
"faith"
Peter is probably speaking particularly of a faith that starts a person off toward being born again – salvation. There is also a faith which follows salvation which differs in various Christians, but the faith that saves is the same for all. As one realizes he is a guilty sinner and puts his faith in and obeys the teachings of Christ, he is saved. "Faith" is not the Savior, but it links us up with Him and starts us off with a loving heart that says to the Lord, "Speak, Lord, and I will obey, lead and I will follow." Faith is like the water pipe; it is not the water, but it leads the water into our home. Faith could also be likened to an electric wire; it is not the electricity, but it leads the electricity into our home. Some seem to think more of faith than of our Savior – thinking that faith without obedience to Christ will save. As the water pipe and electric wire are important so faith is certainly very important but they are only the means by which we are lead, through obedience to Christ, to being born again and thus receiving the Lord's blessings.
"precious faith"
While faith is not the Savior, it is certainly very important and Peter calls it precious. It is precious because it is the foundation, the starting point, from which we desire to link up with the blood of Christ as pointed out in Scripture. Because we first have first faith, we then desire to obey the Lord and thus we are linked with the precious One. Peter calls Christ precious three times (1 Pet. 2:4, 6, 7). He calls His blood precious (1 Pet. 1:7), and speaks of precious promises (2 Pet. 1:4). To Peter, the Lord, and all things related to Him, were precious. It should be so with us as well.
Faith after salvation is precious, too. It is wonderful to trust and obey Christ for salvation, but we should trust and obey Him for all things at all times. Even as parents love for their children to trust and obey, so the Lord loves to have His children trust and obey. Can we trust Him to supply us with all our needs? Can we trust Him to care for us in every way? Will we trust and obey Him in time of ridicule or great trial? When He sees His children stand fast in the midst of difficulty, this is indeed precious to Him.
"through the righteousness of God"
The expression "through the righteousness of God" may seem strange to some in connection with this verse. What relation to obtaining "precious faith" has "the righteousness of God?" Perhaps it will help if we think of His righteousness as that which demands the punishment of the sinner, and by which we are all condemned. Then think of the cross of Christ as that which pictures His love and mercy. The cross also pictures His righteousness. Christ met the righteous demands of a sin-hating God by dying on the cross for our sins. This is why He is called our "righteousness" (1 Cor. 1:30). Now God can in perfect righteousness forgive the sins of the vilest sinner. "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justified of him which believeth in Jesus" (Rom. 3:26).
Everything has been done in righteousness. He has forgiven us all our sins, lifted us from the gates of hell and made us His children, and no one can accuse Him of being unrighteous in the least in it all. He could not now righteously refuse salvation to anyone who would simply trust and obey the Lord Jesus Christ. He cannot righteously demand payment twice for the same sins; once of His Son and then again of those for whom He has paid on the cross. So we have obtained our very faith through His righteousness, rather than in spite of it as we might suppose.
"our Savior"
Our verse calls Christ "our Savior." Some make Him no more than a helper. They say, "We must do our part and Christ will do His part." Some believe good works can get us into heaven. But if that is true then why was it necessary for Christ to die on the cross? A works-believer might reply, "Christ died on the cross so He could open the gate so that when we climb up to heaven we can get in." The Scripture pictures us as hopeless and helpless – unable to do anything to help save ourselves. Then it pictures Christ as the Savior who "is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him" (Heb. 7:25). Like a drowning man or one trapped in a burning building needs a savior, so we need Christ to lift us up out of the mire of sin and lay hold of us ere we slip into hell forevermore.
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:2 (KJV)
In 1 Peter 1:2, Peter gives almost the same salutation only in our verse he adds, "though the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord." This verse is a summing up of the purpose of this epistle. The apostle desires that we may experience the rich unmerited favors of the Lord, and manifest the same spirit of grace; also that we might have abundant peace in spite of trials and perplexities. He also desires that we grow in the knowledge of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. The more our knowledge of the Lord, the more will grace and peace be multiplied in our hearts and lives. As this is the desire of Peter for his readers, so it should be our daily desire for ourselves, as well as for all of the Lord's people.
"Grace"
The generally accepted definition of "grace" is "unmerited favor." God's grace really goes far beyond this. One might show us favor when we have done nothing to merit it, but God shows us favor when we deserve punishment. Sometimes a parent gives his children presents, although they may do nothing particular to deserve them. However, if a boy is bad and disobedient, a father may withhold gifts from him. God's grace in salvation reaches the very worst and makes them His children. Even after salvation, much of His favor is entirely undeserved. As children of God we are often miserable failures, but in spite of it all, He showers us with blessings. His heart is much like that of a father who had a very wayward boy. The relatives all said, he should be disinherited and turned out of the house. The father said to him, "Son, you have heard what they all have said about you, but I would have you know that as long as I have a crust of bread in the house, you will share it with me." This kindness of his father caused this boy to break down in true repentance, and he was led to trust in and obey the Lord Jesus. "The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance" (Rom. 2:4).
"peace"
Men by nature are at enmity with God. Their hearts, and minds, and wills are set against Him. They love their sin and do not want the Lord to interfere, and will resist any overtures on the part of the Lord or His servants. They have no peace in their hearts, nor are they at peace with one another. However, by the Spirit, many are led to see that they are fighting a losing battle, and they surrender to the Lord. The moment they trust and obey the Lord, they have peace with God.
Following peace with God there is a peace in the heart or what the Word calls "the peace of God." It always brings peace to know that sins are forgiven, and that the Lord no longer is against you, but for you. However, some Christians do not have the peace of heart which they might have. Perhaps this is because their faith is not strong enough or as the rest of our verse suggests, they are not acquainted with the Lord to the extent they should be. Outward circumstances trouble them and their peace of mind is disturbed. They either forget or do not believe Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Yes, "all things" means even trials.
"multiplied unto you"
The expression "multiplied unto you" tells us that it is possible to have grace and peace in various degrees. Our desire should be like the apostle, to have them multiplied. May we suggest a few things to help in this multiplication? In Philippians 4:6 and 7, Paul suggests that the way to be rid of care and have our hearts filled with the peace of God, lies in "prayer and supplication with thanksgiving." Of course, other aids are Bible study and fellowship with the Lord's people. The more we know of the Lord and His people the more will the grace of God and His peace fill our hearts and minds.
"through the knowledge of God"
Knowledge takes on many forms. Some know much about God yet do not know Him nor do they know our Lord Jesus Christ. By hearing of the ear and reading of the newspapers, we know much about the leaders of our country. Yet if we have never met them, we cannot say we know them. Sometimes people ask, "Do you know brother so and so?" Throughout the years all of us meet many different people but we cannot say we really knew them. If we really meet the Lord Jesus then we can say we know God and also the Lord Jesus. Yet there are various degrees of knowing Him. The better we know Him, the more intimate we are with Him both in prayer and Bible study and the more our hearts will be filled with His grace and peace. To know about God may only fill one with fear and dread of judgment, but to know Him takes away this fear and fills one with peace – "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" (John 17:3).
In our epistle, Peter has much to say about knowledge. In our chapter alone, we have it in verses 3, 5, 6, and 8. It also appears in 2:20, and the epistle's last verse says: "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Besides the word "knowledge" we have on several occasions various forms of the word "know." This is in striking contrast to the first epistle and some have wondered why. Perhaps it is because in between the writing of the first and second epistles, Peter heard of false teachers who had risen up in some of these churches claiming boastfully that they had superior knowledge of many things. Peter strongly condemns these false prophets in chapter 2. To offset this parading of false knowledge, Peter brings forth the true knowledge of God and Christ. This true knowledge of the Lord will nourish and develop real faith and guard one against false teaching – "But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits" (Dan. 11:32); "Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace" (Job 22:21).
"Jesus our Lord"
Let us not be content with meeting our Lord just once when finding salvation. We should desire to know Him better and better and to walk with Him day by day. We read of Enoch that he "walked with God." As we have constant fellowship with Him we will become more and more like Him. In our whole life we should own Him as Lord. Peter calls Him "Jesus our Lord." This tells us that if we are to make progress in our Christian life, we must live in constant subjection to Him. We first know Him as Savior by trusting and obeying Him, but if we are to experience His grace and be filled with His peace we must give Him the place of Lord in our hearts and lives.
