2nd Peter

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Overview of the Book

The main focus of Peter’s second epistle was to send a warning signal against the false teachers who emerged from within the church community and their serious assault against the faithful followers of Jesus Christ.  Peter advises believers that the only way to refute the false teachers and their teachings is to grow in the true knowledge of God to practically live out what they learned through the Lord.

Through his second epistle, Apostle Peter1 made known the reality that godliness and a meaningful life could be attained only through knowing Christ very personally.  He received this revelation from various experiences.  These include from his personal relationship with Jesus Christ during Jesus’ earthly ministry, the knowledge drawn from the revealed Scripture (that is, the Old Testament), and the revelation he himself received from God through the Holy Spirit.  Just as Apostle Paul believed that all Scripture is revealed from God, stating that All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16), Peter also believed that the Scripture has its origin from God, as he stated in 2 Peter 1:21 that For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).  Thus, for Peter, the origin of the Scripture, that is, the written Word of God, is from God and not from man (2 Peter 1:16-21).  Consequently, Peter developed the major theme of his second epistle which was that spiritual maturity could be attained by shunning the teachings of the false prophets, knowing the Scripture, and by growing in the knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:3; 2:1-3).

Authorship, Recipients, and Date of Writing

Apostle Peter identifies himself as the author of this epistle (2 Peter 1:1).  He also points out to his readers that this was his second letter to them (2 Peter 3:1).  Peter made sure that both these epistles (First and Second Peter) were authored by him to the same group of people (2 Peter 3:1; 1 Peter 1:1).  However, some scholars deny the Petrine authorship of these epistles.  The reason for which is that although both of these epistles are similar in their appearance, there are some differences in their literary styles and central teachings.  First Peter highlights believers’ suffering caused by persecution, Second Peter highlights the dangers of false teachings, by the false prophets and teachers, which confuse even strong believers.  The interesting fact is that persecution of the early Christians was not only caused by enemies of the gospel from outside the church (1 Peter 1:6; 4:12), but also by the false doctrines taught by false prophets and teachers from within the church (2 Peter 2:1). 

According to 2 Peter 3:1, the recipients of the epistle are the same group mentioned in 1 Peter 1:1 – To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.  Although, the scattered Christians who had been living in Asia Minor were the original recipients of this epistle, its place in the New Testament reveals that the epistle is written to all believers around the world. 

Regarding the date of writing, while Peter was writing this epistle, Peter stated that “I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me” (2 Peter 1:14).  This made it clear that he does not have many days left to live.2   As he expected, it is believed that he was martyred during the reign of Roman emperor Nero, perhaps in the year AD 68.  In the light of this fact, it is believed that the epistle must have been written sometime between 66 and 68 AD, just prior to his martyrdom.

Purpose of Writing

The  main purpose of writing this epistle is summarized in 2 Peter 3:17-18, a brief outline is below: 

      1. Peter encourages his readers that true believers need to safeguard their faith in Jesus Christ so that no one will mislead them or snatch it away from them
      2. Peter encourages his readers to experience a progressive spiritual growth in their personal life by growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ Jesus 
      3. Peter exhorts his readers to truthfully pursue godliness, follow Christ diligently, and to be aware of the false prophets and teachers who undermine the apostolic truth

There are also numerous other reasons for Apostle Peter to write his second epistle.  The first and foremost purpose of writing the epistle of Second Peter was to exhort the persecuted Church to attain godliness through knowing Christ personally.  Some further purposes are below:

  • Apostle Peter defends Christian faith by denouncing the false prophets and teachers who were trying to divert the true believers, especially the new believers, from the apostolic doctrines  
  • The epistle is also vocal against anyone who misinterprets the prophecy of Scripture (2 Peter 1:19-21) 
  • The epistle is written to encourage its readers to gain the true knowledge of God at any cost and to live a life that is filled with good qualities (2 Peter 1:5-8) in order to be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with Jesus (2 Peter 3:14)

Major Focus of the Epistle

Apostle Peter deals with several themes in this epistle, all of which are related to the divine origin of the Scripture, God’s grace and divine power that transforms lives, the return of Jesus Christ, the dangers of false teachings, the advantages of godly living, new life in Jesus Christ, and the progressive godly qualities of a New Testament believer (mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5-8).3  In other words, the love of God, redemptive work of Christ, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and the infallibility of the Scripture are very much the focus of this epistle. In addition to the above-mentioned themes, Apostle Peter gave emphasis to the following:

  • The importance and need of godly living: Godly living leads a person to attaining salvation at the end (2 Peter 1:10-11).  Achieving godliness in one’s life is possible only through true knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 1:3) 
  • The Importance of knowing the Scripture: The proclamations of the Old Testament prophets and the Apostles were not mere man-made stories, rather, they were messages received from the Lord God Almighty and revealed through the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:16).  Peter writes that they were the eye-witnesses of the earthly life of Jesus and they heard the voice of God the Father speaking to Jesus (2 Peter 1:16-18; Matthew 17:1-7) and he adds that … For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:19-21) 
  • The rise of false teachers in the church: Peter urges the believers to be watchful of false teachers who mislead believers (2 Peter 2:1-3, 17-21) 
  • The judgement of the ungodly and unrighteous: Peter warns his readers that God will judge all the ungodly and all those who disobey His commands (2 Peter 2:1-22)

The General Outline

  1. Opening Greetings (2 Peter 1:1-2) 
  2. The Essentials of True Knowledge (2 Peter 1:3-21)
    1. True Knowledge and its transforming Power (2 Peter 1:3-4)
    2. True Knowledge and paths to Christian Maturity (2 Peter 1:5-11)
    3. True Knowledge and Credibility of the Scripture (2 Peter 1:12-21)
      1. The Purpose of re-stating the Message (2 Peter 1:12-15)
        1. To Refresh their Memory (2 Peter 1:12-13)
        2. To enable them to attain Spiritual Maturity (2 Peter 1:14-15)
      2. The Trustworthiness of the Message (2 Peter 1:16-21)
        1. Eye-witnesses of Jesus’ Majesty and Ministry (2 Peter 1:16-18) 
        2. Divine Origin of the Scripture (2 Peter 1:19-2) 
  3. The Reality of False Prophets and False Teachers (2 Peter 2:1-22)
    1. The Life and Teachings of False Teachers (2 Peter 2:1-3)
      1. The Reality of their Existence (2 Peter 2:1)
      2. The made up stories of the False Teachers (2 Peter 2:2-3)
    2. Definite Judgement of God upon the Unrighteous (2 Peter 2:4-12)
      1. Past examples God’s judgement upon angels and men (2 Peter 2:4-9)
      2. Examples of powerful Angels who avoided slanderous accusations (2 Peter 2:10-12)
    3. The Motives and Intentions of False Teachers and Preachers (2 Peter 2:13-19)
      1. God’s Judgements upon False Teachers (2 Peter 2:20-22)
  4. The Assurance of Lord’s Coming and the End of the Age (2 Peter 3:1-16)
    1. Invitation to Recall the Messages of the Holy Prophets and Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:1-2)
    2. Warning against Scoffers and Mockers regarding Christ’s coming (2 Peter 3:3-4)
    3. Assurance of Christ’s Return Retold (2 Peter 3:5-13)
      1. Reminder of God’s Judgement by flood during Noah’s time (2 Peter 3:5-6)
      2. The upcoming Judgement of Earth by fire (2 Peter 3:7-12)
      3. Righteous new order (2 Peter 3:13)
    4. Keep the Hope of Christ’s Return Alive and Prepare to Welcome Him (2 Peter 3:14-16)
  5. Final Instructions and Concluding Messages (2 Peter 3:17-18)

Remarkable Reminders

  • The followers of Christ are expected to live holy and godly lives (2 Peter 3:11) 
  • The godly must not follow the corrupt desire of lawless men and false teachers (2 Peter 2:10): 
      • who indulge in dishonorable desires (2 Peter 2:2) 
      • who are greedy (2 Peter 2:3) 
      • who are self-willed (2 Peter 2:10) 
      • who despise authority (2 Peter 2:10)
      • who are arrogant (22 PeterPet 2:18)
  • The godly must not be misguided by ungodly teachings (2 Peter 3:17) 
  • The godly must grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3:18) 
  • The godly will experience more grace and more peace despite the unfavorable circumstances they encounter in their lives (2 Peter 1:2) 
  • The godly will never stumble during their spiritual journey rather they will be welcomed into the eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:10; 3:13) 

Apostle Peter’s Life in a nut-shell

Apostle Peter’s spiritual pilgrimage from Luke 5:1-11 and his martyrdom [John 21:18-19; 2 Peter 1:13-15]

  • Peter began his spiritual pilgrimage right from the point of his disbelief – Lord, we tried all night but I will try again ‘because you say so’ 
  • Jesus said, “I will make you fishers of men.” At once, Peter believed in Jesus Christ, left everything and followed Him 
  • Jesus asked, who do you say that I AM? Peter said, “You are the Son of the Living God.” 
  • Peter said, we will build three tents on the Mount of transfiguration: one for Moses, one for Elijah and one for Jesus. 
  • Peter said, “You will not wash my feet.” Jesus said, “You have no part with me if I do not wash your feet.” Peter said, “Wash not only my feet but my whole body.”  Jesus said, “You are clean but only feet needed a washing.” 
  • Peter’s boldness and assurance: “Even if all fall away on account of you I never will” [even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you]. Jesus said, this very night, you will disown me three times (John 21:31-35) 
  • Peter, a fisherman from Bethsaida, became the 
    • leader of the Twelve – Peter’s name was mentioned first wherever the names of the twelve are mentioned (Matthew 10:2; Mark 3:16-17; Luke 6:14) 
    • first one to walk on the water (Matthew 14:25-32)
    • defender of Christ – on the Garden of Gethsemane by cutting off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant (John 18:10-11) 
    • receiver of Christ’s special commission – to feed the lambs (John 21:15-17) 
    • preacher of the gospel – at his first ever preaching on the Day of Pentecost, 3000 believed in Jesus (Acts 2:14-41) 
    • Martyr for His Master (John 21:18-19; 2 Peter 1:13-15) – faced crucifixion for his identity with his Master/Christ.  It is generally accepted the way Peter was crucified.  At his crucifixion, Peter believed that He was not worthy to receive a crucifixion the same manner his Master (Jesus Christ) was crucified.  So, he requested his executioners that he wished to be crucified upside down (his head downward) so that he may embrace and kiss his Master’s feet as he dies. 

Note: The Roman Catholic Church recognizes him as the First Pope of their unbroken succession of Popes. 

Elaboration (of the superscripts)

A brief note on Apostle Peter: Simon Peter had a very interesting life story both before his call and after his call.  It is worth knowing and learning about him.  He, being a fisherman, must have been physically bold and strong but spiritually very poor and imperfect.  Somewhere in the middle of his life, Jesus met him, called him, corrected him, trained him, and appointed him to be one of the leading torch bearers for the gospel work.  While the gospels narrate how Jesus found him, Peter’s call and training for ministry, the early part of the book of Acts explains how God used him to begin and establish the New Testament Church on earth.  Also, through his writings (the epistles of First Peter and Second Peter), he narrates what he learned and experienced from Jesus as a disciple.  It is understood from the gospels that as he spent time with Jesus, he grew from the state of spiritual immaturity to spiritual maturity by reshaping his ordinary lifestyle into a meaningful and purposeful lifestyle.  It is very interesting to know the fact that his lifestyle changed drastically from a fearful state to the state of courage and boldness – at the beginning of his call, Peter fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man” (Luke 5:8), but at the end of his training, he said, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33).  Peter’s call and appointment by God, his firm belief and trust in Jesus Christ, and his continued dependance on the Holy Spirit enabled him to stay focused and to serve his Master and Lord faithfully until the end of his life on earth.  Apostle Peter was truly one of the mightily used apostles of Jesus (Acts 1-12; 2 Peter 1:14). 

It is believed that all of the Apostles of Jesus Christ, except John, died as martyrs. 

  • James the brother of John (sons of Zebedee), the first one to face death among the apostles of Jesus, was put to death by Herod Agrippa prior to the Passover about 44 AD (Acts 12:1-2). 
  • Peter was crucified in Rome about 66 AD during the severe persecution under the Roman Emperor Nero.  It is believed that he was crucified upside down upon his own request because he felt that he was not worthy to die in the same manner as his Master and Lord died.
  • Andrew, who preached in Syria, Greece, Thrace, and Achaia.  It is believed that he was crucified in Achaia. 
  • James, the son of Alphaeus, who preached in Syria was beaten and stoned to death. 
  • Thomas, who preached in several regions between Syria and India, was pierced to death in South India. 
  • Philip, took the gospel of Jesus Christ to Phrygia and Hierapolis (Asia Minor), and Carthage (North Africa) where he was martyred. 
  • Matthew, the tax collector, wrote the Gospel of Matthew and preached in Persia and Ethiopia where he was stabbed to death. 
  • Jude preached in Armenia, Syria and Persia where he became a martyr for Jesus. 
  • Bartholomew, who preached in several regions like Armenia, Ethiopia, Arabia, and India, finally settled in Armenia where he faced martyrdom for Jesus. 
  • Simon the Zealot, who preached in Persia, was martyred in Persia. 
  • Matthias, who was chosen in the place of Judas Iscariot, preached in Syria along with Andrew and was killed by fire. 
  • John, the brother of James (sons of Zabedee), the long-serving Apostle of Jesus, was miraculously unharmed by boiling oil and from the island of Patmos, had a natural death. 
  • Paul was martyred in Rome about 66 AD, during the persecution under the Roman Emperor Nero. Tradition says that he was beheaded.

Apostle Peter is encouraging his readers, that is, the New Testament believers, to make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8).

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