2 Peter
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2 Peter 1
2 Peter 1
1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and the Saviour Jesus Christ:
1Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
Commentary · verse 1
2Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue;
2Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Commentary · verses 2-3
God's divine power has given us all things that pertain to life (ability to repair) and godliness (Righteousness by grace) through the knowledge of Him.
4whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.
4Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Commentary · verse 4
We are given great and precious promises so that we might be partakers of God. This is by faith. The promises have not happened yet.
Doctrines on this passage
5Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge;
5And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
Commentary · verse 5
Peter began a progression of maturity which began with faith. Romans 12:3 stated that God gave to each person a measure of faith. Peter stated that believers ought to add virtue (moral excellency, which is embracing and living the causes of Right and Just) to faith. This was a commitment to finish this progression. Next, we ought to add knowledge = information = WHAT. Notice, information could deceive people (take them off course) if they did not have moral excellency.
6and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness;
6And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
Commentary · verse 6
Self-control was the ability to determine the right amount of a behavior. This was a WHY. Self-control was an expression of the will of the individual and ought to help the information that was received not take us off course. Having this WHY would allow us to have a profitable HOW.
Patience was having a good attitude while you were waiting. Patience was not the waiting, you were going to wait whether you had a good attitude or not. Patience was HOW you waited.
Notice, self-control was necessary to demonstrate patience. Having the right WHAT, WHY, and HOW led to godliness, which was being like God: Right and Just. You would think this would be the ultimate effect. However, God's Nature (Right and Just) are causes. What are the ultimate effects of God's Nature?
7and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love.
7And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
Commentary · verse 7
Brotherly kindness was love to the believers. Being like God ought to immediately result in loving believers: the Second Command. The ultimate effect was love...loving everyone, even unbelievers who caused us to suffer unjustly. Love required the most maturity: giving without expecting anything in return from those to whom you gave.
8For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
8For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Commentary · verse 8
…because if these things were in you, they would make you profitable in the knowledge of Christ. You would be more like Christ.
9For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.
9But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
Commentary · verse 9
Those who did not have these things in them were blind and had forgotten the work of Christ. They did not have faith because they could only see things that were near.
10Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:
10Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
Commentary · verse 10
Give diligence (work towards) to make your calling and election sure (stable, firm). This was an exhortation to make an effort towards these things. This made it clear that our election (Salvation) was our responsibility. If God unilaterally chose people ahead of time, without their consent, there would be no way a person could make their election "more sure." Making our election "more sure" was sanctification, something in which we continually made progress. If we did these things (verses 5-7) we would never fall.
11for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12Wherefore I shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth which is with you.
11For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
Commentary · verses 11-12
Peter said he would continue to make them aware of the things they needed to focus on, regardless if they knew them already, so they could be established in truth. Again, these were the things in which we ought to continue to work making progress in.
13And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signified unto me.
13Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
14Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
Commentary · verses 13-14
Peter was still aware of the words Jesus spoke to him that were recorded in John 21:18-19.
15Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my decease to call these things to remembrance.
15Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
Commentary · verse 15
Peter wanted the people to remember these things forever, especially after he was dead.
16For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there was borne such a voice to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: 18and this voice we ourselves heard borne out of heaven, when we were with him in the holy mount.
16For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
Commentary · verses 16-18
Peter referred to the transfiguration of Christ (Matthew 17:2) that he had witnessed, contrasting it with those who spoke about things they had made up. Peter continued this contrasting presentation with the topic of prophecy...
19And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: 20knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation.
21For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.
19We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Commentary · verses 19-21
Doctrine: Prophecies were not by the will of man but by the Holy Spirit through holy men of God. No prophecy is from the person's own mind. Peter showed that prophecy was not made up, like the fables that other religions followed.
Commentary · verse 21
Theme of Chapter 1: Peter presented an explanation for the process of sanctification: faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, brotherly kindness, and love.
Peter wrote this letter to believers.