2 PETER
Having dealt with some of the background of this letter in the last blog entry, let me just say this. Whereas 1 Peter is more of a message of an encouragement and consolation in the face of suffering, 2 Peter is more of a warning against false teachers and their heresies.
For an outline, let’s go with: opening (1:1-2), the essence of Christian virtue (1:3-11), apostolic reassurance (1:12-21), the rise and way of false teachers (2:1-22), the certainty of the Second Coming (3:1-9), and living in light of the 2nd Coming (3:10-18). So let’s briefly survey this text.
While Peter doesn’t explicitly identify the recipients of his letter, based on 3:1 it would likely be the same churches addressed in 1 Peter. After remarking (almost in a throw-away statement) how his readers share the same kind of faith as his (2 Pet 1:1)—i.e., there is no 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class faith in Jesus—he goes onto list how true faith in Jesus expresses itself (1:3-11). Let me highlight a few things here. 1st, God has granted believers the power to become godly (2 Pet 1:3). When we grow in godliness it is not something we do but something God does in us! 2nd, God’s power operates through knowing him personally and accessing his promises (2 Pet 1:3-4). In other words, the more deeply we come to know God personally and the more we come to trust and claim the promises in his Word, the godlier we will become. 3rd, even though God is the one who ultimately enables us to grow in godliness, he expects us to try our best to live a godly life (2 Pet 1:5-7). It can take a whole lot of effort to be godly! 4th, godliness confirms the veracity of our profession of faith (2 Pet 1:10-11). Jesus taught that many will claim to be his followers, but only those whose “life backs up their lips” are really his followers (Matt 7:21). Question: How would this apply to people in the church?
Peter then offers his readers some reassurances (1:12-21). He reassures them that they already know and have been established in these truths (1:12); that he will find a way to make sure they are spiritually cared for after his death (1:15). He also reassures them of the divine origin and inspiration of scriptural and apostolic prophecy (1:16-21): Peter and the other apostles didn’t make up anything about Jesus—they were eyewitnesses of the things the Lord said and did (2 Pet 1:16-18). The things the apostles write, therefore, are no less inspired than the prophets of old: both groups of writers wrote by the inspiration of God’s Holy Spirit (2 Pet 1:20-21). Question: Should 1 group of authors take priority over the other? Why or why not?
The bulk of his letter (chaps. 2-3) deals with false teachers. Peter characterizes false teachers in a number of ways. 1st, their origin: where do false prophets come from? The most dangerous ones come from within the ranks of the people of God (2 Pet 2:1). Question: Given that, what groups are more dangerous for Christians: other religions or groups that resemble Christianity? 2nd, the nature or tone of their teaching: the essence of the doctrine they espouse is licentiousness (2 Pet 2:2, 13-14). In other words, they taught that it was more than OK for believers to practice sexual immorality—something Peter refutes using OT parallels: God poured out judgment upon the sexually immoral fallen angels (2:4), he brought about the flood to punish the ungodly (2:5), he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (2:6-8). 3rd, these false teachers reject divine and divinely appointed authority (2:10-11). 4th, false prophets/teachers seek to deceive and trap believers (2:17-19). 5th, God will definitely punish them for their sins (2:20-22).
The judgment of false teachers will take place at the 2nd Coming of Christ—something that these heretics mock and dispute (2 Pet 3:3-4). Peter, however, tells his audience that the Day of the Lord will surely come in God’s specific time; for now, this “delay” is simply an expression of God’s patience, giving people time to repent (while there’s still time [3:5-9]).
In light of the awesome prospect of the outpouring of God’s fiery judgment at the 2nd Coming, believers must do their best to live holy lives (2 Pet 3:14), to be “spotless,” “blameless,” and to be “on guard” against the error of false teaching—lest they fall from their secure position (2 Pet 3:17). Peter commands believers to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (3:18). The “knowledge” he refers to is not mere facts and figures about Jesus or about salvation. He already referred to this knowledge in the opening of his letter (cf. 1:3-9). It refers to our experience of Jesus, our relationship with him: Jesus said the essence of eternal life is knowing God—knowing him personally, intimately (John 17:3). That’s the “knowledge” that Peter’s referring to! Thus, believers must grow in their relationship with the Lord. Not to do so casts doubt on the veracity of your profession of faith. Question: Are you growing?
Next up: the 1st of the so-called “Johannine” letters.