Background to the Books of 1 & 2 Peter
The historical indications are that these two books of the Bible were written when the Apostle Peter was in Rome. Peter was writing to the Church, both Jew and Gentile converts that had been scattered through Asia through persecution. Paul was writing to those that were exiled in what today is known as Northwest Turkey.
Both letters are written in a very warm, loving and caring way – a Pastor taking care of his congregation!
Believing the Bible and putting it into practice – allowing it to change us.
2 Peter chapter 1 - ESV (the verses from 2 Peter 1 are in light italics, the explanation of the verse/s follows in light, straight text with additional scriptures from other Bible books in bold italics)
Greeting
1 Simeon (Simon) Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Peter’s opening address and greeting to the Church in these first two verses is one of incredible humility and love towards his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. His attitude towards others so emulates that of Jesus! He doesn’t consider himself to be greater than anyone else. This is something we all need to remember and do when we are interacting with each other!
He considers himself to be a servant before being an apostle and he considers us, the Church, to be equal to himself in faith and standing and in righteousness before God because of Jesus our Saviour! It’s all about Jesus not Peter! His example perfectly reflects the attitude of Jesus. Let each of us do the same Church!
Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV)
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Confirm Your Calling and Election
In verses 3 and 4 below Peter reveals a wealth of benefits we receive when we are born-again that are not obvious to most of us at first glance. Let’s examine these two verses separately and uncover these wonderful things God bestows upon us because we become His elect – His chosen ones – His Royal Priesthood! God has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light!
1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
Now, looking at verse 3 above, it is a short verse that packs a mighty punch when we examine it closely!
God’s divine power has been freely given to us, through our Lord Jesus Christ, to ensure that we have everything that we need to live our lives in a godly way! God’s divine power is embedded within us by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. All we have to do is believe and receive and the Holy Spirit will lead us in all truth! Jesus reveals to us everything we need to know through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit reminds us of what God’s Word says and also brings personal and corporate revelation of His Word to His Church through the Holy Spirit – The Spirit and the Word come together – the logos (written Word) becomes rhema (revealed Word) by the power of the Holy Spirit!
John 14:26 (NIV)
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 16:12-15 (NIV)
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
Acts 1:8 (NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
It is through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour that we receive all of God’s very great and precious promises (verse 4 above) the greatest of which is our salvation in His name and the forgiveness of our sins.
The promises of God to us are many and varied! There are so many that they are practically uncountable but there two things I know about them for sure, they are all for our benefit and yes, they are ours because they have all been filled (God’s promises) in Christ Jesus! We are God’s anointed ones, His Holy Spirit seals us and we belong to Jesus, His Spirit is in our hearts which guarantees our future hope of salvation and glory in heaven!
2 Corinthians 1:18-22 (NIV)
18 But as surely as God is faithful, our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas and Timothy—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” 20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
For these reasons we are God’s sons and daughters and inherit all things along with Christ and we become partakers in His divine nature because the blood of Jesus covers our sin. What an awesome privilege! What a mighty God we serve!
In verses 5 – 9 above, Peter tells us that because of our faith in God through Christ Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit, we, as individuals need to supplement or add to our faith with other Characteristics of God that are available to us as we are enabled and filled by the Holy Spirit and in this way, we bring glory to God through Christ Jesus!
Let’s examine these Godly characteristics that Peter reveals to us one by one in verses 5-7 by using the original Greek translations.
- Virtue (Greek ‘areté’ – Strong’s 703) – moral goodness, graciousness, uprightness, moral excellence, acts that not only enrich one’s own life but the lives of others as well both mentally and physically.
- Knowledge (Greek ‘gnósis’ – Strong’s 1108) – a spiritual knowledge gained from the Bible, knowledge of the Bible applied to action in obedience.
- Self-control – a facet of the fruit of the Spirit (Greek ‘egkrateia’ – Strong’s 1466) – self-mastery, self-restraint, all in the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Steadfastness – (Greek ‘huponomé’ – Strong’s 5281) – a patient endurance, not giving up, the sole reliance on God for all things.
- Godliness – (Greek ‘eusebeia’ – Strong’s 2150) – devotion to God, reverent fear of God, an unswerving dedication to the things of God.
- Brotherly affection – (Greek ‘philadelphia’ - Strong’s 5360) – brotherly love, the love for Christian brothers and sisters for each other, love for fellow believers, kindness towards each other.
In verses 5 – 8, Peter tells us that if we embrace these Godly qualities and make them our own, make them part of our character so that they increase in us, they will ensure that we become effective and fruitful Christians. We will show ourselves as true disciples of Christ. In this way we will bring glory to the Father.
John 15:8 (NLT)
When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
What fruit should we be producing? The fruit of the Spirit! As born again Christians we live by the Spirit in Christ Jesus – therefore let us keep ourselves in step with the Holy Spirit at all times!
Galatians 5:22-26 (NIV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Verses 10 and 11 above bring such strength and comfort to each one of us. Peter tells us to be ‘more diligent’ to confirm our calling and election. Diligent comes from the Greek word ‘spoudadzó’ (Strong’s 4704) and its expanded meaning is, be quick, eager and zealous to be diligent, fully applying ourselves to diligence and being quick to accomplish our calling and election in Christ Jesus! In this way our entrance into eternal life in the Kingdom of our Lord will be richly provided for. We will lack nothing in achieving this!
12 Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
In verses 12 – 15 above Peter tells the Church of the time that he will continue to remind them of these qualities at every opportunity as he knows that he is soon going to be put to death by Nero. This was revealed to him by the Lord. So, he will remind them regularly while he is alive so that they do not forget. In though Peter was facing an horrific death, his only thought were for his flock just as Christ’s was.
Rumour has it that Peter was crucified upside down on the cross as he didn’t consider himself to be worthy to die in exactly the same way Jesus did!
Today, Church, let us take a leaf out of Peter’s book and do as he did, let us keep on reminding each other of these Godly qualities that are essential for us to clothe ourselves in at all times! Never taking them off! Let us always put the needs of others before our own!
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Christ's Glory and the Prophetic Word
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
In the above six verses (16 – 21), Peter closes this chapter by reminding the Church that he and the other Apostles were eyewitnesses to the coming of Christ in his full power and majesty. They witnessed every miracle and supernatural thing that he did and spoke! The ministry of Christ was not something that they had made up it was real and was witnessed by many others too!
They had actually heard God’s voice telling them that Jesus was His son for they were with him on the mountain at the time and witnessed His transfiguration, His radiance and glory shinning in His true magnificence and power!
Matthew 17:1-3 (AMP)
Six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John the brother of James, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. 2 And His appearance changed dramatically in their presence; and His face shone [with heavenly glory, clear and bright] like the sun, and His clothing became as white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.
The promise for us from this is that we too will witness him in His true glory as they did on the mountain at His transfiguration. His glory will light the New Heavens and the New Earth, and we will be there! Come, Lord Jesus! Come!
Revelation 21:23 (AMP)
And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the glory (splendor, radiance) of God has illumined it, and the Lamb is its lamp and light.
Peter goes on to reassure us that no Bible prophecy was written by man but by God through the Holy Spirit working in man to bring glory to Jesus! Amen!
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father
In the name of Jesus, I pray that by your Holy Spirit, you would strengthen me and enable me to clothe myself in your Godly characteristics that my faith may grow and ever increase, and that my life will bring glory to Jesus and will help others to achieve their calling and election in Christ Jesus. Thank you, Lord that you have given us everything we need to live Godly lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray, Lord that you will continually fill me with your Holy Spirit now and always. Amen!
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!
Jesus the Name above all names!
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!
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