2 PETER

An Introduction

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

2 Peter is a “General Epistle” or an apostolic letter. Peter is the author and it is believed to have been written about 63-64 A.D. just before his death by crucifixion. It was written to all followers of Christ in general. Its purpose was to warn against the increasing numbers of false teachers who were attacking the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and attempting to influence Christians in their beliefs and lifestyle. Peter shares what the Holy Spirit has inspired him to communicate to his fellow Christians and therefore its content is as appropriate for us today as it was for followers of Christ in the first century.

 

In Chapters one through two Peter reassures the local church of the veracity of what they believe, that it is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Peter shares that God has granted to followers of Christ His precious promises, so that they can become partakers of the divine nature of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4).

 

He also lists seven characteristics of a follower of Christ which are; moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. Peter instructs followers of Christ that they are to apply all diligence to their foundation of faith by growing in each of these areas of godliness.

 

He describes his own eye witness account of what took place at the Mount of Transfiguration when the glory and majesty of Jesus Christ was manifested (2 Peter 1:16). He also verifies the godly origin of his teachings by stating that men “moved by the Holy Spirit” wrote the teachings of the Christian faith (2 Peter 1:21).

 

In the first century Gnosticism was on the rise as a popular belief among the population. Gnosticism was a philosophical principal that was not only hindering church growth, it was undermining both the spiritual growth of Christians as well as the godliness of their witness. Peter teaches in this letter that in the end, God will judge all of the false teachers and prophets for the erroneous lies and doctrines they were promoting.

 

In Chapter three, Peter encourages followers of Christ with the doctrine of the Day of Lord. On this day when Christ returns to judge, those who are evil and have rejected the Truth of God will receive punishment and the righteous will dwell in the “New Heavens and the New Earth.” He also gives a final warning in 2 peter 3:17 to all Christians, to “be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men.”

 

You could call 2 Peter, Peter’s last will and testament. The apostle Peter addressed this epistle to Christians wherever they might be. In 1 Peter he mentions specifically those Christians residing in “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1:1), here in 2 Peter he identifies those he writes to as “those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours.” (1:1). While this could be in reference to the same specific Christians he writes to in 1 Peter, it could also be applied to all followers of Christ in the known world at that time. It is also true that Peter’s letters and those of the entire New Testament apply to us today who have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior.

 

The letter states that Peter, the apostle, is the author. While the style of writing is somewhat different than how Peter expressed himself in 1 Peter, it is commonly accepted that Peter is the author of 2 Peter as well. The style change may be due to the fact that he used a different scribe to write what he dictated in 2 Peter. Such dictation of letters was common and was an intimate project between the author and scribe. In other words, the scribe would not write anything that was not ultimately approved by the author. There is very strong internal testimony to the fact that Peter wrote this book so its authorship by Peter should not be questioned. Peter’s reference to his imminent death (1:13-16) suggests that the time of this letter’s writing may have been just before Peter suffered martyrdom. 2 Peter bears some indications of a “last will and testament (1:3-11; 2:1-3; 3:1-4).  The writings of early church fathers suggest that Peter’s death was at 67-68 A.D which would place the date of writing of 2 Peter near to this date. Nero, emperor of the Roman Empire at this time began persecuting Christians in Rome in 64 A.D.

 

It should also be noted that there are similarities between 2 Peter 2 and the book of Jude, especially Jude 4-18. Could it be that Peter had access to the writing of Jude or did Jude have a copy of 2 Peter?  Did either of them borrow doctrinal information from the other, or was this simply common doctrine that was being shared by both men individually? Whatever the case the church down through the ages has recognized both 2 Peter and Jude as epistles that are divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit.

 

Below is a list illustrating some of the verses that demonstrate similarities between the epistles of 2 Peter and Jude.

 

2 Peter 2:1   –   Jude 4

2 Peter 2:2   –   Jude 4

2 Peter 2:3   –   Jude 4

2 Peter 2:4   –   Jude 6

2 Peter 2:6   –   Jude 7

2 Peter 2:9   –   Jude 15

2 Peter 2:10   –   Jude 8

2 Peter 2:11   –   Jude 9

2 Peter 2:12   –   Jude 10

2 Peter 2:13   –   Jude 12

2 Peter 2:15   –   Jude 11

2 Peter 2:17   –   Jude 12,13

2 Peter 2:18    –   Jude 16

 

Here are additional verses in 2 Peter that might mirror those in the Jude.

 

2 Peter 1:2   –   Jude 2

2 Peter 3:2   –   Jude 17

2 Peter 3:3   –   Jude 18

2 Peter 3:14   –   Jude 24

2 Peter 3:18   –   Jude 25

 

Peter’s main purpose in writing this epistle was threefold.

 

First, he wished to exhort and encourage followers of Christ to grow in spiritual maturity. He reminded them that they were “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit.” He reminded them  that though they would be “distressed by various trials” and “tested by fire” their obedience and perseverance would yield “proof “ of their faith and “result in praise and honor and glory” for them when Jesus Christ returned.

 

Secondly, he desired to denounce false teachers and warn followers of Christ of their doctrinal errors. He reassures them that as they reject the teaching of false teachers and avoid associating with such individuals that “the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation” that might come from such evil influences.

 

Thirdly, he lays down a description of the type of lifestyle, thought life and ministry they should have as followers of Christ. He implies they should be “holy” in conduct and “godliness” as they remain “looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God.” He also communicated that he desired that his readers would stand firm in the grace of God (3:12) and in the face of increasing persecution and suffering.

 

Possibly the Holy Spirit had impressed upon Peter in his writing of 2 Peter that while the Christians faced difficulties currently, it was nothing compared to what was yet to come. God may have been using Peter in writing this epistle to build a foundation of faith so the Christians would be ready when the “hell-fire” of Roman persecution bore down upon followers of Christ in full force. For this reason Peter reminded Believers of their election by God and the sure hope of their heavenly inheritance. He further covers very well the privileges and blessings of knowing Christ. He also gives them instruction on how to conduct themselves in a hostile world, using the example of Christ’s suffering as a model to follow. Peter wanted his fellow Christians to live triumphantly in the midst of a hostile world without abandoning hope and becoming bitter. He did not want them to lose faith in Christ nor to forget His second coming. He knew that if they were obedient to God’s Word despite the world’s antagonism, their lives would testify to the truth of the gospel (2:12; 3:1, 13-17). This message is just as applicable for us today!

 

Charles Swindoll states regarding 2 Peter, “Having matured in his own faith and having reached the end of his life, Peter wants to leave a written legacy for some of the most pressing concerns facing the young church. Like a last will and testament to believers of every generation, Peter writes this rapid-fire, urgent reminder to warn against false doctrine and moral compromise in the last days. And because the Holy Spirit inspired his writing, his final words remain as timely for us as they were for believers in the first century.”