The sixties were very turbulent times. I was born in 1961, but I am not talking about those sixties. I am talking about AD 61 to AD 70. It is the context, and it sets the stage for what Peter wrote and to whom Peter wrote in his books. Peter wrote his first book 1 Peter in about 63AD and this book 2 Peter about 66AD and Peter tells us he is about to die. We are reading Peter’s swan song. From what we know from historians from this period, Peter was executed just months after he wrote this book.
Peter wrote to the scattered and persecuted Christians throughout a vast area. He mentioned these areas in 1 Peter 1:1 and now he is writing to these same scattered Christians a few years later. Peter is writing as a fellow sufferer. Peter probably wrote this book from Roman imprisonment.
In approximately this time Paul was in Prison in Rome and also Aristarchus, a key partner of Paul was in prison in Rome too. Epaphras was in prison in Rome at this time too. It was sort of a who’s who list of Apostles and key Christian leaders in prison in Rome. There was Paul, Peter, Aristarchus, Epaphras in prison and then others there like John-Mark, Tychicus, Timothy, Titus, Luke the doctor and Onesimus ministering to them in prison. John the beloved disciple did not follow the trend, being in prison in Patmos and writing much later than Peter and Paul.
There was a fire in Rome that burned a section of the city in AD 64 and Nero, who probably ordered the fire himself to build his palace and a statue to himself there, blamed the Christians. The persecution following that fire was intense. So, the persecution that was taking place when Peter wrote 2 Peter surpassed even what Christians faced when Peter wrote his first book.
Your Standing In Christ (2 Peter 1:1-2)
We know that Peter was such a key figure in the early church. He was an Apostle of Christ. He was on the mountain with Jesus at the transfiguration. Peter is the man who walked on water. He preached the Pentecost sermon when the Holy Spirit fell on the Jews on the day of Pentecost. Peter was there when the Holy Spirit came upon the Samaritans in the same way. He was also there when the Holy Spirit came on the gentiles. Peter and John told the lame man to get up and walk and after the miracle many more thousand came to Christ in Jerusalem.
Peter is writing to those scattered believers who have the same standing that he had. This is a big deal because there were all these spiritual mountaintop experiences Peter had. Yet, the greatest was to be a believer in Christ. He was writing to those who obtained equal standing as himself.
Simeon 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. (2 Peter 1:1-2)
Peter was equal standing to the scattered Christians because his standing is based on the righteousness of God and being saved by Jesus Christ. It was not based on his fantastic experiences, even though he had many. His standing was based on being made righteous in Christ. The same as the scattered persecuted Christians who were kicked around and abused across Asia. They were brothers and sisters with equal standing in Christ.
Those scattered Christians were, all of them, a child of the king. I am sure Peter knew they needed this reminder of their standing. It would be easy for them to look at their hardships in their isolated situation and have a skewed view of reality and need this reminder of who they are in Christ.
Peter is a hero of our faith, yet so is every scattered Christian in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, all are just like Peter struggling and persecuted. Yes, those scattered persecuted believers needed a reminder. We all need to be reminded from time to time.
How many times do we need to be reminded that who we are in Christ is our identity and not our accomplishments. Have you walked on water, so to speak? Did you have a mountain top spiritual experience that could rival what Peter experienced at the transfiguration? Well, if you have great, but that is not why you are who you are in Christ. We all have the same standing before God as Peter because of the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.
His Divine Power for Us. (2 Peter 1:3-4)
Peter is reminded the scattered believers that they have everything they need to escape the situation. Not the situation of persecution, even Peter is not expecting to escape that personally. There is something more important. They have everything to escape the power of sinful corruption.
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, 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. (2 Peter 1:3-4)
Do you want to live your life pleasing to God? You have everything you need. All the scattered Christians undergoing persecution have received the best invitation to receive the great promises of God.
Peter spells out how we build on our Christian faith. There is one character after another to deepen our walk with Christ. What does Peter tell the suffering Christians? Focus on your character. Build on your calling in Christ.
Our walk with Christ as effective and fruitful (2 Peter 1:5-9)
In earlier days Peter was put in prison in Jerusalem. At that time when Peter was seemingly going to be executed like James the brother of John had just been. As Peter awaited his trial he was sleeping between two guards. An angel appeared, the light flooded the prison cell and Peter’s chains fell off and he walked out of the prison. That is powerful! Now he is talking about the spiritual power of God manifested in a different way. Not an outward manifestation, but the power of God in inward transformation.
Our faith in Christ is the beginning of our journey. Here are the building blocks of Christian character that strengthen your faith. You can be faithful and fruitful no matter what your situation. Peter is in prison in Rome. Now that Peter is in prison he is not able to speak and lead the Jerusalem council like he did in earlier times, but from his prison cell he can abide in Christ. He can pray. He can trust God.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. (2 Peter 1:5-9)
You do these eight things, and you will be effective and fruitful. It is said clearly here that if we don’t apply these characteristics in our life, we won’t be effective and fruitful. With them you keep from being ineffective.
The first thing you add to your faith is good character. Yes, your character matters. Our New Testament has a major portion written from spiritual leaders who were in prison and lived their lives by faith and Godly Character. We add to this our spiritual understanding that comes from prayer and study of the Bible. We are glorifying Christ when we are generous and compassionate people who serve others. Our calling means we persevere through hard times.
If you don’t have these qualities, faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love then you are spiritually near sighted. We lose sight of these and we become spiritually blind. This was what Peter was burdened for as he was awaiting execution. That all believers have these characteristics and walk with Christ in turbulent times. When we know and apply this then we too will walk with Christ in our own very turbulent times.
Confirm your calling (2 Peter 1:10-11)
Peter is giving them a playbook to follow so that in the midst of persecution come what may they will never fall.
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. (2 Peter 1:10-11)
Peter is shifting the focus from the hardship and circumstances they are facing to the spiritual. These are the eternal kingdom principles that will take them through anything and everything. This is what Peter is going to have to do. He is aware that his execution is coming soon.
Purpose and coming death (2 Peter 1:12-15)
Even though Peter’s death is not recorded in scripture, there are some reliable historical accounts of how and when he died. The “when” is shortly after he wrote this letter. The “how” of his death is by crucifixion. The historians say that when Peter was to be crucified, he requested to be crucified upside down on an inverted cross. This would symbolize he was not worthy to die in the same way as Jesus. To this day the symbol for Peter is the upside down cross.
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. (2 Peter 1:12-15)
Peter is really living up to his name, the rock that Jesus gave him. He is rock solid. He was not always that way. Peter was the one who had highs and lows. It has been a long time since Peter was with Jesus and him trying to understand what Jesus was telling him before his own death. Now here is Peter strengthening believers before his death.
Peter’s last letter is not to give some new teaching. It is to remind the Christians of the truth that was already established. This is the basic truth Peter wants to leave behind after his death. He will depart and be with Christ, but if he can leave fruitful and effective Christians behind his purpose is fulfilled.
Peter was looking toward heaven. He is remembering the glimpse of future glory he received at the transfiguration. It all relates to establishing the scattered Christians before he departs. Peter giving them a reminder of how to walk with Christ will be there for them after Peter is dead and gone. It is there for us too.
Transfiguration Experience (2 Peter 1: 16-18)
Peter is recounting one of his most profound experiences, the transfiguration. There was Peter James and John standing with glorified Lord Jesus, Moses and Elijah on the mountain.
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. (2 Peter 1: 16-18)
We did not make this up. This is a story that we have from God. The whole of the prophetic word in extraordinary ways take us to creation to the fall of man to the inability of the law to save us to the coming messiah to the birth of Jesus, to his death and resurrection, to the ascension to the coming of the Holy Spirit to the good news going to the ends of the earth to the return of Christ it is the Word of God.
Completely reliable prophetic message (2 Peter 1: 19-21)
This is the prophetic word, and this comes from God, not from man. This is the shining light in piercing the darkness.
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. (2 Peter 1: 19-21)
We have the sure word from the Holy Spirit. This is the word of God from heaven. We will do well to keep focused on the Word.
When you put your faith in Christ you are part of God’s royal family. We still live in turbulent times. We apply all of these basic teaching to our life and we will walk with Christ in turbulent times. It is the reminder Peter gave to the scattered Christians. It his reminder to you.
