
2 Peter 1
2 Peter 1 serves as a foundational epistle in which the apostle Peter emphasizes the importance of growth in Christian virtue and knowledge of Jesus Christ. He provides reassurances concerning the truth of his teachings and the prophecies of scripture, urging believers to be diligent in their faith to secure their calling and election.
2 Peter 1:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Peter addresses the recipients of his letter, Christians who share the same precious faith, attributing this faith to the righteousness of Jesus Christ. He wishes them grace and peace, which grow through knowledge of God and Jesus. Peter highlights that divine power provides everything necessary for life and godliness, accessible through knowledge of Christ. This power and knowledge allow believers to partake in the divine nature and escape worldly corruption.
2 Peter 1:5-7 (NKJV)
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
Peter urges believers to diligently build upon their faith with a sequence of qualities: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. This progression enhances their spiritual maturity, linking each quality to its predecessor, thus constructing a fortified, fruitful Christian life that effectively reflects Christ's character.
2 Peter 1:8-11 (NKJV)
8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Peter asserts that possessing these qualities in abundance ensures believers will not be ineffective in their knowledge of Christ. Conversely, lacking them leads to spiritual myopia, forgetting the purification from past sins. He emphasizes diligence in confirming one’s calling and election, as this prevents stumbling and ensures a rich welcome into Christ’s eternal kingdom.
2 Peter 1:12-15 (NKJV)
12 Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.
13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you,
14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.
15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
Peter expresses his commitment to continually remind the believers of these truths, even though they are already familiar and established in them. He uses the metaphor of his physical body as a "tent" to signify his temporary earthly life, which he knows will soon end as Jesus had indicated. He plans to leave behind reminders to ensure his teachings endure beyond his death.
2 Peter 1:16-18 (NKJV)
16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received honor and glory from God the Father when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
Peter defends the apostolic witness concerning Jesus Christ, emphasizing that their testimony is not based on made-up stories but on their actual experiences as eyewitnesses of Jesus’ majesty, notably at the Transfiguration. He recounts hearing God’s voice confirming Jesus as His beloved Son, reinforcing the truth and divine origin of their message about Christ.
2 Peter 1:19-21 (NKJV)
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Peter emphasizes the certainty and divine origin of prophecy, urging believers to heed it as a "light shining in a dark place" until Christ, the "Morning Star" (Numbers 24:17, Revelation 22:16), is fully revealed in their hearts. This aligns with Psalm 119:105, which describes God’s Word as a lamp for guidance. Peter affirms that prophecy does not come from human will, but from the Holy Spirit moving men of God, just as seen in Jeremiah 1:9 and Amos 3:7, where God directly inspires His prophets. The passage confirms that Scripture is the ultimate authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17), guiding believers until the "perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18) when Christ is fully revealed.