2 Peter
Peter's farewell letter: grow in grace, remember the truth, and watch for the day of the Lord
2 Peter at a glance
Peter's farewell letter: grow in grace, remember the truth, and watch for the day of the Lord
Second Peter is a short epistle traditionally attributed to the apostle Peter, written near the end of his life as a kind of farewell letter. Knowing that he must shortly put off his 'tabernacle,' as the Lord had shown him, Peter writes to stir up believers by way of remembrance so that after his death they will still hold the truth. It stands among the general epistles of the New Testament, addressed broadly to those who have obtained 'like precious faith,' and it pairs naturally with 1 Peter while sounding a sterner warning note.
The letter opens with a ladder of Christian growth: add to faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. Peter recalls being an eyewitness of Christ's majesty on the holy mount, where he heard the voice from heaven, and insists that prophecy came not by the will of man but as holy men spake, moved by the Holy Ghost. Chapter 2 delivers a blistering portrait of false teachers, invoking the fallen angels, Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Balaam. Chapter 3 answers scoffers who ask, 'Where is the promise of his coming?'
Second Peter matters because it anchors the faith in eyewitness testimony and inspired Scripture rather than 'cunningly devised fables,' and it explains God's apparent delay: the Lord is not slack but longsuffering, not willing that any should perish. Since the day of the Lord will come as a thief, believers are to live in holiness and to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Peter 1:21 King James Version
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How 2 Peter unfolds
6 sections- 1Greeting and the ladder of growth (ch. 1:1-11)Peter greets those of like precious faith and urges them to add to faith virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity, making their calling and election sure.
- 2Eyewitnesses and the sure word of prophecy (ch. 1:12-21)Facing his approaching death, Peter stirs up his readers by remembrance, recalls seeing Christ's majesty on the holy mount, and affirms that Scripture came by holy men moved by the Holy Ghost.
- 3False teachers described (ch. 2:1-9)Peter warns that false teachers will bring in damnable heresies; God's past judgments on the fallen angels, the world of Noah, and Sodom and Gomorrah prove he can judge the wicked and deliver the godly.
- 4The character and doom of the false teachers (ch. 2:10-22)The deceivers are painted as wells without water, following the way of Balaam, promising liberty while they themselves are servants of corruption; their end is worse than their beginning.
- 5Scoffers and the promise of his coming (ch. 3:1-9)Scoffers will ask where the promise of his coming is; Peter answers that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and the Lord is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish.
- 6The day of the Lord and final charge (ch. 3:10-18)The day of the Lord will come as a thief, the elements melting with fervent heat; believers look for new heavens and a new earth and are charged to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ.
People to know
6 figures- PeterThe apostle and author, an eyewitness of Christ's transfiguration, writing shortly before his death to leave the church a lasting reminder.
- Jesus ChristThe Lord and Saviour whose power, majesty, and promised return anchor the whole letter.
- PaulCalled 'our beloved brother' whose epistles Peter ranks with the other scriptures, though some things in them are hard to be understood.
- NoahThe 'preacher of righteousness' saved with seven others when God brought the flood on the ungodly world.
- BalaamThe prophet who loved the wages of unrighteousness and was rebuked by his own donkey, a picture of the false teachers.
- The false teachersDeceivers who bring in damnable heresies and promise liberty while enslaved to corruption; Peter's second chapter is aimed at them.
Words worth carrying with you
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2 Peter 1:21 · KJV
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
2 Peter 3:8 · KJV
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 · KJV
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2 Peter Bible Quiz: The Day of the Lord | 30 Questions