2 Peter 1

General context

The letter opens from Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith. God's divine power is said to have given everything that pertains to life and godliness, and exceeding great and precious promises through which they may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world through lust. A chain of qualities follows, each added to the one before: faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity. If these abound the readers will not be barren or unfruitful, while whoever lacks them is called blind, unable to see far off, and forgetful of being purged from old sins. They are told to make their calling and election sure, since doing these things means they will never fall. The writer then speaks about himself. He will not neglect to remind them though they know already, and thinks it right to stir them up while he is in this tabernacle, knowing he must shortly put it off, as the Lord has shown him, and he intends that they be able to remember after his decease. The ground he gives is sight and hearing rather than invention: they did not follow cunningly devised fables, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty, and heard the voice from the excellent glory when they were with him in the holy mount. A more sure word of prophecy is commended as a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns, with the statement that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation, since prophecy came not by the will of man but from holy men moved by the Holy Ghost.

Cited passages: 2 Peter 1:1, 2 Peter 1:3, 2 Peter 1:4, 2 Peter 1:5, 2 Peter 1:6, 2 Peter 1:7, 2 Peter 1:8, 2 Peter 1:9, 2 Peter 1:10, 2 Peter 1:11, 2 Peter 1:12, 2 Peter 1:13, 2 Peter 1:14, 2 Peter 1:15, 2 Peter 1:16, 2 Peter 1:17, 2 Peter 1:18, 2 Peter 1:19, 2 Peter 1:20, 2 Peter 1:21

2 Peter 1 (KJV)

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Historical context

The writer names himself "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ" and describes the readers only as people who have obtained like precious faith. No city, congregation or person among them is named. Two claims about the writer stand out. He says he expects to die soon, "Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle", and that this was shown him by the Lord, without saying when or how. He also claims to have been present at an event: "we were with him in the holy mount", where a voice said "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased". The mount is not named and the other people present are not named. The same sentence is printed at Matthew 3:17, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased", and at Matthew 17:5, which adds "hear ye him". The chapter quotes no older scripture, though verse 20 speaks of "prophecy of the scripture" and verse 21 of "holy men of God" without naming any of them. Nothing dates the letter.

Cited passages: 2 Peter 1:1, 2 Peter 1:14, 2 Peter 1:18, 2 Peter 1:17, Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5, 2 Peter 1:21

Literary context

The chapter is built on one linked list and one appeal to memory. The list at verses 5 to 7 works by handing each term to the next, "add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge", so the reader cannot stop partway without breaking the chain, and the two verses after it state the outcome twice, once for having these things and once for lacking them. The word remembrance then appears three times in four verses, at putting in remembrance, stirring up by remembrance, and having these things always in remembrance after his decease, which turns the letter into something meant to outlast the writer. The argument that follows answers an unnamed charge about invented stories by appealing to the senses: not fables, but eyewitnesses, and a voice "we heard". The chapter ends by shifting the ground from what was seen to what was written, calling prophecy "a more sure word" and a light in a dark place, which sets up the false teachers of chapter 2 who handle words for a living.

Cited passages: 2 Peter 1:5, 2 Peter 1:8, 2 Peter 1:9, 2 Peter 1:12, 2 Peter 1:13, 2 Peter 1:15, 2 Peter 1:16, 2 Peter 1:18, 2 Peter 1:19

Key moments

1. Like precious faith (2 Peter 1:1). The letter addresses people whose faith is called equal to the writer's.
2. Add to your faith (2 Peter 1:5). A chain of qualities begins, each built on the one before.
3. Blind and forgetful (2 Peter 1:9). Whoever lacks the qualities is said to have forgotten his cleansing.
4. This tabernacle put off (2 Peter 1:14). The writer says his death is near and was shown to him.
5. Not cunningly devised fables (2 Peter 1:16). The message is defended as eyewitness report rather than invention.
6. The voice on the mount (2 Peter 1:18). The writer says he heard a voice from heaven in person.
7. A more sure word (2 Peter 1:19). Prophecy is commended as a light shining in a dark place.

For reflection

The writer says he is writing so that these things can be remembered after he is gone, and then offers what he himself heard as the evidence. What happens to a first hand account once the person who gave it is no longer there to be asked?

People in this chapter

• Jesus Christ
• Peter