2 Peter Bible Study – 1. Introduction

By PastorAdmin | 02/13/2017

February 20, 2002

Tod Kennedy

 
Theme

Peter is the author. Written about AD 67-68. Peter knows that he will soon die, and because he is concerned about the protection and continued spiritual progress of his audience, he is determined to remind and encourage them and us about several topics. God has granted believers everything for life and godliness and because of this we can grow spiritually and be productive believers. Peter says that the Word of God is central to the spiritual health of believers. A positive response to the Word results in growth, progress, protection, and stability, while defection from the Word produces false doctrine, spiritual failure, and instability. False teachers will attempt to take believers away from the Word of God and to exploit them. These false teachers God will judge. On the other hand, God is able to rescue believers from the clutches of these false teachers; but those who choose to succumb will find themselves in a worse condition than they imagined.  Mockers will also attempt to confuse believers by questioning the return of Christ. Peter says that they do not understand that God created the universe by his own spoken word and he will surely complete his plan for the future of the heavens and the earth. Meanwhile, believers should continue in the Word of God—grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Peter knows that fellowship with God comes through God’s Word while fellowship with the world comes through false teachers and their doctrine.

2 Peter Chapter Titles

  1. Everything for life and godliness

  2. Judgment of false teachers and rescue of the godly OR False teachers and their danger to believers

  3. Mockers cannot hinder Christ’s return OR Mockers, believers, and the last days

Argument of 2 Peter

  1. Peter, after his introduction in chapter 1, verse 3, writes that God has “has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.”  Part of life and godliness is the freedom or salvation from the control and results of sin during time. God has given each believer that which is necessary to live this normal Christian life. Salvation from the control of sin is also called salvation 2 or experiential sanctification. Then in 2 Peter 1.4 he reminds us that from this “everything” we have is just what we need to grow up as Christians. “Partakers of the divine nature” refers to what we gain in Christ. Partakers (koinwnoi, koinonoi), those who partake in something with someone or those who permit someone else to share in something.  Peter then reminds us to be diligent about our own Christian life and growth and to pay attention to the Word of God in our lives. He ends chapter 1 saying that God’s prophets spoke the true word of God and the Scripture is this revelation.
  2.   Peter, in chapter 2, warns believers in Christ about false prophets and false teachers. They try to exploit believers in Christ with false words and so greatly damage them (2 Peter 2.3). He goes on to describes the false teachers and then points out what happens to believers in Christ who allow themselves to be entrapped. Noah and Lot are Peter’s example to teach two truths: God will judge the false teachers and God “knows how to rescue the godly from temptation” (2 Peter 2.5-9). With verse 19, Peter becomes specific in his warning to us. He specifies what can happen if believers fall in with the false teachers and adopt their attitudes and lifestyles. Those who become entrapped will become miserable, yet they are secure in their eternal salvation.
  3. Peter, in chapter 3, illustrates the activity of the false teachers by focusing on doctrines that they try to overthrow—creation, God’s character, redemption, and prophecy. He concludes that God has his own timetable. He is in total control of what he is doing and when he will do it. This so-called delay is not really a delay at all. God is faithfully saving people; after all, he wants people to repent
  4. (2 Peter 3.9). Once his judgment comes, it will be too late to repent. His final remarks are that we should study hard—grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3.14-18). This will honor Christ and protect us from the false teachers. So then, Peter concluded the way he began: he emphasized progress in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 1.11-4 and 2 Peter 3.17-18).

Important words

  1. Angels, angelic: 2.4, 10, 11
  2. Beloved: 1.17; 3.1, 8, 14, 15,17
  3. Christ: 1.1, 8, 11, 14, 16, 20; 3.18
  4. Come, coming: 1.16; 3.3, 4, 9, 10, 12
  5. Corruption, corrupt: 1.4; 2.10, 19
  6. Day: 1.19; 2.8, 9; 3.7, 8, 10, 12, 18
  7. Diligent, diligence: 1.5, 10, 15; 3.14
  8. Earth: 3.5, 7, 10, 13
  9. Everything, all things: 1.3; 12
  10. Faith: 1.1, 5
  11. False: 2.1, 3
  12. God: 1.1, 2, 17, 21; 2.4; 3.5, 12
  13. Godliness, godly: 1.3, 6, 7; 2.9; 3.4
  14. Grace: 1.2; 3.18
  15. Granted: 1.3, 4
  16. Heaven, heavens: 1.18; 3.5, 7, 10, 12, 13
  17. Heavens AND earth 3.5, 7, 10, 13
  18. Holy Spirit: 1.21
  19. Jesus: 1.1, 2, 8, 11, 14, 16; 2.20; 3.18
  20. Judgment: 2.3, 4, 9, 11; 3.7
  21. Know (verb, epiginosko): 2.21
  22. Know (verb, ginosko): 1.20; 3.3
  23. Knowledge (noun, epignosis): 1.2, 3, 8; 2.20.
  24. Knowledge (noun, gnosis): 1.5, 6; 3.18
  25. Life: 1.3
  26. Lord: 1.2,8, 11, 14, 16; 2.9, 11, 20; 3.2, 8, 9, 10, 15, 18
  27. Majesty, majestic: 1.16, 17; 2.10
  28. Mockers, mocking: 3.3
  29. Prophet, prophets, prophetic, prophecy: 1.19, 20, 21; 2.1, 16; 3.2
  30. Reminder: 3.1; remembrance: 3.2; call to mind: 1.15
  31. Righteousness: 1.1; 2.5, 21; 3.13
  32. Savior: 1.1, 11; 2.20; 3.2, 18
  33. Scriptures, scripture: 1.20; 3.16
  34. Sin: 2.14
  35. These things: 1.10, 12, 15; 3.11, 14, 16
  36. These: 1.4, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15; 2.12, 17; 3.11, 14, 16
  37. Unrighteous, unrighteousness: 2.9, 15
  38. Word: 1.19; 3.5, 7
  39. World: 1.4; 2.5, 20; 3.6

Doctrines in 2 Peter

  1. 2 Peter 1, Everything for life and godliness:
    • Peter, 1.1
    • Apostle, 1.1
    • Faith, The faith, 1.1
    • Sin barrier, 1.1
    • Christology, 1.1
    • Grace, 1.2
    • Peace, 1.2
    • Divine attributes, 1.3
    • Life and godliness, 1.3
    • Promises, 1.4
    • Divine nature, 1.4
    • Character, 1.5-9
    • Assurance, 1.10
    • Rewards, 1.11
    • Remind, 1.12-13
    • Physical death, 1.14
    • Revelation, inspiration, communication, 1.16
    • Christology, 1.17
    • Prophecy, 1.21
    • Revelation, inspiration, 1.21
  2. 2 Peter 2, Judgment of false teachers and rescue of the godly
    • False prophets and teachers, 2.1
    • False doctrine, 2.3
    • Fallen angels, 2.4-5
    • Angelic conflict, 2.4-5
    • Noah, 2.5
    • Divine judgment, 2.6
    • Salvation-physical, 2.7
    • Lot, 2.7
    • Temptation, 2.9
    • Salvation from sin in time, 2.9
    • Authority, 2.10
    • Negative volition, 2.10
    • Scar tissue of the soul, 2.10
    • Sin, 2.10-18
    • Reversion believers, 2.20-22
    • Divine discipline
  3. 2 Peter 3, Mockers cannot hinder Christ’s return
    • Reminder, 3.1
    • Inspiration, 3.1
    • Remember-memory, 3.2
    • Mockers-critics, 3.3-4
    • Uniformitarianism, 3.4
    • Creation, 3.5
    • Divine judgment, 3.6
    • Divine attributes-transcendence of God, 3.8
    • God’s patience, 3.9
    • Repentance, 3.9
    • Day of the Lord, 3.10
    • Day of God, 3.12
    • Christ’s second coming, 3.10
    • Judgment of the heavens and earth, 3.10-12
    • New heavens and new earth, 3.13
    • Godliness, 3.11
    • Diligence, 3.14
    • Salvation from penalty of sin; salvation 1, 3.15
    • Canonicity, 3.16
    • Zones of conflict, 3.17
    • Apostasy, 3.17
    • Spiritual growth, 3.18
    • Knowledge, 3.18
    • Christology, 3.18
    • Grace, 3.18
    • Eternity, 3.18

General Purpose

  1. Peter wrote his second letter “to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1.1). They were believers in Jesus Christ; they possessed eternal life and were eternally secure.
  2. He was concerned that these believers might come under the power of false teachers who would hinder, damage, or stop their day to day Christian life, which we can call present time sanctification. He wrote “now for this very reason also, applying all diligence” (2 Peter 1.5), “therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent” (2 Peter 1.10),  “therefore, I shall always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you” (2 Peter 1.12), “and I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you may be able to call these things to mind” (2 Peter 1.15), “there will also be false teachers among you” (2  Peter 2.1), “they will exploit you with false words” (2 Peter 2.3), “they entice…those who barely escape from the ones who live in error” (2 Peter 2.18), “therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless” (2 Peter 3.14), and “you therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall from your own steadfastness” (2 Peter 3.17).
  3. Peter concluded the way he began: he emphasized progress in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 1.11-4 and 2 Peter 3.17-18).

Argument of 2 Peter

  1. Peter, after his introduction in chapter 1, verse 3, writes that God has “has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.”  Part of life and godliness is the freedom or salvation from the control and results of sin during time. God has given each believer that which is necessary to live this normal Christian life. Salvation from the control of sin is also called experiential sanctification, phase 2 salvation, and phase 2 sanctification. Then in 2 Peter 1.4 he reminds us that from this “everything” we have what we need to grow up as Christians. “Partakers of the divine nature” refers to what we gain in Christ. “Partakers” is the word koinwnoi (koinwnoi), those who partake in something with someone or those who permit someone else to share in something.  Peter then reminds us to be diligent about our own Christian life sanctification and growth and to pay attention to the Word of God in our lives. He ends chapter 1 saying that God’s prophets spoke the true word of God and the Scripture is this revelation.
  2. Peter, in chapter 2, warns believers in Christ about false prophets and false teachers. The false teachers have a completely different worldview—rebellion and moral degeneracy—than the worldview presented by the Bible.  They try to exploit believers in Christ with false words and so greatly damage them (2 Peter 2.1-3). He then warns about the intent of the false teachers: they introduce destructive heresies which result in subverting people and blaspheming the biblical faith. God’s determination to judge them is evident by His judgment of the fallen angels and unbelievers of Noah’s time and His judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah; yet at the same time Noah and Lot demonstrate that God is able to rescue the faithful remnant from the evil of the day (2 Peter 2.4-9). In verses 10-19, Peter details the rebellion and moral degeneracy of the false teachers and that they actively work to entice believers over to their side by carousing with believers and promising them a new freedom (2 Peter 2.19). At verse 20, Peter becomes specific in his warning to believers. He describes what can happen if believers hang around the wrong crowd; they will fall in with the false teachers and adopt their attitudes and lifestyles. They do not gain freedom and happiness; they give up freedom and happiness. Those who become entrapped will become miserable, yet they are secure in their eternal salvation.
  3. Peter, in chapter 3, illustrates the activity of the false teachers by focusing on doctrines that they try to overthrow—creation, God’s character, redemption, and prophecy. He concludes that God has his own timetable. He is in total control of what he is doing and when he will do it. This so-called delay is not really a delay at all. God is faithfully saving people; after all, he wants people to repent (2 Peter 3.9). Once his judgment comes, it will be too late to repent. His final remarks are that we should study hard—grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3.14-18). This will honor Christ and protect us from the false teachers.