2 Peter 1:1–15

1:1–2 The author identifies himself with two names and two titles. He is “Simeon,” an alternative spelling of “Simon” (Acts 15:14). This Aramaic name means “[God has] heard.” He is known also as “Peter,” a nickname given by Jesus (Matt. 16:18) that means “rock.” This was a Greek equivalent to one of his other names, Cephas, which comes from the Aramaic word for “rock” (John 1:42). By designating himself as a “servant” (doulos), Peter signals that he is under the complete authority of his master, Jesus Christ. He may also have in view his special role in redemptive history, like other servants of the Lord before him (Moses, Joshua, David, the suffering servant). In a general sense, an “apostle” was someone sent as a messenger or delegate (Phil. 2:25), but here it refers to Peter’s special status as an authoritative witness of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection (Mark 3:13–19; Acts 1:21–22).

The recipients are “those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours.” The rare verb rendered “obtained” (lanchanō) suggests that the divine will stands behind what is received (Luke 1:9; Acts 1:17)¹ and perhaps anticipates the reference to God’s calling and election in 2 Peter 1:10. While one might assume that the apostles had a special kind of faith that set them apart from “ordinary” believers, Peter insists that all Christians have “a faith of equal standing.” All believers stand on level ground at the foot of the cross.

Believers receive this faith “by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Although the expression “righteousness of God” has a variety of nuances, here it probably refers to God’s saving work on behalf of his people that flows out of his righteous, promise-keeping character and results in right standing for his people before him. What makes this particular occurrence of the phrase unusual is its explicit reference to the righteousness of “Jesus Christ.” Peter leaves no doubt as to who Jesus Christ is—he is “our God and Savior.”² As believers, we have the privilege of calling Jesus Christ our God and Savior.

Next Peter moves to the greeting. By combining “grace” (charis) and “peace” (eirēnē), the early Christians appear to have adapted the standard Greek (chairein) and Jewish (shalom) greetings. Grace refers to the undeserved blessing and favor that God bestows on sinners. At times it seems to function as shorthand for all that God has done for his people in Christ. Peace must be understood in light of its OT background. It means not merely the cessation of hostility but also wholeness or completeness. Often in the OT Prophets it is a one-word shorthand for the condition produced by God’s eschatological salvation (Isa. 32:15–18; 48:18; 52:7; 53:5; 54:10). Peace is both a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and a byproduct of a mind fixed on the Spirit (Rom. 8:6). Peter does not want us to be content with the measure of grace and peace we have already experienced through the gospel, so he prays for even more to be “multiplied” to us.

Grace and peace may be multiplied to us “in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” While the word translated “knowledge” (epignōsis) can suggest a full or complete knowledge, here it may refer specifically to the knowledge that follows conversion.³ Peter ends the letter with a similar expression (2 Pet. 3:18), showing that everything he writes promotes a deeper relational knowledge “of God,” which in this context refers to the Father, and “of Jesus our Lord.” One cannot truly know the Father without knowing the Son (John 14:7). As our covenant maker and keeper, the Lord Jesus deserves our full allegiance and submission.

1:3–4 In Greek, verses 3–7 are one sentence reminding believers of the blessings God has given them and the proper way to respond. Our ongoing experience of the blessings enumerated in verses 3–4 depends on God’s grace and peace being multiplied to us by knowing God through Jesus Christ. The source of these blessings is God’s “divine power.” The same divine power that created the universe (Gen. 1:1) and was displayed in Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:16) has also “granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” The perfect tense of “granted” (dōreomai) signals that believers are in a state/condition produced by this gift. The gift includes “all things” that pertain to life and godliness; nothing the believer needs has been excluded. “Life” refers to eternal or spiritual life, which all who know Jesus Christ experience now (John 17:3) in anticipation of its fullness in a new heavens and new earth (2 Pet. 3:13). “Godliness” is a Godward orientation of life expressed in thoughts, feelings, attitudes, speech, and action; it should characterize our lives as believers (3:11) and is a prominent theme in Paul’s Pastoral Epistles as well.⁴ “Godliness” captures the first and greatest commandment, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). Peter’s point is that God has given us absolutely everything necessary for us to know him and to live in a way that honors him.

God grants his people everything they need for life and godliness “through the knowledge of him who called us.” The Father calls believers into a saving knowledge of the truth (1 Pet. 1:15; 2:9; 5:10). Although his own glory and excellence could be what God calls us to, it seems more likely that they are the means by which he calls us (ESV mg.). “Glory” refers to the manifestation of God’s perfections and beauty; it is the ultimate motivation for all that God does (2 Pet. 3:18). “Excellence” (aretē) further emphasizes God’s perfection.⁵ Through the display of God’s glory and excellence in Jesus Christ, God calls people into a saving knowledge of himself.

It is “by” God’s glory and excellence that “he has granted to us his precious and very great promises.” God’s glory and excellence are thus not only the means by which he calls us to himself (1:3) but also the means (or perhaps even the cause) by which he gives us his promises. Exodus 33–34 helps explain Peter’s logic. In response to Moses’ request to see God’s glory (Ex. 33:18), God passes before Moses proclaiming his name, Yahweh, which is further unpacked in terms of his identity as one who is full of mercy, grace, steadfast love, and forgiveness while at the same time being fully just in punishing the guilty (Ex. 34:6–7). Thus what makes God so glorious and excellent is that he forgives sin while remaining just. Because this is who he is, God gives us his promises. Although Peter does not specify which promises are in view, there may be some emphasis on those promises that deal specifically with God’s cleansing his people from their sin (Jer. 31:31–34) and empowering them by the Spirit to walk in obedience to him (Ezek. 36:26–27)—i.e., the promises of the new covenant. These promises are “precious and very great.” They are of the utmost value.

Both the purpose and the result of God’s giving these promises is that “through them you may become partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:4). A “partaker” is one who shares with another in something, which in this case is the “divine nature.” Peter does not speak here in ontological categories, as if believers become a new sort of hybrid creature that is part human and part divine. Instead, he means the restoration of the image of God. Through Adam’s sin, the image of God in humanity was horribly distorted (Rom. 5:12–21), like the reflection of a funhouse mirror. But through God’s precious and very great promises in the gospel, the Spirit begins to transform believers so that they more clearly reflect the likeness of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:28–30), who is the image of God (Heb. 1:3).

The next clause confirms this conclusion: “having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (2 Pet. 1:4). The verb “escaped” (apopheugō) is unique to 2 Peter (1:4; 2:18, 20) in the NT. Whereas in 2:18 it refers to escaping from false teachers, here and in 2:20 it refers to escaping the corruption of this fallen world. Believers escape from corruption in conjunction with partaking in the divine nature. When a person is born again, there is a decisive break from the corruption of this world and a turning to Christ through the promises in the gospel that begins restoring the marred image of God in us. In 2 Peter, “corruption” characterizes false teachers (2:12) and those enslaved to their teaching (2:19). Sin is a corrosive agent causing the disintegration of God’s good created order. Such corruption is rooted in “sinful desire” that turns us inward to ourselves rather than upward to God and outward to others.

1:5–7 Because of the realities expressed in verses 3–4 (“For this very reason”), Peter now calls his readers to further action. The “faith” that believers have in God’s promises forms the foundation for continuing spiritual growth; from that starting point they are to “supplement” their faith with a series of character qualities. As used here, this verb (epichorēgeō) means to “provide at one’s own expense.”⁶ Pursuing growth in holiness requires an investment of our time, resources, and energy. It must not be approached casually but requires Christians to “make every effort” to see these qualities produced in their lives. This expression communicates intentionality, passion, and diligence. One does not drift into greater measures of Christlikeness; intentional, Spirit-empowered effort must be exerted.

The character qualities one must add to faith form a series of building blocks in which each new quality is added to the previous one.⁷ So to faith the believer adds “virtue” (aretē), a term used widely in Greco-Roman philosophical circles for moral, intellectual, or even physical excellence.⁸ In the NT this word refers to either the excellencies/perfections of God (1 Pet. 2:9; 2 Pet. 1:3) or his excellencies reflected in the way his people live (here; Phil. 4:8). As those in a covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the Spirit empowers us both to proclaim God’s excellencies (1 Pet. 2:9) and to reflect them in our own daily lives.

To virtue believers are to add “knowledge.” Peter has in view far more than merely an intellectual grasp of the truth. He refers to relational knowledge of a person—Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18). In addition, there are truths that must be known and acted on, referenced throughout this letter. Readers must beware that “no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation” (1:20). They must know and pursue “the way of righteousness” (2:21). They must recognize that “scoffers will come in the last days” (3:3). They must realize that the ignorant and unstable twist Scripture “to their own destruction” (3:16).

To knowledge the believer must add “self-control” (enkrateia), which is the “restraint of one’s emotions, impulses, or desires.”⁹ In both Jewish and Christian writings, this quality is commonly associated with refraining from certain behaviors, especially illicit sexual activity.¹⁰ Greek philosophy (especially the Stoics) regarded self-control as a key virtue.¹¹ But the biblical concept of self-control is not mastery of ourselves by our own power; it is submission to God and surrender of control to the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:23–25).

To self-control the Christian must add “steadfastness” (hypomonē), which is “the capacity to hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty.”¹² As a product of suffering, steadfastness leads to proven character (Rom. 5:3–4). God gave us Scripture to produce endurance in us as we learn from those who have gone before (Rom. 15:4–5). Steadfastness is especially common in Revelation, where God’s people are called to endure as they live in a fallen world opposed to God and his purposes (Rev. 1:9; 2:2–3, 19; 3:10; 13:10; 14:12).

To steadfastness one must add “godliness” (eusebeia), on which see comment on 2 Peter 1:3–4.

Believers must add “brotherly love” to godliness. Because we are members of God’s family, we should love one another. Such brotherly love is a byproduct of obeying the truth of the gospel (1 Pet. 1:22) and must be intentionally pursued (Rom. 12:10; Heb. 13:1). Peter elsewhere commands believers to “love the brotherhood” (1 Pet. 2:17) and lists such brotherly love as a key mark of the church (1 Pet. 3:8).

The final virtue to be added is “love.” Love’s position at the end of the list is no accident; in 1 Peter 4:8 the apostle writes, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (cf. 1 Cor. 13:1–13; Col. 3:14). Peter may have in mind Jesus’ words in John 13:34–35: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Biblical love is not a feeling provoked by the beauty of its object but rather is a commitment of the heart, mind, and soul to pursue what is best for the one being loved. Our love for others should reflect the self-sacrificial love of Christ, who laid down his life so that we might know the Father. The Spirit of that same Christ lives in us as believers to empower us to love God and others in the way he himself did.

1:8 With the building blocks of spiritual growth described, Peter now moves to draw out their implications. He invites his readers to consider whether “these qualities” (the virtues of 1:5–7) “are yours and are increasing.”¹³ “Increasing” (pleonazō) is often used in connection with the growth of various virtues, such as grace (Rom. 6:1), love (1 Thess. 3:12), and faith (2 Thess. 1:3). The sense here in 2 Peter 1:8 is not just increasing, but increasing “so as to be in abundance.”¹⁴

The virtues of 1:5–7 are the means by which the Holy Spirit continually prevents the believer from being “ineffective” (argos), a word that describes those who are idle (Matt. 20:3, 6; 1 Tim. 5:13; Titus 1:12), usually with a negative connotation. James uses this same word to describe faith apart from works (“useless [argē]”; James 2:20). To be “ineffective” is to lack power or activity.

The qualities of 1:5–7 also prevent the believer from being “unfruitful.” Fruit is a common image for the outworking of a person’s inner life, revealing the true condition of one’s heart (Ps. 1:3; Jer. 17:7–8; Matt. 3:8; 7:15–20; 12:33–37; Luke 6:43–45). Those who are united to Christ, the true vine, will bear fruit that abides (John 15:1–17) as the Spirit produces fruit in his or her life (Gal. 5:22–23).

The phrase “in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” indicates the “reference point” for the pursuit of effective fruitfulness in the Christian life. At the beginning of this section (1:3–11), Peter identified “the knowledge of him who called us” as the means by which God gives believers “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (1:3). The Spirit producing the qualities of 1:5–7 in the Christian renders the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ both effective and fruitful, which is God’s intended goal.

1:9 Whereas the previous verse explains what happens if the virtues of 1:5–7 are present and increasing, verse 9 notes what happens to “whoever lacks these qualities.” First, such a person “is so nearsighted that he is blind.” The word “nearsighted” (myōpazō) means blinking or squinting the eyes repeatedly and thus by extension refers to one who is nearsighted.¹⁵ Because such people willfully close their eyes, they are in effect spiritually “blind.”¹⁶ By missing the qualities described in 1:5–7, they are blind, lacking the spiritual insight that would have produced the fruit of good works. Blindness is a common image in Scripture for a lack of spiritual understanding (Isa. 6:9; 42:18–19). God had promised to heal the blind as a sign that redemption had come (Isa. 29:18; 35:5), and he had called Israel as his servant to be “a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind” (Isa. 42:6–7), but God’s people themselves had become blind instead (Isa. 42:18–19). So God promised to raise up a new servant to obey where Israel had failed (Isa. 49:1–13; 61:1–2). Thus, Jesus’ healing those who were physically blind was an enacted parable of his greater purpose of opening spiritual eyes to embrace the salvation he brought (Matt. 11:2–15; John 9:1–41). But the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were still “blind”; instead of leading people to the light of salvation, they remained in darkness (Matt. 23:16–26; John 9:40–41; Rom. 2:19).

Second, the person who lacks the qualities described in 2 Peter 1:5–7 has “forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.” Throughout history, God’s people have been prone to forget who he is and what he has done for us, so Scripture regularly calls us to remember his mighty acts (Deut. 5:15; 8:18; Eph. 2:11–12; 2 Tim. 2:8). To be “cleansed” (katharismos) evokes the idea of purification, a concept tied in the OT to both ceremonial cleanness (Lev. 12:1–8) and forgiveness of sins (Lev. 16:30; Jer. 33:8). The NT applies this language both to the forgiveness believers already have through Jesus’ work on the cross (Eph. 5:26; Heb. 10:22) and to the ongoing work of God to remove the presence and pollution of sin in our lives (2 Tim. 2:21; James 4:8; 1 John 1:9).

1:10–11 Peter now draws a conclusion based on 1:3–9.¹⁷ By calling his readers “brothers” (adelphoi), Peter reminds them of their identity as siblings who have God as their Father and Jesus as their brother. But rather than issue a new command, he essentially recalls the imperative of verse 5: “be all the more diligent.” This verb (spoudazō) is related to the noun (spoudē), which in 1:5 is translated “effort”; it means “to be especially conscientious in discharging an obligation”¹⁸ and frequently occurs in contexts calling the believer to pursue different aspects of a holy life (Gal. 2:10; Eph. 4:3; Heb. 4:11). Pursuit of a life reflecting the character of Christ demands a Spirit-empowered urgency, which stems from living in the last days as we await the consummation of God’s promises (2 Pet. 3:14).

Diligence must be channeled “to confirm your calling and election.” Peter uses language that stresses the proven validity of something.¹⁹ In legal contexts, to “confirm” referred to producing “a legally valid confirmation of the sale and therefore a guarantee.”²⁰ In 1:19 this verb’s adjectival form (bebaios) describes the proven validity of the prophetic word. That which must be confirmed is the believer’s “calling and election.”²¹ “Calling” (klēsis) and its related verb (kaleō) often refer to God’s sovereign appointment of nations (Rom. 11:29) or individuals (1 Cor. 1:1) to a particular role or status. For example, because the God who calls believers is holy, believers must be holy (1 Pet. 1:15–17); Christians have been called out of darkness into light to proclaim God’s excellencies (1 Pet. 2:9) as well as to suffer (1 Pet. 2:21; 3:9); Paul instructs the Ephesians “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called” (Eph. 4:1). “Election” regularly refers to God’s special choice of a person or an object for a particular purpose. Thus Paul is God’s “chosen/elect vessel” to take the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). Believers have been chosen by God (1 Thess. 1:4), but not on the basis of anything they are or have done (1 Cor. 1:27–28). Election is a central aspect of God’s purpose in redemptive history (Rom. 9:11; 11:28) and is the reason there is a remnant of Jews who believe in Jesus as Messiah despite widespread Jewish rejection of Christ (Rom. 11:5–7). Considered together, God effectually calls those whom he has elected for salvation (Rom. 8:29–30).

Peter states that “if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” While he may be stating a conditional idea, the Greek could also be understood as expressing means. If so, Peter would be saying, “By practicing these qualities you will never fall.” Intentional pursuit of growth in the qualities mentioned in 2 Peter 1:5–7 is how believers ensure that they will never fall. This verb (ptaiō) literally means “to lose one’s footing” but came also to mean “to experience disaster.”²² Although this word can refer generally to sin (James 2:10; 3:2), the contrast with entering Christ’s kingdom in 1:11 suggests that falling away from Christ is in view here (cf. Jude 24). By growing in the qualities of 2 Peter 1:5–7, believers will be kept from embracing false teaching that leads to eternal destruction.

It is “in this way”—confirming one’s calling and election through intentional pursuit of the character qualities of 1:5–7—that the believer’s “entrance” into God’s kingdom “will be richly provided.” Entering the kingdom requires a righteousness surpassing that of the Pharisees (Matt. 5:20), and not everyone who calls Jesus “Lord” will enter his kingdom (Matt. 7:21). One must become like a child to enter the kingdom (Matt. 18:3), and this will be especially difficult for those who are wealthy (Matt. 19:23–24). The verb translated “will be provided” (epichorēgeō) is the same verb rendered “supplement” in 2 Peter 1:5, signaling that Peter is bringing this section to a close. The passive voice implies that God is the one who provides entrance into the kingdom, while the future tense points to experiencing the full realization of the kingdom at the consummation. Through faith in Christ, believers have already entered the kingdom of God (Col. 1:13–14), yet they await its consummation in a new heavens and earth (2 Pet. 3:13). God will provide this entrance “richly” (plousiōs), an adverb that stresses the abundance of the provision. This is no mere “skin of the teeth” entrance! The picture is of “a patron who lavishly celebrates the arrival of a friend or a faithful servant at his home,” or perhaps of “a victor returning to his home city after the Olympic Games and being received with a triumphal welcome.”²³

Peter further describes the kingdom in two ways. First, it is “eternal” (cf. Dan. 7:27). This word communicates more than simply an unending period of time; it reflects the Jewish belief that human history is divided into two “ages.” The present evil age is dominated by the powers of sin, death, and the Devil, whereas the age to come (the messianic age) will be a time when all of God’s promises are fulfilled in a new heavens and new earth. The event that will bring about the transition from one age to the next is the day of the Lord, when God will judge his enemies and save his people. But when Christ came, something unexpected happened: through his life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension, the age to come has been inaugurated while the present evil age continues. Thus believers live in the overlap between those two ages. By attaching “eternal” to the word “kingdom,” Peter is reminding believers that the promised age to come has already begun but has not yet reached its consummation. Second, it is the kingdom “of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” on which see comment on 2 Peter 1:1–2.

1:12 Verses 12–15 are introduced as a logical conclusion to the truth and importance of the content of verses 3–11. Since God through the gospel has given believers all they need for life and godliness as a means of persevering and entering God’s kingdom, Peter says, “I intend always to remind you of these qualities.” This letter will be how Peter’s apostolic message will be heard long after his death.²⁴ This is necessary because of our tendency as fallen creatures to forget who God is and what he has done for us (1:9).

Peter does not doubt his readers’ knowledge of what he has reminded them of in 1:3–11, noting, “you know them and are established in the truth that you have.” “Established” (stērizō) is in the perfect tense, stressing the readers’ condition: to be established is to have a firm foundation, enabling oneself to withstand circumstances without being knocked over (1 Thess. 3:13; 2 Thess. 2:17; 3:3). Believers are established in “the truth that you have,” the truth of the gospel as articulated in 2 Peter 1:3–11.

1:13 Having stated his intention to remind his readers of the truths of 1:3–11, Peter now explains why he does so. He writes, “I think it right, . . . to stir you up by way of reminder.” The verb rendered “think” (hēgeomai) communicates a carefully considered decision reached by reflection. Peter uses this same verb (translated “count”) at key points later in the letter. Whereas the false teachers “count it pleasure to revel in the daytime” (2:13), Peter instructs believers to “count the patience of our Lord as salvation” (3:15). To “stir up” (diegeirō) is to awaken someone, as Jesus was awoken during the storm on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:39). This verb can also mean to provoke someone to a certain mind-set or action, such as courage in the face of war (2 Macc. 15:10) or martyrdom (2 Macc. 7:21). Like a propeller entering calm water, Peter seeks to stir up his readers to pursue growth in godliness intentionally, through God’s gospel promises. Peter’s “propeller” is his “reminder” (hypomnēsis), the noun form of the verb used in 1:12; by this he refers to the entirety of this letter (3:1).

Peter intends to continue reminding believers “as long as I am in this body.” As the ESV footnote indicates, the word for “body” is literally “tent” (skēnōma). When the human body is pictured as a tent, the emphasis is usually on its impermanence (Job 4:21; Isa. 38:12; 2 Cor. 5:1–5). Until the day he dies, Peter intends to remind his readers of the truths found in this letter.

1:14 The reason Peter has resolved to remind his readers of the promises of the gospel is that he knows “that the putting off of my body will be soon.” The word translated “putting off” (apothesis) pictures taking off clothing and was often used as a metaphor for death.²⁵ It occurs elsewhere only in 1 Peter 3:21, where it refers to the removal of dirt in the discussion on baptism. Just as in the previous verse, Peter refers to his body as a “tent,” stressing its temporary nature. His life is like a tent that is “soon” to be rolled up because it has served its purpose. The force of the word “soon” is on something that is imminent, without specifying a specific amount of time.

Peter’s imminent death will happen just “as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.” He likely refers to Jesus’ prediction recorded in John 21:18–19. Peter knew all along that following Jesus would eventually cost him his life, and at last he knows his death is imminent.²⁶

1:15 Having already noted his present effort to remind his readers what gospel-grounded growth in godliness looks like (1:12–13), Peter expresses his intent to remind them of this in the future as well. In fact, he “will make every effort” to do so; here he uses the same verb (spoudazō) as in 1:10 to describe diligence in confirming one’s calling and election. In reading this letter, his readers will “be able at any time to recall these things”—even, Peter explains, “after my departure [exodos].” By referring to his impending death as an exodus, Peter may be anticipating his account of the transfiguration in 1:16–18.²⁷