Therefore, I will 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. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind. (1:12–15)

Any good teacher realizes the value of repetition. Research has shown that within an hour after hearing a spoken message, people forget up to ninety percent of it. Certainly God knew that when He said to Israel:

In spite of all the warnings and reminders through the centuries, Israel has had a great memory for the wrong things and a poor memory for God’s truth, as when Isaiah indicted her: “For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the rock of your refuge” (Isa. 17:10a; cf. 51:13a; Hos. 8:7–14). Similarly, God gave the Passover to be an annual reminder of His redemption, grace and mercy, judgment and justice, and covenant (Ex. 13:3–10). But today when Jews observe Passover, they remember the Exodus from Egypt, even while rejecting the God who delivered them (cf. Rom. 2:28–29; 10:2–4).

Even believers tend to remember things that are better forgotten and to forget things that should be remembered (cf. Rom. 7:15, 18–19; Heb. 12:5). Thus Peter writes the words in this text and later tells his readers, “This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder” (3:1). And not long after Peter wrote, Jude called on his readers “to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 17; cf. Acts 20:35; 2 Tim. 2:8; James 1:25). Because Jude’s letter is so similar to 2 Peter, he must have had Peter’s epistle in mind. They were following the Lord’s example when He admonished the apostles to “remember the word that I said to you” (John 15:20).

In this passage Peter digresses from his subject of salvation and drops in a statement about the importance of reminding people of essential truth. Christ had called Peter to pastor (John 21:15–19), and his words reveal his pastoral passion in four motivations: urgency, kindness, faithfulness, and brevity.

URGENCY

Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, (1:12a)

Therefore refers back to the greatness of salvation (1:1–4) and the blessedness of assurance (1:50–11), themes so crucial they must never be forgotten. Peter did not want his readers to forget they were saved (v. 9), nor the blessings of their salvation (v. 3). When Peter used the future tense, will always be ready, he was first indicating that he would remind his listeners of truth whenever given the opportunity, including when writing this Spirit-inspired epistle. But he also anticipated all who, in the ages to come, would read this letter and be reminded of the great things God gave him to say.

The apostle Paul, like Peter, knew the necessity of repeating the truth: “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you” (Phil. 3:1; cf. Rom. 15:15; 2 Thess. 2:5). Jude also sought to remind his readers of what they once knew (v. 5).

Contrary to the beliefs of some, there is no such thing as brand-new spiritual truth, only a clearer understanding of the timeless truths (Isa. 40:8; 1 Peter 1:23–25; cf. Matt. 5:18) in God’s Word. People do not always know the truths of Scripture, nor do they always hear true and accurate interpretations of it. Therefore, some in that condition may think certain truth is new—and it is to them. But there is no new revelation from God (cf. Jude 3). All who preach and teach the Scriptures are reminding people of what God has said in His Word so constantly that His repetition and theirs makes truth stick.

Certainly 2 Peter 2 and Jude’s letter vividly illustrate this principle of divine repetition in Scripture. The New Testament epistles deal with the same gospel in all its richness by revealing it in different terms and analogies. The Synoptic Gospels tell the same story three ways. Jesus repeated His message in sermons, parables, and object lessons everywhere He went, exposing His followers to the truth again and again. That was critical in the training of the Twelve.

Even the messages of the Old Testament prophets are essentially the same as they preach law, judgment, and forgiveness. The Psalms repeat the attributes and works of God. The books of Chronicles rehearse material from 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. Deuteronomy 5:1–22 is a second giving of the Law at Sinai (Exodus 20), which reminded the people of it and readied them to enter the Promised Land.

KINDNESS

even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. (1:12b)

Peter was a kind shepherd who understood and exhibited sensitivity for his flock. Scripture extols gentleness (cf. 2 Cor. 10:1; Gal. 5:23; 6:1; 1 Thess. 2:7; 2 Tim. 2:25), meekness (cf. Matt. 5:5, NKJV; 1 Tim. 6:11, KJV; James 3:13 KJV), and tenderness (cf. Eph. 4:32), characteristics Peter displayed when he acknowledged that his readers already possessed godly virtue. He was encouraging, not condescending or indifferent to their devotion to Christ (cf. 1 Peter 5:2–3).

The recipients of this letter undoubtedly had heard other inspired New Testament letters read and preached (cf. 3:15–16), so they knew and believed the truth, so as to be established in it. The verb rendered established (stērizō), meaning “to firmly establish,” or “to strengthen,” is a perfect passive participle indicating a settled condition. They had given evidence by their faithfulness that the true gospel was strongly present with them. Peter affirmed them without doubt as genuine, maturing believers. He could have echoed Paul’s words to the Colossians, “You previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth” (Col. 1:5b–6; cf. 1 Thess. 2:13; 1 John 2:27; 2 John 2). When anyone comes to know Christ, the truth abides in him (2 Peter 1:12; 1 John 2:14, 27; 2 John 2; cf. John 17:19; 2 Cor. 11:10; Eph. 4:24; 6:14). It was still imperative that Peter’s readers receive this reminder, in view of the threat they faced from the powerful infiltration of false teachers (chapter 2 of this letter).

FAITHFULNESS

I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, (1:13)

Because he was an intimate confidant of Jesus as the recognized leader of the Twelve, the apostle Peter lived in closer and more constant proximity to divine truth than any man. Yet he and his fellow apostles still did not fully understand or appreciate that truth, even at the end of Christ’s earthly ministry, as the Lord’s question to them indicates: “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me?” (John 14:9).

Peter monumentally defected from his Master for a time—despite Jesus’ warning (see Luke 22:31–34, 54–62). The apostle therefore knew firsthand that even though believers are grounded in the truth, they need constant shepherding to protect them from wandering into sin. The biblical shepherd exhibits faithfulness in teaching the people God has given him.

It is not just that such loyal instruction is beneficial, helpful, and strengthening, though it surely is. Beyond the benefits, Peter considered it right, that is, “righteous” (dikaios). His devotion as a shepherd made him faithful to his people because he was loyal to his Lord in doing what was right, as long as he was in this earthly dwelling. The term rendered earthly dwelling (skēnōma) is the word for “tent,” drawing from the familiar image of Middle Eastern nomads living in portable tents. Peter, too, was in a temporary house and knew that one day God would fold up that tent to free his eternal soul to enter heaven.

As long as God gave him earthly life, Peter would be faithful to stir up those the Lord put in his life by way of reminder. To stir you up is a compound form of the verb diegeirō, meaning “to arouse completely,” or “to thoroughly awaken” from lethargy, drowsiness, or sleep. Nothing short of spiritual alertness would satisfy this loyal pastor. Believers can become sluggish (cf. Mark 13:35–37; Rom. 13:11; 1 Thess. 5:6; Heb. 6:12), failing to be alert and clear-minded regarding spiritual issues or other duties (cf. Prov 13:4; 24:30–31). That word may have caused Peter to recall his own inability to stay awake in Gethsemane the night before Jesus’ death (Matt. 26:36–46).

The godly shepherd stimulates his flock primarily by way of reminder. He consistently and tirelessly keeps teaching and reviewing all the major themes, doctrines, and commands of Scripture. No matter how much divine truth believers have heard or how spiritually mature they are, they still need reminders to apply that truth (cf. Rom. 12:1–13:10; 1 Cor. 3:5–23; Gal. 5:1–6; Eph. 4:11–16). Wanting them to remember, the true shepherd constantly feeds his flock spiritual food in all its scriptural dress. Realizing that familiarity can breed contempt, he employs all the passages on all the themes, so there is freshness instead of familiarity.

BREVITY

knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind. (1:14–15)

Finally, Peter’s passion and motivation for ministry includes a clear understanding of the brevity of his life itself (cf. Job 7:6–7; 9:25–26; 14:1–2; Pss. 39:5; 89:47a; 90:5–6, 10; James 4:13–17). Thus he wrote of knowing for certain that the laying aside of his earthly dwelling was imminent. Clearly, Peter believed that his death was near. He described death in the analogy of laying aside his tent, the same imagery Paul used in his second letter to the Corinthians:

The term imminent carried a dual meaning in that it can denote “soon,” or “swift.” Perhaps here it conveys both. When he wrote this he was already in his seventies; thus it was reasonable for Peter to expect that his death was not far off. He also knew that his death would be sudden or swift, as also … Christ … made clear to me. The Lord Jesus had clearly indicated to the apostle that his death would be rather sudden, about forty years before, during Peter’s restoration and recommissioning, between the Lord’s resurrection and ascension:

Jesus’words were a prediction of Peter’s martyrdom. That He predicted Peter would be executed, specifically by crucifixion, is evidenced by the expression “you will stretch out your hands.” So Peter had lived another four decades or more, being faithful to feed the Lord’s sheep, knowing all the while that at any moment his life could swiftly end. (Tradition—recorded by Eusebius [Ecclesiastical History, 3:1, 30]—attests that he was crucified, and upside down at his request because he felt unworthy to die exactly as Christ had died.)

In view of the brevity of his life and ministry, Peter was relentlessly diligent to remind believers of the truth, so that at any time after his departure they would be able to call these things to mind. There is no reason to restrict his words, these things, to what he wrote just prior (vv. 1–11), as some do. All that is in this letter is part of essential doctrine, to be imbedded unforgettably in believers’ minds.

The apostle used the term departure (exodos) to refer to his death because the word connotes the leaving from one place (earth) to go to another (heaven)—the exodus that every believer will enjoy (1 Cor. 15:50–57; Heb. 4:9–10). Peter, like Paul (Acts 20:24), was not concerned that his audience remember him or his death, but that they would remember the truth he taught them.

That Peter truly understood the urgency, kindness, faithfulness, and brevity of ministry is clear from this epistle, especially as summarized in the legacy statement of this passage. The leader of the Twelve wanted believers to avoid the hazards of spiritual negligence; therefore, he labored diligently through his preaching and writing to reiterate the important issues. He desired to leave a final will and testament to remind saints of the greatness of salvation, the blessedness of assurance, and to make certain that false doctrine did not rob them of their rich spiritual heritage.