Knowing that his time was short (2 Peter 1:13-15) and these churches faced immediate danger (2 Peter 2:1-3), Peter called upon the readers to refresh their memories (2 Peter 1:13) and stimulate their thinking (2 Peter 3:1-2) so that they would remember his teaching (2 Peter 1:15). He challenged the believers to become more mature in their faith by adding to it specific Godly virtues, thereby becoming effective and productive in their knowledge of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-9). The Old and New Testament writers were set forth as their authority for their faith (2 Peter 1:12-21, 3:2, 3:15-16). Peter desired they become strong in their faith to withstand the false teachers adversely impacting the churches. In his denunciation of them, he described their conduct, their condemnation, and their characteristics (2 Peter 2), including ridiculing the Lord’s Second Coming (2 Peter 3:3-7). For the Christians, Peter taught that the Second Coming is the incentive for holy living (2 Peter 3:14). After a final warning, Peter again encouraged them to grow in the grace and knowledge of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, praising his Lord and Savior (2 Peter 3:18).
2 Peter 1:1b: “To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ”
Peter introduces himself as ‘Simon Peter’. ‘Simon’ was the name given to him at his Jewish circumcision; ‘Peter’ was given to him at his rebirth (Matthew 16:18). ‘Simon’ speaks of the old, unregenerate man before he knew the Lord, but ‘Peter’ speaks of the new, converted man. Only the miracle of conversion produces this transformation (2 Corinthians 5:17), and as Christians we should be able to speak of an ‘old’ and a ‘new’ in our spiritual experience. Romans 1:16 is still true and this power transforms the sinner into a saint; it changes ‘Simon’ into ‘Peter’.
In v. 1 Peter calls himself “a servant…of Jesus Christ.” The word for ‘servant’ is ‘doulos’ which means ‘a slave’. Peter describes himself as a slave of Christ, and every Christian should be just that (compare Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5; Psalm 105:26; Malachi 4:4); Joshua (Joshua 24:19); David (2 Samuel 3:18; Psalm 78:70); Paul (Romans 1:1; Philippians 1:1; Titus 1:1); James (James 1:1); and Jude (Jude 1). To be a slave of the Lord means three things:
(A) Being possessed by the Lord. It means being His property, just as the slave in the ancient world belonged to his master.
(B) Being at the disposal of the Lord. Masters could do anything they chose with their slaves. This should be our attitude to our Master (2 Samuel 15:15).
(C) It involves absolute obedience to the Lord, best illustrated in the question of Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9:6.
The slave of Jesus Christ gladly acknowledges that he is possessed by the Lord; he wants to be at His disposal, his one desire is to obey Him, and in all this he is motivated by love for the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:14).
Peter describes himself as “an apostle of Jesus Christ.” If an apostle is a special messenger, how did Peter become one? Was it by self-appointment? No, it was by the special calling of the Lord (Mark 1:17; John 21:15-17). God’s special messengers are God-appointed.
In v. 1 we have a clear indication of God’s method of saving men and women. What is God’s method? Is it that we should try our best and then hope God will accept us? No – this is man’s way of salvation and it is a false way which can only lead to disappointment and disaster. God’s way is that we should come as unworthy sinners and receive the salvation that is offered to us in the Lord Jesus Christ. So Peter is careful to speak here of “those who through the righteousness of our God have received a faith as precious as ours….” This is the difference between the Christian gospel and every other religious system – the difference between salvation by works and salvation by faith; man says ‘attain’ but God says ‘obtain’ (2 Timothy 2:10). Compare Ephesians 2:8-10 with Titus 3:5.
In v. 1 Peter refers to “those who…have received a faith as precious as ours” and “our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” These tell us that all believers are one because of the one amazing thing that they have in common; faith in the Person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Their ethnicity, background, forms of worship may be different, but they are all one in that they are related to the Lord Jesus Christ. They enjoy unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3); they are “all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
Notice the words “in abundance” in v. 2. It suggests constant growth of Christ’s blessings in the believer (Ephesians 3:15-21) and notice how Peter concludes this letter (2 Peter 3:18). V. 2 tells us we are to grow in “the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” This does not mean simply knowing about God, but experiencing Him (2 Timothy 1:12; Philippians 3:10; John 14:7-9).
What do you think this is (v. 2)? This verse may be read, “May grace (God’s favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in (the full, personal, precise and correct) knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” The more we come to know Him the more will be multiplied in us the sense of God’s smile upon us and God’s peace within us.
