The SecondEpistle of Peter

A devotional commentary

Date and Author

The apostle Peter is coming to the close of his lifeand in this letter he provides instructions and exhortations to therest of the believers. (1:1, 12-15).Early church history and tradition hold the belief that the apostle Peter was martyred in Rome while under the ruleof the Emperor Nero. Many may dispute this view my answer tothat is why not? As far as I am concerned the apostolic Fathershave got it right. That being the case Peter died before A.D.68 because that was when Nero diedMany New Testament scholars disagree that this letter comesfrom the pen of the apostle Peter because the grammar and styleof the letter is quite different from the first letter but theconservative scholars are agreed that it does come from the apostlePeter and they point to the first verse of chapter one the fact thatSimon Peter introduces himself by name and I agree with thisview.Other conclusive facts are as follows the author asserts that hewas with Jesus on the mount of the transfiguration. ( 1:16-18);Hehad written an earlier letter to these saints to whom this secondletter is addressed too.(3:1 ): The author uses many words, clauses,and phrases similar to the First Epistle of Peter and genuinelyillustrates this to be the work of the apostle Simon Peter.

Background:

The first letter of Peter encourages believers againstthe hostility and opposition of the world but the second gives a realgrim warning of apostasy within the fellowship false teaching andfalse teachers.The kind who would lead many a strayTo remain true to the apostolic teaching was the mainconcern of absolute importance. (Specifically 1:12-16:

3:1,2,15,16). Teachers of heresy will come to the fore and they arealready here. (2:12-22) they are headed for destruction and they donot believe in the Lord’s return and ridicule such an idea. Thesetype of ideas are well suited to the heresy of Gnosticism that at alater date would be more fully developed the root began in the firstcentury A.D. and became fully blown in the second century A.D.Peter had a specific number of believers in mind.( 3:15),if this is the same believers to whom the apostle wrote too in hisfirst epistle.(3:1) from this I can see that it was intended for the believers somewhere in Asia Minor.

Content

To combat any errors is to grow in the knowledge of theLord. The key to this I believe is to grow in Christian spiritualmaturity. I have to learn to trust in God obey His word the subjectthat the author begins his epistle with and ends.( 1:2-11; 3:14-18).Knowledge is more than academic brilliance that the worldrecognizes the Biblical meaning is to know God. An on goingexperience with God and Christ our risen Lord that transforms usinto moral excellence on a continuing basis (1:2,3;2:20). To knowGod enables us to overcome the heresy of Gnosticism. The meanswhereby we obtain such knowledge of God is to be found in theScriptures designated as the prophetic word( 1:19-21) and theteaching of the apostles.( 3:1,2,15,16) All of chapter 2 covers adetailed description of false teachings and those who instruct suchand warnings against them.Included a serious warning of sliding into apostasy becausethey once had knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.(2:20).The final chapter stresses the Second Coming chapter 3 andis attacked by those who scoff and ridicule such an event which isstill to come. This is an event that should motivate us all too godlyliving.