Introductory remarks:
Peter is writing this epistle just before he is crucified; tradition has it that he was crucified upside down by his own request that he did not deserve to be crucified as the Savior was. In this chapter Peter stresses the importance of their knowing Bible doctrine to walk in the light of His Word. "Peter writes as a servant and apostle to those of like faith. God gives us everything we need, through knowledge of Him, to share His nature. Out of faith should come virtue, then knowledge, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and then charity. If we are diligent in pursuing these, we will be fruitful; otherwise we have forgotten that we were called out of our sinful lives. Peter says he would be leaving this life soon, but until he did he would remind them of the truth that he witnessed. He reminds them that Scripture came from God, not men" (A Survey of 2-Peter - By Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: Salutation vv. 1-2: The Christian's call and election vv. 3-15: Christ's glory and the prophetic Word vv. 16-21.
Salutation
Verse 1, "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ."
LGT "Simon Peter a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the ones who obtained like precious faith with us, through [the] righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ."
Simon peter: the name Simon was the name given Peter at his birth, while the name Peter was given him by Christ, and it means "rock." A slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ: the Greek word for "servant" is doulos which means servant or slave, which I believe the word "slave" suits Peter's feelings regarding his position here on earth regarding Christ, that is, he is a slave to his Lord. To the ones who obtained like precious faith with us: all the ones who have accepted the gospel of grace, they not only received this gospel of grace by the same precious faith, but are one in Christ. It should be noted that the word precious is not used anywhere else in Scripture, except by Peter, in this sense. Through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: the article before God is not repeated so it refers to One and the same person, that is, Jesus Christ is divine, and it is right to call Him God.
Verse 2, "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord."
LGT "Grace to you and peace be multiplied in [the] knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord."
Grace to you and peace: this is the proper New Testament way of presenting this truth; grace always precedes peace. When you posses the grace of God it naturally follows that you also posses the peace of God. Be multiplied: this is Peter's prayer for them that they consider this grace and learn more about it in the future in order that they may have full recognition and benefit from it. In the knowledge of God: the Greek word for "knowledge" here is epignosei meaning 'full knowledge.' As I have said many times over, the only way to love God is to know God, and the only way to know God is through the written Word, and you cannot separate God from His Word. If this is the only thing that I have been able to get across to my children and grandchildren, it will have been worth the repetition. And of Jesus our Lord: the same equation here as the knowledge of God; however, we are united to Christ, and by the study of the Word of God, we may learn about all the riches of His divine grace, and peace will be multiplied to us.
The Christian's Call and Election
Verse 3, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."
LGT "As His divine power has given to us all things [which] pertain to life and piety, through the knowledge of Him who called us by [His] own glory and virtue:"
As His divine power has given to us all things which pertain to life and piety: all things that pertain to our spiritual growth and maturity. We have been united to Christ, and the Holy Spirit indwells us, and we have the completed Word of God, and this is all we need to live godly lives. Through the knowledge of Him: here we are back to that word knowledge, and Peter uses it in the sense of full knowledge. The Lord Jesus Christ has not held back anything from His Word that we need to reach full spiritual maturity; we won't be perfected until we lose this filthy flesh, but we can reach full spiritual maturity. Who called us by His own glory and virtue: we cannot live the Christian life, but He can live it through us if we submit to the Holy Spirit, and adjust our lives to Bible doctrine. We must learn positional truth if we are to fully understand Bible doctrine; it is not who and what we are, but who and what Christ is, and the marvelous position He has placed us in, the moment we accepted Him as our Savior, and that He imputed on us His perfect righteousness and now we stand perfect and just before a Holy and just God.
Verse 4, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
LGT "Through which He has given to us the greatest precious promises, in order that through these ye may become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption in [the] world through vain lust."
Through which: I believe this refers to the knowledge that we have of Christ through the written Word of God. He has given to us the greatest precious promises: Peter is fond of the word "precious"; he applied to our faith in verse 1, and now he uses it referring to all the promises in Christ. I believe these promises are none other than the riches of His grace. In order that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature: this can only refer to the new birth, in that immediately on receiving Christ as Savior, one becomes one with Christ, and His divine nature becomes the new life in Christ. The Christian life is not lived by a set of restrictions that man has set up in the name of religion. The Christian life can only be lived in subjection to the Holy Spirit, who through the Word of God will enable a Christian to live for Christ. Having escaped the corruption in the world through vain lust: by accepting Christ as Savior we become regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit unto a new life united with Christ; we move from being degenerate to the position of regenerate (Strachan). The vain lust in the world is the three-fold basis of appeal used by Satan from the Garden of Eden to the present, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.
Verses 5-7, "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity."
LGT "But also for this very reason, having brought in besides all diligence, supply ye in your faith virtue, and in virtue knowledge, and in knowledge self-control, and in self-control endurance, and in endurance piety, and in piety brotherly love, and in brotherly love, the love:"
But also for this very reason: because we have moved from the position of the degenerate to the regenerate. Having brought in besides all diligence: this means to add your diligence or thoroughness to your Christian growth. Supply ye in your faith virtue: in your faith must be backed up with moral honesty, "an increase by growth, not by external junction; each new grace springing out of, attempting, and perfecting the other" (Vincent). And in virtue knowledge: without knowledge all is vanity. And in knowledge self-control: the more we learn the Word of God, the more we know we need this virtue of self-control, for we must be moderate in all things. And in self-control endurance: this is better translated, patient-endurance. Courage is the result of being patient under trials. And in endurance piety: I believe this means to be faithful to our heavenly Father. The Word of God is our road map, but we think we can get along without it, and therefore we stumble through life, and then He comes along and picks up the pieces; rather than adapting our lives to the Word of God, we take our chances with our own stupid ingenuity. And in piety brotherly love: when we become faithful to the Word of God, we must love one another, for there is no other way to be contented in our Christian pilgrimage. And in brotherly love, the love: this is the literal meaning of this phrase, for nothing is more commendable in the Christian life than love of the brotherhood. The second love in this phrase is agape, which means divine love, and this love can only be produced by the indwelling Holy Spirit. We must love all believers based on their relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, because the Father also loves them with same love He has for His only begotten Son.
Verse 8, "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
LGT "For these things being in you and abounding, make you [to be] neither idle nor unfruitful as to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
For these things being in you and abounding: these things are the fruit of the Holy Spirit, mentioned in the verses above, for we cannot produce them. We must allow the Holy Spirit to abound in us, in order that we may be willing to submit to Him. Make you to be neither idle not unfruitful: when these things are produced in us, we are not barren, but we are productive in the hands of the Lord, to mold us and make us after His will. As to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ: the idea here is that we are not idle in the Word, but press on reaching out for that epinosis, the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, that can only come through daily intake of Bible doctrine.
Verse 9, "But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."
LGT "For with whom these things are not present, blind he is, short-sighted, having forgotten the cleansing of his old sins."
For with whom these things: these things refer to the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in the verses above. Are not present: the believer who is not willing to submit to the Holy Spirit and adjust their life to Bible doctrine, these things, and the fruits of the Spirit, are not produced in their life. We may know what the fruits of the Spirit are, and we may desire them, but unless we allow the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives, we will fail, and will never really walk in fellowship with Him. You see, we cannot produce the fruit, all we can do in the flesh is imitate the fruit, and our life becomes nothing more than a pretense. Blind is he: this is spiritual blindness. Short sighted: not able to see things from God's divine viewpoint, which is seeing things far into eternity. This short sightedness in the believer is looking at things from a strictly human viewpoint, which is only concerned with the present. Having forgotten the cleansing of old sins: When we received Christ we were cleansed completely for all eternity, and now we must walk as His cleansed children. Without being too critical of commentators, many of them understand this passage, as something the believer must strive to attain by works. I do not see it this way at all. I see this passage as dealing with the believer who is short sighted deliberately by not desiring to walk in the light of God's Word and allow the Holy Spirit to take control. There is a part we must take, and that is daily study of the Word, and applying it to our lives. The believer out of fellowship is only interested in what is pleasing to the flesh, and it isn't until tragedy comes along that they run to the Father for help; however, our Father wants us in His presence continually by our daily study, and in our thoughts and plans.
Verse 10, "Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall."
LGT "Wherefore rather, brethren, be diligent to make your calling and election assured: for doing these things in no wise shall ye stumble at any time."
Wherefore rather, brethren: in the light of what he has been teaching in verses 5-9. Be diligent: logically systematic in your Bible study. To make: to make for yourself. Your calling and election assured: you have nothing to do with either your calling or your election; both of these things happen the moment you accept Jesus Christ as Savior. Everyone has been called, but only the believer becomes the elect. Now, the only way I know that will give you the assurance of your salvation is daily Bible study. God has saved us by His grace; He is keeping us by His grace; He will sustain us throughout all eternity by His grace. For doing these things in no wise shall ye stumble at any time: this is the same as what Paul taught as falling from grace; certainly not losing salvation, for this is impossible. What Peter is saying is, what these things he has been teaching them in the previous verses 5-9;
Verse 11, "For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
LGT "For thus shall be supplied to you richly the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
Peter adds this as a wonderful encouragement to those who have accepted the gospel of grace. Peter presents a beautiful picture here of the culmination of the pilgrimage of the believer's life here on earth ending in the spectacular entrance into the eternal spiritual kingdom.
Verse 12, "Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth."
LGT "Wherefore I will take care to put you always in remembrance concerning these things, although knowing [them] and having been established in the present truth."
Wherefore I will take care to put you always in remembrance concerning these things: these things are the doctrines he has been teaching them that leads them to spiritual maturity and culminates in the spiritual kingdom; Peter stresses the need for them to continue on in their learning and growing for the sake of their perfect assurance. Although knowing them and having been established in the present truth: Peter says that he realizes that they know the doctrine of grace, but that they still need to press on unto perfection which will be realized in the kingdom, and this can only be accomplished by daily Bible study. Peter is teaching them that they can never get enough of grace teaching. Barnes has this pertinent paragraph:
"The apostle Peter did not doubt that they were now confirmed in the truth as far as it had been made known to them, but he felt that amidst their trials, and especially as they were liable to be drawn away by false teachers, there was need of reminding them of the grounds on which the truths they had embraced rested, and of adding his own testimony to confirm their Divine origin. Though we may be very firm in our belief of the truth, yet there is a propriety that the grounds of our faith should be stated to us frequently, that they may be always in our remembrance. The mere fact that at present we are firm in the belief of the truth, is no certain evidence that we shall always continue to be; nor because we are thus firm should we deem it improper for our religious teachers to state the grounds on which our faith rests, or to guard us against the arts of those who would attempt to subvert our faith."
Verse 13, "Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance."
LGT "But right I esteem it, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance:"
Peter is putting it very simple and succinctly that he will not stop repeating these doctrines of grace as long as he is in his fleshly tabernacle. His purpose, he says, is to stir them up, or to say, awaken them, by continually reminding them of these great doctrines of grace. Peter realizes that he is not long for this world, and he is looking forward to his heavenly rest.
Verse 14, "Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me."
LGT "Knowing that speedily is the putting off of my tabernacle [to be], just as also our Lord Jesus Christ signified to me:"
Knowing that speedily is the putting off of my tabernacle to be: Peter of course is speaking of his earthly body here. The Greek word for "speedily" could also be translated "soon." Peter is saying that he is not long for this earth. He uses the Greek word skenomotos, tabernacle, meaning a tent, which is temporary till he puts on eternal immortality. Just as also our Lord Jesus Christ signified to me: Peter is referring here to what John referred to in his gospel of Jesus speaking with Peter after His resurrection on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, "Truly, truly. I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. (This He said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God). And after saying this He said to him, Follow Me" (John 21:18-20 - ESV).
Verse 15, "Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance."
LGT "But I will be diligent also at every time for you to have [it in your power] after my departure, to have these things in remembrance."
Peter is leaving the earth soon with the satisfaction of knowing that they will have his two epistles along with the gospels, and then eventually all the New Testament, that they will have a ready reference to call to remembrance these things, that is, grace doctrine, that will enable them to grow in grace and the knowledge of truth.
Christ's Glory and the Prophetic Word
Verse 16, "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty."
LGT "For not having followed out cleverly-imagined fables, we made known to you the power and parousia of our Lord Jesus Christ, but having been eye-witnesses to His majesty."
For not having followed out cleverly-imagined fables: Peter is saying what the Word of God is not; the Word of God is infallible, with nothing but the truth, and is not "something man would write if he could, or could write if he would" (Chafer). We made known to you the power and Parousia of our Lord Jesus Christ: this can refer to both the incarnation (the coming of Christ as a baby to become man), and also to the Parousia (the second coming of Christ to set up His kingdom). But having been eye-witnesses to His majesty: this was one of the pre-requisites to becoming an apostle; and as an apostle, Peter could write the New Testament Scripture by being inspired by the Holy Spirit. Not all twelve apostles wrote Scripture, but Christ hand-picked certain ones, and the Holy Spirit inspired them to write grace doctrine for the church of all time, and this is why we believe in the 'plenary verbal inspiration of the New Testament.'
Verse 17, "For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
LGT "For having received from God [the] Father honor and glory, such a voice having been brought to Him by the very excellent glory; This is My Son, the Beloved One, in Whom I have found delight."
For having received from God the Father honor and glory: Peter is referring to the Mount of Transfiguration recorded in the gospels, but Peter did not need a gospel account to this wonderful occurrence, for he was an eyewitness. Such a voice having been brought to Him by very excellent glory: "The phrase excellent glory refers to the bright cloud which overshadowed the company on the transfiguration mount, like the Shekinah above the mercy seat" (Vincent). This is My Son, the Beloved One, in Whom I have found delight: God said the same thing from His excellent glory when Christ began His ministry when John the Baptist baptized Him.
Verse 18, "And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount."
LGT "And this voice we heard brought from heaven being with Him on the holy mount."
And this voice: the voice of God referred to in verse 17. We heard brought from heaven being with Him on the holy mount: Peter, James and John were with Christ on the mount of transfiguration and heard God speak those lovely words of glorification, See Ezek. 28:14 for "holy mount of God," there Sinai, this one probably one of the lower slopes of Hermon. Peter's account is independent of the Synoptic narrative, but agrees with it in all essentials" (Robertson).
Verse 19, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts."
LGT "And we have more sure the prophetic Word, to which ye do well taking heed, as to a lamp shining in an obscure place, until the day should dawn and [the] morning star should arise in your hearts:"
And we have more sure the prophetic word: when Peter speaks of 'the prophetic word' he is referring to the entire Word of God, not just prophesy. Peter is not referring to the O.T. alone, for they had the gospels and some of the epistles that were being sent around, along with the spoken word by evangelists that were traveling from place to place sounding forth the gospel of grace; and these men were given the gift of evangelism, so the Holy Spirit communicated through them. To which ye do well taking heed: Peter says they do well to highly regard the written epistles as well as the spoken Word from spiritually gifted teachers announcing the Glad Tidings of grace. The word "heed" means "to hold the mind upon" the Word. As to a lamp shining in an obscure place: the apostle John wrote that the believer should walk in the light of God's Word in order to have full fellowship with the Father. The Word of God is a lamp unto my feet, wrote the Psalmist. The Word of God is our only light in a darkened world, and as McGee wrote "it is the only physical miracle that we have in this hour in which we live." Until the day should dawn and the Morning Star should arise in your hearts: the Morning Star is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev.22:16). The Word of God is our only light until Jesus Christ, the Light of the world returns and receives us, or we pass through the shadow of death and meet Him in heaven, to be joined to Him for all eternity.
Verse 20, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation."
LGT "Knowing this first, that not every prophecy of Scripture is of its own interpretation."
Knowing this first: Peter says, when it comes to understanding the Word of God, know this above everything else, that not every prophecy of Scripture is of its own interpretation: the main issue here is that the prophets did not make up their prophesies from their own intuition or from their own imagination, but they spoke as they were directed by the Holy Spirit. "On the Old Testament, the mark of false prophets was that they were speaking themselves, as it were, privately, and not saying what God had told them to say. Jeremiah condemns the false prophets: 'They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord' (Jer. 23:16). Ezekiel says: 'Alas for the senseless prophets who follow their own spirit, and have nothing' (Ezek. 13:3). The third century Christian writer Hippolytus describes the way in which the words of the true prophets came: 'They did not speak of their own power, nor did they proclaim what they themselves wished, but first they were given right wisdom by the Word, and were then instructed by visions.' On this view, the passage means that, when the prophets spoke, it was no private opinion they were giving; it was a revelation from God, and therefore their words must be carefully heeded" (William Barclay).
Verse 21, "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
LGT "For not by [the] will of man was prophecy brought at any time, but being borne by the Holy Spirit, men of God spoke."
This verse is a continuation of the thought of verse 20, and it simply means that no prophet was to prophecy according to his own invention, but only as He was inspired and compelled by the Holy Spirit, because the entire Word of God is given us by the inspiration of the Holy spirit. Paul says the same thing in 2 Timothy 3:16. In the next chapter Peter will warn them against false teachers.
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