2 Peter 1:1–11 - BibleStudy.ph

These are the original teaching notes from this passage.

II Peter 1:1-11

Overview of II Peter…

1^st – Who was Peter…
- 1^st – FISHERMAN…
  - Peter was a fisherman – along with his brother Andrew – from the city of Capernaum…
  - Not that he was a very GOOD fisherman – he never seems to catch fish
  - Both times we read about Peter fishing – he caught NOTHING – Luke 5:5 – John 21:3
  - Because God had not called him to catch FISH – instead catch MEN!
  - Matthew 4:19 – “Follow Me – and I will make you fishers of men.”
  - Too often people in life use the gifts God has given them for their own purposes…
  - Then then wonder why their lives are EMPTY – no fish in the net!
  - We are only going to be EFFECTIVE in life – when we become what God desires…
  - When we use our GIFTS for the purpose God DESIRES…
  - We are going to find we are BLESSED – and have a life that is FULL!
- 2^nd – The THREE…
  - Peter was one of the inner THREE: Peter – James – and John
  - Jesus revive the little girl – Mark 5:37 – Mount of Transfiguration – Matthew 17:1
  - Only they went with Jesus when He prayed in Gethsemane – Matthew 26:37
  - This leads us to believe these disciples were SPECIAL – SUPER disciples…
  - They were BETTER than the rest – they were more TROUBLE!
  - James and John – the Sons of Thunder – should we call down fire – Luke 9:54
  - Peter – who tended to speak first – then think – which always got him into trouble!
  - We may think that God only uses those with great gifts – ability…
  - But God uses the FOOLISH – ignorant and unlearned FISHERMEN…
  - Which is a HUGE encouragement – because that means He can use us…
  - I Corinthians 1:27-29 – “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise… that no flesh should glory in His presence.”
- 3^rd – MARRIED…
  - Peter had a wife – I Corinthians 9:5
  - Luke 4:38 – Jesus even healed the Mother-in-law of Peter…
  - The Bible is VERY clear that Peter did have a wife!
  - There are some denominations today that insist Peter never married…
  - The idea is that somehow SINGLENESS is more holy than MARRIAGE…
  - Is a false teaching – and has come to cause a LOT of problems in the church!
  - I Timothy 4:3 – “[Listening] to deceiving spirits – doctrines of demons… forbidding to marry.”
  - The doctrine that priest must be SINGLE – has led to huge scandals…
  - The Catholic church has had to pay BILLIONS – because of cases of sexual abuse…
  - All because of a FALSE teaching – men are more HOLY if they are SINGLE!
  - Most are called to be MARRIED – only a few are able to stay SINGLE – Matthew 19:11
  - If someone is NOT called to be SINGLE – they should GET MARRIED – I Corinthians 7:9
  - A church leader is NO exception – Pastors should have a wife – I Timothy 3:3
- 4^th – PILLAR…
  - Peter was a PILLAR of the church – Galatians 2:9
  - He was one of the main leaders of that church – Acts 15:7
  - But PETER was NOT the PILLAR of the WHOLE church!
  - SIMON…
  - Peter – adds the addition of SIMON in this SECOND epistle – II Peter 1:1
  - Simon is the birth name of Peter – the word means to hear or listen…
  - PETER [or Cephas in Aramaic] was a name given to him by Jesus – John 1:42
  - Jesus used the word Peter with a play on words – Matthew 16:13
  - PETER [Πέτρος] – means a little pebble [small stone]
  - ROCK [πέτρα] – refers to a huge foundation stone…
  - Peter is a little PEBBLE – but on his confession of Jesus as God – was the ROCK…
  - The foundation of the church is Jesus Christ – I Corinthians 3:11
- 5^th – SERVANT
  - Peter also adds the title of BONDSERVANT – II Peter 1:1
  - BONDSERVANT [δοῦλος] – 127x in NT – means a slave…
  - God defined the role of a [δοῦλος] – a bondservant – Deuteronomy 15:17
  - If a servant was to be set free – but CHOSE to stay – he had his ear pierced…
  - He became a BONDSERVANT – someone who CHOSE to be a slave for His master!
  - Jesus does not demand that we give our lives to Him – it is our CHOICE…
  - We can CHOOSE to live for ourselves – live for this world – in bondage to this world…
  - But the irony is when we GIVE our lives to Jesus – that is when we are truly free!
  - John 8:36 – “If the Son makes you free – you shall be free indeed.”
- 6^th – The APOSTLE…
  - Peter was an APOSTLE – he was one of the TWELVE…
  - In Matthew – Mark – Luke – and Acts – we have a list of all TWELVE Apostles…
  - In each of those lists PETER is mentioned FIRST…
  - PETER was the APOSTLE to the Jews – while Paul to the Gentiles – Galatians 2:7
  - The word APOSTLE – means to be sent out!
  - Is a picture of an ambassador – a representative of God to the world…
  - Sent out to share the Good News – the hope of salvation through Jesus…
  - You might think that you will NEVER be an APOSTLE – but we are all called to be sent out!
  - II Corinthians 5:20 – “We are ambassadors for Christ…”
2^nd – What is the key theme to the book…
- The KNOWLEDGE of the Lord…
- II Peter 1:2 – Grace be multiplied in the KNOWLEDGE of God…
- II Peter 1:3 – His divine power has given us all things – through the KNOWLEDGE of Him…
- II Peter 2:20 – They have escaped the pollution of this world through the KNOWLEDGE …
- II Peter 3:18 – Grow in the grace and KNOWLEDGE of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
- The word KNOWLEDGE [ἐπίγνωσις] – is used SIXTEEN times in various forms in II Peter!
- The word means to know thoroughly – intimately though experience!
- What does Peter want us to KNOW…
- KNOWING – the Day of the Lord will come like a THIEF in the night – II Peter 3:10
- KNOWING – the Day of God will come QUICKLY [hastening] – II Peter 3:12
- KNOWING – SCOFFERS will come in the Last days – II Peter 3:3
- KNOWING – the POWER when our Lord Jesus comes – II Peter 1:16
- Peter wants us to know the Lord – and about the RETURN of the Lord!
3^rd – Where was the book written…
- The book was written in same place as I Peter – II Peter 3:1
- Most scholars hold that Babylon – was a code name for the city of Rome – I Peter 5:13
- Peter called Rome Babylon to try and avoid further persecution for the church there!
4^th – When was the book written…
- Between 66-67 A.D. – about THREE years after I Peter was written…
- Peter was at the end of his life – II Peter 1:14-15
- Church history tell us Peter was martyred in 68 A.D.
- That same history tells us that Peter was crucified upside down for his faith in Jesus…
- Upside down because he was not worthy to die in the same manner as His Lord!
5^th – How is the book divided…
- Chapter 1 – A REMINDER for the church of the POWER of God…
- Chapter 2 – A WARNING to the church about FALSE teachers…
- Chapter 3 – The HOPE of the church because of the RETURN of Jesus!
- The Knowledge of Christ…
1^st – Greetings from Peter… vs. 1
- 1^st – Who the book was written to…
  - Peter – the Servant and Apostle – addresses his SECOND epistle to FOUR groups…
  - Peter tells us that he wrote to the same people as I Peter – II Peter 3:1
  - Peter wrote to the PILGRIMS – the DISPERSED – and the ELECT – I Peter 1:1
  - Peter adds a FOURTH group here in verse one of II Peter!
  - Precious FAITH…
  - To those who have obtained like precious faith with us…
  - By the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ!
  - OBTAINED [λαγχάνω] – 4x in NT – speaks of a DIVINE gift…
  - PRECIOUS [ἰσότιμος] – only here NT – compound word meaning equal value…
  - We have been GIVEN the same FAITH as Peter had through Jesus…
  - Because Jesus did what no one else could – He lived a RIGHTEOUS life…
  - Then Jesus – the only PERFECT man – paid the price for our sin – Romans 6:23
  - In that moment Jesus condemned sin – defeated the darkness once and for all…
  - Then came one of the great mysteries of the ages – God gave us Jesus RIGHTEOUSNESS!
  - Not because we earned it – but it was GIVEN to us as a free gift of GRACE!
  - II Corinthians 5:21 – “God made Christ – who never sinned – to be the offering for our sin – so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
  - In Jesus – we have lived a PREFECT life – there is NO sin…
  - When God looks down on us – He does not see our sinful mistakes – flaws…
  - He instead sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as perfect – flawless!
- 2^nd – God and SAVIOR…
  - Do NOT miss – Jesus is both our GOD and SAVIOR…
  - John 10:30 – “The Father and I are one.”
  - John 14:9 – “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!”
  - John 20:28 – “‘My Lord and my God! Thomas exclaimed.”
  - I John 5:20 – “Jesus Christ. He is the only true God – and He is eternal life…”
  - One of the great mysteries of our Faith – there is only One God – Deuteronomy 6:4
  - Yet God exists in THREE distinct persons – God the Father – God the Son – God the Spirit…
  - The Bible makes no effort to explain how this is WORKS – only that it is TRUE…
  - What makes a religion a CULT – rather than a DENOMINATION…
  - Is there denial of this KEY doctrine – rejecting the divinity of Jesus Christ!
2^nd – What God has given… vs. 2-4
- 1^st – Grace and peace… vs. 2
  - Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!
  - There can be NO peace with God – until we have GRACE from God…
  - Only the CERTAIN expectation of the JUDGMENT of God – Hebrews 10:31
  - When we have the GRACE of God – GIFT of salvation – we have PEACE with God!
  - PEACE multiplied…
  - MULTIPLIED [πληθύνω] – a great number – filled up…
  - Not just a LITTLE grace and peace – to be FILLED with GRACE and PEACE…
  - But being FILLED with PEACE is the RESULT [passive] of KNOWLEDGE…
  - The more we KNOW God and Jesus our LORD – the more GRACE and PEACE we have!
  - I was talking to someone in church the other day about a computer program…
  - As they saw me using it they were amazed how little they knew about it…
  - They realized to really use it to its FULL potential – they needed to KNOW more!
  - The key to seeing grace and peace multiplies – is the KNOWLEDGE of Jesus…
  - That means spending LOTS of time with Him – in His Word – in prayer…
  - The more we KNOW about Him – the more GRACE and PEACE we receive from Him!
- 2^nd – Life and Godliness… vs. 3
  - As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness…
  - Through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue!
  - Having the KNOWLEDGE of Jesus does not just give us GRACE and PEACE…
  - By His DIVINE [θεῖος] POWER [δύναμις] – we might say GOD POWER…
  - We have already [passive] been given [perfect] all things that pertain to life – godliness…
  - It is not that God will ONE day give us ALL we need to live for Him…
  - Through the KNOWLEDGE of Him that called us to GLORY and VIRTUE [morals]
  - God has ALREADY given us EVERYTHING we need to live a HOLY life!
  - The KEY to VICTORY…
  - We may not realize how much we have been given – if we do not have KNOWLEDGE…
  - Maybe you are like me – you wonder many days if you can really live for Jesus…
  - With all the temptation in this world – as many times as we seem to make mistakes…
  - Is it really possible to live a HOLY life for the Lord – and if so HOW…
  - The answer – KNOWLEDGE – God has already blessed us with all we need!
  - Ephesians 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ – who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ…”
- 3^rd – Great PROMISES… vs. 4
  - By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises…
  - That through these you may be partakers of the divine nature…
  - Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust!
  - Through the KNOWLEDGE of Jesus we are given [passive] PROMISES [perfect]
  - EXCEEDINGLY great [μέγιστος] – only here NT – the GREATEST promises…
  - That through these great PROMISES – we might [subjunctive] be PARTAKERS…
  - PARTAKERS [κοινωνός] – 10x NT – to be a partner or to help…
  - The DIVINE nature – that helps us ESCAPE – the corruption [sin] that is in the world!
  - The KNOWLEDGE of Jesus helps us choose to live for God…
  - The world lives for LUST – selfish desires – because they think it will fulfill them…
  - But as we gain the KNOWLEDGE of Jesus – we learn about something FAR greater…
  - We learn of the greatest PROMISE – and in doing so choose to FLEE from an EMPTY world!
  - I Timothy 6:10 – “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil – for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness – pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
  - The world may try and sell us on CHEAP momentary pleasures that seem good…
  - But when they are held in the light of the KNOWLEDGE of the PROMISES of God…
  - They quickly FADE – and the TRUTH becomes apparent – it is all about Jesus!
  - We are heirs to all that God has – joint heirs with Jesus Christ – Romans 8:17
  - Which means God desires to give us EVERYTHING – His KINGDOM – Luke 12:32
  - Nothing this world offer us could ever compare to that!
3^rd – What we must do … vs. 5-7
- Be diligent… vs. 5-7
- But also for this very reason – giving all diligence – add to your faith virtue…
- To virtue knowledge – to knowledge self-control – to self-control perseverance…
- To perseverance godliness – to godliness brotherly kindness – to brotherly kindness love!
- In light of all we have been given through the Knowledge of Christ…
- DILIGENT [σπουδή] – to be quick to respond…
- GIVE [παρεισφέρω] – only here NT – to bring beside – to add to…
- We are saved by grace alone through faith alone – Ephesians 1:9-10
- But we do have a PART to play – coming along side what God has done…
- SEVEN nouns we MUST [imperative] add to our faith!
- 1^st – VIRTUE [ἀρετή] – 4x NT [3 by Peter] – moral excellence – modesty – purity!
- 2^nd – KNOWLEDGE [γνῶσις] – indicates a relation – knowing a person…
  - When I got to KNOW my wife – it changed my priorities…
  - I wanted to do those things that pleased and blessed her!
  - In the same way as we get to KNOW the Lord – it affects our behavior…
  - We want to live a virtuous – moral – modest – pure life to please Him!
- 3^rd – Self-control [ἐγκράτεια] – 4x NT – to have POWER over our desires…
  - It is one of the descriptions of the Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:23
  - When we KNOW the Lord – we let Jesus control the desires of our heart!
  - Psalm 37:4 – “Delight yourself in the LORD – He shall give you the desires of your heart.”
- 4^th – Perseverance [ὑπομονή] – compound word – hupo and meno…
  - Apart from Jesus we can do nothing – John 15:4
  - We must ABIDE [μένω] in Him in order for us to be able to have any FRUIT…
  - When we ABIDE – we will have the POWER to live a HOLY life!
- 5^th – Godliness [εὐσέβεια] – Reverence or respect towards God
- 6^th – Brotherly [φιλαδελφία] – brotherly love for one another…
  - The result of having a reverence for God is that we KIND to each other…
  - We do not just pretend to get along – fake it – we actually do like one another!
- 7^th – Love [ἀγάπη] – unconditional perfect LOVE
  - Our love is conditional – we tend to show love to those who love us back…
  - But that is not the love that God desires to flow from us – define us…
  - As we have KNOWLEDGE – we will find we begin to reflect the Love from the Word!
  - John 13:35 – “All will know you are My disciples – if you have love for one another.”
4^th – The Results… vs. 8-11
- 1^st – A fruitful life… vs. 8
  - For if these things are yours and abound…
  - For if these come from us – and ABOUND [πλεονάζω] – to SUPER abound…
  - If we are DILIGENT to add to our FAITH all SEVEN things…
  - You will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ!
  - There are TWO results – they will make us not BARREN…
  - 1 – BARREN [ἀργός] – 8x NT – means to be lazy or refuse to work…
  - 2 – UNFRUITFUL [ἄκαρπος] – someone who does not have the FRUIT of the SPIRIT…
  - What will NOT be LAZY and UNFRUITFUL – the KNOWLEDGE of the Lord Jesus!
  - Where our treasure is there is your HEART will be also – Luke 12:34
  - We tend to think we invest in the things that are important to us…
  - But the truth is our HEART follows our investments – what our HEART wants…
  - That is why we should never follow our heart – it is deceptive – Jeremiah 17:9
  - If we spend all of our time on the things of this world – BARREN and UNFRUITFUL…
  - But if we are investing in the things of God – we will have the KNOLEDGE of God!
- 2^nd – A BLINDED life… vs. 9
  - For he who lacks these things is shortsighted – even to blindness…
  - And has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins!
  - If we are NOT diligent to add to our faith all SEVEN things…
  - We will find [indicative] there are THREE results!
  - SHORTSIGHTED [μυωπάζω] – only able to see what is right in front of you…
  - BLINDNESS [τυφλός] – not speaking of physical blindness – but spiritual blindness…
  - FORGOTTEN [λήθη] – to be HIDDEN from!
  - The problem with living for the world – is we are limited to worldly KNOWLEDGE…
  - And worldly knowledge cannot tell us what will happen next year – month – tomorrow…
  - So all of our decisions are SHORTSIGHTED – BLIND choices – made on false hope…
  - Hope that somehow things will work out – but we have FORGOTTEN…
  - We must be DILIGENT in the Lord – receive the KNOWLEDGE of the Lord…
  - Who can see the end from the beginning – and can safely direct out steps!
- 3^rd – Never stumble… vs. 10-11
  - Therefore – brethren – be even more diligent to make your call and election sure…
  - For if you do these things you will never stumble!
  - Because there will be FRUIT if we are diligent – and BLINDNESS if we are not…
  - Be even more DILIGENT to make your calling and election sure – because if we do…
  - NEVER stumble – [οὐ μὴ subjunctive] – the most powerful negation in Greek!
  - I have read about several stories about Christian influencers denouncing their faith…
  - We hear the stories and wonder what happened – how could they have stumbled…
  - What happened – they did not apply the KNOWLEDGE of God in their lives!
  - A smart person sitting inside a house on fire – is dumb if he does not get up and run out…
  - In the same way we can know all about what God has done for us…
  - But if our KNOWLEDGE is just in our head – then it really does us no good…
  - God has done it all for us – given us Grace and peace – Life and Godliness – Great promises!
  - But along with the KNOLEDGE – we need to put into practice the things we learn!
  - If we do then we will NEVER stumble – because it will be God who directs – holds us!
  - For so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly…
  - Into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
  - Considering what is at stake – our ETERNAL destination – entrance into heaven…
  - It is crucial that we make sure we have the KNOWLEDGE of what God has done for us…
  - Grace and peace – all things that pertain to life and Godliness – greatest promises…
  - And that we also are DILIGENT to put our FAITH into practice…
  - So we are FRUITFUL – with the ability to SEE clearly and make wise choices…
  - So we NEVER stumble – and abundantly enter into the Kingdom of Christ!