The Second Epistle of Peter
Date and Author
The apostle Peter is coming to the close of his life and in this letter he provides instructions and exhortations to the rest of the believers. (1:1, 12-15).
Early church history and tradition hold the belief that the apostle Peter was martyred in
Many New Testament scholars disagree that this letter comes from the pen of the apostle Peter because the grammar and style of the letter is quite different from the first letter but the conservative scholars are agreed that it does come from the apostle Peter and they point to the first verse of chapter one the fact that Simon Peter introduces himself by name and I agree with this view.
Other conclusive facts are as follows the author asserts that he was with Jesus on the mount of the transfiguration. ( 1:16-18);He had written an earlier letter to these saints to whom this second letter is addressed too.(3:1 ): The author uses many words, clauses, and phrases similar to the First Epistle of Peter and genuinely illustrates this to be the work of the apostle Simon Peter.
Background:
The first letter of Peter encourages believers against the hostility and opposition of the world but the second gives a real grim warning of apostasy within the fellowship false teaching and false teachers.The kind who would lead many a stray
To remain true to the apostolic teaching was the main concern of absolute importance. (Specifically
Peter had a specific number of believers in mind.(
Content
To combat any errors is to grow in the knowledge of the Lord. The key word I believe is to grow in Christian spiritual maturity. I have to learn to trust in God obey His word the subject that the author begins his epistle with and ends.( 1:2-11;
Knowledge is more than academic brilliance that the world recognizes the Biblical meaning is to know God. An on going experience with God and Christ our risen Lord that transforms us into moral excellence on a continuing basis (1:2,3;
Included a serious warning of sliding into apostasy because they once had knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.(
The final chapter stresses the Second Coming chapter 3 and is attacked by those who scoff and ridicule such an event which is still to come. An event that should motivate us all too godly living
Personal Application
The concerns of the apostle are still here in the earthly church of to day and the future the visible and invisible church of our Lord Jesus Christ. Worldliness and human philosophy. False teachers who teach half truths in regard to the Christian faith and these are his answers in and through the Holy Spirit to overcome the difficulties that present them now.
The Deity of Christ Revealed...
We see the deity of the Son of God Jesus Christ intertwined with God his Father. (1:1, 2) God the Father knows Christ He is His Son. (
The Word of God we know as the Bible and the Holy Spirit assures us that we have a destiny with our risen Lord the King of glory Jesus Christ. (1:16-21; see also 3:1, 2).
The work of the Holy Spirit
There is only one direct reference to the work of God the Holy Spirit and we find it in
He is spoken of by the apostle in an indirect manner He is the divine power that helps you and I to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.
The outline of the contents of the second epistle of the apostle Peter
I Greeting 1:1, 2,
II True versus false teaching 1:3-2:3
A Pursuit of moral graces 1:3-11
B Peter’s testament
C Prophetic Scriptures versus
False teachers
III Exposure and doom
Of false teachers 2:4-22
A Destruction of
The false teachers 2:4-10
B Description of the
False teachers
IV Warning against end time
Deceivers 3:1-18
A Scoffers in the last days 3:1-7
B Believers and the day
Of the Lord. 3:8-18.
Greetings 1:1, 2
(1) The writer introduces himself by using his first name Simon to the believers to whom he writes so they know him and may have met him some of them at least.
They could have been those whom he addressed at Pentecost when the Spirit of the living God was poured out on all flesh see Acts.2 Whatever; there seems to be a special bond between this great apostle and those to whom he writes. The love of Jesus Christ our Lord. This is what brings my brothers and sisters close to me and me to them.
Dedication to the cause of Christ’s church on earth as we can see here in the life of Simon Peter. He goes on to say that he is a bondservant of our Lord Jesus Christ. A remarkable transformation of the Peter we find in the narratives of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In those narratives he is always pursuing fame for himself and to lord it over his brethren thinking that he was better than them I have been there and I am sure we all have. But here we see a different Simon Peter.
A bondservant in the time of Simon Peter’s life had no rights the owner could do whatever he liked with the slave because that is precisely what bondservant meant in those days. He or she was the property of the owner and could be killed or tortured depending on the mood of the owner and nothing would be done against that man.
Unless you were very rich and powerful life was cheap and because of the apostle’s stand declaring that Jesus Christ was the only God his life would be in constant danger as far as The Roman Emperor Nero was concerned he was the only God and if he caught Simon Peter he would have him put to death which he did.
He had put his life completely at the disposal of his Lord and it would end in a bloody physical execution as it did. Many of us will pass from this life to go to be with our Lord without martyrdom but there will be many who will face it and God’s Holy Spirit will equip and enable us to face this showing the love of God to our enemies in and through Christ Jesus who dwells within us bodily along with the rest of the Godhead. It is not something we should desire. But we should always show a desire to serve our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who took the death penalty for you and me and looks for the same dedication towards Him as we see it in the life of the apostle Simon Peter.
Not only a bondservant he is also an apostle of Jesus Christ one who was chosen by Jesus to represent him in the world who saw him visibly Peter comes under this description he was one of the very first three of the disciples who saw Jesus and was commanded to follow him. (Jn.1:42) He had to have seen the resurrected Christ. (Jn.21:15)Plant churches and perform signs wonders and miracles the apostle done all of these things during his life time.
A true and an authentic genuine follower of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ so much so that God Himself invested the divine authority upon his apostolic office His Son picking Simon Peter to be one of his apostles because of his obedience later on of which first and second Peter is very much proof of obedience that led him to his execution and taken to be with his Lord. A tremendous challenge for you and me but remember no matter who you are in the Kingdom of God it is the Holy Spirit who speaks encouraging words to us equips and enables us to please God in living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord and overcoming the difficulties of this present life He and only He will help us to show the love of God to others. We have a great God in the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is always good despite what the enemy says and brings against us because our Father will give us the victory over these things in and through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord let us believe this claim it for ourselves in the name of the Lord.
Other manuscripts read received faith of the same value therefore the apostle is writing to those believers who have received the same kind of faith as that of himself. They know Jesus Christ just as he does the Holy Spirit has imparted belief to them as H e had done for Peter. They know Christ as their Saviour and Lord just like you
And I and what follows in the rest of the epistle is how easy and perilous it is to fall from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As well as being an apostle Simon Peter was called to be an evangelist to go forth and preach the good news the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ not all of us are called to preach but we are called to speak to those whom the Holy Spirit leads us to about the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Called to lead righteous lives because of the righteousness of Christ who dwells within you and I it is never about you and me. The apostle Peter writes to remind the believers of this pertinent fact. We see this in the next part of the sentence. “….by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ:” We never obtained the righteousness we have through anything we have done by good works or of any merit in ourselves the righteousness we have is the righteousness of Jesus Christ who Himself gives it to us as a free gift because of his life on earth his public ministry, crucifixion, death, and resurrection followed by his ascension into heaven and because of our belief and obedience his righteousness is imputed to us.
A reminder that our faith at all times is rooted and grounded in the Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ who intercedes on our behalf as that of our great High Priest until the Day of the Lord. We have one Lord one faith one baptism. (Eph.4.5)
(2) Grace is that which I am undeserving of the unmerited favours of God towards a sinner through the gift of his Son Jesus Christ given to me as a free gift. (2 Cor.12:9).
Peace is the result of the reconciliation I have with God the Father brought about by the free gift of His Son to me Jesus Christ my Lord. Peace signifies the harmonious relationship between God and men more specifically the relationship brought about for those who call upon the Prince of peace for salvation Jesus Christ spoken of in the New Testament. (Lk.1:79) This is the knowledge that is imparted to us through God the Holy Spirit to those of us who have been born again and have been baptized in the Spirit of the living God who know Jesus Christ as Lord and God as our heavenly Father. The beginnings of the knowledge of God and there is much, much more to come the apostle speaks of it being multiplied to us. Knowledge that can only come from God and His Son Jesus Christ our Lord as revealed to us through God the Holy Spirit.
To know God is to trust Him and for me to be able to grow as a believer I need the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ his Son my Lord so that I can be used by Him for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God this can only come by listening to the Holy Spirit and my obedience. The same applies to all of God’s people everywhere and this is exactly what the instructions imply to the believers that the apostle writes too.
II Trust versus false teaching 1:3-2:3
A Pursuit of moral graces 1:3-11.
(3) The key to being able to please God is to rely on his divine power without it this is impossible. A dynamic power and force that was to be found in my risen Lord while He walked upon the earth that brought transformations to those people He touched including the whole of creation bringing about his Kingdom upon the earth that is still to be realised
A normality for the spirit filled believers and spirit filled church this is what we are to pursue. Asking God about the plans for His church through Jesus Christ our Lord and the part He wants us to play in that and being ready to hear what He says is how to please Him.
When you and I accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour H e installed the means by which we can live our lives in a godly manner. Once again it is by knowing God as a person you cannot get round this in any other fashion this is exactly what the apostle is meaning here. “……through the knowledge of Him who called us….” Knowledge of Him points to a person not something that is impersonal. To know Christ as Lord as God and man I believe that is what is being said here not some invisible force.
You and I are called to walk in lives that are worthy to God and not for any selfish purposes to glorify Him here on earth. (I Thess.2:12). The glory that is mentioned here is that of our Lord it is because of his glory that we have been called and chosen by Him and for no other reason. Jesus made visible his glory in his first miracle in
In this Epistle or letter this is what the apostle Paul said, (Phil.4:8. “ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy- meditate on these things.” )
(4)Because of His majestic glory and virtue that shines and radiates from His glorious Person as the perfect man and the Son of God Jesus Christ our risen Lord has given to us exceedingly great and precious promises that are true for all of his people.
On this very point the apostle Paul corroborates and agrees with Simon Peter the promises of God in Christ Jesus towards us are yes and amen. Let it be so that we will glorify God through our own personnel life when we allow Him to control what we do and say. (II.Cor.1:20). I note that I must allow God to control me for what His will and purpose is for my destiny never about me always about Him my Lord and my God Jesus Christ and the furtherance of His Kingdom visible and invisible upon the earth until the Day of His second coming then all will see His Kingdom. (II Cor.7:1). The end result of all this is so that I will be like my Saviour and God in His divine nature not that I have attained that because I will not be like Him until I meet Him and that will only be after He has called me home. But this is not only for me it is for all of my brothers and sisters the divine nature is what they must seek after too. This is what is meant by the word partakers. We partake of something in this case the divine nature of our risen and glorified Lord. It has only occurred because of the great and precious promises that we have received from Jesus Christ our Lord and that only because of His grace towards us
The apostle Paul describes this in a superb fashion a man full of God the Holy Spirit
( 2,Cor.3:18 “ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord”).
Peter the apostle reminds them in the next part of the verse of his letter what they have escaped from the corruption of the world through lust and nothing is more evident than that of to-day’s so called modern society men and women furthering their own nests at the cost of others and sadly that includes a number of our Christian Brethren whoever they may be? The very same thing was happening to the believers to whom the apostle writes but in their case it was worldly wisdom philosophy a doctrine called Gnosticism a special knowledge that in their eyes was meant for only a select few and there are those who still think in that manner to-day. Not the teaching of Gnosticism but because of the gifts that are provided to them from the Lord they think they are a cut above their brothers and sisters an erroneous idea that comes straight from the enemy be warned because God will judge with his righteousness all that do these things until they repent of their actions because God hates sin. When a brother and sister do wrong against another brother and sister sometimes after you have forgiven them to leave it to the Righteous Judge to deal with who is our God and He will deal with them as He does with all of us.
The gifts whatever they may be are not for our own use they are to be used to edify the body of Christ bring His church into one body unite each believer as members of that body together as one in and through the love of God the Father and His Christ our Lord forgiving one another as He forgives us in order to give praise, thanks gratitude, adoration, and worship from grateful hearts that should merge into one as a body of the church of our Lord Jesus Christ without this corporate worship and prayer is meaningless
It only needs one believer or saint who is a member of the body of Christ to be in a bad relationship with another member to stop corporate worship and prayer from being as successful as it would have been. However; this is the perfection we must aim for.
(5) Again the apostle underlines the fact that you and I must add virtue to our holy faith a subject that has already been discussed but we must attach great importance to this as our Lord desires this to be in our character. Peter uses the fashion of being repetitive to drive a point home because it is crucially important for us to pursue godly living and again we have that word knowledge to know God is to have knowledge of Him not about Him He is indeed the greatest Person that you and I will ever know because He is God. The one triune God Father, Son. And Holy Spirit. I ask myself can I really grasp this. Only as much as my earthly intellect will allow and my spirit only as much as God will allow of Himself to be revealed because there will always be a section of His character that will be shrouded in mystery and it is not for the creativity of His hands to know which is you and I. who
Are being transformed into the likeness of His Son Jesus Christ. Let us marvel that the great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ through His mercy and compassion towards us wants us to know Him by knowing His Son Jesus Christ because of His love and the love of His Son towards us we who are his church. To want and be like Jesus Christ and desire Him is to seek after knowledge the true knowledge of God. These are wonderful words laid upon my heart by the Spirit of the living God infact they take my breath away as a human being how do I react only to love Him and be obedient to his voice what else can I say I am totally speechless. The secret to study diligently the Word of God and ask the Holy Spirit to come along side you and interpret the meaning of to your spirit and paradise will be opened up to you especially those who obey Him from the heart.
We do this by listening to the Spirit of God. God the Holy Spirit is present in the physical body of every born again believer you and I must learn to trust Him and open our hearts and our spirit to Him this is the essence and secret of being able to do the work of God. What I mean by work is allowing God to change our character into his instead of Raymond McGough being like Raymond McGough self serving doing what my free will tells me I have to crucify the free will continually. A battle of the will the effort must come from me to say yes to God the Holy Spirit and do whatever He instructs me to do only by this method will I be changed from my old self to the image and likeness of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. An on going process on a daily basis. We are all instructed to do this with hearing by faith. Faith simply means trust God who uses the Holy Spirit to talk to us and being obedient to whatever He has to say. He who gave us the Holy Spirit Jesus Christ our Lord and God used another title for Him calling Him the Comforter because that is just one of the many works that He accomplishes for you and I on our Lord’s behalf and ours.
The great apostle Paul spoke of it in the following manner, “Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you does He do it by works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”(Gal.3:5). (6) When I allow this to happen to me as I have just said surrendering my free will to God the Holy Spirit He will control my feelings and emotions thereby through Him His knowledge I will be able to exhibit self control which leads to patience and patience to godliness. But not only for me but this is how all the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ are to function. The principle of laying down our own free will to that of our Lord. We cannot do the work of the Lord any other way He has to come first only He can change you and me. (7) When you and I do this we are able to show brotherly kindness which leads to brotherly love the substance of the fruit of the Spirit and can only be achieved through God the Holy Spirit operating in and through us individually and collectively.( Heb.13:1). The love of Christ operating in and through our lives to one another and our sisters because He is our perfect brother being the perfect man he is the first fruit and we are the fruits of his fruit...
(8) The word if presupposes that for some this is not the case and they are devoid of the character of Christ. And none of the fruit of the Spirit can be seen in them. I have to check my motivation for what I do is it about me or for my Lord whom I serve? Spiritual pride is a terrible thing and it brings enmity from God towards us because we are busy feathering our own nests at the expensive cost of the damage we do to our brothers and sisters specifically their spiritual growth as members of the body of Christ our Lord and it does occur that is why the apostle writes of this painful subject and experience it is for our benefit because it will continue on earth until He comes or we are called home before this event. Note that the words seem to just jump off the page barren and unfruitful. The Apostle Peter’s real life experience. He is one of the many authors of the New Testament. He is writing of his experience while being guided through life enabled through and by God the Holy Spirit. There is no written manual of the New Covenant he is the proof of that covenant for others while he lives. Proof too for those who would follow on the
Again Peter reiterates the point over and over in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. “…in the knowledge of….” Not my knowledge not your knowledge the knowledge that Jesus Christ our Lord imparts to us of Himself through the working of the Holy Spirit in us to show the life of Christ to others.
(9) A very clear indication of what is implied here we can all fall into the sin of apostasy. When you and I lack the knowledge of knowing exactly who Christ is in our inner man then we are all in great danger of the peril of going to a lost eternity. “..forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins..” Is that possible? Peter clearly thought so or he would not have implied it here as he does.
Remember all of the authors of the Old Testament and the New Testament were guided and influenced by the Holy Spirit what they should write for our benefit in order to grow in the Lord as they had done.
(11) The antidote against this has already been mentioned in verses 5 to 8 the moral code we are to follow to enable us to show the love of Christ to others. Any one who does not grow in these virtues and falls into their old sins will pay the penalty of such actions unless true repentance is shown. When we do these things our election will be sure I am not advocating a life of good works but it is the evidence of Christ our Lord working in and through you and me his love being made visible from me to you and the world of the lost.
The verse contains a great promise to all of us and you can see that when you read it through. “…For so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
B Peter’s Testament.1.12-15.
(12) When going through very difficult times as the apostle was here he reminds them to continue to grasp hold of the very things they have been taught which have been spoken of in the paragraphs above. I will not neglect my duty and love for my risen Lord to exhort you to pursue further your obedience and love towards your Lord and my Lord.
My belief is that this was the thought that ran through the mind of the apostle. He knew them and their weaknesses. The fact that he had to keep on reminding them of what he had said to them in the above paragraphs of the need to know God. To know Him as I know my wife and she knows me not on a sexual level but on a personal level. Not knowledge of the mind which is simply information that leads to corruption, egotism, and tyranny over others the type of intellect that the world looks for.
No wonder the Holy Spirit led the apostle Paul to write in one of his many letters that the wisdom of the world is foolishness in the sight of God. Exactly what Peter is combating here. The apostle lets them understand that he knows that they know this which raises the question why does he have to keep reminding them of this when they know. I believe in the next part of the verse we find the answer. “…and are established in the present truth.” For the present they know this but will they know it after the apostle is called home to be with his Lord. The question that is uppermost in Simon’s mind. He has already spoken to them of who to rely on to enable them to pursue a life of godliness the source behind this man’s Christ like life none other than the Holy Spirit Himself.
(13)As long as he remains in his physical body Peter calls it a tent he will continue to stir up the Holy Spirit that dwells within them by the same Holy Spirit that resides in Him
To be able to grow into true spiritual people of God we must always recognize the crucial importance of the work of the Holy Spirit in you and me. Not the man and woman of God but the source behind them many believers follow great godly leaders and that is total folly because you and I have the same source dwelling within our hearts and our spirit to enable us to overcome all that the enemy would bring against us namely the Holy Spirit exactly what the Holy Spirit is doing in the apostle Simon Peter as he writes to the believers in Asia Minor the Spirit would stir up the Holy Spirit in them..
You and I have to lean on the Holy Spirit to enable us to live lives that please God there is no other route that we can take. When we are on our own there is no minister or pastor to help us but like Peter the Holy Spirit dwells within them bodily so they too can live lives that please God. The crux of the matter develop a relationship with God the Holy Spirit and He only reveals what God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son our risen Lord wants us to know and through Him we are able to do all things that please God and that should be the target of our God given lives on earth. Hallelujah!!
(14) Now we come to the urgency of the apostle’s appeal he knows that his departure from earth is eminent the death he is about to face is brutal and bloody but he is resolute in his faith and no matter the type of death he will go through he is going home to be with his glorified Lord and Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. A resolute faith in the face of overwhelming odds but he has the victory in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Of special note he does not think of himself he is thinking of those he is leaving behind to face the world that they still have to live in.
Speaking of his death I believe what the apostle is saying to them is that my time has come to die and leave this earthly life behind. He could say with his friend and brother in Christ Jesus and fellow apostle Paul, (2.Tim.4:6) “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.” Tremendous heroes of the faith they join the great heroes of faith that is to be found in that glorious passage of Hebrews in chapter11 that gives an account of all of God’s heroes up until the present and also in the future from the first book of the Bible Genesis to the last book of the New Testament Revelation. What a privilege and great honour it will be to stand fast in our one common faith in and through our glorious risen Lord the King of glory Jesus Christ and be ranked in that chapter with all these great godly men and women.
I personally believe that this is the goal the apostle is setting before the believers that he is writing too not only them for all of the
Interestingly he speaks of the manner of his death by only alluding to what our Lord had said to him in regard to this.
An interesting suggestion perhaps in the heart and mind of Simon Peter is that the only death worth mentioning is our Lord’s because of what it accomplished for the sinner the free gift of himself that enabled the sinner to repent and receive mercy and grace where there was no grace because of the mercy of God.
Perhaps he remembered what Jesus had said publicly to him in front of the rest of the apostles (Jn.21:18.) “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked were you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”
But I am grateful to say that it was not the end of the matter in the following verse we are told this would be the death in which he would glorify God a rebuke tinged with mercy and compassion and a great promise to Simon Peter at the end of it. He would indeed glorify the Lord but not in the way he had thought of in his younger days. (Jn.21:19).
(15) The author speaks of a reminder who will remind them of the things that had been taught after he has departed from the world.
He obviously cannot do it now he is no longer there what I believe can be the only solution is a indirect mention of God the Holy Spirit who brings all things to mind pertaining to godliness and the fruit of holiness.
C Prophetic Scriptures versus false teachers. 1:16-23
(16) A fable is a half truth not the whole truth and the world is a wash with distortions of the truth of the gospel built on folklore myths and legends We did not follow these things the apostle asserts using the plural we obviously there were other apostles who were being accused of this on false premises. I believe Peter was including the apostle Paul because he met with him in the account of the Acts of the Apostles while Paul preached to the Gentiles Peter preached to the Jews.
Once he had established the church at Corinth Paul had many things to say to them and on the same subject Peter is speaking of here.
Mere words do not save anyone they are empty and lifeless when knowledge of the Bible is attained and knowing how to speak Greek and Hebrew alone with long sounding words that nobody has a clue about only sends them to sleep and possibly bores them to death even when it is translated into English
Many Bible college graduates and even those who have graduated from university have this false notion I was one of them that had graduated from
The word power is used by Peter in this particular text. He reports this to the Christians to whom he writes We saw as Peter had with two of the other apostles the power of our Lord Jesus Christ as he came to meet them after the mount of transfiguration where at the pinnacle of this event He shone with glory a brilliant white that they had seen when they had been with Him. It would be an experience they would not forget. “But were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” There were those apostles who would corroborate with Peter what he had seen because they had seen it too. A telling remark is the phrase when we made known to you they already knew.
These Christians had never seen Jesus Christ in the flesh and seeing only produces belief even although they had been touched by the Holy Spirit but at this time they were ready to believe anything that was taught to them. The reason why the presence of God is evident in some churches and in others He is not. Evident in some of the saints and not as much in others I believe you call it the fruit of the Spirit.
The Apostle describes our Lord as His Majesty his surpassing greatness nothing in the world can match that which includes sublime grandeur glory magnificence and splendour who is superb. Attributes belonging to our Saviour and Lord that are unsurpassed and never will be the glory and pomp of this world will eventually fade and die unlike our Lord. Majesty, glory, and honour that is eternal belongs to God and with Jesus Christ as the Son of God He is the second person of the trinity H e shares in this with His Father and God the Holy Spirit but here in this passage we see the Shekinah glory of his own person that is exclusively his for all eternity. Hallelujah and praise His wonderful name
But even far more superior than that is the fact that although the Father and the Son are one they are two distinct individual persons and God as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as His own glorious attributes Peter describes Him as the excellent glory which will always be his as God the Father of our Lord and because He is the Father and because of that reason only it will be superior to His Son.
You and I can never imagine what Jesus felt when He received honour and glory from his Father when He spoke to Him in an audible voice from heaven so that those apostles who were with Him would hear it: “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”. However; Jesus who knows all things as the Son of God knew that it was not for His benefit alone it was for those He had gathered about Him for that time now we can see the fruits of the Spirit of that encounter in the life of Simon Peter. They had received the word of God from God in the flesh Jesus the man saw Him in bodily form such as they were touched Him saw Him eat food and drink wine.
Unlike those to whom they were listening too they had never see Jesus Christ in the flesh and it was to those who were among them who decided to follow these cunningly devised fables not to follow them.
(18) Again the apostle reminds them of the authenticity and authority of his apostolic calling of God to be an Apostle of God. He and only he had been invested with the divine authority of the risen Christ to be his apostle to the nations.
Only he and two other apostles who had been on the mountain with him heard the voice from heaven speak to Jesus. It is on those very important testimonies that they have to listen
I can imagine the apostle thinking to himself as he writes this letter how Lord can I bring them back to you those who have strayed Jesus would have answered remind them of the authority I have placed upon you and that you were on the mountain top with me when a voice spoke
( 19) The Transfiguration that Peter was a witness to along with James and John is very important for all of us to understand correctly how God would want us to know it in these days and always because like then there will always be false teachers
God the Holy Spirit is the only source of true understanding He gives the correct understanding to all of us including Holy Scripture the same applied to the apostles they were no different to us in that sense
The Transfiguration of our risen Lord had been prophesied of in what the apostle calls the prophetic word we know it as of the Old Testament. To find it we look to Deuteronomy at chapter.18:15; 19. This prophecy is realised or finds its fulfillment in the Gospel of Matthew. (Mtt.17.1ff.)Through out the Old Testament Christ and His coming kingdom had been prophesied of the apostle Peter with James and John had witnessed the coming of that on the Mount of Transfiguration of our risen Lord.
Confirmed. It was now a reality Christ’s Kingdom had come despite false teachers denying this very fact as many do until the Day of the Lord when He will come and everyone will see Him.
A very stern and serious warning comes from the heart and the mind of the apostle a challenge to change their course of action to take heed of what he is saying to them because at the moment they are in deep darkness. The light still continues to shine in the darkness it has not completely went out there is still hope being held out to them but it is their responsibility to gravitate to the light which is of course Jesus Christ our Lord If you once knew Jesus Christ as your Lord and for whatever reason you decided to go on your own path He is still there for you all you have to do is ask for forgiveness and repent from your actions and He will show you mercy as He does to all of His people exactly what the apostle is saying to the false teachers.
“…..until the day dawns and the morning star rises…” This could be the star which is spoken of in the book of Numbers which I believe the apostle eludes too. (Num.24:17) The star who will come out of the house of Jacob I believe as Peter believes here that this is none other than Jesus Christ who is also the morning star and the Lord.
At the end of the verse Peter talks to them about the day that will dawn and the Morning Star will rise in their hearts. The day will come when Christ will return that day will dawn and He will rise in our hearts the visibility of Him to those who are His saints will be complete. What a great day that will be for those who love the Lord and have given our hearts and lives to Him. Not only His people but all the nations of the world.
No one better than Paul the apostle in regard to his Lord and ours could have coined it better. I.Cor.12:13. “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am also known...”
(20) I have already spoken of the fact that the prophetic Scriptures and the interpretation or understanding of is not private and for the exclusive use for any individual The Holy Spirit gives the same interpretation to all of God’s people who read His Word.
The apostle hits this one right on the head and stops it there and then although many will try and say that they do have this exclusive right which runs contrary to the fact.
(21) Not my understanding or interpretation but the understanding the Holy Spirit has laid upon my spirit the same understanding He gives to all my brothers and sisters in Christ... I will end this section by reading this verse by the great apostle Peter. “For prophecy never came by the will of men,but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit”
Doctrinal Error that Leads to Destruction 2:1-3
(1) The author brings a very grim warning that we must be ever vigilant concerning our walk with God and to be careful to what we listen too.
Look at the tone and severity of the opening of this verse the apostle writes, “But there were false prophets among the people,” Not there will be they were already there.
Our risen glorified Lord warned that this would happen after He had ascended to heaven. ( Mtt.24:24.) “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Adding already to this horrendous inclusion there will be false teachers. Of these people the apostle Paul had this to say in his first letter to Timothy. ( I.Timothy.4:2,) “….speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,” Not my words the words of the apostle Paul as he was led by the Holy Spirit. A further damming indictment is brought against them about their actions from the pen of Peter. “ …who will secretly bring in destructive heresies..”
The word heresies come from the Greek terminology haireseis and it is very important we understand this for the up building of our common faith. What it means is to choose.Orignally it meant not only to choose but have an opinion too.
This would continue to having a preference because of an opinion and a sentiment
It slipped into the mode of self will causing disunity choosing sides picking what you believe and that in turn causes dissension where have we heard this before rings a familiar bell but Peter is spot on the nose. To correct this from happening we all must submit ourselves to reading the truth of God’s Word being submissive to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He speaks to us. The alternative is too unbearable to think of.
The apostle goes on to accuse them of denying the Lord. I wonder what the apostle is reaching for when he writes about denial. To deny the Lord is a very grave matter and it concerns all who belong to Christ’s church.
We turn to Jude for an explanation and at verse 4 “ For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
It is very interesting how the English language came into being not a pure language because it borrowed words from different cultures and different nations and used them to mean something entirely different from its original sense. The reason why I speak of this at this point is that the word Lord in Greek is despos from which the English language gets its word despot and all the bad connotations that comes with that from the English language. Despos in the Greek sense as in how God would want us to understand is that He is Lord and we must totally submit ourselves to Him to His will over our lives not out of fear and terror because He is not that kind of God but with gladness and rejoicing. Submissiveness to the will of God is the key to grow in truth and knowledge of God by this method we are able to please Him.
“….the Lord who bought them…” So they had known the Lord and had tasted of heaven the
What are we to look for in regard to these false prophets to stop us from being led from the truth of the gospel of Christ because in these last days this will increase as it has done.
When a prophet or prophetess brings a false word from God it will lead us away from Him ending up in spiritual decline and the fall of moral behaviour. The prophet Jeremiah received a word from the Lord warning him that this would happen. ( Jer.23:32.) “Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “ and tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies and their recklessness. Yet I did not send them, or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the Lord.
To determine what is true and false there are things that God has put in place for our guidance
It must strengthen the Word of God which will in turn guide me to Christ as Lord and give me a love for the people of God the church of Christ. Furthermore meet the criteria of the teaching of the Bible. Make my trust in God strong that which we call faith in return gives me an honourable pursuit in life. Stop me from doing that which I know to be wrong and encourage purity and righteousness in my life. Finding confirmation and affirmation of my faith by godly men and women. Building up the faith of others by allowing the Holy Spirit to use me by strengthening them by whatever He would say to them through me and vice versa.
(2)Unfortunately there will be many who will not subscribe or conform to the path the Lord wants them to take. There is no way back for those who blaspheme the work of the Holy Spirit
(3) Covetousness and deception work hand in hand in this case deceptive words saying one thing and meaning another jealous of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that can be seen in you and the fruit of the Spirit that everyone can see not realising that they are for the mutual benefit of us all including the gifts they possess the up building and the edification of the body of Christ the church of which we are members.
