Chapter 1 – “KNOW YOUR SALVATION. ”
Know the Truth – it makes and keeps you free. “Knowledge” is mentioned in some form, 16 times.
Verse 2. Grace and Peace multiplied in your growth of knowing the Lord and His Word by personal intimacy – our walk in the light of the Lord and His Word. Walk in Truth; walk in the Light; walk in love. (1st letter of John themes). (Consider how bank-staff study genuine notes to detect counterfeit notes).
Peter deals positively with faith, then fruit.
Verses 3-4. The Lord has provided (“granted with great generosity”) all that we need to grow from our new birth onwards. (1 Peter 1:23).”His Divine power has granted Divine precious promises. We are partakers of Divine nature, by God’s own virtue,v.3. We are sons and daughters of God Almighty. There is no excuse possible for lack of growth and spiritual progress. God’s provision leads to the production of healthy life. Phil. 2:13.
“Escaped”- Gk. “apopheugo” – ‘to escape by flight – run away from corruption in the world’. The purposeful result is in v.8. ‘Neither barren or unfruitful’. To” be godly” is to live reverently, loyally and obediently. READ Titus 2:12-14.
Verses 5 to 7. “Supply” is better than “add”, i.e.’ to your faith, supply virtue, etc.’ Gk. is “epichoregeo”, a word employed in the presentation of Greek tragedies. It originally meant to bear the expense of a chorus, which was done by a selected person obliged to defray all the expense of training and maintenance. It was a duty that prompted lavish execution of that duty. The word ‘choregeo’ came to mean ‘supplying costs for any purpose, more than generously’.
In nature, a tree does not produce frit until it supplies sap activity to produce leaves first from the bud. Then the flower and fruit follow in a healthy tree (Think of what Jesus said about good and bad trees in Matthew’s Gospel). We, as Believers, have a healthy responsibility to respond and supply a developing attitude, co-operating with the Holy Spirit in fruit-bearing. Abide in Christ, bearing fruit (John 15), joined to the True Vine. He has called and appointed us to Glory. Glorified new bodies are promised – result is fully redeemed and regaled as kings and priests. Royalty and adoption is our final part of adoption. See Romans 8:18-21.
This is living and applying the promised protection in v.8 because God has supplied all that we need (vs.3-4) to live well-pleasing to Him, growing in Grace provided to keep us safe from deception and pitfalls.
The affection to be shown to others in Christ is ‘philadelphia’ – affection for brothers, saturated with charity, or better, love. The Gk. word is ‘agape’ , Divine love which God is as to His nature, produced in the heart of the yielded Believer by the Holy Spirit, which impels him to deny himself for the benefit of the one loved.
The word ‘abound’ in v.8 is ‘pleonazo’, used of one possessing the sense of ‘super-abounding’. The Spirit-filled life is the overflowing life, like an artesian well whose source is higher than its outflow, the outflow being spontaneous.
“Barren” in v.8 means useless, unfruitful, unfulfilling in the spiritual realm, unproductive comparable with and indistinguishable from an unbeliever.
Verse 9. A sad short-sightedness (Rev.3:14), lacking discernment about his spiritual condition. Either screwing his eyes up against the bright light of the Word of God, or blinking and blindly shutting the eyes against the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Such a person has taken his eyes off the cross, forgetting the awful fact of the cross and atoning death of Christ which brought him to salvation in the first instance. He has lost his vital focus – the Saviour – a shameful situation. Christ is worthy of total allegiance.
Verse 10. Central challenge, take great care. Gk. ‘spoudazo’- do your best, bend to every effort. Know your place and position in Christ. You are safe and secure, stable and firmly held by God the Father – in His secure arms and by Christ the Son also (John 10). Fulfil all the challenges and commands because of God’s supreme Grace, vs. 2-8. THEN such a believer will never weaken, wobble, worry or waste away, as a feeble member of the flock, vulnerable to wolves and predator deceivers lurking, ready to pounce and injure the weak one.
Verse 11. Glorious result – flying all flags, entering the final haven and harbour like a sailing ship ,finally home through the stormy seas of life. What a welcome awaits, cheered on by a great cloud of witnesses already home. What joy for the war-weary Christian, defender of the Faith, standing for the Truth. A rich reward is ready.
Christians do not ‘retain’ salvation as if it may be possible for salvation to slip from our grasp. No. We possess salvation and the Lord possesses and keeps us in His grasp, grip and Grace. The Father keeps us and the Son keeps us (John 10) ‘Jude instructs us to ‘keep ourselves in the love of God’. Jude 21. This is our part, also.
The Greek word ‘tereo’ has nothing to do with salvation. It means to ‘attend to carefully, take care and guard’. Stay within the sphere of the love of God. Jude 20 is most valid here. ‘Beloved, build up yourselves in your most holy faith (similar to 2 Peter 1 here), pray in the Holy Spirit, i.e. stay attuned to the promptings and urges of the Holy Spirit –‘to pray without ceasing’, 1st Thess. 5:23 . Keep yourselves, constantly abiding, within the peculiar love of God for His own, with regard to the building up of faith, love and fellowship harmony, with the Lord and between ourselves, through obeying the Word of God’s instructions.
Keep yourselves in this place (positional sanctification is unchangeable, practical sanctification is growth. This is nothing to do with salvation experience, this positional sanctification is eternal and unchangeable. We all need to grow). In this place and position the Father and the Son can shower blessings associated with His love for us.
Live such lives that you keep yourself in the place of blessing. Sin never stops God from loving you, but it can prevent Him from blessing you.
Ch.1:12-21. Know the Scriptures.
Verses 12 to15. A reminder of faith based on present Truth. Be well grounded in the Word, vs. 12,13,15.
Peter is aware that his martyrdom is near. See John 21:18-19. He wrote this letter ‘shortly’ before his death (14). This would be AD67-68. Perhaps he wrote this letter from prison in Rome with a sense of urgency. (Paul wrote 2nd. Timothy as his last letter also). Peter wants to stir Believers up, activate them, rousing them up, reminding them of their responsibilities in vs. 1-11, as Peter acknowledges this by writing this letter.
Verse 15. “Decease” is “exodus” – the “road out” from earth to heaven. Jesus spoke of His “exodus” or “decease” in Luke 9:31, at the Transfiguration which Peter goes on to refer to himself as a witness of it in vs.16-18.
Verse 16. Peter reminds his readers and ourselves that he is a witness to the Truth and fulfilment of promise and prophecy and not relating made-up stories and that he is writing Truth, not lies of human fabrication. Peter is not a deceiver, but deliberately emphasizing historic and prophetic truth concerning the lord Jesus Christ whom the Father spoke of Him as ‘His Beloved Son’ at the Transfiguration, to which Peter refers himself as an eye witness and an ear-witness of the Son’s Shekinah Glory – His magnificence of Majesty, – “megaleiotetos”. Peter links the first coming of Christ with His second coming – “parousia” – personal presence of a King. See Matthew 24:27,37,39 & ch.25:31. He will come with great power and Glory (power is ‘dunamis’ – inherent power in a Person). False teachers and the world at large mock this Truth scornfully. See 2 Peter ch. 3:3-4.
See also 1st Peter 1:7 & 13, plus ch.4:13. Note the “we” – 3 witnesses – Peter, James and John. You could also add that there are also another 3 witnesses – Jesus, Moses and Elijah.
Verses 17-18. This is enough to verify an incident . Also see Matthew ch.17. These disciples also witnessed His resurrection and ascension plus the promise of Christ’s second coming. See Acts 1:11. The had a glimpse of His Glory, anticipating His coming again as King and Majesty to reign and rule. The Transfiguration was a preview of the Kingdom and Glory, which is sure to come by Prophetic promise from the Word of God.
Verse 19. “Confirmation” – the event fulfilled the promise contained in the entire O.T., plus words by Jesus and the N.T. letters also.
Peter emphasizes the importance of Scripture above experience. Scripture is complete, permanent and authoritative, inspired and revealed by God the Holy Spirit. 2nd Timothy 3:16-17 also backs up 2 Peter 1:20-21 here. It is reliable and trustworthy. This is in total contrast to false teachers and their ‘experiential’ claims through ‘signs and wonders’.
No – Peter writes a ‘sure Word’.
“Take heed”, i.e. take great care to heed and hear Truth from the Word of God and Christ our sure Foundation, built upon Him and our most holy Faith. Jude 20.
Disregard fanciful false teaching that has no foundation.
The Word is a lamp and a light. Psalm 119:105 of revelation – a torch of illumination Truth. The Light of the Word shines in the darkness which can never extinguish it (John 1:5) until is coming in Person – the Word and the Light to shine more brightly and completely in each Believer. “We shall see Him as He is and be like Him”, 1st John 3:1-2. For now, 1st Peter 1:7(b)-9 is true.
We will then have perfect knowledge. For the moment we see through a dark glass only and not the perfect and clear shining of the light and understanding. For now we can totally rely on witness backed up by the Word of God. Then, in the future, the Day will dawn and the Morning Star will arise in our hearts” to give perfect light and understanding. Then we shall know as we are known by the Lord. Faith will be turned to sight.
Verse 20. “Knowing this first” – prioritise OT Prophecy. There was little of the NT written and available by AD 67-68.
“Private interpretation”- not one’s unloosing or unlocking (Gk. ‘epilusis’ Scripture prophecy. It is the enlightening, revealing, illuminating work of the Holy Spirit to explain what is obscure and hard to understand (Greek expansion here).
The inspired prophet and writer grasped Prophetic Truth as revealed to him and wrote accordingly, (READ Hebrews 1:1-3) , not that of the reader, as v.21 says, “prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit”.
The false prophet and false teacher does not have any of this. This v.21 is the only reference to the Holy Spirit in this letter. READ 1st Cor.2:9-16. No room for human reasoning here.
Illumination is the act of God the Holy Spirit enabling the Believer to understand the Truth given by revelation and by inspiration and for the writer to choose the right words to write the Word of God in the original languages – hence the term’ verbal inspiration’.
As the Believer lives close to the Lord Jesus, controlled by the Holy Spirit, he is constantly being warned against false doctrines with which he is confronted. Paul called false teaching, “Doctrine of demons” in 1st Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” (AV). How true that is today.
READ Proverbs 3:5-6; 1st Cor.14:36-37 & 1st Thess.2:13.
Comment on ‘star’. Numbers 24:17. Linked with ‘sceptre’. This refers to the future coming of Israel’s King Messiah.
Luke 1:78. “Dayspring or Dawn from on High has visited us” – and will come again. This is a Messianic reference. See Isaiah 60:1-3, “Arise, shine for your Light is come and the Glory of the LORD is risen upon you…His Glory shall be seen upon you, Gentiles shall come to your Light and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Malachi 4:2, “To you that fear My Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings…”
Rev.22:16. “Root and offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star”, also Rev. 2:26-28, “he that overcomes and keeps my works to the end…I will give him the Morning Star”. This is the brightest star announcing the arrival of day – i.e. God’s Glorious Day, which shatters the darkness of man’s night.