2 Peter 1 is the first chapter of the
Second Epistle of Peter in the
New Testament of the
ChristianBible. The author identifies himself as "Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ" and the epistle is traditionally attributed to
Peter the Apostle, but some writers argue that it is the work of Peter's followers in
Rome between the years 70 and 100.[1][2][3]
There is an obvious relationship between the texts of 2 Peter and the
Epistle of Jude.[8] The shared passages are:[9]
2 Peter
Jude
1:5
3
1:12
5
2:1
4
2:4
6
2:6
7
2:10–11
8–9
2:12
10
2:13–17
11–13
3:2-3
17-18
3:14
24
3:18
25
Salutation (1:1–2)
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 Saviour Jesus Christ:[10]
"Simon" (
Biblical Greek: Συμεὼν, Symeōn,[11] a transliteration of the Hebrew name):
Acts 15:14, similarly, reads Συμεὼν, Symeōn. The name is used together with "Peter" (as in
Matthew 16:16) as a reminder of 'the change grace had brought about in the apostle's life'.[12]
"A servant and an apostle":
1 Peter 1 uses only the second title, whereas
Jude uses the first.[12] The word δοῦλος (doulos) is translated as "bondservant" in the
New King James Version.[13] The apostle adopts these titles to emphasize his authority as someone who is merely a slave but fully commissioned by his Master for his work.[12]
"Obtained" (Greek: λαχοῦσιν, lachousin[11]) or "received",[14] with a meaning of "obtained by lot", implying "grace", not "merit", as the source of this gift.[12]
"like precious faith" is read as "equally precious" by
Johann Bengel, aeque pretiosam in his original Latin,[15] from which he elaborates that "the faith of those who have seen Jesus Christ, as Peter and the rest of the apostles, and of those who believe without having seen Him, [are] equally precious, flowing from Jesus Christ: it lays hold of the same righteousness and salvation".[16]
A call to spiritual growth (1:3–11)
As
Christians have obtained the "power" and "promise" for their resources, Peter urges that they "make every effort" (verse 5) to achieve the goal, that is "to grow to be like Jesus", following the steps towards it (verses 5–7):[17]
"The holy mountain": the mountain was sacred because it became 'the scene of a divine revelation' (cf.
Exodus 3:5;
19:23).[20]
Verse 21
For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.[21]
The
King James Version adds wording, "the prophecy came not in old time".[22]E. H. Plumptre argues against the additional word 'the': "the
article before 'prophecy' in the Greek simply gives to the noun the generic sense which is better expressed in English by the absence of the article".[23] Duff relates such 'prophecy' to the
Old Testament;[24] Plumptre suggests that the meaning of 'old time' is "wider in its range than the English words, and takes in the more recent as well as the more distant past, and is therefore [also] applicable to the prophecies of the Christian ... Church".[23]
^Davids, Peter H (1982). Marshall, I Howard; Gasque, W Ward (eds.). The Epistle of James. New International Greek Testament Commentary (repr. ed.). Grand Rapids,
MI: Eerdmans.
ISBN0-80282388-2.
^Evans, Craig A (2005). Evans, Craig A (ed.). John, Hebrews-Revelation. Bible Knowledge Background Commentary. Colorado Springs,
CO: Victor.
ISBN0-78144228-1.
^Nongbri, "The Construction of P. Bodmer VIII and the Bodmer 'Composite' or 'Miscellaneous' Codex," 396
Duff, Jeremy (2007). "78. 2 Peter". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.).
The Oxford Bible Commentary (1st pbk. ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 1270–74.
ISBN978-0-19927718-6. Retrieved February 6, 2019.