19. Second Peter

Printer-friendly version

19. SECOND PETER

I. OUTLINE

1. Salutation. 1:1,2.

2. Saving Faith. 1:3-21.

A. Knowing Christ. 1:3-11.

B. Apostolic Message. 1:12-21.

3. Destructive Teachings. 2:1-22.

A. Heretics. 2:1-3.

B. Lawlessness of Heretics. 2:4-22.

4. Prophecy and Tradition. 3:1-17.

A. Orthodox Christianity. 3:1-10.

B. Christian Living. 3:11-17.

5. Benediction. 3:18.

II. AUTHORSHIP

1. Style and every other criterion suggest that Peter did not write this epistle.

2. Second Peter really belongs with such other books as "Gospel of Peter," "Acts of Peter," "Teaching of Peter," and the "Preaching of Peter."

3. The author knew about the four Gospels and Paul's letters. He knew about Jude and 1 Peter.

4. He knew about the false gospels of Marcionism and Gnosticism.

5. The date is uncertain, but may be well into the second century.

6. It was written from Rome.

III. PURPOSE

1. To combat false teachings; to uphold the adventist doctrine.

2. To keep free from all "worldly pollutions."

3. "Knowledge" is the key word of this epistle.

4. Stress is put upon the very great and precious promises. 1:4.

5. The keynote is to arouse faith in the immediate second coming of Christ.

IV. SELECTED TEXTS

1. Growth in grace. "Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love." 1:5-7.

2. Inspiration. "No prophecy ever came by the impulse of man, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." 1:21.

3. False liberty. "They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for whatever overcomes a man, to that he is enslaved." 2:19.

4. The advent faith. "And saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things have continued as they were from the beginning of creation.'" 3:4.

5. Length of one day. "With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." 3:8.

6. The divine grace. "The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." 3:9.

7. The day of the Lord. "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up." 3:10.

8. New heavens. "But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." 3:13.

9. Grow in grace. "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 3:18.