2 Peter

An inductive study

Canon?

• Greek “Kanon” = rule / measurement

• Early church fathers examined these two books:– Apostolic authorship– Content consistent with rest of NT teaching

First Canon

• Apostle John > Polycarp > Irenaeus

• 2 Peter & Jude not part of their collections

• Marcion = Heretic: put together his own “canon”

• 170AD = 1st canon = Muratorian canon:– Jude in– 1&2 Peter, James, Hebrews out

First Canon

• 313AD Constantine declared Christianity as state religion

• Eusebius (church historian) put together another canon:– James, 2 Peter, 2&3 John out

Canons

• 367AD Athanasius (Bishop of Alexandria I Egypt) made final canon, confirmed by many councils afterward

• BUT Protestant reformation leaders like Erasmus, John Calvin & Luther doubted if 2 Peter should have been included

• All were in circulation

Apocrypha

• Lots of heresies:– 17 gospels (gospel of… eg Thomas)– 27 works of Acts (Acts of …)– 8 epistles (eg 3 Corinthians)

• Apocrypha: Greek “hidden things”

Apocrypha value

• Historic value– Peter crucified upside down– Thomas as missionary to India

• BUT use with wisdom– Contradicts NT theology– Propagated heresy– Lack of historical support

Author 2 Peter

• 1:1 Simon Peter

• 1:16-18: witness to transfiguration

• 3:15: counts Paul as fellow worker

1 & 2 Peter

• Similarities:– Christ central, 2nd coming

• 1Pe 4:5,7,17, 2Pe 3:8-13

– Noah• God’s mercy (3:20) vs God’s judgment (2:5, 3:6)

– Christian growth important• 1Pe 2:1-3, 2Pe 1:5-8, 3:18

1 & 2 Peter

• BUT:– 2 Pet 3:1 warning against false teachers– 1 Peter = about persecution, suffering

• Maybe another letter

1 & 2 PeterSame author, different OR

• Similar beginning, similar way of addressing its audience

• Messages about salvation• Eternal perspective and theme of

sanctification is NB• Repeat the elements of prophetic

confirmations on the faith – gospel• Allude to OT, both use flood motif

Date

• Church tradition - Peter was crucified upside down around 67 AD

• 1:14: in prison, awaiting death

• Future tense (Jude present tense)

Historical setting

• Pre-gnosticism:– seed of False teaching– word ‘Licentiousness’ repeated – Antinomianism = anti-law

• False teachers = ‘grace abusers’

• Excuse for licentiousness

Ch 1: True knowledge of God

• 2 types of knowledge:– Gnosis = general knowledge– Epignosis = knowledge of things divine &

ethical

• Peter: Epignosis: intimately knowing God• Fellowshipping with the Holy Spirit:

reveals Christ to us• Knowing Jesus truly as your friend

Ch 1: True knowledge of God

• 1:3: God is the Source who gives us the ability to know Him and to serve Him

• Called to:– Glory = salvation– Excellence = sanctification

Ch 1: True knowledge of God

• 1:5-7:– Faith = saving faith, being made righteous in

Christ– Supplement = contribute, nourish– Virtue: excellence, courage = sanctification– Knowledge = gnosis: general knowledge, of

His Word – nourishes relationship with Him

Ch 1: True knowledge of God

• 1:5-7– Self control: being tempered– Steadfastness = long suffering, patience: when

trials come, continue as long as trial endures– Godliness: to become Christ-like– Brotherly affection = Philadelphia – love for

the body of Christ– Love = Agape – Charity – unconditional love

for the world: called to be fruitful!

Christian growth

Saved: called to glory

Makes a stand: excellence

Grow in character

Knowledge Self control Steadfastness

Fruit of HS: godlinessTo be like God / Christ

Philadephia Agape

Ch 1: True knowledge of God

• Emphasis on fruitfulness / effectiveness

• #7 mentioned: number of completeness

• Make calling & election sure: not by works, but by making relationship with God meaningful

1:19 – “morning star”

• Oracle of Balaam: Num 24:17

• Predicting Messiah

• Revelation 22:16: Jesus is called “the Bright Morning star”

• ‘Day’ refers to 2nd coming (Ch 3 focus)

Contrast: Ch 1 vs 2

• Chapter 1– Jesus pulls people by

his light out of the world

– Ends with truth of Jesus

• Confirmed by eyewitnesses

• Confirmed by prophetic word

• Chapter 2– False teachers pulls

people back into the world

– Begins with lies of false teachers

Ch 2: False Teachers

• Colourcode:• Note false teaching

– Money (orange)– Immorality (green)– Speech (blue)– Rebellion (brown)

• Box-in the historical examples of judgement # Sodom & Gomorrah

Ch 2: False Teachers : sins

• For money (greed): Balaam (2Pe & Jude)• For immorality: Sodom & Gomorrah (2Pe &

Jude). A good person is mentioned also: Lot (2Pe)

• For speech: False Prophets (2Pe) and a good example is given: Michael the archangel (Jude). & maybe also: Ancient world of Noah (2Pe) that was doomed but then also an example of a good person is given: Noah (2Pe)

Ch 2: False Teachers : sins

• For rebellion: Angels who sinned (2Pe) & Hebrews in wilderness right after their exodus (Jude). Korah (Jude)

Ch 2: False TeachersOT judgement

• Balaam was rebuked for his greed• False prophets in the OT were destroyed and

Noah’s world got flooded because of slander• Sodom & Gomorrah went up in smoke because

of their immorality• The Israelites died in the wilderness (Jude), the

angels left the heavens because of rebellion (2Pe)

Example #1: False prophets in OT

• False prophets in OT > also in NT• Found out by prophesies not being fulfilled• False teachers, that is where the real

danger lies… • False prophets are judged because slander,

even angels would not dare to do such a thing (2Pe 2:11), even Michael would not do such a thing (Jude 9)

Example # 2: Angels sinned2 Interpretations

• Source: book of Enoch

• Gen 6:1-4: angels procreated with humans

• Math 22:30 contradicts this view (Jesus says angels do not marry)

• Revelation: fall & rebellion of Satan

• Luke 10:18, Rev 12:4 & 9 • Jewish literature have

accepted a Greek myth pertaining hell reserved not only for humans but also angels. This hell was called Tartarus

• Jude 6 & 2 Pet 2:4: punishment for bad angels

Example #3: The people during Noah’s time sinned

• Punishment on the unrighteous

• Salvation of the godly (Noah)

Example #4: Sodom & Gomorrah

• God judges the ungodly and rescues whomever He can

2:10b-19: Nature / character of False Teachers

• 2:1– False– Act in secret– Bring destruction

• 3:5-8– willfully ignore the facts– scoff at the idea of 2nd coming

2:10b-19: Nature / character of False Teachers

• 1:18-2:1– twisted OT’s and Pauline writings– Twisted doctrine of free grace (Jude 4 )

• 2:14– entice unsteady souls– prey on the weak– promoting their lifestyles on them

2:10b-19: Nature / character of False Teachers

• 2:10, 3:17:– despise authority– antinomianism = “anti-law”

• 2:1:– deny the lordship of Jesus

• slaves of corruption

• live licentiously

Metaphors: False Teachers

• 2:12 – Irrational animals – ruled by passions & instincts, destined to be killed & eaten > judgement

• 2:13 – Blots & blemishes - impure• 2:17 – Waterless springs – think you can

find water, but empty• 2:17 – Mist driven by wind – mist that

looks like rain, but ends in nothing

Danger of False Teachers

• Math 7:15 – looks true

• Acts 20:29 – wants to devour, personal gain, a promotor, people pleasers

• 2:20: loose salvation?

Ch 3: Judgement Day

• 3:5-6 – world that was

• 3:7-9 – world that is = “we are here”

• 3:10-13 – world that is to come

Ch 3: Judgement DayGrace of God

• 3:8: Don’t try to fit God into our time tables!• 3:9: God’s heart: ALL to be saved – never too

late!• “like a thief in the night” = unexpectedly• Forshadow of judgement:

– Flood

– Sodom & Gomorrah

• New heavens, new earth, only righteousness!

Ch 3: Called to be holy

• Spot or blemish:– Ef 5:27– Ex 12:5

• GROW IN THE GRACE OF GOD