2 Peter
The Epistles of Peter 2 Peter 1 Introduction
OUTLINE
Key theme:Spiritual knowledge
Key verse:2 Peter 1:3
2 Peter 1:1–11Knowing and Growing
2 Peter 1:12–21Wake Up and Remember!
2 Peter 2:1–9Beware of Counterfeits
2 Peter 2:10–16Marked Men
2 Peter 2:17–22False Freedom
2 Peter 3:1–10Scoffing at the Scoffers
2 Peter 3:11–18Be Diligent!
I. EXPLANATION: THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST (1)
A. The gift of knowledge—1:1–4
B. The growth in knowledge—1:5–11
C. The ground of knowledge—1:12–21
II. EXAMINATION: THE FALSE TEACHERS (2)
A. Their condemnation—2:1–9
B. Their character—2:10–17
C. Their claims—2:18–22
III. EXHORTATION: THE TRUE CHRISTIAN (3)
A. Be mindful—3:1–7
B. Be not ignorant—3:8–10
C. Be diligent—3:11–14
D. Beware—3:15–18
- -8 The Census Decree of CAESAR AUGUSTUS.
- -6 The Annunciation to MARY in Nazareth.
JOHN THE BAPTIST was born about September to ZACHARIAS and ELISABETH.
Judea became a sub-province of Syria.
- -5 Our LORD, JESUS the CHRIST was born in Bethlehem about April.
- -4 Wise Men from the East sought the child JESUS.
HEROD THE GREAT killed the children of Bethlehem and executed his son ANTIPATER a few days before he died in March at Jericho.
He was succeeded by HEROD ANTIPAS in Galilee.
HEROD ARCHAELAUS ruled Judea.
HEROD PHILIP ruled Iturea.
- 8 JESUS, age 12, was at the Temple in Jerusalem.
- 10 SAUL (PAUL the Apostle) was born in Tarsus.
- 17 Major earthquake in Asia Minor.
- 25 JOHN THE BAPTIST began his ministry.
JESUS was baptized in the Jordan River by JOHN.
- 26 JESUS began His Galilean ministry.
HEROD'S Temple in Jerusalem was completed.
PONTIUS PILATE was appointed procurator of Judea.
- 27 JESUS began His Judean ministry.
JOHN THE BAPTIST was beheaded by HEROD.
- 29 JESUS was crucified, buried and resurrected in April (Passover).
Jesus ascended in May, 40 days later .
In June, 10 days following Jesus ascension, the Holy Spirit came upon and into Jesus followers (Pentecost)
JUDAS ISCARIOT, who had betrayed JESUS for 30 pieces of silver, hanged himself and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.
PHILIP traveled to Scythia in southern Russia where he ministered for 20 years.
- 30 JAMES, son of ZEBEDEE, traveled to Spain where he established churches.
- 33 The Church at Jerusalem held a leading position in the Christian community.
SIMON PETER went to Antioch, established a church and stayed there for 7 years.
- 36 STEPHEN was stoned to death, becoming the first Christian martyr.
SAUL (PAUL the Apostle) was converted on the road to Damascus.
- 37 PAUL was at Damascus. FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS was born.
MATTHEW wrote his gospel. Some date this later around 50AD (We favor this early date.)
- 38 PAUL fled from Damascus, went to Jerusalem, then to Tarsus.
- 44 PAUL was at Antioch. The disciples of Christ were first called "Christians" at Antioch.
SIMON PETER went to Caesarea from Joppa and CORNELIUS was converted.
JAMES, son of ZEBEDEE, was beheaded by HEROD ANTIPAS.
HEROD AGRIPPA I died, eaten of worms, at age 54.
- 45 PAUL, BARNABAS and JOHN MARK visited Jerusalem from Antioch.
JAMES wrote his epistle.MATTHEW went to Persia.
- 46 PAUL was at Antioch.
- 48 PAUL and BARNABAS began their first missionary journey.
- 49 THOMAS, JUDE and BARTHOLOMEW went to India where they ministered in Nisibis, Malebar, Socotora, Camboia and Mogar. They even went to Cataio, Bisnaga and China.
- 50 PAUL and BARNABAS attended the Council at Jerusalem.
- 51 PAUL and SILAS began a second missionary journey.
PAUL met the Gentile physician, LUKE at Troas.
BARNABAS and JOHN MARK ministered in Syria and Cilicia.
- 52 PAUL wrote "First Thessalonians" from Corinth.
THOMAS was killed in Cranganore, India by Brahmin priests who knocked him to the ground and stuck him through with a lance.
GAMALIEL the Pharisee died.
CLAUDIUS expelled the Jews from Rome.
- 53 PAUL wrote "Second Thessalonians" from Corinth.
- 54 PAUL and SILAS began a third missionary journey.
PHILIP, age 87, having ministered in France, was pierced through the thighs and hung upside down on a cross until he died at Heliopolis in Phrygia..
- 55 PAUL was at Ephesus. (The revolt of the Egyptian, Acts 21:38)
- 56 PAUL ministered at Ephesus.
- 57 PAUL wrote "First Corinthians" from Ephesus, "Second
Corinthians" from Macedonia, and "Galatians" from Corinth. - 58 PAUL wrote "Romans" from Corinth.
PAUL was arrested at Jerusalem and sent to Caesarea.
- 59 PAUL was tried before ANTONIUS FELIX at Caesarea.
- 60 PAUL was tried before FESTUS in Caesarea.
PAUL, sent as a prisoner to Rome, was shipwrecked on Malta.
LUKE wrote his gospel.
After having ministered in Persia, Egypt and Ethiopia, MATTHEW was slain in Egypt.
SIMON ZELOTES returned to Britain after having ministered through Egypt, Cyrene, North Africa, Carthage, Martonia, Lybia and Spain.
- 60-61 PAUL arrived at Rome.
LUKE wrote "Acts".
- ~60-62 PAUL, at Rome, wrote "Philemon", "Colossians",
"Ephesians" and "Philippians."
It was during this period that a major earthquake destroyed
Colossai and the surrounding cities in the area again.
- 62 ANANUS was made High Priest and had JAMES, brother of.Jesus, cast from a pinnacle of the Temple, showered with stones and finally his skull smashed and his brains beaten out with a fuller's club. He was buried on the Mount of Olives.
- 63 PAUL was released from prison at Rome and went to Macedonia and Asia Minor,
Paul wrote "First Timothy" from Macedonia and "Titus" from Ephesus.
- 64 PAUL visited Spain.
PETER wrote "First Peter" from 'Babylon'.
After having ministered with ANDREW in Armenia, MATTHIAS, the apostle who took JUDAS' place, returned to Jerusalem where he was stoned and beheaded.
A great fire burned Rome on July 19th.
NERO persecuted the Christians.
- 65 PAUL was in Spain and Britain. JOHN MARK wrote his gospel.
- 66 PAUL traveled from Spain to Asia Minor.
Masada on the Dead Sea was captured by the Jews.
VESPASIAN and his son TITUS led the Roman armies in Judea.
- 67 PETER wrote "Second Peter" and was crucified by NERO.
JOHN MARK went to Venice and to Alexandria, Egypt, where he founded a church.
- 68 HEBREWS was written, probably by PAUL.
PAUL was imprisoned in Rome and wrote "Second Timothy"shortly before he was beheaded in May by NERO.
JOHN MARK was dragged to death through the streets of
Alexandria, Egypt on Easter.
LAZARUS of Bethany ministered in Citium in Cyprus for 30 years, then traveled to Marseilles in Gaul where he spent 7 more years and also visited Britain. He retired to Cyprus where he died (again).
BARTHOLOMEW, after having ministered in India with THOMAS and JUDE and with PHILIP at Hierapolis, died after being beaten with clubs, flayed alive and crucified in Armenia by the priests of Albanus, led by ASTYAGES, the king's brother.
JUDE wrote his epistle.
VESPASIAN attacked Jerusalem.
JOSEPHUS wrote his "History of the Jewish War."
- 69 POLYCARP was born.
After having ministered in the foothills of the Caucasis mountains, to the Scythians in South Russia around the Black Sea, establishing churches in Scythia, Byzantium, Greece, Thrace, Macedonia and Patros, ANDREW was crucified at Achaia on a cross in the form of an "X", hanging there for three days before he died on the last day
of November.
LUKE, who had been ministering with ANDREW, was crucified at Patros, Greece by being hanged on an olive tree by the idolatrous priests.
- 70 VESPASIAN arrived at Rome.
TITUS, his son, with 80,000 men, captured and destroyed
Jerusalem in August. 700 Jewish prisoners were taken to Rome.
- 72 After ministering in Syria, Edessa and northern Persia, JUDE (THADDAEUS) was killed with a halberd at Edessaand was buried at Kara Kelesia.
SIMON ZELOTES was sawn asunder in Persia.
- 73 BARNABAS was killed by the Jews in Salamis on Cyprus.
- 74 MASADA fell to the Romans on April 15th.
- 76 JOSEPH of Ariamathea died in Britain and was buried at
Glastonbury.. - 79 Mt. Vesuvius erupted, destroying Pompeii and Herculaneum.
- 80 Rome was burned again.
- 85 JOHN wrote his Gospel.
- 90 JOHN wrote I John, II John and III John.
- 94 Roman persecution of Jewish and Christians.
Josephus' "Antiquities" was published.
- 95 JOHN was banished from Ephesus to Patmos by DOMITIAN where he wrote "Revelation".
During his banishment, TIMOTHY ministered at Ephesus.
- 96 JOHN was released from exile on Patmos by NERVA and returned to Ephesus.
- 97 TIMOTHY reproved the pagans of Ephesus for their idolatry. They fell upon him with clubs and beat him.
He died 2 days later from the beating.
JOHN the Apostle died at Ephesus on September 26th.
Peter’s second epistle was written shortly (3 years) after his first letter (as also Paul to Corinth, Thessalonika, and Timothy).
It was probably written after Paul’s death, somewhere between a.d. 64-68; Peter mentions “all his epistles” as being in circulation already.
This epistle has had a rough passage through the centuries.
It was considered second-class Scripture by Luther, rejected by Erasmus, and regarded with hesitancy by Calvin.
Despite some scholastic controversies (which we won’t bother to detail) by the 4th century it was well accepted throughout most of the world.
In Cave 7 at Qumran a papyrus fragment, 7Q5, appears to be part of Mark’s Gospel, comprising 6:52-53.
A tiny fragment (only 2 cm), 7Q10, found in the same cave has on it 6 letters in two lines which could come only from 2 Peter 1:15, if they come from the NT at all.
[Source: Jose O’Callaghan, “Los papirosgriegos de la cueva 7 de Qumran,” Madrid, Biblioteca de AutoresCristianos, 1974, pp. 74-75, plate v.]
It has been conjectured that this letter might have been a covering document to Mark’s Gospel to the Qumran community shortly before the Jewish War in a.d. 68 when the cave was closed.
Like all “second”epistles, it is corrective: it is the prophet or exhorter who speaks.
In his final message just prior to his martyrdom, Peter gives us some specific warnings concerning the oncoming apostasy that will sweep over Christendom.
The Two Epistles of Peter
The two epistles were linked to the two great experiences of his life:
The declaration of the building of the Church (Mt 16) and
The Transfiguration (Mt 17).
2 Peter
Precious
Knowledge
Through
Called / Calling
Multiplied / Add / Abundantly
Divine
Wherefore / Therefore
Power
Everlasting
Remembrance
Words / Preacher / Speak
Vexed
2 Peter
2Pe 1:1-21
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:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you
through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power
hath given unto us all things that pertain unto
life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him
that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this,
giving all diligence, add
to your faith virtue; and
to virtue knowledge; 6 And
to knowledge temperance; and
to temperance patience; and
to patience godliness; 7 And
to godliness brotherly kindness; and
to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you,
and abound,
they makeyou that ye shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful
in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind,
and cannot see afar off, and
hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren,
give diligence to make your
calling and
election sure:
for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you
abundantly
into the everlasting kingdom
of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always
in remembrance of these things,
though ye know them, and
be established in the present truth.
13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance;
14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle,
even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.
15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able
after my decease
to have these things always in remembrance.
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,
when we made known unto you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received from God the Father
honour and glory,
when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory,
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard,
when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy;
whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,
as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,
until the day dawn, and
the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first,
that no prophecy of the scripture
is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time
by the will of man: but
holy men of God spakeas they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
2Pe 2:1-22
1 But there were false prophets also among the people,
even as there shall be false teachers among you,
who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them, and
bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways;
by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness
shall they with feigned words
make merchandise of you:
whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and
their damnation slumbereth not.
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned,
but cast them down to hell, and
delivered them into chains of darkness,
to be reserved unto judgment;
5 And spared not the old world,
but saved Noah the eighth person,
a preacher of righteousness,
bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes
condemned them with an overthrow,
making them an ensample
unto those that after should live ungodly;
7 And delivered just Lot,
vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them,
in seeing and hearing,
vexedhis righteous soul from day to day
with their unlawful deeds;)
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly
out of temptations, and
to reserve the unjust
unto the day of judgment to be punished:
10 But chiefly them
that walk after the flesh
in the lust of uncleanness, and
despise government.
Presumptuous are they,selfwilled,
they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels,
which are greater in power and might,
bring not railing accusation against them
before the Lord.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts,
made to be taken and destroyed,
speak evil of the things that they understand not; and
shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness,
as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time.
Spots they are and
blemishes,
sporting themselves
with their own deceivings
while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and
that cannot cease from sin;
beguiling unstable souls:
an heart they have exercised with covetous practices;
cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and
are gone astray,
following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor,
who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity:
the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water,
clouds that are carried with a tempest;
to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity,
they allure through the lusts of the flesh,
through much wantonness,
those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty,
they themselves are the servants of corruption:
for of whom a man is overcome,
of the same is he brought in bondage.
20 For if after they have escaped
the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
they are again entangled therein,
and overcome,
the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them
not to have known the way of righteousness,
than, after they have known it,
to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb,
The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and
the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
2Pe 3:1-18
1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you;
in both which I stir up your pure minds
by way of remembrance:
2 That ye may be mindful of the words
which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and
of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
3 Knowing this first, that
there shall come in the last days
scoffers,
walking after their own lusts,
4 And saying,
Where is the promise of his coming?
for since the fathers fell asleep,
all things continue as they were
from the beginning of the creation.
5 For this they willingly are ignorant of,
that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and
the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was,
being overflowed with water, perished: