Second Peter
Second Peter is a letter of warning – from an authority none other than the courageous, experienced, and faithful apostle. And it is the last communication from this great warrior of Christ. Soon thereafter he would die, martyred for the faith.
While Peter wrote his first letter to teach about handling persecution (trials from without), he wrote this letter to teach about handling heresy (trials from within). False teachers are often subtly deceitful. Believers today must still be vigilant against falling into false doctrine, heresy, and cult activity. This letter gives us clues to help detect false teaching.
Addressed to those who “have received a faith as precious as ours,” Second Peter could have been written to us. Our world is filled with false prophets and teachers who claim to have the truth and who clamor for attention and allegiance. Listen carefully to Peter‘s message and heed his warning. Determine to grow in your knowledge of Christ and to reject all those who preach anything inconsistent with God’s Word.
Writer of Second Peter
Certain references in Second Peter indicate Petrine authorship: The author identifies himself as Simon Peter, an apostle (1:1); he claims to have been with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration (1:16-18); he had written a previous letter to the people to whom Second Peter is addressed (3:1); and he uses many words and phrases similar to those found in First Peter. These factors point to Second Peter as a genuine work of the apostle Peter.
Date Written
About A. D. 65. Written from an unspecified location. The book does not indicate whether or not Peter was still in Babylon. Peter’s letter gives instruction and exhortation from the apostle as he nears the end of his life. According to early church tradition, Peter was martyred in Rome during the reign of Nero. If tradition is reliable, then his death occurred before A.D. 68, when Nero died.
To Whom Written
To “them who have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1).
Purpose of Second Peter
The purpose of Second Peter was to remind the believers who were scattered among the nations of the truths they had learned when they had first believed, to warn them against false teachers and false brothers, and to encourage them that God’s long delay in fulfilling His promises does not prove that they will not be fulfilled or that He will never come.
The answer to encroaching error is steadfastness through growing in the knowledge of the Lord. The letter opens and closes with the theme of cultivating Christian maturity. “Knowledge” in Second Peter is more than intellectual perception. It is an experience of God and Christ that results in moral transformation. This is the true gnosis (knowledge), which combats heretical Gnostic influence. The basis for that knowledge is the Scriptures, called the “prophetic word” and the apostolic teaching.
Scripture Study Resources
ESV Study Bible – Study Bibles give you a deeper understanding of God’s Word with tools for life application like commentary, maps, charts, concordance, and study notes. Search our popular translations- NIV, ESV, NKJV, KJV and more!
Believer’s Bible Commentary: Second Edition – A Bible commentary is a written, systematic series of explanations and interpretations of Scripture. Commentaries often analyze or expound on individual books of the Bible, chapter by chapter and verse by verse. Some commentary works provide analysis of the whole of Scripture.
The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible – The best concordance for word study! This exclusive new edition of a legendary classic puts generations of biblical research at your fingertips. A valuable tool for pastors, teachers, and students of the Bible.
Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – This classic word study resource allows you to study the meaning of biblical words in the original languages without spending years learning Greek or Hebrew. A great resource for students, seasoned pastors, and anyone who enjoys biblical word studies–even if they have little to no formal training in Hebrew or Greek.
Halley’s Bible Handbook – The beloved and classic Bible companion has been thoroughly updated, while retaining its time-honored features and Dr. Halley’s highly personal style, to offer even greater clarity, insight, and usefulness.
Click here to print or download the scripture outline “Second Peter: Beware False Teachers“
