A.      To be victorious through faith in Jesus Christ, Christians will have to stand firm on the truth of God despite the constant barrage of false teachings and the ridicule of the world.

B.      In Peter’s first epistle, he provided instructions whereby Christians can be victorious over persecution through patient suffering and submission.  In his second epistle, Peter gives warnings against false, pernicious teachers, and he provides the motivation to be steadfast in the faith and intent upon spiritual growth.

C.      To begin this series from 2Peter entitled “Be on Your Guard,” this first lesson is intended to provide an introduction and background information on this epistle.

II.      BACKGROUND

A.      The author of this epistle is the apostle Peter.

                                                             1.      The author names himself explicitly in the first verse – “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ…”

                                                             2.      Peter’s authorship has been contested by some, but this epistle has been generally accepted as part of the biblical canon since the fourth century.

a.       Some scholars have contended that the writing style and use of the Greek language are different from 1Peter to 2Peter.  However, this is explained when we consider that 1Peter appears to have been written at Peter’s dictation to Silvanus (or Silas – 1Pet. 5:12), whereas 2Peter appears to have been written directly by Peter.

b.       Some have questioned the authenticity of 2Peter because it was not often quoted by early church writers the way other epistles were.  This is an argument from silence that cannot discredit the epistle.

c.        Others arguments have been made against 2Peter, but there is nothing truly invalid about the epistle.  The internal evidence (content, context, etc.) and external evidence (traditional authorship, acceptance by early Christians, etc.) are sufficient to accept Peter’s authorship.

B.      The original recipients of this letter appear to be the same as those who received Peter’s first epistle.

                                                             1.      Notice 3:1 – “This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you…”

                                                             2.      If 2Peter was indeed written to the same audience as 1Peter, then the original recipients of this letter were Christians scattered throughout Asia Minor.

a.       Peter addressed his first letter to “those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen” (1Pet.1:1).  These were Christians living in Roman provinces located in Asia Minor (modern Turkey).

b.       It appears that both Jewish and Gentile converts were among these Christians.

i.         Both the first and second epistles of Peter make various references to Old Testament events, which suggests Jewish readers.

ii.        However, the locations of these Christians and certain descriptions of them in 1Peter (see 1:14, 18; 2:9-10) indicate that there were more Gentile converts than Jews in their number.

C.      The date and place of Peter’s writing are not stated in the epistle, but we do know that Peter wrote this letter very late in his life.

                                                             1.      Notice how Peter anticipated his imminent death in 1:13-14 – “I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.”

                                                             2.      Tradition holds that Peter was put to death in Rome between A.D. 64 and 66.

a.       All we know for certain about Peter’s death is that which was spoken by Jesus.  Notice John 21:18-19.

“[Jesus said,] ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.’  Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death [Peter] would glorify God.  And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me!’”

b.       According to the tradition, Peter was crucified by the Romans.  He was positioned head-down at his own request, for he considered himself unworthy to die in the likeness of the Lord.

c.        If this tradition is true, then we would assume this letter was written just prior to the dates of A.D. 64 to 66 in the city of Rome.  However, this tradition likely spurious, for it is upheld mostly by the Roman Catholic church, which falsely teaches that Peter was the first pope.

III.   THEMES AND HIGHLIGHTS

A.      Two of the primary themes of 2Peter are stated at the close of the letter regarding false teachers and spiritual growth.

                                                             1.      Notice 3:17-18a – “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

                                                             2.      Thus, these two themes are:

a.       The dangers of false teachers – This is the message of chapter two.

i.         Peter gives a detailed description of self-indulgent, greedy, arrogant, and godless false teachers that exposes them in the openness of truth.

ii.        The final verses of chapter two give a fearful warning of the effect upon believers in Christ who are deceived and entangled by false doctrines.

b.       The necessity of continued spiritual growth in Jesus Christ – This is one of the main messages of chapter one.

i.         The oft-called “Christian graces” – faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love – are the Christ-like qualities that make a Christian useful and fruitful.

ii.        It is the constant pursuit of these qualities that prevents us from stumbling and losing the entrance to the kingdom of God.

B.      Another theme of 2Peter is also found in the third chapter, which is the coming day of the Lord.

                                                             1.      Notice 3:11-12 – “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!”

                                                             2.      Peter both affirms that the day of the Lord is coming and that we who believe must be prepared and ready for it.

C.      Consider how Peter uses some of the most spectacular displays of God’s power from history to prove that more spectacular events are yet to come.

                                                             1.      In 1:16-18, Peter makes reference to the transfiguration of Jesus to prove the veracity of his testimony.

                                                             2.      In. 2:4-9, Peter uses the examples of the global flood of Noah’s day and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to show that God knows how to save the righteous and to punish the unrighteous.

                                                             3.      In 3:5-7, Peter uses the examples of creation and the global flood to show that massive, global, and even calamitous events have occurred in the past, and these give evidence for the massive, calamitous events of the future, namely, the coming of Christ, the destruction of the world, and the judgment.

IV.    CONCLUSION

A.      This introduction and background gives us the foundation to enter into a meaningful study of 2Peter.

B.      In our next lesson, we will consider 2Peter 1:1-11 – “Christian Characteristics.”