“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 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 Peter 1:20 – 2:1
Verses 1-2 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
An apostle was a messenger or one sent forth with orders. The orders were from Jesus and they were go and preach the Gospel to every creature, cast out devils, speak with new tongues, heal the sick, and raise the dead. And the Apostle Peter did all these things as well as shepherd the first-century Church in Jerusalem.
The strangers Peter refers to were foreigners in the land in which they were living. The Greek word translated as “stranger” is “parepidemos” and it means one who comes from a foreign country into a city or land to reside there by the side of the natives, or sojourning in a strange place. These were Christian believers who had fled persecution and therefore left their homes or homeland. These believers were chosen (elect) by God to obtain salvation through the shed blood of the LORD Jesus Christ and who had the Holy Ghost/Spirit living inside of them. They were in the spiritual kingdom of God. Peter’s prayer for them was that they would have grace (the unmerited favor of God) and peace (quiet and tranquility with a mental calmness or serenity) which would multipy.
Verse 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
The Apostle Peter is praising God because His mercy (not giving sinful people what they deserve) resulted in believers being born again anew (begotten) so that their lives were changed and conformed to the will of God. And as a result of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, people have hope for the future – this life on Earth is not all there is.
Verses 4-5 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
And the believers’ future includes property or possessions that will not decay or perish or pass away but which is reserved for every believer in Heaven: eternal life in a perfect place free of the tribulations of this physical world and the persecutions of Satan and his minions. Furthermore, the Christian believer is kept (guarded, protected and preserved) by the power of Almighty God who gives the believer the faith to trust in salvation through Jesus Christ.
Faith is necessary for salvation. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” Ephesians 2:8 Salvation and faith are gifts from God. He gives people enough faith to believe in Jesus and to trust in Him and to receive salvation from sin, death, and Hell. And He gives faith because He is merciful and extends grace to those that will receive it. Then faith grows as people mature in their walk with the LORD.
Verse 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
Christian believers should be rejoicing because of all the blessings and promises that are theirs because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Without forgiveness and remission (the cancellation of the debt and the penalty of the debt) of sins, the eternal destiny is Hell. But Jesus paid for the sins of all mankind when He went to the cross so that every person can make the choice to accept His gift and turn their life over to Him, or reject His gift and manage their own life which will lead to their sins being punished either in this life or in the next. So even when the physical life on Earth is difficult because of tribulations, persecutions and other negative things, the believer is to rejoice and remember that all their problems will pass and they will get through them with the help of the LORD Jesus Christ.
Verses 7-9 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Application: How is gold purified? By applying heat or fire that removes the impurities. What the Apostle Peter is reminding the readers of this epistle is that faith, like gold, needs to be made pure, and that happens through difficulties. If life is smooth sailing, faith in the promises and provisions of God would not be necessary. It there is no need for help, people can be self-sufficient and never need to rely upon the LORD.
The dictionary’s definition of “faith” is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. The Bible’s definition of “faith” is as follows. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Hebrews 11:1 It is important to exercise that faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 So trials and tribulations either from this sinful world and its sinful people or from evil spirits are allowed in believers’ lives by God so that they will grow their faith (trust and confidence in that which is not seen-God-and hope in the power of the LORD). When God heals the incurable disease, provides the needed funds, saves the soul of a loved one, warns of imminent danger so that it can be avoided, etc., faith grows bigger and bigger and eventually results in the soul making it to Heaven and eternity with the LORD.
Verses 10-11 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
The Old Testament prophets wrote about the coming of Messiah, Jesus Christ, but they never really had a complete understanding of what His return would look like or when it would happen. Just like people today who are looking for the return of Jesus to this Earth and who are wondering when it will be and what events have to happen to usher in this event, the prophets of old were asking the same questions. They wanted to know when the Messiah would come and put an end to sin and suffering and bring salvation. They wrote about a suffering Messiah and a conquering Messiah and it can only be surmised that this would have been confusing to them. They were not to know that a great deal of time would pass between the first coming (a suffering Messiah) and the second and last coming of Jesus (a conquering Messiah).
Verse 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
So the future coming of the Messiah was revealed to these prophets, but they did not understand. They received the revelation, but it was for future generations to understand. So the Apostle Peter is saying that he and the people he was writing this epistle/letter to were now the beneficiaries of the information the prophets of old had received through the Holy Spirit but had not seen come to pass. This information or the Gospel was now understood and being preached with the leading of the same Holy Ghost/Spirit. Apparently even the angels had not comprehended the prophecies.
Verses 13-16 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
The Greek word translated as “gird” or “gird up” is “anazonnumi” and it means to gather up and secure. It is metaphor for being prepared and it comes from the practice of gathering up the skirt or loose garments worn in Biblical days and fastening them to the body with a leather belt. In that way, the man or woman was ready to engage in work and their flowing robes would not be in the way. The Greek word translated as “loins” is “osphus” and it means the area of the hip and lower abdomen. This was the anatomical area that the Hebrews believed was generative or capable of reproduction. Therefore, the mind reproduces thoughts and by girding up the thoughts of the mind, control over thinking, emotions and plans of actions was/is possible. All actions begin in the mind. They have to be thought of before the person can follow through with action. The Greek word translated as “sober” is “nepho” and it means to be calm and collected, temperate and circumspect. For the believer to control his/her actions or words and behave like Christ and therefore be a witness to the unsaved world, they have to first control their thinking. They have to fashion or conform themselves to the pattern Jesus demonstrated when living on this Earth. The Greek word translated as “conversation” is “anastrophe” and it is not referring to speech or the spoken word, but it means conduct, behavior or manner of living. By controlling the mind, the Christian believer can be holy as Jesus Christ is holy. This is all accomplished with the help of the Holy Ghost/Spirit.
Verse 17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
The Apostle Peter is saying that if the readers of his epistle/letter associate themselves with God and claim to be Christians, then their works should reflect this and their works will be judged by God. So don’t fake it or pretend, and live life in the fear of the LORD. Fear in this context means respect and not dread or terror.
Application: How often have those who profess to be believers ruined their witness for Christ by their unrighteous words and behavior. Pastor David Meyer told the true story of an elderly woman who was ill and confined to her bedroom which had a window looking out upon her church building across the street. Being healed of her affliction one Sunday morning and watching the congregation exit the church building after the service, she observed that when all the lay people had driven away, the leadership of the church all headed for the bar that was just down the street and in walking distance from her house and her church. Needless to say, this woman changed churches. The believer has to practice what they name and claim. Otherwise it brings dishonor to the name of the LORD.
Verses 18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
People tend to operate in traditions that are taught to them and passed down through the generations. Family traditions can be, for the most part, good. But when church denominations take on man-made traditions and replace Bible commandments and teachings with these traditions, they are perverting the Gospel. The Jews did this by adopting the teachings of Babylon ( the Babylonian Talmud) when they were in captivity and then bringing them back to their homeland and incorporating them in the Temple worship that had been established by God through the prophet Moses hundreds of years earlier. Each believer was/is redeemed (liberated by payment of ransom, delivered from evils of every kind) by the sacrifice of the LORD Jesus Christ and this should not be taken lightly. Their souls were not purchased and freed with precious metals or their own good works, or their church attendance and church rituals and requirements. It was/is done with the blood of Jesus and it was costly.
Verses 20-21 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
This plan of salvation by God was in place before the Earth and everything in it was created. This is a difficult concept to understand, but it needs to be accepted by faith. So God coming to Earth in human form and being called Jesus was not manifested (made visible or known) until the time in which the Apostle Peter was living.
Application: Notice that the Apostle Peter called the days in which he was living “these last times”. Christian believers have been living in the last times since the founding of the Church by the LORD Jesus Christ and His apostles/disciples. Today is part of the last times. Tomorrow will be part of the last times barring the return of Jesus. So stop looking for a series of events such as is taught in the Scofield incorrect doctrine to usher in the last times. They are here, they have been here, and they will be here until Jesus returns to end time and bring in eternity.
Verse 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
It seems that loving the brothers and sisters in Christ purifies the soul, which has to be pure in order to enter Heaven.
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” John 13:34 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35 “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” John 15:12 “Own no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8 So to fulfill the law as set down in the Old Testament, people have to love each other. “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4:12
Verses 23-25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: 25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (1 Peter 1)
When born physically, a baby is in a fleshly body that, like the grass and flowers, will decay and pass away leaving his/her spirit to reside in Hell for eternity. When born again into the Kingdom of God, the physical body will still decay and pass away like the grass and flowers, but the believer’s spirit will reside in Heaven for eternity. It is through the Word of God and the power of the Holy Ghost/Spirit that people are born again. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17