The Second Letter of the Apostle
PETER
Author:
Peter one of the original apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Date:
Sometime about 67 AD.
Themes:
Peter knows that very shortly he will die (2 Pet 1:13-15). His purpose in writing was to remind believers of what they had already learned and to encourage them (2 Pet 1:13; 3:1), to warn them again about false teachers, and to urge them to go on growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus (2 Pet 3:18). “Knowledge” is a key thought of this letter, used 7 times. The words “know”, “knows”, “known”, and “knowing” are used another 7 times, and the word “ignorant” appears 3 times. All this indicates Peter’s conviction of the great importance of true knowledge in the Christian life.
Contents:
The way grace and peace come to believers 1:2
What God has given believers and the reason for it 1:3-4
How to make sure of our salvation, be fruitful in the
Christian life, and receive a rich welcome in heaven 1:5-11
The importance of remembering the truth 1:12-15
The apostles were eye-witnesses to Christ’s glory 1:16-18
Prophecy in the Bible 1:19-21
It is true and certain 1:19
It should be the object of our study 1:19
It is a light in the darkness 1:19
It cannot be understood without God’s help 1:20
It was given by God Himself to the prophets 1:21
False teachers and their end 2:1-22
What they teach 2:1-3
God will punish evil men 2:4-10
What these false teachers will be like 2:11-22
The Day of the Lord 3:1-18
Ignorant scoffers 3:3-7
God views time differently than we do 3:8-9
A sudden event 3:10
How God’s people should live in the light of this truth 3:11-14
Peter’s word about Paul’s letters 3:15-16
Two exhortations: Be careful, and grow 3:17-18