a. The Salutation: The Gift of Knowledge. Ch. 1:1-4

1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and the Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; 4 whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust.

It is possible that as Peter calls himself "Simon" he may have had in mind the early days before he met Jesus, when that was his familiar name. It is also possible that, as he calls himself an "apostle," he may have wished to suggest his authority as a man specially commissioned by his Lord, and also, that, as he calls himself "a bondservant . . . of Jesus Christ," he may have wished thus to place himself upon an equality with his readers. This last purpose was surely accomplished by the beautiful phrase in which these readers are addressed. Here he not only appeals to their sympathy by a touch of tactful courtesy, but he gives a message to Christians of all times by a stroke of spiritual insight. He writes "to them that have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and the Saviour Jesus Christ." That is, faith gives exactly the same spiritual privileges to all, whether the most famous of apostles or the most obscure of believers; this faith is "obtained by lot" or given by the grace and mercy of God, without any desert or merit of man; it brings with it equal privileges because of the absolute justice or "righteousness of our God and the Saviour Jesus Christ."

The salutation, "Grace to you and peace be multiplied," is quite familiar in form, but it is connected with a unique phrase and one which sounds the keynote of the epistle: "in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." This "knowledge" is the channel of "grace," it is the ground of "peace," it is the means of salvation, it is the instrument of all blessings. Peter writes to remind Christians of the content of this knowledge, to warn them of apostate teachers who are opposing it in the interests of a false "knowledge," to encourage them to value and to develop this true knowledge of God and of Christ. Peter is therefore praying that "grace," the divine source of all blessings, and "peace," the deepest experience of the soul, may be increased, by and in this knowledge; and he prays with confidence, knowing that, or "seeing that," the "divine power" of God "hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness," through this knowledge, which is here defined as a knowledge of Christ "that called us by his own glory and virtue." All that we need for the nurture of spiritual life and for the development of godliness has been given to us in our knowledge of Christ who has attracted us to be his followers by the manifestation of his own moral excellence and goodness. These excellences of their Lord awake in believers a hope of attaining to his likeness, they assure them of the certain enjoyment of all the pardon and peace and future blessedness of which the Saviour has spoken, even "his precious and exceeding great promises," including his glorious return to which this epistle continually refers. It is the purpose of God that, through a knowledge of these promises and by cherishing them in faith, we may not only escape the moral corruption and decay which pervade the world because of evil desires and preverted passions, but that also we may attain to his likeness, developing more and more of his holiness and purity and love, being ''transformed" into his image by the power of his indwelling Spirit.

b. The Exhortation: The Growth of Knowledge. Ch. 1:5-11

5 Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; 6 and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness; 7 and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins. 10 Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble: 11 for thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

In view of the faith which God has graciously given, in view of the knowledge of Christ which they possess, in view of the fact that they are "partakers of the divine nature," the readers are now urged to strive for such growth in Christian virtues, for such a development of spiritual graces, that their knowledge and faith shall be "not idle nor unfruitful." The suggestion seems to be that knowledge will thus be increased, that knowing will come by doing; that the condition of receiving more light is a faithful use of the light one has; that strenuous exercise of Christian graces results in a fuller comprehension of spiritual truth.

In the beautiful list of graces which Peter here exhibits, each grace apparently grows out of the preceding grace, and in turn becomes the soil or atmosphere in which the next is nourished, while all are rooted in "faith." Nevertheless, the growth is not spontaneous; on our part there is demanded the expenditure of toil and effort. God has granted us the new life; but like a divine germ it needs to be developed by the earnest care which we are to "bring in by the side of" the divine gift; we are to add on our part "all diligence"; progress in Christian living is made only by cooperation of the human will with the divine.

"In your faith supply virtue"; this is not the same as "add to your faith virtue"; but, as above suggested, "with and by your faith supply virtue"; "faith" is the source and gives the power by which "virtue" is to be developed; "faith without works is dead," but it shows itself to be living and real when it produces "moral excellence"; real trust in Christ and true belief in him will always issue in right conduct, or "virtue." So "virtue" in turn is to develop "knowledge," which here means "practical skill in the details of Christian duty" rather than the knowledge of God and of Christ which in the previous section were used very much in the sense of "faith." "And in your knowledge [supply] self-control," according to which, in all the experiences of life, reason governs passion; "and in your self-control patience," or "endurance," for while "self-control" enables one to curb his desires, patience gives him power steadfastly to endure evils which press upon him from without; "and in your patience godliness," which characterizes the life of one who continually lives "as seeing him who is invisible"; "and in your godliness brotherly kindness," or affection for fellow Christians, "and in your brotherly kindness love" for Christ and the whole world. The relation of these seven virtues has been thus stated: "Faith is the gift of God already received; to this must be added (1) moral strength which enables a man to do what he knows to be right; (2) spiritual discernment; (3) self-control by which a man resists temptation; (4) endurance by which he bears up under persecution or adversity; (5) right feeling and behavior toward God, and (6) toward the brethren, and (7) toward all."

To the patient development of these virtues we are encouraged by the assurance, which forms the main burden of this paragraph, that where these are possessed and are increasing, there one is not idle or unfruitful in the attainment of knowledge; a diligent practice of Christian virtues always increases spiritual insight. On the other hand their absence or neglect produces, or constitutes, spiritual blindness or nearsightedness: "For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near." It is true that the reason why things unseen and eternal seem to us so unreal, is that we are making so little effort toward moral and spiritual progress. This lack of spiritual perception may extend so far that one may forget "the cleansing from his old sins," may actually become oblivious of the pardon and cleansing in which his Christian life began, and of all that God has done for him.

"Wherefore, brethren," in view of the possible increase and the possible loss of "knowledge," and so of the "salvation" it involves, "give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure." The divine choice and call do not make human effort unnecessary. If, however, the Christian graces are being developed, and knowledge is enlarging, "If ye do these things, ye shall never stumble.". This does not mean that the Christian will never sin, but that such patient effort toward progress will safeguard him against faults and failings, and will assure the completion of his journey to the heavenly city; he will indeed be richly provided for "the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

c. The Promise: The Grounds of Knowledge. Ch. 1:12-21

12 Wherefore I shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth which is with you. 13 And I think it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by by putting you in remembrance; 14 knowing that the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ signified unto me. 15 Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my decease to call these things to remembrance. 16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there was borne such a voice to him by the Majestic Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: 18 and this voice we ourselves heard borne out of heaven, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19 And we have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts: 20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation. 21 For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

Peter, in opening his epistle, has shown that in the knowledge of Christ has been given all that is needed for "life and godliness"; he has urged an increase of this knowledge by the development of Christian virtues that so may be provided an entrance into the heavenly Kingdom; he now promises to aid his readers to keep these truths in mind and assures them that their knowledge is well supported by the testimony of inspired apostles and prophets.

Thus he does not propose to teach new truths, but declares that he will "be ready always" to put his readers in remembrance of the truth in which they are already established. He regards this as his duty and more especially because his own death is approaching, or, as he says "the putting off of my tabernacle cometh swiftly"; his body is like a tent which his spirit is soon to leave. He is sure of this because he is now far advanced in years, and his Lord had told him that, when old, he should die a martyr's death. Here Peter even promises to make provision that after his death his readers shall be able "to call these things to remembrance"; just how he proposed to fulfill this promise he does not say — probably by writing other letters; but some have conjectured that he meant to appoint teachers, or even that he referred to the Gospel of Mark, which is thought to have been written under his direction.

The climax and inspiring center of all the truth Peter so prized, concerned the personal, visible return of Christ. This was the great motive for holy living to which he constantly appealed in his First Epistle; this was the doctrine ridiculed and opposed by the false teachers whom this Second Epistle was written to rebuke. Peter declares that, in his statements concerning the divine power and future coming of Christ, he and his fellow apostles did "not follow cunningly devised fables," but they spoke as men who, with their own eyes, had seen the "majesty," the radiant splendor, the heavenly glory, in which Christ would reappear. This vision was granted to them on the Mount of Transfiguration when Jesus "received from God the Father honor and glory, when there was borne such a voice to him by the Majestic Glory, [that is, by God himself], This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." This transfiguration scene was a foregleam, a part, a manifestation, and so a proof, of the majesty and splendor in which Christ would appear when he returned in his own glory and that of the Father and that of the holy angels. This experience confirmed the word of the prophets; it has made it an even firmer ground of confidence; previously the assurance came by faith, but now that in the transfiguration there has been granted a specimen of the coming glory, sight has made assurance doubly sure: "We have the word of prophecy made more sure; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a lamp shining in a dark place." In this dusk and dimly lighted world, in all its mystery of confusing events, prophecy shines forth as a lamp, the only lamp we have to guide us. We must give heed to it "until the day dawn, and the daystar arise." Thus (according to Tregelles, Schott, and others) it may be best to punctuate this last clause: "Ye do well that ye take heed, in your hearts, until the day dawn"; that is while the shadows hang so heavily upon the present world you do well to take earnest heed to the light of prophecy, until at last the Lord returns and the shadows flee away. If, however, we accept the usual punctuation, the meaning may be that we should take heed of prophecy and ponder its statements, until in our hearts there dawns a bright and confident expectation of the coming of Christ.

To such earnest heed of prophecy we are specially encouraged by the consideration that "no prophecy of scripture is of private interpretation," or, probably "of private origination," that is, it does not come from the prophets' own interpretation of the future; "for no prophecy" as Peter adds, "ever came by the will of man: but men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit." Therefore, upon the testimony of apostles who were eyewitnesses, upon the words of prophets who were divinely inspired, rest our saving knowledge of Christ and our hope of his glorious return.