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2 Peter 1:1-11

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2 Peter Greeting 1 1 Simeon 1 Peter, a servant 2 and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a a faith of equal standing with ours b by the righteousness of our c God and Savior Jesus Christ: 2 d May grace and peace be multiplied to you e in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Confirm Your Calling and Election 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him f who called us to 1 his own glory and excellence, 2 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become g partakers of the divine nature, h having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith i with virtue, 1 and virtue j with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control k with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness l with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection m with love. 8 For if these qualities 1 are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or n unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he o is blind, having forgotten that he was p cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, 1 be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and q election, for if you practice these qualities r you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you s an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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Phrase

2 Peter 1:1-11

a servant

Content

and apostle

of Jesus Christ,

Possessive

Simeon Peter, ... To those

who have obtained a faith

of equal standing with ours

Attributive

by the righteousness

Means

of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Producer

May grace

and peace

be multiplied to you

Explanation

in the knowledge

Source

of God

Plenary

and of Jesus our Lord.

His divine power has granted to us

all things that pertain to life

and godliness,

through the knowledge

of him

who called us

to his own glory

Advantage

and excellence,

by which he has granted to us his ... promises,

precious

and very great

so that through them you may become partakers

of the divine nature,

Destination

having escaped from the corruption

Substitution

that is in the world

because of sinful desire.

Ground

For this very reason,

make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,

and virtue with knowledge,

and knowledge with self- control,

and self- control with steadfastness,

and steadfastness with godliness,

and godliness with brotherly affection,

and brotherly affection with love.

For if these qualities are yours

Condition

and are increasing,

they keep you from being ineffective

or unfruitful

in the knowledge

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For whoever lacks these qualities

is so nearsighted

that he is blind,

Comparison

having forgotten that he was cleansed

Manner

from his former sins.

Separation

brothers,

Therefore, ... be all the more diligent to confirm your calling

and election,

for if you practice these qualities

you will never fall.

Result

For in this way

there will be richly provided for you an entrance

into the eternal kingdom

of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

phrasing

notes

Main point summary

Peter writes to believers: May grace and peace grow in you so the door into God's kingdom will open in this manner; ongoing sanctification will produce two imperatives. First, God's power is gifted so that your corruption is exchanged for divine nature, so that you be diligent to supplement basic faith with all virtues. Second, you should be diligent to continue in these virtues to faithfully affirm God's claim on your life.

Bracket

2 Peter 1:1-11

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sbl

mine

Simeon 1 Peter, a servant 2 and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those

From Simeon 1 Peter, 2 a slave 3 and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those

⸀ Συμεὼν Πέτρος δοῦλος καὶ ἀπόστολος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῖς ἰσότιμον ἡμῖν λαχοῦσιν πίστιν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ·

I, Simon Peter (a slave and messenger belonging to Jesus Christ) am writing to you

who have obtained a a faith of equal standing with ours

who through the righteousness of our God 4 and Savior, 5 Jesus Christ, have been granted 6 a faith just as precious 7 as ours.

specifically , those who possess a living belief just as we ourselves possess

b by the righteousness of our c God and Savior Jesus Christ:

by the justification which comes from God the Father and God the Saving Son:

actionmanner

ideaexplanation

d May grace and peace be multiplied to you

May grace and peace be lavished on you 8 as you grow 9

χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη πληθυνθείη ἐν ἐπιγνώσει τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν.

May gracious goodness and perfect peace grow inside of you

e in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

in the rich knowledge 10 of God and of Jesus our Lord! 11

due to the intimate relationship knowledge between you and God the Father and God the son (the King!).

ground

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,

I can pray this because his divine power 12 has bestowed on us everything necessary 13 for life and godliness

Ὡς πάντα ἡμῖν τῆς θείας δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ τὰ πρὸς ζωὴν καὶ εὐσέβειαν δεδωρημένης διὰ τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ καλέσαντος ἡμᾶς ⸂ ἰδίᾳ δόξῃ καὶ ἀρετῇ ⸃ ,

God's holy strength has gifted to all believers the necessary components of abundant life and holiness,

through the knowledge of him f who called us to 1 his own glory and excellence, 2

through the rich knowledge 14 of the one who called 15 us by 16 his own glory and excellence.

by the intimate relationship knowledge of God who destined us to be dressed in his honor and perfection,

by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises,

Through these things 17 he has bestowed on us his precious and most magnificent promises,

δι’ ὧν τὰ ⸂ τίμια καὶ μέγιστα ἡμῖν ⸃ ἐπαγγέλματα δεδώρηται, ἵνα διὰ τούτων γένησθε θείας κοινωνοὶ φύσεως, ἀποφυγόντες τῆς ἐν ⸀ τῷ κόσμῳ ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ φθορᾶς.

by which (honor and perfection) God has gifted us with extremely valuable guarantees,

so that through them you may become g partakers of the divine nature,

so that by means of what was promised 18 you may become partakers of the divine nature, 19

in order that by (all necessary components) you may take on the identity of the holy trinity personality,

h having escaped from the corruption that is in the world

after escaping 20 the worldly corruption that is produced

not still enslaved and imprisoned by the depravity which prevails in secular society

because of sinful desire.

by evil desire. 21

due to evil lusts which prevail in the world.

negativepositive

actionpurpose

For this very reason,

For this very reason, 22

καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δὲ σπουδὴν πᾶσαν παρεισενέγκαντες ἐπιχορηγήσατε ἐν τῇ πίστει ὑμῶν τὴν ἀρετήν, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀρετῇ τὴν γνῶσιν,

Because of these foresaid truths,

make every effort to supplement

make every effort 23 to add to

you should accordingly do all in your power to build up

your faith i with virtue, 1

your faith excellence, 24

your faith with moral excellence,

and virtue j with knowledge,

to excellence, knowledge;

and moral excellence with understanding,

and knowledge with self-control,

to knowledge, self-control;

ἐν δὲ τῇ γνώσει τὴν ἐγκράτειαν, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἐγκρατείᾳ τὴν ὑπομονήν, ἐν δὲ τῇ ὑπομονῇ τὴν εὐσέβειαν,

and understanding with moderation,

and self-control k with steadfastness,

to self-control, perseverance; 25

and moderation with patient endurance,

and steadfastness with godliness,

to perseverance, godliness;

and patient endurance with holiness,

and godliness l with brotherly affection,

to godliness, brotherly affection;

ἐν δὲ τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ τὴν φιλαδελφίαν, ἐν δὲ τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ τὴν ἀγάπην·

and holiness with honest fellowship,

and brotherly affection m with love.

to brotherly affection, unselfish 26 love. 27

and honest fellowship with charity.

progression

inference

For if these qualities 1 are yours and are increasing,

For if 28 these things are really yours 29 and are continually increasing, 30

ταῦτα γὰρ ὑμῖν ὑπάρχοντα καὶ πλεονάζοντα οὐκ ἀργοὺς οὐδὲ ἀκάρπους καθίστησιν εἰς τὴν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπίγνωσιν·

Because if these virtues describe you and grow due to sanctification,

they keep you from being ineffective or n unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

they will keep you from becoming 31 ineffective and unproductive in your pursuit of 32 knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately. 33

then these virtues will preserve your effective fruitfulness produced by your intimate relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

conditional

For whoever lacks these qualities

But 34 concerning the one who lacks such things 35 -

ᾧ γὰρ μὴ πάρεστιν ταῦτα, τυφλός ἐστιν μυωπάζων, λήθην λαβὼν τοῦ καθαρισμοῦ τῶν πάλαι αὐτοῦ ⸀ ἁμαρτημάτων.

But if anyone neglects these virtuous tendencies

is so nearsighted

he is blind.

then they are just as unseeing

that he o is blind,

That is to say, he is 36 nearsighted,

as if they were completely blind,

comparison

having forgotten that he was p cleansed from his former sins.

since he has forgotten about the cleansing of his past sins.

since they neglect their initial salvation from their sinful state.

Therefore, brothers, 1 be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and q election,

Therefore, brothers and sisters, 37 make every effort to be sure of your calling and election. 38

διὸ μᾶλλον, ἀδελφοί, σπουδάσατε βεβαίαν ὑμῶν τὴν κλῆσιν καὶ ἐκλογὴν ποιεῖσθαι· ταῦτα γὰρ ποιοῦντες οὐ μὴ πταίσητέ ποτε·

Consequently be further persuaded unto faithful affirmation of God's claim on your life,

for if you practice these qualities

For by doing this 39

because if these virtues describe you

r you will never fall.

you will never 40 stumble into sin. 41

then you will not stumble from grace.

bilateral

For in this way

For thus an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be richly provided for you.

οὕτως γὰρ πλουσίως ἐπιχορηγηθήσεται ὑμῖν ἡ εἴσοδος εἰς τὴν αἰώνιον βασιλείαν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν καὶ σωτῆρος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Because God is activating these truths in you

there will be richly provided for you s an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

so that you will accordingly be generously allowed an open door to the everlasting kingdom of our Saving Lord, Jesus Christ.

discourse

Notes

The Fruits of God's Grace and Peace May his gracious goodness produce active desire for virtue and confirmation of God's claim on your life. An expositional sermonette. Read 2 Peter 1:1-11 Pray v1 Peter introduces himself as the author of 2 Peter, and characterizes himself as a bondservant (or slave) and apostolic messenger of his Lord, Jesus Christ himself. This apostolic Peter displays great refinement from the boastful and brash Peter we read about in the gospels. Does this make you curious as to what has refined and changed him so? This "most improved disciple" status affirms his authority to speak on the topic that follows: fruitful sanctification. v2 Is the master prayer of Peter for his audience: he desires grace and peace to divide and multiply like healthy cells in a petri dish. The growth of these two active agents are going to play a huge part in what follows, so let's take time to define them. We may understand grace as the free unmerited love and favor of God which influences the human heart. For our purposes, peace may be understood as reconciled tranquility arising from our freedom sinful turmoil. Lest we misunderstand, Peter makes it clear that these foundational elements are produced in us through God's righteousness. v11 Peter's writing is dense with interconnecting logic, almost seeming circular at times. To understand what vv 3-10 are all about, I'm going to ask you to jump down to the final verse of our text. The purpose of this cellular multiplication of grace and peace in your believing hearts is that you will be given the key to God's kingdom! If you're wondering how we went from love and freedom from sin to walking down God's grand kingdom avenue, hang on. We're going to explain how. v8-9 build up Peter's core truth about sanctification, which is going to lead us to two firm conclusions about how we should respond. He presents us with a simple test: is virtue growing in your life or not? If it is, God's work is bearing fruit and you are free from the bane of every saint; apathetic backsliding. Like the athlete deprived of vitamins and food, the apathetic Christian lacking virtue is not going to make the finish line. Do you see a Christian devoid of virtue? Peter compares him to a groping blind man. vv 3-7 explain the first result of Peter's positive sanctification test. vv3-4 That is, God is gifting the believer everything he requires for abundant life and holiness. This strength comes from hanging around God and God's people, from "knowing" him. Why does God promise these free gifts? It is so that we can be like Jesus! We can have every expectation of taking on the nature of the God-man who walked among us. This amazing substitution replaces our desperately sinful heart of our former selfish state. vv5-7 Complete the implication: you (faithful believer that you are) should make every effort to build up your saving faith. The listed qualities will be the topic of this week's midweek small group study. In short, they are moral excellence, knowledge (understanding), self control (moderation), steadfastness (patient endurance), godliness (holiness), brotherly affection, and love (charity). Does Peter's reasoning seem circular at this point? Understandable, it goes something like this: if virtue is found in you, then God will enable you to try for more virtue - right? Let me try to explain with an example of a benevolent donor. Imagine that you receive notice that a mystery donor at your bank is willing to pay for you to open a safety deposit box. In fact, the fee has already been paid! All you have to do is go up to the bank and sign for it. Once you do sign, it begins to fill up with valuable treasures and cash. Once you use the valuables to good purpose, more are added! But if the banker opens up your box after a year and finds the initial goods untouched, or used for poor purpose, the account might as well be closed, and therefore he does so. v10 then describes our second responsibility. The active believer must be persuaded to continuously affirm God's calling on his life. By continuing to participate in God's revolving economy of virtue, we confirm our agreement to his purpose, and we cannot fall. Believer, God has deposited untold riches in your deposit box. May you and I, may we be embarrassed to find those riches unappreciated and unused. He desires to flood your life with grace and peace so you may be an active participant in his kingdom. May your life bring glory and increase to his name forever! Amen