Peter opens his letter by exhorting his readers to grow in the knowledge
of God and the Scriptures.
THE PROCLAMATION OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD (1:1-4):
Peter writes concerning our Christian faith.
The preciousness (1:1-2):
Great value is attached to our faith.
God has given us everything we need for living a holy life.
We will be delivered from the corruption of this world.
We will actually share in the Lord's divine nature.
THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE VIRTUES OF GOD (1:5-11):
We are to add these virtues to our faith.
These virtues are goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance,
godliness, kindness, and love.
If these are not added, we will become spiritually blind.
By doing this, we validate our own salvation.
THE REVELATION TO THE APOSTLE OF GOD (1:12-15)
What God has revealed to Peter (1:12-14):
The apostle knows he will die a martyr's death for Christ.
What Peter requires from us (1:15):
He wants us to remember the great spiritual truths in his epistles.
THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE SON OF GOD (1:16-18):
Here Peter reviews that marvellous event.
The glorious sight (1:16):
He was an eyewitness of Christ's splendour.
The glorious sound (1:17-18):
He heard the Father giving full approval of his beloved Son.
THE INSPIRATION OF THE WORD OF GOD (1:19-21)
Its accomplishments (1:19):
God's Word shines as a light in dark places.
It did not come from the biblical writers (1:20-21a).
It did come the biblical writers by the power of the Holy Spirit (1:21b).
Peter writes about false religious teachers.
THE CORRUPTION OF THESE FALSE TEACHERS (2:1, 3a, 4-10, 12, 13b-17b, 22)
Their identity (2:1a, 2, 4-9, 15-16)
Prophets and teachers (2:1a, 2)
The pre-Flood world (2:5)
Sodom and Gomorrah (2:6-9)
Their iniquity (2:1b-1c, 3a, 10, 12, 13b-14, 17a-17b, 22)
The symbols for these men (2:12b, 13b, 17a-17b, 22)
Stains upon Christianity (2:13b)
Dried-up springs of water (2:17a)
Unstable, storm-driven clouds (2:17b)
Dogs returning to their vomit (2:22a)
Hogs wallowing in the mud (2:22b)
The sin of these men (2:1b-1c, 3a, 10, 12a, 14, 18
Propagating destructive heresies (2:1b)
Lust and adultery (2:10a, 14a)
Pride and arrogance (2:10b)
Scoffing at the "glorious ones" (2:10c)
Seducing the unstable (2:14b, 18b)
Hypocritical lying (2:19-21)
THE CONDEMNATION OF THESE FALSE TEACHERS (2:1b, 1d, 3b, 11, 12c, 13a, 17c)
They will be judged not by angels (2:11).
They will experience a swift and terrible end (2:1d).
They will be caught and destroyed like wild beasts (2:12c).
They will be destroyed (2:3b).
They will reap all that they have sowed (2:13a).
They will be consigned to the blackest darkness (2:17c).
Peter describes three "worlds."
THE ANCIENT WORLD (3:5b-6):
This world was destroyed by the great Flood in the days of Noah.
THE PRESENT WORLD (3:1-5a, 7-12, 14-18)
Peter has written both his epistles admonishing his readers to remember
the great truths.
The truths spoken by the Old Testament prophets (3:1-2a)
The truths spoken by the New Testament apostles (3:2c)
The truths spoken by the Saviour himself (3:2b)
Peter warns that scoffers will appear during the last days.
They will falsify the facts concerning the future fire judgment (3:3-4):
They will say, "Jesus promised to come back, did he? Then where is
he?"
They will deliberately forget the facts concerning the past flood judgment (3:5a).
The destruction (3:7, 10, 12b)
The fact of this destruction (3:7):
The same God who once sent the flood will one day send fire.
The fury of this destruction (3:10, 12b):
It will utterly consume both earthly and heavenly elements.
The timelessness of God (3:8):
A day to him is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as a day.
The tenderness of God (3:9):
He is patient, not wanting anyone to perish.
The dedication (3:11-12a, 14-18):
In light of all this, two biblical writers admonish believers to live
godly and holy lives.
Peter's exhortation (3:11-12a, 14, 17-18):
Grow in favour with the Lord.
Paul's exhortation (3:15-16):
The Lord is waiting to return so that more people will have time to be
saved.
This future earth will become the home of universal righteousness.