{"id":4868,"date":"2024-11-21T07:27:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T12:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/?p=4868"},"modified":"2025-07-30T11:35:58","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T15:35:58","slug":"redemptive-knowledge-2-peter-bible-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/learn\/topics-themes\/commentaries\/redemptive-knowledge-2-peter-bible-study\/","title":{"rendered":"A Bible Study on Redemptive Knowledge in 2 Peter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At age sixteen, Peter could never have guessed what his life would become. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He grew up in Galilee, fished in the Sea of Galilee, and knew dozens in his family\u2019s circle. As a young adult he was called to drop the fishing to follow Jesus with his brother. He became the \u201cfirst among equals\u201d among the twelve disciples. They were all \u201csent\u201d out by Jesus, which is why we know them today as apostles (sent ones). He accompanied Jesus, listened to Jesus, observed Jesus, and did his best to do what Jesus did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His failures became a matter of public record: he sunk in the water when trying to walk on water, and he failed miserably to own up to being a close follower of Jesus during Jesus\u2019 trials. But Jesus forgave him, restored him, and commissioned him all over again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So much for the story of Peter in the Gospels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter After the Resurrection<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Peter was at Pentecost. He preached the first Pentecost Day sermon. He was for a short while the go-to apostle in Jerusalem for the suddenly growing church. The authorities learned about him and ordered him to stop publicly claiming Jesus as the Messiah. He didn\u2019t; he suffered for it; he was pushed from Jerusalem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a famous vision of unclean foods and animals and then in a just-as-famous incident in Caesarea (by the sea) he proclaimed the gospel to a gentile named Cornelius. Not long after he was in Jerusalem where he was queried by the \u201ccircumcised believers\u201d (Acts 11:2<\/a>) about how kosher his gospel and practices were. He witnessed to what happened; they could not deny the mighty acts of God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in Jerusalem, Peter was arrested once again, and he was liberated from prison by a miracle. Jerusalem\u2019s Christian leaders held a conference about how much of the law of Moses these new gentile converts were to observe. Peter gave a short summary of watching God\u2019s movement among the gentiles, and the leaders sent out a letter requiring a gentile minimum when it came to observing the laws of Moses. They ferreted out the four laws specifically given for gentiles in the Land. Those laws are found listed in Acts 15:16\u201318<\/a> and they derive from Leviticus 17\u201318<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What we know from this point on about Peter is not much. What we do know is that Peter, like his parallel but sometimes contentious friend (Paul), became a missionary in Asia Minor. He seemed to have planted churches throughout Asia Minor. We also know he was in Rome, from where (presumably) two letters in the New Testament were written.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intro to 2 Peter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Second Peter strikes the reader as far less pastoral in tone than 1 Peter and more strident in expression. Some false teachers are in view, and Peter describes them in strong, even loathsome terms. These false teachers deny the second coming (1:16\u201318<\/a>; 3:4\u201310<\/a>) and break down common Christian moral practices (2:2,10,13,18\u201322<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another tone emerges because Peter appears to be on the verge of dying, making 2 Peter a bit of a farewell letter (1:14<\/a>). In fact, many think 2 Peter not only borrows from Jude, but that this letter may not have been written by Peter but by one who followed his teachings carefully. Jude bears many similarities to 2 Peter, both in tone and content. But each letter has its own distinctives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Transformative Power of Redemption <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Peter, pastors, and parents long for those they love to be transformed into a Christlike life. We all do. We want it for ourselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Second Letter of Peter taps the keys of transformation from beginning to end. The origin of Christian transformation is the work of God in Jesus Christ, so Peter\u2019s opening to his letter, like most letters in the early church, frames redemption as a transforming power available to each of us. Like those other letters, too, Peter scratches onto the papyrus words with considerable weight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salvation is knowledge<\/strong>, the kind of knowledge that leads to transformation in Christian virtues. Peter\u2019s fresh developments in his understanding of salvation emphasizes (1) Jesus as Savior (1:1,11<\/a>; 2:20<\/a>; 3:2,18<\/a>) and (2) the transformative power of knowledge. What he says in this letter supplements what is taught in 1 Peter. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whose We Are <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It begins with where we are and who (or whose) we are. Peter is a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ (1:1<\/a>). The word slave ironically exalts Peter in the Jewish and Christian traditions (cf. Deuteronomy 34:5<\/a>; 2 Samuel 3:18<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He envisions his audience in theological categories: \u201cTo those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours\u201d (1:1, NIV). These terms for his audience are piled on top of one another, and I have translated them as follows: \u201cTo the ones designated with an equally-honorable-for [or with]-us allegiance in the rightness of our God and Deliverer, Y\u0113sous Christos\u201d (Second Testament<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201callegiance\u201d corresponds to the NIV\u2019s \u201cfaith,\u201d which is the beginning of redemptive knowledge, not unlike Proverbs<\/a>‘ sketch of wisdom originating in the fear of God. That Peter connects \u201cGod\u201d with \u201cSavior\u201d as he does, and Savior to \u201cJesus Christ,\u201d indicates Peter believes Jesus is God (see John 1:1<\/a>; Romans 9:5<\/a>; Titus 2:13<\/a>; Hebrews 1:8\u20139<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter\u2019s audience has an \u201cequally honorable allegiance\u201d to Jesus, which the NIV translates a \u201cfaith as precious as ours\u201d (1:1). “Precious” helps but as a translation more needs to be evident. The Greek word is isotimos<\/em>, coming from \u201cequal\u201d (iso<\/em>) and \u201chonor\u201d (timos<\/em>). Their faith and Peter\u2019s faith, and the faith of each who was to receive this letter, are equally honorable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NIV\u2019s \u201cas precious as\u201d is not as precise or social as Peter\u2019s language. This is about equality in faith, and this equal faith gives such persons honor before God and with one another. Thus, their social status in the family of Jesus has nothing to do with what the world thinks of them. They are honored by God because they are connected to Jesus Christ. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formed Into Righteousness <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Such a faith-connection with Jesus forms us into righteousness, a righteousness that comes to us in and through Jesus Christ. Righteousness describes someone or something that corresponds consistently with the character and will of God. We speak of it as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Practice (we grow in righteousness as we follow Jesus).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Character trait or attribute of God and the Lord Jesus (Jesus is the Righteous One).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Status (in Christ we are righteous because he is righteous).  <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Righteousness then is fundamentally relational: we acquire it only in relation to Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Flourishing in Grace and Peace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Peter prays they will flourish in both \u201cgrace and peace\u201d (1:2<\/a>). Grace in the New Testament comes to us by an act of the God who loves us, and grace draws us into a relationship of mutual exchange. Our exchange is gratitude, thanksgiving, love, and obedience. Peace points at the inner tranquility that can lead to mutual good relations among one another in the fellowship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Noticeably their flourishing in both grace and peace occurs \u201cthrough the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.\u201d Perception of the truth about God as the agent of flourishing is quite the claim. I have to say that, as a theologian myself, an emphasis on the power of knowing God and Christ plucks strings of resonance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Redemptive Knowledge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Too many today pooh-pooh theology and knowledge and study and intellectual distinctions. Yes, we are to give practice a noticeable priority. After all, we experience some who know but don\u2019t do, who think but don\u2019t love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But those sorts do not replace the importance of knowledge. Instead, we are to prioritize a discipleship that is gospel-informed in such a way that the knowledge yields its God-shaped goal: transformation of character.<\/strong> Redemptive knowledge is so important that I want to record primary instances in this letter of the term \u201cknowledge\u201d to set the tone for what is to come in the rest of this letter. (Greek terms for knowledge in 2 Peter: *Gn\u014dsis<\/em>; +Gn\u014driz\u014d<\/em>; #Gin\u014dsk\u014d<\/em>; Epigin\u014dsk\u014d<\/em> unmarked. NIV throughout.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n