Introduction to Second Peter

Any time you start to read a book, any book, in the bible or at random from the library, the first thing you should do is find as many vital statistics about the book as you can. Who wrote it? It’s purpose. When and where was it written? Etc. For this reason, I think we should survey some of these pertinent points that will help us to better understand the primary lessons taught in Peter’s letter.

First Peter was written just before the time that Nero, the Roman Emperor went completely crazy and started persecuting the Christians about A.D. 63 or 64. His first book was written to warn the churches that impending dangers were ahead and that they would find their persecutions increasing. In this book, 2 Peter, his main purpose is to warn Christians about the false teachers that would increase soon and to tell them that their only way to survive would be to grow in their faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ, and that this could only come by their intensive study of the word. It is now about AD 67, he is in Rome, and he may have heard rumors that Nero was out to get him—at least he knew that his time was limited so he wrote what was on his heart that he thought might be of help to his readers.

In the first verse there is a subtle reference to the people to whom he is writing. Read the first verse. Peter is a Jew and considers it a privilege to be one of the God’s original people. God called Jews “My people.” Look! He writes “To those to whom there has been allotted a faith equal in honor and privilege with our own.” When Christ came the gentiles were added to the house of his chosen people. One verse in the NT reads—“If my people will humble themselves…and pray…I will hear…” It is plain to see that both Jews and Gentiles are now considered as his people. As I said, this fact is subtly hidden by Peter here…but there is no doubt in my mind. Back in 1 Peter 2: 10 he said: “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” He is reminding us that at one time we were not ‘God’s people…only the Jews were.

Peter was probably in Rome at the time of the beginning of the great persecution by Nero and wrote this book while he was living there. Later in the persecution, Peter was executed there in Rome. His decision regarding his execution confirms the high regard he had for his Lord. He chose to be crucified with his head down because he did not feel that he was worthy of hanging there in the same position as Christ did. Now we will move on to the subject chosen for our study today. Growth is not accidental.