Sermon Notes

1 12 Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body,[c] to refresh your memory, 14 since I know that my death[d]will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved,[e] with whom I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
(New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, NRSVue)
1 12-15 Because the stakes are so high, even though you’re up-to-date on all this truth and practice it inside and out, I’m not going to let up for a minute in calling you to attention before it. This is the post to which I’ve been assigned—keeping you alert with frequent reminders—and I’m sticking to it as long as I live. I know that I’m to die soon; the Master has made that quite clear to me. And so I am especially eager that you have all this down in black and white so that after I die, you’ll have it for ready reference. 16-18 We weren’t, you know, just wishing on a star when we laid the facts out before you regarding the powerful return of our Master, Jesus Christ. We were there for the preview! We saw it with our own eyes: Jesus resplendent with light from God the Father as the voice of Majestic Glory spoke: “This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of all my delight.” We were there on the holy mountain with him. We heard the voice out of heaven with our very own ears. 19We couldn’t be more sure of what we saw and heard—God’s glory, God’s voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You’ll do well to keep focusing on it. It’s the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts. (The Message, MSG)

Second Peter is classified as a “general” or catholic epistles—one of those non-occasional letters which were written to general audiences, not specific churches, within early Christianity (Hebrews, James, 1, 2, 3 John, 1 & 2 Peter). The letter derives its name from the epistolary address given in 2 Peter 1:1 where the writer identifies himself as, “Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, (NRSVue). Church historian Eusebius referred to 1 & 2 Peter, James, Jude, and 1, 2, 3 John, as general epistles in the 4th Century CE, although many early churches disputed their apostolic authorship.
While tradition commonly asserted the apostle Simon—whom Jesus nick-named Peter—was the author of this epistle, most biblical scholars believe the epistle was pseudonymously written in Peter’s name, between the late 1st Century and early 2nd century CE (well after Peter’s martyrdom in 62-64 CE), by a Christian who assumes Peter’s apostolic authority to refute false teaching concerning the delayed parousia of Christ.
Because Simon Peter loomed so large over early Christianity as the most noted of Jesus’ twelve disciples—his name always appears first in listings—many early Christian writers composed works in his name. 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and the Apocalypse of Peter are but three early Christian texts which were pseudonymously attributed to Simon Peter. One of the primary reasons scholars assert 2 Peter’s pseudonymous authorship is because it is a farewell address—a type of Jewish literature that was pseudonymously written after a person’s death. Further, the “Peter” who writes this letter is highly educated, speaks in a form of high Hellenistic Greek, and he employs Asiatic rhetoric—which did not develop until the late 1st century CE. Additionally, this “Peter” lives in a post-apostolic era where some believe Jesus’ second coming to be a “prophetic myth.” Finally, 2 Peter shows a stylistic and theological dependence on Jude, which was written between 90 – 135 CE. Many scholars assert 2 Peter might be the latest New Testament writing. This collective evidence supports the conclusion that any authorial attribution to the apostle Simon Peter is honorific.
Regardless of questions of authorship, dating, and its place within the New Testament canon, 2 Peter speaks to some of the most pressing issues plaguing the early church such as, When would Jesus return?; Does God care about what’s going on in the world?, and, “Will God ultimately judge evil people and reward those who are righteous?” In times of theological uncertainty stoked by false teachers who were perverting the gospel of Jesus Christ for their own gain, this “Peter” writes to assure these Asia Minor Christians that God indeed cares about what’s going on in the world.
In the verses that precede the lesson text (1:1-11), “Peter” expects these Christians to hold fast what they have already been taught about the Christian faith and the Christian faith walk. Because Christians have been called into an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, they are empowered to live godly lives. They should lean into the knowledge of Christ, so they can exhibit Christian maturity and growth. Their call and election—literally their “faith”—is then confirmed by displaying Christian virtues seven of which are listed: goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection or brotherly love (philadelphia in the original Greek), and love (agape in the original Greek). This is where the printed lesson texts picks up.

12-15 Because the stakes are so high, even though you’re up-to-date on all this truth and practice it inside and out, I’m not going to let up for a minute in calling you to attention before it. This is the post to which I’ve been assigned—keeping you alert with frequent reminders—and I’m sticking to it as long as I live. I know that I’m to die soon; the Master has made that quite clear to me. And so I am especially eager that you have all this down in black and white so that after I die, you’ll have it for ready reference.
In the opening verses of the lesson Peter seeks to remind the Asia Minor Christians of what they already know about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The fact that this is a reminder means he is bringing to their remembrance something they already know. Here, Peter reminds these Christians of truths that they were taught by the apostles, and the truth that living a godly life will garner both an earthly reward and an eternal reward.
Keep in mind that this is a “farewell address—a Jewish literary genre that seeks to convey words of wisdom from a “dying” mentor or parent. In many ways, this is a last will and testament that allows the writer to address the issue of false teachers in his own time and the times that will arise in the future. Peter reminds the people of their shared legacy that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and their shared legacy of Christian leaders who provided them with the teaching that would allow them to combat the false teachers within their midst. Peter’s words reminds the people to persevere even in the midst of false teachers who seek to lead them astray.
With his “dying breath”, Peter will remind the Saints of what they have already been taught about Jesus and his return or parousia. Further, this “last will and testament,” reminds the current generations of Christians that they will eventually make the transition from time into eternity. Before they go, they must teach the next generation of their traditions, values, and history so they will be prepared to continue the faith in the future.
16-18 We weren’t, you know, just wishing on a star when we laid the facts out before you regarding the powerful return of our Master, Jesus Christ. We were there for the preview! We saw it with our own eyes: Jesus resplendent with light from God the Father as the voice of Majestic Glory spoke: “This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of all my delight.” We were there on the holy mountain with him. We heard the voice out of heaven with our very own ears.
In verses 16-18, Peter moves into the main point of this letter, rebutting the teaching of the false teachers. They are teaching that the Church’s beliefs surrounding the parousia, or second coming of Christ is a “cleverly devised myths” (NRSV), or as Walt Disney would say, “just wishing upon a star” (MSG). In the Greco-Roman world, the term parousia meant that a ruler was visiting a particular province of their realm to reward faithful subjects or punish unfaith subjects. In Christian theology, the parousia specifically addressed the second return of Jesus Christ when he would fully establish the kin-dom/kingdom of God; reward faith Christians, and judges the wicked.
Because Jesus had not yet returned, false teacher said the parousia was myth or a fantastical fairy tale. They also claimed the return meant Jesus was not the Messiah at all. Peter rebuts this false teaching by emphasizing the eyewitness accounts of apostles at the baptism of Jesus and the transfiguration of Jesus. He says the apostles saw the heavens open, and they heard God’s voice declare Jesus was his beloved son during his baptism. This was the first indication of Jesus as the Messiah and a public installation of him as king. Further, Peter says he, James and John witnessed God’s glory when they saw Jesus transfigured before their eyes. This was his Divine installation as the Messiah (Mark 9:2-8, Matthew 17:1-8; Luke 9:28-36). Peter says these two events, Jesus’ baptism and Jesus’ transfiguration were God’s methods for installing Jesus as both messiah and king.
19We couldn’t be more sure of what we saw and heard—God’s glory, God’s voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You’ll do well to keep focusing on it. It’s the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts.
In the final verse of the lesson, “Peter” emphasizes Jesus’ character as messiah and king by referring to the prophetic word, or the prophecies that appeared in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Christian teaching about the parousia is reliable because it has been confirmed by the prophetic scriptures. When Peter, James and John witnessed the transfiguration, it is key that they saw Jesus with Moses and Elijah, two of the greatest prophets within the Hebrew scriptures. According to the writer of 2 Peter, even Moses and Elijah stand as witnesses to Jesus as messiah and king. They provide prophetic eyewitness accounts that rebut the teaching and heresy of the false teachers.
Peter then employs two symbols to explain how Jesus’ return is a light that illumes faith during dark times when false teachers seek to wreak havoc on Christianity. First, the writer says they should wait for “daybreak.” This refers to the coming eschatological age which will be initiated at Jesus’ return. This dawning portends a day of judgement that is imminent for the wicked. Second, Christians should look to the rising of the “Morning Star.” This term invokes Numbers 24:17 which said Jacob’s line would produce the morning star. Also, Revelation 2:28 and 22:16 refer to the “Morning Star” as hailing from the line of David.
Ultimately, the author of 2 Peter writes to console Asia Minor Christians concerning how the delay of Christ’s return does not mean God is oblivious to worldly affairs. They wondered, “Does God really care about violence in the streets, people starving, political unrest, or the oppressive systems that seek to crush people?” They posited, “if God does not care about what we are going through, why should we live holy lives, study God’s word, or work to enflesh the kingdom of God?” In response, Peter says Hebrew prophecy, Jesus’ baptism, and Jesus’ transfiguration are the evidence that Christ will return to put in order everything that is disordered in the world. Until then, Christians should rely on their faith, and the teaching they received from godly teachers, to combat those who falsely say otherwise.

i. Neil Elliott, “Introduction to Hebrews, the General Letters, and Revelation in Gale A. Yee’s Fortress Commentary on the Bible: Two Volume Set (Kindle Edition), 3296.