November 27th

By Randall L. Broad

Read: Daniel 4:1-37; 2 Peter 1:1-21; Psalm 119:97-112; Proverbs 28:17-18

One of the characteristics of the later epistles in the New Testament is a refinement of the understanding of the events of the earlier gospels as well as a more mature Christian theology. The New Testament begins with the three synoptic gospels (Matthew thru Luke) each which records the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John provides a different but no less important picture of the Spiritual identity of Jesus as the promised Messiah. The Book of Acts tells the story of the first disciples’ challenges and struggles to spread the new faith, including the calling of Saul on the road to Damascus and his subsequent missionary journeys as the Apostle Paul. Paul becomes the interpreter of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles leaving behind thirteen epistles that define important ecclesiastical concepts (Romans thru Philemon) that form the foundations of Systematic Theology and the Christian church. The Book of Hebrews serves as a synthesis of the Old and New Testaments bringing both together into one eternal truth … that the coming of grace is the ultimate proof of God’s existence. And in the later epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude we find all of these themes presented in a clearer more mature perspective–a sort of finishing of our faith if you will …

Today in the reading from Second Peter we find an example of this refined faith in chapter one. The point of today’s reading is to exhort the believer to grow in Christian virtue. 

¹Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

²Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

³His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

2 Peter 1:1-4

The second part of the passage is the treasure of the reading today:

⁵For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

¹⁰Therefore, my brothers and sisters, a make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, ¹¹and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:5-10

When Peter starts this passage with the language “… for this very reason” (v. 5) he is referring back to the divine power Jesus has given us so that we would have everything we need for a godly life (v. 3) and may participate in the divine nature (v. 4). However, because of his own shortcomings Peter recognized faith could be strengthened by knowledge, self-control, perseverance, and mutual affection. One has to wonder if Peter ever forgave himself for his denial of Christ–not once, but three times as Jesus had predicted. But now, he writes his epistle years removed from that night and with far greater knowledge and self-control. He has endured years of hardship and persevered bearing the burdens of others just as Jesus had done. While these qualities are not unique to Peter, they are absolutely necessary for the Christian faith and through his experience Peter understood how important they would be to his disciples that they might also endure (persevere), become holy (godliness), and share the burdens (mutual affection) of one another.

We can presuppose the readers were also familiar with a similar appeal made by the Apostle Paul in his Letter to the Galatians:

¹⁶So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

¹⁹The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; ²⁰idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, ²¹and envy; drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no Law.

²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.

Galatians 5:16-26

Both Peter and Paul understood discipleship was more than just faith; we have to be changed in our heart. For Paul that was the “fruit of the Spirit” and for Peter it was “Jesus divine power”, which helps us to walk in love, goodness, and self-control–three qualities that can be found in both passages of scripture. Paul included joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, and gentleness to his gifts of the Spirit. And in that Spirit Peter exhorts believers to add faith, knowledge, perseverance, godliness and mutual affection to their faith. Both epistles in their own way add something to our understanding of discipleship. Paul’s fruits of the Spirit are inward convictions meant to sustain and strengthen the believer internally; Peter’s Christian values are expressions of our faith that must be shared because of his very great and precious promises (v. 4). All of them are gifts from God and need to be “added” for as Peter writes … if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 8).  

Walk with the Lord …

Ephesians 1:17

(RLB231127)

© Copyright 2018: Randall L. Broad

Disclaimer: This commentary is written by Randall L. Broad. It is in no way affiliated with or represents any denomination, university, church, or pastor. Any errors or omissions are purely my responsibility.