Greetings Part 1 - Some Thoughts on 2 Peter 1:1-2

1:1 – Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

1. Note the author: he is Simeon, his given Jewish name for he certainly is a Jew. While called by many names throughout the New Testament, Simeon (Simon) is his true name (“one heard”). This name represents his human nature, the man he was before Christ and the man who, though redeemed, is still a sinner.

But he also says his name is “Peter” (meaning rock). Here is the name Christ gave to him upon his confession as to who Jesus was. He is a man of faith though, at times, that faith indeed wavers. Thank the Lord it did for it provides hope to those of us who struggle in our own Christian walk.

Having provided his readers with his name, he now mentions his titles. First, he is a “servant”. The word may be translated “slave” and should be connected with the two nouns “Jesus Christ”. Peter knew who he was in Christ just as Paul did. Jesus is the Master; they are merely his servants or slaves. A slave does only that which is commanded by his master. He, like all of those who trust Christ, are forever indebted to our great savior.

Second, he is an “apostle”, “one who is sent with a message”. Sometimes the word is used to describe the specific New Testament office of “Apostle” held only by those who had seen the resurrected Christ. I believe Peter is using the word in two ways. He is a messenger of the Gospel sent by Christ to preach and minister, but he is also a special called follower of Christ who witnessed the Lord’s activity after his resurrection. His office as an apostle carries divine authority which may be attributed to his writing including this letter. It is the very Word of God.

2. Next, Peter mentions his immediate audience. No specific church is mentioned. No specific location is mentioned. But his readers are described with precise terminology. While he may have certain individuals in mind as he writes, the description of these readers applies to every believer. Therefore, the letter is intended for the church through the ages.

The readers are the ones who have obtained faith. The word translated “obtained” is a participle in the original and is found only here and in three other New Testament passages. It means to obtain by lot. In other words, whatever is received is received apart from their effort. They do not earn the item obtained; it is given to them by the selection of something (or someone) else. John the Baptist’s father obtained the right to minister in the temple by lot (i.e., he was chosen). The Lord’s clothes were obtained by certain soldiers by casting lots (i.e., they obtained them by chance).

The faith they have is not of themselves. It is not something they possessed that was lying dormant inside their depraved humanity. No, they obtained that faith through the work of Almighty God, not of themselves. Here we clearly see “the gift of saving faith”. Such faith is a gift of God. Regeneration comes first then faith. Salvation is indeed a work of grace!

True Biblical faith, true saving faith is not a mere intellectual assent of Scriptural truths (recall that the demons believe, and they tremble!). The faith to which Peter refers is a faith that not only assents to the truth, it trusts its object, namely, it trusts Christ! Trust includes knowledge but also includes dependence. Our faith believes the Word and depends upon the Lord. We trust Jesus with our eternal soul.

This “obtaining” is a completed action. God gave the faith to the one reading this epistle when the Spirit regenerated their soul. When that faith came, the sinner trusted the Lord and was justified before God.

What his readers have obtained is faith of the same kind as Peter and the other apostles. They are not different levels of salvation in the kingdom of God. While our sanctification may take different paths, the faith we place in Christ is the same among all believers. Peter is an apostle by the calling of God, and, therefore, carries higher authority. But the faith he exercises in Christ is the same faith his readers exercise in Christ. We are brothers and sisters in the faith, equals before our Lord.

3. Lest we assume our faith is somehow based upon our efforts to “accept Jesus”, Peter specifies how such faith comes: “by the righteousness of our God and savior Jesus Christ”.

Righteousness is that attribute of God whereby He always does what is right and He alone determines what right is. His righteousness is perfect. There is no sin in Him. To stand in his presence demands we, too, possess such righteousness. In our depraved state, that is impossible. Despite every effort we may muster, we will sin and, thereby, destroy perfect righteousness. In fact, God’s Word teaches us that we are sinners at our conception as a result of Adam’s sin. We are doomed from the outset. We do not have the necessary righteousness.

But the faith given to us by our great Sovereign God, when exercised by trusting our soul to Christ, is then credited to us as righteousness. Here is the great doctrine of justification by faith. We are justified or declared righteous through our faith, a faith we do not earn but are given. Praise our wonderful Lord for all his provisions!

Furthermore, the righteousness credited to us at our justification is not some artificial righteousness. No, Peter reminds us it is the righteousness of our God and Savior. And who is that God and Savior? Peter constructs this phrase so both nouns (“God” and “Savior”) refer to the same individual: Jesus Christ.

Jesus is God in the flesh. He was conceived by the work of the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin, born as a human child, lived a human life without any sin (active obedience), and died a sacrificial death (passive obedience). By his life and through his death, he obtained the righteousness of God. Our sin was credited to Him on the cross and He paid the full debt we owed. When we place our God-given faith in Him, His righteousness is credited to us and God declares us “not guilty”.

Let us rejoice in the opening words of this epistle. Peter was a sinner saved by God’s grace, called to the apostleship. The faith God gave to Him He gives to all His chosen ones. And that faith is based on the perfect, completed work of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ!

May we glorify Him forever!

Personal Greetings

For some time, I have been assembling my own commentary on Paul's letter to Philemon. Recently, though, I decided to work my way through 2 Timothy, a letter I have not preached or taught before. While I have read it several times, a word leaped out at me as I translated the first verse.  Quoting from the King James Version:

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus

This is a typical salutation from the Apostle. The thirteen epistles written by him begin with his name. There is nothing unusual in this. But, what grabbed my eye was the word "apostle". Yes, Paul frequently begins his salutations by noting his divinely appointed office. Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, and Titus find the same word in the very first verse. There are only four Pauline epistles which do not have "apostle" in verse 1: 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Philippians, and Philemon.

You might ask, then, why the word in 2 Timothy grabbed my attention. All, but four, of Paul's letters were written directly to churches; only four were personal letters: 1 & Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Having spent so much time in Philemon, I knew Paul never used the word "apostle" in that letter. When writing to his Christian brother and friend, Philemon, about the latter's runaway slave, Onesimus, Paul had no need to remind his friend of his exalted position within the church. Yes, he was an Apostle. Yes, the letter to Philemon bears apostolic authority; it is the Word of God. But, Paul found no need to remind his friend of this. His approach was to appeal, not command, his friend to receive back Onesimus as not only his servant but also his brother in Christ.

Approaching 2 Timothy, I guess I assumed Paul also had no need to remind his friend and former missionary partner of his office. I was surprised, then, when I saw the word "apostle" in that first verse. Quickly, I checked the other two personal letters (1 Timothy and Titus) and, sure enough, the word was there as well.

The Timothy epistles and Titus are collectively known as the Pastoral Epistles. Timothy and Titus are pastors and Paul has insight and instruction for them and their local churches. While the letters are directed to these personal friends, Paul leaves no doubt as to the authority of his words. He is writing not merely as their friend and co-worker, but as an Apostle of the Almighty God. His Words are God's Words. His wisdom is God's Wisdom. His commands are God's commands.

These facts are true in all of Paul's letters including Philemon. Let us clearly understand that, when we read the writings of Paul (or any other Biblical author), we are reading the very Word of God. What they have written is not merely their opinion.