Home / 1 & 2 Peter: Verse by Verse / 2 Peter 1
Eyewitnesses and the Prophetic Word
- Passage
- 2 Peter 1
- Taught
- December 21, 2025
Summary
Peter introduces himself as Simeon Peter, a servant (doulos, a bondservant) and apostle of Jesus Christ, writing to those who have received a faith of equal standing. He prays that grace and peace be multiplied in the knowledge of God, and the lesson distinguishes mere information from experiential knowledge that transforms.
God’s divine power has granted everything needed for life and godliness through His great and precious promises. In response Peter urges us to make every effort to supplement faith with virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love. These qualities keep us fruitful, and Peter urges diligence to confirm our calling and election.
Peter knows his departure is near (his body is a skēnōma, a tent) and wants to leave a reminder. He grounds everything in eyewitness testimony: the apostles did not follow cleverly devised myths but saw Christ’s majesty on the holy mountain and heard the voice of the Father. The prophetic word is more fully confirmed, a lamp shining in a dark place, and no prophecy of Scripture came by the will of man but as men were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
The flow of the chapter
Peter moves from what God has given, to how we should grow, to why we can trust it.
- 1:1–2. Greeting from a servant and apostle.
- 1:3–9. God’s promises and the call to supplement faith.
- 1:10–15. Confirm your calling; Peter’s reminder as his time grows short.
- 1:16–21. Eyewitnesses of Christ’s majesty and the sure prophetic word.
Great promises behind the call
The slides list promises that shape us now and anchor our hope:
- Eternal life (John 3:16) and the presence of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16–17).
- Forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and God’s provision (Philippians 4:19).
- Peace beyond understanding (Philippians 4:7) and strength in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).
- Guidance and wisdom (James 1:5), rest for the weary (Matthew 11:28–29), and Christ’s return (John 14:2–3).
Questions to talk about
- Am I relying on God’s divine power for life and godliness, or on my own strength?Apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5).
- Am I actively growing in faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection and love?These are the fruit of a believer’s life (Galatians 5:22–23).
- Where am I becoming spiritually forgetful and in need of fresh reminders?Peter intends always to remind us, even though we are established in the truth (2 Peter 1:12).
- Am I grounding my faith in the apostolic eyewitness testimony and treating Scripture as fully reliable?Do I submit to Scripture or merely consult it?