I. Greeting (2 Peter 1:1-2)

I. Greeting (1:1-2)

1:1 The author of this epistle is Simon Peter, a servant . . . of Jesus Christ (that is, one under his authority and lordship) and an apostle (a member of the team of Jews chosen and commissioned by Jesus to proclaim the gospel and plant churches). He identifies himself here, however, as Simeon Peter, which has led some to conclude incorrectly that someone other than Peter wrote the letter. A better explanation for the alternate spelling is that “Simeon” was a Semitic rendering, used especially in first-century Palestinian settings (cf. Acts 15:14).

The recipients of the letter are those who have received a faith equal to ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. They are born-again Christians. In this letter, Peter is not concerned with winning the lost as much as he is with leading the saved into a deeper, experiential knowledge of God. Note also that he explicitly affirms the deity of Jesus—he is “our God and Savior.”

1:2 Peter’s purpose in fostering spiritual growth and a greater personal experience with God in this life is underscored by his prayer that grace and peace would be multiplied to them through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. Notice that this prayer turns the greeting in a Trinitarian direction by referring to God (the Father) and Jesus—who is called “God” in 1:1. There is only one God, but he exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.