Exegesis: 2 Peter 1:5-9

How do we prevent becoming unfruitful? How do we keep from becoming stagnant in our walk with God? The author of 2 Peter reminds his audience that the key to maintaining a healthy growth is to continually recall the knowledge we first receieved when our eyes were opened to the love of God; that we were once sinners, but now we are forever redeemed, forgiven, and brought into the fold of God.

2 Peter 1:5-9 Exegesis

11/7/2019 

Brandon Moate

    Abstract

    Peter, in his first four verses, swiftly writes to his audience that at their conversion they received all that was necessary to live a godly life away from sin. As Peter is about to segue into verse 5, he mentions an escape from the corruption of this world. Ambiguously, this idea of escaping sinful desire and becoming partakers of the divine nature seems to refer either to the present or to the future, after death. However, Peter H. Davids astutely notes that Peter must be referring to a present escape as he just referenced sufficing knowledge received at salvation and will continue talking about present virtues mandatory for spiritual growth.[1]

Passage

2 Peter 1:5-9 (ESV)

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge (γνώσει), 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 

8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge (έπίγνωσιν) of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

Exegesis

            “2 Peter’s running theme is ‘knowledge.’ Knowledge in this letter primarily concerns moral and eschatological matters. These two components are united figuratively as a moral journey to an eschatological kingdom.” [2] "Knowledge" is the rudder that steers these verses because of their distinct use within their contexts. Peter uses two forms of knowledge from verse 5 to verse 8; epignosis and gnosis. Gnosis in verse 5 refers to practical and discerning knowledge of Christ’s ways,[3] or otherwise put, moral wisdom.[4]   Epignosis is a profound knowledge of Christ’s nature[5] obtained at conversion.[6] This is the revelatory knowledge that transforms an individual’s paradigm with purpose, identity, and an eternal outlook.

            Verses 5-7 begin with an exhortation to “make every effort.” This command implies not a passive absorption of knowledge obtained through trials, but an intentional responsibility on behalf of the believer to persist. [7] The verses continue by listing seven characteristics to add to faith. Note that faith is not a characteristic Peter is saying to have but it is the foundation on which to add everything else. [8]

            Some believe that Peter’s listed qualities demonstrate a chain[9] or a series of stepping-stones.[10] Although it is intuitive to interpret Peter’s repetition of the previous quality as progression, this does not imply that one quality must be developed before the next can be reached. It is nonsensical to believe one must be fully knowledgeable before one can display brotherly kindness. Or that one would virtuous before they are self-controlled. Spiritual characteristics are developed at various times and speeds, and often, together. For this reason, Harvey and Towner’s metaphor for 2 Peter 1:5-7 is most accurate. They describe a diamond ring, with faith as the base that holds the diamond. The diamond has six sides to it, each as even and beautiful as the rest. On top is the face of the diamond; love.[11]

Peter’s list of characteristics begins with faith as the foundation. Faith, here, is not an exhortation to believe more as one might interpret the phrase to "have faith," but is used as an encompassing noun to describe your belief system. Adding to the foundation of Faith, is virtue, knowledge (gnosis), self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love.

            Virtue means to be morally excellent and was used in verse 3 to describe Christ.[12] Knowledge is once again brought up, however, this knowledge is gnosis, which differs significantly from epignosis. Peter H. Davids asserts that the knowledge referenced here is practical knowledge that influences wisdom and discernment.[13] While this conclusion is possible, it is vague. Harink deepens David’s definition by proposing that Peter illuminates his intended definition of knowledge later in the book in chapter 3. “Peter tells us that this kind of knowledge is given in the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and commandment of the lord and savior spoken through your apostles 3:2, including what is written by the apostle Paul…”[14] Knowledge in this context could be referring to devotional understanding of scripture and intentional Christian disciplines that build an intimate knowledge of Christ.

            Self-Control is the ability to refrain from one’s impulse to feast and indulge, particularly about sexual desire.[15]Steadfastness illustrates endurance in a long battle. [16] Godliness is respect towards God and those associated with him.[17] In the Greek, brotherly affection was written as Φίλαδέλφία, which means, “love of the brethren.”[18] This kind of love is defined as generosity and affection among physical kin, the kind of love family is meant to have.[19] Peter intentionally expands this definition to now view Christians as being a part of the same family. Brotherly affection, then, is to treat fellow Christians with the same grace, care, and inclusion one would healthily have with blood relatives. Love is the crown of Peter’s seven characteristics for spiritual growth. Love is defined by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 and called the greatest commandment by Jesus in Matthew 22:35-40.

            Peter has described parameters for intentional growth.[20] Verse 8 contains the literary contrast to Christian life without these qualities. If a Christian does not pursue these qualities they become unfruitful and ineffective in their epignosis; in their life-altering revelation of Jesus as Lord. The Christian’s mission becomes like a barren tree; the power of Christ within the Christian to turn away from evil desire becomes ineffective. Unwillingness to grow will fade the Christian back into sin.[21]

            Peter describes these Christians as so nearsighted they are blind because they forgot they were cleansed of former sins. Perhaps, Peter wanted to teach his audience how some Christians lose their way and become the false teachers he later writes about.[22] The blindness referred here has a few interpretations.

            Peter H. Davids suggests this is blindness to virtue and fixation on worldly desires.[23] Harvey and Towner interpret this as blindness to spiritual realities.[24] Their interpretations aren’t mutually exclusive, but their definitions seem to be side effects of the root problem Peter himself states. Blindness is caused by forgetting the revelation knowledge one receives at salvation. This knowledge completes the new believer with a newfound understanding of grace, a need to turn from sin, and a mission to evangelize. A Christian who forgets they once were lost and broken loses the very humility that fuels a desire for Christ and an evangelistic passion. It is no surprise Peter mentions being unfruitful in verse 8 and confirming one’s call and election in verse 10.

Bibliography

Davids, Peter H. The Letters of 2 Peter and Jude. Grand Rapids, MI: William B.   Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2006.

Harink, Douglas. 2009. 1 & 2 Peter. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press.

Harvey, Robert, and Philip H. Towner. 2009. 2 Peter & Jude. Downers Grove, IL:            Intervarsity Press.

Helm, David R. 1 & 2 Peter and Jude. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2008.

Nienhuis, David R., and Robert W. Wall. 2013. Reading the Epistles of James, Peter,       John, and Jude as Scripture: The Shaping and Shape of a Canonical Collection.            Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Samra, Jim. 2016. James, 1 & 2 Peter, and Jude. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

Thayer, Joseph H. Thayers Greek - English Lexicon of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1968.

Webb, Robert L., and Duane Frederick Watson. 2010. Reading Second Peter with New  Eyes: Methodological Reassessments of the Letter of Second Peter. London:           Bloomsbury T & T Clark.

[1]  Peter H. Davids, The Letters of 2 Peter and Jude (Grand Rapids: William B.      Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2006), 168.

[2]  Robert L. Webb and Duane Frederick Watson, Reading Second Peter with New Eyes     (London: Bloomsbury T & T Clark, 2010), 91.

[3] Robert Harvey and Philip H. Towner, 2 Peter and Jude (Downers Grove:         Intervarsity Press. 2009), 43.

[4]   Joseph H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek – English Lexicon (Grand Rapids: Zondervan         Publishing House. 1968) 119.

[5]   Jim Samra, James, 1 & 2 Peter, and Jude (Grand Rapids: Baker Books. 2016), 202;    Thayer, Thayer’s Greek- English Lexicon, 237.

[6]   Davids, The Letters of 2 Peter and Jude, 185; Douglas Harink, 1 and 2 Peter (Grand   Rapids: Brazos Press. 2009), 136-137.

[7]   Samra, 203.

[8]   Samra, 203

[9]   David R. Helm, 1 & 2 Peter and Jude (Wheaton: Crossway Books. 2008), 195.

[10] David R. Neinhuis and Robert W. Wall, Reading the Epistles of James, Peter, John      and Jude as Scripture: The Shaping and Shape of a Canonical Collection (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. 2013), 133.

[11] Harvey and Towner, 46.

[12] Harink, 148.

[13] Davids, 180.

[14] Harink, 148.

[15] Davids, 181.

[16] Harvey and Tower, 44.

[17] Davids, 181.

[18] Thayer, 653.

[19] Davids, 182.

[20] Samra, 197.

[21] Neinhuis and Wall, 133.

[22] Webb and Watson, 150.

[23] Davids, 186.

[24] Harvey and Towner, 48-49.