2 Peter 1:1
Simon 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:
Truth to Learn
Peter humbly greets all Christians who read this letter.
Behind the Words
“Servant” is translated from the Greek word doulos, which means “a slave.” It represents one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, his will being altogether consumed in the will of the other. It is a person who has no rights of his own, one who exists only as the property of someone else.
The expression “who … have received” is translated from a single Greek word lachousin. The root of this word is langchano, which means “to receive by casting of lots.” The implication is that it is something received as a gift, not as something which was earned.
“As precious as” is translated from the Greek word isotimon, which is made up of isos, meaning “similar,” and a form of timos, meaning “value or honor.” Hence it means “equally valuable.”
Meaning Explained
Peter opens this letter in a similar manner to his first letter, though with a couple of differences. He announces himself not simply as Peter (petros) but as Simon Peter (simeon petros). Simon (or Simeon) was his given name, but Peter (petros) was the name that Jesus gave him:
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter … (Mat 16:17, 18a)
Peter introduces himself in this letter first of all as a servant then as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. This is similar to the way that the Apostle Paul introduces himself:
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— (Romans 1:1)
Though he had every right to call himself an apostle, it is out of humility that he sees himself first as a slave of God, then as an apostle.
The letter is written to “those who have received a faith as precious as ours.” This is a reference to the fact that the saving faith of non-Jewish believers is just as effective and priceless as the saving faith of Christians who have come out of the Jewish faith. It appears from this statement that this letter may have been sent specifically to encourage and build-up the Gentile converts to Christianity.
The end of this verse is sometimes translated, “righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.” This has been used by some to try to prove that Jesus Christ is separate from God. However, a more accurate rendering of the Greek is, “righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ,” which makes it clear that Jesus is both our God and our Savior.
Application
Whether you were brought up in a Jewish family, a Christian family, a family of some other faith, or a family of no faith, this letter is written to you if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2009 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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