New Testament Commentary - 2 Peter 1

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 1 Peter exhorts the saints to make their calling and election sure—Prophecy comes by the power of the Holy Ghost.
1 Simon Peter, a ^aservant and an ^bapostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained ^clike precious faith with us through the ^drighteousness ^eof God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the ^aknowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord^a, AS GOD IS Our goal or target as children of God is to become even AS HE IS. This is our HOPE as we embark upon that path which leads us to Him. And as is the case when embarking upon a course or journey a knowledge of the desired end of where it is that we are going is needful. The process by which we will get there is that of the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ which centers about the process of forgiveness and repentance as man progresses and moves forward towards becoming like unto God, taking His image and countance upon us. Line upon line, precept upon precept, principle upon principle is the nature and character of God revealed unto us. Such principles and laws given unto man by God are such which enable us to be enlightened in becoming even AS HE IS. Thus coming to 'know' Him, coming to a knowledge of Him and His ways enables us to form our lives to be like unto him. And by this process, as we do all that we can do, it is by the power of His Grace that we have the peace and assurance that we will eventually come to be even AS HE IS in all things. And though it does not appear exactly what all that is and entales in all things, we know that we will become and be like He is for we will come to know as He Knows and come to be all that HE IS. Peter gives a significant but short representative laundry list as to what the nature of God is and therefore what it is that we will become. And as we move line upon line towards becoming LIKE HE IS, retaining that as we go our sins, failings and short comings are removed from us by his atonement, we may have that assurance of the promise that our calling and election through and in Him is made sure.	2^a Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord Given the Lord's assured promise that by His grace we will be saved, we may come to understand that as long as we are of the body of Christ, that is being faithful in His Church, doing all that we can do, moving forward upon that path which leads to Him, that we need not fear and peace does enter in the place of fear. We gain that assurance through the process of meekness and ever repenting in the process of coming unto him line upon line, precept upon precept, principle upon principle, understanding that as we continue to adapt our ways to being His ways, progressing ever forward by putting off the 'Old Man' of corruption and putting on the 'New Man' which is like unto Him as we learn more and more about Him and His ways, then we have that assurance of being Forgiven as we Forgive and repent and come unto him step by step. Yet like Paul and Nephi came to realize, the man of this temporary corruptible estate can never reach that perfection of God, still being of the 'wretched natural man and nature that we are here' and that even upon passing through the vail, there is much to still learn and do before we become perfected in him, therefore, the whole of the matter comes down to the course we have chosen. Are we to be found upon that path making our way to God? Is the true desire of our hearts truly to become EVEN AS HE IS? That is the test of this life and if we are so found upon that path, having entered in at the gate, pressing forward with real intent or purpose and desire, enduring unto the end in all things, then we are assured that our calling and election is made sure in and through Him by that power of his grace, that we will be raised up eventually to that same status of being EVEN AS HE IS.
3 *According as his divine power hath given unto us ^aall things that pertain* unto ^blife and ^cgodliness^a, through the knowledge of him^b that hath called us ^dto glory and ^evirtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious ^apromises: that by these ye might be ^bpartakers of the ^cdivine ^dnature^a, having ^eescaped the ^fcorruption that is in the world through ^glust. Search the Scriptures** We are commanded to Search the Scripture and to learn and gain knowledge of God. They are they which witness and testify of Him and give us knowledge and understanding as to Who He Is and What He Is Like. With that knowledge of Who God Is and What He Is Like, be can so mold our own beings, begin to Follow Him and DO AS HE DOES. In so doing we begin to become Like Unto Him. And herein lies Eternal Life. For this is our Goal and our End, our purpose and design, to become EVEN AS GOD IS, imulating Him putting on that very image and countenance of the Lord. We begin to exhibit those character trait, virtues and qualities that make Him Who HE IS and which will make us Like Unto Him.	3^a According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness It is through the power of God that he communes with us. Primarily by that Spirit of God which does come in and testifies within us that He Is. By that very power were all things make and given for the divine purpose of God, which is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Thus through His Word, through his inspiration and by his guidance we are given all things which pertain unto life and godliness that we may come to Him and to our salvation through Him. 3^b through the knowledge of him As we come to 'know' Him, we begin to follow after what it is that He Is. And by this power and knowledge of Him, He does raise us up to that glory and same virtues of nature to be Even As He Is. 4^a given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature For man to become even as the Gods is the great and precious of the Father and the Son made as the covenant of the Plan of Redemption. That fallen man might become partakers of God's very divine nature and be able to be redeemed and 'escape' from this natural state of worldly corruption and become on equal standing with and as one of the Gods, to follow and become like unto Christ and His and Our Father Who is in Heaven.
The Divine Nature Faith, Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness, Charity These are but a reprentative esential listing of that which is the nature of God. It is not an all enclusive list for there are many things which are yet to be revealed concerning Him and His nature which our finite mind and being of this Second Estate is not capable of comprehending and understanding. Many of these higher ways, thoughts, knowledge and understandings of God will not come to be known until after this life and our passing through the vail, when we come to see him in person and are enhanced in mind and ability to continue in that path which will eventuate in us becoming even as He Is. While that process is accelerated due to the vail being removed and the limitations of this natural man of corruption removed, it will still be somewhat of a course to proceed upon until we have ultimately so formed ourself in all things to be the same high and mighty perfected being as He Is. In this life we do not learn all that there is to learn. That will come in the life here after. But the assurance that we are given is that as found in D&C 10 and identified as a great mystery in verses 64-70. There if we have entered in by the waters of life, that is the Lord's true baptism and have become a true member of his Church and are found to be faithful therein and do move forward upon that path which leads to Him, enduring to the end and are there found to be upon that path and of that mind and heart which is striving and doing that which one can do to so live His Gospel here, then we are assured that we will eventuall gain the reward and win the prize and become a part of His Kingdom and glory and Even become like unto what He Is.
5 And beside this, giving all ^adiligence, add to your faith ^bvirtue; and to virtue ^cknowledge; 6 And to knowledge ^atemperance; and to temperance ^bpatience; and to patience ^cgodliness; 7 And to godliness ^abrotherly ^bkindness; and to brotherly kindness ^ccharity.
8 For if these things be in you, and ^aabound, they make you that ye shall neither be ^bbarren nor ^cunfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off^a, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins^b. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and ^aelection sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never ^bfall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the ^aeverlasting ^bkingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 13 Yea, I think it ^ameet, as long as I am in this ^btabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; 14 Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath ^ashewed me.
15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. 16 For we have not followed cunningly devised ^afables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were ^beyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my ^abeloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18 And this ^avoice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy ^bmount. 19 ^aWe have also a more ^bsure word of ^cprophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day ^dstar arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that ^ano ^bprophecy of the ^cscripture is of any private ^dinterpretation. 21 For the ^aprophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God ^bspake as they were ^cmoved by the ^dHoly Ghost.