2 Peter - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis
2 Peter - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis
2 Peter - Verse-by-Verse Biblical Exegesis
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can really know Him ... Greater knowledge is also granted as the end of divine discipline.<br />
(C. New)<br />
Knowledge is power. To know God is to have a way of being supplied with all that we<br />
need. It is to have an inexhaustible fountain of blessing. It is to feel the quickening and<br />
transforming power of his perfections. (R. Finlayson) The main part of the letter begins<br />
with an emphasis on knowledge. It is <strong>by</strong> means of knowledge, a knowledge of theology,<br />
that His divine power gives us all things that contribute to life and piety. Note the “all<br />
things.” No edification, no growth in grace, no advance in piety is possible except <strong>by</strong><br />
knowledge. Those who wish to preserve and propagate <strong>Biblical</strong> religion should put more<br />
stress on learning. Some zealous groups who claim to be evangelistic offer an emotional<br />
experience with little or no evangel. They may read a few verses of the Bible for heart<br />
throbs, but certainly not for theology. They should read, and try to understand, 2 <strong>Peter</strong><br />
1:2-3. All the grace that a man has passes through the understanding; and the difference<br />
in stature in Christianity grows from different degrees of knowledge. (G. Clark)<br />
2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 <strong>Peter</strong> 1:3-4 teach clearly that in the Bible God has given us<br />
everything we need to know to handle any situation which may arise in our lives. At the<br />
very least this includes every aspect of the spiritual life. (Ice, Dean) After receiving<br />
saving grace, you are brought under the sphere of what I call logistical grace – the means<br />
<strong>by</strong> which God protects and keeps the believer alive in the devil’s world. Logistical grace<br />
guarantees the temporal necessities, such as food, shelter, clothing, air to breathe,<br />
transportation, and especially the spiritual essentials that enable you to metabolize Bible<br />
doctrine and grow spiritually. These include the local church as a classroom, the Bible as<br />
the textbook, a pastor who studies and communicates the Word of God, and the grace<br />
apparatus for perception. Every blessing of logistical grace is supplied so you can<br />
advance into the greater spheres of grace, the supergrace and ultra-supergrace life. (R.B.<br />
Thieme, Jr.)<br />
An intimate “full knowledge” (epignosis) of Christ is the source of spiritual power and<br />
growth. (K. Gangel) Knowledge of God experimentally is life. The child must have vital<br />
breath. (R. Jamieson) Experiential sanctification is called “godliness.” True godliness<br />
runs far deeper than the shallow legalisms that so many Christians practice. Genuine<br />
godliness is abiding in the sphere of Christ’s love ... God has made His divine power<br />
available to every Church Age believer for the execution of the unique spiritual life: (a)<br />
the power of the Word of God circulating in our souls, (b) the unique assets of the<br />
Church Age, (c) the filling of the Holy Spirit, and (d) the function of spiritual gifts. (R.B.<br />
Thieme, Jr.) Glory and virtue are the divine nature. (C. Bigg) A godly life is not<br />
something that only a few super-saints are destined to achieve, for <strong>Peter</strong> says it is within<br />
the reach of the ordinary Christian. It is a matter of hard submission to God’s Word. The<br />
Christian who is not godly has only one person to blame. (J. Stott)<br />
2 <strong>Peter</strong> 1:3 Since (subordinating) His (Poss. Gen.) divine<br />
(Gen. Descr.) power (Subj. Gen., Gen. Absolute) has given<br />
(dwre,omai, Perf.MPtc.GFS, Dramatic, Causal, Deponent) to us<br />
(Dat. Adv.) all things (Acc. Dir. Obj.) pertaining to
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