2Peter Essay Research Paper Authorship and CanonicityNone — страница 2

should obey his commands. Peter is also purchased for the price of Jesus? precious blood and does his will. Christian?s virtues 1:5-15 Peter presents 7 virtues that should be added to the faith to make it effective and productive. These virtues are: ?goodness? (aret?)- virtue of moral excellence, ?knowledge? (gnosis)-constant goal of Christian?s life, ?self-control?(egkrateia), ?perseverance? (hypomon?)- patience in waiting for the 2nd coming of Christ, ?godliness? (eusebeia)-devotion of person to God, ?brotherly kindness? (philadelphia)-virtue that characterizes the fellowship of believers and ?love? (agape)-the main of all virtues, denotes self-sacrificing action in behalf of another. Divine nature of Jesus Christ 2:4-10. Divine nature of Jesus Christ was attested by his

apostles and O.T. prophecy. Peter claims that he was eyewitness (epoptai) of Jesus Transfiguration. This scene showed Jesus as the Son of God and the King of the World. In verse 1:19 Peter calls Jesus the ?morning star?. Related expression is found in the O.T. ?a star?from Jacob? (Numbers 24:17) which supports the idea that Jesus is the promised Messiah. False teaching and their judgment 2:1-22. The author compares false teachers with ?springs without water and mists driven by storm.? Christs provides ?a spring of water welling up to eternal life? (John 4:13-14) to his believers. Because false teachers have no this living water their way is destruction. Lord?s 2nd coming 3:1-18. Peter informs that the last days will come like a ?thief? (unexpectedly), and ?the heavens will

disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything on it will be laid bare.? 3:10. There is a dispute among some scholars, what are these ?elements?, and how a process of destruction would look like. Some, for example, see heavenly bodies (stars) as elements and process of destruction as splitting of the atoms. Finally, Peter says that living by word of God we will have a new world to live. John also saw ?a new heaven and a new earth where nothing is impure? (Rev21:1,8,27) that confirms the truth of Peter?s words and inspired origin of this book. Purpose of writing 1. to refute false teachers and their heresies. 2. To stimulate Christian growth in church. 3. To correct errors about 2nd coming of Christ. 4. To explain the relation of

knowledge to faith. The theme: growing of fruitful faith in order to stay firm against false teachers and for the gaining of promised eternal life. Hermeneutics As a whole, I enjoyed reading of 2nd Peter. The author uses very vivid and original language to describe the problems of Christianity. Peter?s concern and love towards his audience is very touching and worthy of praise. I think, that this letter is very relevant to the present days. Neglecting some historical features of the text, it seems that it was written exactly for us. The problems that were discussed in the book: false teaching, real faith, and the role of knowledge in its growth are actual more than ever. What we have now is the variety of sects that pervert or deny the Gospel of truth. Only in Ukraine there is

more than 1350 sects, both legal and illegal. A person, who is not rooted in his faith yet, may be caught in the nets of deceivers and false teachers. This problem has become even more critical than in ancient times because present leaders of sects are frequently good psychologists and use hypnosis to influence their ?brothers in faith?. The consequences of these practices are horrible. Many religious leaders interpret the word of God in the ways they want it to be, they seek the secret meaning that isn?t intended by the author. For example Paul?s words ??everything is permissible for me? are paraphrased as ?freedom from law and restraint of body?. Yet, Peter says the most of those who speak about freedom are ?slaves of depravity-for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him?

(2:19) and the only one who can give us real freedom from sin is Jesus Christ, but, unfortunately false teachers always neglect that last thing. Also, the religion in nowadays is mostly commercialized and the motivation for the ministry is mercenary. To make a careful and right choice concerning living by faith, one should use the Word of God as a guideline in all his decisions. Those who are already firm in their belief also shouldn?t forget about the danger of misleading. This is what Peter tells us about in the verse 3:17. ?Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.? There is one more problem in the letter I would like to emphasize, it is a problem of