2 Peter 1:5-7

[a mere housewife]

I have several questions about 2 Peter 1:5-7. Ruben gave me Kistemacher to look through, and I looked up Matthew Henry (we aren't in a situation where I have much access to his other books). They were helpful in some respects, but they contradicted each other in others. I still don't understand the meaning of all the things listed, nor why they are listed in the specific order in which they appear: and I don't know how I am to make legitimate efforts to 'add' each of these things (for instance, to add self control to knowledge -- and I am unsure why self control is to be added to knowledge rather than 'virtue' or 'patience'-- should I decide not to eat daily until noon, etc? -- that sounds ridiculous but I am quite serious as to whether that sort of effort is what is being spoken of). And I'm afraid I don't understand if these things are to be looked on in the light of preliminaries to good works, or if the love at the end of the list should be looked on as the capstone of all the efforts we make in this life. Any help on how to have a more 'whole' understanding of this passage and how to add these things is very much appreciated.

 

[Wayne]

See the lengthy commentary on 2 Peter by Thomas Adams, available on Google Books:

An exposition upon the second ... - Google Books

The above is for downloading the PDF format. Or more directly, if you want to "read it on your device" [can I read it on my microwave?],

http://books.google.com/ebooks/read...&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&pg=GBS.PP7

Ever the good Puritan, Adams doesn't get to verse 5 until page 54 of his Commentary. Coverage of verses 5-7 appears on pages 54-89.

 

[a mere housewife]

Thanks, Wayne. I currently have the volume of Owen's works with his commentary on Psalm 130 downloaded to my microwave and I don't think it can equably bear the strain of two massive works and still boil water for tea. So I will read the relevant portion of this (beginning on p. 54, for those interested in joining me) on Ruben's teleprompter.

 

[py3ak]

Bump. Anyone have any thoughts on the order of the graces listed, the distinctions between them, and the proper approach to pursuing them?

 

[Jack K]

I have no words from great men to add, nor complete thoughts on living out the passage. Just one thing:

I think perhaps we ought to not overthink the order of the list. Yes, it does seem to build toward love. But the fact that one is "added to" the other cannot mean that believers attain these in sequential order, so that we first have to work on the one before we can move on to the next. The verses following the list suggest that all of these are critical qualities for all believers. We work on them simultaneously and, in fact, developing any one of these qualities tends to feed the others. They naturally proceed from each other. They grow in tandem, as they are all part of the divine nature we partake in (v. 4).

 

[FCC]

2 Pet. 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.


2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;


2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;


2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

Maybe we can go back to verse 4 and start there. In verse 4 Peter tells us that as partakers of the divine nature we escape the corruption that is in the world by lust. This is the gradual release or escape of sanctification that is being spoken of. We are given the great and precious promises in order to obtain that high and noble calling of sanctification, which is an ongoing work in our lives! We exert ourselves to attain to that high calling by cultivating these character qualities in our lives.
Peter presents us with a series of building blocks to assist and guide us on our spiritual growth in grace! I dont' know if they are a hard and fast rule of growth, or just some practical application of the promises of God in the life of the believer! We each will grow in different manners and ways at different times in our lives, so possibly Peter is giving us a frame work on which to grow. We should seek these qualities as we grow and struggle in our faith.

Just some random thoughts on the passage!

 

[Marrow Man]

Heidi, I preached on that text not too long ago (back in January of this year, If I recall correctly). For some reason, the sermon did not get recorded, but I still have the outline/notes of the sermon if you would like to read them. Basically, I looked at faith and love being "bookends" of the list, with faith being sort of the beginning and love being sort of the goal. If you would like me to email you a copy of the outline, PM me with your email address and I will glad to do so.

 

[a mere housewife]

Thank you both. Another friend pointed out that most of the things spoken of in these verses are promised to us in the first four verses. So we have this incentive to our efforts: that these things are ours in Christ; and because they are ours in Christ, we must exert ourselves towards them. And the point is well taken that we must always be practicingall of these things while we live in this world -- that making efforts in all these areas is the way to live here, for another world (which theme of living for another world is as my friend pointed out, not just an immediate context, but the theme of the whole book of 2 Peter).

---------- Post added at 11:08 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:07 AM ----------

PS. Tim, Anna has my email -- I would very much like to read the sermon. Thanks

 

[VictorBravo]

Heidi, it also might be helpful, in conjunction with looking at 2nd Peter, to look at other "lists" of things we are to do in Scripture.

I think of 1 Thessalonians 5, and especially note verse 24 after Paul gives a similar list:

"Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."

You are right to observe that these things are promised to us. We are to do them, and we are to look to our Lord in faith that we may be able to do them, because we can't under our own power.