WRITER, The Apostle Peter # 2Pe 1:1
DATE. Written probably between 64 and 70 A.D.
CENTRAL THEME. A warning against corrupt teachers and scoffers. In order to counteract the influence of false doctrine, great emphasis is laid upon the Word of God and the certainty of the fulfillment of the divine promises.
KEY TEXT
# 2Pe 3:1
A PARALLEL, Between II Timothy and II Peter.
In these epistles each of the writers refers to the fact that his end is near. # 2Ti 4:6 2Pe 1:14
Both writers predict perilous times for the church.
(a) The prevalence of false teaching # 2Ti 3:13 4:3 2Pe 2:1
(b) The general corruption of society # 2Ti 3:1-7 2Pe 2:10-22
(c) The coming apostasies # 2Ti 4:3,4 2Pe 2:2,20-22
SYNOPSIS.
The Salutation # 2Pe 1:1,2
PART I. The Spiritual Life.
Ch. 1.
(1) The Call to # 2Pe 1:3
(2) Secured through the precious promises # 2Pe 1:4
(3) Seven essential steps in its development and fruitfulness # 2Pe 1:5-8
(4) Final destiny of # 2Pe 1:10,11
(5) A farewell reminder # 2Pe 1:12-15
(6) A glorious experience in # 2Pe 1:16-18
(7) The divine origin and illuminating power of the Scriptures # 2Pe 1:19-21
PART II. False Teachers, their Corrupt Characters and Doctrines.
Ch. 2.
(1) Their heresies and denial of Christ # 2Pe 2:1
(2) Their popularity, evil influence, covetousness and hypocrisy # 2Pe 2:2,3
(3) The unsparing judgments of God visited upon the fallen angels, the ante-diluvians, and Sodom and Gomorrha, were warnings to the ungodly # 2Pe 2:4-6
(4) The divine deliverance of the righteous and the reservation of the wicked for future judgment
# 2Pe 2:7-9
(5) Further description of these apostate teachers, their characteristics, work and fate.
(a) Their sensuality, presumption, grossness and excesses # 2Pe 2:10-13
(b) Their pernicious influence and apostasy because of avarice # 2Pe 2:14-16
(c) Their emptiness, instability and future fate # 2Pe 2:17
(d) Their high-sounding words, accompanied by sensual living, promise men liberty; but result in the bondage of corruption # 2Pe 2:18,19
(e) Their apostasy and utter depravity # 2Pe 2:20-22
PART III. Predictions concerning Scoffers, the Coming of the Day of the Lord, and an Exhortation to Steadfastness.
Ch. 3.
(1) The purpose of the epistle # 2Pe 3:1,2
(2) The scoffers’ challenge # 2Pe 3:3,4
(3) The ignorance of the Challengers.
(a) Concerning the Old Testament Scriptures # 2Pe 3:5,6
(b) In respect to the reservation of the present world for fiery judgment # 2Pe 3:7
(4) The explanation of the divine delays
(a) The length of God’s day # 2Pe 3:8
(b) Divine mercy postpones the penalties # 2Pe 3:9
(5) The certainty of the coming of the day of the Lord # 2Pe 3:10
(6) The believer’s attitude and hope # 2Pe 3:11-14
(7) A commendation of Paul’s epistles and a warning against wresting the Scriptures # 2Pe 3:15,16
(8) An exhortation to steadfastness and spiritual growth # 2Pe 3:17,18