Peter is at the end of his life. He will soon be executed by Nero, and this makes this letter VERY important. These are the words of a man who knows he is going to die soon. THAT makes this letter very important. How do you condense your life’s lessons down to a single letter? What is so important that those who remain after you are gone need to know? 2 Peter gives us Peter’s answer to that question.

As is usual, the audio links to Spotify and iTunes are to the right.

Here is the YouTube link:

1 Peter 1:12-21

Here is the transcript for today’s podcast:

1:12-15 …Peter’s “end of life” message

12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 

What things? Living a Godly life, NOT living as the world lives. Peter will never quit reminding them of Whose Kingdom they represent and of their duty to reflect God’s nature into the world around them. Peter is single-minded about this. 

As I grow older and am even now in “senior citizen” status, my focus has narrowed as to what is truly important. My “life message” centers pretty much on two things – the sovereignty of God and the supremacy and necessity of His word. Everything I do and say comes back to those things. Nearing the end of his life, Peter’s focus is on reminding and encouraging the believers in Asia Minor to live like citizens of Heaven, pursuing Godliness, and rejecting the worlds’ culture.

13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

Here is the first hint that Peter is nearing the end of his life. Perhaps he is remembering what Jesus said to him 30+ years previously:

John 21:18-19

18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Church tradition says the following, as per Encyclopedia Britannica:

Peter is believed to have died as a martyr for his faith. Although his death is not described in Scripture, numerous writers of the time (or shortly thereafter) described his death as having occurred in Rome during the reign of the emperor Nero in 64 CE. According to tradition, St. Peter was crucified upside down because he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus Christ.

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopedia (2019, July 18). Who was St. Peter?. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/question/Who-was-St-Peter

This letter was written between AD 60 and 65, so it is quite probable Peter saw his death coming. As I said before, this makes this letter all the more important to me, as this letter is written by a man who does not have much time left to waste on frivolous words. Every word he writes here is important. If I knew my death was imminent, I wonder what I would say to those that love me? Would I discuss sports scores, would I talk about frivolous things? I think not. I would make sure my family knew what was most important to me. When we elders pass on, it is important that we let the succeeding generations know what is TRULY important. That is what Peter is doing here.

Also – I see no fear of death in Peter. As per Expositors Bible Commentary (c) 2004,

“For Christians death should hold no terrors; it is like putting off old clothes or like exiting from old age. According to Paul, to die is to “be with Christ” (Php 1:23) in a new way. So in view of his approaching death, Peter wants “to refresh [his readers’ ] memory”—”refresh” means “to wake up” or “arouse.”

Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament

Copyright 2004.

In light of his expected demise, Peter says 

15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

Peter uses an educational term, wanting to do something so that his readers “remember” the basic truths after his death. Much discussion has centered around this sentence and the nature of what Peter is promising. He may be referring to the written form of his teaching or perhaps even to the gospel of Mark (which some have called the Gospel of Peter. Some believe that Mark’s Gospel is a summary of Peter’s preaching concerning Jesus. In any case, he intends to continue his ministry with all diligence until his death so as to strengthen the church. 

Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament

Copyright 2004.

1:16-21 Peter’s Message is not an invention

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”[b] 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

Peter was an eye witness to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. He was an eyewitness to Jesus’ glorification on the Mount of Transfiguration. He hasn’t made anything up. His message isn’t convoluted and hard to understand, unlike the false teachers’ messages. I have personally experienced people going to ridiculous lengths to get around the central truth of the Gospel that Jesus is the “Way, the Truth, and the Life – no one comes to the Father, but by Him”. The false teacher’s messages are based on conjecture and theory. Peter is an eyewitness  – and an eyewitness trumps conjecture every time.

19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

In addition to the power of Peter’s eyewitness account of Jesus, there was the prophetic message from the Torah (our Old Testament). Peter says to pay attention to it. God’s Words predated Peter’s belief. God’s Words predated Messiah’s appearance. Our Bible is not an invention of religious mystics, but a collection of His Words relayed to us via His chosen prophets. Any “version” of Christianity that ignores His Words is no Christianity at all.

Question:

If you knew your death was imminent, what would you say to those around you? What would the message of your life say? What would you write down to leave behind  for your family and friends?

Be Blessed!

Paige