The Summary of 2 Peter
The book of 2 Peter is a General Epistle (Apostolic Letter). It was written to all believers in general. The author is Peter who wrote it about 63-64 A.D.
The key personalities are the Apostles Peter and Paul. Its purpose was to warn against the increasing number of false teachers attacking the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Chapters 1-2 – Peter gives guidance and reassurance to the growing church and claims that the Gospel they are preaching is of Jesus Christ. He claimed,
“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well please” (1:16-17).
And men who were,
“…holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (1:21).
The trouble they were dealing with was the beginning of what we now know as “Gnosticism” a philosophical principal that was hurting the churches.
Peter went on to teach that in the end God would judge all of the false prophets.
I have never heard of being called the Pope, but a Bishop.
It doesn’t matter, Peter was never a Catholic, neither did he or any of the disciples, call themselves Christians.
The people of Antioch called them Christians.
Peter called himself a servant to Christ.
Chapter 3 – Peter encourages believers with the coming Day of the Lord. The Earth will receive its punishment and the righteous will dwell in the “New Heavens and the New Earth”.
His final warning is critical which he claims,
“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness” (3:17).
“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” (1:4).