# Thoughts on 2 Peter 1 ## 2024.12.04 - Discussed some of this with [[Name_Key#^nk-61|M]] this morning. - During the conversation, I discovered the BSB translation of verse 1 is not the best. I wouldn't say it is wrong, but the grammar leaves some questions. Most of the translations make it clear that Peter is NOT talking about two separate entities like he is in verse 2, but rather in verse 1 he is saying that Jesus IS God. Assuming all those other translations are accurate (wrt this point), then this is one of the most concise statements that using the moniker "God" to identify Jesus is correct. ## 2024.12.03 - God and Jesus {1 & 2} - In verses 1b and 2, Peter refers to "God" and "Jesus" as separate entities. It would seem the "God" refers to the Father. - Peter added adjectives to Jesus' name in each of the verses - "Savior" Jesus "Christ" {1} - Jesus "our Lord" {2} - Knowledge {2, 3, 5, 6, 8} - I find it interesting that Peter kicks off this letter with five occurrences of "knowledge" in the first eight verses. He uses two different Greek words in these five occurrences. - In verse 2, Peter seems to be pronouncing a blessing over the readers about "Grace and peace." What is notable is that he says grace and peace be multiplied to the ready through "the knowledge ([[G1922]]) of God and Jesus!" - Next in verse 3, Peter says that His (I assume God's) divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness "through the knowledge ([[G1922]]) of Him" - Then in verses 5-8, Peter expands on his thoughts about knowledge by giving us an ordered list of qualities that we should "make every effort to add" to them. - the purpose of possessing the qualities and continue to growing in them is to avoid being ineffective in the knowledge of Jesus. - The initial quality is faith. Peter then says we should add the remaining qualities to the previous ones in sequence he provided. - The list in order: - faith - virtue - knowledge - self-control - perseverance - godliness - brotherly kindness - love - So, to summarize - Grace and peace is multiplied to us through the knowledge of God and Jesus - Everything we need for life and godliness has been given to us by God's divine power through the knowledge of God - Knowledge is the third quality in an ordered list of eight - Peter exhorts us to make every effort - to possess these qualities - continue to grow in them - The reason Peter gave for his exhortation is because they will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of Jesus. - I need to cogitate on all of this some more. - Fruit of the Spirit {Galatians 5.22-23} - A counterpoint to Peter's list of qualities is Paul's discussion about the fruit of the Spirit. It seems that Paul is saying that the qualities in his list are the fruit of the Spirit. So, I am confused. What do I need to do to: - ?? Grow in the Spirit, so that - ?? I can possess the qualities in Peter's list; and - ?? continue to grow in them - There is some overlap between the two lists, but they are not all inclusive. - Love is the first item in Paul's list and the last item in Peter's - Notes: - There are some who believe there is only one overarching item in Paul's list, "love" and the remaining items are some sort of description of love or sub-categories of love. For the purpose of this note, I will treat each of Paul's nine qualities as separate. - Paul's list doesn't seem to be ordered like Peter's | Peter | Paul | | ------------------------------ | --------------------------- | | faith ([[G4102]]) | ?? faithfulness ([[G4102]]) | | virtue ([[G0703]]) | | | knowledge ([[G1108]]) | | | self-control ([[G1466]]) | self-control ([[G1466]]) | | perseverance ([[G5281]]) | | | godliness ([[G2150]]) | | | brotherly kindness ([[G5360]]) | ?? kindness ([[G5544]]) | | love ([[G0026]]) | love ([[G0026]]) | | | joy ([[G5479]]) | | | peace ([[G1515]]) | | | patience ([[G3115]]) | | | goodness ([[G0019]]) | | | gentleness ([[G4240]]) |