2 Peter 1:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.

NIV: because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.

NASB: knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.

CSB: since I know that I will soon lay aside my tent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed made clear to me.

NLT: For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life,

KJV: Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

NKJV: knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me.

Peter knew that his earthly life was drawing to a close. Most Bible scholars suggest that this letter was written not long before his death. This explains his encouraging tone in the prior verses. There, he has reminded his readers that they already know all they need to in order to live as Christ intended. They are fixed, established, or set in those truths.

In John 21:15–19, Jesus himself describes to Peter how his life would end. This was shortly after Jesus' resurrection, and part of a difficult conversation. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. This was an echo of Peter's three denials of Christ. Each time, Jesus responded to Peter's assurance that he loved Jesus with a command to care for His sheep.

Jesus told Peter men would lead him where he did not want to go, describing how he would die. He then commanded Peter to "Follow me." Tradition tells us that Peter was crucified, possibly upside down, for his preaching of the gospel. Peter did indeed follow the path of Jesus all the way to the end.

2 Peter 1:3–15 urges Christians to understand that they are, right now, fully equipped to lead the life to which God has called them. Since they are equipped, they must use those tools through personal effort. They should strive to add Christ’s goodness and other powerful qualities to their lived-out faith. Growing in those qualities leads to a productive, effective life of knowing the Lord. Lacking Christ’s qualities leads to the opposite. Peter continues reminding the reader of what they already know, in order to keep stirring them up, to ensure they remember all of this after he has died (which will be soon).

Peter begins this brief letter to Christians by reminding them they are not missing anything they need to lead the good and godly lives they are called to. They must work, then, to add to their faith the goodness and qualities of Jesus. This requires effort, unlike eternal salvation which is not based on our work. Those who lack these positive attributes will live as unproductive and ineffective servants of God, nearly as blind as unbelievers and forgetting that their sins are forgiven. Peter, near death, insists that his eyewitness testimony about the transfiguration confirms that the prophecies about the Messiah are true. Jesus is coming back.

Peter begins his letter by urging his Christian readers not to be unproductive in their knowledge of Jesus. Rather, they should work to add all of Christ’s qualities to their lives. Then Peter begins to lay a foundation to support his attack on the false teachers in the church. He also introduces ideas supporting his declaration that the Day of the Lord is coming. Later chapters will use the background of this first chapter to support those arguments.

Apparently written shortly before his death in the AD 60s, 2 Peter may have been written to the same audience as 1 Peter, which was Christians scattered by persecution. Peter writes this letter to encourage Christians to live out the purpose of their lives in Christ. He warns readers to beware of teachers who claim to be believers, but present a false version of Christianity. And, Peter calls on all Christians to eagerly watch and wait for the return of the Lord.

Accessed 5/5/2024 12:32:42 AM