‘Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a like precious faith with us in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.'
‘Simeon Peter.' Early manuscripts divide as to whether it should be Simeon (aleph, A) or Simon (B). But in view of the propensity that there would be to change Simeon Peter into the more popular and well known Simon Peter, and no obvious grounds for a movement to take place the other way, Simeon should probably be seen as the original rendering.
There is no other instance of the combination Simeon Peter, although in Acts 15:14 James, the Lord's brother, does speak of Peter as Simeon. It would, however, sit well on the lips of Peter as he sensed that death was approaching, and memories of his early life flooded back. (Compare also how in 2 Peter 1:16-18 memories of the Transfiguration have flooded back). And even moreso if he had been in recent contact with Jude, from whom much of the material in chapter 2 might be seen as derived, although not without thoughtfully altering it. Like James, Jude would have called him Simeon. On the other hand a pseudepigraphist would surely have used a better known title.
It is very possible that he had behind the use of the two names the deliberate aim of indicating the oneness of the church of Christ. He was both Simeon (Jewish) and Peter (Greek), and spoke equally to all. He may also have been using it to remind them that the old Simeon had become the new Peter. The lowliest one (the slave) had become the Apostle.
In the John's Gospel ‘Simon Peter' is common (17 times). It also appears in Matthew 16:16 and Luke 5:8. Thus the general combination is not unusual.
‘A servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ.' This dual description may reflect ‘Simeon -- Peter'. The lowly servant had become the mighty Apostle through the grace of God. We must not overlook, however, that the title ‘servant of the Lord' was one of honour. It was used of Moses and Joshua specifically. ‘My servant' was used of David, and of the great Servant of the Lord of Isaiah. It was a great honour to be a servant of the Lord, although one to be held in humility, and it indicated one who was in total submission to the Lord's will and had a divine responsibility, but who nevertheless recognised his own lowly status.
1 Peter 1:1 has simply ‘an Apostle of Jesus Christ.' The addition of servant (doulos -slave) here might again be seen as a sign of Peter's growing awareness of his humble status before his Master, while a pseudepigraphist would surely have repeated the title in 1 Peter, or copied one from Paul.
The title brings out his recognition that his life is one of humble service, and may well be intended to contrast with the attitude of the false teachers in chapter 2 who saw themselves as anything but slaves. Yet at the same time it also emphasises his authority as an Apostle, one especially appointed by Christ and ‘sent out' by Him (apostello). As a whole it is a unique description. ‘Servant' and ‘Apostle' are common in Paul's introductions, but not in this combination. James and Jude refer to themselves as ‘a servant (slave) of Jesus Christ'. While they were probably seen as ‘Apostles' they knew that they were not one of the original twelve, who were unique.
‘To those who have obtained a like precious (or ‘honourable') faith with us in the righteousness of our God and the Saviour Jesus Christ.'
The ‘us' here could refer to:
· The church in general, or the church from which Peter was writing (compare 1 Peter 5:12).
· The early disciples of Jesus Christ, or simply the Apostles themselves.
· Christian Jews who were the original foundation of the church (Acts 1-12).
In view of the comments that follow the third alternative might appear to be the most likely to be in Peter's mind. It would suggest that he never forgot the wonder of God having opened the door equally to the Gentiles through him (Acts 10-11).
For ‘like precious' (isotimos) compare 1 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 2:6 where we find ‘precious' (entimos), Their shared faith is precious because it brings them in touch with the One Who is precious and a Giver of righteousness (1 Peter 2:4). And it guarantees to them precious (timios) promises which will result in righteousness (2 Peter 1:4). Note that Peter claims no superiority for himself. They all have the same faith and share in the same faith and the same preciousness.
This word isotimos was particularly used in connection with foreigners who were given equal citizenship in a city with the original inhabitants. Josephus, for example, says that in Antioch the Jews were made isotimoi, that is, equal in honour and privilege, with the Macedonians and the Greeks who lived there. So Peter is addressing his letter to those who had once been despised Gentiles but who had now been given equal rights of citizenship under the Kingly Rule of God, with the Christian Jews, with the Apostles themselves, and with the whole church.
They have ‘obtained' it because it has been given to them by God. It is not something that they have earned or deserved. It is a gift arising from His unmerited goodness. Compare Matthew 16:17. Flesh and blood has not revealed it to them but their Father Who is in Heaven. It is His gift to them. For it is God Who gives to each man their measure of faith (Romans 12:3). ‘Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ' (Romans 10:19). It is thus all due to Him. He makes known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy which He has prepared beforehand for glory (Romans 9:23; compare Ephesians 1:4 ff.; Romans 8:29-30) and woos them to Himself.
The word ‘obtained' regularly means ‘obtained by lot' and therefore indicates total undeserving. In other words it has not been through any merit of their own. It occurs in 1 Samuel 14:47 LXX where it refers to Saul receiving the kingdom by lot. Peter may well have in mind how the inheritance of Israel was divided up by lot, although LXX there uses different phraseology. This factor, combined with his use of isotimos, might suggest that he has in mind that the church is the new Israel, in a similar way to that which we find in 1 Peter, enjoying with the new Israel, founded on Christ through His Apostles, the same precious faith and the same inheritance.
Note that Peter does not name the recipients of the letter. They may well initially have been the same as those mentioned in 1 Peter (2 Peter 3:2 compare 1 Peter 1:2). But it is possible that by this time he now recognised that his letter would have a wider outreach, as he knows that Paul's already had (2 Peter 3:16). Thus he may have left it deliberately unaddressed with no mention of recipients.
Here their faith is ‘faith in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.' The concept of righteousness is important to Peter. As he informed us in 1 Peter 3:18, ‘Christ suffered for us, the Righteous One for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God'. Following the incarnation, and His powerful ministry and fully righteous life, this was His ultimate act as our Saviour, to suffer for us as the Righteous One. Thus this reference to ‘the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ' has in mind that we are fully dependent on the righteousness of Christ for our salvation. It is His righteousness provided for us and brought to us by Jesus Christ dying on our behalf (1Pe 3:18; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21) that can alone be the basis of our acceptance with God and of our righteous living before men.
Having received His righteousness we will then walk in ‘the way of righteousness' (2 Peter 2:21; compare 2 Peter 2:5; 2 Peter 2:8; 2 Peter 2:13; 2 Peter 2:15) in the same way as He did, for righteousness is the great essential for those who would dwell in the new Heaven and the new earth (2 Peter 3:13). That is why Jesus could say, ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled' (Matthew 5:6).
We can compare here how in 1 Peter the basis of our faith was by entry into ‘the obedience of Jesus Christ' (2 Peter 1:2), Here it is by entry into ‘the righteousness of Jesus Christ'. The general stress in 1 Peter was on obedience. Here in 2 Peter it is on righteousness (2 Peter 2:21; 2 Peter 2:21; 2 Peter 3:13). We must not, however, overlook the stress on righteousness which is also found in 1 Peter 2:23-24; 1 Peter 3:12; 1 Peter 3:14; 1 Peter 4:18. So the thoughts are complementary, not contradictory.
And the source of all this blessing is ‘the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ'. It is found in the righteousness of God as revealed in ‘our God and Saviour Jesus Christ'. This clear declaration of the Divinity and Saviourhood of Jesus Christ is paralleled in Titus 2:13. But note also the exactly parallel phrase in 2 Peter 1:11, ‘our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ' where ‘Lord' must equate with Jesus. Thus here ‘God' must also equate with Jesus and there can thus be no doubt that this is a clear statement of the Godhead of Jesus Christ. Peter is declaring that Jesus is our God and Lord, and our Saviour. Compare Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:9-11; John 14:9; John 20:28.
The idea of Jesus Christ as ‘our Saviour' is powerful. Throughout the Old Testament God is revealed as acting as the Saviour of His people. In all their sinfulness His promise was to be their Saviour. He had originally saved Israel out of Egypt by a powerful hand and an outstretched arm (Exodus 20:2). And in Isaiah His constant cry was that He would bring to His people ‘righteousness and salvation'. It was His promise that He would come with mighty power to save and restore them. He would be their Saviour and Redeemer. The idea was continued in the New (Luke 1:47; 1 Timothy 1:1; 1Ti 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:10; Titus 1:3; Titus 2:10; Titus 3:4; Jude 1:25). God would now be the Saviour of a wider people. And here Jesus Christ Himself is directly identified as and with ‘God our Saviour' (compare Luke 2:11; John 4:42; Acts 5:31; Acts 13:23; Ephesians 5:23; Php 3:20; 2 Timothy 1:10; Titus 1:4; Titus 2:13; Titus 3:6; 1 John 4:14). In Him is to be found the fulfilment of all the Old Testament promises of the saving power and activity of God.