“Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Simon Peter
The authors of the New Testament epistles always sign their names at the beginning of their writings. In every New Testament Epistle, there are two basic landmarks: the writer and the addressee. First, we come to the writer, Peter. Peter was at once a slave and a follower of the Lord Jesus. This is all he says of himself, just those two things. These two ideas balance one another. Although Peter was an apostle, he was a slave to Jesus Christ.
“Simon” is the Greek spelling, and “Peter” is the Hebrew spelling. Simon is the name given to him at birth. Peter is the name given to him by Jesus. Peter did not use his name “Simon” in the first epistle. “Peter” is the Greek translation of “Cephas.” Jesus gave him the name “Peter.” “Peter” is the label most commonly used of him in the New Testament. The double representation “Simon Peter” may indicate that Peter writes to both Jews and Greeks.
Peter here uses both his names of Simon and Peter. Another name for Peter “Cephas” is an Aramaic word meaning” “stone.” Peter then became his new name when he became a believer.
John 1:42, And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said” “You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas” [translated as a stone].
Peter was Simon, the son of Jonah, that would be equivalent to Simon Johnson today.”
“So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter‘ ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” (John 21:15).
We also know that Peter was married, for he had a mother-in-law (Mark 1:30).
PRINCIPLE:
We should not be afraid to identify ourselves with the Lord.
APPLICATION:
Invariably Peter identifies himself with Jesus Christ. It may make a good copy for the news to know where you stand regarding the great leaders of the day. However, that makes no impression on God whatever. What counts in God’s eyes is whether we identify with Christ. When you meet those without Christ, are you courageous enough to advertise who you are?
The question of your eternal destiny revolves around the question” “What do you think of Christ”?” Your answer to that question will determine your eternal destiny. The issue is not whether you are Protestant or Catholic. Denominations have nothing to do with salvation. The issue of your salvation revolves around your embracing Jesus as your Savior.”
“Saying’ ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He? They said to Him “The Son David”‘ (Matthew 22:41).
In the first epistle the word "apostle" only is used. Paul, however, uses the word "servant" as applicable to himself in Rom_1:1, and to himself and Timothy in the commencement of the epistle to the Philippians, Phi_1:1. As a servant, he was on an equal basis with other Christians—an obedient slave of Christ. As an apostle, Peter was unique, divinely called, and commissioned as an eyewitness to the resurrection of Christ. Notice that he does not say the apostle, but an apostle; he was only one of them.
He was a bondslave by choice; an apostle by divine appointment. He uses no pompous titles or symbols of status. He has only a grateful acknowledgment of his obligation to serve the risen Saviour.
Dear Brother Grant,
(Genesis 3:16 – And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
2 Peter 1:1: To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ)
Did we receive righteousness by faith or we received faith by righteousness?
Muthu, thanks again for your posts.
Did you mean Ge 15:6? Clearly, the Scripture teaches that God declares us as right as He is right by faith as per Gen 15:6. To receive faith by righteousness is a violation of the concept of declared righteous found many places in Scripture such as Romans 3-5. The Greek word δικαιοω (dikaιow) means to declare righteous. When a Greek verb ends in ow it is always causative, that is, God is the one doing the causing or.f declaring us to be as right before Him as Christ is right before him. See my commentaries beginning at Romans 3:24 and following.
Also, did you continue on my studies of 2 Peter 1:1? Beginning here https://versebyversecommentary.com/1998/03/18/2-peter-11d/ and continuing the studies of 2 Peter 1:1 I develop the answer to your question more fully.