3. DIVINE PARTICIPATION (1:4B).
1:4b. These promises enable Christians to participate in the divine nature. “Participate” is literally “become partners” (genÄ“sthe … koinōnoi). “Participate” in 1 Peter 4:13 and “share” in 1 Peter 5:1 are from the same word koinōnoi (“partners” or “sharers”). “Divine” is theias, also used in 2 Peter 1:3. Believers take on God’s very nature; each one is a “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17).
Because they are “partakers” (KJV) of God’s nature, Christians can share in His moral victory over sin in this life and share in His glorious victory over death in eternal life. Because of the promise of the new birth (1 Peter 1:3), the promise of God’s protecting power (1 Peter 1:5), and the promise of God’s enabling power (2 Peter 1:3), believers can “participate in the divine nature,” that is, become more like Christ (cf. Rom. 8:9; Gal. 2:20). In addition they can escape the corruption (phthoras, “moral decay”) in the world (cf. 2 Peter 2:20; 1 John 2:15-17) caused by evil desires (epithymia, lit., “lust”).

In 2 Peter 1:3-4 Peter employed graphic vocabulary borrowed from the false teachers he warned against. His language must have arrested his readers’ attention as he invested words from the pagan and philosophic worlds with new Christian meaning: “godliness” (eusebeia), “virtue” (aretÄ“), “nature” (physis), and “corruption” (phthoras).

B. The function of the divine nature (1:5-9).
In this beautiful paragraph Peter orchestrates a symphony of grace. To the melody line of faith he leads believers to add harmony in a blend of seven Christian virtues which he lists without explanation or description. A carnal Christian has spiritual myopia (v. 9), but a spiritual Christian is both effective and productive (v. 8) in his understanding of the Lord Jesus and his application of biblical principles to daily life.

1. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FUNCTION (1:5-7).
1:5-7. Peter referred back to the divine nature by beginning this new paragraph with the words for this very reason. The words make every effort translate a participle (pareisenenkantes, “applying, bringing to bear alongside of”; used only here in the NT) and spoudÄ“n pasan (“all diligence” or “all zeal”; spoudÄ“ in Rom. 12:11 is rendered “zeal”). It takes every bit of diligence and effort a Christian can muster, along with the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, to “escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4) and to bring in alongside of his faith a complement of virtue. He should work hard at cultivating the seven qualities Peter listed in verses 5-7. As a Christian does so, he becomes more like Christ, participating more fully in God’s divine nature.

The word add, in the imperative, translates epichorÄ“gÄ“sate, from which come the English words “chorus,” “choreograph,” and “choreography.” In ancient Greece the state established a chorus but the director, the chorÄ“gys, paid the expenses for training the chorus. Then the word came to be used of one who provides for or supports others or supplies something for them in abundance. A believer is to “furnish, supply, or support” his life with these virtues. (The same word is trans. “supplies” in 2 Cor. 9:10 and “supported” in Col. 2:19. Peter used it again in 2 Peter 1:11 where the NIV renders it “receive.”)

Faith in Jesus Christ is what separates Christians from all other people. Pistis, trust in the Savior which brings one into the family of God, is the foundation of all other qualities in the Christian life.

1. To his faith each believer should add goodness (lit., “moral excellency,” or “virtue”). In Greek the word is aretÄ“n, which Peter also used at the end of verse 3 and in 1 Peter 2:9 (“praises” in the NIV).

2. Knowledge (gnōsin; cf. 2 Peter 1:2; 3:18) comes not from intellectual pursuits, but is spiritual knowledge which comes through the Holy Spirit and is focused on the person and Word of God.

3. Faith, goodness, and spiritual knowledge are not enough for a Christian’s walk. He must also make every effort to practice self-control (enkrateian; used only two other times in the NT, in Acts 24:25; Gal. 5:23). This means to have one’s passions under control. It contrasts sharply with the anarchy and lack of control on the part of the false teachers whom Peter exposed (chap. 2). In an increasingly anarchistic society Christians do well to let the music of self-control be played in their lives.

4. Believers living in the latter days, especially when surrounded by scoffers and false teachers, also need perseverance. This word hypomenÄ“n means “staying under.” It is frequently used in the New Testament to refer to constancy or steadfast endurance under adversity, without giving in or giving up (cf. Rom. 5:3-4; 15:4-5; 2 Cor. 1:6; 6:4; Col. 1:11; 1 Thes. 1:3; 2 Thes. 1:4; James 1:3).

5. Godliness (eusebian, also used in 2 Peter 1:3 and 3:11 and 10 times [in the Gr.] in the Pastoral Epistles) refers to piety, man’s obligation of reverence toward God. The fourth-century church historian Eusebius was named for this lovely Greek word. How unfortunate that the words “piety” and “pious” have fallen on hard times in current usage.

6. The first five virtues pertain to one’s inner life and his relationship to God. The last two relate to others. Brotherly kindness translates the Greek philadelphian, a fervent practical caring for others (1 John 4:20). Peter already urged this attitude on his readers in his first epistle (1 Peter 1:22; cf. Rom. 12:10; 1 Thes. 4:9; Heb. 13:1).

7. Whereas brotherly kindness is concern for others’ needs, love (agapÄ“n) is desiring the highest good for others. This is the kind of love God exhibits toward sinners (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:9-11).

Interestingly this “symphony” begins with faith and ends with love. Building on the foundation of faith in Christ, believers are to exhibit Christlikeness by supplying these seven qualities that climax in love toward others (cf. faith and love in Col. 1:4-5; 1 Thes. 1:3; 2 Thes. 1:3; Phile. 5).

2. CONSEQUENCES OF THE FUNCTION (1:8).
1:8. Christian growth (vv. 5-7) results in spiritual effectiveness and productivity. The word possess (hyparchōnta, lit. “possessing”) emphasizes that these spiritual qualities “belong to” Christians. However, Christians are to do more than merely possess these virtues. Effective and productive spirituality comes as these qualities are held in increasing measure. There is to be a growth in grace. A believer who does not progress in these seven areas is ineffective (argous, “idle” or “useless”) and unproductive (lit., “unfruitful”) in his knowledge (epignōsin, “full personal knowledge”; cf. vv. 2-3; 2:20) of our Lord Jesus Christ. Unfortunately many Christians know the Lord in salvation but lack the “fruit” of the Spirit and are not advancing spiritually. They remain “infants in Christ” (1 Cor. 3:1), still in need of spiritual “milk” (Heb. 5:12-13). But as Peter urged, believers should “grow in the grace and knowledge (gnōsei) of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2 Pe 1:4—8). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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