The Bible Says
2 Peter 3:1-2 Meaning

In 2 Peter 3:1-2, Peter reminds his readers that this is his second letter written to stir them up to make sure they listen to the true word of God as spoken by the apostles and to not listen to the false teachers he has just spoken of at length in Chapter 2. In Chapter 2, Peter spoke of “false teachers” who denied “the Master who bought them” (2 Peter 2:1). Though they believed, they went “the way of Balaam” who “loved the wages of unrighteousness” (2 Peter 2:15).

This led them to “exploit you with false words” and lead people astray, following their “sensuality” (2 Peter 2:2-3). Peter says This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles (vv. 1-2).

Peter’s reminder begins with, This is now, beloved, a term expressing a deep affection for his readers. He will use this term three more times in this letter (2 Peter 3:8, 14, 17). Peter says this is the second letter I am writing to you (v. 1). His first letter was about making the Christian life count for eternity through personal sanctification, submission, and suffering.

It is this second letter, in which, Peter reveals his purpose, I am stirring up your sincere mind. The concept of “stirring up” means to wake up or arouse. A form of the word translated stirring is also used in the opening of this second letter, where he says, “I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder” (2 Peter 1:13).

In Chapter 1, Peter urged his readers to maturity in order to gain the benefits of God’s “magnificent promises” (2 Peter 1:4) which are possessed through following the path of Christian maturity (2 Peter 1:5-7). Then he warned of the snare of false teachers who can rob them of their reward by being captured by the lusts of this world (2 Peter 2:14). Now Peter raises the reality of Jesus’s imminent return when He will judge the world. Each believer should orient all his priorities around being prepared for that day.

What needs to be aroused is his readers’ mind, referring to a mode of thinking, or disposition (1 Peter 1:13). The mind of the readers is described as sincere, meaning without hidden motives, because it was pure. Although Peter is warning his readers to avoid false teachers, he presumes they have pure motives, from a sincere mind.

The means of stirring up the pure minds is by way of reminder. This second letter serves as a reminder so that you should remember (v. 2). Peter tells his reader to remember two things.

First, we are to remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets. This refers to the Word of God revealed before the present time by the Old Testament prophets. This would include all the predictions about the first and second coming of Jesus, the Messiah (Acts 3:21).

Second, Peter’s readers are to remember the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. Jesus gave many commandments: The greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37), a new commandment (John 13:34), the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), and the commandment to watch for His coming (Matthew 24:42, 25:13, Mark 13:33, 35, 37, Luke 21:26).

It is clear that Peter sees the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets to be fully compatible with and carry the same message as the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. This is consistent with Jesus’s assertion that He did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17).

The context of Peter’s second letter points to the commandment to watch for Christ’s coming (2 Peter 1:4, 11, 19, 3:3-4, 10, 12-13) and to be aware of the false teachers who will try to mislead many (Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 24, 2 Peter 2:1, 3:3-4).

Peter also makes a point that to watch for Christ’s coming was not only the commandment of Christ, it was also spoken by your apostles. For example, the Apostle Paul taught a lot about looking for Christ’s coming (Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, 2 Timothy 4:1, 8) as did the Apostle Peter (2 Peter 1:4, 11, 19, 3:3-4, 10, 12-13).