“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” (2 Peter 1:1).
A first-century author customarily signed a letter at the beginning of his or her correspondence and not at the end, as we typically do today. In keeping with that custom, the first sentence of this letter reveals our author’s identity: “Simon Peter.” While this “signature” may seem unremarkable, Peter may have had a reason to identify himself in this manner.
You see, “Simon” was Peter’s birth name. But much like the great Old Testament patriarchs Abraham and Jacob, Peter also received a new name. That name was given to him by none other than Jesus Himself…
“…I will call you Peter, which means ‘a rock.’ On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it” (Matthew 16:18 CEV).
Since this letter was likely written to a diverse, multi-national audience, a name with Jewish roots (like Simon) and a Greek name like Peter would appeal to a variety of cultural backgrounds. If Peter had this in mind, we might draw a parallel to Paul the Apostle’s approach to ministry: “I have, in short, been all things to all sorts of men that by every possible means I might win some to God” (1 Corinthians 9:22 Phillips).
It’s also interesting to note Peter’s self-description at the beginning of this letter: “a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ.” While a typical servant might seize an opportunity for freedom, a bondservant was someone who willingly accepted a servant’s position. In fact, Peter was just one of many New Testament leaders to adopt that title, a list that included Paul (Romans 1:1), Epaphras (Colossians 4:12), James (James 1:1), and Jude (Jude 1:1).
This brings us to Peter’s other self-designation: apostle. In a Biblical context, the word “apostle” refers to an individual who fulfills the role of a commissioned representative, much like an ambassador or spokesperson. We’ll consider this title at greater length in our next study, but for now, we should note the sequence Peter uses to open this epistle: Peter chose to identify himself as a servant first, and apostle second. That did not diminish Peter’s apostolic authority, but it does serve to illustrate his priorities.
One author reflects on these self-designations, highlighting the qualities of humility and dignity that we should seek to emulate…
“Peter identifies himself with a balance of humility and dignity. As a servant, he was on equal basis with other Christians—an obedient slave of Christ. As an apostle, he was unique, divinely called, and commissioned as an eyewitness to the resurrection of Christ.” (1)
(1) John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006), 2 Pe 1:1.