According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Peter declares that God's "divine power" (theia dynamis, θεία δύναμις) has already "given" (dedōrēmenēs, δεδωρημένης, perfect tense indicating completed action with ongoing results) believers everything necessary for "life and godliness" (zōēn kai eusebian, ζωήν καὶ εὐσέβειαν). This comprehensive provision demolishes any claim that additional secret knowledge, special experiences, or supplementary teachings are needed for Christian living.
"Life" (zōē) denotes spiritual life—the new birth and resurrection life believers possess in Christ. "Godliness" (eusebeia, used ten times in the Pastoral Epistles and four times in 2 Peter) encompasses reverent devotion, practical righteousness, and Christlike character. God has provided complete resources for both justification and sanctification through His divine power, not through human effort or achievement.
This provision comes "through the knowledge" (epignōseōs) "of him that hath called us to glory and virtue." The calling is God's sovereign initiative, and its goal is both "glory" (doxa, δόξα)—sharing in God's radiant presence—and "virtue" (aretē, ἀρετή), meaning moral excellence or virtue. God calls believers not merely to forgiveness but to transformation into Christlikeness, providing all necessary power through knowing Him. This knowledge is personal and relational, not merely propositional.
Historical Context
In the first-century Greco-Roman world, various philosophical schools (Stoicism, Epicureanism, Cynicism) and mystery religions promised paths to virtue, enlightenment, or divine favor through human striving, secret rituals, or philosophical discipline. Judaism emphasized Torah obedience as the path to righteousness. Against this background, Peter's declaration that God has already given everything needed for life and godliness through knowing Christ was revolutionary.
Early Gnostic teaching claimed that material existence trapped the divine spark within humans, requiring secret knowledge to escape. This led to either asceticism (punishing the body) or libertinism (indulging the flesh as irrelevant to spiritual status). Peter counters that God's power enables godly living in the body, making holiness both possible and necessary. The sufficiency of divine provision also addresses Jewish-Christian disputes about the necessity of Mosaic law observance, affirming that knowing Christ provides complete resources for righteousness apart from ceremonial law-keeping.
Questions for Reflection
How does believing God has already provided everything necessary change your approach to spiritual growth and struggles with sin?
What 'missing pieces' do you seek in Christian living that might indicate failure to trust divine sufficiency?
How should the church's teaching ministry reflect confidence in the sufficiency of knowing God in Christ?
Analysis & Commentary
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Peter declares that God's "divine power" (theia dynamis, θεία δύναμις) has already "given" (dedōrēmenēs, δεδωρημένης, perfect tense indicating completed action with ongoing results) believers everything necessary for "life and godliness" (zōēn kai eusebian, ζωήν καὶ εὐσέβειαν). This comprehensive provision demolishes any claim that additional secret knowledge, special experiences, or supplementary teachings are needed for Christian living.
"Life" (zōē) denotes spiritual life—the new birth and resurrection life believers possess in Christ. "Godliness" (eusebeia, used ten times in the Pastoral Epistles and four times in 2 Peter) encompasses reverent devotion, practical righteousness, and Christlike character. God has provided complete resources for both justification and sanctification through His divine power, not through human effort or achievement.
This provision comes "through the knowledge" (epignōseōs) "of him that hath called us to glory and virtue." The calling is God's sovereign initiative, and its goal is both "glory" (doxa, δόξα)—sharing in God's radiant presence—and "virtue" (aretē, ἀρετή), meaning moral excellence or virtue. God calls believers not merely to forgiveness but to transformation into Christlikeness, providing all necessary power through knowing Him. This knowledge is personal and relational, not merely propositional.