2 Peter 1:5

Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness; and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love.

In these verses there are two links with the first epistle: (1) virtue is found in 1 Peter 2:9, and (2) brotherly kindness occurs in 1 Peter 1:22,3:8.[18] Also, there is another word of very great interest in the passage, the one here rendered "supply," which comes from a word suggesting lavish provision, the word [@epichorigeo],[19] and "used in classical Greek to describe the munificence of rich citizens who would finance a theatrical performance or fit out a warship for the state they loved."[20] It had a special reference to the abundant supplies provided for a chorus, a term which is derived from this word, as is also choreographer. From this, it is suggested that Peter's list here is a chorus of Christian graces, the manner of his linking each with the others being like their holding hands!

All diligence ... The Christian life is a working life, diligence meaning ardent application and industry.

In your faith ... This the Christians already had; but "faith alone" was never considered sufficient for salvation by any of the New Testament writers.

Virtue ... primarily means courage, a grace particularly needed in the hostile world of the period when Peter wrote.

Knowledge ... This is a different word from the full knowledge mentioned above, a possession the Christian already had; and it therefore refers to a faithful continuation of their studies. It is also very likely true, as Plummer pointed out that, "Knowledge here means spiritual discernment as to what is right and what is wrong in all things."[21]

Self-control ... This comes from [@engkrateia], "meaning the ability to take a grip of one's self."[22] This is one of the great Christian virtues which might be called perfect temperance.

Patience ... In the New Testament, this word carries the thought of endurance and stedfast continuity in faithful service. Jesus said, "In your patience ye shall possess your souls."

Godliness ... (See under 2 Peter 1:3). This is the quality of honoring one's duties to God, standing in this list even higher than duties to one's fellow man (listed next). This conforms with the Saviour's great pronouncement that the first and great commandment is to love God, and the second is to love man (Mark 12:18-30). Important as the love to man assuredly is, it is secondary to the duty of loving God and obeying his commandments. It is amazing that in the culture of the present day, religious duties are relegated to a secondary status, and humanitarian duties have been elevated to the status that really belongs to religious duties.

Brotherly kindness ... This is from [@filadelfia], founded on the Greek term [@fileo], meaning the love of brothers, or the affection that even an animal has for its young. There is even a higher type of love; and Peter would crown his list with that in 2 Peter 1:7.

Love ... "This love ([Greek: agape]) is the highest type of love; it is more inclusive than [@filadelfia], and is the kind of love God has for sinful, unworthy men."[23]

Moorehead said of this whole list:

Paul began his list of the fruits of the Spirit with love (Galatians 5:22); Peter ends his with love. It is like a chain; each link holds fast to its fellow and is a part of the whole. It matters little at which end of the chain we begin ... to touch one is to touch all. We are to add all diligence to supply these richly.[24]

This great list of virtues is one of the most beautiful and comprehensive passages in the New Testament, reminding one of the procession of the seven deadly sins (by contrast) in Proverbs 6:1ff. Here there is a magnificent procession of the glorious graces of faith.

Before leaving this, it should be noted that there is no mandate in these verses for adding these graces in the particular order of their appearance in the list. As Barnes observed, "The order in which this is to be done is not the point at all."[25]

[18] B. C. Caffin, op. cit., p. 4.

[19] Eldon R. Fuhrman, op. cit., p. 323.

[20] David H. Wheaton, op. cit., p. 1252.

[21] Alfred Plummer, op. cit., p. 445.

[22] William Barclay, The Letters of James and Peter (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1976), p. 302.

[23] Raymond C. Kelcy, op. cit., p. 123.

[24] William G. Moorehead, op. cit., p. 2357.

[25] Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 221.