1:12
There is a great prize in view, and this is why Peter reminds them of this, and of the way to complete the race. He is not telling them anything new, but reminding them of the foundations that were laid when they first came to know Christ. When they first believed they took possession of a truth, it belongs to them, but it is possible for us to be deceived, or to be tempted away.
1:13,14
Peter knew that his time was short. When he met Jesus on the shore at the end of John’s gospel Jesus told him something of how he would die (John 21:18). As an aside, note this internal corroboration between 2 Peter and John’s gospel. It also probably indicates that John’s gospel was written after the time of Peter’s death. Now imagine how Peter felt and see how he responded. He knew that Jesus had foretold his death and something of the nature of that death. How did Peter respond? He made all the more effort to fulfil the task that Jesus had given to him, to feed the sheep. So there is a determination in Peter to ensure that the sheep know the truth and are kept safe.
The tent analogy (tent of this body) is harking back to the journey through the desert of the Israelites. The journey was not the end, but the process of reaching the Promised Land. This life matters, but it is not the destination.
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