¹Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours . . .

This second letter of Peter’s sees a change in his personal ID from his first letter. In the other he was “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.” Here he is “Simon Peter,” using both his “first” name given at birth as well as the name Jesus gave him (Matt. 16:18). He is still just a man like everyone else. He also adds, “a bond-servant.” While we may be tempted to see these additions simply as stylistic, it is more likely he signals a change of posture, slight though it may be, to a humbler approach. He puts himself in the same category of faith as his readers (“a faith the same kind as ours”). What do we make of this?

In light of church history and how quickly clerical religion developed out of the simple faith of the first believers, Peter’s introduction of himself here is quite remarkable for its simplicity. He would have been shocked to know there would be those who would claim to be his successors in the hierarchy of religion, allowing others to kiss their ring, and claiming an authority and status Peter never claimed or coveted for himself.

His humbleness was not a self-serving show, garbed with a façade of self-effacement. No, he really did see himself as a bond-servant, a slave of Christ. He did not see himself as a “vicar” of Christ, the earthly representative of the unmatchable, supreme object of our faith and worship, much less as a mediator of any sort. The concept of a NT priesthood going between Christians and God is completely foreign to the apostolic teaching. The apostle Paul taught with the full authority of the Holy Spirit that “[t]here is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5).

The false teaching of apostolic succession is nowhere taught in Scripture either. This is the notion that the apostles’ authority was passed on in succession to the bishops of the church, with a direct line specifically from Peter to the succession of popes. Peter never taught or assumed this; he never positioned himself in any way to support such thinking. He eschewed pretentious titles. He was simply, humbly carrying out his role as an apostle. And when he and the other apostles died, their apostolic work was completed, preserved for us in the holy Bible. No succession was needed, anticipated, or desired.

So Peter writes his final letter as a servant of God. In his faith, he was no different from the rest of us who believe. He did not see himself as a cleric or priest. There is no distinction with some being holier than others, or more privileged. We are all called in faith to be servants of Christ.

Lord, help me remember that I too have received my faith and am Your servant.