1. 2 Peter 1:1 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

What does Peter mean by saying there are people who have "obtained a faith of equal standing as ours"?

2 Peter 1:1 (ESV)

1 Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

Peter is referring to the apostles and comparing the faith which they have in Christ to the faith of the believers to whom he is writing his letter. Most likely he is using faith in the same way that Jude used the term (Jude 1:3):1 a reference to the body of teaching concerning Jesus Christ.2 This is similar to Paul’s concept of the gospel as the faith that is preached (Galatians 1:23; Acts 6:7; Ephesians 4:5) and heard (Galatians 3:2, Galatians 3:5) and from which heretics had departed (1 Timothy 4:1). Faith is the common property of all the believing community. It was handed down to them as a sacred tradition by the apostles, perfect and complete (see Romans 6:17; 1 Corinthians 11:2, 1 Corinthians 11:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:6).3 Christian believers therefore have similar privileges to the apostles since in God’s Word they have access to the teaching of the apostles, a teaching which remains valid today.4