1 & 2 Peter

Mid-levelBusy pastors, General readers, Pastors-in-trainingStrong recommendation
Bible Book: 1 Peter 2 Peter
Publisher: Banner of Truth
Theological Perspective: Reformed
Resource Type: Commentary
Last updated: February 5, 2026
Looking for alternatives? Compare 1 Peter commentaries.

Evaluation

Overall Score: 8.2/10

A steady Reformed exposition of Peter that strengthens preaching on suffering, holiness, assurance, and final hope.

Publication Date(s): 1982
Pages: 300
ISBN: 9780851513386
Faithfulness to the Text: 8.7/10
We find careful, verse by verse attention that keeps the apostolic purpose visible, especially in suffering, holiness, and hope.
Christ Centredness: 8.2/10
Christ’s sufferings and glory, His priestly work, and His lordship are kept central to Peter’s comfort and exhortation.
Depth of Insight: 8.2/10
The exposition is not modern technical scholarship, but it is rich in theological reasoning and practical judgment.
Clarity of Writing: 7.9/10
Older diction appears, but the movement is generally easy to track, and the structure supports sermon planning.
Pastoral Usefulness: 8.7/10
It equips us to preach to weary saints, to warn against false teaching, and to strengthen perseverance with gospel hope.
Readability: 7.7/10
Best used in measured portions, with time to digest the argument and turn it into clear proclamation.

Summary

At a Glance

Length
300 pages
Type
Expositional
Theo. Perspective
Reformed
Overall score
8.2 / 10
Strength
Clear pastoral grip on Peter’s encouragement and warnings, tied closely to the text.
Limitation
Less engagement with contemporary debates than modern critical commentaries.

We find Nisbet’s 1 and 2 Peter in the Geneva Commentaries a clear, pastoral, and text led exposition of two letters shaped by suffering and hope. He helps us feel the steady courage Peter aims to form in believers under pressure.

The commentary is verse by verse, yet it is not fragmented. Nisbet regularly draws threads together, especially holiness, assurance, endurance, and the reality of Christ’s return.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this commentary when we want help preaching Peter with both comfort and backbone. Nisbet strengthens our handling of passages on suffering, submission, and holiness, keeping the gospel motives in view rather than settling for bare instruction.

We also benefit from his clarity on false teaching and spiritual drift in 2 Peter. He helps us warn without panic, and he keeps the church’s hope fixed on Christ’s promises and coming judgement.

For regular ministry use, this is a helpful mid level volume that can be paired with a more technical commentary when we need deeper work on particular questions.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong mid level expositional resource for preaching 1 and 2 Peter. It serves especially well when we want steady pastoral application, clear encouragement for suffering believers, and sober warning against error.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.


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Classification

  • Level: Mid-level
  • Best For: Busy pastors, General readers, Pastors-in-training
  • Priority: Strong recommendation

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