2 Peter

Overview

Who

Written by "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ" (1:1). He says he was an eyewitness of Christ's majesty on "the holy mount" (1:16-18), and that he expects to die soon, "even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me" (1:14).

Written to "Them that have obtained like precious faith with us" (1:1). Peter calls this his "second epistle" to them (3:1), so traditionally they are the same believers as in 1 Peter, scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (1 Peter 1:1). They knew Paul's letters (3:15-16).

When

Traditional view: About AD 64-68, shortly before Peter's death, which early church tradition places in Rome under Nero.

Scholarly view: Many scholars hold that a follower wrote it in Peter's name, perhaps AD 100-150, pointing to its style and its mention of Paul's letters as a collection. Others accept that Peter wrote it near the end of his life.

Where

Written to Believers in Asia Minor (modern Turkey), if they are the same readers as 1 Peter (3:1; 1 Peter 1:1). The letter itself names no place.

Written from The letter does not say. Tradition places Peter in Rome at the end of his life.

Why

To remind believers of the truth before Peter's death (1:12-15); to urge them to grow in faith and virtue and so make their calling and election sure (1:5-11); to warn against false teachers who deny the Lord and live in greed and lust (2:1-22); and to answer scoffers who say the Lord's promised coming will not happen (3:3-13).

Peter writes knowing he will soon "put off this my tabernacle" (1:14). He foresees false teachers rising among the believers as false prophets rose in Israel (2:1). Scoffers were asking, "Where is the promise of his coming?" (3:4). Some were twisting Paul's letters (3:16). Much of chapter 2 closely parallels the letter of Jude.

Outline

1. 1:1-2 Greeting
2. 1:3-11 Grow in faith and virtue
3. 1:12-21 Eyewitnesses and the sure word of prophecy
4. 2:1-3 False teachers will come
5. 2:4-10 God judges the wicked and rescues the godly
6. 2:10-22 The character of the false teachers
7. 3:1-13 The scoffers and the day of the Lord
8. 3:14-18 Be diligent and grow in grace

Key themes

• God's power has given believers all they need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Christ (1:3).
• Believers must add virtue to faith and grow, so they will not fall (1:5-10, 3:17-18).
• Scripture's prophecy came from God, as holy men "spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (1:21).
• God knows how to rescue the godly and to keep the unjust for judgment (2:9).
• The Lord's coming is certain; his delay is patience, giving time for repentance (3:9-10).

From the letter's own text, compared with 1 Peter, Jude and the Gospel accounts of the transfiguration; dating views summarized from standard introductions.