Introduction to 2 Peter

As the Christian movement gained steam, churches began to encounter more false teachers in their midst. Second Peter was written to warn about one of these groups—people who were essentially saying that Jesus would not return, so they could live any way they liked. Against this view, 2 Peter argues that the Day of the Lord is surely coming, and that believers should live in light of this truth.

Background

Second Peter is attributed to Simeon Peter, an apostle of Jesus (2 Pet 1:1; for more on Peter, see the “Introduction to 1 Peter”). He speaks of having witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration (2 Pet 1:16–18) and is familiar with Paul and his letters (3:15–16). However, 2 Peter seems very different from 1 Peter, and consequently there was some debate in the early church about 2 Peter’s authorship. The attribution to Peter does not necessarily mean it was compiled or finalized by him; it could indicate the letter is based on Peter’s eyewitness account of Jesus and Peter’s teachings (likely just prior to his death). However, the differences between 1 Peter and 2 Peter could be due to Peter using different secretaries for the two letters—which is what the church father Jerome suggests (compare 1 Pet 5:12, which names Silvanus, also known as Silas, as Peter’s secretary for 1 Peter). The act of faithfully compiling a letter based on a teacher’s words, and thus carrying forward the teacher’s tradition, was a great compliment in the ancient world. When a teacher’s authority was correctly evoked, it was done on the basis of a disciple succeeding the teacher or extending the teacher’s reach.

If Peter authored 2 Peter, it must have been composed by the mid-60s ad, when he was martyred in Rome. If one of Peter’s disciples wrote the letter in his name, then 2 Peter would have been written no later than the early second century ad (it is quoted before the mid-second century ad).

Second Peter identifies its recipients as people who have faith through the righteousness of God and Jesus (2 Pet 1:1), and the author mentions that it is his second letter to them (3:1). If the earlier letter was 1 Peter, then both letters were written to the same audience. The recipients of 2 Peter apparently were struggling with false teachers who denied that Jesus would come again, causing some believers to lose faith. The false teachers also appear to have been encouraging immoral behavior in response to the allegedly strict ethics taught by Peter.

Structure

After the greeting, Peter reminds his audience of their Christian identity—as those saved from their sins by Jesus—and calls them to be godly people who live as if Jesus’ return is a reality (1:3–21). Peter then warns about false teachers who are motivated by greed and lust rather than by love for God (2:1–22). Much of this section and the start of the next section have strong similarities with the letter of Jude (compare 2 Pet 2:1–18; 3:1–3 with Jude 4–18). There are several explanations for these overlaps: 2 Peter relies on Jude, Jude relies on 2 Peter, or both Jude and 2 Peter rely on a common source (perhaps oral tradition).

Peter then offers an additional argument against false teaching, assuring his readers that Christ will surely come again (2 Pet 3:1–13). The letter closes with a final instruction for the believers to depend on what they know to be true, refusing to be led astray by the false teachers (3:14–18).

Outline

• Greeting (1:1–2)

• Call to develop Christian character (1:3–21)

• The danger of false teaching (2:1–22)

• Hope in the Lord’s return (3:1–13)

• Closing commands (3:14–18)

Themes

As an antidote against false teachers, 2 Peter urges believers to remember who they are in Christ and trust in the promise of Jesus’ coming. The fact that Christ has not returned yet is actually an act of grace, offering more people the opportunity to receive salvation—before evil itself is purged from the world and God’s justice is restored over heaven and earth (3:9, 13). This changes everything.

We should recognize that although some people celebrate the freedom to do whatever they want, they end up becoming slaves to their appetites (2:19). Some even do this in the name of God. We can recognize these false teachers by their greedy and lustful actions; they seek their own benefit and live for that purpose instead of the betterment of others (1:4–7). We should combat false teachings by both speaking against these heretics and living in the freedom of Jesus, as those saved. We should live for the eternal purposes of God, as if Jesus could return tomorrow, for He could (3:10, 13).

Further Reading

Peter, Second Letter of CLBD

Peter the Apostle CLBD