Author
Most scholars agree that this letter was written much later than the historical Peter. In the ancient world, it was very common for someone to write something “in the name of” someone else. That the early church accepted this letter and attributed it to Peter indicates that the church recognizes the teaching of the letter as being in line with apostolic teaching.
Date
2 Peter 3:15-16 alludes to a “collection” of Paul’s letters. Such a collection would not have existed until the very end of the first century at the earliest. Most scholars date this letter at the end of the first century into the early second century.
Theology
2 Peter takes up themes of God’s providence and judgment.
Items of Note
Jude
2 Peter’s material overlaps with the book of Jude in a number of places. It’s not clear which was written first but the likely scenario is that 2 Peter incorporated the existing Jude material.
Outline
- Introduction 1:1-11
- Peter’s testament 1:12-15
- Prophecy of the Parousia 1:16-21
- Polemic against the heretics 2:1-22
- End of the world 3:1-7
- “delay” as a gift 3:8-9
- eschatology and ethics 3:1-13
- Peter and Paul agree 3:14-16
- closing 3:17-18