Introduction to 2 Peter
Starting a new book today! Second Peter's and interesting little letter that has a lot of shared content with Jude - a lot about looking out for false teachers. If you have questions, let me know! Without further ado:
"RECIPIENTS
A. If I Peter is referred to in II Peter 3:1 then the recipients would be the same (i.e. northern Turkey).
B. II Peter may be a testimonial to encourage all believers to persevere under trial, resist false teachers, and live faithfully in the gospel tradition in anticipation of the Second Coming.
OCCASION
A. As I Peter addresses persecution and suffering, II Peter addresses false teachers.
B. The exact nature of the false teaching is uncertain, but it may be related to antinomian gnosticism (cf. 2:1–22; 3:15–18). This book uses technical vocabulary employed by both incipient gnosticism and the mystery religions. This may have been a purposeful apologetic technique attacking their theology.
C. This book, like II Thessalonians, addresses the subject of a delayed, but certain, Second Coming, wherein God’s children will be glorified and unbelievers judged (cf. 3:3–4). It is interesting that I Peter characteristically uses the term apocalupsis to refer to Jesus’ return, while II Peter uses parousia. This possibly reflects the use of different scribes (i.e. Jerome)." [1]
Similarities in 2 Peter and Jude:
Jude 4 4 6 7 8 9 12 12 18 | the false teachers’ “condemnation” from the past [they] “deny” the “Sovereign [and] Lord” angels confined for judgment—“gloomy” (2 Peter) and “darkness” (Jude) translate the same Greek word (zophos) Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of judgment of gross evil [they] “reject [Jude]/despise [2 Peter] authority” [they] “slander celestial beings” angels do not bring “slanderous accusation[s]” [the false teachers are] “blemishes” Jude: “clouds without rain, blown along by the wind” Peter: “springs without water and mists driven by a storm” “scoffers” following “their own evil [Peter]/ungodly [Jude] desires” | 2 Peter 2:3 2:1 2:4 2:6 2:10 2:11 2:13 2:17 3:3 [2] |
[2] Douglas J. Moo, 2 Peter, Jude, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 16.