Book of 2 Peter: Overview and Scholarly Commentary
3 chapters · 28 video commentaries · covered in 8 courses
Second Peter is a New Testament epistle that presents itself as Peter's final message, addressing the delay of Jesus' return, warning against false teachers, and affirming the authority of Paul's writings. It shares significant literary parallels with the Epistle of Jude.
AuthorWidely considered by scholars to be pseudonymous, written by someone else claiming to be Peter, likely due to Peter's illiteracy and the distinct Greek writing style (Bart D. Ehrman).
WrittenAround 120 CE, making it one of the latest books in the New Testament.
GenreEpistle, pseudepigrapha
AudienceEarly Christians grappling with the delayed return of Jesus and facing internal challenges from immoral false teachers who misinterpreted scripture.
PurposeTo reassure believers about the delay of Jesus' return, to warn against false teachings and immorality, and to harmonize apostolic teachings by endorsing Paul's letters as scripture.
Covered inAncient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years · Banned Books: The Apocrypha Edition · Demons and Ghosts in the Bible · Did Peter Hate Paul? Apostolic Conflict in the Early Church · Earliest Christian Heresies · Jesus and the Old Testament +2
What our scholars get into
Our commentary on 2 Peter delves into the widespread scholarly consensus that this letter is a forgery, exploring why figures like Didymus the Blind explicitly called it such well into the fourth century (Bart D. Ehrman). We examine the striking similarities between 2 Peter and Jude, with many scholars viewing 2 Peter as an adaptation of Jude. You'll discover how 2 Peter attempts to explain the delayed return of Jesus by stating that 'one day is like a thousand years' to the Lord, and how it uniquely elevates Paul's writings to the status of 'other Scriptures,' despite Paul's own letters being difficult to understand (The New Testament: Exploring the Christian Bible). We also explore how 2 Peter uses the narrative of fallen angels as a cautionary tale, drawing from traditions about their punishment (Demons and Ghosts in the Bible).
Introduction drafted from the lecture transcripts by AI, pending the team's edit.
The phenomenon of pseudepigrapha, or falsely attributed writings, is not exclusive to apocryphal texts but also appears within the canonical Bible. For instance, parts of the book of Daniel are believed to have been written later than the prophet Daniel's time, and several New Testament epistles, such as 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and 2 Peter, are widely considered by scholars to be written under the names of their purported authors rather than by them directly.
Summarized by AI · Banned Books: The Apocrypha Edition · Banned Books: The Apocrypha Edition · watch the clip
Authorship and Stance of 1 and 2 Peter
The New Testament letters of 1 and 2 Peter are traditionally attributed to Peter, though their authorship is debated. An interesting feature of these letters is their effort to align the author with Paul, suggesting a unified apostolic front. This contrasts with non-canonical writings attributed to Peter, which sometimes depict him as critical of Paul.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Was Peter a Rock or Shifting Sand? Jesus' Closest Disciple in History and Legend. · watch the clip
Debates over 2 Peter's authenticity
The inclusion of 2 Peter in the New Testament was highly debated among Church Fathers well into the fourth century. Figures like Didymus the Blind explicitly called it a forgery, indicating it was not widely accepted as an authoritative text for a significant period before its eventual canonical acceptance.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Who Chose the Books of the New Testament? · watch the clip
Dating of 2 Peter and other early Christian writings
Second Peter is generally considered the last book written in the New Testament, likely around 120 CE. However, several other Christian books, such as 1 Clement (written in the 90s), the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, and the Didache, were likely written before 2 Peter, demonstrating that not all non-canonical books are later compositions.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Who Chose the Books of the New Testament? · watch the clip
Background and context
Shift to eternal torment influenced by Greek thought
The concept of eternal fiery torment in hell developed as Christianity became predominantly Gentile. These new converts adopted a Greek understanding of the immortal soul, popularized by figures like Plato, which posited that the soul survives the body and goes to a place of reward or punishment (like Tartarus for the wicked). This Hellenistic view combined with Jesus' teachings on justice to form the doctrine of eternal hell, a departure from original Jewish and early Christian beliefs.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Did Jesus Actually Believe in Hell? · watch the clip
Exclusion of anti-Pauline writings
The New Testament canon deliberately excluded writings that expressed negative views of prominent figures like Paul. For instance, texts claiming to be by Peter that depicted Paul as an 'enemy of the church' were not included, while canonical letters like 1 and 2 Peter, which affirm Paul, were accepted.
Summarized by AI · Bart D. Ehrman · YouTube · Who Chose the Books of the New Testament? · watch the clip
Courses that cover 2 Peter
Ancient Christianities: The First Five Hundred Years
Banned Books: The Apocrypha Edition
Demons and Ghosts in the Bible
Did Peter Hate Paul? Apostolic Conflict in the Early Church
