Page 122 - New Testament Survey Student Textbook

2 Peter must have been composed by the mid-60s AD, if we go with the authorship of Simon Peter
because that was around the time 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). 164

Recipients

Second Peter recognizes 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 strict ethics taught by Peter suggest that he might have been responding to false teachers
who might have been encouraging immoral behavior.

Themes

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).

A sad truth is 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). 165
Purpose
Peter wrote to help his readers understand the power and importance of the gospel (1:19). In focusing
on those who mocked the idea of Christ's triumphant return and the final judgment, Peter wanted them
to know that Just as God once destroyed the earth with water, He will one day destroy it with fire. In
light of this, they were to live in “holiness and godliness” in awaiting His return and the salvation He has
promised to all believers.

Structure

Second Peter starts with the greeting, then he 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). 166

164 Ibid
165 Barry, J. D., et al.
166 Ibid
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