The Second Letter of Peter
This is the second epistle attributed to Peter, one of the twelve apostles and a leader of the church during its early decades. It belongs to the genre of “testament” (see, e.g., Gen 49; Deut 33; Tob. 14; Acts 20.17–38; the T. 12 Patr.; T. Abr.), in which the author gives the essence of his teaching, reveals his approaching death, and predicts the future. The letter is addressed to Jesus’ followers, and its major points are to encourage fidelity and to warn against false prophets and evil people.
Most scholars agree that the apostle Peter, who according to Church tradition died ca. 64 (1 Clem. 5), did not write this epistle; the author uses a vocabulary that indicates a high degree of literacy; it is unlikely to have been written by a Galilean fisherman whose primary language was Aramaic. Thus the text is pseudepigraphic—a follower composed it in his name. Likely the author depended on the Epistle of Jude for materials concerning the final judgment, although 2 Peter omits references to 1 Enoch and the Testament of Moses, perhaps seeing them as “cleverly devised myths” (1.16, and see Titus 1.14 on “Jewish myths”). Scholars also debate whether 2 Peter is a genuine letter: the address is generic, and it lacks the traditional epistolary thanksgiving section. Originally it may have been a sermon. A general allusion to 1 Pet 3.1 is used to establish apostolic authority, though it is clear from the vocabulary and style that the person who wrote 1 Peter did not write 2 Peter. Because 2 Peter mentions Paul’s epistles, names Paul “our beloved brother” (3.15), seems to know Paul’s letters (3.16), and borrows from the Epistle of Jude, some scholars suggest that it should be dated to the first half of the second century; while the early second-century church father Clement of Alexandria cites Jude (Strom. 3.2), 2 Peter is not cited until the mid-century Apocalypse of Peter. Thus 2 Peter is probably one of the latest books in the New Testament. The fourth-century Christian historian Eusebius lists it, together with Jude, as a “disputed book” (Hist. eccl. 3.25.3).
It is uncertain when 2 Peter became part of the New Testament. No church writer displays knowledge of this book until the beginning of the third century, but by the time of Jerome (ca. 346–420), most had accepted it as canonical. Origen (ca. 185–ca. 254), the first church father to mention the letter, indicates that its Petrine authorship was already disputed (Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 6.25.8). The earliest existing manuscript of the epistle is Bodmer papyrus P.72, from the third or fourth century.
Contents
The first chapter describes the virtues worthy of those who believe in Christ, refers to the apostle’s approaching death, and promotes the heavenly choice of Jesus as the Son of God. The second chapter describes the false teachers, the sins of the church’s enemies, and the results of their works. The third chapter discusses the promise of the return of Jesus, comments on those who question whether this second coming will occur, and reinforces the need to await the end-time with patience and righteousness.
Though 2 Peter does not refer directly to Jews or Judaism, it uses themes from the Tanakh, such as Noah and the flood (2.5), Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (2.6), and Balaam (2.15–16). The epistle also seems to be familiar with views found in some rabbinic sources such as the righteousness of Lot and the greediness of Balaam (see “Balaam in Jewish and Christian Tradition,” p. 514).
The intended audience may be Gentile followers of Jesus, as implied by the distinction made in the opening words: “to those who have received a faith as precious as ours” (1.1). The sentence may, however, speak only of shared belief, without the implication of ethnicity or different belief. The author’s opponents seem to be members or former members of the church, who deny the second coming and the final judgment (3.3–7). Second Peter attacks their views as well as their immoral behavior—much of this attack appears also in the book of Jude, which most scholars believe to be earlier.
Gila Vachman
1Simeona Peter, a servantb and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:c
2May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us byd his own glory and goodness. 4Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. 5For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7and godliness with mutuale affection, and mutuale affection with love. 8For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. 10Therefore, brothers and sisters,f be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. 11For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.
12Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. 13I think it right, as long as I am in this body,a to refresh your memory, 14since I know that my deathb will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
16For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved,c with whom I am well pleased.” 18We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
19So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.d
Balaam in Jewish and Christian Tradition
The story of Balaam, introduced in Num 22–24, is developed in later Jewish, rabbinic, and early Christian literature. Philo (Mos. 1.295) states that Balaam “endeavored to seduce [Israel] by means of debauchery and intemperance.” The rabbis contrast Balaam to Abraham (see esp. m. Avot 5.19: “The disciples of Abraham have a good eye, a meek spirit and a humble soul. The disciples of Balaam have an evil eye, a haughty spirit and a gross soul”), and Balaam himself serves as a negative example of a Gentile prophet who has no share in the world to come (m. Sanh. 10.2). The rabbis do recognize his prophetic abilities, but they emphasize his inferiority compared to the prophets of Israel (Gen. Rab. 52.5; Lev. Rab. 1.13). Christian attitudes toward his prophecy are usually positive, especially since his prophecy, “A star shall come out of Jacob” (Num 24.17) was interpreted Christologically, but he is sometimes viewed negatively (e.g., Jude 11; Rev 2.14, which refers to a teacher the author condemns). Ascribing greed to Balaam contradicts the plain sense of Num 22.18, but 2 Pet 2.15 (the wages of doing wrong) agrees with a later rabbinic tradition that saw the verse as proof of his greediness (Avot de R. Natan B 45; see also Philo, Mos. 1.267–68; Num. Rab. 20.7,10).
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. They will even deny the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Even so, many will follow their licentious ways, and because of these teachersa the way of truth will be maligned. 3And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their condemnation, pronounced against them long ago, has not been idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
4For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hellb and committed them to chainsc of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5and if he did not spare the ancient world, even though he saved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood on a world of the ungodly; 6and if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinctiond and made them an example of what is coming to the ungodly;e 7and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the lawless 8(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by their lawless deeds that he saw and heard), 9then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment 10—especially those who indulge their flesh in depraved lust, and who despise authority.
Bold and willful, they are not afraid to slander the glorious ones,a 11whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not bring against them a slanderous judgment from the Lord.b 12These people, however, are like irrational animals, mere creatures of instinct, born to be caught and killed. They slander what they do not understand, and when those creatures are destroyed,c they also will be destroyed, 13sufferingd the penalty for doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their dissipatione while they feast with you. 14They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 15They have left the straight road and have gone astray, following the road of Balaam son of Bosor,f who loved the wages of doing wrong, 16but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
17These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm; for them the deepest darkness has been reserved. 18For they speak bombastic nonsense, and with licentious desires of the flesh they entice people who have justa escaped from those who live in error. 19They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for people are slaves to whatever masters them. 20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was passed on to them. 22It has happened to them according to the true proverb,
“The dog turns back to its own vomit,”
and,
“The sow is washed only to wallow in the mud.”
Destruction by Fire
Several biblical prophecies describe God’s future wrath with fiery images: “The day is coming, burning like an oven (Mal 4.1); “For the Lord has a day of vengeance … the streams of Edom shall be turned into pitch … her land shall become burning pitch. Night and day it shall not be guenched” (Isa 34.8–10); “their fire shall not be quenched” (Isa 66.24); “His wrath is poured out like fire” (Nah 1.6); “For in the fire of my passion all the earth shall be consumed” (Zeph 3.8). It is often unclear if the fire is literal or metaphorical. These prophecies do not focus on global destruction but on punishing God’s and Israel’s enemies as well as their land. The proximity of flood and fire is found in rabbinic sources as well (e.g., Mekhilta de-Rabbi Ishmael, Amalek 1; t. Taʾan. 2.13). Although eschatological fire is not mentioned in rabbinic literature, it does appear in the Hellenistic-Jewish texts (e.g., 1 En. 1; 6; Sib. Or. 3.71–76; 4.130–135,162–178).
3This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you; in them I am trying to arouse your sincere intention by reminding you 2that you should remember the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles. 3First of all you must understand this, that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and indulging their own lusts 4and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since our ancestors died,b all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation!” 5They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water, 6through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished. 7But by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless.
8But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you,a not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.b
11Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, 12waiting for and hasteningc the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? 13But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home.
14Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures. 17You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability. 18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.d
1:Simeon Peter, the author uses both Heb Simeon as well as Gk Peter (from “Petros,” “rock”), unlike 1 Peter (1.1) where only the name Peter appears. This distinction supports the argument that 1 and 2 Peter were written by different authors. Servant, Gk “doulos,” lit., “slave,” a common self-designation for Jesus’ followers (see Rom 1.1; Phil 1.1). Apostle, literally, “one sent out.” A faith may suggest a doctrinal system. Precious (Gk “time”), lit., honorable, esteemed. Righteousness (Gk “dikaiosyne”), common early Christian term, from Heb “tzedakah” (see Gen 15.6; 18.19; Isa 56.1), indicating both fidelity and uprightness. It was one of the four cardinal virtues (the others are courage, wisdom, and self-control [see Titus 2.5–6]). Our God and Savior, perhaps an early evidence of equation of God with Jesus (see also 1.11; 3.18; Jn 1.1–3; 20.28). 2:Grace (Gk “charis”) and peace, standard Greek epistolary greetings. Knowledge (Gk “gnosis”), a subtheme in the epistle that perhaps contrasts with the stream of thought known as Gnosticism. For 2 Peter, knowledge concerns faith in the actions of the Christ, not secret tenets.