Introduction to II Peter

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Introduction to II Peter
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Introduction Gunther Bornkamm in his work The
New Testament A Guide to its writings (p. 127)
says of II Peter that it is hardly to be
mentioned in the same breath with Hebrews. . . .
It is no longer the expression of a living faith,
not even the few impressive phrases that it
contains are enough to deceive the reader. The
date of II Peter is quite late, somewhere in the
middle of the second century, which makes it the
latest document in the New Testament.
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Raymond Brown is not a great deal kinder in his
New Testament Introduction where he states that
the pseudonimity of II Peter is more sure than of
any other NT work. (p. 767) Thus the authorship
and canonicity of II Peter, and by implication
Jude is a serious question.
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Authorship- this is the most important critical
issue in the book.

• External evidence-
• The contrast with I Peter- the book is usually
  rejected as having been written by Peter for two
  reasons Language and thought
• The Relationship with Jude-
• The teaching about Paul- This argument is often
  held to tell decisively against Peter as the
  author of the book.

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Date- as is well known by now, the books date
will be affected by the question of authorship,
or vice versa. In this case I agree with CM that
the book should be dated to around 67-68 A.D.
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The message of the book

• An exhortation to progress in virtue 13-21
• The polemic condemnation of false teachers
  21-22-
• The delay of the second coming 31-16- as
  mentioned above this was a serious problem for
  the early church as a result of the
  misunderstanding of the doctrine.