Editing Second Epistle of Peter (section)

==Outline==
===Chapter 1===
{{main|2 Peter 1}}
The chapters of this epistle show a triangular relationship between Christology (chapter 1), ethics (chapter 2) and eschatology (chapter 3).

At the beginning of chapter 1, the author calls himself "Simeon Peter" (see Acts 15:14). This detail, for the scholar Rob. van Houwelingen, is evidence of the authenticity of the letter.<ref>Van Houwelingen 2010, 125.</ref> The letter gives a list of seven virtues in the form of a ladder: Love, Brotherly affection, Godliness, Steadfastness, Self-control, Knowledge, and Excellence.<ref>Köstenberger 2020, 155.</ref> Through the memory of Peter (1:12–15), the author encourages the addressees to lead holy and godly lives (11b); in verse 13 the author speaks of righteousness (being just) in a moral sense, and in verse 14 his line of argument reaches a climax as the addressees are encouraged to do all they can to be found blameless (1 Thess 5:23). In short, the author's concern is to encourage his addressees to behave ethically without reproach (1:5–7; 3:12–14), probably because of the impending parousia ([[Second Coming]]), which will come like a thief in the night (3:10; 1 Thess 5:2).<ref>Lévy L. B. (2019). "Ethics and Pseudepigraphy – Do the Ends Always Justify the Means?" Athens Journal of Humanities & Arts, pp. 335</ref>

===Chapter 2===
{{main|2 Peter 2}}
In this chapter, the author affirms that false teachers have arisen among the faithful to lead them astray with "destructive heresies" and "exploit people with false words" (2:1–2). Just as there were false prophets in ancient times, so there would be false teachers,<ref name="Kuhn, Karl 2006">Kuhn, Karl (2006). 2 Peter 3:1–13. Sage Publications (UK).</ref> false prophets and sheep's clothing were one of the prophecies of Jesus [Matt. 7:15], to which the author of this letter together with the author of [[1 John]] refers [1 John 4:1].<ref>Koestenberger, AJ (2020). Handbook on Hebrews Through Revelation (Handbooks on the New Testament). Baker Academic, pp. 147.</ref> False teachers are accused of "denying the Lord who bought them" and promoting licentiousness (2:1–2). The author classifies false teachers as "irrational animals, instinctive creatures, born to be caught and destroyed" (2:12). They are "spots and stains, delighting in their dissipation" with "eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin… hearts trained in covetousness" (2:13–14).<ref name="Kuhn, Karl 2006"/> As a solution, 2 Peter proposes in the following chapter tools such as penance, aimed at purging sins, and the reactualization of the eschatological hope, to be expected with attention, service and perseverance.<ref>Talbert, C. H. (1966) “II Peter and the delay of the parousia”, Vigiliae Christianae 20, 137–45.</ref> This chapter in all likelihood adapts significant portions of the [[Epistle of Jude]].<ref>Köstenberger, Kellum, Quarles, 2012. 862–63.</ref><ref>Callan, T. (2014). Use of the letter of Jude by the Second Letter of Peter. Bib 85, pp. 42–64.</ref><ref>Thurén, L. (2004). The Relationship between 2 Peter and Jude: A Classical Problem Resolved?. in The Catholic Epistles and the Tradition, ed. Jacques Schlosser. BETL 176, Leuven: Peeters, pp. 451–60.</ref><ref>Kasemann, Ernst (1982). Essays on New Testament Themes, "An Apologia for Primitive Christian Eschatology", trans. W. J. Montague, (SCM Press, 1968: Great Britain), pp. 172.</ref>

The ethical goal is not to fall into that debauchery, and errors, and to have hope. This is promoted with many stories of how God rescues the righteous while holding back the unrighteous for the day of judgment, and the stories of [[Noah]], the story of Lot in [[Sodom and Gomorrah]] (2:6–8) and the story [[Balaam]], son of Bosor (2:15–16) are used as a warning.

{{bibleverse|2 Peter|2:22}} quotes {{bibleverse|Proverbs|26:11}}: "[[As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly]]."

===Chapter 3===
{{main|2 Peter 3}}
[[File:Andachtsbild 17 Jüngstes Gericht.jpg|thumb|19th-century [[holy card]] showing the [[Last Judgment]]: it quotes 2 Peter 3:13 — "But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to [[Christian eschatology#New Heaven and New Earth|a new heaven and a new earth]], where righteousness dwell."]]
The fundamental of this chapter is the authoritative Christian revelation. The revelation is found in a two-part source (3:2). There is little doubt that the "words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets" refers to the OT writings, either in part or in whole.<ref>Bauckham 1983, 287.</ref><ref name="Davids 2006, 260">Davids 2006, 260.</ref> Then the author mentions the second source of revelation, the "commandment of the Lord" spoken by "your apostles." It is remarkable that this two-part authority includes an obvious older means "words spoken beforehand" as well as an obvious newer half, the apostolically mediated words (words about Jesus). One could be forgiven if he sees here a precursor to a future "old" and "new" Testament.<ref>Kruger, M. J. (2020). 2 Peter 3:2, the Apostolate, and a Bi-Covenantal Canon. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 63, pp. 5–24.</ref> This juxtaposition of prophet and apostle as a two-part revelatory source is not first found in 3:1–2, but in 1:16–21.<ref name="Davids 2006, 260"/>

Another remarkable feature of this chapter is that the author presupposes that his audience is familiar with a plurality of apostles ("how many" is unclear), and, moreover, that they have had (and perhaps still have) access to the teaching of these apostles. One cannot "remember" teaching that they have not received. Of course, this raises difficult questions about the precise medium (oral or written) by which the public received this apostolic teaching. However, near the end of this chapter, the means by which the audience at least received the apostle [[Paul the Apostle|Paul's]] teaching is expressly stated. We are told that the audience knew the teachings of "our beloved brother Paul" (3:15) and that they knew them in written form: "Paul also wrote to you according to wisdom as he does in all his letters" (3:16), the "also" being the key word since in the first verse of the chapter the author referred to another written apostolic text, namely his first epistle ([[First Epistle of Peter|1 Peter]]): considering part of the "Scriptures" not only the OT prophets, but also Paul and the author himself,<ref>Kruger 2020, 9–10.</ref> from the Pauline corpus the author may have known [[1 Thessalonians|1]] and [[2 Thessalonians]], [[Epistle to the Romans|Romans]], [[Epistle to the Galatians|Galatians]], and possibly [[Epistle to the Ephesians|Ephesians]] and [[Epistle to the Colossians|Colossians]].<ref>Houwelingen 2010, 122. "These considerations make us think especially of Paul's letter to the Galatians. It is also possible to think of the letters to the Ephesians and Colossians – the latter is indeed difficult to interpret."</ref><ref>Levoratti, Armando J. (1981). La Biblia. Libro del Pueblo de Dios. Verbo Divino, 2018, pp. 1791. "In this passage is found the first mention of a collection of Paul's Letters considered an integral part of the canonical Scriptures. The passages therein which lent themselves to false interpretations were undoubtedly those concerning the second Coming of the Lord (1 Thess. 4. 13–5. 11; 2 Thess. 1.7–10; 2.1–12), and Christian liberty (Rom. 7; Gal. 5). In the latter, especially, some sought justification for moral licentiousness."</ref>  Thought on Christian revelation is also located in other early authors, namely [[Pope Clement I|Clement of Rome]], [[Ignatius of Antioch|Ignatius]], [[Polycarp]], [[Justin Martyr]], and in the work [[Second Epistle of Clement|2 Clement]].<ref>Kruger 2020, 15–20.</ref>

In the middle of the chapter is the explanation for the delay in Jesus' return (3:9); Jesus' delay is only to facilitate the salvation of the "already faithful" who may at times waver in their faith or have been led astray by false teachers (2:2–3). God is delaying to make sure that "all" have had sufficient time to secure their commitment (or return) to the gospel, including the false teachers. The remaining verses provide details about the coming day of the Lord along with the exhortation that flows seamlessly into the conclusion of the letter. The instruction offered here (3:11–13) echoes that of Jesus who called his disciples to await the consummation of his kingdom with attention, service and perseverance (Mt 24–25; Mk 13:3–13, 32–37; Lk 18:1–30; 21:1–38). Taken together with the final verses (3:14–18), here again the author expresses the concern that believers secure their eternal place in God's new creation by embracing lives that foster blessing and even hasten God's coming day.<ref>Kuhn 2006</ref>

{{bibleverse|2 Peter|3:6}} quotes {{bibleverse|Genesis|7:11–12}}.
{{bibleverse|2 Peter|3:8}} quotes [[Psalm 90]], specifically {{bibleverse-nb|Psalm|90:4}}.<ref>{{cite book|last= Kirkpatrick| first= A. F. | author-link=Alexander Kirkpatrick| title= The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes |series=The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges | volume = Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL | place = Cambridge |publisher= At the University Press | year = 1901 | pages = 839 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=SLJzlHElr6cC | access-date= February 28, 2019}}</ref>