INTRODUCTION: 2 Peter

The last book we'll be studying this year is 2 Peter. Unlike 1 Peter, this book is not focused on how to live in a world of persecution, but rather how to live in a world without the Apostles in it. As the lives of Paul and Peter - the two great leaders of the Christian church after the Ascension - were coming to an end, the Church needed to understand that Christianity was bigger than any sinful, human leader. Check out the Bible.Org introduction for more information.

Peter was about to die. Not only would this motivate him to get the letter finished, it served another purpose as well. With Paul gone, these Gentile churches lost their apostolic witness to the faith. If Peter were to die, then a second apostolic witness would die with him. Although he had only ministered to them in writing, this important link with the apostolic faith would be gone. Not only this, but with the continuing and widening persecution from Rome against Christians, there was still the danger of apostasy. Though Peter could not prevent his death, he could reassure his audience that his death was within the sovereign plan of God. Hence, in the very statement about his coming death, Peter tells his audience that it was prophesied by Jesus (1:14-15). Thus this letter served both as a last will and testament, and as an encouragement for the Christians to remain true to the apostles’ teaching (cf. 3:2, 15-16), even though there would be no living voice left. It is not insignificant that Bauckham, who denies authenticity to this letter, still sees a similar purpose/occasion: “In the relatively new and largely unexpected situation of the Christian church after the death of the apostles, [the writer] assures his readers that they are not disadvantaged as Christian believers who do not have personal access to the apostolic eyewitnesses . . .