Did Peter Really Write 2 Peter? (Yes)
A defense of Peter's authorship of 2 Peter against critical scholars who claim the letter is pseudepigraphic.
The authorship of 2 Peter is a hotly debated topic, and according to some, has been since late first century[1]. "Virtually all scholars agree that Peter did not actually write this letter" is the claim of virtually every critical scholar[2]. This claim is roundly refuted by virtually every evangelical scholar[3].
Reasons given against Petrine authorship at first sound plausible. Critical scholars, and even some claiming to be evangelical, cite apparent incompatibilities of language, terminology, and genre between (the widely accepted as Peter) 1st Peter, and (the hotly debated) 2nd Peter as evidence that is "entirely conclusive against Petrine authorship"[4] of 2nd Peter.
Dating of 2nd Peter is also often used as evidence against Petrine authorship. The issues raised in the letter are said by critical scholars to be addressing arguments and tensions that could be shown to be relevant to the church only after Peter's probable death under Nero sometime in the years 64-68 A.D[5].
Another assumption made by critical scholars is the illiteracy of Peter himself[6]. Citing modern archaeological evidence for the illiteracy (or more accurately, lack of evidence of literacy, an argument from silence) of Peter's hometown of Capernaum, and Acts 4:13's statement that Peter and his companions were uneducated (literally, unlettered) and untrained (Greek: "idiot") men, the leap is then made to say that it is implausible to impossible that Peter could ever have acquired the tools needed to write any letter, much less 2nd Peter.
Finally, critical scholars are quick to point out the argumentation around, lack of certainty about Petrine authorship, and hesitancy to accept 2nd Peter as canonical among the early church fathers, leading to apparent late acceptance into the cannon[7].
These "evidences" seem weighty at first. But as Proverbs says, the first to testify seems right, until they are cross-examined (Proverbs 18:17). Evangelical scholars have little problem answering these critiques. All the "problems" raised by critical scholars are based on assumptions or are stated without much reflection to be problems. Regarding date, Peter is assumed to have died in the late 60s under Nero, based on the reports of early church fathers (i.e., church tradition). But it is possible that he died as late as 80 A.D[8].
It is merely assumed that Peter must have been illiterate at the time of the authorship because of the statement (made about his early ministry) in Acts 4, with the assumption that he did not or could not have acquired literacy in the several decades between that time and the authorship of the letters.
That the language, terminology, syntax, and style of writing are "incompatible" is an assumption of lack of creativity or personality of the author himself. Many authors write and speak in different styles for different occasions and different audiences. The requirement of consistency is an assumption, it is not conclusive proof. The apparent inconsistency of the language used can also be accounted for by the presence of different secretaries, or agents[9] writing for Peter[10]. This is a practice widely accepted and even mentioned in the Pauline epistles.
Most importantly, there is the matter of the internal evidence itself. This evidence is simply ignored or disregarded out-of-hand by critical scholars. The letter claims to be from Peter in a way that does not appear to be copied from other writings[11]. It recounts with great accuracy Peter's witness of the transfiguration. Peter's reference to Paul as a "dear brother" is a familiar phrase that would be strange in the hands of another author.
Finally, As God's inerrant Word, The Scriptures are self-authenticating. 2nd Peter is written by Peter because he says he wrote it. Allowing 2nd Peter into the canon undermines inerrancy entirely if its author is any other than Peter himself. This circular argument is understandably laughed off by critical scholars and even some evangelical scholars[12]. But the question is, by what higher court should we then test the Word of God? Are we to make ourselves judge over the scriptures? May it never be. Yes, our God-given logic and discernment must be employed when accepting Scripture as canonical. That work has been complete for over two thousand years by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
As Darian Lockett says, we can have confidence in the canonicity of 2nd Peter precisely because it still stands as canonical despite the issues, and with all the scrutiny[13].
Bibliography
Bauckham, Richard J. 2 Peter, Jude. Vol. 50. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1983.
Davids, Peter H. The Letters of 2 Peter and Jude. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2006.
Ehrman, Bart D. Forged. Harper Collins, 2011.
Lockett, Darian R. 2021. "How 2 Peter Made It into the Bible." Text & Canon Institute. November 7, 2021. https://textandcanon.org/how-2-peter-made-it-into-the-bible/.
Schreiner, Thomas R. 1-2 Peter and Jude. Edited by E. Ray Clendenen and Brandon D. Smith. Christian Standard Commentary. Holman Reference, 2020.
Piper, John. "Who Wrote 2 Peter?" 1982. Desiring God. April 27, 1982. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/who-wrote-2-peter.
Notes
1. 1. Richard J. Bauckham, *2 Peter, Jude*, vol. 50, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1983), 162.
2. 2. Bart D Ehrman, *Forged*, (Harper Collins, 2011), 48.
3. 3. See, for example, Thomas R. Schreiner, *1-2 Peter and Jude*, Christian Standard Commentary, (Holman Reference, 2020), 303.
5. 5. Ehrman, 48. Bauckham, 158.
8. 8. Peter H. Davids, *The Letters of 2 Peter and Jude*, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2006), 131.
9. 9. John Piper, "Who Wrote 2 Peter?", 1982, Desiring God. April 27, 1982. https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/who-wrote-2-peter.
12. 12. See, for example, Davids, 126.
13. 13. Darian R. Lockett, 2021, "How 2 Peter Made It into the Bible," Text & Canon Institute, November 7, 2021, https://textandcanon.org/how-2-peter-made-it-into-the-bible/.
(This article was originally written in October 2024 for my coursework at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary)