Although 2 Peter immediately follows 1 Peter in our Bibles, most commentators tend to put 2 Peter with the book of Jude, which is the way we will handle the books here.
There are various reasons for putting the two books together, versus the traditional practice of putting 1 and 2 Peter together.
During my time in college and seminary, professors explained to me the Greek of 1 and 2 Peter was very different. I discovered this myself when translating 1 Peter from Greek in college. The style the Greek is written in is among the highest in the New Testament, which is dramatically different from 2 Peter, which is among the lowest.
For this reason and others, 2 Peter—along with Jude—sometimes were debated by the early church as to whether they should be included in the canon of New Testament Christian literature. Eventually, they both were finalized as part of the 27 books making up our New Testament.
Canonical issues aside, the subject matter of 2 Peter and Jude are closely connected. Themes, topics and even analogies run together between the two books, which is in contrast to what is found in 1 Peter. Therefore, it makes better sense to handle 2 Peter with Jude.
Over the past 25-plus years of serving as a pastor of Texas Baptist churches, I have had the opportunity to teach from the book of 2 Peter and have never taught through Jude fully. I have found 2 Peter to be a fun, interesting and highly relevant book to preach through. I recommend it.
Here are a few of the commentaries I have found helpful to get a better understanding of both 2 Peter and Jude.
The IVP Bible Background Commentary by Craig Keener
Without question, my “go to” commentary is always this volume by Craig Keener. It covers the entire New Testament, which is extremely helpful. It is brief, while alerting the reader to the most important interpretive questions and helpful suggestions on how to handle the text.
Keener’s knowledge of the Greco-Roman background of the New Testament is virtually without equal, and his insights are consistently helpful.
Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letters of 2 Peter and Jude by Peter H. Davids
The entire Pillar New Testament Commentary series is quite good.
Peter H. Davids is a first-rate biblical scholar who knows how to handle the text and is a widely regarded expert on the General Epistles, including 2 Peter and Jude. I have come to know him both as a scholar and a colleague who really does “practice what he preaches.”
This is a more advanced commentary and may be hard for some readers to understand if they have not had seminary-like education.
Word Biblical Commentary: 2 Peter and Jude by Richard Bauckham
Written by one of the foremost biblical scholars and historians in the world today, this commentary is a must-have and must-consult in regard to interpreting these letters. You will find every commentary written after this one will consult this source as an authority.
This commentary is written at a highly technical level, however, and is best to be used by pastors and others trained in interpretation of the New Testament.
The NIV Application Commentary: 2 Peter and Jude by Douglas Moo
This commentary is extremely accessible, written with the pastor in mind but understandable to the general audience. I personally find this series among the best, because it seeks not only to explain the text in the original historical setting, but also to cross the hermeneutical bridge explaining the meaning in the modern context and then by way of application.
The New American Commentary: 1, 2 Peter, Jude by Thomas Schreiner
Traditional Baptists will appreciate this series because of its historical Baptist connections, and Tom Schreiner is a fine New Testament scholar. His insights will prove helpful and very accessible to most readers.
Written in a clear and understandable way, the key interpretive questions are presented in a fairly balanced manner. Although not my first or even second choice, Schreiner’s work will prove helpful to anyone trying to understand these letters.
Honorable Mentions
The commentaries mentioned above should be on your short list of commentaries, but there are other very good works available. Here are a few honorable mentions.
First, the Baker Exegetical Commentary series is very good. Gene L. Green, an excellent scholar, provides key exegetical insights in this very useful resource on 2 Peter and Jude.
Second, J.N.D. Kelly’s A Commentary on the Epistles of Peter and Jude is a work produced by a notable biblical scholar and well worth consultation.
Finally, Ruth Anne Reese’s 2 Peter & Jude in the Two Horizons series is a great resource. Like the NIV Application Commentary mentioned above, this resource aims to take the ancient biblical text and move it over the hermeneutical bridge into the modern world. This is a very helpful approach.
David S. Ritsema is assistant dean and assistant professor of New Testament at East Texas Baptist University’s B.H. Carroll Theological Seminary. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry from ETBU, a Master of Divinity from Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in New Testament from B.H. Carroll Theological Seminary. The views expressed in this resource article are those of the author.
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