The Challenge of 2 Peter and the Call to Theosis

Abstract

Second Peter is notoriously challenging for Christians, and has been from its earliest reception. The task for interpreters, therefore, is to find the practical method in the madness. As a farewell address, the purpose of the letter is to give testament to the author’s life and urge a particular ethical action in the face of revelations about the future, and its Asiatic style presents a strong rhetorical flair meant to affirm and persuade the audience. A closer look at the content of the positive appeals found in the treatise also reveals that in the midst of his vitriolic condemnation of teachers who fracture both the tradition and the community, the author calls for unity through participation in the divine nature of God. This summons contains the raw material of a concept known as theosis; and this is what allows 2 Peter to speak to audiences across the ages.