A Study of Petrine Christology from Key Texts in 2 Peter

Book excerpt: Second Peter is full of christological language. Scholars have often overlooked the christological richness as they have focused heavily on the issues of eschatology and authorship. The uniqueness of the Son from the Father as well as the divinity of Jesus are at the forefront of the short epistle. Further, Ernst Kasemann famously criticized 2 Peter for being void of Christology and the cross, and thus the gospel. The author analyzes the Christology of 2 Peter, particularly as it relates to the Petrine view of the divinity of Jesus and the distinctness and uniqueness of the Son from the Father. This study examines the christological depth in these key areas as a response to critics like Kasemann. Kasemann first looked into the eschatological arguments of 2 Peter and claimed he was not able to find any christological orientation. The student of 2 Peter must not look through eschatology to see the rich Christology which fills the verses of the epistle. However, when the reader examines the christological language and themes within 2 Peter, he/she is faced with a beautiful portrayal of Jesus and the Father.