2 Peter 3

2 Peter 3, the final chapter of the epistle of 2 Peter, written around AD 64–67 by the apostle Peter, likely from Rome, to Christians facing false teachers and persecution, addresses the certainty of Christ’s return and God’s judgment. Peter refutes scoffers who doubt the Lord’s coming, explains God’s patience, and urges believers to live holy lives, awaiting a new heaven and earth, concluding with a call to grow in grace.
Key Sections
Reminder of God’s Word (3:1–2): Peter writes to stir sincere minds, reminding them of prophets’ words and the apostles’ commandment from the Lord, grounding them in truth.
Scoffers and the Last Days (3:3–7): Scoffers will come, following their desires, mocking the delay of Christ’s return, ignoring that God’s word created heavens and earth and destroyed the world by flood. The present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, awaiting judgment of the ungodly.
God’s Timing and Patience (3:8–10): Don’t overlook that with the Lord, a day is like a thousand years (Psalm 90:4), and He’s not slow but patient, desiring all to repent. The day of the Lord will come like a thief, with heavens passing away, elements burning, and earth exposed.
Call to Holy Living (3:11–13): Since all will dissolve, live holy and godly lives, hastening the day of God, awaiting new heavens and earth where righteousness dwells, per Isaiah 65:17.
Final Exhortation (3:14–18): Be diligent to be found spotless and at peace. God’s patience means salvation, as Paul’s letters affirm, though some twist them. Guard against error, don’t fall from steadfastness, but grow in grace and knowledge of Christ, to whom be glory forever.
Cross-References
Prophets and Apostles: 
Jeremiah 23:4: Faithful shepherds.

Ephesians 2:20: Built on apostles.

Acts 2:42: Apostles’ teaching.
Scoffers in Last Days: 
Jude 1:17–18: Mockers predicted.

2 Timothy 3:1–5: Perilous times.

Acts 20:29–30: False teachers.
Flood and Judgment: 
Genesis 7:11–12: Noah’s flood.

Matthew 24:37–39: Like Noah’s days.

Luke 17:26–27: Sudden judgment.
God’s Timing: 
Psalm 90:4: Thousand years as day.

Habakkuk 2:3: Vision tarries.

Romans 2:4: Patience leads to repentance.
Day of the Lord: 
1 Thessalonians 5:2: Thief in night.

Revelation 20:11: Earth flees.

Joel 2:31: Great, terrible day.
New Heavens, Earth: 
Isaiah 65:17: New creation.

Revelation 21:1: New heaven, earth.

Romans 8:19–21: Creation’s renewal.
Guard Against Error: 
Colossians 2:8: Avoid deception.

1 Timothy 4:1: Deceitful spirits.

Hebrews 3:12: Unbelieving heart.
Theological Meaning
Scripture’s Authority: Prophets and apostles anchor faith against error (3:2; 2 Timothy 3:16).

Certainty of Judgment: Scoffers’ denial doesn’t negate God’s fiery judgment (3:7; Romans 2:5).

God’s Patience: His delay reflects mercy, offering repentance time (3:9; 2 Corinthians 6:2).

Sudden Return: Christ’s coming, like a thief, demands readiness (3:10; Matthew 24:44).

Holy Anticipation: Destruction of the old spurs hope for a righteous new creation (3:13; Revelation 22:20).

Steadfast Growth: Believers must resist false teaching, growing in Christ’s grace (3:18; Ephesians 4:14–15).
Questions and Answers
Why remind of prophets, apostles (3:2)?
To ground believers in God’s word, countering scoffers’ lies (3:2; Acts 17:11).

Who are the scoffers (3:3)?
False teachers denying Christ’s return, living in sin (3:3; Jude 1:18).

How does the flood relate (3:6)?
It shows God’s word judged once and will again by fire (3:6; Genesis 6:17).

What does “day as a thousand years” mean (3:8)?
God’s timing transcends human limits, showing patience (3:8; Psalm 90:4).

What is the “day of the Lord” (3:10)?
Christ’s sudden return, bringing judgment and cosmic renewal (3:10; 1 Corinthians 1:8).

What are “new heavens and earth” (3:13)?
A righteous creation, restored by God, per Isaiah 65:17 (3:13; Revelation 21:4).

How does this apply today?
Live holy, trust God’s timing, and grow in faith, awaiting Christ (3:14; Titus 2:12–13).
Additional Notes for Readers
Historical Context: Written to Christians facing false teachers (2 Peter 2:1), likely in Asia Minor, during Nero’s persecution (AD 64–67). Peter, in Rome (1 Peter 5:13), counters skepticism about Christ’s return (3:4), common in early churches under pressure.

Cultural Questions: “Scoffers” (3:3) reflect Greco-Roman cynicism, bold in urban centers (Acts 17:32). “Flood” (3:6) uses Jewish history, vivid for synagogue-trained readers (Genesis 7:7). “Thousand years” (3:8) echoes Jewish poetic time, resonant in diaspora (Ecclesiastes 3:11). “Thief” (3:10) employs Greco-Roman imagery, urgent in persecution (Luke 12:39). “New heavens” (3:13) fulfills Jewish eschatology, hopeful for believers (Isaiah 66:22). “Paul’s letters” (3:16) shows early canon awareness, significant in churches (2 Thessalonians 3:14).

Application: 2 Peter 3 calls believers to live holy, trust God’s patient plan, and resist false teaching. It challenges doubt, worldliness, and complacency, urging hope in Christ’s return and growth in grace in a skeptical world (Romans 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:6–8).