Ruch Biblijny i Liturgiczny (Sep 2017)
The Image of God in the Second Epistle of Peter
Abstract
An analysis of this text reveals the two essential issues handled in the epistle: (1) the constant presence of the theme of God considered from the viewpoint of His glory and (2) an ultimate Christocentrism of all content references in the image of God. The word “glory” (δόξα) appears five times, always in key places of the inspired text under study. The epistle exposes the theology of faith from the aspects of knowledge and calling, so as to successively reveal the mystery of Jesus Christ being the Divine Person – in the context of the Divine Trinity – and, furthermore, to disclose His subsequent Christological titles leading to a complete revelation in the expression: “Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ σωτήρ Ἰησοῦς Χριστός). At the same time, the epistle describes the main practical goal, i.e. “partaking of the divine nature” (cf. 2 Peter 1 : 4) through “God and Jesus, our Lord” (θεός καὶ Ἰησοῦς κύριος ἡμῶν), and the method of reaching this goal; it also warns against going a different way by contrasting the two dimensions of reality: the earthly and the eternal.
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