Richard Bauckham's commentary on Jude and Second Peter emerged from the scholarly recognition that these two brief New Testament letters, long marginalized in Christian study and preaching, deserved serious exegetical attention. Writing in the early 1980s, Bauckham addressed the widespread neglect of these epistles, which had been dismissed by many scholars as late, derivative works of little theological value. His commentary was among the first major English-language works to treat these letters as significant early Christian documents worthy of careful historical and theological analysis.
Bauckham's fundamental argument centers on the early dating and apostolic connections of both letters, challenging the scholarly consensus that had relegated them to the second century. He makes a detailed case for Jude's authorship by the brother of Jesus and demonstrates Second Peter's dependence on Jude while defending Petrine authorship or at least Petrine tradition behind the letter. The commentary excels in its attention to the Jewish apocalyptic background of both epistles, particularly their use of non-canonical Jewish literature like First Enoch and the Assumption of Moses. Bauckham shows how these letters address concrete pastoral crises involving false teachers who were undermining Christian ethics and eschatology, arguing that their polemic serves constructive theological purposes rather than mere invective.
This commentary has remained influential for its rigorous historical methodology and its rehabilitation of two neglected New Testament books. Bauckham's work opened new avenues for understanding early Christian responses to antinomianism and ethical libertinism, while his careful analysis of the letters' Jewish background has informed broader discussions of Christianity's relationship to Second Temple Judaism.
Who should read this: Pastors and Bible teachers seeking to understand and preach from these difficult letters will find Bauckham's historical insights invaluable, while New Testament scholars will appreciate his methodological rigor. This is not introductory material for casual Bible readers but rather a technical resource for serious students of early Christian literature.
Jude, 2 Peter
by Richard Bauckham
Richard Bauckham's commentary on Jude and Second Peter emerged from the scholarly recognition that these two brief New Testament letters, long marginalized in Christian study and preaching, deserved serious exegetical attention. Writing in the early 1980s, Bauckham addressed the widespread neglect of these epistles, which had been dismissed by many scholars as late, derivative works of little theological value. His commentary was among the first major English-language works to treat these letters as significant early Christian documents worthy of careful historical and theological analysis.
Bauckham's fundamental argument centers on the early dating and apostolic connections of both letters, challenging the scholarly consensus that had relegated them to the second century. He makes a detailed case for Jude's authorship by the brother of Jesus and demonstrates Second Peter's dependence on Jude while defending Petrine authorship or at least Petrine tradition behind the letter. The commentary excels in its attention to the Jewish apocalyptic background of both epistles, particularly their use of non-canonical Jewish literature like First Enoch and the Assumption of Moses. Bauckham shows how these letters address concrete pastoral crises involving false teachers who were undermining Christian ethics and eschatology, arguing that their polemic serves constructive theological purposes rather than mere invective.
This commentary has remained influential for its rigorous historical methodology and its rehabilitation of two neglected New Testament books. Bauckham's work opened new avenues for understanding early Christian responses to antinomianism and ethical libertinism, while his careful analysis of the letters' Jewish background has informed broader discussions of Christianity's relationship to Second Temple Judaism.
Who should read this: Pastors and Bible teachers seeking to understand and preach from these difficult letters will find Bauckham's historical insights invaluable, while New Testament scholars will appreciate his methodological rigor. This is not introductory material for casual Bible readers but rather a technical resource for serious students of early Christian literature.