The best 2 Peter commentaries are listed below. There are exegetical commentaries, scholarly and technical commentaries, as well as commentaries that are easy to understand. The “Top 10” list is based on aggregate reviews.
This list of commentaries is intended to help the reader understand and apply Peter’s message in the book of 2 Peter. They are not suggested as a replacement for prayer, the Holy Spirit, and the reader’s own diligent study of Scripture.
It is hoped that these books will aid the Christian pastor, preacher, teacher, student, as well as any Bible reader that wants to understand more about 2 Peter.
May each reader’s aim be to glorify God in Jesus Christ; to strengthen Christ’s bride, the Church; and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost.
After browsing the commentaries below, see the best one-volume bible commentaries, based on aggregate reviews.
10 Best Second Peter Commentaries
Please read: The “Top 10” list below is a starting point for learning about 2 Peter commentaries. It is not intended to be the “final word” because of its limitations.
Nevertheless, a list based on aggregate reviews is likely to point many people in the right direction to find the right resource for their purposes.
#1
Jude-2 Peter
Word Biblical Commentary
by Richard Bauckham
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Reviews and Accolades:
• D.A. Carson: a “best buy” on 2 Peter and Jude, “by far the best work on 2 Peter and Jude”
• Desiring God: #1 recommended commentary on 2 Timothy
• Craig Blomberg, etal: a “priority” commentary on 2 Peter
• Tom Schreiner: recommended: “a technical but enormously useful commentary – the best on 2 Peter and Jude”
• Keith Mathison: #2 ranked commentary on 2 Peter, “Many rank Bauckham’s work as the best commentary on these two biblical books. Unfortunately (and without sufficient reason) Bauckham concludes that Peter was not the author of 2 Peter.”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Bauckham takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is an English Anglican scholar.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that the WBC series “delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation.” See more about the Word Biblical Commentary series.
Please also see Best Commentary Series: The Top 50. Based on aggregate reviews.
#2
Jude and 2 Peter
Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
by Gene L. Green
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Reviews and Accolades:
• D.A. Carson: a “best buy” on 2 Peter and Jude, “especially strong on the Hellenistic context in which it was written”
• Craig Blomberg, etal: a “priority” commentary on 2 Peter
• Tom Schreiner: recommended: “an interpretation of the Greek text”
• Keith Mathison: #1 ranked commentary on 2 Peter, “If you are able to have only one commentary on 2 Peter and Jude, this recent commentary by Gene Green should be at the top of your wish list.”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Green takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is professor of New Testament at Wheaton College and Graduate School.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
Green also wrote the 1-2 Thessalonians commentary in the PNTC series, which is considered one of the best 1-2 Thessalonians commentaries.
The publisher notes that the BECNT series provides “within the framework of informed evangelical thought, commentaries that blend scholarly depth with readability, exegetical detail with sensitivity to the whole, and attention to critical problems with theological awareness.”
See more about the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series.
#3
The Letters of 2 Peter and Jude
Pillar New Testament Commentary
by Peter H. Davids
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Reviews and Accolades:
• D.A. Carson: a “best buy” on 2 Peter and Jude, “perhaps a first choice for pastors…accessible to the well-trained pastor”
• Craig Blomberg, etal: a “priority” commentary on 2 Peter
• Tom Schreiner: recommended: “exposition of the English text”
• Keith Mathison: #2 ranked commentary on 2 Peter, “Until the publication of Gene Green’s commentary, this volume by Peter Davids was the best commentary on these two neglected books.”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Davids takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is a Catholic priest. He teaches at Houston Baptist University.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
Davids also wrote the James commentary in the NIGTC series, which is considered one of the best James commentaries.
The publisher notes that the Pillar series combines “rigorous exegesis and exposition, with an eye alert both to biblical theology and the contemporary relevance of the Bible.” See more about the Pillar New Testament Commentary series.
#4
2 Peter, Jude
NIV Application Commentary
by Douglas J. Moo
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Reviews and Accolades:
• Craig Blomberg, etal: a “priority” commentary on 2 Peter
• Tom Schreiner: recommended: “solid exegesis and theology, with application for today”
• Keith Mathison: #3 ranked commentary on 2 Peter, “Moo is an outstanding New Testament scholar. This work should prove especially helpful to pastors.”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Moo takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is Reformed.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
Moo is well-known for his Romans commentary in the NICNT series, which is considered one of the best Romans commentaries.
The publisher notes that the NIVAC series “helps you think through the process of moving from the original meaning of a passage to its contemporary significance.” See more about the NIV Application Commentary series.
#5
1, 2 Peter, Jude
New American Commentary
by Thomas Schreiner
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Reviews and Accolades:
• Craig Blomberg, etal: a “priority” commentary on 2 Peter
• D.A. Carson: a “best buy” on 2 Peter, “nicely displays Schreiner’s combination of exegesis and theological reflection couched in admirable clarity”
• Keith Mathison: #3 ranked commentary on 1 Peter, “Thomas Schreiner’s work is always worth consulting. He has written some very good works on New Testament theology,and his strengths in this area shine through in this commentary. Very helpful.”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Schreiner takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is Reformed.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
Schreiner also wrote the Hebrews commentary in the BTCP series, which is considered one of the best Hebrews commentaries.
The publisher notes that the NAC series “has been designed primarily to enable pastors, teachers, and students to read the Bible with clarity and proclaim it with power.” See more about the New American Commentary series.
#6
2 Peter and Jude
Tyndale New Testament Commentary
by Michael Green
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Reviews and Accolades:
• Tom Schreiner: recommended: “a good commentary for the busy pastor”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Green takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that the TNTC series “examines the text section by section, drawing out its main themes. It also comments on individual verses and deals with problems of interpretation.”
See more about the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series.
#7
The Epistles of Peter and of Jude
Black’s New Testament Commentary
by J.N.D. Kelly
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Reviews and Accolades:
• Tom Schreiner: recommended: “a very helpful and clear exposition”
Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Kelly takes a critical approach to Scripture. He taught at the University of Oxford (d. 1997). Kelly also wrote the 1 Timothy commentary in the same series.
The publisher notes that the BNTC series “has been hailed by both scholars and pastors for its insightful interpretations and reliable commentary.”
#8
The Message of 2 Peter and Jude
The Bible Speaks Today
by Dick Lucas and Christopher Green
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Green takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
Lucas also wrote the Colossians commentary in the same series.
The publisher notes that ” three distinctives of The Bible Speaks Today series are (1) “BST authors are committed to a serious study of the text in its own integrity,” (2) that “expositors should not be antiquarians, living only in the remote past” but suggest application for living, and (3) “each book is intended to be both readable in style and manageable in size.”
See more about the Bible Speaks Today commentary series.
#9
2 Peter and Jude
Concordia Commentary
by Curtis P. Giese
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Theology, Audience, Purpose: Giese takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is evangelical and Lutheran. While not technical, the volumes in the Concordia Commentary series reflect seminary-level scholarship. The target audience is pastors, professors, and teachers.
According to the publisher, authors in the Concordia series “fully affirms the divine inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of Scripture as it emphasizes ‘that which promotes Christ’ in each pericope.”
#10
1 and 2 Peter, 1, 2, 3 John, Jude
Expositor’s Bible Commentary Revised
by J. Daryl Charles
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Charles takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that the REBC series is “committed to the divine inspiration, complete trustworthiness, and full authority of the Bible.” See more about the Expositor’s Commentary Series.
More Book of 2 Peter Commentaries for Christian Ministry
Please read: Why are the 2 Peter commentaries below not in the “Top 10”? It’s not necessarily because they have received poor reviews or because people haven’t found them helpful. The reasons vary:
- Some are relatively new and haven’t been widely reviewed, read, or used yet.
- Others haven’t been widely distributed, so it is difficult to get enough information to aggregate.
- Still others may be outdated in relation to biblical scholarship or out of print and difficult to acquire.
The “Top 10” list is reviewed annually. Readers are encouraged to consider the volumes in this section before making a purchase. These 10 are not in any particular order.
2 Peter and Jude
Two Horizons New Testament Commentary
by Ruth Anne Reese
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that the Two Horizons series bridges “the existing gap between biblical studies and systematic theology, this distinctive series offers section-by-section exegesis of the New Testament texts in close conversation with theological concerns.”
2 Peter and Jude
IVP New Testament Commentary
by Robert Harvey and Philip H. Towner
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Towner takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
Towner also wrote the 1-2 Timothy commentary in the NICNT series, which is considered one of the best 1-2 Timothy commentaries.
The publisher notes that the IVPNTC series is “informed by the best of up-to-date evangelical scholarship, presents passage-by-passage commentary based on the NIV along with background information on authorship, setting, theme and various interpretive issues.”
See more about IVP New Testament Commentary series.
1 and 2 Peter
A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary
by Ben Witherington III
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Witherington takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He is Arminian.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
Witherington also wrote the Revelation commentary in the NCBC series, which is considered one of the best Revelation commentaries.
Witherington also wrote the Mark commentary in the same series. The publisher notes that in the SRC series “the New Testament is interpreted within the context of the world in which it was written and read.”
1-2 Peter, Jude
Understanding the Bible Commentary Series
by Norman Hillyer
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Hillyer takes an evangelical approach to Scripture. He was an English minister.
This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that the UCBS series offers “section-by-section exposition of the biblical books with key terms and phrases highlighted…” See more about the Understanding the Bible Commentary Series.
1 and 2 Peter
Brazos Theological Commentary
by Douglas Harink
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that the Brazos series “is designed to serve the church–through aid in preaching, teaching, study groups, and so forth–and demonstrate the continuing intellectual and practical viability of theological interpretation of the Bible.”
1-2 Peter
Paideia Commentary
by Duane Watson
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: In this addition to the well-received Paideia series, New Testament scholars Duane Watson and Terrance Callan examine cultural context and theological meaning in First and Second Peter.
1 and 2 Peter and Jude
New Testament Library
by Lewis R. Donelson
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Donelson takes a critical approach to Scripture. This commentary is best for expository preachers, Bible college and seminary students, church elders and teachers, and experienced Bible readers.
The publisher notes that the NLT series “offers authoritative commentary on every book and major aspect of the New Testament, providing fresh translations based on the best available ancient manuscripts, critical portrayals of the historical world in which the books were created, careful attention to their literary design, and a theologically perceptive exposition of the biblical text.”
Technical Commentaries
2 Peter, Jude
Anchor Yale Bible Commentary
by Jerome Neyrey
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Theology, Audience, and Purpose: Neyrey takes a critical approach to Scripture. Those who have been trained in Greek will maximize this commentary. Neyrey also wrote the John commentary in the NCBC series.
The publisher notes that the Anchor series “vigorously pursues the goal of bringing to a wide audience the most important new ideas, the latest research findings, and the clearest possible analysis of the Bible.”
Classic 2 Peter Commentaries
1 and 2 Peter
Geneva Series of Commentaries
by Alexander Nisbet
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Synopsis: From the publisher: “Alexander Nisbet’s commentary on 1 & 2 Peter provides an outstanding practical treatment of his epistles.
This Geneva Series of Commentaries is ideal aid for preachers, teachers, group leaders and all students or readers of the Bible. Perhaps of all the apostles, most Christians find themselves most readily drawn to Simon Peter.”
Hebrews and 1 and 2 Peter
Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries
by John Calvin
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Synopsis: From the publisher: “The power of John Calvin’s verse-by-verse study of Hebrews and the First and Second Epistles of Peter is masterfully captured in this translation by William B. Johnston. Precise and authoritative, yet lucid and very readable…”
James and 1 and 2 Peter
Ironside Expository Commentaries
by H.A. Ironside
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Synopsis: From the publisher: “This classic commentary series from one of the most creative and articulate expositors of the twentieth century is being reissued for a new generation.”
1 and 2 Peter
Crossway Classic Commentary
by Robert Leighton and Griffith Thomas
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Synopsis: From the publisher: “Robert Leighton explores the key passages of the apostle’s inspiring letter of suffering believers in 1 Peter, and Griffith Thomas takes on Peter’s second epistle that warns against more subtle dangers from within the church – false teachers, errant doctrine and immoral behavior.”
Also see:
Compare 75 different commentary series on the Bible Commentary Series Comparison Chart