Context: 2 Peter is the apostle Peter's last writing — his testament, composed with awareness of imminent death (~64–68 AD). The letter has an urgent and combative tone, dealing primarily with two themes: growth in grace (ch. 1) and the danger of false teachers who would deny Christ's lordship and promote moral libertinism (chs. 2–3).

Inspiration of Scripture (1:16–21): Peter asserts having been an eyewitness of Jesus' Transfiguration — "we heard this voice borne from heaven" — and then declares: "no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (1:21). Apostolic memory and prophetic inspiration converge as foundations of the NT.

Eschatological patience (ch. 3): Scoffers who mock the promise of Christ's return receive a response: "with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" (3:8) — the relativity of divine time. The "delay" is actually patience: "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise... but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish." The world will be renewed by fire, and the horizon is "new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (3:13).