27.6

2 Peter in the Christian Canon

No other book in the New Testament had more trouble than 2 Peter in gaining admittance to the Christian canon of Scripture.

• The Muratorian Canon (ca. 170–210) does not list it as part of the Christian Scriptures.
• Origen of Alexandria (ca. 215–250) says, that “Peter left behind one letter that is acknowledged, and possibly a second, but it is disputed.”
• Eusebius of Caesarea, around 311, lists 2 Peter among “disputed books which are nonetheless known by many.”
• Didymus the Blind (who died in 398) urged people not to “overlook that the epistle is forged,” insisting that “though it is read publicly, it is nevertheless not in the canon.”
• Athanasius of Alexandria, in 367, accepted 2 Peter without question in a list of canonical books that was later ratified by an important regional council of churches (the Third Synod of Carthage) in 393.