Will the unanswered question.....

[Blue Rectangle]

Perhaps if the question made any sense, we might have an idea about whether it can be answered.

Most of the New Testament's (NT) doctrine comes from the writings of the Apostle Paul.  James42, a Christian, believes Paul's teachings are not in line with what Jesus taught.

Yet in 2Pet 3:16, the Apostle Peter stamps Paul's writings as the word of God by equating them with other scriptures.

So, I pointed out 2Pet 3:16 to James42 and asked him to clarify if he indeed disagreed with Peter also.  James42 never answered the question, instead he called me hateful.

It's one thing for a Christian to accuse Paul, who arrived on the scene after Christ's death and resurrection, of corrupting the gospel.  But to also accuse  Peter, who was a disciple of Christ during Jesus’ 3 years of ministry, is wholly another matter.

So, you could throw out Paul’s contribution to the New Testament (NT) and still have half a NT left over, including all the gospels.  But to also accuse Peter, one would be left with no NT whatsoever since Peter’s ministry is backed by the entire NT.  No accusation is made in the NT that Peter ever fell off the turnip truck.  

In addition, the writer of the book of Acts, who just so happens to be the writer of the Gospel of Luke, also stands by Paul’s teachings and ministry.

Basically, in light of testimony of Peter and the writer of Luke & Acts, an accusation against Paul’s teachings is an accusation against the whole NT, which in turn accuses the entire Christian faith.

Confronted with his self-contradiction, the Christian James42 never answered the question…probably because he would have to re-register as a Republican!

And your argument is based on Peter's power to "stamp" Paul's writings as the Word of God.  Does this meen that Peter was the infallible head of the Church?  Are you going to have to convert to Catholicism?

[Blue Rectangle]

2 Peter is widely acknowledged among biblical scholars to have been writen in the second century.  It draws heavily from Jude in parts, which was written well after Peter's death.

2 Clement was not written by Clement of Rome and this is also believed by most all scholars.  It was probably written after 2 Peter, so any quotation of 2 Peter does nothing to establish that book in the first century.

Where in 1 Clement is there a quote of 2 Peter?

[Blue Rectangle]

Where in 1 Clement is there a quote of 2 Peter?

Exihibit A: In speaking of scoffers who doubt the return of Christ, Clement paraphrased the scoffers argument: "These things we have heard even in the times of our fathers; but, behold, we have grown old, and none of them has happened unto us; "

Exhibit B: In speaking of scoffers who doubt the return of Christ, Peter paraphrased the scoffers argument: "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation”

Parallels between 2Peter and 1Clement:
1) The context is scoffers mocking the idea of Christ’s 2nd Coming.
2) Both sets of scoffers refer to the prophecies concerning Christ’s return
3) Both sets of scoffers refer to hearing of the prophecy of Christ’s return since their fathers were alive.
4) Both sets of scoffers refer to time carrying on as normal during their lives

Now, that is way too much agreement for it to be a coincidence.  Either 1Clement is using 2Peter as a source, or 2Peter is using 1Clement.

(This argument is pretty mute since everything in 2Peter is reproduceable in other parts of the NT.)

The reference to "the time of our fathers" refers to the time when the disciples and apostles were still alive.  People are confused about why Jesus didn't make his second coming while his followers were still alive.  Therefore, this issue didn't become a serious question until after the deaths of Peter and Paul.  Later events, such as the destruction of the Temple and the persecution by Domitian led early Christians to wonder why Jesus was taking so long.  Both 2 Peter and 1 Clement (and 2 Clement) are addressing heresies that did not exist in meaningful quantities while Peter was still alive.  These letters are concerned with issues that only gained prominence beginning with Domitian's rule.

2 Peter is quoting 1 Clement, and not visa-versa, just as 2 Peter derives from Jude, who also wrote during or near Domitian's reign.