Terrance Callan, «The Style of the Second Letter of Peter», Vol. 84 (2003) 202-224

Readers of the Second Letter of Peter have often commented on its style, usually in negative terms. This essay examines the style of 2 Pet more thoroughly than has been done heretofore, using Cicero’s discussion of style, and that of other ancient writers, as a framework. This examination shows that 2 Pet largely conforms to ancient canons of style and should be seen as an example of the grand Asian style. Recognition of this may help readers avoid unthinking assessment of 2 Pet’s style by standards not accepted by its author, and develop greater appreciation of its style in terms of its author’s own aims and standards.

i.e., r((oizhdo/n. According to Demetrius allegory produces elevation, but there is no allegory in 2 Pet. F. H. Chase and Richard J. Bauckham describe the vocabulary of 2 Pet as poetic⁵⁹.

        Of the figures of speech Demetrius says are appropriate to the elevated style, various kinds of repetition are particularly characteristic of 2 Pet, as we have seen. Watson has detected asyndeton in 2 Pet 2,10 and 12-15, and polysyndeton in 2 Pet 1,5-7 ⁶⁰. And, as we have seen, 2 Pet does have a number of complex sentences. We may see instances of putting the less vivid word before the more vivid in 2 Pet 1,9 and 19. Tuflo/j is less vivid than muwpa/zwn (1,9); h(me/ra diauga/sh| is less vivid than fwsfo/roj a)natei/lh| (1,19). The other syntactical elements that Demetrius thinks produce elevation do not seem to occur in 2 Pet. 2 Pet’s subject matter is not too mundane for appropriate use of the elevated style, and its limited use of hyperbole is consistent with avoidance of frigidity.

        "Longinus", On the Sublime can also be seen as a discussion of the grand style, which the author calls the sublime (u$yoj). According to the author, sublimity comes from great thoughts, strong emotion, certain figures of thought and speech, noble diction and dignified word arrangement (8). Noble diction consists of metaphors (32) and other tropes, including hyperbole (38). Use of trivial words should be avoided (43).

        Dignified word arrangement makes use of dactyls (39); the pyrrhic, tribrach, and combination of two trochees all detract from sublimity (41)⁶¹. Composition in periods, rather than short sentences produces sublimity (40, 42). Figures of thought and speech that produce sublimity are: adjuration (16), rhetorical question and answer (18), asyndeton (19), combination of figures, e.g., asyndeton combined with repetition and vivid presentation (20-21), hyperbaton (22), polyptoton (23-24), historical present (25), change of person (26-27) and periphrasis (28-29).

        The diction of 2 Pet is in line with "Longinus"’ description of noble diction. With regard to rhythm, 2 Pet departs from "Longinus"’ prescriptions mainly by making use of the combination of two trochees. We have already noted that 2 Pet includes some complex sentences and uses some of the figures "Longinus" says produce