Obvious Difference Between 1 and 2 Peter

The difference between First and Second Peter is so obvious that Peter’s authorship of one or even both has been questioned. Allan A. McRae observed: “Nor can we rule out the idea that on occasion a writer may have given an assistant a general idea of what he wanted, telling him to put it into written form. ^{12On one occasion when Ellen White was ill, she outlined her thoughts to Marion Davis who then wrote them out in a letter to Uriah Smith and George Tenney. Mrs. White signed the letter (Letter 96, June 6, 1896). See The Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 1574 and Selected Messages 1:254, 255.} In such a case, he would have checked it over to be sure it represented what he wanted to say, and therefore he could truly be called its author. The Holy Spirit would have guided the entire process so that what was finally written expressed the ideas God desired His people to have.MOL 15.2

“Probably Paul seldom followed this latter procedure, since he was highly educated and must have had confidence in his ability to express himself in Greek. But the situation may have been different in the case of Peter and John. The style of First and Second Peter differ so considerably that some critics have suggested one is a fraud. Yet Peter could well have written one book in Greek himself (2 Peter?) and, for the other, expressed his thought in Aramaic to an associate who was more experienced in writing Greek (1 Peter). This associate could then have written Peter’s ideas in his own style, afterward making alterations Peter might have suggested. The two letters would thus differ in style; yet, under the direction of the Holy Spirit both would express Peter’s thought as truly as if Peter had dictated every word. John Calvin held such a view, but had no doubt that both presented Peter’s thought accurately.” ^{13“The Ups and Downs of Higher Criticism,” Christianity Today, Oct. 10, 1980, p. 34. McRae’s scenario does not describe how Ellen White did her writing. See pp. 108-121.}MOL 15.3

Comparing the Gospel of John with the book of Revelation we see again a strikingly different literary style. Evidence is compelling that the apostle John wrote both books even though the literary styles are very different. The book of Revelation is generally loose Greek construction while John’s Gospel conforms to acceptable literary standards—a clear indication of different scribes. ^{14“It is not difficult to account for the linguistic and literary differences that exist between the Revelation, written probably when John was alone on Patmos, and the Gospel, written with the help of one or more fellow believers at Ephesus.” The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 7:720.} Part of the difference, of course, could be attributed to the fact that John was an old man when he wrote Revelation.MOL 15.4