Wrestling with Paul: 2 Peter 3:15-16, Early Textual Manipulation, and Contemporary Hermeneutical Implications

This paper examines 2 Peter 3:15–16 as a significant witness to the early reception, interpretation, and textual transmission of Paul’s letters within emerging Christianity. The passage is noteworthy for its description of Paul as a “beloved brother,” its recognition that his letters contained matters that were “hard to understand,” and it’s warning that the ignorant and unstable were distorting them, as they did “the other scriptures.” These statements suggest that Paul’s writings were already circulating as a recognisable body of literature, were regarded as authoritative, and were subject to competing interpretations. The study, therefore, explores the relationship between Pauline reception history and the broader history of textual transmission in early Christianity. It surveys the ways Paul was interpreted and contested by early Christian communities and considers the phenomenon of intentional and unintentional scribal alterations that affected the transmission of biblical texts. Particular attention is given to the authorship and date of 2 Peter, the literary and theological significance of 3:15–16, and the meaning of its reference to Paul’s letters alongside “the other scriptures.” The paper argues that 2 Peter 3:15–16 provides an important early testimony to both the developing authority of Pauline writings and the challenges associated with their interpretation and transmission. It concludes that the passage offers contemporary readers a theological model of interpretive humility, textual attentiveness, and responsible engagement with difficult biblical texts, while warning against manipulating Scripture to support predetermined interpretations.