1–2 Peter and Jude E-Book

Jonathan K. Dodson

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Serie: Knowing the Bible
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 105

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

The Knowing the Bible series is a resource designed to help Bible readers better understand and apply God's Word. These 12-week studies lead participants through books of the Bible and are made up of four basic components: (1) reflection questions that help readers engage the text at a deeper level; (2) "Gospel Glimpses" that highlight the gospel of grace throughout the book; (3) "Whole-Bible Connections" that show how any given passage connects to the Bible's overarching story of redemption, culminating in Christ; and (4) "Theological Soundings" that identify how historic orthodox doctrines are taught or reinforced throughout Scripture. With contributions from an array of influential pastors and church leaders, these gospel-centered studies will help Christians see and cherish the message of God's grace on every page of the Bible. 1–2 Peter and Jude are letters written to churches experiencing various kinds of trials—false teachers, distorted views of the gospel, and harsh persecution. If 1 Peter exults, "Jesus will return!" and 2 Peter rebuffs the claim, "Jesus won't return," then Jude exhorts, "Jesus is just about here!" Together, these letters form a kind of manifesto of hope for living faithfully no matter how dark the times. This study highlights the importance of holding fast to the true gospel, living distinct, holy lives, and looking ahead to the return of Christ. Part of the Knowing the Bible series.

Leseprobe

1–2 PETER AND JUDE

A 12-WEEK STUDY

Jonathan K. Dodson

Knowing the Bible: 1–2 Peter and Jude, A 12-Week Study

Copyright © 2017 by Crossway

Published by Crossway 1300 Crescent Street Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Some content used in this study guide has been adapted from the ESV Study Bible (Crossway), copyright 2008 by Crossway, pages 2401–2423 and 2447–2452. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover design: Simplicated Studio

First printing 2017

Printed in the United States of America

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-5441-4PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-5442-1Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-5443-8EPub ISBN: 978-1-4335-5444-5

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CoverNewsletter Sign UpEndorsementsSeries PageTitle PageCopyrightSeries Preface: J. I. Packer and Lane T. DennisWeek 1:     OverviewWeek 2:     Hope That Lives into Holiness (1 Peter 1:1–2:3)Week 3:     Community Founded on the Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4–12)Week 4:     The Church That Affirms Authority (1 Peter 2:13–3:7)Week 5:     Suffering Together (1 Peter 3:8–4:19)Week 6:     Humble Together (1 Peter 5:1–14)Week 7:     God’s Grace for a Life of Godliness (2 Peter 1:1–15)Week 8:     The True Word and False Teachers (2 Peter 1:16–2:22)Week 9:     The Day of the Lord Is Coming (2 Peter 3:1–18)Week 10:   Contending for the Faith (Jude 1–16)Week 11:   Persevering in the Faith (Jude 17–25)Week 12:   Summary and Conclusion

SERIES PREFACE

KNOWING THE BIBLE, as the series title indicates, was created to help readers know and understand the meaning, the message, and the God of the Bible. Each volume in the series consists of 12 units that progressively take the reader through a clear, concise study of that book of the Bible. In this way, any given volume can fruitfully be used in a 12-week format either in group study, such as in a church-based context, or in individual study. Of course, these 12 studies could be completed in fewer or more than 12 weeks, as convenient, depending on the context in which they are used.

Each study unit gives an overview of the text at hand before digging into it with a series of questions for reflection or discussion. The unit then concludes by highlighting the gospel of grace in each passage (“Gospel Glimpses”), identifying whole-Bible themes that occur in the passage (“Whole-Bible Connections”), and pinpointing Christian doctrines that are affirmed in the passage (“Theological Soundings”).

The final component to each unit is a section for reflecting on personal and practical implications from the passage at hand. The layout provides space for recording responses to the questions proposed, and we think readers need to do this to get the full benefit of the exercise. The series also includes definitions of key words. These definitions are indicated by a note number in the text and are found at the end of each chapter.

Lastly, to help understand the Bible in this deeper way, we urge readers to use the ESV Bible and the ESV Study Bible, which are available in various print and digital formats, including online editions at esv.org. The Knowing the Bible series is also available online. 

May the Lord greatly bless your study as you seek to know him through knowing his Word.

J. I. PackerLane T. Dennis

WEEK 1: OVERVIEW

Getting Acquainted

When global unrest, cultural turbulence, personal suffering, destructive theology, or everyday turmoil strikes, how do you respond? It is easy to become overwhelmed by such things, but Peter desires his audience to know that they have a unique ability to step back from their historical situation and view life from a transcendent perspective. In Christ, we possess the gift of gospel optimism. Gospel optimism insists that, no matter how dark the times, we have every reason to hope in Christ.

In the letters of Peter we find no mere spiritual suggestions but divine truths, warnings, and commands meant to give hope. He writes not to a loose collection of spiritually minded individuals but to “a royal priesthood, a holy nation” (1 Pet. 2:9), a living temple created to beam its collective, glorious hope into darkened surroundings. Peter identifies his audience as exiles1 who, in their various sufferings, possess the hope of Jesus’ return, which is to motivate faithful living in the present.

Peter exhorts the exiles to aim not for cultural relevance or dominance but for faithfulness to Jesus. He reminds his readers that gospel hope produces an enduring optimism that shines through issues of personal holiness, attitudes toward authority, interpersonal ethics, and perseverance in suffering. Second Peter and Jude tighten the screws on deceitful teachers and their doctrines while lifting up the truth of God’s Word. They anticipate the return of Christ as a time of great judgment and salvation. Amid these heavy themes, Peter and Jude repeatedly remind their readers that their only hope rests in Jesus’ promised return, which will one day bring us, and all creation, into the full glory we can only taste now. Until Jesus’ return, the church is to live together as chosen pilgrims, loving one another and contending for the truth as a distinct witness to the glory of God in the risen Christ.

Placing 1–2 Peter and Jude in the Larger Story

With Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension the church has been launched into the world. Starting in Jerusalem and spreading around the world, the church encounters opposition, misunderstanding, and persecution. Writing to Christians scattered throughout modern-day Turkey, Peter calls the early Christians “exiles.” This term probably has a double meaning, one theological and one cultural. With the remnant of Israel exiled in Babylon in the background, Peter envisions the church as God’s true Israel, exiled in the world. However, as a community of those who are spiritually foreign and socially marginalized, the church is also a community of exiles within their own culture. Jude also picks up on this theme, reminding the church that their identity is in “Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt” (Jude 5). He exhorts the church to live as saints delivered from sin by Jesus and urges them not to fall into unbelief. The whole church can thus be viewed as a community of exiles—God’s chosen and redeemed people called to live for Jesus in this world.

Key Passage

“After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Pet. 5:10–11)

Date and Historical Background

First Peter was probably written in the mid-60s AD to Christians scattered throughout “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Pet. 1:1), all areas in modern-day Turkey. Second Peter was likely written closer to the end of Peter’s life, in the late 60s. The apostle himself comments that “I know that the putting off of my body will be soon” (2 Pet. 1:14). We are not certain how Peter knew he would soon die. Perhaps this knowledge was an insight from the Holy Spirit, an awareness of intensifying plots to kill him, or a combination of both. Much less is known about Jude, who was probably a brother of James (author of the letter bearing that name) and of Jesus (Gal. 1:19). It is likely that Jude was written before 2 Peter, although various scholars date the letter anywhere between AD 50 and 90. It is clear that Jude has a firm grasp on the Old Testament Scriptures as well as on the gospel of Jesus. He uses this understanding, together with his earnest faith, to respond to the particular issues of false teaching and ungodliness, which pervert the grace of God. He is intent on helping the church “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

Outline of 1 Peter

   I. Hope that Lives into Holiness (1:1–2:3)

A. Salutation (1:1–2)

B. A living hope (1:3–12)

C. Holy together (1:13–2:3)

 II. Community Made on the Cornerstone (2:4–12)

III. The Church that Affirms Authority (2:13–3:7)

A. Submitting to governing authorities (2:13–17)

B. Submitting in suffering (2:18–25)

C. Submitting to husbands and honoring wives (3:1–7)

IV. Suffering Together (3:8–4:19)

A. Community life as witness (3:8–22)

B. Ceasing from sin (4:1–11)

C. Suffering well (4:12–19)

  V. Humble Together (5:1–14)

A. Elders and the church (5:1–5a)

B. Resisting the Devil (5:5b–11)

C. Closing greetings (5:12–14)

As You Get Started

These three letters apply the hope of Christ to global unrest, cultural turbulence, personal suffering, destructive teachings, and everyday turmoil. Do any such conflicts affect your life? Reflect on your own situation and how you think the books of this study (1–2 Peter, Jude) should challenge you.

What themes catch your attention in these letters? Do any particular passages from 1–2 Peter or Jude come to mind?

How do these letters clarify our understanding of sinful patterns, suffering, salvation, the Christian relationship with society, the end times, or other doctrines?

There are some strange and difficult texts in 1–2 Peter and Jude. Do you find any of them confusing? Are there any specific questions you hope to have answered through this study?

As You Finish This Unit . . .

Pause and ask the Holy Spirit to give you biblical insight, self-understanding, and grace to respond to Christ however he wants you to as you study these letters.

Definition

1Exile – The term “exile” includes three strands of meaning: (1) physical displacement from home; (2) persecution by society, resulting in suffering; (3) cultural marginalization. To be an exile is to be at home in Christ while foreign to aspects of this world.

WEEK 2: HOPE THAT LIVES INTO HOLINESS

1 Peter 1:1–2:3

The Place of the Passage

Peter opens his first letter by identifying himself as an “apostle” (meaning “one who is sent”) and his recipients as “exiles.” He immediately lifts their spirits with a focus on the electing1 grace of the Trinity.2 Then he proceeds to reflect on the hope that springs from being “born again,” on our inheritance in Christ, and on the relevance of such things for facing trials and pursuing holiness.

The Big Picture

First Peter 1:1–2:3 inspires us with the truth that what we believe about the future return of Christ ought to have a profound effect on us in the present.

Reflection and Discussion

Read through the complete passage for this study, 1 Peter 1:1–2:3. Then review the questions below concerning this introductory section to 1 Peter and write your notes on them. (For further background, see theESV Study Bible, pages 2401–2404; available online at esv.org.)

1. Greeting (1:1–2)

Read 1 Peter 2:9–12; 5:12–14 and consider how these texts fill out what Peter means by describing his readers as “exiles.” Why would this identification be meaningful to Peter’s audience? Is it meaningful to you?