This document provides an outline and overview of the New Testament letters of Peter and Jude, noting their authorship, date, recipients, and key themes. It discusses Peter's authorship of 1 Peter and 2 Peter, the relationship between 2 Peter and Jude, and gives a brief overview of the structure and messages of 1 Peter and 2 Peter, including calls to holy living, submission, and embracing suffering for the faith.

1. Foundations (Year Two)
“Encountering the New Testament”
Session #8. Encountering
THE LETTERS OF PETER &
JUDE.

2. Written earlier:
The NT Writings Letter of James (40’s/50’s)
Letters of Paul: Written later:
Galatians (48/49 CE) Letters of Peter (64-66)
1 & 2 Thessalonians (51-52) Mark (68-70 )
1 & 2 Corinthians (53-57) Matthew (70-80)
Romans (56-57) Luke-Acts (70-80)
Prison letters (61-62):
Hebrews (50’s/60’s?)
(Colossians, Ephesians,
Philemon & Philippians) Letter of Jude (50’s ?)
Pastoral letters (64-66): Writings of John:
(1, 2 Timothy & Titus)
Gospel, Letters &
Revelation (90-96)

3. The General Letters
1. Hebrews
2. James
3. 1 Peter
General = “catholic”
4. 2 Peter Addressed to Christians in
5. 1 John general, rather than to
6. 2 John individuals or specific
7. 3 John
churches
8. Jude
…& not Pauline.

4. 1 PETER
Grace through suffering

5. Authorship
“Peter” (Disciple of Jesus/ Pillar of the Church - Gal. 2:9)
[Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You
will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter – a
rock). John 1:42]
“an apostle of Jesus Christ”
“my second letter” (2 Peter 3:1)
“by Silvanus” (Lat.)/ Silas (Gk.) the scribe (5:13)
from “Babylon” (5:13 cf. Revelation 17-18)
“my son Mark” (5:13)

6. Authorship
Objections to Peter as the author
 Linguistic
 How could a Galilean fisherman use such good
Greek as a second language?
 Use of the Septuagint (LXX)
 Use of Silas as a scribe (5:12)
 Historical
 What persecution does all this reflect?
 Other pseudonymous writings attributed to Peter:
 Gospel of Peter, Preaching of Peter, Acts of Peter &
Apocalypse of Peter.

7. The case for Petrine Authorship
Internal claims
 Identifieshimself as Peter the Apostle (1:1)
 Words & experiences of Christ woven into writings
- Eyewitness of Jesus’ life & ministry (2:23; 5:1)
- Familiar with Jesus’ teachings (2:12/Matthew
5:16; 2:21/Matthew 10:38; 3:14, 4:13-14/Matthew
5:10-12)
 Similarity to Peter’s speeches in Acts
 Peter’s connection with Mark (5:13)

8. The case for Petrine Authorship
External claims
 Papias claims that Peter’s interpreter was Mark
 2 Pet. 3:1 speaks of a previous letter
 Clement (95 CE) Irenaeus (180 CE) and Origen
(185-253 CE) allude to the letter. Following this, it
is not questioned until recently.
 “Peter blows on the twin trumpets of his own
epistles” (Origen)

9. Date of 1 Peter
Generally before 64/ 65, since Peter died shortly
thereafter
The letter is written during a time of
persecution (2:12, 20; 3:16,17; 4:4,16)
 Various persecutions are possible
 Initial Jewish persecution (Acts 4:17; 5:28,40; 9:16)
 Nero (starting 64)
 Domitian (starting 95)
 Trajan (starting 110)

10. Origin & Destination of 1 Peter
“She who is in Babylon greets you”
 Babylon on the Euphrates
 Rome (as in Rev. 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2,10,21)
 Jerusalem (Rev. 11:8)
“To the strangers…in Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (v.1)
 Similar to James 1:1
 People in this area are mostly non-Jews
 Geographical areas/ Roman Provinces in Northern
Asia Minor (on circular trade route?)
 Message sent with Silas around churches?

11. The recipients
Elect (of God) Exiles (in the world)
Chosen… Strangers…
acc. to foreknowledge of …throughout:
God the father
Pontus
through the sanctifying
Galatia
work of the Spirit
for obedience to Jesus Cappadocia
Christ & sprinkling by his Asia
blood Bithynia

12. Pontus
Bithynia
Cappadocia
Asia
Galatia
PETER, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS
CHRIST, TO THOSE WHO RESIDE AS
ALIENS, SCATTERED THROUGHOUT
PONTUS, GALATIA, CAPPADOCIA,
ASIA, AND BITHYNIA, WHO ARE
CHOSEN (1 PETER 1:1)

13. The theme & setting
Grace in suffering
 salt in an open wound suffering x16
 light shining in a dark place grace x10
Jn. 16:33 "In this world you will suffer…"
2 Tim. 3:12 "anyone who wants to live a godly life in
Christ will suffer…"
1 Pet. 4:12 "don't be surprised…as if something
strange were happening"
Jas. 1:2 "consider it joy when you face trials…"

14. The blessing
Grace Peace
(charis - NT) (shalom - OT)
favour right-relationship
blessing well-being
strength wholeness
“be yours…in abundance”

15. 1 Peter 1:3 -12 Opening greeting
& blessing
1 Peter 2:13 - 1 Peter 3:8 –
1 PETER 1:13 - 2:12
3:8 4:19
Call to
Call to
Call to Submissive
Living Suffering
Holy Living
Final words to
1 Peter 5:1-11 leaders & members
Closing greeting
1 Peter 5:12-14
& blessing

16. Our salvation – what God has done
PRAISE be (to this God)
In his great mercy
He has regenerated us (lit. caused us to be born)
into a living hope
(thru the resurrection of Jesus
Christ)
into an inheritance
(that can never perish, spoil or fade)
(kept in heaven for you)

17. Benefits & blessings of salvation
A refined faith in Christ (vv.6-7)
A personal knowledge of Christ (vv. 8-9)
A privileged taste of the present grace &
future glory of Christ (vv. 10-12)

18. Our salvation
NOW NOT YET
 Into a living hope  Into an inheritance
 Shielded by God’s power,  Ready to be revealed in
through faith the last time
 Though now you may have  Your faith will result in
to suffer grief through trials praise, glory & honour to
for a time God
 You are filled with joy  You do not see him
You are receiving the goal of your faith = the
salvation of your souls

19. Our salvation – how we should respond
“Therefore…(1:13; 2:1; 4:1)”
Embrace a life of holiness (1:13-2:12)
Embrace a life of submission (2:13-3:8)
Embrace a life of suffering (3:8-5:11)

20. #1. Embrace a life of holiness (1:13-2:12)
 Setting our priorities (on the call of God) 1:13-16
“Be holy (all of you) because I am holy”
 Living as strangers (in relationship with God) 1:17-2:3
Redeemed by the blood of Christ
Regenerated through the word of God
 Building on the foundation (of the Son of God) 2:4-8
 Loving one another (as the people of God) 2:9-12
“Love one another truly, madly, deeply” (1:22; 4:8)

21. The biblical image of the “stone”
“The ROCK of Israel” (Gen. 49:24; 2 Sam. 23:3; Is. 30:29)
“The LORD is my ROCK” (see handout)
“The sacred stone of Baal” (2 Kings 10:26-27)
“The cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22/ Isaiah 28:16)
“The rock, not cut by human hands” Dan. 2:34-35, 42-45
“The wise man built his house on a rock” (Matt. 7/Luke 6)
“You are Peter…on this rock I will build my Church”
(Matt. 16:18)
“Jesus is the stone the builders rejected” (Matt . 21:42-44;
Acts 4:10-12; Romans 9:30-33; 1 Peter 2:4-8)

22. #2. Embrace a life of submission (2:13-3:8)
Submission to every authority (2:13-17)
as unto God
Submission to your masters (18-25)
following the example of Christ
Submission as husbands & wives (3:1-7)
cf. Eph. 5:21-33/ Col. 2:18-19
“Live in harmony with one another” (3:8)

23. #3. Embrace a life of suffering (3:8-4:19)
Remember our calling vv.8-12
 Called by God (“to this you were called”)
 Rewarded by God (Ps. 34:12-16a)
Be prepared
 Don’t be intimidated vv.13-14
 Acknowledge Christ (alone) as LORD v.15
 Know your faith vv.15-19
 Remember your baptism vv.20-22

24. Suffering – the example of Christ
Have the same attitude Have the same response
4:1-11 4:12-19
 Towards sin – hate it  Don’t be surprised
 Rejoice – you’re becoming
 Towards God – love him
like him
 Towards ourselves – deny  Receive the blessing/
 Towards others – serve
Receive the discipline
 Commit yourself to God
** Just make sure it’s for the right reasons! (vv. 15-16)

25. Final words (5:1-11)
To the elders (older men) vv.1-4
“Be shepherds…serve as overseers”
NOT BUT
because you must willingly
for money as servants
lording over as examples
“When the Chief Shepherd appears…(rewarded)”
To the younger men v.5
“Clothe yourselves with humility”
To the churches vv.6-11
“Submit to God…resist the devil” (cf. James 4:6-10)

26. 2 PETER
OUR PRECIOUS
FAITH

27. Relationship between 2 Peter & Jude
2 Peter 2-3 and Jude are very similar
 Confront the problem of false teachers
 Severe warnings
 Use of similar OT examples
 Last (disputed) books to be accepted as scripture
Options:
 Both rely on a (lost) common source
 2 Peter borrows from Jude
 Jude borrows from 2 Peter
 This is most widely held, allowing Jude to be written anywhere from
65-80 CE, and Peter having greater authority as an apostle.

28. Who Were These False Teachers?
 Denied the lordship of Jesus by the way they lived (2 Peter
2:1; Jude 4).
 Defiled the love-feast (communion).
 Were immoral themselves and encouraged immorality in
others.
 Minimized the place of law in the Christian life and
emphasized freedom (2 Peter 2:10, 10ff, 18ff; Jude 4, 12).
 Were plausible and crafty, fond of rhetoric, out for gain, and
pandered to those from whom they hoped to gain some
advantage (2 Peter 2:3, 12, 14, 15, 18; Jude 16).
 Were arrogant and cynical of church leaders (2 Peter 2:1, 10,
11; Jude 8).
 Posed as visionaries or prophets (2 Peter 2:1; Jude 8).
 Were self-willed, divisive, and confident of their own
superiority (2 Peter 2:2, 10, 18; Jude 19).

29. Outline (2 Peter)
“Our precious faith”
Introduction (1:1-2)
Reminder #1: Privileges & responsibilities of faith
(1:3-11)
Reminder #2: Source of the truth (1:12-21)
Reminder #3: Warning against the false (2:1-22)
Reminder #4: The “Day of the Lord” (3:1-16)
Conclusion (3:17-18)

30. 2 Peter - Introduction
Greeting:
 “Simon Peter”
 “A servant and apostle”
 “My second letter” (3:1)
 An older man, about to die (cf. 1:13-15)
A righteous God/ A precious faith (cf. I 1:19; 2:4-7; II 1:4)
Grace & peace in abundance
 …through the knowledge of God (our father)
and Jesus our Lord

31. Privileges & Responsibilities (1:3-11)
God’s power has given us all
we need for:  “Make every effort to…”
 Life (in all it’s fullness; sacred/
secular) Add to your faith (v.5)
 Godliness (to become like God)
God’s promises give us:  “Be all the more eager
 Escape from the corruption of to…”
this world
 Share in God’s divine nature Ensure your faith (v.10)
Eph. 1:3 – every spiritual blessing

32. Seven Cardinal Virtues
Faith
1. Goodness Appeal: Virtues to be
2. Knowledge added, to our faith (vv.5-
3. Self-control 7)
4. Perseverance
5. Godliness Warning: Consequence of
adding - or not adding
6. Brotherly kindness
these virtues (vv.8-9)
7. Love

33. The Consequences
Adding these virtues will prevent negatives:
 Being useless or unfruitful
 Spiritual blindness or myopia
 Neglecting our salvation
Adding these virtues will promote positives:
 Spiritual sure-footedness
 Receiving a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom
 Assurance of our salvation

34. A reminder of the truth (1:12-21)
Reminder of the message (12-15)
It was rooted in history (16-18)
We saw him “This is eternal life, that they
We heard him may know…Jesus Christ
whom you have sent.”(Jn. 17:3)
We were with him
It was inspired as prophecy (19)
It must be interpreted very carefully! (20-21)

35. A warning of the false (2:1-22)
How to recognize false teachers (1-3)
 Remember the warnings of Jesus
 They are deceitful (denying the Lord/ secretly introducing heresy)
 They will have large followings (lead others astray)
 They are “covetous” (exploit others with grand stories)
 God has already condemned them

36. Illustrations of False Teachers (2:4-12)
1. Angels who sinned (v.4)
2. Noah & the flood (v.5)
3. Sodom, Gomorrah & Lot (vv.6-9)
4. Celestial beings (vv.10-12)
Other examples of false teachers:
 NT – Acts 13; 2 Thess. 2; 2 Cor. 10-11
 OT – Deut. 13:1-18; 18:9-22; Ezekiel 34

37. Attributes of False Teachers (vv.12-22)
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matt. 7:15
 Like beasts (v.12)
 Blasphemous (v.12)
 Morally corrupt (v.13)
 Adulterous & greedy (v.14)
 Follow “the way of Balaam” (vv.15-16, Numb. 22-24)
 Empty & shallow (v.17)
 Vain & boastful (v.18)
 Deceitful: promise liberty – enslave people (v.19)
 Apostates (vv.20-22)

38. Christ’s return/ Second coming?
Wholesome thinking (lit. sincere, cf. Phil. 1:10)
KEY: “The Prophets…the Lord…the Apostles”
God has a plan (creation…salvation…judgment)
God’s timing is unique (perspective & patience)
The LORD will come (unexpectedly)
Judgment is determined (destruction or renewal?)
Our ultimate hope: Redemption.
A transformed cosmos - “new heavens & new earth” &
a resurrected body (1 Cor. 15; Rev. 21-22)
** Apart from this no one knows,
so STOP speculating and START living!

39. Getting ready for Christ’s return
Live a holy & godly life (v.11)
Looking forward to the day of God/ looking
forward to a new earth – “speed its coming”
(vv.12-13)
Be diligent in applying the truth (v.14)
Be familiar with apostolic teaching (vv.15-16)
Be on your guard against error (v.17)
Grow in grace & knowledge (v.18)

40. JUDE
CONTENDING FOR
THE FAITH

41. Jude
 The brother of Jesus? (Judas/ Jude)
Matt. 13:55-56/ Mark 6:3 "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't
his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James,
Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us?"
 The letter is written to:
 The “called ones”
 The “beloved ones”
 The “kept ones”
 The purpose of the letter
 Our “common salvation”
 Contend for what is true
 Recognize what is false

42. Why Did Jude Write? (vv.3-4)
Original intention: “the salvation we share”
Immediate necessity: “contend for the faith”
The false teachers :
 v.4 “Certain men have crept in, unawares.“
 v.4 “(they) change the grace of God…deny Jesus Christ as lord”
 v.8 “(they) pollute their own bodies”
 v.8 “(they) reject authority”
 vv.8-10 “(they) blaspheme/ slander what they don’t know”
 v.11 They follow bad (historical) examples (ie. Cain, Balaam & Korah)
 v.12 “They are (corrupt) blemishes at your love-feasts”
 v.15 “(they) are ungodly…ungodly…ungodly…ungodly”
 v.16 “(they) grumble…complain…boast…flatter”
 v.19 “(they) are divisive, follow natural instincts…don’t have the Spirit”

43. Who were the False Teachers?
Theologically in error
“Believers” who had craftily perverted the apostolic doctrine.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -
and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by
works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9)
Ethically immoral
“Believers” who had taken up an extreme position in
opposition to the legalistic Judaizers.
“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that
grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how
can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2)

44. Jude – an outline
1. INTRODUCTION — vv. 1-2
What constitutes a true believer?
2. THE NEED TO CONTEND — APOSTATE TEACHERS — vv. 3-16
 Their evil perversions: Three basic denials (faith, grace, Lord) vv. 3- 4
 Their certain doom: Three historic examples vv. 5- 7
 Their impious ways: Three historic examples vv. 8-11
 Their utter depravity: Six terrible metaphors vv. 12-13
 Their final destruction: Enoch's testimony vv. 14-16
3. THE WAY TO CONTEND — AVAILABLE RESOURCES — vv. 17-25
 Recognize that apostasy has been foretold vv. 17-18
 Analyze their actions, and fruit v. 19
 Draw upon Divine resources vv. 20-21
 Seek to reclaim, where possible vv. 22-23
 Rest in the security of Christ vv. 24-25
The natural division occurs at v. 17 with the statement: "But, beloved ones".
Having warned them of the dangerous influence of apostasy, Jude then
instructs his readers how to counter it.

45. The marks of a true believer (vv.1-2)
They recognize the family of God
“servant of Jesus…brother of…”
They respond to the work of God
“called & loved by the Father, kept by/ in the Son”
They receive the gifts of God
“mercy, peace & love…in abundance”

46. Three basic denials (vv.3-4)
The faith…
“once for all delivered to the saints”
The grace (of God)…
“changed…into a licence for immorality”
The Lord…
“Jesus Christ, our only sovereign & Lord”

47. Three historical warnings (vv.5-7)
The Children of Israel (v.5)
cf. Numbers 14; Heb. 3-4
The fallen angels (v.6)
cf. Rev. 12:7-9; Luke 10:18; 2 Peter 2:4-5; Is. 14/ Ezek. 28
Sodom & Gomorrah (v.7)
cf. Genesis 19; Deut. 29:23; Is. 1:9-10; 13:19; Jer. 23:14; 49:18;
50:40; Amos 4:11; Zeph. 2:9.
Matt. 10:15; 2 Peter 2:6-7

48. Three historical examples (v.11)
“The way of Cain” The envious murderer
(cf. Gen. 4; Heb. 11:4; 1 John 3:12)
“Balaam’s error” The greedy diviner
(cf. Numbers 22-24; Deut. 23:3-6; Josh. 24:8-10; Neh.
13:1-2; Micah 6:5; 2 Pet. 2:14-16; Rev. 2:14)
“Korah’s rebellion” The disobedient rebel
(cf. Numbers 16; 26:9-11; 27:3)
We did it our way!

49. Illustrations of false teachers (vv.12-13)
1. “Hidden Blemishes”
2. “Selfish shepherds”
3. “Clouds without water”
4. “Trees without fruit”
5. “Raging waves of the sea”
6. “Wandering stars”

50. What Does Jude Quote?
The Book of Enoch:
 Presumed visions of the “Enoch” of Genesis 5
 Focus on angels, demons, & spiritual battles
 Tells of spiritual conflicts that spill over into the history of
Israel from the beginning of time through the inter-
Testamental period
The Assumption of Moses:
 Presumed to be the Final Testimony of Moses as dictated to
Joshua
 Warns of coming days when people will be led astray by lying
spirits & false teachers

51. The verdict
“See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon
thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to
convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they
have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh
words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.“
(Book of Enoch 1:9, disc. by James Bruce, 1773)
“The Lord rebuke you” (The Assumption/ Testament
of Moses, disc. by Antonio Ceriani, 1861)
[Not found in text, yet approx one-third believed missing]

52. Contending for the faith (vv.17-25)
Recognize apostasy has been foretold vv. 17-18 (cf.
Matt. 24:10-13; 2 Tim. 3:1)
Analyze their actions, and fruit v. 19
(They are divisive – “soul men” vs “spiritual men”)
Draw upon divine resources vv. 20-21
Build yourselves (in your faith), keep yourselves (in
God’s love), wait (for the completion of eternal life)
Seek to reclaim, where possible vv. 22-23
“Be merciful to doubters… save (those in peril)…”
Rest in the security of Christ vv. 24-25

53. The Doxology
“To him who is able to keep you from falling
and to present you before his glorious
presence without fault and with great joy - to
the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty,
power and authority, through Jesus Christ
our Lord, before all ages, now and
forevermore! Amen.”