Todd Newton

Religion 314

Outline of the Epistles of Peter and Jude

11-30-02

 

The Theology of the Epistles of Peter

Authorship/Location/Date:

            It is considered that Peter wrote 1 Peter with the help of Silvanus, who was also known as Paul’s companion Silas1. 1 Peter was considered by many scholars to have been written in the mid-sixties2. The reasoning for this is that if Peter wrote this letter it seems to have been written before the savage persecution of Christians by Nero that began about A.D. 643. Some scholars believe that Peter did not write this letter and that it was written in his name in order to give it apostolic authority. If Peter is not the author it would make the dating in the A.D. 90’s4. 2 Peter is believed to have been written in the name of the Apostle Peter5. This was probably done to convey the apostolic tradition of

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            1Leaney, A. R. C. “The Letters of Peter and Jude.” In The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible, eds. P. R. Ackroyd, A. R. C. Leaney, and J. W. Packer. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1967), 8-9.

           

            2Valentine, Foy. “1 & 2 Peter.” In Layman’s Bible Book Commentary. (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1981), 94-95.

 

            3Valentine, “1 Peter,” 94-95.

 

            4Boring, M. Eugene "1 Peter." In The New Oxford Annotated Bible, 394-400. Edited by Michael D. Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 394.

 

            5Kelly, J. N. D. “The Epistles of Peter and of Jude.” In Harper’s New Testament Commentaries, ed. Henry Chadwick. (New York and Evanston: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1969), 234.

 

the church. The letter is believed to have been written from Rome at the end of the first century or the beginning of the second century1. 1 Peter was also believed to have been written in Rome2.

 

Audience and Purpose:

            1 Peter was written to newly converted Christians. These were mostly Gentiles and they were being persecuted by their contemporaries. The government had not officially started persecuting Christians. Peter offers hope and advice to those recent converts3. 2 Peter was written as an admonition to Christians. It offered support and guidance to the struggling Christians4.

 

Theological Themes:

            The sovereignty of God dominates the theology of 1 Peter. This is important for the intended readers in order to keep them from falling back into the paganism that they had emerged from. The writer instructs the readers to look beyond their current sufferings and into the eternal purposes of God5. There is an extremely high Christology in 1 Peter

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            1Tiller, Patrick A. "2 Peter." In The New Oxford Annotated Bible, Edited by Michael D. Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 401.

 

            2Valentine, “1 Peter,” 94-95.

 

            3Green, G.L. “1 Peter.” In New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 346-347.

 

            4Valentine, “2 Peter,” 122.

 

            5Green, G.L. “1 Peter,” 347.

that shows Christ as both Lord and Savior. There is also a calling to live a godly life1. The theological themes of 2 Peter are Christian ethics and apocalyptic escatology2.

 

The Theology of Jude

Authorship/Location/Date:

            Since 2 Peter seems to use a portion of Jude in chapter two, Jude must have been written before 2 Peter. Scholars have dated this letter at the end of the first century possibly between A.D. 80 and A.D. 903. There are some scholars that date this letter as early as A.D. 504. The author of this letter is believed to have been Jude the brother of James. He was also believed to have been Jesus’ brother. If this is the author of the letter then it was probably written somewhere in Palestine5.

 

Audience and Purpose:

            The purpose of this letter was to encourage believers to contend for the faith against those who are perverting the truth and denying Jesus. It is also meant to encourage believers to stay in God’s light and have mercy on brothers who are wavering. It islso a call to witness to a lost world by snatching them out of the fire1.

 

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            1Green, G.L. “1 Peter,” 348-349.

 

            2Davids, P. H. “2 Peter.” In New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. (Downers Grove,      Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 350.

 

            3Barclay, William. “The Letter of Jude.” In The Daily Study Bible Series, ed. William Barclay. (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960), 196-197.

 

            4Tiller, Patrick A. "Jude." In The New Oxford Annotated Bible, Edited by Michael D. Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001),  417.

            5Cranfield, C. E. B. “1 & 2 Peter and Jude.” In Torch Bible Commentaries, eds. John Marsh and Canon Alan Richardson. (London: SCM Press Ltd., 1960), 145-146.

 

 

Theological Themes:

            The major theological theme of Jude is Christian ethics. False teachers are described as denying Christ. This seems to be an ethical denial rather than a theological denial. Both sexual immorality and greed are described in Jude. Judgment and grace are also themes addressed in Jude2. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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            1Tiller, Patrick A. "Jude," NOSB, 417.

 

            2Davids, P. H. “Jude.” In New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 355.

 

 

 

Bibliography

Bible Translations:

 

The Holy Bible: New International Version. New York: International Bible Society, 1984.

 

The New Revised Standard Version Bible. Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ, 1989.

 

 

Study Bibles:

 

Boring, M. Eugene "1 Peter." In The New Oxford Annotated Bible, 394-400. Edited by Michael D. Coogan, Marc Z. Brettler, Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

 

Tiller, Patrick A. "2 Peter." In The New Oxford Annotated Bible, 401-405. Edited by Michael D. Coogan,  Marc Z. Brettler,  Carol A. Newsom,  and Pheme Perkins. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

 

Tiller, Patrick A. "Jude." In The New Oxford Annotated Bible, 417-419. Edited by  Michael D. Coogan,  Marc Z. Brettler,  Carol A. Newsom, and Pheme Perkins. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.

 

 

Bible Dictionaries:

 

Davids, P. H. “Jude.” In New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

 

Davids, P. H. “2 Peter.” In New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

 

Green, G.L. “1 Peter.” In New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

 

 

Commentary Series:

 

Barclay, William. “The Letter of Jude.” In The Daily Study Bible Series, ed. William Barclay. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960.

 

Cranfield, C. E. B. “1 & 2 Peter and Jude.” In Torch Bible Commentaries, eds. John Marsh and Canon Alan Richardson. London: SCM Press Ltd., 1960.

 

Kelly, J. N. D. “The Epistles of Peter and of Jude.” In Harper’s New Testament Commentaries, ed. Henry Chadwick. New York and Evanston: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1969.

 

Leaney, A. R. C. “The Letters of Peter and Jude.” In The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible, eds. P. R. Ackroyd, A. R. C. Leaney, and J. W. Packer. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1967.

 

Valentine, Foy. “1 & 2 Peter.” In Layman’s Bible Book Commentary. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1981.