NEW TESTAMENT FOUNDATION NT 102 THE CHRISTIAN IN A NON-CHRISTIAN WORLD THE ENEMIES WITHIN

1. NEW TESTAMENT FOUNDATIONNT 102THE CHRISTIAN IN A NON-CHRISTIAN WORLDTHE ENEMIES WITHIN

2. 1 PETER Introduction A. I Peter’s primary focus: Christian living in a non- Christian world B. I Peter makes reference to Isaiah 53

3. Authorship • A. Support for traditional opinion of “Peter” as author • 1. Author presents himself as Peter, an apostle of Jesus (1:1) • 2. Tradition is unanimous

4. B. Arguments of countering opinions and responses • 1. The quality of the Greek is too good for a Galilean fisherman • 2. The text reads too much like Paul • 3. The possible reference to imperial persecution

5. Date & Provenance • A. Indication of Date • 1. Features of the persecution which the church is undergoing • a. Only recently begun (4:12ff: do not be surprised ...) • b. No deaths as yet

6. 2. Absence of polemics against Rome (as per Revelation) • The letter may be dated, then, probably sometime just before Nero’s outbreak, ca. 64.

7. B. Indications of Provenance • 1. Telling phrase: “She who is in Babylon sends you greetings” (5:13) • 2. Interpretive commentary

8. C. Addressees • 1. to the Diaspora in the five provinces of Asia Minor (1:2) • 2. to Gentiles (1:14, 18; 2:10; 4:3ff)

9. Churches in Northern Asia Minor

10. Purpose • A. I Peter notes & addresses persecution of some kind (1:6; 4:12; cf. 2:12, 15, 19; 3:13-16; 4:4; 5:10); but it presents nothing specific (in terms of purpose): proposals… • 1. traditionally connected with official Roman persecution (e.g. Nero, AD 54-68; Domitian, AD 81-96; or Trajan, AD 98-117; cf. 3:15; 4:12, 15-16; 5:9)

11. 2. social ostracism (“resident aliens” & “visiting strangers”; 2:11; cf. 1:1, 17) based on: • a. change in their ethical behavior (3:14, 17; cf. 2:12, 19-20; 3:6; 4:4, 15-16) and as a result • b. change in social relationships (cf. Elliott, Home for the Homeless, 1981)

12. B. Hence, the purpose of the epistle may be said to be... • 1. to bolster faith which is perhaps wavering AND/OR • 2. simply to encourage … • In either case, it deals with how they ought to live as Christians in the face of hostility.

13. Content • A. Introductory matters (1:1-2) • B. Thanksgiving (1:3-12) • 1. Your new birth gives rise to a living hope • 2. In the meantime, you are shielded by faith in God’s power • 3. Thus you rejoice in this glorious salvation

14. C. Holiness & Christian Conduct (1:13—2:10) • Echoes of the Exodus from Egypt & the Sinai experience • 1. God is holy (1:13—2:3) • 2. You are God’s house—the Temple imagery (2:4-10)

15. D. Conduct under Suffering (2:11—4:19) • 1. General exhortation (2:11-12) • a. Abstain from soul-warring desires • b. Let your good conduct witness to Christ

16. 2. Discussion on submission to authorities (2:13-17) • a. Show respect to human authorities but fear God • b. On the one hand, live as free men, but on the other, live as servants of God (2:16)

17. 3. Specific implications (2:18—4:11) • a. To slaves who have pagan masters (2:18-25) • i. Bearing up under suffering is commendable only when unjustly treated • ii. Christ is the redemptive example • b. To wives who have pagan husbands (3:1-6(7))

18. c. To all others (3:8—4:11) • i. Live in harmony • ii. Christian suffering • iii. Do not retaliate but bless • … for this leads to life (I Pet 3:10-12 echoes Ps 34:13-17) • … and to winning your persecutors • iv. Follow the example of Christ • v. Christ’s preaching in Hades? 2nd chance for salvation? (3:18-20; 4:6)

19. 4. Admonishment regarding suffering • a. Suffering is to be expected (4:12-19) • b. Do not be surprised but rejoice since this is participation in Christ’s sufferings • c. Do not be ashamed since it is all part of the eschatological birth pangs • d. Commit yourselves to God & continue to do good

20. 5. Closing remarks to the church (5:1-11) • a. Elders: rule by example (5:1-5). • b. Young men: be submissive (5:6). • c. All live with humility & wisdom (5:7-11). • d. Doxology (5:10-11) • E. Farewell (5:12-14)

21. Conclusion • A. Christ has suffered to redeem us • B. We may also be called to suffer • C. We suffer with joy since, just as Christ was raised to glory, so also will we.

22. The “Spirits in Prison” of 1 Peter 3:18-20 • One of the most problematic NT passages is 1 Pet. 3:18-20: • For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water.

23. Implications: • Apostle’s Creed – “… he descended into hell” (no specification as to the purpose) • Doctrine of Purgatory

24. 6 basic questions about this event: • When it occurred • Who preached • What was preached • To whom the message was preached • Where it was preached • The reason for the preaching

26. Analysis of Views: • #1. Noah preached repentance to his generation who are now in Hades. • A. Strengths • Peter says Christ preached through prophets (I Pet. 1:11; 2 Pet. 2:5; cf. 2 Cor. 13:3). • Noah & Peter's readers shared in common many characteristics such as being a righteous, persecuted minority.

27. B. Weaknesses • 1. Although I Peter 2:5 says that Noah was a preacher, this is not taught in the present text before us. Rather, the subject of the verb in verse 18 ("Christ died...") continues into verse 19 when it notes that "he went..." • 2. Christ inspiring prophets is not the same as Christ himself preaching and there are no other parallels to Christ temporally inhabiting OT characters

28. 3. Actually, Christ is the model of righteous suffering here-not Noah. • 4. This view doesn’t relate the event to the death and resurrection of Christ which is noted in the context.

29. #2. Christ preached judgment to unsaved human spirits in Hades who died in Noah's flood. • A. Strengths • 1. The view addresses both Noah's and Christ’s involvement in the event. • 2. This view sees the recipients as remaining unsaved and since the message is one of judgment it avoids the problematic “second chance to believe" theory.

30. B. Weaknesses • 1. In the NT "spirits" always refers to nonhuman spiritual beings (angels) unless specifically noted as human (Matt. 12:45; Mk. 1:23, 26; 3:30; Luke 10:20; Acts 19:15-16; 16:16; 23:8-9; Eph. 2:2; Heb. 1:14; 12:9, 23; Rev. 16:13, 14). • 2. This view does not explain why Noah’s generation is singled out among the numerous wicked generations.

31. #3. Christ preached a second chance to accept the gospel to unsaved human spirits in Hades. • A. Weaknesses • 1. No evidence in the text to suggest a second chance to believe • 2. Hebrews 9:27

32. #4. Christ announced victory over unsaved human spirits in Hades whose condemnation was final. • A. Strengths • 1. This view acknowledges Christ as the preacher. • 2. The timing of this event would make sense. • 3. It does not argue an unscriptural "second chance" theology

33. B. Weaknesses • 1. “Spirits" when unqualified never refers to humans in the NT (only to angels) • 2. The concept of preaching to the dead is a foreign idea to the NT

34. #5. Christ released human spirits from Purgatory because they repented at Noah's Flood. • A. Weaknesses • 1. The place where these spirits were held was a “prison” seems an odd description of the place of the righteous. • 2. The scriptural basis for purgatory is lacking.

35. #6. Christ proclaimed triumph over imprisoned, fallen angels who married women before the flood • A. Strengths • 1. "Spirits" refer to angels • 2. Angels (or “sons of God”) were involved in disobedience (Gen. 6)

36. 3. Parallel with pre-NT Jewish mythology (e.g. I Enoch 10:11-12; Jubilees 5:6) • 4. Imprisoned angels in Tartarus in 2 Peter 2:4.

37. B. Weaknesses • 1. Never are angels said to have disobeyed during the building of the ark • 2. This view argues on the less likely (secular) meaning of the word for "preached" (which is not impossible but only unusual). • 3. This view assumes the possibility of sexual relations between angels and humans.

38. II PETER • Introduction • 2 important questions/issues: • A. Who wrote 2 Peter? • B. What is its relationship to Jude?

39. Relationship to Jude • II Peter’s relation to Jude should be discussed first since it has a bearing on authorship and is often regarded as the major reason for considering the writing non-Petrine.

40. A. Repetition of verses • B. Theories of explanation • 1. Majority Opinion: most see 2 Peter using Jude • 2. Additional Questions

41. Authorship (authenticity) • A. Issues surrounding Petrine authorship • 1. Support • a. The apostle Peter is identified as the author in v.1. • b. The “second letter” suggests that I Peter is the first (3:1), shares some themes (role of OT prophecy: 1:19-21; cf. 1 Pet 1:10-12; Noah: 2:5; cf. 1 Pet 3:20f)

42. 2. Difficulties • a. Canonicity question (in contrast to I Peter & Jude) • b. Language variance • c. Reference to Paul’s writings (3:16f), implies… • i. The writings have been collected • ii. They were in general circulation • iii. They have been regarded as canonical

43. d. Unusual concern: II Peter is concerned with some who deny the 2nd coming. • e. Some theological differences

44. 3. Resolutions? • a. II Peter was eventually accepted • b. Greek: perhaps explicable on the basis of a different amanuensis • c. The denial of the second coming is also of some weight—but could it have been evidence of a newly emerging problem? • These are some genuine concerns, but categorical declarations either way should be treated with caution.

45. B. Issues surrounding pseudepigraphical source • a. Pseudepigraphy was a standard literary convention: both approved & censured, depending on the purpose: • - but the church rejected such • b. A large amount of Jewish inter-testamental literature was of this variety • - but no letters

46. Date • Purpose & Content • A. Purpose • II Peter deals with internal crisis as heresy threatened the church. • 1. Identity of the false teachers • a. Identity is actually unknown • b. some form of early Gnosticism is suggested

47. 2. Characteristics of the false teachers • a. They are denying the parousia (2nd coming) (3:4, 9; cf. 2:3) • b. They are undermining the apostolic teaching & perverting scripture (1:16ff, 20f; 2:1; 3:16b) • c. Their lifestyle is similar to those in Jude (sexual immorality, 2:2, 10, 14, 18; drunkenness, gluttony, 2:13); turning “freedom” into moral license, 2:19a; enslaved to corruption, 2:19b); greed, 2:3, 14)

48. B. Content • 1. Exhortation to make their calling & election sure (1:3-11) • a. everything we need for life & goodness, through our knowledge of him (great and precious promises): • i. to participate in the divine nature (cf. I Pet. 5:1 “sharer in the glory that is to be revealed;” or I John 1:3: koinonia with the Father & the Son) •  ii. to escape corruption caused by evil desires

49. b. fruit of the Spirit as path to effectiveness and fruitfulness (vv.5-8; cf. Gal 5:22ff)

50. 2. Encouragement in the form of Peter’s “last will & testament” (1:12-21) • a. The parousia is no fable • b. The transfiguration assures us (vv. 16-18) • c. This also makes more sure the word of the prophets (vv. 19-21)