EPISTLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

JUDE ~ 1ST & 2ND PETER

JUDE

Jeopardy

v. 3 contend for the faith

v. 4 slipped in...godless...license

v. 5 angels...abandoned...destroyed

v. 6 abandoned...in darkness...chains

v. 7 perversion...eternal fire

v. 8 pollute...reject...slander

v. 10 abuse...unreasoning animals...destroy

v. 11 destroyed...rebellion

v. 12 blemishes...without the slightest qualm...twice dead

v. 13 wild, foaming...shame...wandering...blackest...forever

v. 15 judge...convict...ungodly

v. 16 grumblers...faultfinders...boast...flatter...own advantage

v. 18 scoffers

v. 19 divide

v. 23 snatch from the fire

v. 24 falling

Jude identified himself as the "brother of James." He did not explain who James was, assuming everyone knew. In that case, it would be James, the brother the Jesus. That means Jude, too, was the brother of Jesus. Matthew 13:55 describes his earthly family. After trying unsuccessfully to teach people in Nazareth, his home town, the people objected: "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?" Judas is the same name as Judah, and that is the same name as Jude. And, by the way, Jesus had at least three sisters, because, if he'd had one, they would have said, "his sister," and if he'd had two they would have said, "both his sisters." Instead, they said "all his sisters."

Right up to the end of Jesus' life, his brothers did not believe in him. Just six months before his crucifixion, John 7:3-5 says that his brothers said sarcastically, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret....show yourself to the world!" How they must have resented him and his claims. The account ends with, "For even his own brothers did not believe in him."

But some time between Jesus' crucifixion and ascension to heaven 40 days later, his brothers became believers. Some 120 believers waited for further instructions in Jerusalem, among them "Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers" (Acts 1:14). When Jude called himself the brother of James, keep in mind that the apostle James had been executed with the sword (probably beheaded) sometime during the first years of the church (Acts 12:1-2). The James who seems to have taken the Apostle James' place was identified by Paul as "the Lord's brother" (Galatians 1:19).

Jude apparently wrote a circulating letter to warn people who believed "once saved, always saved," so they could do anything they wanted. What is frightening is that he describes to a T the problems of the church in modern times.

v. 1 Did Jude call himself a bishop or right reverend of anything? ___ By what "title" did he refer to himself? ____________

v. 3 Had all of "the faith" been delivered by this time? __________________

v. 4 People today rationalize, "If God is really good, he surely won't condemn me for a little adultery, skipping church, not being baptized." They change the __________________ of God into a _____________________________ for immorality.

v. 5 Even though God delivered the Jews out of Egyptian slavery, what did he later do to those who did not believe in him? ___________________________

v. 6 Even the angels who had once been with God in heaven with positions of authority, once they left, God bound them with _________________________ to be judged on that great Day.

v. 7 People of Sodom and Gomorrah felt it was no one else's business what kind of sex life they had, including God's. Now they will be punished with ______________________________________________.

v. 8 Some people say no one has a right to tell them what to do, including God. They are only __________________________ who pollute their own bodies, reject authority and ___________________________ celestial ___________________________.

v. 9 Even when the archangel, Michael, disputed with the devil about the body of Moses, did not condemn Satan to hell, but said, "The Lord ______________________ you!"

v. 10 Some people blame God for everything bad as an excuse to not follow him, and instead deny the existence of Satan.

What they do choose to understand - animal-like sensual instincts - these are the very things that _____________________ them.

v. 11 They take the way of ________________________________ who, when caught harming his brother, just said, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9).

Some rush into religion for ______________________ like the enemy of the Jews offered to Balaam (Numbers 22:17). Name some "religious causes" which have netted fortunes for some religious leaders. ____________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Some people have been destroyed by Korah's __________________________________ when he said God hadn't made Moses the leader of the people (Numbers 16:1-3, 35).

v. 12-13 People like this in our congregations are _________________________________________ who worship with us without the slightest ___________________________________. But they are clouds ________________ rain, blown along by the ___________________________; they are twice _____________________. Wild waves, foaming up their ______________________________, ____________________________ stars for whom ________________________ darkness has been reserved ________________________________.

v. 15 The Lord will come and judge all the ______________________________ words spoken against him. Such people are __________________________________ and __________________________________ who blame God if anything wrongs happens in their lives. They follow their own evil ___________________ and then ____________________________ about all they've gotten by with.

v. 19 The ungodly divide us by following in______________________________ on how to worship and follow God, instead of the Spirit. Look at John 14:17 and 17:17. What is the Spirit we're supposed to be following? ______________________

v. 22 Now that Jude is through lambasting hypocritic church leaders, he says, "Be merciful to those who ____________________ (agnostics). Snatch anyone you can from the ________________________________ (of hell) and save them. Show mercy to everyone you can, but mixed with ________________________________, loving them but hating their sins.

v. 24 Jude's entire letter is summarized in this verse. Yes, Christians can ______________________________.

1ST PETER

Persecution

1:6 suffer grief in all kinds of trials

1:13 prepare your minds for action

2:13 Submit...to every authority...king...governors

2:19 pain of unjust suffering

2:20 beating...suffer...endure

2:21 suffered

2:23 insults...suffered

3:9 evil...insult

2:13 harm you

3:14 suffer...frightened

3:16 speak maliciously...slander

3:17 suffer

4:1 suffered in his body...suffered

4:4 heap abuse

4:12 painful trial...suffering

4:14 insulted

5:1 sufferings

5:7 anxiety

5:8 prowls around...devour

5:10 suffered a little

Peter wrote his letter to Christians in the provinces of today's Turkey:

Pontus was along the Black Sea across from Russia

Galatia extended through the middle of Turkey almost to Mt. Ararat on the border of Russia

Cappadocia was just south of Galatia, extending to Iran

Asia was on the west coast on the Aegean Sea

Bithynia was on the Black Sea just west of Pontius where today's Constantinople is, very close to Bulgaria

Nero had ruled about five years. At first, as long as his mother was alive, he was a fairly good emperor. It is believed by some that she had converted to Judaism. However, upon her death, things fast became bad. Malicious rumors flew about the Christians:

They had a different king besides Caesar

They married their "brothers" and "sisters"

They were cannibles, eating both body and blood

They were atheists, believing in only one God

Fox's Book of Martyrs says that after Stephen's martyrdom - the first of all Christians - about 2,000 Christians were martyred (much with the assistance of Paul), being about AD 28. The next martyr we know of by name was the Apostle James (Acts 12:1-2). An ancient writer, Clemens Alexandrinus, said that, as James was led to the place of martyrdom, his accuser was brought to repent of his conduct by the apostle's extraordinary courage...and fell down at his feet to request his pardon...resolving that James should not receive the crown of martyrdom alone. Hence they were both beheaded. About this same time at Philippi, Macedonia, Timon and Parmenas were martyred, being about AD 44.

The apostle Philip went to the province of Phrygia on the Black Sea across from Russia. In AD 54, he was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified. Next known was Matthew went to Ethiopia where he was slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, AD 60. Then, according to Fox:

"The first [sidespread] persecution of the Church took place in the year 67 under Nero....gave way to the greatest extravagancy of temper and to the most atrocious barbarities. Among other diabolical whims, he ordered that the city of Rome should be set on fire, which order was executed by his officers, guards, and servants. While the imperial city was in flames, he went up to the tower of Macenas, played upon his harp, sung the song of the burning of Troy, and openly declared that he wished the ruin of all things before his death....several thousands perished in the flames, were smothered in the smoke, or buried beneath the ruins....continued nine days....

"Nero, finding that his conduct was greatly blamed, and a severe odium cast upon him, determined to lay the whole upon the Christians, at once to excuse himself, and have an opportunity of glutting his sight with new cruelties.....the barbarities exercised on the Christians were such as even excited the [sympathies] of the Romans themselves. Nero even refined upon cruelty, and contrived all manner of punishments for the Christians that the most infernal imagination could design. In particular, he had some sewed up in skins of wild beasts, and then worried by dogs until they expired; and others dressed in shirts made stiff with wax, fixed to axletrees, and set on fire in his gardens in order to illuminate them.

"This persecution was general throughout the whole Roman Empire; but it rather increased than diminished the spirit of Christianity. In the course of it, St. Paul and St. Peter were martyred. To their names may be added Erastus, chamberlain of Corinth [Acts 19:22; 2 Tim. 4:20], Aristarchus, the Macedonian [Acts 19:29; 20:4; 27:2; Col. 4:10; Phm. 24], Trophimus, an Ephesian converted by St. Paul and fellow-laborer with him [Acts 20:4; 21:29; 2 Tim. 4:20], Joseph commonly called Barsabas [Acts 15:22] Ananias...of Damascus; and each of the Seventy [Luke 10:1-17].

1:4 No matter how bad people treat us, our inheritance can never ______________________________ because it is in ______________________.

1:5 We are ______________________________________ by God's power.

1:7 We have trials (even to ourselves) so our faith may be proved ____________________________________.

1:8 "Though you have not ______________________ him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you ____________________________ in him."

1:9 The ___________________________ of our faith is salvation.

1:10-12 Even the prophets, who searched ___________________________ for the meaning of what they were writing, were not serving themselves, but you

who are persecuted. Even _______________________________ longed to look into these things.

1:18 Before being Christians, we live an __________________________ way of life.

1:19 The blood of Christ is precious (1:19), Christians are precious (2:4) and Jesus is precious (2:6,7) to God.

2:4-8 Peter means stone. In these verses he refers to Christ as the living Stone (v. 4), Christians as living stones (. 5), Jesus as the cornerstone (v. 6), the capstone the builders rejected (v. 7), the rock that makes sinners fall (v. 8).

2:9 Christians are a royal ______________________________________. Therefore, we are all "clergymen." That's how important we are to God.

2:13-14 Christians are to submit ourselves to ______________________________ authority, for God puts them in power to

____________________________ wrongdoers.

2:18 If we have a harsh boss, we are to _______________________________ to them.

2:20 If we suffer for doing wrong, it is nothing. But if we suffer for doing good and endure it, this is __________________________________________ before God.

2:21-22 We were called to suffer because Christ suffered, leaving us an ___________________________ that we should follow in his ________________________________, even though he never committed a sin.

3:1 IN THE SAME WAY, that is, even if you suffer, submit to your husbands because words don't do much good, but they can be converted by their wives' _____________________________________.

3:9 Even when life isn't fair, do not ____________________________ evil with _________________ or insult with ________________________, but ________________________________. This is why we were called.

3:14 Even if you suffer, do not __________________________ what they fear; do not be _____________________________.

3:15 "Always be ____________________________ to give an _____________________________ to everyone who asks you to give the ____________________________ for the ______________________________ you have."

3:16 Keep a clear conscience so slanderers may be ___________________________________.

3:17 It is _______________________________ to suffer for doing good than evil.

3:21 The waters that saved Noah symbolize __________________________________ that now __________________________ you.

4:1-2 If we suffer, we are _________________________ with sin, for we will not live the rest of our earthly life for human _________________________.

4:4 Your old friends think it _________________________________ that you do not _____________________________ with them into your old way of living, and heap ________________________________ on you.

4:7 People today say the end is near. What did Peter say 2000 years ago? ___________________________________________

4:12 We are not to be ______________________________ at the painful suffering as though something ___________________ were happening to us.

4:14 If we are ______________________________ because of Christ, we are ______________________________________.

4:16 If we __________________________ as a Christian, we are not to be _______________________________, but __________________________ God that we bear the name of ________________________________.

5:1 Did Peter call himself the pope? _______________ Did he call himself THE elder? ________________

5:2-4 Elders are not to serve for ____________________________, and they are not to _______________________ it over the congregation. Who is the Chief Shepherd? Peter or Christ? __________________________

5:6-7 We are to ____________________________________ ourselves under God's _____________________________ hand, and cast all our ______________________________ on him, for he ________________________ for us.

5:8 The lions to which many Christians were then being cast are really the tools of who? __________________________

5:9 Who else was suffering too? _____________________________________________________________________________

2ND PETER

Purity

NOT ONLY WERE CHRISTIANS IN DANGER OF LOSING THEIR LIVES

THEY WERE ALSO IN DANGER OF GIVING UP CHRISTIANITY IN ORDER TO LIVE.

1:8 ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge

1:10 make your calling and election sure....never fall

1:12 firmly established in the truth

1:16 cleverly invented stories

1:21 prophecy never had its origin in the will of man

2:1 false prophets...false teachers

2:1 secretly...destructive heresies

2:2 shameful...truth into disrepute

2:3 exploit you with stories they have made up

2:4-6 God did not spare....did not spare....condemned

2:10 slander celestial beings

2:12 blaspheme in matters they do not understand....destroyed

2:13 harm they have done

2:17 springs without water, mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness

2:18 empty, boastful words...entice...in error

2:19 promise them freedom...selves are slaves of depravity

2:20 escaped the corruption...entangled

3:3 scoffing

3:5 deliberately forget

3:7 reserved for fire

3:17 carried away

Peter was about to die. He said, "I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. [What a reunion!] And I will make every effort to see that after my departure, you will always be able to remember these things."

What were the last pleas of this dying apostle? Whereas Paul warned of teachers of false doctrine, Peter warned of teachers of a false way of life. Peter did not attempt to teach any new doctrine. He reiterated the standard teachings of Christianity, and then warned over and over about false teaching and falling from grace (1:10; 2:20-22; 3:9; 3:17).

1:1 Has Peter called himself pope yet? _____________ How about the right reverend apostle? _____________

1:3,6,8 God's divine power has given us _____________________________________ we need through our ___________________. We are to make every effort to add to our faith goodness, and to our goodness _______________________________ of God's through his word (not imagination). This will keep us from being _____________________________________ and ____________________________________________ in our knowledge.

1:10 When people say we do not choose God, but that he chooses us, and that we are elected by him for salvation, does this mean we can never fall? ________________

1:12-13 Even though we are firmly established in the ________________________ now, we need to __________________________ our memories.

1:16-18 Peter hadn't made up any stories about Jesus. He saw and heard for himself Jesus' baptism when God announced, "This is my _________________, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17) and later when the same voice of God spoke during Jesus' transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-6).

1:19-21 Also the fulfillment of prophecies proved Jesus was the predicted Son of God.

2:1 Beware of ________________________________ prophets and teachers who introduce _______________________________ heresies.

2:3 What causes such people to teach falsely? ____________________________. They just ______________________ us with stories they have __________________________________________. What is hanging over them? ___________________

2:4 God means what he says. Who did he not spare when they sinned, but sent them to hell? __________________________

2:5 Who did God not spare, but destroyed them with water? ___________________________________________

2:6 Who did God not spare, but destroyed them with fire? _________________________________________

NOTE: Also, they need not try to punish those who were persecuting them, for God will take care of that.

2:9 But what does God do for the godly? _______________________________

2:10 What kind of men slander celestial beings? _________________________________________________________________

2:14 When we watch many of today's TV and movies, are eyes are full of what? __________________________________

2:17 People who live double lives (Christian and worldly - and we all do it to some extent) are springs without _____________ and mists driven by a _________________________________.

2:18 Such people mouth ____________________________, boastful words, appealing to our lusts. Can you think of any kinds of worship services today that

may do that? ________________________________________________________________

2:19 The world says, "If it doesn't hurt anyone else, why not do it?" Peter said, "They promise them freedom while they themselves are __________________of _____________________________________.

2:20 If we escape the corruption of the world by knowing Jesus and are again ______________________________________ in it, we are ________________________________________________________ at the end.

2:21-22 It seems here that fallen Christians will be worse off in judgment than those who never came to Christ. Such are like a dog that returns to its _________.

3:9 Does God want anyone to perish? _____________________ Therefore, does God choose only certain people to be saved, or everyone? __________________________________

3:11-12 We ought to live holy and __________________________ lives, for this will ______________________________ the coming of the day of God. This is the opposite to what they're telling us today - more and more bad will bring the end of the world.

3:15-16 Some people were taking _________________________________ letters which ignorant and unstable people were

_________________________________________, just like they do other ________________________________.

NOTE: His statement also indicates Paul's letters were recognized as Scripture.

3:17 We must be on our guard so we don't ______________________ for our secure position.