2 Peter & Jude

by The Navigators (Created by)

Overview

Over 3 million LifeChange studies sold

Persecution from the Outside, Dangers from Within
The early church had faced persecution from outside the community. Now they were defending themselves from dangers within. Internal differences were not uncommon—but these churches were facing teachers who distorted the gospel for their own gain. Peter and Jude denounce these for-profit teachers and encourage Christ followers to stand firm in the faith, secure in the promise that Jesus will someday return.

LifeChange
LifeChange Bible studies will help you grow in Christlikeness through a life-changing encounter with God’s Word. Filled with a wealth of ideas for going deeper so you can return to this study again and again.

Features

• Cover the books of 2 Peter & Jude in 9 lessons
• Equip yourself to lead a Bible study
• Imagine the Bible’s historical world
• Study word origins and definitions
• Explore thoughtful questions on key themes
• Go deeper with optional projects
• Add your notes with extra space and wide margins
• Find the flexibility to fit the time you have

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780891099949
Publisher:	Tyndale House Publishers
Publication date:	03/06/2018
Series:	LifeChange , #8
Edition description:	Study Guide
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	692,528
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.31(d)
Age Range:	12 Years

About the Author

The Navigators is an interdenominational, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people "know Christ and make Him known” as they look to Him and His Word to chart their lives.

Navigators have invested their lives in people for more than seventy-five years, coming alongside them life on life to study the Bible, develop a deepening prayer life, and memorize and apply Scripture, The ultimate goal is to equip Christ followers to fulfill 2 Timothy 2:2—to teach what they have learned to others.

Today, tens of thousands of people worldwide are coming to know and grow in Jesus Christ through the various ministries of The Navigators. Internationally, more than 4,600 Navigator staff of 70 nationalities serve in more than 100 countries.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Lesson One

OVERVIEW OF 2 PETER

When a letter from a beloved friend living faraway or nearing death arrives, you read it more than once. The first time through, you read it quickly, looking for general impressions. The second time, you may read it more slowly, taking time to savor each word, perhaps reading it aloud as if to a friend. The third time through, you read more carefully, noting things you want to remember and respond to.

If the letter proved to be the last will and testament of a close friend, you'd keep it for many more readings, reflections, or recitals. This overview study of 2 Peter asks you to read and re-read this brief letter several times, each time with a different purpose or approach.

First impressions

1. Read 2 Peter in one sitting, so you can see the letter as a whole. You may want to read it through again in another translation, or even aloud to get a general impression. What are some examples of the kinds of news Peter shares?

good news worth shouting about __________________________________________ ________________________________________

bad news worth watching out for ________________________________________ ________________________________________

news to pray about ________________________________________ ________________________________________

2. What other initial reactions or first impulses do you have after reading it? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

3. a. What do you notice about the mood of 2 Peter? (Is Peter angry, concerned, joyful, stern ...?) _____________________________________ _____________________________________

b. Does Peter's mood change in the letter? (Where? Why?) _____________________________________ _____________________________________

4. Think about how Peter says what he does. How would you describe the style or delivery of this letter? (Is he helpful, argumentative, personal, encouraging ...?) ________________________________________ ________________________________________

5. a. Repetition or how often an author uses certain words or phrases gives a clue to the author's intent in writing a letter. What words or phrases occur over and over? (Hint: Don't get hung up on the exact wording used, which may vary from translation to translation. Instead go for broad themes. A different version can help you notice new things that make a confusing passage clearer or a familiar passage fresher.) _____________________________________ _____________________________________

b. What main themes or topics are suggested by these repeated words? _____________________________________ _____________________________________

Broad outline

6. If your impression of 2 Peter is still unclear after reading it twice, a broad outline can help sharpen it. Think of a short sentence or phrase that captures the main point or gives a title to paragraph divisions or other bite-sized Scripture portions. The first one is done for you as an example. (Paragraph divisions, even verse numbers and sentence punctuation, were not in the original Greek or Hebrew manuscripts, but were added centuries later for ease of reading. The divisions in your Bible may differ from the ones given here, so feel free to alter the ones below if necessary.)

After titling the bite-size portions, cluster them and give an overall title to each chapter or main block of Scripture (1:1-21; 2:1-22; 3:1-18).

1:1-21___________________________________

1:1-2 Abundant grace and peace from knowing Jesus

1:3-4__________________________________

1:5-9__________________________________

1:10-11________________________________

1:12-15________________________________

1:16-18________________________________

1:19-21________________________________

2:1-22_________________________________

2:1-3__________________________________

2:4-6__________________________________

2:7-9__________________________________

2:10-12________________________________

2:13-16________________________________

2:17-22________________________________

3:1-18_________________________________

3:1-2__________________________________

3:3-7__________________________________

3:8-10_________________________________

3:11-13________________________________

3:14-16________________________________

3:17-18________________________________

After doing this outline procedure on your own, compare your sentence summaries or titles with each other and with the outline on pages 29–30. There is no single correct answer, so discuss in your group why you prefer one sentence summary over another.

Study Skill — Outlining

Outlining a passage will sharpen your focus and increase your retention of the main points. Outlining also helps us understand the flow or train of thought in the book. If it appears some points are subordinate to others, or if some points are mere particulars in relation to a larger general point, you can indicate that in your outline by using capital letters or Roman numerals for main points, and letters or numbers for secondary points.

An outline of 2 Peter might begin like this: I. Provisions for a fruitful and holy Christian life (1:1-21)

A. Through the knowledge of Jesus (1:3)

1. Necessary for life and godliness

B. Through His promises (1:4)

1. We participate in God's nature

2. We escape the world's corruption

C. Through our moral virtues we "possess" (1:5-9)

1. [any supporting detail you want to include]

2. [another supporting detail]

D. [the main idea of 1:10-11]

1. 2. ..

II. [the main idea of 2:1-22]

7. Drawing from your own first impressions and outline summaries, what do you think was Peter's main purpose for writing this second letter? (See 1:12-15; 2:1-2; 3:1-4,8,14,16-18.) ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Study Skill — Rhetorical Devices

People usually write letters or address an audience with a particular purpose in mind or some result they want to accomplish in the lives of their readers or listeners. Sometimes writers or speakers underscore their purpose by addressing their audience with a "reminder," with a rhetorical question or statement ("Verily, verily, I say unto you"), or with some other rhetorical device that says, in effect, "This is it. Don't miss this point."

8. If you have not already done so, read the historical background of this study guide. How did the introductory material get you to rethink some of your presumptions about the text? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

9. In your initial readings of 2 Peter, you may have come across concepts you'd like clarified or questions you'd like answered as you go deeper into this study. Jot down your questions here to serve as personal objectives for your study. (Some of your questions may be answered later in this study guide. The resources listed in the Study Aids on pages 113–117 may help you answer the tougher questions.) ________________________________________ ________________________________________

Your response

10. What does your group have in common with the original readers and hearers of 2 Peter? (Note: Readers today might have a different purpose for studying the letter than the author had in addressing his original readers.) ________________________________________ ________________________________________

11. What could God be telling you and your group to do in the next several weeks through this letter? ________________________________________ ________________________________________

For the group

The beginning of a new group study is a good time to lay a proper foundation for honest sharing of personal goals and concerns, as well as insights from your Bible study. One way to establish common ground is to share what each group member hopes to get out of this study of 2 Peter. As you take several minutes to share each other's hopes and expectations, have someone write them down. Weeks from now, you can look back at these goals to see if they are being met.

Take turns sharing some of what you wrote down from your first impressions (questions 1–5). Sharing from your notes will help members get comfortable with each other and establish common ground for your study.

Likewise, take several minutes sharing your sentence summaries or titles (question 6), as well as any comparisons and insights gained from looking at the chart in the background section. Don't try to harmonize all your answers, but discuss your differences. Learn why you prefer one sentence summary over another.

Consider the occasion or purpose of this letter (question 7). What difficult concepts would the original readers and hearers of 2 Peter have readily understood, but that you will need more time and in-depth study to understand (questions 9–10)? Take your last ten minutes to share concerns. This input will affect how your group should pace future studies.

Share and pray about how your group will blend your different strengths and backgrounds. Some of you will have strong analytic skills, while others will be good at facilitating group discussion, or driving home a point of application. Give thanks for how God has put your group together, and be willing to help each other. Don't be embarrassed to give and request help. That's why you're studying this as a group, and not just as individuals.

How you divide the time spent in individual and group study will vary according to the group size and purpose, your familiarity with Bible study methods, the willingness of group members to do homework, and the "Optional Application" and "For Further Study" sections. The number of weeks you want to spend on the overall study will also guide your decision of how to pace yourself.

A good rule of thumb for this opening overview study is to allot twenty minutes for individual study and note-taking, then regroup for twenty minutes of sharing your first impressions and outline summaries. The remainder of your hour can be spent reviewing individual expectations and setting group goals.

This timeline assumes you assigned the "How to Use This Study" and the "Background" material as homework prior to this group session. If not, you will need another twenty minutes to review that.

Outline of 2 Peter

Purpose: To encourage believers to live holy lives as they wait for Christ's return.

1:1-21 Peter Describes Ingredients for Christian Growth

1:1-2 Peter identifies with Christ and greets fellow believers

1:3-4 Peter acknowledges that God provides for believers to know Him and live holy lives

1:5-9 Peter encourages readers to practice virtues

1:10-11 Peter encourages perseverance to receive God's kingdom

1:12-15 Peter clarifies his reason for writing

1:16-18 Peter claims to see the Transfiguration of Christ

1:19-21 Peter reminds readers that a prophet's authority comes only from God through the Holy Spirit

2:1-22 Peter Warns Against False Teachers

2:1-3 Peter describes false teachers and their destructive ways

2:4-6 Peter reminds readers that God has always judged false teachers, even fallen angels

2:7-9 Peter reminds readers that God has always rescued the righteous, even Lot

2:10-12 Peter affirms that those who arrogantly blaspheme God will surely perish

2:13-16 Peter rebukes corrupt, greedy prophets, including Balaam

2:17-22 Peter warns that apparent believers will return to sinful lifestyles

3:1-18 Peter Describes His Hope in the Lord's Coming

3:1-2 Peter restates his reason for writing

3:3-7 Peter predicts that some will scorn the idea of judgment and moral accountability

3:8-10 Peter explains that while the Lord's return is delayed, it will be both certain and sudden

3:11-13 Peter urges the believer to look forward to the "day of God"

3:14-16 Peter urges the believer to live a life of holiness, zeal, hope, and peace

3:17-18 Peter summarizes his encouragement to avoid error and grow in grace

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "2 Peter & Jude"
by .
Copyright © 2013 The Navigators.
Excerpted by permission of NavPress.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

How to Use This Study, 5,
Background: Introduction to 2 Peter and Jude, 9,
Map of the Roman Empire, 9,
Comparative Chart of 2 Peter and Jude, 15,
One — Overview of 2 Peter, 21,
Outline of 2 Peter, 29,
Two — A Fruitful Life (2 Peter 1:1-11; Jude 3), 31,
Three — Eyewitnesses and Prophets (2 Peter 1:12-21), 43,
Four — False Prophets and True Believers (2 Peter 2:1-16; Jude 4-12), 53,
Five — What Could Be Worse? (2 Peter 2:17-22; Jude 12-16), 65,
Six — Certain Judgment (2 Peter 3:1-10; Jude 17-19), 73,
Seven — Living in the Last Days (2 Peter 3:11-18; Jude 20-25), 83,
Eight — Final Results (Jude 1-25), 93,
Outline of Jude, 105,
Nine — Review, 107,
Study Aids, 113,