Day 54: 2 Peter 1-3 & Jude

Summary

The Bible Dept. Podcast: Day 54 Summary – Exploring 2 Peter and Jude

Host: Dr. Manny Arango
Episode Title: Day 54: 2 Peter 1-3 & Jude
Release Date: February 23, 2025

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Introduction: Unveiling the Connection Between 2 Peter and Jude

In Day 54 of The Bible Dept., host Dr. Manny Arango delves into the intriguing relationship between the books of 2 Peter and Jude. Kicking off the episode, Manny remarks on the surprising pairing of these texts in his scripture journal set:

"[00:05] Manny Arango: I pulled this out, you know, to study, and it had first and Second Peter together with Jude, which made me kind of think to myself, that's. That's. I don't know. That just seemed odd."

As the discussion unfolds, Manny acknowledges the initial oddity but quickly recognizes the profound similarities and interconnected themes that bind 2 Peter and Jude together, setting the stage for an in-depth exploration of both books.

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Contrasting 1 Peter and 2 Peter: A Shift in Focus

Manny begins by distinguishing between the themes of 1 Peter and 2 Peter:

"[02:30] Manny Arango: The context of 1st Peter is that we have suffering amongst Christians throughout the Roman Empire... Well, to glorify Jesus... 2 Peter is really about Doctrine. And there's false teachers in the church."

While 1 Peter serves to encourage believers amidst persecution, 2 Peter shifts focus to addressing doctrinal integrity and the peril posed by false teachers infiltrating the Christian community. This transition highlights a shift from external suffering to internal spiritual vigilance.

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Condemnations of False Teachers: Three Core Issues

Manny outlines three primary behaviors that 2 Peter condemns among false teachers:

1. Inability or Unwillingness to Condemn Ungodliness and Idolatry

   "[04:10] Manny Arango: The first thing that's going to get condemned is an inability or unwillingness to condemn ungodliness and idolatry of their own culture of Greco Roman culture."

2. Desire for Prestige, Influence, Privilege, Power, and Wealth

   "[06:45] Manny Arango: They believe in lining their pockets for profit. They believe in sexual immoral practice, and they believe that, that the ungodliness and the idolatry that's present within the wider Greco Roman world is okay."

3. Sexual Immorality Tied to Cultural Practices

   Manny provides historical context, explaining the connection between sexual immorality and the prestige-driven guild feasts of the Greco-Roman era:

   "[07:30] Manny Arango: Guild feasts... these guild feasts are kind of this hybrid between a labor union and a college fraternity... prostitutes are going to be involved, and there's just going to be debauchery and sexual immorality."

These behaviors are not merely ethical failings but indicators of deeper doctrinal deviations, illustrating the intertwined nature of belief and practice.

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Orthopraxy Over Orthodoxy: Peter's Strategic Approach

Instead of engaging in theological debates, Peter targets the orthopraxy (right practice) of the false teachers. Manny emphasizes this strategic focus:

"[10:15] Manny Arango: So what you're gonna see here is not a ripping apart of their argument. This is not a focus on orthodoxy. This is gonna be a focus on orthopraxy."

By highlighting the detrimental behaviors stemming from false teachings, Peter effectively undermines the credibility of these teachers without directly challenging their theological assertions. This method reflects an Eastern approach, where behavior is seen as a direct reflection of underlying beliefs.

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Parallel Themes in Jude: Echoing Peter's Concerns

Manny draws parallels between 2 Peter and Jude, showcasing their shared themes and references:

"[12:00] Manny Arango: Jude is gonna start with the same exact problem. Hey, they're false teachers amongst you."

Both books address the emergence of destructive false teachers and employ identical Old Testament references, such as angels, Sodom and Gomorrah, Balaam, and Lot. This convergence not only reinforces the themes but also suggests a collaborative or contemporaneous understanding between the authors.

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Nerdy Nugget: Apocryphal Influences in 2 Peter and Jude

A fascinating insight shared by Manny pertains to the influence of apocryphal literature on these books:

"[11:50] Manny Arango: Both of these books really only make sense if you understand what's happening in the Apocrypha... Jude and Peter are familiar with Books like First Enoch."

Both 2 Peter and Jude reference stories from apocryphal texts, such as the First Enoch and the Assumption of Moses, indicating that the authors drew upon these works for thematic and illustrative purposes. This intertextuality enriches the interpretation of their messages but also underscores the importance of understanding these non-canonical references to fully grasp the nuances of the texts.

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Timeless Truth: Redefining Freedom in Christianity

Manny presents a poignant takeaway on the concept of freedom as addressed in 2 Peter and Jude:

"[14:20] Manny Arango: False teachers are going around saying, look, we're free... But what Peter is saying is... 'They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption.'"

This "Timeless Truth" challenges contemporary notions of freedom by contrasting them with the Christian understanding. While false teachers may proclaim liberation through licentious behavior, Peter and Jude argue that such actions are enslavements to sin, revealing the true lack of freedom in these pursuits.

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Conclusion: Moving Forward with Matthew

Wrapping up the episode, Manny congratulates listeners on their progress and provides a sneak peek into the next day's focus:

"[18:50] Manny Arango: Tomorrow we jump into Matthew's gospel... let's make this your year to become a Bible nerd."

This encouragement serves to motivate listeners to continue their biblical journey with renewed enthusiasm and deeper understanding.

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Key Takeaways

• Interconnectedness of 2 Peter and Jude: These books share thematic elements, Old Testament references, and apocryphal influences, making their study complementary.

• Behavior Reflects Belief: Peter emphasizes that the actions of false teachers are direct manifestations of their flawed doctrines, bridging orthodoxy and orthopraxy.

• Redefining Freedom: True Christian freedom contrasts sharply with the superficial claims of liberation by false teachers, tying freedom to spiritual integrity rather than moral licentiousness.

• Apocryphal Context: Understanding references to apocryphal texts like First Enoch and Assumption of Moses is crucial for a comprehensive interpretation of 2 Peter and Jude.

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This detailed exploration in Day 54 of The Bible Dept. offers listeners a profound understanding of the warnings against false teachings in 2 Peter and Jude, encouraging a holistic approach to scripture that integrates both belief and practice.

Transcript

[Manny Arango]

Hey, Bible nerds.

[Co-host or Guest Speaker]

This is Dr. Manny Arango, and I'm your host for the Bible department podcast powered by Arma. This podcast follows a Bible reading plan we created to help you read the entire Bible in a year. You can head to the show notes or thebibledepartment.com to download our reading plan and join the journey we are covering. Second Peter, all of two Peter and Jude. All right. I don't know why I had to say it that way, but I just feel like you gotta say Jude. All right, I'm not going to do that for the. I'm not going to do that the whole day. But I did not realize until I started studying how similar these books are. What happened is I. I love this scripture journal set that I have. It's kind of back there on the shelf somewhere. I think it's right there. Like, it's literally right there. It's in each book of the Bible. Kind of comes as an individual book. And I pulled this out, you know, to study, and it had first and Second Peter together with Jude, which made me kind of think to myself, that's. That's. I don't know. That just seemed odd. Those books were together. And then I read 2 Peter and I read Jude and I went, oh, not odd at all, actually. It feels like Peter and Jude were in a room together when they wrote these books. And so we are going to go through two Peter and Jude and hopefully kind of help you understand what's going on in both of these books. All right, before we go any further, hey, if you haven't done the reading for the day, just go ahead. Stop this episode. Don't listen. Mute me. Go do the reading. Read all of 2 Peter and read all of Jude. It won't take you long at all. Two very, very, very short books of the Bible. And so similar. Like, eerily similar. I'm not saying that maybe Jude wrote both. I don't know. I don't know, guys, this one's throwing me a little bit. Cause 2 Peter feels so different than 1 Peter. But here's the reality in 1st Peter. The context of 1st Peter is that we have suffering amongst Christians throughout the Roman Empire. And so Peter's gonna write a letter to them to encourage them to suffer. Well, to glorify Jesus. To conduct themselves in such a way as to not give any Romans any extra reasons to persecute them. Don't be persecuted because of sin, but be persecuted because you stood up for the Gospel. Okay, Beautiful book. Great book. Second Peter is really about Doctrine. And there's false teachers in the church, all right? And what we're gonna learn kind of early on is that Peter isn't simply gonna address their teaching or their theology, but Peter is gonna address their behavior. Now, in the Western world, there is a massive disconnect between orthodoxy, which is our beliefs, and orthopraxy, our behavior. Okay? But in the Eastern world, these things are like one and the same, okay? If you act wrongly, if you behave wrongly, it's because you believe wrongly. And so Peter is realizing there are false teachers within these congregations. And Peter's not gonna go word for word debating with their theology through this book. He's going to show that their behavior shows that their theology is wrong. There are three things that Peter is going to condemn within these false teachers. Number one, the first thing that's going to get condemned is an inability or unwillingness to condemn ungodliness and idolatry of their own culture of Greco Roman culture. Number two, desire for prestige, influence, privilege, power, and wealth. These false teachers are clearly false, because look at the things that they are that they've idolized. And then lastly, sexual immorality, which is really connected to power and prestige and wealth. Because in the first century, there are these things called guild feasts. Now, here's context clues, okay? Guild feasts, they were kind of. I learned this from Marty Solomon on the Baymob podcast. These guild feasts are kind of this hybrid between a labor union and a college fraternity. And so you'd have, like, the Silversmith Guild, and you'd have, like, the Tent Makers Guild, or you'd have, you know, you'd have all these different guilds based on different occupations. There we go. And so they're like a labor union, but they have these, like, monthly parties, okay, where they're gonna eat raw meat. And in eating the raw meat, they believe that the blood that they're ingesting is like the blood of the gods, okay? Cause this meat has been sacrificed to idols. And then after the alcohol and the meat, prostitutes are going to be involved, and there's just going to be debauchery and sexual immorality. And if you're not taking part in these guild feasts, you may not be up for promotion, okay? This is a way to network with the people that you work with, okay? So you can see how sexual immorality is very, very tied to prestige and influence and power and wealth in a very debauched society. And so these are the three things that Peter is going to, I mean, come against that false teachers are leading people into these incorrect practices. And so what you're gonna see here is not a ripping apart of their argument. This is not a focus on orthodoxy. This is gonna be a focus on orthopraxy. So let me take you to two Peter, chapter two. Peter, chapter two. I'll just kind of read. It's kind of the meat of the book. I'll read some to you. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality. Whoa. Following sensuality? That has nothing to do with false teaching. But it's the fruit of false teaching. If you listen to false teaching, these behaviors are gonna be present. So by attacking orthopraxy, Peter's actually attacking orthodoxy. Cause these are not separated things in Peter's world, even though those are separated things in our current world. And many will follow their sensuality. And because of them, the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed, they will exploit you with false words. Whoa. Greed. That's not dogma. That's not doctrine. No, it's behavior. And that behavior says something about what they actually believe. And doesn't matter what they believe. Their behavior is proving that whatever it is that they believe, it's leading to something in life that is not positive. The condemnation from long ago is not idle, and the destruction is not asleep. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment, if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah all the way down to verse 11. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones. Whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like irrational animals, okay, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about manners which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction. Suffering wrong as they wage for the wrongdoing, they count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes. You see how Peter's argument here almost doesn't have anything to do with what they believe? It's hard to even put together what these false teachers believe. But one thing is clear. They believe in lining their pockets for profit. They believe in sexual immoral practice, and they believe that, that the ungodliness and the idolatry of their own culture is okay, there's a blind spot when it comes to the ungodliness and the idolatry that's present within the wider Greco Roman world. And so for Peter, he doesn't rip apart their argument. He doesn't argue really. He just says, look at this behavior. This behavior should tell you everything that you need to know. Which is a very Eastern way to think about things. Now, if you look at two Peter and Jude, you have the exact same scenario. There are false teachers, okay? And if you open up the very, very beginning of Jude, by the way, Jude is half brother to Jesus and I love the first line. A servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James. Well, James the brother of Jesus, that also makes you the brother of Jesus. But you could just hear Jude's humility in this. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation. Ungodly people who prevent the grace of God, who pervert the grace of God into sensuality and deny our only master and Lord Jesus Christ. So Jude is gonna start with the same exact problem. Hey, they're false teachers amongst you. Now it's gonna get crazy because the three issues that Jude is going to talk about are the exact same three issues. And both second Peter and Jude are going to mention angels. Both second Peter and Jude are going to mention Sodom and Gomorrah. Both second Peter and Jude are going to talk about Balaam and his donkey. Okay, both second Peter and Jude are going to talk about lot. Both second Peter and Jude, they're going to use the exact same Old Testament symbols and images. So these books are both also relying heavily on the apocrypha. Okay, that's kind of the, the nerdy nugget, okay, for the day, is that both of these books really only. They only make sense if you understand what's happening in the Apocrypha. I'll, I'll actually read you tiny little section of Jude, which only makes sense. Okay, if you are familiar with the Apocrypha. It says this in verse nine. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to announce a blasphemous judgment, but said the Lord rebuke you. What are we talking about? Well, this is a reference to first Enoch or one Enoch and another apocryphal book called the Assumption of Moses. So what does that mean? It means that Jude and Peter are familiar with Books like First Enoch. Okay. And probably would say that books like First Enoch have truth. No, I don't think that those books need to be entered into the canon of Scripture. But it's clear that the authors of the New Testament were familiar with the apocryphal books and clearly got understanding and answers from the apocryphal books. So that's our nerdy nugget for the day. And both two Peter and Jude are clearly referencing some kind of apocryphal teaching found in Enoch and the assumption of Moses.

[Manny Arango]

What if I told you that what you're learning in this video was just.

[Co-host or Guest Speaker]

The tip of the iceberg?

[Manny Arango]

The Bible department is actually powered by arma. What is arma? I'm so glad you asked. ARMA is an online subscription based platform that we designed to help people, everyday people, learn the Bible for themselves. We started ARMA so that anybody, anywhere could have access to trustworthy and entertaining Bible and theology content. In addition to this podcast, we have over 60 courses on individual books of the Bible, on theology topics, and on some hot topics like homosexuality, tithing and women in ministry. But really, ARMA is a community, a community of people that I've gotten to know. A community where thousands of people are currently finding family, asking questions and nerding out on the Bible together. If you want a community to read the Bible with you this year, or if you want to dive into some deeper theological content, or if you want.

[Co-host or Guest Speaker]

More exclusive access to me and the.

[Manny Arango]

Entire armor team, how about you go to thebibledepartment.com I'll be sure to post the link in the description of this video. Let's make this your year to become a Bible nerd.

[Co-host or Guest Speaker]

Okay, next thing, our Thomas Truth for the day, second Peter 3:15. And count the patience of our Lord as salvation. Just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according. According to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction as they do the other scriptures. So hey, people are gonna twist scripture out of context and make scripture mean something that is not designed to mean. I think that what Peter is getting at here in 2 Peter is clearly these false teachers are promoting a licentious lifestyle. And there's a lot of scholars who believe that they are taking what Paul has to say about grace and completely abusing what Paul has to say about grace. And now Peter is going, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, like how dare you take my writings or Paul's writings to make you think that you could sin and that you're not going to be held accountable for your actions. And so two Peter and Jude are both going to go. This is what it says in chapter two, verse four, Second Peter. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept, to be kept until the judgment, if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah when he brought a flood upon the whole world, if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly. And if he rescued righteous lot, essentially, why would God not bring judgment? Now, the whole Old Testament is a story of God bringing judgment on unrighteousness. And so how dare you twist Paul's words? This is like Peter stepping up. Like, how dare you twist Paul's words to make Paul be. Extend the bounds of grace beyond what is biblical or orthodox. There's one other thing that I wanted to highlight. Verse 19 of chapter 2, second Peter, chapter 2, verse 19. This is our timeless truth for the day. I think that we're gonna always have to remember that the Christian definition of freedom is a radically different than anybody else's definition of freedom. So these false teachers are going around saying, look, we're free. Like, we're sexual. We're practicing sexual immorality. We're wealthy. Like, we're. We're living the good life. You know, we're. We're free. That this is how we are platforming and displaying our freedom. And this is what Peter has to say in response to that. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person to that he is enslaved. So if lust overcomes you, then that's what you're a slave to. If anger overcomes you, and that's what you're a slave to. Whatever overcomes a person, that's what they are enslaved by. And so he's saying, well, the proof of their life is that they're slaves. Why would you believe these people who are telling you that they're free when they're slaves to sin, they're slaves to the pleasures of sin. Aren't you wiser than that? And no lie. Jude and two Peter have a very similar language, very similar thrust, very similar theme. I totally understand why these books belong together in this little. In this little booklet. And I feel like, in the New Testament, like, that's just not. Jude is not anywhere near Peter in like. And I'm going straight to my table of contents back here. Yeah. First, second, third, John, Jude, and then Revelation. So on our Bible reading plan, we've now put Jude kind of thematically where it belongs, a little bit better, up with two Peter. So, all right, that's two Peter and the book of Jude. I am so proud of you. And tomorrow we jump into Matthew's gospel. We just got out of Mark, but we're going straight back into the Gospels again. We got Matthew's gospel, and I ain't got favorites, but Matthew's definitely one of my favorites. And so I'll see you right here tomorrow as we dive head first into the book of Matthew. Love you guys. So proud of you. Peace. Thanks so much for joining us on.

[Manny Arango]

The Bible Department podcast.

[Co-host or Guest Speaker]

You can find us online and learn more about the show at thebibledepartment.com and on Instagram hebibledepartment. If you enjoyed this episode and wanna dive deeper into the Bible, you can get free access to our library of courses at thebibledepartment. Com. We'll see you back here tomorrow.