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<p>Acknowledgments ix</p> <p>Abbreviations xii</p> <p><b>Introduction 1</b></p> <p>Historical Overview and Genre 2</p> <p>Reception Historical Sources for 1, 2 Peter, and Jude 6</p> <p>Significant Ancient Interpreters 7</p> <p>Nineteenth‐ and Twentieth‐Century Perspectives 10</p> <p>Aims and Methods of this Commentary 14</p> <p>Literary Relationships: Which Came First – Jude or 2 Peter? 18</p> <p><b>Chapter 1 The Transformed Life in the Context of Suffering, Grace, Hope, and Love (1:1–2:10) 22</b></p> <p>Author, Audience, and Abundant Grace (1:1–2) 22</p> <p>The Meaning and Purpose of Suffering (1:3–10) 26</p> <p>Consequences of the Transformed Life: Suffering Related to the Suffering of Christ (1:11–12) 36</p> <p>Consequences of the Transformed Life: Hope, Holiness, and Love (1:13–23) 40</p> <p>The Transformed Life: Three Metaphors (1:24 – 2:10) 47</p> <p>The Grass Metaphor (1:24, 25) 47</p> <p>The Milk Metaphor (2:1–3) 49</p> <p>The Living Stones Metaphor (2:4–10) 51</p> <p>Doctrinal Interpretations: The Priesthood of all Believers 54</p> <p>Doctrinal Interpretations: Eternal Security 55</p> <p><b>Chapter 2 Three Practical Situations (1 Peter 2:11–3:17) 57</b></p> <p>Transition (2:11–12) 57</p> <p>The Governing Authorities (2:13–17) 59</p> <p>Slavery (2:18–25) 66</p> <p>Submission and Suffering for Doing Good 68</p> <p>Christ as Guardian of Our Souls, v.25 74</p> <p>Marriage (3:1–7) 76</p> <p>Ornamentation (3:3–6) 83</p> <p>To “Husbands” (3:7) 86</p> <p>The “Weaker Vessel” (3:7) 88</p> <p>Transition: Summary and Concepts to Come (3:8–17) 88</p> <p>Summary: Live in Harmony and Mutual Love (3:8–12) 89</p> <p>Suffering for Doing Good (3:13–17) 89</p> <p><b>Chapter 3 Christ’s Visit to the Spirits in Prison, 3:18–22 91</b></p> <p>Christ’s Resurrection, the Ground of the Transformed Life 91</p> <p>The Preaching or Announcement in Hades 96</p> <p>The Audience for Christ’s Preaching 97</p> <p>Religious Traditions 105</p> <p>Opposition 108</p> <p>Summary of the Effects of 1 Peter 3:18–22 So Far 109</p> <p>Other Interpretations 110</p> <p>Effects in Literature 110</p> <p>Effects in Music 112</p> <p>Effects in Drama 112</p> <p>Effects in Art 114</p> <p>Relation to the Harrowing of Hell Tradition 128</p> <p>Summary/Observations 130</p> <p><b>Chapter 4 The Transformed Life: The Believer as Sufferer (1 Peter 4:1–19) 132</b></p> <p>Suffering is in God’s Control (4:7–11) 138</p> <p>Love Covers a Multitude of Sins (v.8) 139</p> <p>Love Shown in Joyful Service and Hospitality (4:9–11) 141</p> <p>Suffering for Being a Christian (4:12–19) 142</p> <p>The Spirit of Glory … Rests upon You (v.14) 144</p> <p>Judgment Begins with the House of God (4:17) 145</p> <p>Scarcely Saved (vv.18–19) 146</p> <p><b>Chapter 5 Final Exhortations and Greetings (1 Peter 5:1–14) 149</b></p> <p>Message to Three Groups (5:1–10): “Elders” (vv.1–4); the</p> <p>“Younger” (vv.5–6); and “All” (vv.6–10) 149</p> <p>The Message to “All” (vv.2, 6–10) 155</p> <p>God Gives Grace to the Humble (vv.6–11) 157</p> <p>The Final Promise to All (vv.10–11) 160</p> <p>Final Greetings: Who, Where, and How (vv.12–14) 161</p> <p>Who is Silvanus and What is His Role in the Writing of the Epistle? 161</p> <p>Who is “Mark?” 162</p> <p>Where/What is Babylon? 162</p> <p><b>Chapter 6 Jude: A Dynamic Response to Heresy 166</b></p> <p>Greeting and Purpose 166</p> <p>Purpose (v.3) 170</p> <p>The Body of the Epistle: Charges/Punishment Predicted (vv.4–16) 173</p> <p>The Fallen Angels: Second Example of Punishment (v.6) 175</p> <p>Sodom and Gomorrah: Third Example (v.7) 178</p> <p>Second Set of Triple Charges (vv.8–11): Pollution, Rejection of Authority, Slander of Heavenly Beings 180</p> <p>The Illustration: The Dispute Between Michael and Satan (v.9) 182</p> <p>Three Examples of Punishment: Cain, Balaam, and Korah (v.11) 184</p> <p>Metaphors of Charges Against the Teachers (vv.12–16) 186</p> <p>Prediction of Punishment: Enoch’s Prophecy (vv.14–16) 188</p> <p>Exhortations to the Faithful (17–23) 191</p> <p>Closing Doxology (vv.24–25) 194</p> <p>Effects in Literature, Culture, and Art: Michael and Satan’s Dispute (v.9) 196</p> <p><b>Chapter 7 Excursus: Jude’s Role in the Reception History of Enoch 200</b></p> <p>Enoch in the Early Church 201</p> <p>Summary 205</p> <p>Effects in Literature, Culture, and Art: The Fallen Angels, Jude 6; 2 Peter 2:4 206</p> <p><b>Chapter 8 Greetings and the Bases for Certainty (2 Peter 1) 213</b></p> <p>Greetings: Authorship, Authenticity, and Authority (1:1–2) 213</p> <p>The Basis for Certainty and Peter’s Response: Participation in the Divine Nature (1:4–11) 216</p> <p>Can Salvation Be Lost? (vv.10–11) 222</p> <p>More Grounds for Certainty: Eyewitness Testimony (1:12–15) 223</p> <p>Even More Grounds for Certainty: The Nature of Prophecy and the Inspiration of Scripture (1:16–21) 225</p> <p><b>Chapter 9 The False Teachers and Peter’s Response (2 Peter 2:1–22) 232</b></p> <p><b>Chapter 10 Where is the Promise of His Coming? (2 Peter 3:1–18) 244</b></p> <p>Reaffirmation and Reminders (3:1–3) 244</p> <p>Where is the Promise and Peter’s Response: Judgment andRescue (3:4–10) 248</p> <p>Final Exhortations (3:11–18) 252</p> <p><b>Chapter 11 Excursus: Delay of the Parousia (2 Peter 3) 255</b></p> <p>Modern and Current Scholarship (eighteenth to twenty-first centuries) 261</p> <p><b>Concluding Remarks 265</b></p> <p>Appendix 1: Who Wrote These Epistles? The Reception of 1, 2 Peter and Jude 268</p> <p>Appendix 2: Ancient Writers, their Writings, and their Sources 273</p> <p>Appendix 3: Reception Historical Timeline 279</p> <p>Appendix 4: Overview of the Reception History of Enoch 284</p> <p>Glossary 288</p> <p>Bibliography 296</p> <p>Index of Biblical References 312</p> <p>Index 316</p>

<p><b>Rebecca Skaggs</b> is Professor of New Testament and Greek at Patten University, Oakland, California. Previously, she was Fellow at the Kierkegaard Library, St. Olaf College and is author of several books and numerous journal articles on the New Testament and the early Christian Church.

<p><b>Explores the epistles' reception history and their effects in sermons, music, art, literature, and politics over time</b> <p><i>1, 2 Peter and Jude Through the Centuries??</i>considers three small epistles which are often overlooked in controversial discussions of theology, culture, art, music, politics, and literature. This book offers fresh perspectives on the epistles' effects in numerous theological and cultural contexts such as slavery, the role of women in marriage, the nature of Christology, and how believers should relate to the government. <p>Author Rebecca Skaggs traces the reception history of 1 Peter, Jude, and 2 Peter and investigates the texts' effects on diverse doctrinal, social, and political issues. Their influence on artists, musicians, dramatists, and literary writers is explored, especially the Doctrine of the Descent of Christ into Hades. Each chapter includes an overview of central issues and topics, a selection of ancient readings with interpretations, and a brief survey of modern scholarship on the subject. Illuminating how readings vary across historical periods and interpretive communities, this book: <ul> <li>Traces the multi-faceted contributions of 1 and 2 Peter and Jude to theological discussions</li> <li>Provides a sampling of the kinds of effects available from each of the texts in various contexts</li> <li>Shows how the epistles engage in the discussions and controversies of the Medieval Ages</li> <li>Offers discussions of the epistles' contributions to doctrinal debates on the inspiration of scripture and how to respond to heresy in the church</li> <li>Features detailed treatment of topics such as Christ's visit to the spirits in prison, the dispute between Michael and Satan over Moses' body, and the final judgment by fire</li> <li>Features commentary from a leading scholar in New Testament Studies and Christian Theology</li> </ul> <p>Offering enlightening essays and new approaches, <i>1, 2 Peter and Jude Through the Centuries</i>??is an ideal book for anyone interested in the rich contributions of these epistles, such as Biblical and Theological Studies students, and pastors looking for original insights on reception material.

GB