1&2 Peter

Objective: 

• A Heavenly Inheritance

• Living Before God Our Father

• The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

• Called to Blessing

• Christ’s Example to Be Followed

• Submit to God, Resist the Devil

• Fruitful Growth in the Faith

Resources:

• Fr Tadros Y Malaty Commentary
• Catena Bible Commentary
• HEMY
• Bishop Raphail - Arabic
• Fr Dawoud Lamie Bible study (Arabic) - 1 Peter
  
• Fr Dawoud Lamie Bible study (Arabic) - 2 Peter

Reading:

• 1 Peter 1
• 1 Peter 2
• 1 Peter 3
• 1 Peter 4
• 1 Peter 5
  ---------
• 2 Peter 1
• 2 Peter 2
• 2 Peter 3

Key verse(s):

"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" Jude 21

Comments:

• The Catholic Epistles are Seven
• Catholic = Universal
• The Catholic Epistles differ from the Pauline Epistles as they were not sent to specific persons (Timothy - Titus) or Churches (Galatians - Romans) but sent to Christians in the world
• The Author:
  • He is St. Peter, the apostle and disciple. Also known as Simon and Cephas
  • He was one of the closest three to our Lord
  • He became responsible after Pentecost to preach the Gospel to the Jews
  • He evangelized in Rome and was martyred by Nero, crucified upside down
• 1 Peter
  • Ch. 1
    • V. 1: Cities/provinces in Turkey
    • V. 2: "Sprinkling" is similar to the same language used in the OT as the believers were sanctified through the sprinkling of the blood of sacrifices
    • V. 4: We look for the heavenly inheritance that does not corrupt
    • V. 7: Gold is purified by fire. Fire burns the impurities and makes gold purer. Faith is tested to make us more pure, and fire tests if our faith is real (gold) or fake (impurities)
    • V. 21: The Divinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is one. The Divinity is what raised Him from the dead
    • V. 23: Born again = Baptism
  • Ch. 2
    • V. 5: A stone alone is pointless. Stones are meant to come together to build a house, which is the body of Christ
    • V. 8: The stone, Christ, is a stone of stumbling and offense to those who reject Him
    • V. 10: Not people = Gentiles - Not obtained mercy = Jews

    • V. 11: Pilgrims do not care about their surroundings and have a goal in mind. We, too, have to focus on where we are from (Heaven) and not care about the worldly lusts that take our attention and may prevent us from going to Heaven

    • V. 13-17: Submission to government

      • Submission to the Government is a Biblical commandment. We believe that God is the Pantocrator and He is in charge and control of everything and everyone. That is why in our Church we pray for the authorities (Kings or Presidents), regardless of their political intentions

    • V. 18-25: The Church and the Bible encouraged servants to love and respect their masters and masters to treat their servants kindly, which was a key factor in ending slavery. This is because people understood that we are all equal in Christ and that He died for all.
  • Ch. 3
    • V. 1: Submission in Christ out of love, not out of weakness, just as the Church submits to Christ out of love
    • V. 13: Suffering for righteousness has a crown. Suffering to keep my fast or purity will be rewarded. This encourages us to keep our righteousness
  • Ch. 4
    • V. 1-6: Christ suffered for our sakes. We too shall endure suffering with happiness because this allows us to partake in His passions and gives us crowns in Heaven
  • Ch. 5
    • V. 1: The elders = Priests
    • V. 2: Overseers = Bishops
    • V. 8: The devil is a lion that devours anyone whom he finds. To resist the devil, we need to be sober and vigilant.
    • V. 13: St. Mark is not the son of St. Peter. St. Peter called him "my son" for two reasons:
      • St. Peter was older than St. Mark. St. Mark was like a spiritual son to St. Peter
      • St. Peter was related to St. Mark. St. Peter's wife was a cousin of Aristopolus (St. Mark's father)
• 2 Peter
  • Ch. 1
    • V. 1: He started this epistle by showing the grace of God in his life.
      • Simon: The old Hebrew name. Peter: The new name that was given to him by Christ. This shows God's grace in his life that changed him. He is remembering that before the end of his life. This epistle was written by St. Peter shortly before his martyrdom.
    • V. 13: "This tent" refers to his body. He feels the responsibility as a leader in the church to keep encouraging the people to walk in Godly ways. This should be a message that all servants should apply and also we should apply towards our families and friends. 
    • V. 16: St. Peter is confessing and confirming that Christ came on earth, and he witnessed Him. "His majesty" St. Peter, is referring to the Transfiguration as he was one of the three disciples to witness this event.
    • V. 21: The Bible and ALL its authors were inspired by the Holy Spirit. This proves the authenticity of the Bible and its infallibility
  • Ch. 2
    • V. 4-11: St. Peter is warning the people and us from the false teachers
      • This part shows St. Peter's deep knowledge of the OT
    • V. 18-22: St. Peter is exposing the false teachers and their deceptions
  • Ch. 3
    • St. Peter is encouraging everyone to be steadfast in the faith at all times. 
    • V. 15: We see the brotherly love and respect between St. Peter and St. Paul, and how he is encouraging us to read his epistles
    • V. 16: St. Peter, like many of us, thinks that some parts of St. Paul's epistles are hard to understand. But he is affirming that "wisdom given to him"
      

Review/recap questions:
**Servant may add more questions

1. Despite their suffering, how does St. Peter describe his audience's spiritual relationship and outlook? 
2. What should be our relationship with our government, and why?
3. The Gospel was also preached to those who are dead. Explain.
4. List the responsibilities of the good shepherd.
5. What tent is St. Peter talking about?
6. What are the new Heaven and the new earth?
7. How does God’s patience and long-suffering benefit man? 

Homework:
**Servant may add more questions

1. On what should we set our hope? 
2. What should husbands give to their wives?
3. What should be the response of the one who suffers as a Christian?
4. What reward will the good shepherd receive?
5. How does St. Peter describe the devil?
6. What did the Lord Jesus Christ receive from God the Father?
7. Who moved the holy men to prophesy? 
8. Name two righteous people mentioned in 2 Peter 2.
9. How can we resist being led by the wicked?