Encountering the New Testament, 4th Edition
A Historical and Theological Survey
series: Encountering Biblical Studies
Materials available for professors by request only
Chapter
23. Peter, John, and Jude
Discussion Questions
- What circumstances contributed to Peter becoming the rock that Christ said he would be?
- What examples do we have today of people who are suffering because of their faithfulness to Christ?
- What do you think might be the reason for John maintaining that he was writing the letter so many times in his letters?
- Contrast the messages of 1, 2, and 3 John.
- What similarities do you see between our modern world and the world to whom Jude wrote his letter?
Assignment Ideas / Class Activities
- Assign a group to investigate the controversy about the authorship of 2 Peter. Have the group make a ten-minute presentation to the class.
- Assign a group to study the two positions about who the “chosen lady” of 2 John was: (1) a woman who allowed her house to be used for a church, or (2) a personification of a particular church. Have the students present their findings in the form of a debate.
- Select a group of three to four students to study the warnings about false teachers in Jude 8–16 in light of the historical setting. This should result in a ten-minute presentation about why the church then and today needs to be warned about false teachers.
- Using 1 Peter, prepare an outline for a devotional that emphasizes suffering for Christ.
- Research the current persecution of Christians throughout the world. Write a brief report on it, presenting statistics as much as they are available.
- Write a short paper on the authorship of Jude.
- Design a tract that addresses the issue of contending for the faith in the modern world using passages from Jude.