All Discussion PAGE 331

Hello Frankie,

I do not equate the gospel preached to the Israelites mentioned in Hebrews 4:2 with the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses is not the gospel at all. It is the Law that brings us condemnation because no one but Christ could keep it fully.

It seems like you have misunderstood what I posted.

Ronald,

We don't get our understanding of the Bible from history or the writings and ideas of men.

We get our understanding of the Bible from the Bible itself. The Bible alone and its entirety is the Word of God and must be our only Authority.

When we recognize that God Himself is the author of the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we know that we can only come to Truth by comparing scripture with scripture, using the principles that God has laid down in the Bible (and which I have tried to articulate in previous comments).

And then also recognizing that God himself must open our understanding of His Word by giving us ears to hear, as it might be His good pleasure so to do.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

It is very clear that John was speaking about creation. John says JESUS was with GOD and "All things were made by JESUS; and without JESUS was not any thing made that was made". By the way, JESUS -the Greater Light- was sent here by our GOD in the fourth Day, that is, around 4000 years after Adam, and around 2000 years ago, and JESUS clearly stated saying "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work."- John 5:17, NOTE that it was still the fourth Day. But, "beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one Day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one Day". - 2Peter 3:8

This past week, my wife requested a divorce. Pray that my wife of 18 years would open her heart to forgiveness AND restoration. She seems to consider forgiveness to be a weakness and a loss of personal control. She is iron-willed, and has not sought God in her life, though she was presented to me as a Christian by her friends from the beginning. We are on good terms, she just desires my departure. We have one 16 yr old daughter.

Hi Gigi

Cont..

Same gospel, yet in an embryo state of types & shadows, its blessing were outward, worldly & only cleansed to the purifying of the flesh, was a tutor to led us to Christ who's Blood cleanses the conscience from dead works " sin; meaning the author of it " by His Spirit of Grace & Truth in the inward parts.

The OT gospel of the letter commanded, but could not empower, thus the history of Israel never continuing steadfast & faithful to the end. Which is a repeated exhortation in Hebrews to us & them as our example of what not to do.

Yet, God in Hebrews 11 gives us Light of the true & living faith, that comes by hearing & hearing by the Word of God, Himself. We must put a separation from a faith that comes from the letter & the living faith that comes from the Spirit, letter kills, Spirit brings us into the very Life of God, becoming partakers of the Divine Nature & delivers us from the corruption of our fleshly birth.

With the NT gospel of Grace, inwardly, God promise Holy Spirit provides the power for the new birth John 3:6 its blessing are inward, heavenly, spiritual, in truth "Christ" the Substance of all things. Who in the fullest of time was made a life quickening Spirit, for our sake

Concerning the rest of Chapter 4 its has to do with obedience to the gospel under the 2 covenants, it they would have obey, their was a certain measure of rest that OT gospel provided, otherwise, they could not have been condemned for not entering into it & the same goes for us, the question is, who will truly enter?

Our rest is in Christ, the Substance, who provides all for us, in causing us to will & do of His good pleasure by the promise

Holy Spirit, to those that believe, believing & obeying are synonym, we enter into His works that were finished from the foundation of the world Ephesians 2:10 provided we obey Him, thus He becomes the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey Him.

NT the birth.

And Chris,

I agree completely with your final comment. The thing that makes me tremble is that at least one of us is declaring "thus saith the LORD, when the LORD hath not said". And therefore at least one of us is declaring a Lie.

May God in His Mercy lead us into truth as we compare scripture with scripture using the principles that God lays down in His Word.

Hi David0921,

Isaiah 9:6 his name shall be called does not make him what the name is many Hebrew names have God in them. Jesus says He came in His Father's name.

John 1:1-4 What is the beginning that John is referencing here? Is this the beginning/creation or is this John's prologue of his gospel, the beginning of Jesus's ministry, as in Luke 1:2 or 1 John 1:1? The word of God was in Jesus for everything Jesus said was not His words but the Father's words who sent Him, John 4:16 John 12:49 John 14:24.

Jesus was the Tabernacle of God; God was manifested in Jesus, and this is the light that shined. The light that shined was eternal life 1 John 1:2. This life was given to the Son from the Father John 5:26 and we can have this gift through Jesus Christ our Lord Romans 6:23. Jesus proclaimed the Father, the Father was the Word which was proclaimed to the world, and the Word was God. In Revelation 19:13, Jesus's name is the Word of God.

John 10:30 John 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: As God and Jesus are one through Jesus we also can be one in unity and purpose.

John 14:9 The Father was in Jesus by God's Spirit everything Jesus did and said was from the Father. This is what Jesus is telling them in verse 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

I understand we differ, and this doctrine is deeply rooted, I do not want to offend anyone. I have studied the creation of it, and it was as much or more political than Scriptural, especially considering the number of lives that were taken because of it.

God bless,

RLW

David0921. I didn't say that Hebrews 11 spoke about Hades. I referred to Abraham (in Hebrews 11); that when he died, that he went to Hades ( Luke 16:19-31).

Here are some Scriptures for you that speak about Hell (Hades, as opposed to Gehenna or Tartarus): Matthew 11:23, Matthew 16:18; Luke 10:15, Luke 16:23; Acts 2:27,31; Revelation 1:18, Revelation 6:8, Revelation 20:13,14. Yes, Hades is a very real place where the dead pre-Cross went, both the righteous & unrighteous. And they had to go there when they died, for the Work of the Cross was not completed & their salvation was not secured. Only the shed Blood of Jesus could save them & us - they had to wait for it & their release from Hades.

The picture of mankind in Romans 3 (of Jew & Gentile) tells us that all are sinners & that circumcision or the Law gave no profit to the Jew. Only the "faith of Jesus Christ" & by His Redemptive Work can a sinner be justified by faith. I see nothing in this chapter about the "Salvation of OT Believers" - only of 'faith vs the law', for instruction to the Church in Rome, and by extension, believers beyond them in space & time.

Thank you David0921. You have shared your position & belief on this matter before and I accept that it is your understanding. As well, you know my position concerning the 'salvation' of the OT saints & other related features under the Old Covenants. If we cannot find agreement on the various dispensations seen in the Bible in which God operated in different ways, then that alone will assure us that anything we discuss that includes such Bible divisions, can never find agreement between us. So thank you again & every blessing.

Furthermore Chris,

The "faith" of OT Believes that is spoken about in Hebrews 11 is not some kind of "inherent faith". That is not possible based on Romans 3. That faith is the Gift of God that RESULTS when God applies His Salvation to any individual whom He saves throughout time. That is the faith that they lived and died with by God's Mercy and Grace as God applied their Salvation to their life, the RESULT of having been given a New Resurrected Soul, the RESULT of having been BORN AGAIN, of having been given ETERNAL LIFE.

And that meant that when they died physically, they went to be with Christ in Heaven in their soul existence to await the Resurrection of the Last Day; they did not go to a place called "hades".

It means that they experienced exactly the same Salvation of NT Believers before their physical death.

And that is the reason that Enoch was translated, that Elijah went to Heaven in a in a whirlwind, that Moses and Elijah could appear on the mount of transfiguration in their Spiritual Bodies along with Jesus.

These OT Believers did not have nearly as much information about Salvation as we have in the NT. Nor would their understanding have been as complete as ours should be. But complete understanding is not a prerequisite for Salvation. Only the Mercy and Grace of God ALONE. And the EFFICACY of Christ's Atonement for their sins which was available FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.

HI Gigi

Deuteronomy 30:14-16 The law of Moses, the administration of the letter, OT gospel; outward

Romans 10:8 The Word of Faith, the administration of the Spirit, NT gospel inward

Hebrews 8:6-9

Chris,

I'm glad you brought up Hebrews 11. This chapter talks nothing about a place called "hades". That is your idea, not God's. Hebrews 11 is proof positive that these OT Believers lived and died in faith seeing the "promise a far off" of a Heavenly city "whose builder and maker is God", that is the Kingdom of God, New Heavens and a New Earth as they lived and died as "strangers and pilgrims" on this earth, just like NT Believes. They are our example.

There are many scriptures which show that the Salvation of OT and NT Believers were the same and that God applied the Salvation to them in the same way giving them a New Heart, A New Resurrected Soul, just like NT Believes. I have quoted several.

I am unaware of any scriptures where God talks about this never never land destination for OT believers called "hades". I have not found them.

And how does God's description of Mankind in Romans 3 fit into your picture of the Salvation of OT Believers.

Again, Chris, this is really a discussion about the very Nature of Salvation itself.

Thank you brother.

please remember me and my family today in your prayers please remember my daughter Jessica and her family today

God Bless you , He know our needs before we even ask , yes we go through difficult time but he is with us

' Mystifying' a part of the Bible , applying an element of mystery to something that is either perfectly clear or doesn't even exist , is a tactic used by so called psychic prognosticators , peddlers of the so called supernatural , witches , wizards etc as they call themselves . We need to be confident that there are no mysteries in the Bible as we have it . That's not to say that we know everything about God , what I mean is that the information , the Bible , God's Words as He has given them to us , are clear and able to be understood by any one prepared to put the effort in . Some one very famous , I can't remember who and it doesn't really matter who , once said that , if a person had never heard of the word trinity and had no concept of what it was , they would never ever apply the idea to the Bible or any part of it . It's only those that have had the idea presented to them or have heard of it previously, who think they see it in scripture . I agree with this and I think that by saying that it's some kind of mysterious thing that we humans don't fully comprehend , does God a misservice , God is not the author of confusion and He does not lie , He is plain and clear and He wants us to understand everything that He has so mercifully allowed us to know about Him . Scripture will help you to understand itself , if you take time , read it all and pray for guidance . There are no mysteries in the information that God had given us , it's all perfect in and of itself , God has told us what He wants us to understand and believe about Him , to add an element of mystery is to add to His message . Read it , believe it , accept it as it is and be thankful for it .

Hi GiGi. Just one thought in relation to this 'Gospel' in Hebrews 4:2, "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them...". We do see words, such as Gospel, which is familiar to us that can compel us to believe that the same word must apply elsewhere in the Bible. In recent discussions about the word 'parable', I showed that what we read of Jesus' parables, do not always have the same meaning in the OT (sometimes, but not always); so we need to express care in reading & understanding.

An example in Acts 7:38, "This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us". Here is a classic example of how a word, with the same spelling can have another meaning (known as 'homonyms'). E.g. in English (current; ring; spring; etc. are such examples). And I understand, the same in Hebrew & Greek (Giannis/Jesse can enlighten us on this). So, if we come to Acts 7:38 with a firm belief that Luke is speaking of the Church we know today as also applying to Moses' day, then we would greatly err. Luke (in v37), was clearly referring to Deuteronomy 18:15, when Moses spoke to the people, but Luke says, "this is he (Moses), that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in mount Sina...". So what is this 'church' comprised of? Can we assume that it must also be the same Church as we have today since 'Israel was saved as well by virtue of Christ's Sacrifice from the Earth's foundation', or, is the 'church' an homonym having another meaning? In Greek, 'ekklesia' is the word for 'church', however, it can also apply to an assembly or gathering of people. And when Luke refers this to the Hebrew rendering, 'qahal', we find that it isn't the Church we know of today, but indeed a 'gathering of God's people, Israel' ( Judges 21:8, 'assembly'; 1 Chronicles 29:1, 'congregation'). So maybe the word 'Gospel' needs similar treatment.

Hi David0921

Greetings in Christ JESUS

You are right.

Again: Isaiah 9:6KJV - 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 you quoted was LITERALLY fulfilled around 2000 years ago because the Word is GOD, and literally materialized in flesh and blood. It's the Power, understand? GOD's Power, well, the Word is GOD, GOD the Father, self-executable, understand? Great mystery.

In fact, The Word is GOD, GOD the Father, the same was made flesh, and the NAME of GOD made flesh is JESUS, the EXPRESS IMAGE of the PERSON of GOD- Hebrews 1:3. Take a look. The Word-GOD the Father-and the Word made flesh-GOD the Son- are One, and without GOD the Son was not made any thing that was made, says the Word, GOD the Father.

The mystery above is very hard to discern and understand, but why? JESUS explains the why: Matthew 11:27- No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, AND HE TO WHOMSOEVER THE SON WILL REVEAL HIM. (It's impossible to know the Person of GOD the Father, except if it be revealed by JESUS, as He said, otherwise is impossible to know GOD.

By the way, John the Baptist, the angel of the Lord, clearly said that "No man hath seen GOD at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." It's it. Hallelujaaa!!!

Page 2.

Then what about Abraham? Abraham was dead & buried, how could he being dead rejoice to see Jesus' Day, this is the Day of Jesus' Coming? This wasn't a situation of (the Genesis) Abraham knowing about Jesus & waiting patiently with joy, for Jesus' Sacrifice & Redemption. This dialogue with the Jews was to show that Abraham was alive in Hades all this time, but NOW rejoicing to see the Messiah finally come (in Jesus' Day) Who would give full atonement to him & all others waiting in hope.

Yes, Abraham, as those many others, 'who looked for a heavenly city', expected it (in faith) & died (in faith), "not having received the promises, but seeing them afar off" ( Hebrews 11:13,16). Their faith/faithfulness to God was vibrant even to this point in their death & confinement in Hades, but until the Atonement was completed at Calvary, they remained in limbo, waiting, in expectation of the promised eternal rest that awaited them, to have Christ's Blood applied to them as well.

Now the Gospel was complete for them (what they once knew imperfectly); the eternal Rest they longed for was now realized in Christ Jesus, in Whose Blood there is Peace with God ( Colossians 1:20) & eternal Rest in Christ ( Hebrews 4:9). GBU.

Page 1.

Thanks GiGi for the things you shared & though much of it I do agree to, as you would expect, the matters of the Gospel's meaning & Abraham's view of Jesus, are points in disagreement here. I won't add to what Giannis has shared with you now, about the Gospel (i.e. its meaning & application to those in both Covenants), or what David0921 & I had already discussed at length concerning it, but to the matter of Abraham (as seen in John 8:56).

John 8:56: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." You believe that Abraham of old "saw into the future and rejoiced to see the work of Christ for Himself and those who believed Godforeseeing the Resurrectionetc". When we read this portion in John 8:52-58, the Jews (the religious leaders), accused Jesus of having a devil for Jesus spoke of those who would never see death (v51), since Abraham, as others, experienced death. Jesus was a liar in their minds. Then they question Him, "whom makest thou thyself?": He answers, 'that He receives the honor of God & thus speaks the Words of God, the God whom they did not know'. If they truly knew the God of Israel & now Jesus, as one greater than Abraham & the prophets, they would have believed Him. Onto Page 2.

Page 2. David0921.

And regards to "faith that saves": since I don't believe that Israel of old were saved people (as we understand it: the salvation granted us through the Cross), the matter of 'their faith & our faith', is not an issue, as they're dissimilar. There are people even today that express love & faith in God, but unless that love & faith are generated by the Holy Spirit undergirded by contrition over their sins, their faith is spurious & of the human kind. Israel's faith was like that: not Holy Spirit generated, human, yet based on being God's chosen people, God loving them & revealing Himself to them, experiencing His blessings beyond measure, & the promise of the coming Messiah.

Yes, God can never overlook sin (whether of Israel or Gentiles), but the need for sacrifices, coupled with faith & obedience by Israel at that time, averted God's Wrath. Therefore, I agree that "the question of the Nature of Salvation itself", as well as the need & importance of understanding the nature of the old sacrificial system, which clearly reveals God's Purposes under these Covenants, is of great importance.

Page 1.

Thanks David0921. We've already discussed Revelation 13:8 & Hebrews chap 4 & we've noted the different ways that we understand those passages. So, I'm not "ignoring or denying the efficacy of Christ's Atonement extending to the foundation of the world", but stating that the Atonement was not applied to those pre-Cross UNTIL the Sacrifice was made. Of course you cannot agree to this because you understand that Revelation 13:8 means that Christ's Death took place (maybe even mystically) before His actual coming to Earth. So this is where we're at.

So yes, 'no one in the OT could ever be saved nor could they ever keep God's Laws perfectly'. And that is why God instituted the sacrificial system, so that His people might still continue to live on Earth & still be accepted by Him, even receive His Forgiveness. If there was no sacrifice to appease & hide God's Wrath for sin & disobedience, then immediate death & consignment to Hell was certain. But they were kept in His Love & Care, looking forward to that glorious Day when the Lamb of God would far surpass any of their feeble temporary sacrifices & make atonement for their sins completely & forever. Hence, the 'holding station' of those righteous ones confined in Hades, pending the completion of the Work of the Cross, to which you also disagree. Onto Page 2.

INTRODUCTION TO 2 PETER (Part 4):

VIII. THE OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF II PETER:

II PETER CHAPTER 1: The Presentation of the Gospel.

There are three phases that teach us about the gospel message and the Christian life, and we can study those in depth in 2 Peter.

II PETER CHAPTER 2: The Profile of False Teachers.

He gives their characteristics. He tells what they teach, and what they teach about. He tells their motives. And you can tell, even if you don't understand what they're teaching, you can understand by their motives whether they're teaching correctly or not.

II PETER CHAPTER 3: The Priorities of the Believer.

He presents the fact what's going to happen to this earthly realm. It will be destroyed by fire, in spite of what the scoffers say. And so, he says in Chapter 3, what kind of people ought you to be knowing that everything we handle and everything we do in this earthly life is going to burn?

And then he sets the priorities out for the believers, what believers should be involved in as a priority in their life, ending up with 1 Peter 3:18, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I will share the introduction to 1,2 & 3 John soon.

God Bless!!!

INTRODUCTION TO 2 PETER (Part 3):

Peter wrote his second letter also from Rome right before 67 A.D. as he wrote it right before his death. Nero, the Roman Emperor, died around 68 A.D. That's how the scholars get the estimation of the date which it was written because it was written before Nero's death, and after 63 A.D. and his death was imminent, so they believed it was around 67 A.D. that he wrote this second letter.

It is a letter of urgency. Peter knows he's about ready to die. Can you imagine walking with the Lord between 35 and 40 years, being one of the original apostles that the Lord has chosen, having been through all that he had been through with the Lord, and learning how to walk with the Lord, and then realize that his death is within a day or two.

And he wants to put everything he knows, the warnings, and the cautions out to the church before he dies. He wants to leave behind the very essentials of the Christian faith. And that's what 2 Peter is.

V. THE PURPOSE OF THE LETTER:

First Peter was written to warn the believers about the threat against the Church from the outside world.

Second Peter was written to warn the believers about the threat against the Church from inside the church, the false teachers, and the false teachings. And we see that in-depth when we get into the letter.

VI. THE THEME OF THE LETTER:

The theme of the letter is persecution and suffering. Peter wrote in order to warn the believing Jews in the DIASPORA that the persecution against the Church is going to intensify.

And so, around the 64 to 65 A.D. time frame, when Paul was put to death, that is when Nero set Rome on fire, and He blamed it on the Christians.

VII. THE STYLE OF WRITING:

When Peter quotes from the Old Testament, he quotes from the Septuagint which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew text. The Septuagint was written in Alexandria, Egypt around 300 B.C.

INTRODUCTION TO 2 PETER (Part 2):

III. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:

According to Verse 1, Peter wrote his letters to the DIASPORA which is the official title and designation for the Jews who had been displaced from Jerusalem.

This group of the DIASPORA was located just to the East of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor, the Seven Churches of Revelation. The Book of Revelation was written to these seven churches some 30 years after Peter wrote his letters.

IV. DATE OF WRITING:

Peter wrote his first letter around 63 A.D. right before his arrest in Rome. Peter wrote from Rome, but he used the cryptic name Babylon in his first letter in 1 Peter 5:13.

The reason for this was so that if the officials somehow got a hold of the letter, they wouldn't see that there was this much of the work of the Lord going on in Rome, and Peter didn't want any of the Christians in Rome to suffer if they were to get a hold of the letter. So, he used the cryptic name Babylon in making reference to Rome.

According to I Peter 5:12, Silvanus, or Silas, received the dictation of this first letter. The second letter (2 Peter) was written by Peter himself.

So, there is a difference in writing style, not so much in vocabulary as it is in writing style. That's because Silas took the dictation of the first letter, and it was in Silas' writing style. And 2 Peter was written by Peter himself.

INTRODUCTION TO 2 PETER (Part 1):

I. FIRST AND SECOND PETER IN THE NEW TESTAMENT:

First and Second Peter are part of a collection of books in the New Testament called The Jewish Literature. The Jewish Literature begins with the Book of Hebrews and continues through to the end of the Book of Revelation.

All of these books, especially the book of Revelation must be understood from the Tanak, or the Old Testament. If you understand the Tanak, you can understand some of the illustrations and some of the symbols.

There are 404 verses in the book of Revelation, and there are over 800 allusions or quotes to the Tanak or Old Testament. And for us Gentiles who get a little wild in our understanding, the circle things are not flying saucers.

So, if you're into the book of Revelation to find out when the flying saucers are going to land, you'll be disappointed. But these things are taken from the Old Testament and each one is brought out in the book of Revelation.

II. THE AUTHOR:

The Writer of II Peter is Peter as introduced to us in Verse 1. There is more information known about Peter than any other Apostle. (See what I shared on First and Second Peter Introductions for details.)

Andrew was the first to meet Jesus and come to know Him as Messiah as recorded in John 1:35-40. Andrew introduces his brother Simon Peter to Jesus in John 1:41-42

At this time, Jesus tells Simon Peter that in the future he will be called Cephas, which is Peter in Aramaic. Peter means a stone.

Interesting note that Paul died in Rome around 64 A.D. but Peter died in Rome around 66-67 A.D., approximately a year before Caesar Nero himself died. And Peter was put to death right before Caesar Nero died.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 PETER (Part 8):

VIII. THE OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF I PETER:

I PETER 1:1 - 2:10: The Foundation of Salvation.

So, before Peter even talks about suffering, he wants to teach about the various areas that make up the foundation of our salvation, to show that whatever we suffer, or whatever we suffer by way of persecution, it cannot change our salvation at all.

I PETER 2:11 - 3:12: The Submission in Salvation.

If you study Peter's thorough presentation of what submission means in the bible, I think you will find it very interesting. Once a person is saved, they are given the various relationships, both with other believers as well as with the world, and they are to line up with the Lord with each person. And he lists and shows what those relationships should be like.

I PETER 3:13 - 4:6: The Persecution in Salvation.

I PETER 4:7 - 5:9: The Exhortation in Salvation.

I PETER 5:10-11: The Benediction in Salvation.

I PETER 5:12-14: The Conclusion to Salvation.

So, it's all based around salvation, but all of these issues of suffering and persecution, and submission, and function, all of these different things are part of our salvation. It should not be looked at as being separate.

And that seems to be the theme in all of these letters because if you are poor, and suffering, and things are getting worse, you begin to wonder. I mean here in America with all that we have, even we sometimes begin to wonder "Lord, why are you doing this to me?"

That's often our approach to things as if though we have it bad. But we don't, not compared to these believers that we study about in Peter's letters.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 PETER (Part 7):

V. THE PURPOSE OF THE LETTER:

First Peter was written to warn the believers about the threat against the Church from the outside world.

Second Peter was written to warn the believers about the threat against the Church from inside the church, false teachers, and false teaching.

VI. THE THEME OF THE LETTER:

Persecution and Suffering. Peter wrote in order to warn the believing Jews in the DIASPORA that the persecution against the Church is going to intensify.

VII. THE STYLE OF WRITING:

When Peter quotes from the Old Testament, he quotes from the Septuagint which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew text. The Septuagint was written in Alexandria, Egypt around 300 B.C.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 PETER (Part 6):

So, there's going to be one theme, if you can catch the arrangement of the literature in the Jewish section. Remember in the book of Hebrews, it was to Hebrews who were enlightened to the truth, but because of persecution were going to turn back to the old religious system of Judaism.

In James, it was ministry to the poor saints, Jewish believers who were in the DIASPORA, and instructing them about the trying of their faith, that it's normal to suffer for the faith so you grow stronger.

This group of the DIASPORA was located just to the East of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. The Book of Revelation was written to these seven churches some 30 years after Peter wrote his letters.

IV. DATE OF WRITING:

Peter wrote his first letter around 63 A.D., right before his arrest in Rome. Peter wrote from Rome, but he used the cryptic name Babylon in his letter ( I Peter 5:13).

According to I Peter 5:12, Silvanus received the dictation of the letter.

Peter wrote his second letter right before 67 A.D. as he wrote it right before his death. Nero, the Roman Emperor, died around 68 A.D. Nero had Peter put to death, so obviously Peter had to die before 68 A.D.

Tradition tells us that Nero took Peter as the leader of the believers, spread wax on him, and was going to put him up on a pole because that was Nero's little hobby. He would round up the Christian leaders, wax them down, put them on a pole, and then light them on fire to light his garden at night.

And so, Nero came to Peter and said since you're the leader, I'll tell you what I'm going to do. Since your Savior was crucified, I'm going to crucify you instead. And it's recorded that Peter said I am not worthy to die like my Savior. If you're going to crucify me, crucify me upside down. So, tradition says that Peter was crucified upside down in Nero's Garden.

INTRODUCTION TO 1 PETER (Part 5):

You should understand that as Peter is leading in the first part of the book of Acts, at the persecution when the apostles left town in Acts Chapter 7, James (the Lord's half-brother), took over as the head of the church in Jerusalem. So, they actually had a council there that was the head of all ministry in Jerusalem. It wasn't Peter.

Then in Acts Chapter 15, here's where Peter comes, and Paul comes, and the council in Jerusalem gets together and they want to discuss the issue of salvation for the Gentiles. So, Peter is standing in front of the leaders in Jerusalem in Acts Chapter 15 giving testimony concerning the salvation of the Gentiles. After Acts Chapter 15, Peter disappears from the historical records until he writes his letters.

Galatians 2:7 states that Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, and Peter was the apostle to the Jews. After a few years, the leader of the church in Jerusalem was James while Paul and Peter traveled.

So, Peter was not there in charge. He was a missionary and traveling, and that's when he came back and reported to the council what he found about the Gentiles being born of the Spirit of God.

Paul died in Rome around 64 A.D. Peter died in Rome around 66-67 A.D.

III. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:

According to Verse 1, Peter wrote his letters to the DIASPORA, which is the designation for the Jews who had been displaced from Jerusalem. Starting in Acts Chapter 7, there was persecution against the believing Jews. And they all left the city of Jerusalem because of the persecution.

All of these Jews who left because of that reason were called the DIASPORA, which literally means the spreading over, or spreading out. It's a word used for a farmer planting seed as he goes through his field.

Remember, this word is also found in James. James ministered to the 12 tribes of the DIASPORA. Peter also writes to the DIASPORA. As a matter of fact, all the Jewish literature is written to the DIASPORA.