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Signing with the Cross

 

The Bible: Second Letter of St Peter

Author The Authorship of this letter was somewhat controversial in early church history. It claims to be Peter’s and, in character, is compatible with that claim. Certainly, the evidence strongly supports the 2 Peter being written by the same author as 1 Peter (see 1 Peter 1:1 and 2 Peter 3:1), although differences in style between the two have led to doubts. Today, the consensus is that Peter wrote both letters.

The author identifies himself as Simon Peter (1:1). In a highly personal passage, speaks in the first person singular (1:12–15) when he claims to have been an eyewitness of the transfiguration (1:16–18). He says this epistle is his second letter to the readers (3:1) and refers to Paul as ‘our dear brother’ (3:15).

Date Tradition teaches that Peter ministered in Rome during the 60s ad. Peter died during Nero’s persecution around 65 ad so the letter was written prior to this date. 2 Peter was written toward the end of Peter’s life (1:12–15). He mentions having written a prior letter (3:1) to the same readers (which is probably preserved today as 1 Peter). Therefore, 2 Peter was probably written during the period 65 and 68.

Purpose 1 Peter and 2 Peter were written to address different situations, so the two letters vary in terms of content and emphasis. In both, Peter acts as a pastor (literally ‘shepherd’) of Jesus’ sheep (see John 21:15–17), and seeks to commend to his readers a combination of Christian faith and practice.

Peter’s first letter employs a metaphor of sheep and shepherds, so he ‘feeds’ Jesus’ sheep by teaching them how to deal with persecution from outside the church (see 1 Peter 4:12). In this, his second letter, Peter next teaches the members how to deal with false teachers and evildoers who have come into the church (see 2:1, 3:3–4).

This, his second, letter is best divided into three sections which correspond to the three chapters. To that end, he wrote with three inter-related purposes, to:

1. stimulate Christian growth (chap. 1);
2. combat false t
   eaching (chap. 2); and
3. encourage watchfulness in view of Jesus certain return (chap. 3).

Chapter 1 encourages its readers by reminding them how Jesus has already equipped them to lead a godly life God. Their faith in Christ should be vibrant. He then cites the characteristics of that life (2 Peter 1:1–15). It is impossible to overestimate the impact of verse 1:4: ‘[by knowledge of this life] ‘you may participate in the divine nature’, which sponsors an entire branch of Greek and Russian Orthodox teaching.

Peter reminds his hearers that all prophecies, if genuine, will be fulfilled. For Peter, the most important evidence is his being an eyewitness of Jesus’ transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16–21).

Next, in chapter 2, he warns against false teachers—voices that deceive and draw people away from Christ into sin. They do so by teaching about things they do not understand. Peter gives a dire warning for these teachers, who will be judged harshly by God (2 Peter 2:1–9). Those who fall for these schemes are enslaved to sin (2 Peter 2:10–22).

Finally, in chapter 3, Peter addresses the specific claims of those false teachers. He again warns that those who pervert the message of God will be subject to extreme judgment. Anything not preserved by Christ will be utterly destroyed (2 Peter 3:1–13).

Peter concludes the letter with a reminder that saved Christians must set aside sin and focus on preparing to live in peace with God. He also refers to the writings of the apostle Paul as ‘Scripture,’ supporting the doctrine of divine inspiration (2 Peter 3:14–18).

Oddity The Letter to Jude and parts of 2 Peter look very similar (so, for example, compare 2 Peter 2 with Jude 4–18); they also show great differences. It has been suggested that one borrowed from the other or that both draw on a common source. In fact, it is very likely that Peter remained in contact with Jesus’ brother Jude after Pentecost so any similarities reflect ancient teaching from Jesus himself.

Biography -- Gonville ffrench-Baytagh

Gonville ffrench-Beytagh was born on 26 January 1913 in Shanghai, the son of an Irish businessman and a South African mother. He derived from two aristocratic Irish families.

Gonville was sent to an English boarding school at a young age when his parents separated. His experience of school Christianity made him determined never to attend a church ever again. He left England for New Zealand at the age of 17 but was soon expelled.

He became a down-and-out. After sleeping rough and doing casual labour, a chance encounter with a distant relative in late 1932 brought him to South Africa. He took odd jobs but was still an irreverent agnostic. He was mugged and beaten savagely while returning from a riotous party and was left with a broken jaw. He was visited in Johannesburg General Hospital by Alan Paton (author of Cry the Beloved Country) and was soon befriended by a brother in the Community of the Resurrection.

He attended Midnight Mass to placate his new friends and underwent a profound religious experience. He later wrote,

It was a hot night and as the doors had been closed, the air was completely still. I knelt at the communion rail, and as I knelt there I felt a very strong cool breeze—and that was all. I do not think that at the time I had any idea what the word ‘breath’ or the word ‘wind’ means to the Christian, or even that the Greek word for the ‘Holy Spirit’ means ‘breath’. I did not even think of Jesus breathing the spirit on his disciples. All I know is that this breath, or wind, which I felt, had a meaning and a content for me which I have never been able to communicate to anyone else, and still cannot describe.

A year after this experience, Gonville went to ordination college. It was 1936 and he was 24. He compared the experience to a prison. But he persevered and was ordained a deacon in 1938 and priest in 1939.

He served in several parishes and became a canon at Johannesburg Cathedral. He had no political consciousness until, many years later, he first made contacts outside white society. He said, ‘The utter nonsensicality of racial discrimination really hit me.’ He grew disillusioned with the stealthy encroachment of apartheid.

He was promoted often. His passport was confiscated in 1965 after agitating for freedom. He became a prominent opponent of apartheid, condemning it as ‘blasphemous against God and man.’ As Dean, he opened his cathedral’s doors to black worshippers; the police used dogs to chase him up the cathedral steps and beat him with a rhino-whip. But Gonville continued the protest. He arranged an international network of aid to support the education and healthcare needs of black South Africans.

At Christmas 1970, he preached that the ‘South African way of life’ was really the ‘South African way of death.’ He was arrested, placed in solitary confinement, and interrogated brutally. He was found guilty as a terrorist and jailed although the charges were clearly invented. His conviction was intended as a warning to his Anglican colleagues.

Gonville appealed against his conviction. The charges were upheld but the sentence commuted to deportation. He left for London that same day. In some respects the sentence was a mistake because, from England, he attained international prominence for his uncompromising resistance to apartheid.

Archbishop Michael Ramsey recognised his prophetic voice and made him rector of a London parish with no resident parishioners (!) and, thereafter, he had space and resources to focus on writing and spiritual direction. He retired in 1986 and died in 1991.

Gonville’s gifts as a speaker and spiritual counsellor were in great demand. He also had eccentricities and weaknesses, and suffered crippling depression, which he concealed with courage and wrote about frankly in his last books Out of the Depths and Encountering Darkness. His legacies include the peaceful transition in South Africa with a truly Christian Church at its centre; and the way he inspired so many to live and work for the Kingdom of God.

Did you know: Genesis 1 is a poem

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

The first chapter of Genesis describes the way that God created everything, taking six days to make Heaven and earth out of nothing. In order, He makes light (day 1); the sky (day 2); the earth, seas, and vegetation (day 3); the sun and moon (day 4); the animals of the air and sea (day 5); and land animals, then humans (day 6). God finally rested from his work (day 7) which explains why the Sabbath is a day of rest.

The magnificent description in Genesis 1 is highly repetitive, so each day starts with the Lord speaking, ‘And God said, ‘Let there be …’ and each ends with an affirmation, for example, ‘God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.’

Incidentally, each day follows the Jewish pattern and proceeds from sundown to sundown rather than midnight to midnight.

The descriptions are drawn very precisely, and are phrased with great precision. It is a poem. Furthermore, the highly repetitive nature of the poem suggests it was first written to be read aloud as liturgy. While we know almost nothing about the structure of ancient Jewish liturgy at this time, the context suggests either the start of planting season (in which case Genesis 1 should be seen as comprising a series of prayers that ask God for a good harvest), or these verses were read / sung at the harvest (in which case they celebrate God’s provision).

If Genesis 1 is a liturgical poem (either imploring or celebrating) then it is not history. Reading this chapter in a literal way is not valid and leads to ridiculous conclusions: the Bible contradicts science—for example, the biblical phases of creation are separate and distinct but science clearly shows they overlap; Genesis says creation occurred in six ‘days’ and science suggests millions of years; and so on. In fact, Genesis 1 never pretends to be science and God does not wish us to read this account in such a manner.