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2 Peter 3;16-17

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Hard to understand 3 Genesis 12:1-3 (Read) 1. The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. 2. "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

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Hard to understand 4 Genesis 17:9-14 (Read) 9. Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.

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Hard to understand 5 12. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner--those who are not your offspring. 13. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting [age- long] covenant. 14. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."

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Hard to understand 6 Exodus 12:37-38 37. The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38. Many other people [a mixed multitude, KJV] went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.

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Hard to understand 7 Exodus 12:43-45 (Read) 43. The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "These are the regulations for the Passover: "No foreigner is to eat of it. 44. Any slave you have bought may eat of it after you have circumcised him, 45. but a temporary resident and a hired worker may not eat of it.

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Hard to understand 8 Exodus 12:48-49 (Read) 48. "An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat of it. 49. The same law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you."

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Hard to understand 9 Numbers 9:14. "`An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover must do so in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for the alien and the native-born.'

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Hard to understand 10 Joshua 5:2-8 (read) 2. At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again." 4-5. Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt- -all the men of military age--died in the desert on the way after leaving Egypt. All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the desert during the journey from Egypt had not. 7-8. So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. Question: What about the mixed multitude?

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Hard to understand 11 Isaiah 56: 4. For this is what the LORD says: "To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant [of circumcision] 5. to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. Note: the Ethiopian Eunuch

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Hard to understand 12 6. And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant- [of circumcision]- 7. these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."

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Hard to understand 13 Exodus 20: 9. Six days you shall labour and do all your work, 10. but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.

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Hard to understand 14 Luke 1:59-60: On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John. Luke 2:21: On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.

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Hard to understand 15 Peter and Cornelius: Acts 10 Peter; vision three times the Spirit Go! 10:28. "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. Note our law, not the law; Law themitos (custom; not nomos law; i.e. Mosaic Law) Question: But who / what was Cornelius? (later)

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Hard to understand 16 Climax of Peters speech: Acts 10:43; All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. The result: Acts 10:44; While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. Question: What were the reactions to this?

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Hard to understand 17 Reaction 1; Acts 10:45. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. Reaction 2: Acts 11:1-3: The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him and said, "You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them."

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Hard to understand 18 A little later; Acts 11:20-22; Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. Reaction? News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

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Hard to understand 19 Some time later; Acts 15:1-2: Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved. This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. Note; Paul & Barnabas did not win the debate! Why not? [Later]

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Hard to understand 20 Question: What has been going on? Acts 2:11; both Jews and converts to Judaism (Proselytes Isaiah 56:6-7) But there was another group; Acts 10:1-2: At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

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Hard to understand 21 Acts 10: 22-23: The men replied, "We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God- fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say. Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. Note: We have seen such God-fearing Gentiles before. Mark 7:24-29; The Greek woman Luke 7:1-9: The Roman centurion John 12:20-21; Some Greeks Court of the Gentiles Note: And we will come across more of them

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Hard to understand 22 Paul in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia Acts 13:26: "Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent... 13: 50. But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.

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Hard to understand 23 The end of Pauls first missionary journey Acts 14:26-28. From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. And they stayed there a long time with the disciples. Question: What happened there? Chaos!

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Hard to understand 24 What happened in Antioch? 1. Bad news from Galatia! 2. Problems with Peter and Barnabas! 3. Problems with Christian Jews from Jerusalem who said they had come from James!

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Hard to understand 25 1. Bad news from Galatia Galatians 1:6-9; (Read) another gospel: faith in Christ necessary but not sufficient A group of Christian Jews the Judaisers: the circumcision group (Galatians 2:12) Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved Galatians 2:1-3 (Read;) Titus not compelled to be circumcised... These men added nothing to my message 2. Problems with Peter and Barnabas Galatians 2:11-16 (Read)

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Hard to understand 26 3. problems with certain Christian Jews who said they come from James. Note; they had not been sent by James see Acts 15:23-24 (Read) Note verse 23: Gentile believers Note verse 24: without our authorisation... Troubling your mind by what they said. Question: what were they saying? The Gentiles had to be circumcised to be saved.

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Hard to understand 27 Acts 15:1-2: Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. Note: Paul & Barnabas did not win the debate? Question: Why not?

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Hard to understand 28 Why didnt Paul and Barnabas will the argument? From the Exodus through the Law to Isaiah 56:6-8: Foreigners... Sabbath & circumcision Pax Romana Judaism as registered religion of the Roman Empire Many Thinking Gentiles attracted to Judaism Jewish proselytising Galatians 5:11: Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?

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Hard to understand 29 So Paul & Barnabas did not win the debate... And could not win the debate... So... Acts 15:2... Off to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this questions And at Jerusalem? Acts 15:5: Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses." Note: believers even though...

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Hard to understand 30 Believers even though they... Taught faith in Christ was necessary but not sufficient They did not see the all sufficiency of Christs sacrifice for sin But people are saved by grace through faith even if they do not believe they are saved by grace through faith. If they have faith in Christ they are saved by that faith (by grace) even if they think their faith is insufficient and they have to perform some ritual or ceremonies. Not saved by faith in the gospel of salvation by grace; saved by faith in Christ.

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Hard to understand 31 That was hard for the Jews of the Acts period to accept. So what happened?

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Hard to understand 32 That was hard for the Jews of the Acts period. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:6-29) Peter spoke and totally supported Paul Paul & Barnabas spoke No doubt the opposition spoke What did they, the opposition, say? Abraham... Exodus... Law of Moses... Isaiah 56... Recent Proselytising

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Hard to understand 33 How much did Paul elaborate his case? [Later] James announced the decision. Decisions in a letter - Acts 15:22-29 (Read) Copies made no doubt The letter... Antioch, Syria, Cilicia... Galatia? (v 36)

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Hard to understand 34 In Galatia... In Lystra... Acts 16:3: Paul wanted to take him [Timothy] along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. Why? Lets return to the question: How did Paul elaborate his case to the Jerusalem Council?

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Hard to understand 35 1 Corinthians 7:18: Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Vs 19. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. Question: How well would that go down with some of the Christian Jews? Hard to swallow! Nothing else about circumcision in 1 Corinthians or 2 Corinthians or in any of the letters of the Acts period other than Galatians and Romans

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Hard to understand 36 Circumcision in Galatians 2:3-4. Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. [This matter arose] because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. False brothers unbelievers or incorrect believers (spurious brothers)

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Hard to understand 37 Galatians 5:2-6: (Read) 2-3.... if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all... every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 6. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Questions: (1) How would that go down with Jewish Christians? (2) Why, later, circumcise Timothy?

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Hard to understand 38 Galatians 6:11-15 (Read) 12. Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. [Persecution by whom?] 13. Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. [Boast to whom?]

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Hard to understand 39 Galatians 6:15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation. Question: How well would this, and the whole of this section, go down with Christian Jews?

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Hard to understand 40 Romans 2:25-29 (Read) How well would these words go down with Christian Jews? Romans 3:1-2: (Read) How well would these words go down with the Christian Jews? Roman 3:29-31 (Read) What would have been the reaction of Christian Jews to these words? How does this uphold the Law?

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Hard to understand 41 Romans 4:1-3: (read); note v 3 4:4-9: (read); note the question in v 9 and then the statement 4:10; note the question in v 10 and then the statement 4:11-12 (read): the climax of the argument Note in v 12:... Not only... But also Question: how well would that have gone down with Jewish Christians? And verse 13 may have rubbed salt in the wound.

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Hard to understand 42 S0 Romans was Pauls last letter written during the Acts period from Corinth in Acts 20:3. So when was 2 Peter written? Later

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Hard to understand 43 Acts 21:18-21 (Read) Misunderstanding or malicious lies? Did James and the elders believe this? No! Acts 21:22-24 (Read) The real trouble makers were... Acts 21:26-32 (Read) The trouble makers were Jews from Asia

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Hard to understand 44 S0 what did Peter write? 2 Peter 3:15-17: Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Question: Why did he write this?

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Hard to understand 45 To what is Peter referring? The nearness of Christs return? Not likely, as James and John and Jude (and Peter himself) all wrote about this. The place of circumcision (for the Jewish Christian) and the non-circumcision of Gentiles is much more likely as none of James, John, Jude or Peter even mention the word and neither does Hebrews. When did Peter write 2 Peter?

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Hard to understand 46 Peter wrote to the Jewish dispersion in... Pontus...Galatia... Cappadocia... Asia... Bithynia (1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 3:1) When did Peter write his second letter? After Paul wrote Galatians. But note 2 Peter 3:16: in all his letters. To which ones is Peter referring. Galatians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians; 1 & 2 Corinthians; Romans [other letters not inspired / preserved?]

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Hard to understand 47 What in 1 & 2 Thessalonians would be hard for Jewish Christians to understand? What in 1 & 2 Corinthians would be hard for Jewish Christians to understand? 1 Corinthians 7:18-19 (Read) 1 Corinthians 10:24-31 (Read) Did the people to whom Peter wrote have access to the Corinthians Letters? Was 2 Peter written after Paul wrote to the Corinthians?

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Hard to understand 48 And what about Romans? What is hard in Romans for the Jewish Christians of the Acts period to understand? Romans 3:28-31 (Read); 4:11-12 (Read) Romans 11:11-15 (Read) 11. Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. 13-14. I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.

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Hard to understand 49 So when did Peter write his second letter? Why did he write... 2 Peter 3:15-16. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

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Hard to understand 50 Why did he write... 2 Peter 3:15-16. To support and defend Paul, just as he did at the Jerusalem Council. Peter may have been impulsive and, on the spur of the moment said the wrong thing and under pressure did the wrong thing but... Whenever he had time to consider the situation he said and did the right thing. A lesson in that for us?

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Hard to understand 51 Let us now leave Peter and go on and look at two related subjects. How many of the circumcision group of Jewish Christians listened to the decision of the Jerusalem council? What effect did Pauls later ministry have on the Jewish Christian world? [Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon] Lets look at circumcision in those later letters.

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Hard to understand 52 Colossians 2:11: In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ. [cp Ephesians 2:11] Colossians 3:11: Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Note: this saying more that Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

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Hard to understand 53 Philippians 3:2-3: Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh. Question: Has Paul finally lost patience with the remnant of the circumcision group of Christian Jews?

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Hard to understand 54 Titus 1:10-11: For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach--and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Note 1: 15-20 years after the Jerusalem Council! Note 2: Their motives had changed, from genuine misunderstanding to making money!

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Hard to understand 55 What happened to the Jewish Christians after the end of the Acts Period? During the Acts period the Jewish Christians... They had the gospel first (Romans 1:16) They had the blessings first, and also the judgments (Romans 2:9-10) They had the advantages, the first place (Romans 3:1-2) They had the privileges (Romans 9:1-5) The Gentiles were blessed through them (Romans 11:17-18)

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Hard to understand 56 But things were to change! Jewish & Gentile equal (Ephesians 3:6; Colossians 3:11) The two (Jewish Christian and Gentile Christian) made one fellow citizens (Ephesians 2:11-19) The Greek Titus left in charge of Crete. Man made physical circumcision replaced by a spiritual circumcisions performed by Christ. (Colossians 2:11) And the Law abolished (Ephesians 2:14-15; Colossians 2:13-17 )

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Hard to understand 57 Question: What effect did this have on the Jewish world? That is the Christian Jews? Colossians 4:10-11: These are the only Jews among my fellow workers. [What happened to all the Christian Jews in Rome?] 2 Timothy 1:15: You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me. Note Acts 21:17: Some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him.

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Hard to understand 58 But there were already problems in the churches of Asia see Revelation chapter 2 & 3. But note Acts 28:25-28 and note verse 28; "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen! And listen they did... And are still doing so... But what about the Jewish world of today? And what about the Jews sometime in the future?

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Hard to understand 59 Hebrews 8:10-12 (quoting from Jeremiah 31:31-34) This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, `Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

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Hard to understand 60 Romans 11:26-27: And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins." Question: When will this be? Answer: When Christ returns! Question: And when will that be? Answer