1 Peter, 2 Peter, And Jude [Hardcover]

This book proposes new and comprehensive chiastic structures as well as new unifying themes for the often-neglected New Testament letters of 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude. In accord with these structures, which organize the oral performance of these letters in a context of communal worship, the subtitle of the book, Worship Matters, expresses the letters' main concern. By worship is meant not only liturgical worship but also the ethical behavior that complements it for a holistic way of worshiping God. Matters refers not only to the matters or issues regarding worship in these letters but also to the fact that worship matters in the sense of making an all-important difference to Christian living, not only for the original audiences of letters, but equally for their contemporary audience. Accordingly, this book proposes that: 1 Peter exhorts its audience to worship for life, both present and eternal, through the sufferings of Jesus Christ; 2 Peter exhorts its audience to worship in the knowledge regarding the final coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; and Jude exhorts its audience to worship in the mercy and love of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. John Paul Heil applies to the letters of Peter and Jude the thoroughgoing chiastic analysis he has previously applied to Philemon, Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, Hebrews, and James. He argues that they are focused on worship, broadly understood, as he has previously argued is true of the letters of Paul, Hebrews, and James. All should find his application of these perspectives to the letters of Peter and Jude illuminating. --Terrance Callan, Dean of Special Studies and Professor of Biblical Studies, The Athenaeum of Ohio This is not a standard commentary in that few of the traditional introductory topics are covered. Nor is it a discussion of classical rhetorical methodology, but that allows Heil to focus on structure, specifically the macro- and micro-chiastic structures he sees in thelc^