New Testament Commentaries: 2 Peter/Jude

"Shorter books in the Bible like 2 Peter and Jude are often overlooked by believers as they flick through pages of Scripture. Furthermore, because these two books deal with the unpopular theme of God's judgement they end up being further neglected in the believer's life and understanding of Scripture. Yet the evils these authors speak about are still very much present in the church in Africa, and are no less deserving of judgment today. But these books also bear glorious testimony to God's power to preserve his people, and encourage us to stay steadfast and conform to the pattern of holiness in which we have been rooted." - Langham Publishing

"Jerome H. Neyrey gives us a thoroughly up to date and comprehensive study of two of the most obscure books of the New Testament. Written after the death of Jesus and his Apostles, the Epistles of 2 Peter and Jude offer a glimpse into the turbulent life of the early Christian communities. Neyrey’s fascinating study not only provides an entirely new translation of the two texts, but also stirring commentary that takes the reader inside groups located at the very edges of Christianity, in contact with the wider Roman world and Greek culture of the day.
Neyrey builds upon the excellent scholarship of the past, and introduces into the discussion factors that were rarely understood or considered in earlier times: the social, political, and economic setting in which the New Testament Epistles were written and read—the church as a community within the larger context of the vast Roman Empire of the late first and early second centuries. And while these letters are often considered peripheral or marginal to the New Testament, they nevertheless reveal and interpret one of the murkier eras in the life of the church. They reflect the hard times and difficult circumstances of the faithful, beset by treacherous comrades within and malevolent enemies without. But all the while, these documents express the constancy and commitment of those who found salvation and the renewal of life in the one Lord, Jesus Christ." - Yale University Press

"In this new addition to the award-winning BECNT series, respected New Testament scholar and biblical interpretation expert Gene Green offers a substantive yet highly accessible commentary on the books of Jude and 2 Peter. With extensive research and thoughtful chapter-by-chapter exegesis, Green leads readers through the sociological, historical, and theological aspects of these New Testament books. As with all BECNT volumes, Jude and 2 Peter features the author's detailed interaction with the Greek text. This commentary admirably achieves the dual aims of the series--academic sophistication and pastoral sensitivity and accessibility--making it a useful tool for pastors, church leaders, students, and teachers. The user-friendly design includes shaded chapter introductions summarizing the key themes of each thought unit." - Baker

"This is part of a series of modern commentaries based on new English translations made by their respective editors. While adhering strictly to sound scholarship and doctrine, they intend, above all, to bring out the theological and religious message of the New Testament to the contemporary Church." - Bloomsbury

"Daniel Keating has produced a clearly written commentary on 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude. It is striking how he integrates his exegetical insights with Catholic tradition and teaching, explains difficult terms and concepts in sidebars and a glossary, and maintains an exegetical flow alongside a practical focus as he carefully applies the three letters to the contemporary reader. This will certainly be a useful work for the layperson wishing to explore and understand these books as well as for the busy pastor who needs quick access, and it will be even more useful if they desire integration with the Catholic Catechism, the Church Fathers, and other relevant insights from Catholic tradition. The level of integration is striking and very much to be commended. Would that more commentators were equally integrated with their own pastoral and theological traditions." - Peter H. Davids

"The Catholic Epistles and Apostolic Tradition asks two questions: Can the Catholic Epistles from James to Jude be fruitfully examined in relation to each other, without contrasting them with the Pauline Epistles? And, if so, will we learn something new about them and early Christianity? The essayists here answer “yes” and “yes,” offering provocative perspectives on James, the Johannine epistles, the Petrine epistles, and Jude." - Baylor University Press

"First and Second Peter, James, and Jude have existed on the edges of the canon throughout the centuries. In this volume in the Interpretation series, Pheme Perkins casts light on these often neglected writings. She ably demonstrates that these "catholic epistles" have, in fact, much to offer to today's readers." - WJK Press

"In this commentary on Hebrews, James and Jude, Ben Witherington III applies his socio-rhetorical method to elucidate these letters within their primarily Jewish context, probing the social setting of the readers and the rhetorical strategies of the authors of the letters." - InterVarsity Press

“The letters of First and Second Peter and Jude are often neglected but they have much wisdom to offer. With this volume, Lewis Donelson integrates historical-critical concerns with theological issues, illustrating how many of the matters facing early Christian communities, and how they chose to deal with them, remain relevant to contemporary readers.” - WJK Press

"Crisis in the church is not a new phenomenon. In fact, the church has always been 'and probably always will be 'involved in some kind of crisis. Even in the apostolic period, which is regarded by many as the church's golden age, there were serious crises coming both from the outside, as in 1 Peter, and from the inside, as in Jude and 2 Peter. The three short New Testament letters treated in 1 Peter, Jude and 2 Peter illustrate the problems early Christians faced as well as the rhetorical techniques and theological concepts with which they combated those problems. In the first part of this volume, Donald Senior views 1 Peter as written from Rome in Peter's name to several churches in northern Asia Minor 'present-day Turkey 'in the latter part of the first century CE. The new Christians addressed in 1 Peter found themselves aliens and exiles in the wider Greco-Roman society and suffered a kind of social ostracism. But they are given a marvelous theological Vision of who they have become through their baptism and pastoral encouragement to stand firm. They are shown how to take a missionary stance toward the outside world by giving the witness of a holy and blameless life to offset the slander and ignorance of the non-Christian majority and possibly even to lead them to glorify God on the day of judgment." - Publisher

“[Bauckhams’s] commentary is clearly one of the finest commentaries to appear on Jude and 2 Peter in English. The exegesis is critical, balanced, and cognizant of divergent opinion. The discussions are conducted in the context of relevant primary and secondary literature. The reader will be delighted with the host of supporting references. As a specialist in eschatology and apocalyptic, Bauckham contributes much to Jude and 2 Peter studies.” Duane F. Watson

"Brimming with lavish, full-color photos and graphics, the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary walks you verse by verse through all the books of the New Testament. It's like slipping on a set of glasses that lets you read the Bible through the eyes of a first-century reader! Discoveries await you that will snap the world of the New Testament into gripping immediacy. Things that seem mystifying, puzzling, or obscure will take on tremendous meaning when you view them in their ancient context. You'll deepen your understanding of the teachings of Jesus. You'll discover the close, sometimes startling interplay between God's kingdom and the practical affairs of the church. Best of all, you'll gain a deepened awareness of the Bible's relevance for your life. Written in a clear, engaging style, this beautiful set provides a new and accessible approach that more technical expository and exegetical commentaries don't offer." - Zondervan