The Bible in a Nutshell XXIII: 2 Peter 1, 1 John, & 2 John

If you've enjoyed this series on the books of the bible, then you also enjoyThe One Year Chronological Bible. We have come to our final two books of the Bible. Jude continues to counter false religions that would choke out Christianity. John, on the other hand, shifts his focus to the future with a writing that baffles many Christians as much today as it did the day it was written. Though there were many apocalyptic books in the Old Testament, John's is the only one in the New Testament.

Jude

The book of Jude is credited to James brother and Jesus' half-brother Judas, which is Greek for Jude. A portion of the material is almost identical to a portion of scripture from 2 Peter. It is difficult to say for certain who referenced whom, but it is likely the Jude referenced Peter. Again false teachings were addressed, specifically Gnosticism, which may have grown into a stronger more organized movement by now. Persecution was severe during this time and the number of first hand witnesses to Jesus' ministry and resurrection were dwindling. Jude stressed the validity of Jesus' Messiahship and warned against false gospels.

Revelation

The last book of the bible is apocalyptic letter written by John. John received revelation from God while on the island of Patmos where he was a prisoner. It's focus is one the establishment of the kingdom of God, Jesus' return to earth, encouragement for believers about the credibility of the gospel, and finally, an explanation of the intense persecution Christians were experiencing. The way John's letter was to be interpreted is widely debated and remains unsettled. There are those who tend towards a literal interpretation, and others who tend toward an allegorical interpretation. Since the 1800's, mainstream interpretation has tended to fall more on the literal end of the spectrum.