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Overview of 1st and 2nd Peter
AUTHOR: Unknown
PUBLISHED ON: May 6, 2003
DOC SOURCE: CCN
PUBLISHED IN: Bible Studies

# INTRODUCTION     Since Peter is proclaimed as the first Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, I thought that it would be advantageous to go through the epistles of I and II Peter and glean out anything that would be useful in witnessing to a Roman Catholic.  I used The New American Bible which is an easy-to-read Catholic version that is put out by the Catholic Biblical Association of America.  It is a study Bible and has the approval of the Vatican.     The following are passages and explanations of how I see their usefulness in witnessing to Catholics.  I did not pick passages that need a lot of explanation or need explanation from outside of I and II Peter. I PETER PASSAGE                  PURPOSE OF THIS PASSAGE 1:2            I will stress “… consecrated by the Spirit               to a life of obedience to Jesus Christ and               purification with His blood.”  Discussing               what is meant by the purification of Christ#39;s               blood is an important place to start. 2:4-7          This passage can be compared to Matthew 16:18               to show that Christ is the cornerstone. 2:9            This passage can used to show the priesthood               of the believer over a chosen few who are               called priests by the Catholic Church. 3:18          This passage talks about “The reason why               Christ died for sins once for all … might               lead you to God.”  This passage shows why               Christ died and His victory over death. 5:1            “To the elders among you I, a fellow elder               …” shows that Peter did not see himself               above the other elders of the church, but as               an equal.     II PETER PASSAGE                  PURPOSE OF THIS PASSAGE 1:1            “Simon Peter, servant and apostle of Jesus               Christ …” shows that Peter is the servant               of Jesus and not of Mary. 1:17-18        This passage tells of the time that Peter and               the apostles heard God talk from heaven               saying that He was well pleased with Jesus               His Son.  I have had Catholics say to me,               “How can we really be sure that there is a               God?”  This would be a scriptural passage               from that of an eyewitness, Peter himself. 1:20-21        This passage can of course be used to show               Peter#39;s claim to the inspiration of the               scriptures. 2:4-15        This passage shows that God did not spare the               angels that sinned, the people from Noah#39;s               time, and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah,               but that He did spare Lot, a righteous man.               It then goes on to show that God does judge               the wicked.  Purgatory, salvation through               Mary, Joseph or the saints is not mentioned               here even though a wicked life has been               lived. 3:6-13        This passage shows that Christ will come               again and that He will be as a thief in the               night.  He will come for the purpose of               judgment.  To sincere Roman Catholics, this               passage will make them think about their               system of salvation by works and if they are               really going to heaven.  This would be a good               passage for creating doubt in their minds. 3:15-16        This is a great passage showing the fact that               Paul#39;s writings are scripture.  Tying this               back into II Peter 1:20-21, I can then take               them (with Peter#39;s consent) into any other               part of scripture, but especially Paul#39;s               writings to give them a clearer salvation               message.

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