Tara-Leigh Cobble

Peter, who is in the inner circle of Jesus.

Peter, the Christ-appointed sheep feeder.

This is a big deal.

It's one of the main reasons Paul's letters are canonized.

Not long after this, Peter dies by crucifixion, just like Jesus promised him in John 21.

Except church history tells us that he allegedly requested to be crucified upside down because he didn't deserve the honor of dying in the same way Jesus died.

Now on to our next book, Jude.

Remember the book of James slash Jacob written by the brother of Jesus?

This book is almost certainly written by one of his other brothers, Jude, aka Judah, aka Judas, but not that Judas.

We first met him in Matthew 13.

We aren't sure exactly who he's writing to, but it seems to be a congregation of Jewish Christ followers because he makes a lot of references to both the Hebrew scriptures and to other books that were well-known in Jewish history.

He opens by reminding them that they are called by God and kept in Christ.

God's calling and his keeping always coincide.

He warns them about the false teachers and reminds them that none of this surprises God.

In fact, even this is somehow part of God's plan.

Peter hinted at this same idea as well.

It's comforting to know that none of this leaves God wringing his hands trying to figure out what to do.

Judah also recounts the stories from the past of how God has punished the rebellious wicked people while sparing the righteous.

The escape from Egypt, the fallen angels, and Sodom and Gomorrah.

In these examples, we see specific sins represented that both Jude and Peter say the false teachers are guilty of too.