The Epistles of Peter—A Living Hope
The Apostle Peter was crucified around a.d. 67–68—some two or three years before the a.d. 70 holocaust in Jerusalem. That disaster was only a type of the coming Great Tribulation, about to explode on the world scene today. Peter knew that he was going to be crucified shortly after his epistles were written. Paul had been killed about a year or two before Peter’s death. Other apostles had also been killed. There was a storm of persecution. As Peter wrote his book they were entering into the darkest of times. Still, it was only a type of the worst time of suffering ever on Earth, which is descending upon us today. In spite of all this bad news, Peter had a message filled with hope. He wanted God’s people to be in an attitude of hope so they could continue to grow spiritually. The last verse of Peter’s epistles (2 Peter 3:18) emphasized that crucial issue. We have no future if we aren’t growing spiritually.
‘A Living Hope’
Peter wailed violently after he betrayed Jesus Christ, according to one translation. He was in the depths of hopelessness.
He had told Christ that he would never forsake Him. Christ’s response was that Peter would betray Him three times before the rooster crowed. When the soldiers came to take Christ, Peter followed at a safe distance. Then Peter warmed himself in a courtyard and people recognized him. They accused him of being a disciple of Christ. He denied it, even cursing them. After he denied Christ the third time, the rooster crowed. At that point, Peter remembered Christ’s words and wept bitterly! (Luke 22:54–62).
Never was Peter more hopeless.
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