Holier Than Thou

Who wrote the books of the Bible and when?

1 Peter, a general letter (or epistle) to Jewish Christians in Asia Minor, was written some time between A.D. 62 and 64 by Simon Peter (also called Cephas in John 1:42), an apostle of Jesus, brother of Andrew, son of John, and fisherman by trade from Bethsaida in Galilee. The purpose of this letter was to convince believing Jews of the supremecy of Christ and the divine election of his body, as well as to point out the suffering and reward of faith in Jesus. According to tradition, Peter was crucified in Rome around A.D. 64 to 68 (by accounts from Origen, it was at his request that he was crucified upside down as being unworthy of the same death as Christ). The First Epistle of Peter includes:

Greetings to those chosen by God in the provinces of Asia Minor
Praise to God for Christ, the living hope
Inheritance in heaven for those who suffer in faith
Be holy as he who called you is holy
Jesus, the living Stone
People of God are strangers in this world
Submission to rulers and masters
Submission of wives and consideration of husbands
Live in harmony and suffer for doing good
Living according to God
Suffering for Christ
Admonitions to elders and young men
Final greetings

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do -- living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Peter 4:1-6)

2 Peter, a general letter (or epistle) to Jewish Christians, was written around 66 and 67 A.D. by Simon Peter, an apostle of Jesus, shortly before his death. The purpose of this letter was to serve as a strategy for spiritual growth, warn of false teachers, and as a reminder of Christ's second coming. The Second Epistle of Peter includes:

Increasing spiritual qualities
Prophecies from God through men
The destruction of false teachers
Scoffers in the last days
The day of the Lord will come like a thief
The distortion of Paul's letters
Being on guard against lawlessness

We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." [Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7, Luke 9:35] We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
And we have the words of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:16-21)