Catholic (General) Epistles

1. Catholic (General) Epistles James; 1 and 2 Peter; 1, 2, and 3 John; and Jude

2. See Textbook, Chapter 15, “General Epistles and a Vision of End Time”, pp. 505-506 and 508-516.

3. Introduction: • Catholic Epistles: • intended for the Church at Large; • called epistles because most of them are formal communications intended for public reading in many different churches; • thus, they differ from Paul’s epistles that were intended for specific recipients; • however, the term epistle does not adequately describe their diverse literary forms; • all attributed to prominent leaders of the original Jerusalem church; • three are ascribed to “pillars” of the Jerusalem church: Peter, James, and John (Galatians 2.9); • practice of attributing works to well-known but deceased persons is called pseudonymity. • in this, early Christians followed the lead of the Jews of the Hebrew Scriptures (e.g., Psalms of David and the Wisdom of Solomon);

4. James: • A Jewish-Christian anthology of ethical instructions; • most scholars question the claim that the work was written by James, “the Lord’s brother” (Mt 13.55; Mk 6.3; Gal 1.19); • the author never refers to either Jesus or his gospel; • according to Josephus (Antiquities. 20.9.1), James was martyred ca. 60-62 CE; • a compilation of ethical advice (59 of 108 verses are in the imperative) made between 80 and 100 CE; • one of the last NT books to be accepted into the canon; • addressed to the “Twelve Tribes dispersed throughout the world” (1.1); resembles a sermon more than a letter; its advice is mostly general;

5. James’ Concept of Religion: • Defines religion as typically Jewish good works (1.26-27); • charitable practices that will save the soul and cancel a multitude of sins (5.19-20); • the type of religion that God approves is practical: • helping “orphans and widows” ; and • keeping “oneself untarnished by the world” (1.27); • James’ religion cannot be formulated into doctrines, creeds, or rituals.

6. James’ Teaching on Faith: • James asserts that it was Abraham’s action – his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac – that justified him in God’s eyes (2.21; Gen 22.9-14); • see 2.24; • the implication is that one earns divine approval through hard work and service to others; • this appears to be other than Paul’s teaching on faith in Galatians and Romans 1-8; • Martin Luther rejected James’ argument, describing the work as “strawlike” because it seemed to recognize the primacy of divine grace; • James’ Teaching on Faith: • James asserts that it was Abraham’s action – his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac – that justified him in God’s eyes (2.21; Gen 22.9-14); • see 2.24; • the implication is that one earns divine approval through hard work and service to others; • this appears to be other than Paul’s teaching on faith in Galatians and Romans 1-8; • Martin Luther rejected James’ argument, describing the work as “strawlike” because it seemed to recognize the primacy of divine grace; • James’ Teaching on Faith: • James asserts that it was Abraham’s action – his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac – that justified him in God’s eyes (2.21; Gen 22.9-14); • see 2.24; • the implication is that one earns divine approval through hard work and service to others; • this appears to be other than Paul’s teaching on faith in Galatians and Romans 1-8; • Martin Luther rejected James’ argument, describing the work as “strawlike” because it seemed to recognize the primacy of divine grace; • James’ Teaching on Faith: • James asserts that it was Abraham’s action – his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac – that justified him in God’s eyes (2.21; Gen 22.9-14); • see 2.24; • the implication is that one earns divine approval through hard work and service to others; • this appears to be other than Paul’s teaching on faith in Galatians and Romans 1-8; • Martin Luther rejected James’ argument, describing the work as “strawlike” because it seemed to recognize the primacy of divine grace; • James’ Teaching on Faith: • James asserts that it was Abraham’s action – his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac – that justified him in God’s eyes (2.21; Gen 22.9-14); • see 2.24; • the implication is that one earns divine approval through hard work and service to others; • this appears to be other than Paul’s teaching on faith in Galatians and Romans 1-8; • Martin Luther rejected James’ argument, describing the work as “strawlike” because it seemed to recognize the primacy of divine grace; • James’ Teaching on Faith: • James asserts that it was Abraham’s action – his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac – that justified him in God’s eyes (2.21; Gen 22.9-14); • see 2.24; • the implication is that one earns divine approval through hard work and service to others; • this appears to be other than Paul’s teaching on faith in Galatians and Romans 1-8; • Martin Luther rejected James’ argument, describing the work as “strawlike” because it seemed to recognize the primacy of divine grace; • James’ Teaching on Faith: • James asserts that it was Abraham’s action – his willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac – that justified him in God’s eyes (2.21; Gen 22.9-14); • see 2.24; • the implication is that one earns divine approval through hard work and service to others; • this appears to be other than Paul’s teaching on faith in Galatians and Romans 1-8; • Martin Luther rejected James’ argument, describing the work as “strawlike” because of its failure to regonize the primacy of divine grace;

7. Attack on the Rich: • Criticism of the rich (4.13-5.4); • Denunciation of Christian merchants and landowners who use their wealth and power to exploit their economic inferiors (Deut 24.14-15); • employers defraud their employees; • such injustice outrages the Creator; • A note of optimism: • sinners can hope for recovery; • God’s healing grace operates through congregational prayer for the afflicted; • the power of a good person’s prayer (5.13-20). • Attack on the Rich: • Criticism of the rich (4.13-5.4); • Denunciation of Christian merchants and landowners who use their wealth and power to exploit their economic inferiors (Deut 24.14-15); • employers defraud their employees; • such injustice outrages the Creator; • A note of optimism: • sinners can hope for recovery; • God’s healing grace operates through congregational prayer for the afflicted; • the power of a good person’s prayer (5.13-20).

8. 1 Peter: • Scholars question the authorship of the work; • addressed to churches in Asia Minor (1.1); • written “through Sylvanus [Silas]” (5.12); thus, the reason for its excellent Greek; • the work is probably pseudonymous and probably written after apostolic times; • author refers to himself as “an elder” (5.1) – a church official; • many scholars date it to the time of Domitian (ca. 95 CE) or Trajan (ca. 112 CE); • greetings from “her who dwells in Babylon” (5.13) – the Christian code word for Rome;

9. 1 Peter: • A baptismal sermon or a real letter: • presents readers with a vivid survey of both the privileges and dangers involved in adopting the Christian way of life; • Outline: • 1. The privileges and values of the Christian calling (1.3-2.10); • 2. The obligations and responsibilities of Christian life (2.11-4.11); • 3. The ethical meaning and suffering as a Christian (4.12-5.11).

10. 1 Peter: • 1. The privileges and values of the Christian calling (1.3-2.10): • to an audience who does not know Jesus; • the author emphasizes the value of the faith transmitted to them; • use their present trials and difficulties as means of showing their commitment and quality of their love (1.3-7); • Christians are a new “chosen race”, “a royal priesthood”, “a holy nation”, and a people claimed by God for his own (2.9-10).

11. 1 Peter: • The obligations and responsibilities of Christian life (2.11-4.11): • The responsibilities and moral conduct of God’s people; • this section contains Pauline ideas especially relative to matters of Christian behaviour and obedience to the Roman state (compare Romans 13 and 1 Peter 3.13-15, 2.18, and 3.1-2); • references to Jesus descent into the Underworld (Hades): • - 3.18-20 and 4.6.

12. 1 Peter: • 3. The ethical meaning and suffering as a Christian (4.12-5.11): • The ethical meaning of suffering as a Christian; • As followers of Christ, they must expect to share his suffering (4.12-16); • What will happen to the wicked (4.17-19)? • Elders must shepherd the flock with loving care; young people must submit to their rule (5.1-7); • All must remain alert because the devil prowls the earth (5.8); • the faithful who resist the devil will share in Christ’s reward (5.10).

13. Jude: • Author: “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James” (1.1); • however, the work itself indicates that the time of the apostles is past (1.17); • scholars think that the work is pseudonymous; • composed ca. 125 CE; • perhaps in Rome;

14. Jude: • The work castigates an unidentified group of heretics (1.4); • Its intent is to persuade the recipients to defend orthodox Christian traditions (1.3); • The author does not try to correct the errors of the heretics rationally; • For this reason, the work is seen as the least creative book of the NT; • The author verbally abuses and insults the heretics (vv. 4 and 10); • They are doomed to suffer divine wrath (1.11);

15. Jude: • Jude cites several nonbiblical sources; • For example, in 1.14-15 the author cites Enoch; • Does this mean that some early Christian groups regarded Enoch as authoritative? • Work refers to a postbiblical legend about the archangel Michael contenting for Moses’ body (1.9); • Is this from “Assumption of Moses”, another pseudepigraphical work? • The ending of the work is a remarkable doxology (1.24-25).

16. 2 Peter: • Incorporates most of Jude into Chapter 2; • written in the second century in Peter’s name; • probably in Rome ca. 140-150 CE; • late date indicated by the incorporation of Jude, a reference to Paul’s letters as “Scripture” (3.16), and its concern with the delayed Parousia (Ch. 3); • early lists of NT books omit 2 Peter; • one of the last works to be accepted into the NT canon;

17. 2 Peter: • The author presents his credentials (1.17-18; 1.14; 3.1; 3.15); • Against “false teachers” who pervert the apostolic traditions (2.1); • Judgment will fall upon them (2.4-6); • the primary goal of the work is to set forth the early Christian apocalyptic hope of the Parousia (Second Coming) (Chapter 3); • a prediction of a holocaust (3.7, 10); • a third world will replace the previous two destroyed – by water (Noah’s time) and by fire; • “new heaven and a new earth” were there will be true justice, the eschatological kingdom of God (3.13); • from God’s vantage point, the Parousia is not delayed; • God’s slowness to act is because God wills to save all people (3.8-9).

18. 1, 2, and 3 John: • - traditionally ascribed to the apostle John; • - The author of 2 and 3 John identifies himself as the “Elder” (presbyteros) (2 John 1.1; 3 John 1.1); • The author of 1 John does not mention his function or office in the church; • most scholars believe that the same person wrote the three works; • but the author is not identified with either the apostle John or the author of the Gospel according to John; • the letters are generally dated to ca. 100-110 CE; • the letters give insight into the Johannine community or “the community of the beloved disciple” that produced and used the Fourth Gospel as its standard of belief.

19. 1 John: • A sermon against former members who have recently withdrawn from the Johannine community; • they are the “anti-Christs” (2.18-19); • the Elder is of the opinion that the “last hour” has arrived (2.18); • the problem as to how the believer was to determine which among opposing “inspirations” was truly from God; • the Elder is the first Christian writer to propose how believers can distinguish “the spirit of error” from “the spirit of truth (4.1-6); • the believers are asked to “test the spirits” critically (4.1) to evaluate the reliability of the competing messengers.

20. 1 John: • The Elder’s Christological test of true faith: • Jesus (the man) and Christ (the heavenly being) were one person, “in the flesh”; • those who deny this “light” now walk in “darkness”. • The community’s cardinal rule: • 1 John 3.11 • people who do not love cannot know God because “God is love” (4.8-9); • to love God is also to cherish God’s human creation (4.19-21); • loving God necessitates keeping his commandments (5.1-5); • this means living as Jesus did, serving others’ welfare (2.6).

21. 2 John: • The author’s purpose is to warn of the “anti-Christ”, the one who teaches that Jesus Christ did not live as a material human being (1.7); • He urges the letter’s recipients not to welcome such Christians into their homes (1.10-11); • He cites one cardinal rule, the love that is their community’s sole guide (1.5-6).

22. 3 John: • - The form of a private letter from the Elder to a certain Gaius; • The Elder’s private note to his friend Gaius asking him to extend hospitality to some Johannine missionaries (1.8); • A rival leader denies hospitality to the missionaries and expels from the community any persons who attempt to aid them; • This leader does not practice the community’s essential commandment.

23. “Questions for Review”, pp. 515-116 in the Textbook; “Questions for Discussion and Reflection”, p. 516 in the Textbook; “Terms and Concepts to Remember”, p. 516 in the Textbook.