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Epistles

Epistles. A formal letter intended for a wide public audience rather than for a specific group or individual. An Epistle. James 1 and 2 Peter 1, 2, and 3 John Jude

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Epistles

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  1. Epistles

  2. A formal letter intended for a wide public audience rather than for a specific group or individual. An Epistle

  3. James 1 and 2 Peter 1, 2, and 3 John Jude All are attributed to prominent leaders of the original Jerusalem church. Six are attributed to the “pillars” James, John, and Peter Seven Epistles

  4. Epistles take the form of a letter, a sermon, or warning They are written pseudononymously Form

  5. Anonymous Reads like a treatise or a sermon The work does not contain the word “Hebrews” so scholars are not certain who the intended recipient was It dates somewhere between 65 to 100 CE Hebrews

  6. Earthly events and human institutions are seen as reflections of invisible heavenly realities The writer presumes two parallel worlds The writer has a sophisticated interpretation of Hebrew scripture Dualism in Hebrews

  7. The supremacy and absolute finality of the divine revelation through Jesus Christ Principal theme of Hebrews

  8. In the author’s view, Christ’s high priesthood supersedes that of the Levites Allegorical interpretation of the Day of Atonement When the High Priest enters the Holy of Holies to make a sin offering for the people, it must be renewed every year With the sacrifice of his life, Christ once and for all time, cancels the need for more sacrifice Christ as King-Priest

  9. The author says that Christianity is the only true religion, and is the fulfillment of Judaism Christ’s sacrifice is ratified by blood, like of old, but in a more perfect way The True Religion

  10. The authors asks for faith in unseen realities Chapter 11 elaborates on faith, and goes through Biblical characters who lived in faith This author’s version of faith is different from Paul’s—it is faith in unseen realities. Paul’s faith is always related to Christ Faith

  11. Sometimes attributed to James, “the Lord’s brother,” but the writer reveals no personal knowledge of Jesus nor Nazareth Anonymous authorship 80-100 CE One of the last books in the New Testament to be accepted into the canon James

  12. Focused on ‘good works’ ‘The World’ represents a society that repudiates God Thoroughly Jewish in its emphasis on merciful deeds He quotes from the Torah, not Jesus No central theme

  13. 2:14What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 2:24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. Paul asserted that people are saved through a trusting acceptance of God’s grace In conflict with Paul’s doctrine

  14. The New Testament’s most severe criticism of the rich He denounces Christian merchants and land owners who use their wealth and power to exploit their economic inferiors Attack on the rich

  15. Some similarities to James • Both addressed to believers scattered throughout Asia Minor • Both say ‘love cancels innumerable sins’ • Both urge believers to submit peacefully to trials and suffering from persecution 1 Peter

  16. The historical Peter would not likely have been able to write in such exceptionally fine Greek Some say Peter’s companion, Silvanus (Silas), could have translated Peter’s Aramaic dictation into sophisticated Greek The author does not reveal personal knowledge of Jesus Anonymous

  17. Author emphasizes Christ’s coming • Submit yourself to every human institution because the end is coming soon • This is similar to Paul’s thinking Parousia

  18. After 70 CE at least Christians of Asia Minor were persecuted under Domitian (95 CE) and Trajan (112 CE) who wrote to Pliny the Younger Conditions that Pliny wrote about match this letter This epistle was likely written in Rome, or code name “Babylon” Date?

  19. Pseudonymous, dated about 125 CE Jude (or Judas) was the brother of James, and presumably a kinsman of Jesus Jude

  20. Not so much a letter as an invective or argument using insult and verbal abuse He does not specify his issues with the teachers, but calls them names 4For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Warning against False Teachers

  21. Jude is considered the least creative book in the New Testament because of its use of insult rather than specifying the problem. Very brief at only 25 verses Last epistle in the New Testament

  22. Scholars believe this was the last written of the books accepted into the New Testament because • 1. it incorporates much of Jude • 2. it names Paul’s letters as “scripture” • This epistle dates to 140-150 CE • It was written in Rome 2 Peter

  23. The author takes on Peter’s identity to emphasize that this is true apostolic doctrine The author mentions his presence at the Transfiguration Peter’s identity

  24. To reinstate the early Christian apostolic hope of the Parousia He predicts the world will be destroyed by fire, something like the world had been destroyed by flood in Noah’s time The author predicts a new world will emerge from the fire Goal of 2 Peter

  25. According to the author, God has delayed the Parousia to allow more people to repent and be saved Delayed Parousia

  26. Scholars believe the same author wrote the three epistles Do not confuse this author with either the apostle John, nor the author of the Gospel of John This community follows the Gospel of John The letters date to about 100-110 CE (about ten years after the Gospel of John 1 John, 2 John, 3 John

  27. The author identifies himself as the Elder (or presbyteros) The author is evidently a leader of the Johannine community or ‘brotherhood’ The ‘elder’

  28. It addresses secessionists, or some who have withdrawn from the community and are spreading bad stories about it 1 John is a Sermon

  29. This is the first author to put forward standards to distinguish the ‘spirit of error’ from the ‘spirit of truth’ The author echoes Paul who asks believers to ‘test the spirits’ critically to evaluate the truth of the message Echoes Paul

  30. The secessionists may have been either Gnostics or Docetists who were promulgating that the Christ was a ‘revealer’ from heaven who temporarily occupied the body of Jesus The Johannine community insists that Jesus and the Christ are the same being and that he suffered and died Gnostics or docetists

  31. Only 13 verses It is a letter to another Johannine church Calls the secessionists ‘anti-Christ’ 2 John

  32. Private note to Gaius asking him to extend hospitality to some Johannine missionaries A rival leader had not extended such hospitality, and in fact had acted with undo authority (scholars note as some monarchical bishops in subsequent centuries). 3 John

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