Catholic General Epistles James 1 and 2 Peter

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

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

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 3

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; 4

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. 5

James’ Teaching on Faith: -Jamesassertsthatititwas was. Abraham’saction––his hiswillingnessto 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 it seemed its failuretotorecognize regonizethe theprimacyof ofdivinegrace; 6

Attack on the Rich: -Criticismof ofthe therich(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). 7

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; 8

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). 9

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). 10

1 Peter: 2. 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. 11

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). 12

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; 13

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); 14

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). 15

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; 16

2 Peter: - The author presents his credentials (1. 17 -18; 1. 14; 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. 89). 17

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 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. 18

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. 19

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). 20

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). 21

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. 22

“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. 23