THE GENERAL EPISTLES: Hebrews, James, Peter (1&2), John (1,2,&3), Jude

•Also referred to as “catholic” (universal) •These are not OCCASIONAL Letters so much as general correspondence to churches in a wider geographical area•Each grouping deals with a rather specific audience and specific themes•Two of the books (Hebrews and James) are more like sermons than letters

HEBREWS

Author: One of the most disputed issues in New Testament studies – we don’t know! A student of Paul, Apollos, Barnabas or Luke?

Audience: Hebrews – Jewish people... Again, we just don’t know! Jewish Christians?

Date – 60-90 AD – Testing… Need to Endure! THEME of Hebrews: The Supremacy of Jesus

…Jesus is superior to all, the covenant he establishes between us and God is superior!

The Structure of HEBREWS

Sections of Exposition (telling us what God has done) followed by Exhortation (telling us how we are to live in light of the exposition)

Jesus, God’s Final Word …LISTEN! (1:1-3) Jesus, our Pioneer and Priest… COME BOLDLY

TO THE THRONE (4:14-16) Jesus, our Great High Priest… DON’T FALL

AWAY, GROW UP! (6:1) Jesus, the Mediator of a Better Covenant…

HEBREWS

GOD’S HALL OF FAME (Hall of Faith)– Abraham… Isaac, Jacob, Joseph…– Moses… Gideon, Samuel, David…– Our Greatest Faith Hero – Jesus Himself

CALL TO PERSEVERE (12:1-3) Therefore,

since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us run with perseverance the race…keeping our eyes on Jesus… Consider him who endured… so you don’t lose heart!

JAMES

Author – James, the brother of Jesus (Gal 1:19) – a prominent leader of the church in Jerusalem

Audience – Jewish Christians of the Diaspora (dispersion) assembling in synagogues instead of churches

Date – possibly before 62 AD (when James was believed to be martyred).

THEME of James – Instructions on Christian Living (paraenesis) – akin to Wisdom Literature

JAMES – Key Verses / Ideas

Testing of faith is a good thing – develops endurance and maturity (1:1-12)

Be doers of the word, not just hearers (1:22) No partiality or favoritism in the church (2:1-13) Faith without works is dead (2:14-26) Guard your tongues (3:1-12) Patience in suffering (5:7-12) Praying for the sick (5:13-20)

PETER

Author – Peter, the disciple of Jesus – the great apostle of Pentecost – the rock…

Audience – Jewish / Gentile Christians of Asia Minor Date – if Peter, before 68 AD, if a later scribe who wrote

in Peter’s name, 90-150 AD. THEME of 1 Peter – Encouragement to believers to live

holy lives, distinctive lives, and to persevere in a time of severe trial and persecution.

THEME of 2 Peter –Living faithfully in this world until the Lord returns

PETER

As God, who calls you is holy, you be holy in all your conduct (1 Peter 1:15)

You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s peculiar treasure… (1 Peter 2:9)

Live as resident aliens (1 Peter 2:11) Suffering – trust God and do good (1 Peter 4:19)

God’s power gives us everything we need to live a godly life – great promises – that we may share in the very life and being of God (2 Peter 1:4)

JOHN

Author – John, the disciple of Jesus – the great apostle Audience – Churches of Asia Minor Date – 90-120 AD, a time of persecution under Domitian,

and syncretism THEME of 1 John – Encouragement to believers to walk

in the light, to love one another, and a warning against being led astray.

THEME of 2 John – Continue in the truth of Christ THEME of 3 John – Proper behavior in church

JOHN

Walk in the light. (1 John 1:9)Do not love the world. (1 John 2:15)We will be like him (1 John 3:1-3)Love means laying down your life for

another (1 John 3: 16-17)Love one another (1 John 4:7-11)Jesus has come in the flesh

JUDE

Author – Jude – a servant of Jesus and brother of James – half-brother of Jesus

Audience – Jewish Christians Date – if Jude, AD 55-80 THEME of Jude – Stay true to the gospel of

Christ, don’t fall or turn away “Build yourselves up on your most holy faith and

pray in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20)

REVELATION

Author: John, the ApostleAudience: The seven churches of Asia

Minor facing oppression and persecutionDate: AD 95-96, during the reign of

DomitianTHEME of Revelation – The Lamb Has

Overcome!

THEMES OF REVELATION

God is in control of historyGod is holy and worthy to be praisedThe Lion of Judah is the Lamb slain from the

foundation of the world (Rev. 5)Evil is defeated – Red horse (war), Black horse

(famine), Pale green horse (death) White horse – the conquering One (6, 19)

New heaven / New earth (21-22)

Theological Themes of the General Epistles/Revelation

•In this world, the church will encounter trials, hostility, and persecution•Testing and hardship develop character•Stay true to God, no matter what•Don’t ever give up – persevere•Love one another •God has triumphed - in Jesus, the Lamb•We too shall triumph – in Jesus, our Lord

THE STORY OF GOD

•CREATION – made for relationship•CRISIS – we have turned away•COVENANT – God calls to us•CYCLE – we continue to go our own way•CROSS – God is with us, for us, in us•COMMUNITY – We are God’s people•CONSUMMATION – all things new!