Download Free The General Epistles Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online The General Epistles and write the review.

The General Epistles are a collection of seven letters that were intended to be circulated among all the early churches. They were not sent to any one specific church and, with the exception of 2 and 3 John, do not address individuals by name. Their subject matter is important enough that the authors wanted all the churches to be informed on these matters. JAMES: One of the earliest books of the New Testament was written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, who was the pastor of the church in Jerusalem. James deals with the problems faced by Christians everywhere in their daily walk. For example, he discusses the religion that pleases God, faith which saves because it works, the power of the tongue, coping with suffering and warning against favoritism to the rich and famous. His advice is practical and written in a style that is reminiscent of the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament. 1 JOHN: Written by the disciple who was dearly beloved by Jesus, this epistle confronts the gnostic errors that were pummeling the early church. John wrote to clarify the heart of the Gospel which reflects the heart of Jesus. He exalted Jesus, promoted love to one another and urged believers to avoid sin and entanglement with the world. 2 JOHN: This epistle was written to encourage the churches in a time when deception was rampant and many believers were straying from the simplicity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He uses two key words in this letter to instruct them how to walk: truth and love. 3 JOHN: John urges the churches to support the itinerant workers who, in turn, support the house church network of that day. He provides us with a study in contrast as he condemns the domineering demands of Diotrephes and endorses the demonstrated diligence of Demetrius. 1 PETER: In this epistle, Peter writes to churches struggling with persecution and suffering. He urges them to depend upon the enduring Word of God, to live holy lives and not to be entangled in the affairs of this life. Their attitudes and actions should all be defined and delivered in the light of eternity. 2 PETER: This epistle was written very near to the end of Peter's life and he writes to warn his readers about the false teachers infecting the churches. He provides the basic steps to increase the fruitfulness of their lives and encourages them to pay attention to God's sure Word of prophecy, to be true to Christ, and to be ready for His expected return. JUDE: Like Peter's second epistle, Jude wrote to warn the churches of the influx of false prophets and teachers. These two epistles have several passages that are remarkably similar, a situation which indicates the seriousness of their words. Their letters had an immediate application to the destruction of Jerusalem, but the situation he describes and the advice he gives are directly applicable to the anticipated return of Christ in our lifetimes. As you use these Study Guides for LIFE, you will be helped by three specific tools: 1) Explanatory notes which offer insight into difficult or controversial passages; 2) Searching questions which direct you back to the text for answers, and 3) Probing questions that expand the context and challenge you to apply the truths in each book to your own culture. Our goal is that you will know what the text says, what it means and how to apply it appropriately. By these means you will be helped to experience the closeness and intimacy of the Lord Jesus Christ, structure your life around Him and prepare for His anticipated return. The Study Guides for LIFE are appropriate for the study efforts of individuals, small groups or teachers preparing to explain each book. Whether you are a curious seeker or a professional minister, these Study Guides will direct your studies into the advice of Jesus' apostles and followers, which are designed to produce disciples after God's own heart.
This second edition of An Introduction to the New Testament provides readers with pertinent material and a helpful framework that will guide them in their understanding of the New Testament texts. Many new and diverse cultural, historical, social-scientific, sociorhetorical, narrative, textual, and contextual studies have been examined since the publication of the first edition, which was in print for twenty years. The authors retain the original tripartite arrangement on 1) The world of the New Testament, 2) Interpreting the New Testament, and 3) Jesus and early Christianity. An appropriate book for anyone who seeks to better understand what is involved in the exegesis of New Testaments texts today.
The New Testament books of James through Jude-the General or Catholic Epistles-can be overlooked due to their brevity and location at the end of the canon. They contribute much, however, to our understanding of salvation and Christian living. In this accessible introduction for laypeople, pastors, and study group leaders, Professor Crowe explains the content of these letters and their implications for the church today. Book jacket.
Respected New Testament scholar Karen Jobes explores the cultural and theological background of Hebrews and the general epistles (James through Jude) in this rich commentary. Writing from an evangelical perspective, Jobes addresses issues of historical relevance as well as how these ancient books connect with Christian faith and practice today. Letters to the Church includes:-Historical background for each book focusing on authorship, genre, date, and content-An exploration of the major themes in each book and detailed commentary on key passages-Boxes with chapter goals, outlines, challenges, and significant verses-Sidebars addressing difficult passages or ideas-Maps, photographs, charts, and definitions-Questions for discussion, reflection, and testing-A comparison of the teachings about Christ in each of the lettersPastors, professors, students, and laypeople interested in deeper biblical study will find this an invaluable resource that offers well-researched commentary in an accessible, spiritually meaningful form.
This commentary on the Hebrews, the General Epistles, and Revelation, excerpted from the Fortress Commentary on the Bible: The New Testament, engages readers in the work of biblical interpretation. Contributors connect historical-critical analysis with sensitivity to current theological, cultural, and interpretive issues. Introductory articles describe the challenges of reading the New Testament in ancient and contemporary contexts, as well as exploring other themes ranging from the Jewish heritage of early Christianity to the contexts of diaspora. These are followed by the survey “Introduction to Hebrews, the General Epistles, and Revelation.” Each chapter (Hebrews through Revelation) includes an introduction and commentary on the text through the lenses of three critical questions: The Text in Its Ancient Context. What did the text probably mean in its original historical and cultural context? The Text in the Interpretive Tradition. How have centuries of reading and interpreting shaped our understanding of the text? The Text in Contemporary Discussion. What are the unique challenges and interpretive questions that arise for readers and hearers of the text today? Hebrews, the General Epistles, and Revelation introduces fresh perspectives and draws students, as well as preachers and interested readers, into the challenging work of interpretation.
Pastors and leaders of the classical church--such as Augustine, Calvin, Luther, and Wesley--interpreted the Bible theologically, believing Scripture as a whole witnessed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Modern interpreters of the Bible questioned this premise. But in recent decades, a critical mass of theologians and biblical scholars has begun to reassert the priority of a theological reading of Scripture. The Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible enlists leading theologians to read and interpret Scripture for the twenty-first century, just as the church fathers, the Reformers, and other orthodox Christians did for their times and places. This addition to the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible offers a new interpretation of the theology and the narrative context of 1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and Jude. Risto Saarinen makes three unique claims: 1) the Pastoral Epistles need to be understood in terms of character formation and diagnostic language, 2) the treatment of gifts and giving is a prominent feature of the epistles, and 3) a theological exegesis of these books results in a new view regarding the nature of doctrine. This commentary, like each in the series, is designed to serve the church--through aid in preaching, teaching, study groups, and so forth--and demonstrate the continuing intellectual and practical viability of theological interpretation of the Bible.
The catholic, or general, epistles of the "other apostles"-James, Peter, Jude and John-are sometimes overshadowed by the stirring theology of the great Apostle to the Gentiles, St. Paul. But these seven epistles are quiet gems of instruction, encouragement and exhortation for all believers. Written at various times and locations and to differing audiences, the general epistles nevertheless share some common themes: endurance under persecution, living out the Faith in a hostile society, discerning heresy by its fruits-namely, immorality and lack of love-and resisting it, holding fast to the apostolic faith. As Fr. Lawrence Farley deftly shows in this commentary, all these are timely themes from which believers today can richly profit.Working from a literal translation of the original Greek, this commentary examines the text section by section, explaining its meaning in everyday language. Written from an Eastern Orthodox and patristic perspective, it maintains a balance between the devotional and the exegetical, feeding both the heart and the mind.