Introduction

1. General Epistles Introduction © John Stevenson, 2011

2. Dr. John T. Stevenson • Family Life • Academic Life

3. Dr. John T. Stevenson • Family Life • Academic Life • Professional Life

4. Dr. John T. Stevenson • Family Life • Academic Life • Professional Life • Spiritual Life • Ministry Life

5. Dr. John T. Stevenson http://JohnStevenson.net JohnStevenson@Bellsouth.net Jstevens@mail.tiu.edu

6. Group Introductions • Your name • Your home church • Where are you in the TIU process? • What classes have you already taken in the area of the Old or New Testament?

7. Course Objectives • To see the different social situations and theological developments that distinguish the later New Testament epistles from the earlier epistles. • To understand the critical issues of authorship of these epistles. • To explain the political background of these epistles. • To understand the flow of thought of each individual book.

8. Course Objectives • To assess the influences of various sub-Christian cults or religious tendencies such as Gnosticism, Doceticism, and the Ebionites. • To produce contemporary applications of the lessons learned from these epistles.

9. Textbooks Marshall, Travis, & Paul Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Letters and Revelation. InterVarsity, 2002

10. Textbooks R. Martin & P. Davids Dictionary of the Later New Testament and its Developments. InterVarsity, 1997

11. What makes them “general”? The General Epistles • Hebrews • James • 1st & 2nd Peter • 1st, 2nd, 3rd John • Jude

12. A question of authorship The General Epistles • Hebrews • James • 1st & 2nd Peter • 1st, 2nd, 3rd John • Jude

13. Small Group Discussion • Which of the General Epistles have been questioned as to their canonicity? • On what basis do critics claim someone else wrote these books other than their named authors? • Are you persuaded by these arguments?

14. What are the distinguishing differences between the Pauline Epistles versus the General Epistles?

15. Paul's Epistles Salvation & the Christian Life Prison Epistles Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians Romans, Corinthians, Galatians Eschatological Epistles Thessalonians Pastoral Epistles Timothy, Titus, Philemon

16. General Epistles Salvation Faith and Works James Suffering 1st Peter Hebrews Eschatological Epistles 2nd Peter The Christian Life John and Jude

17. Largely Gentile Audience Pauline General Epistles Epistles Largely Jewish Audience

18. Gentile Thinking Jewish Thinking What is the Difference?

19. Gentile Thinking Jewish Thinking • Concrete • Rational • Linear • Moves from point to point in a carefully organized manner • Symbolic • Visual • Holistic • Moves in a journey through a series of thoughts Greeks search after wisdom Jews want a sign

20. Jewish Thinking Gentile Thinking Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. 5He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze. (1 Samuel 17:4-5).

21. Jewish Thinking Gentile Thinking He also had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him. (1 Samuel 17:6-7).

22. The First Century World Roman Greek Jewish

23. Roman Greek Jewish

24. Temple Synagogue

25. Hebrew Scriptures Greek Septuagint

26. What were some of the ethnic/racial issues faced by the early church?

27. Ephesus

28. Temple of Artemis

30. God of wine & festivity Dionysus

31. God of healing Asclepius

32. God of sea & storms Poseidon

33. Zeus Hermes

34. Pantheon

35. Pantheon

36. The Persecuted Church

37. Jewish Persecutions • Reasons for Jewish Persecution • Perceived charge of blasphemy • The stumbling block of the cross • Jealousy for popularity of the people • Gamaliel’s reasoned defense • Initially limited to Judea and the surrounding regions

38. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (Acts 8:1b).

39. Jewish Persecutions • Reasons for Jewish Persecution • Perceived charge of blasphemy • The stumbling block of the cross • Jealousy for popularity of the people • Gamaliel’s reasoned defense • Initially limited to Judea and the surrounding regions • Capital punishment was initially unauthorized by Rome

40. Jewish Persecutions • Curse on the “Nazareans” was added to the official Jewish prayers of the late first century.

41. Jewish Persecutions • Curse on the “Nazareans” was added to the official Jewish prayers of the late first century. • Christians left Judea and moved to Pella prior to the fall of Jerusalem Pella 

42. Christianity versus RomeA Conflict of Culture • Roman schools taught pagan religion. • Roman cemeteries offered up prayers to false idols.

43. Christianity versus RomeA Conflict of Culture • Roman schools taught pagan religion. • Roman cemeteries offered up prayers to false idols. • Roman marketplaces sold food that had been offered to Roman gods. • The Roman military personnel were required to swear oaths to the emperor, worshiping him.

44. In what ways does Christianity conflict with today’s culture? Christianity versus RomeA Conflict of Culture Roman Religious Tolerance Christianity’s Exclusive Claims