Universal Truth: The Catholic Epistles of James, Peter, Jude, and John
Overview
The Catholic, or general, epistles of 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 common themes: endurance under persecution; living out the faith in a hostile society; discerning heresy by its fruits—immorality and lack of love—and resisting it, holding fast to the apostolic faith. As Farley deftly shows in his commentary, all of these are timely themes believers today can richly profit from.
Top Highlights
“The words rendered perfect and intact are the Greek teleios and olokleros. The word teleios here means not so much sinless as mature, blameless, completely dedicated. It corresponds with the Hebrew word tam, used in Genesis 6:9 to describe Noah in his dedication to God. The word olokleros means whole, entire, not fractured by divided loyalties. The Psalmist prayed that God would unite his heart that he might fear His Name (Ps. 86:11), and James says that enduring persecution with joy results finally in having a united heart, one zealously set on serving God, so that one is lacking in nothing that one needs.” (Page 19)
“This inner darkness manifests itself in willfulness, in rebellious determination to have our own way, and in uncontrollable appetites. Outer experiences of suffering usually bring this inner darkness to the fore and cause us to rage against God, but it is this inner darkness, not the outward suffering, that is the danger to us and is to blame. Testing and suffering are only spiritually dangerous because we are fallen.” (Pages 22–23)
“The word waver here indicates not so much the element of psychological hesitancy as it does the element of moral hesitancy. The waverer here is not one who needs mental certainty that his prayer will be answered. He needs moral decisiveness in his approach to God; he needs to repent of being double-souled (Gr. dipsuchos), of trying to live both as a worldling and as God’s servant at the same time.” (Page 20)
“His epistle insists that true Christian faith is actualized in works” (Page 15)
- Title: Universal Truth: The Catholic Epistles of James, Peter, Jude, and John
- Author: Lawrence R. Farley
- Series: The Orthodox Bible Study Companion
- Publisher: Ancient Faith
- Print Publication Date: 2008
- Logos Release Date: 2013
- Era: era:contemporary
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Bible. N.T. James › Commentaries; Bible. N.T. Peter › Commentaries; Bible. N.T. Jude › Commentaries; Bible. N.T. John › Commentaries
- ISBNs: 9781888212600, 1888212608
- Resource ID: LLS:NVRSLTRTHCTHLCP
- Resource Type: Bible Commentary
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-03-25T20:31:22Z