The Catholic EpistlesThe Catholic Epistles

Faith and OrderFaith and Order

catholiccatholicA person who belongs to the universal A person who belongs to the universal Christian church.Christian church.

Belongs to God Belongs to God 1 Timothy 3:151 Timothy 3:15

The body of Christ The body of Christ Ephesians 1:23Ephesians 1:23; ; Colossians 1:24Colossians 1:24 Christ, the foundation-stone of Christ, the foundation-stone of

1 Corinthians 3:111 Corinthians 3:11; ; Ephesians 2:20Ephesians 2:20; ; 1 Peter 2:4,51 Peter 2:4,5

Christ, the head of Christ, the head of Ephesians 1:22Ephesians 1:22; ; 5:235:23

JamesJames

James 1:1 James 1:1

JamesJames--an apostle of the circumcision, --an apostle of the circumcision, with Peter and John, James in with Peter and John, James in Jerusalem, Palestine, and Syria; Peter in Jerusalem, Palestine, and Syria; Peter in Babylon and the East; John in Ephesus Babylon and the East; John in Ephesus and Asia Minor. Peter addresses the and Asia Minor. Peter addresses the dispersed dispersed Jews of Pontus, Galatia, and Jews of Pontus, Galatia, and Cappadocia;Cappadocia; James, the James, the Israelites of the Israelites of the twelve tribes scattered abroad.twelve tribes scattered abroad.

Dispersion of ChristiansDispersion of Christians

The mixed assembly from which the The mixed assembly from which the first converts were gathered on the day first converts were gathered on the day of Pentecost represented each division of Pentecost represented each division of the Dispersion. (of the Dispersion. (Acts 2:9-11Acts 2:9-11) (1) ) (1) Parthians...Mesopotamia; (2) Judea (i.e. Parthians...Mesopotamia; (2) Judea (i.e. Syria)...Pamphylia; (3) Egypt...Greece; Syria)...Pamphylia; (3) Egypt...Greece; (4) Romans..., and these converts (4) Romans..., and these converts naturally prepared the way for the naturally prepared the way for the apostles int he interval which preceded apostles int he interval which preceded the beginning of the separate apostolic the beginning of the separate apostolic missions. missions.

James 1:22-24James 1:22-24

But be doers of the word, and not But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. man he was.

James 2 and 4James 2 and 4

You who profess to believe the glory of our You who profess to believe the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, which the poorest Lord Jesus Christ, which the poorest Christian shall partake of equally with the Christian shall partake of equally with the rich, and to which all worldly glory is but rich, and to which all worldly glory is but vanity, you should not make men’s vanity, you should not make men’s outward and worldly advantages the outward and worldly advantages the measure of your respect. measure of your respect.

……Draw near to God and He will draw near to Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. purify your hearts, you double-minded.

1 Peter1 Peter

1 Peter 1:11 Peter 1:1

PeterPeter----GreekGreek form of Cephas, form of Cephas, man of man of rock.rock. an apostle of Jesus Christan apostle of Jesus Christ--"He who --"He who preaches otherwise than as a preaches otherwise than as a messenger of Christ, is not to be heard; messenger of Christ, is not to be heard; if he preach as such, then it is all one if he preach as such, then it is all one as if thou didst hear Christ speaking in as if thou didst hear Christ speaking in thy presence" [MARTIN LUTHER]. thy presence" [MARTIN LUTHER].

1 Peter 2:4-51 Peter 2:4-5

Coming to Him as to a living stone, Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Christ.

1 Peter 41 Peter 4

The Christian is by faith one with The Christian is by faith one with Christ: as then Christ by death is Christ: as then Christ by death is judicially freed from sin; so the judicially freed from sin; so the Christian who has in the person of Christian who has in the person of Christ died, has no more to do with it Christ died, has no more to do with it judicially, and ought to have no more judicially, and ought to have no more to do with it actually. "The flesh" is to do with it actually. "The flesh" is the sphere in which sin has place. the sphere in which sin has place.

1 Peter 51 Peter 5

chief Shepherdchief Shepherd--the title peculiarly Christ's own, --the title peculiarly Christ's own, not Peter's or the pope's. not Peter's or the pope's. when . . . shall appearwhen . . . shall appear----Greek,Greek, "be manifested" "be manifested" ((Colossians 3:4Colossians 3:4). Faith serves the Lord while still ). Faith serves the Lord while still unseen. unseen. crowncrown----Greek,Greek, " "stephanos,stephanos," a garland of " a garland of victory,victory, the prize in the Grecian games, woven of ivy, the prize in the Grecian games, woven of ivy, parsley, myrtle, olive, or oak. parsley, myrtle, olive, or oak. OurOur crown is crown is distinguished from distinguished from theirstheirs in that it is in that it is "incorruptible" and "fadeth not away," as the "incorruptible" and "fadeth not away," as the leaves of theirs soon did. "The crown leaves of theirs soon did. "The crown of life.of life." Not " Not a a kinglykingly "crown" (a different "crown" (a different GreekGreek word, word, diademadiadema): the prerogative of the Lord Jesus (): the prerogative of the Lord Jesus (Revelation 19:12Revelation 19:12). ).

1 John1 John

The Lesson in 1 JohnThe Lesson in 1 John

His lesson throughout is that the means His lesson throughout is that the means of union with God are, on the part of of union with God are, on the part of Christ, his atoning blood, ch. (Christ, his atoning blood, ch. (1 John 1:71 John 1:7; ; 2:22:2; ; 3:53:5; ; 4:10,144:10,14; ; 5:65:6) and advocacy, ) and advocacy, ch. (ch. (1 John 2:11 John 2:1) on the part of man, ) on the part of man, holiness, ch. (holiness, ch. (1 John 1:61 John 1:6), obedience, ), obedience, ch. (ch. (1 John 2:31 John 2:3) purity, ch. () purity, ch. (1 John 3:31 John 3:3) ) faith, ch. (faith, ch. (1 John 3:231 John 3:23; ; 4:34:3; ; 5:55:5) and ) and above all love. ch. (above all love. ch. (1 John 2:71 John 2:7; ; 3:143:14; ; 4:74:7; ; 5:15:1) )

1 John1 John which we have heardwhich we have heard;;

this, with what follows, proves him to be truly and this, with what follows, proves him to be truly and really man; for when the Word was made flesh, really man; for when the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among men, the apostles heard, and and dwelt among men, the apostles heard, and saw, and handled him; they not only heard a saw, and handled him; they not only heard a voice from heaven, declaring him to be the Son of voice from heaven, declaring him to be the Son of God, but they often heard him speak himself, God, but they often heard him speak himself, both in private conversation with them, and in his both in private conversation with them, and in his public ministry; they heard his many excellent public ministry; they heard his many excellent discourses on the mount, and elsewhere, and discourses on the mount, and elsewhere, and those that were particularly delivered to them a those that were particularly delivered to them a little before his death; and blessed were they on little before his death; and blessed were they on this account, (this account, (Matthew 13:16,17Matthew 13:16,17) ; ) ;

1 John 3:171 John 3:17

But whoever has this world's goods, But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? does the love of God abide in him?

2 John2 John

2 John2 John

The apostle here salutes an The apostle here salutes an honorable matron and her children (v. honorable matron and her children (v. 1-3). Recommends to them faith and 1-3). Recommends to them faith and love (v. 5, 6). Warns them of love (v. 5, 6). Warns them of deceivers (v. 7), and to take heed to deceivers (v. 7), and to take heed to themselves (v. 8). Teaches how to themselves (v. 8). Teaches how to treat those who bring not the doctrine treat those who bring not the doctrine of Christ (v. 10, 11). And, referring of Christ (v. 10, 11). And, referring other things to personal discourse, other things to personal discourse, concludes the epistle (v. 12, 13). concludes the epistle (v. 12, 13).

2 John2 John

The apostle and the other Christians The apostle and the other Christians loved this lady, not so much for her loved this lady, not so much for her honor as her holiness; not so much for honor as her holiness; not so much for her bounty as her serious Christianity. her bounty as her serious Christianity. We should not be religious merely by We should not be religious merely by fits and starts, in certain moods and fits and starts, in certain moods and moons; but religion should still dwell moons; but religion should still dwell within us, in our minds and hearts, in within us, in our minds and hearts, in our faith and love. It is to be hoped that our faith and love. It is to be hoped that where religion once truly dwells it will where religion once truly dwells it will abide for ever. abide for ever.

3 John3 John

3 John3 John

In this epistle the apostle congratulates In this epistle the apostle congratulates Gaius upon the prosperity of his soul (v. Gaius upon the prosperity of his soul (v. 1, 2), upon the fame he had among 1, 2), upon the fame he had among good Christians (v. 3, 4), and upon his good Christians (v. 3, 4), and upon his charity and hospitality to the servants charity and hospitality to the servants of Christ (v. 5, 6). He complains of of Christ (v. 5, 6). He complains of contemptuous treatment by an contemptuous treatment by an ambitious Diotrephes (v. 9, 10), ambitious Diotrephes (v. 9, 10), recommends Demetrius (v. 12), and recommends Demetrius (v. 12), and expresses his hope of visiting Gaius expresses his hope of visiting Gaius shortly (v. 13, 14). shortly (v. 13, 14).

By his name,— By his name,— Gaius.Gaius. We read of We read of several of that name, particularly of several of that name, particularly of one whom the apostle Paul baptized one whom the apostle Paul baptized at Corinth, who possibly might be at Corinth, who possibly might be also the apostle’s host and kind also the apostle’s host and kind entertainer there (Rom. 16:23) entertainer there (Rom. 16:23)

3 John 1:123 John 1:12

Demetrius has a good testimony Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true. know that our testimony is true.

Commentary:Commentary: Few are well spoken of Few are well spoken of by all; and sometimes it is ill to be by all; and sometimes it is ill to be so. But universal integrity and so. But universal integrity and goodness are the way to (and goodness are the way to (and sometimes obtain) universal sometimes obtain) universal applause. applause.

The EndThe End

Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name. Greet the friends by name.