Early Church Prison Epistles Pastorals General 1 General 2 Revelation General Epistles 2 1. 2. 3. General Epistles 2, 2 Peterand Jude, 1. Authorship A. For Petrine Authorship 1. External tradition unanimous 2. Self-designation (1:1) 3. Mark as my son squares with tradition (5:13) 4. Apparent eyewitness (1:8; 2:20 25; 5:1) 5. Strong Jewish perspective 6. Compares favorably with Petrine speeches in Acts 1. Authorship B. Against Petrine Authorship 1. External tradition is late (not till Irenaeus, 180) 2. Language/style (literary Greek) 3. Historical issues lack of concrete knowledge of Jesus lack of known connection to addressees civil nature of persecution is later date late canonical process
1. Authorship B. Against Petrine Authorship 4. Theological issues Pauline echo too strong ( in Christ ) doctrinal concerns of a later era C. Authorship Proposals 1. Amenuensis (issue of role of Silvanus, 5:12) 2. Pseudonymity (why a Paulinist use Petrine?) 3. Anonymous (name added later; no manuscript evidence) 2. Date A. Early (pre-ad 64) 1. Persecution: early? 2. Eschatological expectation: early? 3. Church order: primitive nature? synagogal? 4. Call for state loyalty more probable before fire of Rome, AD 64 5. Natural reading of 2 Pet. 3:1 s former letter 2. Date B. Late (ca. AD 90 95) 1. Muratorian Canon: missing but fragmentary? 2. Judaizing controversy absent 3. Geographical spread of Christianity later? (1:1) 4. Babylon cipher for Rome = post-ad 70 5. Persecution: later? (if official, civil type) 3. Origin: Rome (traditional, on Babylon cipher) 4. Destination A. Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia B. Background 1. Jewish Christian? use of OT terms ( diaspora, our forefathers, 1:18) 2. Gentile Christian? use of Greek name Peter (1:1) former immoral life (1:14, 18; 2:9 10; 3:5 6; 4:3)
4. Destination A. Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia B. Background 1. Jewish Christian? use of OT terms ( diaspora, our forefathers, 1:18) 2. Gentile Christian? use of Greek name Peter (1:1) former immoral life (1:14, 18; 2:9 10; 3:5 6; 4:3) 5. Occasion/Purpose A. Occasion 1. Author s knowledge of sufferings, practical courage, faithfulness 2. Silvanus may be traveling through area B. Purpose 1. Strengthen faith, unify believers 2. Encourage faithfulness in persecution 3. Encourage positive engagement with society 6. Theme: living life 'om God bearing suffering triumphantly 7. Outline A. Introduction (1:1 2) B. Living Life (1:3 4:19) 1. Life from God (1:3 2:10) 2. Life in Society (2:11 3:12) 3. Life under Trials (3:13 4:19) C. Exhortations (5:1 11) D. Conclusion (5:12 14) 8. Critical Problems A. Authorship, Date, Origin B. Nature of Persecution 1. Evidence (1:6; 2:11 12; 3:13 17; 4:4, 12 19; 5:9 10) 2. Two apparent settings potential future (1:3 4:11) actual present (4:12 19)
8. Critical Problems B. Nature of Persecution 3. Historical suggestions general antagonism (but 4:12 seems official) Nero (but his confined to Rome only) Domitian (but not in provinces addressed) Trajan wrongdoers in 2:12 like Pliny s letter crime to bear Christian name in 4:12 8. Critical Problems C. Unity and Genre (Issue of 1:3 4:11) 1. Appears as distinct, independent unit 2. Same author of rest of (Greek, themes) 3. Pre-existing baptism liturgy or sermon? D. Theological Issues 1. Church and Israel: replacement, inclusion, two covenants, two religions? 2. Descent into hell (1 Pet. 3:19): a 2nd cent. reading canonized by 4th cent. Apostles Creed General Epistles 2 1. 2. 3. General Epistles 2, 2 Peterand Jude, 1. Authorship 2 Peter A. Against Petrine Authorship 1. Substantial style differences 2. Greek philosophical traditions vs. Galilean 3. Early Catholicism, Paul s collected letters 4. Virtual complete dependence on Jude 5. Canon process weakest, slowest of all 6. Use of testament genre is pseudonymous 7. Predictable shifts of future, present tenses
1. Authorship 2 Peter B. For Petrine Authorship 1. Style differences are secretarial 2. Greek philosophical ideas more common than allowed (cf. Philo, Josephus) 3. Not late: our ancestors = Jewish forefathers; Paul s letters not necessarily a collection 4. Use of sources common (thus, use of Jude) 5. Canon weak, but stronger than any excluded 6. Not all testaments were pseudonymous 2. Date 2 Peter A. Early Petrine (Pre-AD 64) 1. Peter, late in ministry, probably Rome 2. Traditional martyrdom, fire, AD 64 B. Later Petrine Pseudonymous (AD 80 90) 1. Later disciple, after war 2. Preserving Petrine traditions C. Later Non-Petrine Pseudonymous (100 115) 1. Later generation of believers 2. Later issues of developing church 3. Occasion/Purpose 2 Peter A. Occasion 1. Heresy and skepticism 2. Not same situation as Jude B. Purpose 1. Combatting a libertine heresy (Epicurean?) 2. Answering second coming skeptics 4. Theme: true knowledge of God affirms the apostolic tradition, which includes belief in the parousia and ethical living 5. Outline 2 Peter A. Introduction (1:1 2) B. True Knowledge Transforms (1:3 11) C. False Knowledge Corrupts (2:1 22) D. Second Coming Truth (3:1 18)
6. Critical Problems 2 Peter A. Authorship, Date, Origin B. Genre mixed 1. Letter genre? Opens like letter, but not in body or in conclusion (which is a doxology) 2. Jewish testament? If so, three parts: announce impending death (1:12 15) summarize ethical teaching (1:3 11) reveal future events (2:1 3; 3:1 4) 6. Critical Problems 2 Peter C. Identity of False Teachers Epicurean? 1. Theodicy skepticism (God not involved) 2. Ethical skepticism (morality does not matter) D. Literary Relationship to Jude (cf. Synoptic Prob.) 1. Basic possibilities copying (Jude or 2 Peter) tradition (oral or written) 6. Critical Problems 2 Peter D. Literary Relationship to Jude (cf. Synoptic Prob.) 2. Majority opinion: 2 Peter copied Jude Length of Jude: why write if little original? Usage of 2 Peter: why use so little of source? Editing process: specific word changes easier to explain if 2 Peter using Jude
1. Authorship Jude A. Against Jude Authorship 1. Perspective: looks back on apostolic era faith once-for-all entrusted (v. 3) apostolic predictions (v. 17) 2. Catholicism: the faith as if a fixed body of doctrine seems more like early Catholicism 3. Language/style: wide breadth of vocabulary with rhetorical nuances 1. Authorship Jude B. For Jude Authorship 1. Perspective: simply reminders of what all personally learned from the apostles 2. Catholicism: primitive church elements present (vivid return expectation; no church officers; faith like Paul s gospel in Gal. 1:23) 3. Language/style: widespread use of Greek allowed casual pickup 1. Authorship Jude B. For Jude Authorship 4. Content: consistent with early, Palestinian Jewish leader use of Scripture use of Jewish literature eschatology 1. Authorship Jude C. Provisional Conclusion 1. Evidence mixed, but generally positive 2. Family relationships brother of James straightforward, simple designation likely the famous brother of Jesus, early leader of Jerusalem church in Acts brother of Jesus (Mt. 13:55; Mk. 6:3), but did not obtain statue, leadership that James did
1. Authorship Jude C. Provisional Conclusion 3. Impact of First Jewish War dissolution of Palestinian Christianity influence, leadership of both brothers lost James was martyred by high priest (62) Jude, not as influential, fell into obscurity 1. Authorship Jude D. Brief Biography 1. Brother of Jesus (Mt. 13:55; Mk. 6:3) 2. Post-resurrection faith (Mt. 12:46; Mk. 3:31; Lk. 8:19) 3. Possible itinerant, diaspora ministry (1 Cor. 9:5) 4. Possible grandsons in reign of Domitian (so Hegesippus, according to Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 3.19.1 20.8) 2. Date Jude A. Paucity of Information on Jude B. Pre-War Guess (50s or 60s) 3. Occasion/Purpose Jude A. Occasion: original treatise on salvation interrupted by need to refute heresy B. Purpose: polemical 4. Theme: exposing false teachers, superficiality 5. Outline Jude A. Introduction (vv. 1 4) B. Polemical Midrash (vv. 5 23) C. Doxology (vv. 24 25) Text Application vv. 5 7 vv. 8 10 v. 11 vv. 12 13 vv. 14 15 v. 16 vv. 17 18 v. 19
6. Critical Problems Jude A. Authorship, Date, Origin B. Genre Midrash? 1. Follows midrashic pattern state a text, example, point give an application similar to sermon built around texts 2. Purpose of exposing false teachers C. Literary Relationship with 2 Peter (see 2 Peter) 6. Critical Problems Jude D. Identity of False Teachers Jewish? 1. Advocate sexual license ( scoffers ) 2. Claim divine inspiration ( dreamers ) 3. Slander angels how? by despising the Law? (given by angels at Mt. Sinai in Jewish tradition) by claiming superiority? 4. Abuse fellowship meals (indulgent) 5. Provoke division, devoid of Spirit General Epistles 2 1. 2. 3. General Epistles 2, 2 Peterand Jude, 1. Authorship A. General Overview 1. 1 John = unspecified 2. 2 3 John = the elder 3. Church tradition: John the Apostle (first attribution: Irenaeus, AD 180)
1. Authorship B. Gospel Connections (1 John) 1. Common themes 2. Common external tradition 3. C. H. Dodd: argued theological differences futurist eschatology (not realized esch.) sacrifical atonement (not lifting up ) Spirit force (not personal Paraclete) 4. Papias: muddies the waters by inferring two Ephesian leaders named John Common Themes life light truth( abiding God s Son world as hostile laying down life new commandment( Father/Son relationship salvation as knowing God 1. Authorship C. Summary Observations 1. hang together 2. Show connections to Gospel of John 3. Show distinctions from Gospel of John 4. Epistles, Gospel from same community 2. Date: AD 80 100 A. Ireneaus: has John in Ephesus till Trajan (AD 98) B. Heresy: seems proto-gnostic (early form) of 2nd cent. Docetism 3. Origin A. Technically unknown B. Traditionally Ephesus (Irenaeus tradition through Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 5.20.4 5)
Irenaeus on John the Apostle When I was a boy in Asia Minor, I knew you at Polycarp s house... I can describe the very place in which the blessed Polycarp used to sit and discourse..., and how he recounted his close association with John and with the rest of those who had seen the Lord. ( Irenaeus, Letter to Florinus ( Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 5.20.4 5 4. Destination A. Explicit Destination 1. 1 John unspecified 2. 2 John the elect lady 3. 3 John Gaius (known to author) B. Implicit Destination 1. All three situations seem plausibly connected 2. Likely Ephesian house churches connected to author and his leadership 5. Occasion/Purpose 1 John A. Occasion 1. Internally: traumatic schism of community by false prophets with heretical doctrine 2. Externally: heresy distorts Johannine Gospel traditions three ways false Christology unrealistic ethics overhyped Spirit emphasis Mirror-Reading Assertions 1. If we say... 2. Those who deny... Such statements reveal the assertions of the heretical teachers about the person of Christ, Christian ethics, and the Spirit.
Three Main Errors 1. Christological Denials a. Jesus as Christ, or the Father and Son (2:22 23) b. Jesus as Christ come in the flesh (4:1 3) 2. Ethical Claims a.( Sinlessness (1:8, 10) b.( Intimacy with God without ethical walk (1:6; 2:4, 6) c.( Loving God but not some believers (2:9; 4:20) 3. Spirit Claims a. Deeper spiritual insight b. Knowing God, being in the light c. Special prophetic insight, Spirit anointing (2:20, 27; 4:1) Johannine Response 1. Christological Corrections a.( Jesus is the Christ come in the flesh (2:22) b.( Rejection of material/spiritual dualism (4:2) 2. Ethical Corrections a.( God is light = God is holy = moral demands (1:5; 2:7 11) b.( God is love = reflecting Jesus love to all (4:8; 3:10 24; 4:16 5:5; 3:16 18) 3. Spirit Corrections a.( All believers have knowledge, but the fundamental test is ethical (2:3, 20, 27) b.( All believers have the Spirit, but the fundamental test is corporate (4:1 6) 5. Occasion/Purpose 1 John B. Purpose 1. Polemical: to combat heresy by exposing its Docetic error and challenging libertine ethics 2. Pastoral: to calm, stabilize, encourage traumatized congregations by: recalling fundamental Johannine beliefs about God/Christ and living out beliefs assuring security in God s love in spite of false teachers success attracting adherents Gnosticism The trajectory of second-century Gnotic belief systems already had to be developing by the late first century. Theirs was a salvation by knowledge. They were dualistic: the material world was evil, the spiritual world was good. Therefore, the Christ Revealer/Redeemer could not possibly have been manifested in the flesh. He only seemed to be flesh, or secretly inhabited the body of Jesus of Nazareth, but departed just before the crucifixion. ( Docetic comes from the Greek word for seem, appear. ) Divine insight into one s heavenly origin allows the spirit s release from the prison of the material body to return to heaven. Thus, ethics is immaterial to salvation.
6. Occasion/Purpose 2, 3 John A. 2 John 1. Occasion: heretical teachings have grown worse; elder loosing ground in some churches 2. Purpose to restate warning against heretics to urge rejecting their representatives to reinforce Johannine community identity 6. Occasion/Purpose 2, 3 John B. 3 John 1. Occasion: crisis of authority, power struggle; Diotrephes unilaterally rejects all outside representatives, including the elder s, and excommunicates any who disagree 2. Purpose to commend/introduce Demetrius to condemn Diotrephes to encourage Gaius (as new patron?) Church Hierarchy The style of church pictured by the Johannine Gospel and letters a community of brothers and sisters, apparently without any hierarchy of leaders apart from the benevolent figure of the now aged John himself might have seemed a romantic ideal, impractical in the face of forces which threatened the church s existence.... the kind of situation which made the emerging pattern of elder-bishops or monarchial episcopate attractive [and became dominant only a few decades later by the time of Ignatius of Antioch]. Stephen Travis, ExNT, p. 301 7. Themes maintain true Johannine teachings and lifestyles, encourage unity and fe*owship, resist Diotrephes 8. Outlines A. 1 John 1. introduces themes 2. develops themes in recurring patterns B. 2 3 John: typical Greco-Roman letter format
9. Critical Problems A. Authorship, Date () B. Genre (1 John) 1. Neither begins nor ends like a letter 2. Circular for multiple house churches? C. Heresy () 1. Developed by mirror-reading 1 John 2. Docetic character: seems to reflect early form of 2nd cent. Gnosticism 9. Critical Problems D. Diotrephes (3 John) 1. Precise nature of relationship and actions (official leader? rogue layperson? official edicts?) 2. Exact form of elder s disagreement