General Epistles Final

Who is the author called "the Elder" in 1-3 John?

A pastoral authority who knows his readers well, calls them “children” and “beloved,” and expects loyalty. Traditionally identified as John the Apostle, but some argue for John the Elder of Ephesus.

Traditional authorship view for 1-3 John

Early church fathers (Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Muratorian Canon editors) attribute them to John the Apostle, an eyewitness of Jesus.

Alternate authorship view for 1-3 John

Johannine school: A community of disciples of John produced the Gospel and letters; the epistles respond to a crisis after the founder's death.

Who wrote Jude?

“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James”—most likely Jude, the brother of Jesus, not the apostle Thaddeus.

Arguments FOR Jude being Jesus' brother

- He names James, a prominent leader.

- Church Fathers (Clement, Origen, Athanasius, Jerome, Augustine) unanimously affirm it.

- NT evidence: Jesus' brothers became believers (1 Cor 9:5).

- Jude shows strong leadership, conviction, and theological clarity.

Arguments AGAINST Jude being the apostle Thaddeus

- Weak historical support.

- James son of Alphaeus (his "brother" if apostle Jude wrote the letter) was not prominent.

- KJV translation issues; Greek actually implies "son of," not "brother."

External evidence FOR Petrine authorship of 2 Peter

Cited/alluded to by Pseudo-Barnabas, Clement of Rome; accepted by Cyril, Augustine, Jerome; affirmed by councils such as Hippo (393) and Carthage (397, 491).

External evidence AGAINST Petrine authorship for 2 Peter

- Listed as "disputed" by Origen and Eusebius.

- Missing in incomplete Muratorian Canon, Cheltenham list, Old Latin/Syriac.

- Occasionally doubted in the early church.

Internal evidence FOR Petrine authorship in 2 Peter

- Claims authorship directly (1:1).

- References Peter's impending death (1:14).

- Eyewitness of Transfiguration (1:16-18).

- Calls 2 Peter his "second letter" (3:1).

- Familiar with Paul (3:15).

Internal evidence critics raise AGAINST Petrine authorship in 2 Peter

- Different style from 1 Peter (possible different secretary).

- Literary overlap with Jude.

- Alleged "Hellenistic" language (not provable).

- Mentions Pauline letters as a group.

- Tone resembles "early catholicism."

Audience of 1 John

Long-time Christians, likely in Asia Minor, experiencing doctrinal confusion, decreasing love, worldliness, and internal division.

Problems addressed in 1 John

- Denial of Christ's real humanity.

- False teachers leaving the church.

- Decline of obedience and love.

- Need for assurance.

Who is the "elect lady and her children" in 2 John?

Could be (1) a literal Christian woman, (2) a local church personified. Class position: Probably a real woman, given personal language.

Problems addressed in 2 John

Traveling false teachers denying Christ's incarnation; danger of showing hospitality to them.

Audience of 3 John

Gaius, a faithful Christian leader.

Problems addressed in 3 John

Diotrephes rejecting apostolic authority, refusing hospitality to missionaries, and expelling faithful believers.

Audience of Jude

Mixed Christians (possibly Jewish tone, but sins fit Gentile converts), threatened by apostate teachers.

Problems in Jude

False teachers perverting grace into sensuality, denying Christ, causing division, and influencing unstable believers.

Audience of 2 Peter

Possibly same churches as 1 Peter, but address seems universal: "to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing." Facing emerging heresies.

Problems in 2 Peter

- False teachers secretly introducing destructive heresies.

- Sensuality, arrogance, deception.

- Denial of Christ's return.

- Mocking of God's judgment.

Date of 1, 2, 3 John

Around AD 80

Date of Jude

AD 67-68

Date of 2 Peter

If Peter wrote it, around AD 65; no later than AD 68 (Nero's death)

Place of writing for Johannine epistles

Likely from Ephesus.

Place of writing for Jude

Not known; Jude was a traveling evangelist

Place of writing for 2 Peter

Likely Rome, as with 1 Peter

Why was 1 John written?

To give assurance of salvation, clarify truth vs error, restore love and obedience, and strengthen believers against false teaching.

Why was 2 John written?

To encourage walking in truth and love, and to warn against receiving false teachers.

Why was 3 John written?

To commend Gaius, warn against Diotrephes, and support missionaries.

Why was Jude written?

- Negative: Warn believers about infiltrating apostates.

- Positive: Urge believers to contend for the faith and keep themselves in God's love.

Why was 2 Peter written?

- To warn believers not to be led astray by false teachers (3:17).

- To exhort them to grow in grace and knowledge (3:18).

- To provide a virtue list demonstrating moral progress (1:5-7).

What is the flow of 1 John?

1. Fellowship with God (1:5-2:17)

2. Conflict of faith vs heresy (2:18-4:6)

3. Love as evidence of life (4:7-5:5)

4. Spirit's witness to Christ (5:6-12)

5. Concluding exhortations (5:13-21)

What is the flow of 2 John?

1. Truth (vv. 1-4)

2. Love = obedience (vv. 5-6)

3. Warning against deceivers (vv. 7-9)

4. Do not receive false teachers (vv. 10-13)

What is the flow of 3 John?

1. Commendation of Gaius

2. Condemnation of Diotrephes

3. Recommendation of Demetrius

4. Final personal greetings

What is the flow of Jude?

1. Greeting & theme: contend for the faith

2. OT examples of judgment

3. Description of false teachers

4. Prophecies of judgment

5. Exhortations to believers

6. Doxology of security in God

What is the flow of 2 Peter?

1. Growth in godliness (1:3-11)

2. Eyewitness testimony & sure word (1:12-21)

3. Condemnation of false teachers (ch. 2)

4. Day of the Lord & holy living (ch. 3)

Interpretations of "the elect lady"

1. A literal Christian woman.

2. A local church symbolically.

3. A metaphor for God's people.

Class position on "elect lady"

Most likely a literal Christian woman, based on simple reading and personal references.

What does it mean that John writes "squiggly"?

His arguments circle back repeatedly, repeating themes in loops rather than linear progression. Not chronological; ideas overlap (light, love, truth, sin, belief).

Canonicity issues with 1 John

None; universally accepted early.

Canonicity issues with 2 John & 3 John

Some early hesitation due to short length and limited circulation, but accepted by the 4th century.

Why was Jude disputed?

Quotes noncanonical sources (1 Enoch, Assumption of Moses), very short, and authorship questions.

Final Status of Jude

Widely accepted due to apostolic association (brother of James/Jesus).

Why was 2 Peter heavily disputed?

Sparse early citations, stylistic differences from 1 Peter, overlap with Jude, and late recognition.

Final status of 2 Peter

Affirmed by major councils (Hippo 393, Carthage 397 & 491).

Main Shared Content Between 2 Peter and Jude

The common material focuses almost entirely on the description and denunciation of false teachers.

Majority View on Dependence (2 peter and Jude)

Most scholars believe 2 Peter depends on Jude (e.g., Mayor, Feine, Behm).

Use of Jude to Challenge Petrine Authorship

Some scholars argue that if 2 Peter depends on Jude, this challenges Peter's authorship of the letter.

Conditions Needed for Dependence to Challenge Petrine Authorship

Definition: It only creates a problem if:

1. Dependence of 2 Peter on Jude is conclusively proven,

2. Jude is definitely dated after A.D. 64,

3. It can be shown Peter would not have used another writer's work.

Peter's Use of Common Church Material (2 peter and Jude)

Since 1 Peter contains much catechetical or traditional church material, Peter could also have used common material in writing 2 Peter.

Alternative View on Dependence (2 peter and Jude)

Some scholars (e.g., Bigg) argue Jude depends on 2 Peter rather than the reverse.

Common Source Theory (2 peter and Jude)

It is possible both Jude and 2 Peter used the same earlier source rather than borrowing from each other.

Uncertainty of Jude's Date (2 peter and Jude)

Jude cannot be dated with certainty; it may have been written by A.D. 60, making it possible for Peter to have used it.

Question of Apostolic Borrowing (2 peter and Jude)

Ancient authors often reused earlier material, so an apostle like Peter could have used Jude without violating literary norms.

Ancient Literary Practices (2 peter and Jude)

Writers in antiquity relied heavily on tradition, as seen in parallels between Kings/Chronicles and the Synoptic Gospels.

Scholarly Conclusion on the Relationship (2 peter and Jude)

The exact relationship—whether 2 Peter used Jude, Jude used 2 Peter, or both used a common source—remains unresolved.

Theological Implications of the Debate (2 peter and Jude)

Any position (Jude first, 2 Peter first, or common source) is compatible with evangelical theology and does not undermine authorship or inspiration.