General Epistles i) Write an essay (500-750 words) that briefly summarizes the main issues

facing each of the churches addressed by the General Epistles. Note: Please help.
Hi, this answer should provide enough content for you to meet your requirements.

Please leave positive feedback and any bonus is appreciated when you accept my answer. Thank
you. Have a nice New Year! Tim

"Epistle" simply means a literary letter which was intended to be published and read by the
general public. This was an established literary style as early as the 4th century BCE. The
general epistles were apparently letters to churches and individuals written to handle specific
topics. They usually started with a salutation which is generally followed by the main body of
the letter and conclude with a personal messages. Authorship of the Epistles is controversial also.

Themes of the Epistles:

Other themes common to many Epistles are: a) love within the Christian community, b)
hospitality to strangers, and c) exhibiting godly behavior.

The following is a summary of the controversy over authorship and the message(s) conveyed in
each of the 8 general epistles.

Hebrews

The author is uncertain, but one scholar has suggested that Priscilla, a friend and colleague of
Paul- who was someone in the Christian community in Alexandria, Egypt is writing to Jewish
Christians in the area near Rome. The intention of Hebrews was to show the superiority of
Christianity, especially when compared to living under the Jewish law. It also urges mature
believers to not abandon their faith. Other theologians believe that the target group are longtime
Christians who have little Jewish background.

James

Conservatives generally accept that this epistle was written by James, the brother of Jesus and
the head of the Jewish Christian group in Jerusalem. The letter was not known in Christian
circles until late in the 2nd century CE. The letter is also written in excellent Greek.
These observations cast doubt on the generally accepted idea that James wrote this epistle
because Greek would have been James' second language. Also the letter was not made known
until it appeared in Jerome's Latin Vulgate translations. The letter stresses proper behavior for a
Christian. The author criticizes Christians because their behavior did not seem to have been
reformed after their conversion to Christianity. The author expects that they would separate
themselves from the world, have victory over old sinful habits and exhibit compassion for the
needy.

1 Peter

Conservatives generally believe that the author of this epistle was Peter. He was one of Jesus'
inner circle of disciples. Liberals point out, however, that Peter, being a Galilean fisherman,
would not have been able to write in such excellent Greek. Because the author refers to some of
Paul's writings, which were not in circulation, until long after Peter's death cast further doubt on
Peter being the author. The intent of the letter is to encourage. Christians were undergoing
ridicule from non Christians, and persecution from their government. He urges those who will
hear its contents to have hope for the future and to be faithful to Jesus.

2 Peter

Many Christian conservatives accept Peter as the author. However, there is a consensus among
non-conservatives that he could not have written the epistle, because this book refers to the book
of Jude. Liberals point out that Jude was written too late to have been known by Peter. The use
of the term "scriptures" also was not used until after Peter's death. The author stresses the
importance of correct knowledge in order to grow in faith: knowledge that Jesus would be
returning at any moment, and knowledge of how to conduct godly lives. He also wants to warn
Christians of the dangers of false teachings by "lawless men.". He mentioned that false teachers
can be identified by their "pride, immorality, sensuality, and deceptiveness."

1 John

This book deviates from the pattern of most epistles. It is more like a sermon, concluded by a
doxology. Certain difference between 1 John and the gospel of John cast doubt on John as the
author even though this epistle has been named after him. What is referred to as the advocate role
in the gospel is the Holy Spirit, but in 1 John the advocate role is ascribed to Jesus. The author is
concerned about heresy within the churches, particularly from those who have Gnostic beliefs.
He writes that fellowship with God will preserve the believer from errors in belief and sin. The
believer must be constantly on guard against attacks by Satan. He discusses the imminent arrival
of the Antichrist and the coming end of the world. One can contrast this prophecy about end
times with John's letter called Revelation, which is also generally the last letter printed in many
New Testaments.

2 John

This letter was apparently written to a Christian woman and her children by the same author who
wrote 1 John so it is aptly named 2 John. Some theologians believe that the woman symbolizes a
Christian congregation, and that the letter was written to a church rather than an individual. It
stresses the dangers of being led astray by false teachers, probably Gnostic Christians. Love and
obedience are critical. She should separate from anyone who does not teach in Jesus' humanity
and deity. Because Christians faced risk of persecution in the early Christian community, in case
the letter is found by Roman soldiers, the writer may be protecting the Christian community also.

3 John

This is a personal letter to a friend of the author named Gaius. His friend is commended for his
faithfulness, love and hospitality. The author criticizes two Christians, Diotrephes and
Demetrius, for their behavior. This letter serves as a contrast between characteristics of the
righteous behavior of a Christian and behavior that does reflect Jesus's character.

Jude

The author identified himself as Judas, the brother of James, another brother of Jesus. However,
the translators of the King James version of the Bible were concerned that people would confuse
Judas with "the other Judas"-- the former disciple who accepted silver in return for betraying
Jesus. So they changed his name and the name of his letter to "Jude." Almost all other Bible
versions follow the King Jame"s translation. This author is in doubt too, most notable because of
the comment in verse 17 that the age of the apostles is in the past and reference to the Gnostics is
out of place. The letter is addressed to some unknown group of Christians who were perceived as
falling away from the faith. Because of the extensive references to the Old Testament, it may
have been a group of Jewish Christians. It deals extensively with the topic of false teachers -
presumably Gnostics. He claimed that they were "proud, deceptive, rebellious, covetous and
selfish."