§ 87. The Catholic Epistles.
I. Storr: De Catholicarum Epp. Occasione et Consilio. Tüb. 1789. Staeudlin: De Fontibus Epp.
Cath. Gott. 1790. J. D. Schulze: Der schriftstellerische Charakter und Werth des Petrus, Jacobus
und Judas. Leipz. 1802. Der schriftsteller. Ch. des Johannes. 1803.
II. Commentaries on all the Catholic Epistles by Goeppfert (1780), Schlegel (1783), Carpzov (1790),
Augusti (1801), Grashof (1830), Jachmann (1838), Sumner (1840), De Wette (3d ed. by Brückner
1865), Meyer (the Cath. Epp. by Huther, Düsterdieck, Beyerschlag), Lange (Eng. transl. with
additions by Mombert, 1872), John T. Demarest (N. York, 1879); also the relevant parts in the
"Speaker’s Com.," in Ellicott’s Com., the Cambridge Bible for Schools (ed. by Dean Perowne),
and in the International Revision Com. (ed. by Schaff), etc. P. I. Gloag: Introduction, to the
Catholic Epp., Edinb., 1887.
The seven Epistles of James, 1st and 2d Peter, 1st, 2d, and 3d John, and Jude usually follow in
the old manuscripts the Acts of the Apostles, and precede the Pauline Epistles, perhaps as being
the works of the older apostles, and representing, in part at least, the Jewish type of Christianity.
They are of a more general character, and addressed not to individuals or single congregations, as
those of Paul, but to a larger number of Christians scattered through a district or over the world.
Hence they are called, from the time of Origen and Eusebius, Catholic. This does not mean in this
connection anti-heretical (still less, of course, Greek Catholic or Roman Catholic), but encyclical
or circular. The designation, however, is not strictly correct, and applies only to five of them. The
second and third Epistles of John are addressed to individuals. On the other hand the Epistle to the
Hebrews is encyclical, and ought to be numbered with the Catholic Epistles, but is usually appended
to those of Paul. The Epistle to the Ephesians is likewise intended for more than one congregation.
The first Christian document of an encyclical character is the pastoral letter of the apostolic
Conference at Jerusalem (a.d. 50) to the Gentile brethren in Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:23–29).^1123
The Catholic Epistles are distinct from the Pauline by their more general contents and the
absence of personal and local references. They represent different, though essentially harmonious,
types of doctrine and Christian life. The individuality of James, Peter, and John stand out very
prominently in these brief remains of their correspondence. They do not enter into theological
discussions like those of Paul, the learned Rabbi, and give simpler statements of truth, but protest
against the rising ascetic and Antinomian errors, as Paul does in the Colossians and Pastoral Epistles.
Each has a distinct character and purpose, and none could well be spared from the New Testament
without marring the beauty and completeness of the whole.
The time of composition cannot be fixed with certainty, but is probably as follows: James
before a.d. 50; 1st Peter (probably also 2d Peter and Jude) before a.d. 67; John between a.d. 80 and
100.
Only two of these Epistles, the 1st of Peter and the 1st of John, belong to the Eusebian
Homologumena, which were universally accepted by the ancient church as inspired and canonical.
About the other five there was more or less doubt as to their origin down to the close of the fourth
century, when all controversy on the extent of the canon went to sleep till the time of the
Reformation. Yet they bear the general imprint of the apostolic age, and the absence of stronger
traditional evidence is due in part to their small size and limited use.(^1123) Hence Origen calls it an ἐπιστολὴ καθολική.
A.D. 1-100.