Lesson 68 – The Catholic Epistles

The two letters of Peter and the letter of Jude are called the “Catholic” Epistles, not because of their affinity to the Roman Catholic Church, but for their universal application. This stems from the Greek katholica meaning universal and is applicable here because these letters are not written to a specific community as are Galatians, Romans, etc.

In short, all three letters are meant to support the readers to remain faithful to their standards of belief and conduct in spite of threats of persecution. The contents both inspire and admonish these “chosen sojourners” who, in seeking to live as God’s people, feel an alienation from their previous religious roots and the society around them. Appeal is made to Christ’s resurrection and the future hope it provides and to the experience of baptism as a new birth. 

The Letter of Jude is well known for its closing doxology:

To the one who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished and exultant, in the presence of his glory, to the only God, our savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, power, and authority from ages past, now, and for ages to come. Amen