The three letters of John are theologically and pastoral letters that are likely addressing communities that were supported by the Apostle John, John the Presbyter, or a person associated with the Johannine communities. There continues to be debate and speculation about the author – but his concerns are clearly connected to the major themes of the Gospel of John.

The first letter deals with theological concerns – perhaps docetism or gnosticism – early heresies about the person and nature of Jesus.  The other letters, both quite short, deal with pastoral concerns about living an authentic Christian life.

There is a joke among scripture scholars about St. Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews: it is not from St. Paul, it is not a letter, and it may or may not be to the Hebrews and even then it is not clear who the “Hebrews” exactly are. There is a lot about this book of Scripture that is still the topic of scholarly debate. That includes the geographical location of the intended recipients. If you’d like to delve into the debate, there are plenty of online sources, including the introduction provided by the US Catholic Bishops. A solidly Catholic commentary is provided at Catholic Culture and was written by Fr. William Most.

What we do know that Hebrews is written to a community under persecution some of whom are waivering in their faith to the nascent Christian religion and seem to be considering returning to Judaism, a faith tradition free from persecution in the Roman Empire. The recipients of the letter clearly have a strong background in the Hebrew Scriptures as the book is replete with OT references. And it is through these references that the author makes the case that Jesus is greater than all things and is the fulfillment of the promises of God – so anchor your faith and hope in Jesus!

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

There are four men named James that appear in the New Testament: (1) the father of Judas (not Iscariot); (2) the son of Alphaeus – known as James the Younger of Lesser; (3) the son of Zebedee; and (4) James the “brother of the Lord” known as James the Greater and pillar of the Jerusalem community. The consensus is that the author of this letter is James the Greater.

The Letter is not exactly a “letter” per se, but is more akin to the Book of Proverbs, a book of Wisdom – with a touch of the prophet Amos thrown in. Numerous passages in the letter treat subjects that also appear in the synoptic (Mark, Luke, and Matthew) sayings of Jesus, especially in Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. James represents a type of early Christianity that emphasized sound teaching and responsible moral behavior. Ethical norms are derived not primarily from christology, as in Paul, but from a concept of salvation that involves conversion, baptism, forgiveness of sin, and expectation of judgment.

It is a very Jewish document in tone and content yet paradoxically, it is written in an excellent Greek style, which ranks among the best in the New Testament and appears to be the work of a trained Hellenistic writer. One assumes that James the Greater had a professional scribe to assist him.

The letter would date to the years 62-66 which is the period in which James the Greater was put to death by instigation of the then High Priest.  By 70 AD the Romans had destroyed Jerusalem and there was no high priest. There are scholars who argue for a much later date by an unknown author who claims origination with James.

If one wanted a simple outline of the letter it would be this:

• The Test of Faith in adversity and challenging times/situations;
• The Characteristics of Faith which are revealed in word, work and actions in the world; and
• The Triumph of Faith because of the assurance of Jesus’ promises.

The Letter to James is often best known for its writings on the relationship of faith and works. The Reformer Martin Luther thought that James was “an epistle of straw” in that it did not uphold the theology of salvation by “faith alone.” It should be noted neither Romans nor Galatians says we are saved by “faith alone.”  The Reformers do argue from those letters that “faith alone” is the proper understanding. It should also be noted that Paul is speaking about “works of the law” (dietary restrictions, cleaning hands, etc.) and not charitable works.