This is a group of seven Epistles which in the old manuscripts usually follows immediately after the Acts of the Apostles and therefore precedes the Pauline Epistles, perhaps because they are the works of the older apostles and in general represent the Jewish type of Christianity. by Dr. D. W. Ekstrand Unlike the Pauline epistles, which were primarily directed toward specific persons or groups, these letters were addressed to general audiences (except for 2nd and 3rd John), and the character of their content is more universal in comparison with Paul’s letters. It is at once a letter of encouragement and exhortation for how to live as a Christian and as an oppressed minority within the Roman Empire. - … In Hebrews, James, First and Second Peter, and Jude we have a group of inspired writings differing in important respects from Paul's Epistles. Summary & Conclusion to the General Epistles Back to Table of Contents Back to Table of Contents The General Epistles begin with the twin principles that following Christ makes us able to trust God for our provision, and that trusting God for our provision leads us to work for the benefit of others in need. The General Epistles. The word catholic in the term catholic epistles has been a convention dating from the 4th century. General Epistles (Synopsis of Bible Books) 1 Peter Summary – This is the Apostle Peter’s first epistle written to Jewish-Christian communities living in Asia Minor. Naming. But this difference is in no sense one of conflict. Deuteronomy Joshua The Jewish-Christian Epistles . Catholic Epistle, the name given to the Epistle of St. James, to that of St. Jude, to two Epistles of St. Peter and the first three of St. John, because, unlike the Epistles of St. Paul, they were addressed not to any particular person or church, but to the faithful generally after the manner of an Encyclical letter. A Brief Summary of all Twenty-two New Testament Epistles Each summary is arranged in chronological order, and presented in its contextual setting. The General Epistles “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27). General Epistles; Share Tweet Save. THE GENERAL EPISTLES Along with the pastoral Epistles of Paul, are a collection of letters we call the “General Epistles.” These letters were written by other Apostles and church leaders, and as we have them are not addressed to a particular congregation or group, and appear to have been generally circulated among the churches. Meaning of "Epistle": "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. Introduction We now come to the final eight epistles of the New Testament canon, seven of which have often been called the General or Catholic Epistles, though Hebrews has been excluded from this description.