Archive for the ‘1 John 3’ Category
Above: A Vineyard
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Acts 8:26-40
Psalm 22:24-30 (LBW) or Psalm 22:25-31 (LW)
1 John 3:18-24
John 15:1-8
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O God, form the minds of your faithful people into a single will.
Make us love what you command and desire what you promise,
that, amid, all the changes of this world,
our hearts may be fixed where true joy is found;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 22
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O God, you make the minds of your faithful to be of one will;
therefore grant to your people that they may love what you command
and desire what you promise,
that among the manifold changes of this age our hearts
may ever be fixed where true joys are to be found;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 53
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A common thread running through the readings for this Sunday is asking and receiving. For example:
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
–1 John 3:21-23, Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002)
In other words, if we want what God desires, and if we pray for that, we will receive it. That makes sense. This message contradicts Prosperity Theology, an old heresy popular in certain quarters these days. If I, for example, need reliable transportation, praying for that is morally and spiritually acceptable. And I may receive a Chevrolet, not a Cadillac. I will, however, get from Point A to Point B safely and reliably. On a related note, the good life, in terms of the Book of Psalms, includes having enough for each day, not necessarily being wealthy.
Elsewhere in the New Testament, one can read about having the mind of Christ. That concept applies to the material for today. We have Jesus as, among other things, our role model. We, as Christians, must follow his example. We must love as he loved. When we consider that Christ’s love led to his execution, we realize that this mandate is serious business, not a mere slogan. The Right Reverend Robert C. Wright, the Episcopal Bishop of Atlanta, says to
love like Jesus.
Bishop Wright understands that this is serious business, not a mere slogan.
Think, O reader, what may happen to you if you were to love like Jesus in your context and to pray for causes consistent with the will of God? How would that change you? How would it change your community, your nation-state, and the world? What repercussions might you face for loving like Jesus? How many professing Christians would oppose you?
During my research for my M.A. thesis, I found a case in point. J. Robert Harris was the pastor of the Fort Gaines Baptist Church, Fort Gaines, Georgia, in the early and middle 1950s. He left that position under a cloud between August and November 1955. The chatty local newspaper never mentioned his departure, which followed either his firing or his forced resignation. (I read two versions of the story.) Harris had publicly supported the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) and involved an African-American youth in his church’s vacation Bible school. Harris became the pastor of the Plains Baptist Church, Plains, Georgia, which he served until his resignation in the late 1960s. Failing health was the official cause of the resignation. However, the pastor’s recent sermon in favor of civil rights had been unpopular with his congregation. Harris had once preached a sermon in which he had asked his flock, in so many words:
If being Christian were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
In the case of J. Robert Harris, the answer was affirmative. He loved like Jesus and ran afoul of other professing Christians entrenched in racist social norms.
Loving like Jesus makes one a radical in a world with upside-down standards. Loving like Jesus entails living the Golden Rule. Loving like Jesus entails living both versions of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5 and Luke 6). Loving like Jesus entails bearing much fruit (John 15:8).
Psalm 22 speaks of God acting. In Hebrew thought, the actions of God reveal the divine character. Likewise, my actions reveal my character. And your actions, O reader, reveal your character. Is it a godly character?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 22, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF LENT
THE FEAST OF SAINT DEOGRATIAS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF CARTHAGE
THE FEAST OF EMMANUEL MOURNIER, FRENCH PERSONALIST PHILOSOPHER
THE FEAST OF JAMES DE KOVEN, EPISCOPAL PRIEST
THE FEAST OF THOMAS HUGHES, BRITISH SOCIAL REFORMER AND MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM EDWARD HICKSON, ENGLISH MUSIC EDUCATOR AND SOCIAL REFORMER
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Good Shepherd
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Acts 4:23-33
Psalm 23
1 John 3:1-2
John 10:11-18
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God of all power,
you called from death our Lord Jesus Christ,
the great shepherd of the sheep.
Send us as shepherds to rescue the lost,
to heal the injured,
and to feed one another with knowledge and understanding;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
OR
Almighty God,
you show the light of your truth to those in darkness,
to lead them into the way of righteousness.
Give strength to all who are joined in the family of the Church,
so that they will resolutely reject what erodes their faith
and firmly follow what faith requires;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 22
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Almighty God, merciful Father,
since you have wakened from death the Shepherd of your sheep,
grant us your Holy Spirit that we may know the voice of our Shepherd
and follow him that sin and death may never pluck us out of your hand;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 52
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The Fourth Sunday of Easter is Good Shepherd Sunday on more than one lectionary.
- YHWH is the Good Shepherd in Psalm 23. In that text, only divine goodness and steadfast love either pursue or accompany the psalmist. The enemies, not invited to the divine banquet, do not harm the psalmist.
- Jesus is the Good Shepherd in John 10. He knows his sheep, who, in turn, recognize him. And the Good Shepherd sacrifices himself for his sheep.
- Yet many in the “the world”–kosmos, in Greek–fail to recognize God and Jesus. These spiritually blind people live according to the values which the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) and the Beatitudes and Woes (Luke 6) contradict. Many of these spiritually blind people are conventionally religious, by the standards of their cultures or subcultures.
“Sacred violence” is a value of the kosmos, the morally disordered world. Notice the absence of “sacred violence” in Psalm 23 and John 10, O reader. God does not smite the psalmist’s foes. God does, however, force them to watch a grand banquet to which God did not invite them. And the perpetrators of the violence in John 10 are not acting out of divine love. These two readings contradict some disturbing stories of violence committed in the name of God and allegedly in obedience to divine commands. Elijah’s massacre of the prophets of Baal Peor (1 Kings 18:40-41) comes to my mind immediately.
I, having read the full canon of the Bible–all 73 books–reject the stereotype of God changing character between Testaments. Divine judgment and mercy exist in balance in both the Old and the New Testaments. Beautiful passages about divine mercy exist in both Testaments. Likewise, so do harrowing passages about divine judgment.
I am a Christian. Therefore, my concept of God hinges on Jesus of Nazareth. I read stories about Jesus dying violently, not having people killed. I read about Jesus expressing righteous anger, something everyone should do. Yet I read no stories about Jesus ordering hatred or violence. So, God, as I understand God, does not order hatred and violence either. No, God is love. God triumphs over hatred and violence with love.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 21, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE TWENTY-FOURTH DAY OF LENT
THE FEAST OF JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH, CARL PHILIPP EMANUEL BACH, AND JOHANN CHRISTIAN BACH, COMPOSERS
THE FEAST OF SAINT LUCIA OF VERONA, ITALIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC TERTIARY AND MARTYR, 1574
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARK GJANI, ALBANIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1947
THE FEAST OF SAINT NICHOLAS OF FLÜE AND HIS GRANDSON, SAINT CONRAD SCHEUBER, SWISS HERMITS
THE FEAST OF SAINT SERAPION OF THMUIS, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Supper at Emmaus, by Caravaggio
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Acts 4:8-12
Psalm 139:1-11 (LBW) or Psalm 16 (LW)
1 John 1:1-2:2
Luke 24:36-49
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O God, by the humiliation of your Son you lifted up this fallen world,
rescuing us from the hopelessness of death.
Grant your faithful people a share in the joys that are eternal;
through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 21
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O almighty and eternal God,
now that you have assured us of
the completion of our redemption
through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ,
give us the will to show forth in our lives
what we profess with our lips;
through Jesus Christ, your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 51
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Multiple contexts for correctly interpreting scripture exist. These include history, science, culture, and other passages of scripture. Given the range of time and of Biblical authors, some internal contradictions exist. That is unavoidable.
In the case of our reading from the First Epistle of John, however, we find our context within the Johannine tradition and that document itself. 1 John 3:6 tells us:
Anyone who abides in Jesus does not sin; anyone who sins has not seen him, nor has he known him.
—Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002)
Yet we read in 1 John 1:8 that those who claim to lack sin deceive themselves. The truth–in Johannine terms, activated integrity–is not in them. Recall, O reader, what I wrote in last Sunday’s devotion: In the Gospel of John, sin is the failure to recognize the divine revelation of God in Jesus. Elsewhere in the Bible–as in the Gospel of Matthew–sin is a moral failing.
While I am defining words, I add “righteousness” to the list. Righteousness is right relationship with God, self, others, and all of creation.
A complicating factor in First John is that the text mixes the two definitions of sin. When we consider all the germane verses from the Gospel of John and the First Epistle of John, we arrive at a synthesis: We all have moral failings. If we are penitent, God forgives us and restores us to right relationship with God, self, others, and all of creation. Jesus eradicates the power of our moral failings over us, both collectively and individually. And, given that the Johannine understanding of sin is failing to recognize the divine revelation in Christ (John 20:22-23), nobody who is in Christ sins, according to that definition of sin. Such a person has no theological license to wallow in habitual moral failings, regardless of what certain members of the original audience of First John may have thought.
I hope that is a clear explanation.
A friend (now deceased) interceded for others by praying for “God’s best” for them. Bill’s prayer has become my petition for others and myself.
God’s best precludes habitual moral failings. God’s best entails breaking such habits, both collectively and individually. We all have habitual moral failings, both collectively and individually. And we are all subject to moral blind spots, both collectively and individually. Furthermore, moral perfectionism is an impossible standard. However, we–both collectively and individually–can improve, with divine assistance. Despite the power of negative habits and habitual moral failings, we can admit that grace is not a license for them.
God is always with us; we are never on our own and alone.
I remember a story about a Nazi guard taunting a Jew in a concentration camp.
The guard had forced the Jew to clean the especially disgusting toilets. That guard asked the Jew:
Where is your God now?
The Jew replied:
Beside me, in the muck.
God is beside us–collectively and individually–in the muck of the world and our lives. Do we recognize God in our presence? If so, how do we respond?
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 20, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE TWENTY-SECOND DAY OF LENT
THE FEAST OF SEBASTIAN CASTELLIO, PROPHET OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
THE FEAST OF CHRISTOPHER WORDSWORTH, HYMN WRITER AND ANGLICAN BISHOP OF LINCOLN
THE FEAST OF ELLEN GATES STARR, U.S. EPISCOPAL THEN ROMAN CATHOLIC SOCIAL ACTIVIST AND REFORMER
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARIA JOSEFA SANCHO DE GUERRA, FOUNDER OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE SERVANTS OF THE POOR
THE FEAST OF SAMUEL RODIGAST, GERMAN LUTHERAN ACADEMIC AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SIMON WILLIAM GABRIEL BRUTÉ DE RÉMUR, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF VINCENNES
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Adapted from this post
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Above: Pentecost, by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld
Image in the Public Domain
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Acts 3:13-15, 17-26
Psalm 148
1 John 5:1-6
John 20:19-31
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Almighty God, we have celebrated with joy
the festival of our Lord’s resurrection.
Graciously help us to show the power of the resurrection
in all that we say and do;
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 21
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Grant, almighty God,
that we who have celebrated the mystery of the Lord’s resurrection
may by the help of your grace bring forth
the fruits thereof in our life and conduct;
through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 50
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Biblical authors did not always define certain words the same way. For example, “sin” meant a moral failing in Matthew 18:18 yet a theological failing in John 20:22-23. In the Johannine theological context, sin was the failure to recognize the revelation of God in Jesus. Hence, a Christian did not sin, in Johannine theological terms (1 John 3:6). Also, forgiving sins was a task for the faith community empowered by the Holy Spirit. This faith community, empowered by the Holy Spirit, continued the work of Jesus.
The First Epistle of John tells us that the love of God entails keeping divine commandments, which are not burdensome. The Gospel of John has Jesus say that those who love him will keep his commandments (14:23). The most basic commandment of Jesus is the Golden Rule. That should not be burdensome, should it?
God forgives sins, whichever definition one uses. So should the communities of the people of God. Repentance must precede forgiveness, especially if one defines sins as moral failings. Forgiveness without prior repentance is cheap grace–something meaningless and not transformative.
Just as repentance must precede forgiveness for forgiveness to mean anything, truth must precede reconciliation, something else Jesus brings and God grants. In the Johannine lexicon, truth means “activated integrity.” It is not a philosophical abstraction; no truth is something lived. The hard work of being honest must precede the graces of reconciliation and forgiveness. This is a lesson which many people–including certain politicians and many of their supporters–prefer to ignore. They seek to brush difficulties of the collective and/or individual past under the proverbial rug. They seek the cheap graces of painless forgiveness and faux reconciliation without prior repentance and the acknowledgment of reality. And they often do so in the name of Jesus, unfortunately. They, therefore, mock God, truth, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 20, 2023 COMMON ERA
THE TWENTY-SECOND DAY OF LENT
THE FEAST OF SEBASTIAN CASTELLIO, PROPHET OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
THE FEAST OF CHRISTOPHER WORDSWORTH, HYMN WRITER AND ANGLICAN BISHOP OF LINCOLN
THE FEAST OF ELLEN GATES STARR, U.S. EPISCOPAL THEN ROMAN CATHOLIC SOCIAL ACTIVIST AND REFORMER
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARIA JOSEFA SANCHO DE GUERRA, FOUNDER OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE SERVANTS OF THE POOR
THE FEAST OF SAMUEL RODIGAST, GERMAN LUTHERAN ACADEMIC AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SIMON WILLIAM GABRIEL BRUTÉ DE RÉMUR, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF VINCENNES
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Adapted from this post
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READING THE GENERAL EPISTLES, PART XV
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1 John 3:1-4:6
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My children,
our love is not to be just words or mere talk,
but something real and active;
only by this can we be certain
that we are children of the truth
and be able to quieten our conscience in his presence,
whatever accusations it may raise against us,
because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything.
–1 John 3:18-20, The Jerusalem Bible (1966)
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I refer you, O reader, to the previous post in this series for an explanation of 3:3-9.
Until about two years ago, I read 1 John 3:18-20, quietly acknowledged the the truth of those verses, and moved along.
Now I read them and stop in my tracks.
Bonny, my beloved, died on October 14, 2019. Her manner of death was violent and preventable. I tried to prevent it. I prolonged Bonny’s life for years. Finally, I could prolong it no more.
My conscience has accused me since October 14, 2019. Another voice in my head has countered my survivor’s guilt.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. I affirm the orthodox theology of the Holy Trinity, as it emerged during a few centuries of debate and ecumenical councils, as being as close to the objective reality of God as one can get. Nevertheless, I suspect that the full nature of God exceeds human comprehension. The orthodox theology of the Holy Trinity is poetry, not prose, so to speak. The Holy Spirit–whatever the actual nature of it is–is the Spirit of truth. The Spirit of truth tells me to stop blaming myself for Bonny’s death and for still having a pulse. Part of me listens to that counsel.
The context of 1 John 4:1-6 is the schism in the germane Johannine community. The Antichrists and false prophets “John” had in mind were Gnostics, who denied the Incarnation–and the rest of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. They deserved the criticism they received.
Gnosticism persists. Heresies tend not to die. No, they mutate, like viruses. Some fade. Others become more prominent and popular. 1 John 4:1-6 contains to speak to the present day, sadly. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
OCTOBER 3, 2021 COMMON ERA
PROPER 22: THE NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF GEORGE KENNEDY ALLEN BELL, ANGLICAN BISHOP OF CHICHESTER
THE FEAST OF ALBERTO RAMENTO, PRIME BISHOP OF THE PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENT CHURCH
THE FEAST OF SAINT GERARD OF BROGNE, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT
THE FEAST OF JOHN RALEIGH MOTT, U.S. METHODIST LAY EVANGELIST, AND ECUMENICAL PIONEER
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM SCARLETT, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF MISSOURI, AND ADVOCATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
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Above: Ben Burton Park, Athens, Georgia, November 11, 2017
Photographer = Kenneth Randolph Taylor
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READING THE GENERAL EPISTLES, PART XIV
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1 John 1:1-2:29
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Circa 100 C.E., a disciple of St. John the Evangelist, writing as that apostle, addressed a Johannine Christian community. That church had recently suffered a schism; Gnostics had broken away.
Gnosticism was problematic for several reasons.
- It understood knowing to be a saving deed.
- This allegedly salvific knowledge was a secret. Therefore, Gnostics were self-appointed spiritual elites.
- Gnosticism understood all that was material to be evil. This doctrine refuted the Incarnation and all the spin-off Christological doctrines–the Resurrection and the Atonement, in particular. In Gnostic thought, Jesus only seemed to have a body, and another man occupied the cross intended for Christ.
- The cosmology and God-concept of Gnosticism were convoluted. That, however, is a topic for another time and post.
The author of First John knew the Gospel of John well. He wrote in Johannine terms. The opening of First John imitated John 1:1-18. The Johannine definition of eternal life as knowing God via Jesus carried over. So did reserving the language of divine sonship for Jesus and referring to Christians as “children of God.” One may also recognize the Johannine motif of indwelling, present in First John.
One who has read the General Epistles and who has a good memory of them may read 1 John 1:1-2:29 and detect themes covered elsewhere in the General Epistles. Straighten up and fly right. Good and evil are fighting in the world. Do not give into evil, forbidden desires. Live in mutuality. Cling to Jesus. Beware of false teachers. These false teachers are Antichrists, for they deny Christ.
Sin is a major topic in First John, a subtle text. Some of the subtleties are so subtle that one may easily miss them. For the sake of clarity, I choose to cover part of 1 John 3, so for as it seems to contradict 1 John 1 and 2.
If we say we have no sin in us,
we are deceiving ourselves
and refusing to admit the truth;
but if we acknowledge our sins,
then God who is faithful and just
will forgive our sins and purify us
from everything that is wrong.
To say that we have never sinned
is to call God a liar
and to show that his word is not in us.
I am writing this, my children,
to stop you sinning;
but if anyone should sin,
we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ, who is just;
he is the sacrifice that takes our sins away,
but not only us,
but the whole world.
–1 John 1:8-2:2, The Jerusalem Bible (1966)
Consider the following passage, too, O reader:
Surely everyone who entertains this hope
must purify himself, must try to be pure as Christ.
Anyone who sins at all
breaks the law,
because to sin is to break the law.
Now you know that he appeared in order to abolish sin,
and that in him there is no sin;
and anyone who sins
has never seen him or known him.
My children, do not let anyone lead you astray:
to live a holy life
is to be holy just as he is holy;
to lead a sinful life is to belong to the devil,
since the devil was a sinner from the beginning.
It was to undo all that the devil has done
that the Son of God appeared.
No one who as been begotten by God sins;
because God’s seed remains in him,
he cannot sin when he has been begotten by God.
–1 John 3:3-9, The Jerusalem Bible (1966)
A superficial reading of the two passages leads one to conclude that they contradict each other. Yet a close reading reveals the logical progression. Jesus destroys sin. Therefore, to the extent one is in Christ, one cannot sin. To the extent one is in tune with God, one cannot sin. In the original context of First John, the second passage does not argue for the sinlessness of Christians. Rather, 3:9 is:
…the strongest, most principles denial that sinfulness could ever be reckoned a birth certificate of godliness.
–C. Clifton Black, in The New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume XII (1998), 413
The author of First John was apparently arguing against false teachers who held that there was a warrant for sin in the Christian life. This false teaching continued to cause confusion in the germane Johannine community after the schism.
Perhaps paraphrasing 1 John 3:9, outside of the original context, helps:
To the extent that one is in Christ, one is not and cannot be a slave to sin.
The light of Christ dispels the darkness of evil, in other words. May we–individually and collectively–live our lives in the light (1 John 1:7).
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
OCTOBER 2, 2021 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF PETRUS HERBERT, GERMAN MORAVIAN BISHOP AND HYMNODIST
THE FEAST OF CARL DOVING, NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN LUTHERAN MINISTER AND HYMN TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF JAMES ALLEN, ENGLISH INGHAMITE THEN GLASITE/SANDEMANIAN HYMN WRITER; AND HIS GREAT-NEPHEW, OSWALD ALLEN, ENGLISH GLASITE/SANDEMANIAN HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARIA ANNA KRATOCHWIL, POLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC NUN AND MARTYR, 1942
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READING THE GENERAL EPISTLES, PART I
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This post opens a new series, one about the General (or Catholic or Universal) Epistles. This category dates to circa 325 C.E., from the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius of Caesarea.
MY GERMANE OPERATIONAL BIASES AND ASSUMPTIONS
Know, O reader, that my academic background is in history. I think historically, regardless of the topic du jour. The past tenses constitute my usual temporal perspective. Some people tell me that I ought not to think this way when considering the Bible or a television series that ceased production years or decades ago. These individuals are wrong. I defy them.
Some people tell me that the historical backgrounds of Biblical books do not matter or are of minimal importance. The messages for today is what matters, they say. The messages for today do matter; I agree with that much. Yet the definition of those messages depend greatly on the historical contexts from which these texts emerged. With regard to the General Epistles, whether one assumes relatively early or relatively late composition affects the interpretation.
I operate from the assumptions that (a) James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, and Jude are pseudonymous, and (b) they date to relatively late periods. These two assumptions relate to each other. The first assumption leads to the second. In terms of logic, if x, then y. Simultaneously, internal evidence supports the second assumption, which leads backward, to the first.
CONTEXTS
The General Epistles, composed between 70 and 140 C.E., came from particular societal and political contexts. The Roman Empire was strong. Religious persecutions of Christianity were mostly sporadic and regional. Christianity was a young, marginalized, sect (of Judaism, through 135 C.E.) unable to influence society and the imperial order. Christian doctrine was in an early phase of development. Even the definition of the Christian canon of scripture was in flux.
I, reading, pondering, and writing in late 2021, benefit from centuries of theological development, ecumenical councils, and the definition of the New Testament. I, as an Episcopalian, use scripture, tradition, and reason. I interpret any one of these three factors through the lenses of the other two. I, as a student of the past, acknowledge that scripture emerged from tradition.
The importance of theological orthodoxy was a major concern in the background of the General Epistles. That made sense; ecclesiastical unity, threatened by heresy, was a major concern for the young, small, and growing sect. Yet, as time passed and the Church’s fortunes improved, the definition of orthodoxy changed. Some of the Ante-Nicene Fathers (notably Origen) were orthodox, by the standards of their time. After 325 C.E., however, some of these men (notably Origen) became heretics postmortem and ex post facto.
Orthopraxy was another concern in the General Epistles. Orthopraxy related to orthodoxy. The lack of orthopraxy led to needless schisms and the exploitation of the poor, for example. As time passed and the Church became dominant in parts of the world, the Church fell short on the standard of orthopraxy, as defined by the Golden Rule. As Alfred Loisy (1857-1940), an excommunicated modernist Roman Catholic theologian, lamented:
Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God and what came was the Church.
Lest anyone misunderstand me, I affirm that theological orthodoxy exists. God defines it. We mere mortals and our theologies are all partially heretical. We cannot help that. Salvation is a matter of grace, not passing a canonical examination. Also, the Golden Rule is the finest standard according to which to measure orthopraxy. Orthopraxy is a matter of faithful response, which grace demands. Grace is free, not cheap.
BRIEF INTRODUCTIONS FOR EACH OF THE GENERAL EPISTLES
The Epistle of James dates to 70-110 C.E. The analysis of Father Raymond E. Brown (1928-1998) suggests that composition in the 80s or 90s was probable. The “epistle,” actually a homily, used the genre of diatribe to address Jewish Christians who lived outside of Palestine. James is perhaps the ultimate “shape up and fly right” Christian text. James may also correct misconceptions regarding Pauline theology.
The First Epistle of Peter, composed in Rome between 70 and 90 C.E., is a text originally for churches in northern Asia Minor. The majority scholarly opinion holds that First Peter is a unified text. A minority scholarly opinion holds that 1:3-4:11 and 4:12-5:11 are distinct documents.
The Epistle of Jude, composed between 90 and 100 C.E., may have have come from Palestine. Jude was also a source for Second Peter, mainly the second chapter thereof.
The Second Epistle of Peter is the last book of the New Testament composed. Second Peter, probably composed between 120 and 140 C.E., addresses a general audience in eastern Asia Minor. The second chapter expands on Jude.
The First Epistle of John is not an epistle. No, it is a homily or a tract. First John, composed circa 100 C.E., belongs to the Johannine tradition. Anyone who has belonged to a congregation that has suffered a schism may relate to the context of First John.
The author of the Second and Third Epistles of John (both from circa 100 C.E.) may have written First John. Or not. “The Elder” (the author of Second and Third John) speaks down the corridors of time in the contexts of ecclesiastical schisms and personality conflicts. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
I invite you, O reader, to remain with me as I embark on a journey through the Epistle of James first.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 19, 2021 COMMON ERA
PROPER 20: THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR B
THE FEAST OF GERARD MOULTRIE, ANGLICAN PRIEST, HYMN WRITER, AND TRANSLATOR OF HYMNS
THE FEAST OF SAINT CLARENCE ALPHONSUS WALWORTH, U.S. ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, POET, HYMN TRANSLATOR, AND HYMN WRITER; CO-FOUNDER OF THE MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE (THE PAULIST FATHERS)
THE FEAST OF SAINT EMILY DE RODAT, FOUNDER OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF VILLEFRANCHE
THE FEAST OF WALTER CHALMERS SMITH, SCOTTISH PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM DALRYMPLE MACLAGAN, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, AND HYMN WRITER
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Above: Saint John the Evangelist, by Peter Paul Rubens
Image in the Public Domain
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Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning:
Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them,
that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of life,
which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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Genesis 1:14-25
Psalm 146
1 John 2:7-12; 3:1-3
John 1:6-13
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Genesis 1 divides the first six days of creation into two groups–the creation of generalities and domains (the first three days’ work) and the creation of the specifics or the inhabitants of those domains (the work of the fourth, fifth, and sixth days). The seventh day is the time of the creation of the sabbath. The sovereignty of God is a theme that pervades this great myth.
God also deserves much love. As the other three readings tell us, that love (or absence thereof) is manifest in how we behave toward other human beings. These other human beings also bear the image of God (Genesis 1:27). I know I am getting ahead of the continuous readings in Genesis. I am staying on topic, though.
Whoever says he is in the light, yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is nothing in him to cause a fall. Whoever hates his brother is in darkness; he walks in darkness and does not know where he is going because darkness has blinded his eyes.
–1 John 2:9-11, The New American Bible–Revised Edition (2011)
That text explains itself.
According to a story that may be apocryphal, the elderly St. John the Evangelist was due to visit a congregation somewhere. The members gathered in great anticipation on the appointed day. They watched as men carried the infirmed apostle into the space and sat him down in front of the congregation. Then St. John said,
My children, love one another.
Immediately, he motioned for the men to carry him out. One member of the congregation ran after St. John and asked, in so many words,
That’s all you came here to say?
The apostle replied,
When you have done that, I will tell you more.
Loving one another can be very difficult. Deciding to love one another can also prove challenging, albeit easier than effectively acting on the goal. We need grace to succeed, of course. Yet grace requires our desire to love one another. Free will and grace are partners.
I write this post during a period of prolonged and intensified political polarization. Even the definition of objective reality, as in X caused Y, and Z happened, is often contentious. More so than in the past, many disagreements start at the point of assuming that those who differ from one are bad, if not evil. The more generous judgment that that those who disagree are probably good yet misinformed and misguided is increasingly rare.
I notice this unfortunate pattern in topics that range far beyond science, religion, and politics. I detect this regarding science fiction (one of my favorite topics), too.
Do you enjoy that series? Do you not enjoy that movie? What kind of person are you? You certainly aren’t a real fan. I’m a real fan!
Many criteria can define tribalism.
Whenever we erect idols, whether tangible or intangible, we set ourselves up for this. We do this to ourselves and each other. We can choose never to do this. We can also choose to cease and desist from doing this. We can opt to repent of our idolatry and tribalism.
May we do so. May we love God. May we love ourselves and each other.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 24, 2020 COMMON ERA
CHRISTMAS EVE
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Adapted from this post:
https://adventchristmasepiphany.wordpress.com/2020/12/24/devotion-for-the-second-sunday-of-advent-year-d-humes/
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Above: Christ in the House of Simon, by Dieric Bouts
Image in the Public Domain
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For the Second Sunday after Trinity, Year 1
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Lectionary from A Book of Worship for Free Churches (The General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches in the United States, 1948)
Collect from The Book of Worship (Evangelical and Reformed Church, 1947)
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O Lord, who never failest to help and govern those
whom thou dost bring up in thy steadfast fear and love;
make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—The Book of Worship (1947), 186
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Proverbs 9:1-11
Psalms 11 and 12
1 John 3:13-18
Luke 7:36-50
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To correct a scoffer,
or rebuke a wicked man for his blemish,
Is to call down abuse on oneself.
Do not rebuke a scoffer, for he will hate you;
Reprove a wise man, and he will love you.
–Proverbs 9:7-8, TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (1985)
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Jesus disregarded that advice, did he not?
Anyway, Lady Wisdom (contrasted with Lady Folly in Proverbs 9) was a fine hostess. Simon the Pharisee was a bad host in Luke 7. The woman in in Luke, 7, like the Psalmist(s) in Psalms 11 and 12, knew to whom to turn. She was so grateful that she did not care what other people thought of her. She knew and accepted her need for God. She knew and accepted her need for forgiveness. Therein resided her liberation from her former life.
Give up simpleness and live,
Walk in the say of understanding.
–Proverbs 9:6, TANAKH: The Holy Scriptures (1985)
Love must be active if it is to be genuine. This is a teaching from 1 John 3, among other sources. In the context of 1 John 3, this is love in faith community. This is a lesson Simon the Pharisee had yet to learn.
This is a lesson of which most of us need reminders. Some of us require more reminders than others. All of us fall short of the high standards Jesus has modeled for us.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 13, 2020 COMMON ERA
MONDAY IN EASTER WEEK
THE FEAST OF JOSEPH BARBER LIGHTFOOT, BISHOP OF DURHAM
THE FEAST OF HENRI PERRIN, FRENCH ROMAN CATHOLIC WORKER PRIEST
THE FEAST OF JOHN GLOUCESTER, FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARTIN I, BISHOP OF ROME, AND MARTYR, 655; AND SAINT MAXIMUS THE CONFESSOR, EASTERN ORTHODOX MONK, ABBOT, AND MARTYR, 662
THE FEAST OF SAINT ROLANDO RIVI, ROMAN CATHOLIC SEMINARIAN AND MARTYR, 1945
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Above: The Traditional Site of the Feeding of the Five Thousand
Image Source = Library of Congress
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For the Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year 1, according to the U.S. Presbyterian lectionary of 1966-1970
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Prepare our hearts, O Lord, to accept thy Word.
Silence us in any voice but thine own, that hearing, we may also obey thy will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—The Book of Common Worship–Provisional Services (1966), 121
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Isaiah 51:4-6
1 John 3:7-14
John 6:1-14
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Indeed, it is better to keep quiet and be, than to make fluent professions and not be. No doubt it is a fine thing to instruct others, but only if the speaker practices what he preaches.
–Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians 15, translated by Maxwell Staniforth and Andrew Louth
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1 John 3 features prominently the exhortation to live uprightly, in a manner defined by love for God and one’s fellow human beings. That should be noncontroversial, right? Not surprisingly, obeying the Golden Rule is frequently politically unpopular, socially unacceptable, and sometimes even illegal.
Do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.
–1 John 3:13, The New Jerusalem Bible (1985)
So, then, why not lose hope? Why not conform to the politics of hatred–racism, xenophobia, nativism, and all other phobias directed at human beings? Why walk in love if it may lead to trouble?
Why not walk in love? If one is to suffer, why not suffer for the sake of righteousness? God, with whom there are leftovers, even when, according to human standards, that should be impossible, is with us when we are faithful.
May we practice living in love for God and our fellow human beings. May we preach it, too.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 12, 2018 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOSAPHAT, ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF POLOTSK, AND MARTYR
THE FEAST OF SAINT FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI, FOUNDRESS OF THE MISSIONARY SISTERS OF THE SACRED HEART
THE FEAST OF RAY PALMER, U.S. CONGREGATIONALIST MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM ARTHUR DUNKERLEY, BRITISH NOVELIST, AND HYMN WRITER
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BLOGA THEOLOGICA 
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