Introduction to the catholic letters In this context, “Catholic” has no denominational meaning; the Greek word katholikós means: “general,” “universal,” or “comprehensive.” These letters are so named because they generally do not specify a particular congregation or individual as the recipient, but are addressed to the entire Christian body.They were first referred to as katholikós…
Introduction to the epistles of the Apostle Paul Paul was the only apostle who had not previously been counted among Jesus’ disciples. On the contrary, he initially persecuted Jesus’ followers with all his might, because he considered their belief that they had found the Messiah of Israel in him to be a dangerous heresy. For…
Introduction to the Letters of the Apostle Paul Paul from Tarsus was the only apostle who had not previously been one of Jesus‘ disciples. On the contrary, he initially persecuted Jesus‘ followers with great zeal because he considered their belief that he was the Messiah of Israel to be a dangerous heresy. For him, this…
The new testament – God’s covenant with all humanity We also owe our New Testament, the covenant that God offers to all of humanity, largely to our Jewish brothers and sisters. With the exception of the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, which he also wrote, all parts were written by…
Introduction to the Revelation of Jesus Christ by John The 66th and final book of the Bible, the 27th in the New Testament The Revelation of John was likely written around the year 95, toward the end of Emperor Domitian’s reign (81–96 AD). This makes it, along with the letters of this “beloved” apostle, one…
Introduction to the letter of Jude The 65th book of the Bible, the 26th in the New Testament The Epistle of Jude contains many references to and further elaborations on the Second Epistle of Peter. In the meantime, the apostasy in the churches, caused by false teachings, had already reached significant proportions. We can assume…
Introduction to the third letter of John The 64th book of the Bible, the 25th in the New Testament The third and final epistle of the Apostle John addresses a topic that is also touched upon in the Second Epistle of John, though this time from a different perspective. In the early centuries, the spread…
Introduction to the second letter of John The 63rd book of the Bible, the 24th in the New Testament Despite its brief length, the second, personal letter from the Apostle John presents us with some mysteries.It was likely written shortly after his first letter, between the years 85 and 94. However, it is also possible…
Introduction to the first letter of John The 62nd book of the Bible, the 23rd in the New Testament Like his Gospel of Jesus Christ, the First Epistle of John does not bear the apostle’s name. Nevertheless, even in the early Church there was no doubt as to its authorship.This is further evidenced by the…
Introduction to the second letter of Peter The 61st book of the Bible, the 22nd in the New Testament Peter wrote his second and final letter shortly before his “death” as a farewell letter; some also refer to it as Peter’s testament.It is significant that the apostle does not speak of death or dying, but…