NICK ALUOCH

1. What are the "General Epistles" and what makes them different from the
letters that Paul wrote? General epistles are the non-Paul epistles, since
they are the books of the New Testament that show up not to have been
written by Paul the Apostle. Epistles resemble the thirteen Epistles of Paul
in their character. These books are not addressed to a specific individual,
so many people believe them to be general letters addressed to everybody.
The letters Paul wrote would in general compose his letters for specific
congregations. Some broad Epistles are kept in touch with general gatherings of
church like 1) to the twelve tribes in the dispersion. 2) to the individuals who
choose outcasts of these catering in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and
Bithynia. 3) To the individuals who have faith of equal standing with ours by
the righteousness of our God and savior Jesus Christ. 4) To the individuals who
are called, beloved in God the Father and saved in Jesus Christ.

1. Define the terms "homologoumena" and "antilegomena" as used in New

Testament studies
The Homologoumena implies the uncontroversial writing. These books were
received as authoritative without any dispute, and whose right to a place in the
Canon was not a later question.
Antilegomena is that which is opposed or spoken against. They are those books
whose right to a place in the Bible, after their affirmation, was disputed by
certain Jews.

2. Describe Martin Luther's treatment of the disputed books.  How did he respond
to them and treat them?  Why did he question them but still use them and honor
them?

The 'disputed books' are the Epistle to the Hebrews, James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 and
3 John, and the Revelation of John. These books are viewed as standard in
current Lutheran churches, with the proviso that they are not exactly on a
similar level as other books as complete expression of evangelical truth and
should to be used with care. Luther himself took the liberty of criticizing some
of these books in a polemical manner. He had a low perspective on Hebrews,
James, Jude, and the Revelation, thus when he published his New Testament,
he put these books separated toward the end. In his Preface to Hebrews, which
starts things out in the arrangement, he says, "Up to this point we have had to
do with the true and certain chief books of the New Testament. The four which
follow are from ancient times, had a different reputation. “In the event that
Luther's negative perspective on these books depended distinctly upon the way
 that their canonicity was disputed in early times, we would have expected him
to include 2Peter among them, since this epistle was questioned more than
some other in ancient times. Yet, it is clear from the introductions that Luther
affixed to these four books that his low view on them had more to do with his
philosophical reservations against them than with any historical investigation of
the Canon

4. Although there are many theories about the background of the man, James,
and his letter, which is the most probably explanation with a solid basis in
the facts?
One of the numerous theories about James and his letter I feel is logical
with a strong bases is that how steady and extreme the battle for the
renewal of strength and the reason probably been among the primary
Christians. The high characteristics of this new life were not the once for
all and the static ownership of the congregation. They had been continually
recovered and reasserted in repentance under the embedded Word of the
Lord

5. What did James come to learn about both himself and his Jewish
countrymen concerning Jesus of Nazareth?
The thing that James come to find out about both himself and his Jewish
Countrymen concerning Jesus of Nazareth is that just by obeying God’s.
laws would mankind be able to experience genuine freedom from need,
sorrow and suffering, from the corrupting and difficult outcomes of sin. He
urges every one of us to be a "practitioner of the law"

6. Describe the intended recipients of James' letter.  Who were they and
what kinds of issues were they struggling with?

The intended recipient of James' letter were some individuals scattered

around the country that hold this expression - refers to Christians in
general, however the expression "twelve tribes” would more normally
apply to Jewish Christians. Moreover, a Jewish crowd would be more
with regards to the clearly Jewish nature of the letter. The recipients were
Christians is clear. It has been conceivably suggested that these were
believers from the early Jerusalem church who, after Stephen's death,
were dispersed like Phoenicia, Cyprus and Syrian Antioch.

This would represent James' references to trials and oppression, his

personal knowledge on the readers and the authoritative idea of the
 letter. As leader of the Jerusalem church, James wrote as pastor to teach
and empower his scattered people despite their troubles.

7. In what ways does the letter of James combine the forms of poem and
hymn?  How is it also similar to the Old Testament book of Proverbs? The
letter of James, with its 54 imperatives in 108 verses, is very decidedly
“teaching and admonition” in poetic from. As such it naturally bears a
strong resemblance to what is called the “Wisdom Literature” of the Jews,
such works as the Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes in the Old
Testament and apocryphal works such as Wisdom of Solomon and
Ecclesiasticus.

8. Martin Luther is often quoted as dismissing the book of James.  However,

Luther had a more complicated relationship with James than simple
dismissal.  List and briefly explain 4 important points concerning Luther's
treatment of James.
a) Luther’s description of the book changes. He
describes James as the work of an apostle example, his postil of 1536 but
in other cases, he argues that it was not written by an apostle.

b). He refers to James as straw meaning he is mundane, in his moral topics and
not to the truthfulness. Luther is making a contrast between James and Other
New Testament epistles and is not dismissing James outright.

c). In Luther’s Preface to James, he decribes the epistle as a good book because
it sets up no doctrines of men but vigorously promulgates the Law of God. He
also notes that the book lacks teaching on Christ, whom the apostles were to
preach

d). He claimed that the Lords brother James may not have written the book.
Luther retained it as a New Testament Epistle.