1. James. — His Epistle has sometimes been ani- madverted on as though it were little better than Jewish-Christian. We may content ourselves with Hort's more generous estimate : ' Unlike as it is to the other books of the NT, it chiefly illustrates Judaistic Christianity by total freedom from it ' {Judaistic Christianity, p. 151). We may refer also to Dr. Patrick's recent volume, James, the LwtPs Brother, p. 98 ff.
The doctrinal scheme of the Epistle is very smiple, and deeply religious. God is the absolutely good One (15- I'i- 17). Man is made in His image (39), and is meant to be separate from the world (1«), and wholly given up to God (I'S). Sin is the for- swearing of this allegiance, and the choice of the world instead of God, and leads to death (!"■ 15). For men, under the power of sin, deliverance lies in the act of God, who quickens them into a new life. This He effects by His word (liS- 21) ; and this word comes through the mediation of Christ, by whom the old law is transformed into a new law, a roval law, a law of libertv (28- 12). Christ, accordingly, is the Saviour to whom we owe our salvation. He is the object of saving faith, which we must not belie by any inconsistent life (21).
To St. James, as to all Christians, Jesiis is also Lord, ranked along with Jehovali in lionour and dignity (1' 2'). To Him belongs 'the honourable name' (2'). He will shortly come for judgment (5*- "). Dorner's summary 'is borne out by the whole Epistle : ' Both in soteriological and in Chri.stological form, James acknowledges the absoluteness of the Christian religion ' ISiistcm,
■ - p._159),
vol.
2. The First Epistle of Peter.— There is distinct advance in this Epistle beyond the statements in St. Peter's speeches reported in the Acts, though even yet the Christology is not so rich and full as in St. Paul or St. John. The sinlessness of Jesus is clearly stated (1" 2==) ; and this gives an impres- sion of the Personality of Christ which is incon- sistent with a merely humanitarian view of His person. The death" of Christ, whicli had once oftended Peter, but which in his preaching he had declared to be part of Messiah's redemptive work, he now {;lories in as the ground of salvation, and he describes it in its atoning efficacy with rich variety of phrase — covenant blood ( 1-), ransom (I""- ), sin-bearing (2»"'-), substitution (S'"). One who ascribed such efficacy to the death of Christ must
have taken an exalted view of His Person. Lord- ship in the usual Christian sense is ascribed to Him (P 013315) Sonship toward God is implied in 1^. Kesurrection, exaltation, supremacy have their wonted place in St. Peter's thoughts, as in all Christian faith (1-' 3~). The wording of 1" and 1=" scarcely allows us to regard these passages as distinctly teaching a personal i^re-existence of Christ, although such an interpretation of them is certainly legitimate, and is, besides, much more characteristic of St. Peter's non-speculative cast of mind than the ideal pre-existence which is held by some interpreters to be the meaning. In any case, Christ is to St Peter a Being far more than man or angel ; and this means, since the thought of a demi-god is impossible to a Jewish monotheist, that St. Peter placed his Lord side by side with Jehovah, sharer with God in Divine rank and worship. This he did \vith the memory full and clear within him of his Master's human life. Tliat St. Peter, who so often sjioke frankly and plainly to Jesus, and once rebuked Him and once denied Him, should have come to adore Him as Divine, is a fact most wonderful, and fraught with far- reaching consequences.
3. Jnde and 2 Peter In these brief and, from
many points of \'iew, difficult writings, there is no Christological discussion. Both Epistles, however, assume the Lordship of Christ, and look forward to His coming as Judge. In 2 P 1-, He is conjoined with the Father as the object of religious know- ledge ; and in the jprevious verse He is described as ' our (3od and Saviour Jesus Christ'
4. Apocalypse. — Whatever view we take of the composition of this book, the key to which has so long been mislaid, there is no doubt that its pages glow mth the glory of Jesus. It contains abundant recollections of the human life of Jesus (e.q. 5' 22"* 21" ll^). It is the exalted, glorified, victorious Lord, however, who chiefly fills the seer's gaze. To Him the writer desires the eyes of the perse- cuted Church to turn, that she may be certified of her \'indication and reward at the hand of Him whom she adores.
He is included in the sacred Threefold source of blessing (lin). The radiant Figure of tlie vision in 112-20, whose self-designations are 'the first and the last' and 'the Living one,' to whom belong ' the keys of death and of Hades,' is no mere earthly Being who has undergone apotheosis. He is a Divine being, who came out of eternity, entered into time, and on earth suffered and died, and now, within the unseen world, lives and reigns as God ; who, also, will one dav return for judgment (1414-11, -2220). He is on the Throne (321 717 125 ■221- 3). Worship is paid to Him as God (710 612. 8). He is the Son of God, as none other ran be (16 227 32I). He is a pre-existent and eternal Heins-(117 18 3U 216 221'); such is the interpretation which is retiuired bv these passages in ^iew of the Christolog.v of the book as a 'whole. Sno disru-ssiou in Stevens, pn. 638-540. To Him belongs tii'- inconininnii-ililc Nanii- f::i- nil-), it is impos- sible to exagi.'(-r:(tr tli.j siunliir:,!!.-.. <ir iht' .^do^ation of Jesus which pervades nil tin- NT hit rnim-i , ind is so intense and