what are the four parts of a pauline letter

These events took place from about A.D. 62-67. from your Reading List will also remove any These, then, are the first Roman imprisonment letters, whereas 2 Timothy is the second Roman imprisonment letter.52. The Ministry of Reconciliation (5:116:10), K. A Spiritual Fathers Appeal to His Children (6:117:4), II. [17] First proposed by Adolph Deissmann, Bible Studies (Edinburgh: Clark, 1901), 359, the strict distinction between an actual letter and a literary epistle has largely been abandoned by New Testament scholarship. Since Paul had worked at Ephesus for about three years and since he normally mentioned many friends in the churches to whom he wrote, the absence of personal names in this letter strongly supports the idea of its encyclical character. As a city, it had a reputation for gross materialism and deep sinfulness. 1:1, Tit. For instance, the weighty doctrinal section of Romans (1:1611:36) is followed by a shorter but still significant imperative or hortatory section (12:115:13) that includes important discussions of Christian ethics (12:113:14) and relations between the strong and the weak (14:115:13). According to these divisions, Galatians, meant to defend both Pauls teaching of the gospel and his own authority, is an example of judicial oratory; 1 Corinthians, intended to correct behavior, is an example of deliberative writing; and Romans, which sought to introduce Paul, affirm his doctrine, and gain the support of the Saints in Rome, serves as an example of demonstrative rhetoric. In this analogy, we are as Onesimus. Texas Assistant Commissioner, Reports, Reports of Operations and As previously mentioned, the apostle was a prisoner when he wrote this epistle (Eph. As a young Pharisee, he was present when Stephen was stoned and murdered (Acts 7:58-83). WebWhen interpreting the Pauline letters, we must grasp both the contingency and the coherence of the Pauline gospel. There is no evidence among the writings of the early church fathers that his authorship was ever doubted. In harmony with one of the basic doctrines of Judaism, he believed that salvation could be obtained only by obedience to all of the laws that God had given to his people. To instruct Titus about what he should do to correct the matters that were lacking in order to properly establish the churches in Crete. The B represents the Greek letter beta, the second letter of the Greek alphabet. 202-03. During the first, Paul was kept in or near the barracks of the Praetorian Guard or in rental quarters at his own expense for two years (Acts 28:30), during which these epistles were written. But not to be outdone, is the concept of conduct or godliness, which occurs nine times (cf. From there he went to Jerusalem to deliver the money, intending to continue on to Rome and Spain (15:24). 69 From the footnote in the NET Bible, BSF web site CD, electronic media. The traditional title is Pros Ephesious, To the Ephesians. Many ancient manuscripts, however omit en Epheso and for this and other reasons, many scholars believe this was an encyclical letter (intended for circulation among several churches). 39 Frank E. Gaebelein, General Editor, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, New Testament, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1976-1992, electronic media. Their Love for the Brethren, an Expression of Being God Taught (4:9-10), C. Their Love for the Lost Expressed in Godly Living (4:11-12), III. 15-16). 2:2). He Commands and Convicts Regarding Idleness (3:1-16), V. His Concluding Benediction and Greeting (3:16-18). This letter is addressed to a congregation at Colossae in the Lycus Valley in Asia Minor, east of Ephesus. YouTube Live; Niconico Live; Twitch The imperial post carried only official government correspondence, so it was not available to Paul and other New Testament letter writers. A number of basic Christian doctrines are discussed: natural revelation (Rom 1:19-20), universality of sin (Rom 3:9-20), justification (Rom 3:24), propitiation (Rom 3:25), faith (Rom 4:1), original sin (Rom 5:12), union with Christ (Rom 6:1), the election and rejection of Israel (Rom 9-11), spiritual gifts (Rom 12:3-8), and respect for government (Rom 13:1-7).41. If the coherence of Pauls gospel is forgotten, the letters become iso- As a result, care was given to the way the letter was written, both in its language and its structure, so that it could best be understood, remembered, and repeated to others. 55 Ryrie, p. 1875. Thus, 1 Corinthians was written as a pastoral corrective to the news he had received to the many problems and disorders in the church there. Moreover, the books declare Paul as the author (1 Tim. 1. 5). The body of a longer letter of Paul also often contained some of the elements found in the literary letter of a Classical philosopher, such as containing a section of instruction or teaching followed by a section of exhortation. Priscilla and Aquila, whom Paul met in Corinth, were Jewish Christian refugees from Rome (see Acts 18:13; Romans 16:34). Apparently this had occurred, because 2 Thessalonians 2:2 suggests that the eschatological fervor that Paul was trying to counter in that letter had been inflamed by such a forgery: That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.[31]. Second Thessalonians was evidently prompted by three main developments that Paul heard about: (1) there was the news of increasing persecution which they were facing (1:4-5), (2) to deal with the reports of a pseudo-Pauline letter and other misrepresentations of his teaching regarding the day of the Lord and the rapture of the church (2:1f. Unger writes, No trace of doubt as to the authority, integrity, or apostolic genuineness of the epistle comes from ancient times.49. It is because organization and administration are not primary. It was on one of these missions that Saul was converted while on the road to Damascus. 118, # 471. The Power and Provision for Our Walk (5:14-18), C. The Believers Walk in the World (5:19-6:9), 1. Acts 18:1-11). Is Bart Ehrman Right When He Says That 2 Thessalonians is a In his campaign against Christians, both men and women, he traveled with letters of arrest from the high priest and went to other cities to waste the church of Jesus Christ (Acts 26:10-11; Gal. These congregations also consisted largely of Gentile converts, but in Pauls absence a subsequent group of missionaries had disturbed the new converts by teaching them a different gospel (see Galatians 1:610). Application error: a client-side exception has occurred (see the browser console for more information). 3:14-15; 4:6-15 with 2 Tim. The Prospective: The Endurance of Hope (4:13-5:28), A. The primary purpose of this letter, the most personal of all Pauls letters, was to ask Philemon to forgive Onesimus and accept him back as a beloved brother and fellow servant in the gospel (see vv. Where to Watch. 3:1-2, 8-11 with Acts 15:36; 2 Cor. In the upcoming Letter from the Producer LIVE, well be covering information on whats to come in Patch 6.4! As to Ones Self and the Church (5:19-21), D. The Believers Walk in Warfare (6:10-20), 2. In the process of this, Paul asks Philemon to charge this to his own account. Overviews of the reception of Pauls letters in the early church can be found in the relevant volumes of Oden 2001. Sanctification: Righteousness Imparted and Demonstrated (6:18:39), C. Sanctification and the Holy Spirit (8:1-39), V. Vindication: Jew and Gentile, the Scope of Gods Righteousness (9:111:36), A. Israels Past: Election of God (9:1-29), B. Israels Present: Rejection of God (9:3010:21), C. Israels Future: Restoration by God (11:1-36), VI. These are common Pauline expressions, but they appear in this epistle more than in any other. As was his custom, Paul first preached in the synagogue but was eventually forced out by Jewish opposition. [42] Most letters then concluded with a postscript like those discussed above, written and often signed by Paul. It would be natural, however, for Paul to mention to a church to which he was a stranger his acquaintance with mutual friends. The Prayer That the Thessalonians Might Grow in Love (3:12), 3. It has been argued that the vocabulary and style are different from other Pauline Epistles, but this overlooks Pauls flexibility under different circumstances (cf. In his studies, he had advanced in the religion of the Jews beyond many of his fellows as one extremely zealous for his ancestral traditions (Gal. Familiar with both Jewish customs and scripture on the one hand and Greek philosophy and lifestyle in Corinth on the other, he may have been particularly sensitive to the problems facing the congregation there. Undoubtedly, because of their religious and immoral background, aberrant beliefs and practices of an extraordinary variety characterized this church. Since these books deal with church order, ministry, and organization, why were they not first? Instructions Concerning Prayer (2:1-7), B. 2); (4) to give guidance regarding numerous issues that would arise and to show how they should be handled. Instructions Concerning Worship (2:1-2:15), A. Then he went back to his home territory and for a period of eight to ten years little is known of his activities.37, Before the overview of each of Pauls epistles, it would be well to note in a nutshell the distinctive emphasis and contributions of each of Pauls epistles.38. By this, we see much of what believers have through their position in the Savior. 4. If the con-tingency of the letters is ignored, Pauls let-ters become timeless treatises, severed from the historical circumstances in which they were birthed. Primarily Apologetic: Explanation of Pauls Conduct and Apostolic Ministry (chs. For instance, the indicative section of Galatians (1:65:1) takes the form of a courtroom speech in which the introduction of Pauls argument that there is no other gospel (see 1:610) is followed by a formal apologia or defense (see 1:1121) and a series of six proofs demonstrating that one is indeed saved by the faith of Jesus Christ and not by the works of the law (see 3:15:1).[41]. Letter All we need for life is found in Him. Brigham Young University As to external evidence, several church fathers (Clement of Rome, Ignatius, Polycarp, Clement of Alexander, and others) either quote from or use language closely resembling that found in Ephesians.53, In recent years, however, critics have turned to internal grounds to challenge this unanimous ancient tradition. 6, 8388; Sanders, Paul,4464; Brown, Introduction to the New Testament, 46877. Both 1 and 2 Thessalonians were written from Corinth during the apostles eighteen-month stay in that city (cf. 1:27; 2:2; 4:1f.). Suggestion 2. For more detailed discussion, see note 2 on this at this verse in the NET Bible. The body of a longer letter was frequently structured according to the principles of Classical rhetoric, varying the style depending upon the purpose of the letter, while a shorter letter could be written quite simply. Application error: a client-side exception has occurred (see the browser console for more information). Traditionally, Pauls relationship to Judaism has been regarded as oppositional. Pauls epistles may be divided into four groups: 1 and 2 Thes. Amanda Goh and Cheryl Teh. 15:19). These books are called the Pauline letters: the name Pauline is derived from Paul's name. It shows how we may be chained and hindered, but that the Word of God is not imprisoned (see also 2 Tim. A major theme of this book, especially chapters 1-2, is the return of Christ in judgment when He will put down all rebellion and bring retribution. [10] Accordingly, Paul devoted considerable portions of his letter to dealing with problems in Corinth such as factions (see 1 Corinthians 1:104:21); moral misbehavior, including problems of sex and property (see 5:16:20); problems regarding marriage and celibacy (see 7:140); Christian freedom and its abuse (see 8:111:1); correct and incorrect Christian worship, including the veiling of women (see 11:216); abuses of the Lords Supper (see 11:1734); misunderstanding and misusing spiritual gifts (see 12:114:40); and doctrinal correction regarding the nature of the Resurrection and its application to Christians (see 15:158). 5:1f.). In view of the theme or purpose, the key words are wealth, walk, and warfare.. Rather, three clear purposes unfold for the writing of Romans. Perhaps because Paul was a Roman citizen and they could not prove the charges, his accusers did not choose to press charges against him before Caesar (see Acts 24-25; 28:30). Tradition has it that Titus later returned to Crete and there served out the rest of his life. bookmarked pages associated with this title. [33] Letters to groups, such as Pauls letters to various congregations, were often read to a majority of the recipients (the probable meaning of Colossians 4:16), so most individuals never actually read the letters themselves. Philemon was not the only slave holder in the Colossian church (see Col. 4:1), so this letter gave guidelines for other Christian masters in their relationships to their slave-brothers. As the first of two canonical epistles to the church at Thessalonica, this book was called in the Greek text, Pros Thessalonikeis A, First to the Thessalonians.. Further, his authorship is virtually unchallenged. Within a few months the form reports superseded the narrative reports, although the informational content remained similar. This is expressed in a number of ways like, being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose (2:2); standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together (1:27), and be in harmony (4:2). The New Position in the Household (2:11-22), 1. 2:2, 10; 3:16; 4:7, 8; 6:3, 5, 6, 11 with 3:15 and 4:12). Because of their close relationship in thought and focus, the attestation and authorship of all three pastoral epistles will be dealt with here. Add an RSC shortcut to this device's Homescreen, In the menu, scroll past any icons and tap. The Charge to Preach the Word (4:1-5), VII. Paul died in A.D. 67, according to the early church father, Eusebius. [13] Consequently, in Romans, Paul addresses many of the same issues as he did in Galatians, but here the situation is reversed. These individuals can be viewed as collaborators in the composition process and may have contributed substantively to much of the initial material that the scribe, under Pauls direction, later wove into the final draft. LibGuides: Paul and The Pauline Letters: Home [7] In this note and subsequent notes, I have given a representative chronological sampling of scholarship from both LDS and non-LDS commentators who consider the occasion of each of the letters briefly discussed here. From 62-67 Paul traveled more or less freely, leaving Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in Crete, and then subsequently writing each of them a letter. Chapter 3 then builds on this as root to fruit or cause and effect. Eric D. Huntsman, The Occasional Nature, Composition, and Structure of Pauls Letters, in How the New Testament Came to Be: The Thirty-fifth Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, ed. II. 2:13) and receive news about conditions in Corinth. Acts 19:21). Eric D. Huntsman was an assistant professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University when this was published. In addition, these Judaizers not only proclaimed a false gospel, but sought to discredit Pauls apostleship. ), and (3) to deal with the way some were responding to belief in the imminent return of the Lord. Paul presents Jesus Christ as the Second Adam whose righteousness and substitutionary death have provided justification for all who place their faith in Him. 2:14-16; 3:1, 2, 5-6 with Acts 17:1-15). [33] Richards, Paul and First-Century Letter Writing, 202. Paul wrote to multiple bodies of believers of its paramountcy in the health of the church. It was written from Corinth, while completing the collection for the poor in Palestine. Apart from the introduction (1:1-17), where Paul also states his theme, and conclusion, where he has personal messages and a benediction (15:1416:27), Romans easily divides into three sections: II. [42] Murphy-OConnor, Paul the Letter-Writer, 98110; Brown, Introduction to the New Testament, 41819. The Coming of the Day of the Lord (5:1-5), C. Concerning Deportment in the Congregation (5:12-28). Concerning the Day of the Lord (5:1-11), 1. This would include such things as: qualification for elders and deacons (chap. [20] See Richards, Paul and First-Century Letter Writing, 1931. ( A.D. 55, 57) Philip., Col., Eph., Philem., Heb. From his reference that he stayed at Ephesus until Pentecost (16:8), it appears he intended to remain there somewhat less than a year when he wrote this epistle. Since, in reality, all believers are called to full-time ministry in one way or another, this chapter would be more than beneficial for all Christians. The stoning of Stephen was one of these incidents. Some early church fathers as Polycarp and Clement of Rome, allude to these epistles as Pauline. In addition to early patristic authors such as Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Origen, later reformers such as Martin Luther and John Wesley subscribed to some degree of supersessionism. The supremacy of love over gifts (13:1-13), 4. 3), proper behavior toward the various age groupstowards elders and widows (chap. Because Ephesians gives no hint of Pauls release from prison, as in Philippians (1:19-26) and Philemon (v. 22), many believe that Ephesians was written in the early part of his imprisonment about A.D. 60, while Paul was kept under house guard in his rented quarters (Acts 28:30). Death was the normal punishment for a runaway slave, but Paul intercedes on behalf of Onesimus. [3] Instead, the letters were written to congregations or individuals in response to specific circumstances or problems and therefore emphasize or apply specific aspects of gospel principles in response to the original situation. In the Home and Household Life (3:18-4:1), IV. Again as indicated in the opening salutation, Paul is the author of this letter. In this the apostle shows how God saves the sinner. WebThe letter proceeds from a greeting to a warning against false teachers who mishandle the law. Miller understands the value of an education and the importance for students to graduate. The many personal references of the author fit what we know of Paul from other NT books.56, The epistle to the church at Philippi, the first church Paul established in Macedonia, is titled in the Greek text, Pros Philippesious, To the Philippians.. Picking out key chapters in Romans is indeed difficult for in this great treatise on doctrine and its application to life, one wants to say every chapter is key. 89), B. Titus and His Companions Sent to Corinth (8:169:5), III. Further, due to the large portion of these epistles that deal with church order and discipline, the term pastoral is accurate. Since his death is not recorded in Acts, he was apparently released from his first imprisonment in Rome, traveled over the empire for several years (perhaps even to Spain), was rearrested, imprisoned a second time in Rome, and martyred under Nero; (2) nothing in the church organization reflected in the pastorals requires a later date (see Acts 14:23; Phil. First Timothy and Titus, commonly called pastoral epistles, are in effect priesthood handbooks or collections of instructions for the practical organization and regulation of branches of the Church. Furthermore, he realized that desires give rise to actions, but the Law is unable to give one the desires that are necessary to meet its requirements. The impact must have necessitated great psychological and intellectual readjustments. Still later, they came to be regarded as inspired writings comparable to the sacred Scriptures of Judaism. 1:13) along with the possibility of death (vv. A second purpose was to present a complete and detailed statement of the gospel message God had called him to proclaim. This section of the letter is often considerably extended in Christian letters, particularly the letters of Paul, where it includes expressions of gratitude to the one true God, doxologies or expressions of praise, and even extended prayers. According to this rule, in the article-noun-kaiv-noun construction the second noun refers to the same person described by the first noun when (1) neither is impersonal; (2) neither is plural; (3) neither is a proper name. Dubbed the art of persuasion, Classical rhetoric involved both the pleasing use of languagewhich was meant to help it be both understood and rememberedand appropriate use of argumentation. The Cross And Christs Suffering For Sins (1 Peter 3:18-22), 6. . In addition, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Clement of Alexandria, and the Muratorian Canon do as well. It should be pointed out that the two lost letters were lost only because they were not intended by God to be part of the biblical canon. Ryrie writes: The mention by name of 26 people in a church Paul had never visited (and particularly Priscilla and Aquila, who were most recently associated with Ephesus, Acts 18:18-19) has caused some scholars to consider chap. To compensate for his failure to carry out his original plans, he was anxious to find something of real merit that he might do, which he believed he found in the need for suppressing a new religious movement that he regarded as both dangerous and heretical Christianity. Suggestion 3. 253-60. Here, He is described as the One who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (1:10), as the One who rose from the dead (2:8), as the One who gives salvation and eternal glory (2:10), as the One with whom all believers have died, with whom they will live, and from whom they will be rewarded for faithful service (as in the crown of righteousness) and in the privilege of reigning with Him (2:11-13; 4:8). The Exhortation Against False Teaching (2:4-8), 1. Pauls letter to the Philippians begins by following standard Hellenistic letter-writing conventions of sender, addressee, salutation, and thanksgiving, but with distinctive glosses (in Christ, grace and peace, God our Father, Lord Jesus Christ). He seems to have written it from Corinth in the winter of AD 5758, when Paul began making plans to visit Rome on his way to Spain and the west after first delivering a collection of money to the poor Saints in Jerusalem (see Romans 15:1433). About the New Testament of the Bible. Two other key words are grace (1:4; 2:11; 3:7, 15) and faith (1:1, 4, 13; 2:10, 13, and 3:15). There is no argument against Pauline authorship that does not have a reasonable answer. In fact several fathers mentioned Paul as the author of this epistle in their writings. Hence the body of a letter is often divided then into distinct parts, sometimes referred to as Pauline Indicative for the section of instructions and Pauline Imperative for the section containing admonitions,[38] as can be seen in the body of 1 Thessalonians, in which Paul begins with an indicative section reviewing his relationship to the Thessalonians (2:13:13) and follows with an imperative section of exhortations and instructions (4:15:22), which includes not only a subdivision of ethical admonitions (4:112) but also a further subsection that gives the Saints directions on how they should live given their expectation of the Parousia (4:135:11). While engaged in these missionary activities, he wrote the letters that are preserved in the New Testament. Summary and Analysis Philippians guards against the failure to practice Christ-provided unity and against the failure of believers to rejoice in their blessings and position in Christ (Phil. Has God set the Jew aside? The scribe then composed, or in the case of a dictated letter, revised the letter and set it down in a neat, professional hand on a good paper, usually papyrus (for a detailed discussion of the involvement of scribes in the writing of an ancient letter, see Lincoln Blumells chapter in this volume). Gods wisdom manifested to us in Christ is to change believers on both the individual and social level. 1:14). 2:5) is nowhere mentioned in these chapters. From Macedonia Paul wrote a fourth letter, 2 Corinthians. A third purpose is related to the questions that naturally arose among the Jewish and the Gentile Christians at Rome like what does the gospel do to the Law and such Old Testament rites like circumcision? Bud Light Brewer Puts Two Executives on Leave After Uproar Over Nevertheless, real letters and apparent letters continue as basic categories, especially if the latter are considered to include circular letters, treatises, homilies, and other kinds of writing that only contain superficial epistolary features (see Jerome Murphy-OConnor, Paul the Letter-Writer: His World, His Options, His Skills [Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1995], 4245). Originally, they were regarded as mere personal letters and were classified with Philemon, but because of their strong bearing on the life of the church, they began to be called the Pastoral Epistles. Though addressed to individuals, these books are not only not limited to personal and private communications, but they are more official in character. 569-70) and immorality. Each of these letters contain references to this situation (Eph. 6:21-22; Col. 4:7-8) and is probably the same letter that is called my letter from Laodicea in Col. 4:16.55. It is not surprising, therefore, that even in a book stressing endurance in ministry, the doctrine of Christ is prominent. The Prayer That He Might Return to the Thessalonians (3:11), 2. (4) This was then followed by a second visit to Corinth (the painful visit, 2 Cor. In 1 Cor.6:12+ Pauls reasons against having sex with prostitutes by citing Christian doctrine. that included southern districts and those cities just mentioned. The second letter was dispatched just a few weeks (or at the most a few months) later. 1 / 4. If the letter was written to Christians in South Galatia, the churches were founded on the first missionary journey, the letter was written after the end of the journey (probably from Antioch, ca. As also mentioned, it is believed that Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were also written during the same time period (cf. Paul wanted to inform them of his plans and to have them anticipate and pray for their fulfillment (15:30-32). Friday, May 12, 2023 at 4:00 a.m. (PDT) * Starting time is subject to change. Pauls letters often do. 16:5-9; Acts 20:31). I am convinced that Wilkinson and Boa are on target when they write: The second chapter of Second Timothy ought to be required daily reading for every pastor and full-time Christian worker. As such a student, he was familiar with many of the sayings of classical and contemporary writers. The letter contains a number of historical references that agree with known facts of Pauls life and the doctrinal content of the book is consistent with the other writings of the apostle, a fact quickly evident by a comparison with his other letters. Miller understands the value of an education and the importance for students to graduate. (7) Finally, there was a third visit to Corinth (Acts 20:2-3). The A or alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet, was undoubtedly a latter addition to distinguish it from Second Corinthians which shortly followed this epistle. 4-33; and Henry Clarence Theissen, Introduction To The New Testament, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1943, pp. Because of this, 1 Timothy must be dated after his first release, around the spring of A.D. 63, but before the outbreak of the Neronian persecutions in A.D. 64. In this epistle, we see Him as our comfort (1:5), triumph (2:14), Lord (2:4), liberty or freedom for a new life (3:17), light (4:6), judge (5:10), reconciliation (5:19), gift (9:15), owner (10:7), and power (12:9). Several passages stand out in pointing us to the person and ministry of the Savior. [35], The introductory formula of an ancient letter was routinely followed by either a prayer for health or a thanksgiving to the gods.

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