An Introduction to the Epistles
TalkofJESUS.com would like to introduce you to an overview of some of the letters of the New Testament.
- We have recently finished a SERIES from 1 Corinthians and will soon study three more epistles.
What’s an Epistle?
Here's a general sense of it from Scripture:
So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Acts of the Apostles 15:20 KJV
[Soldiers] Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle [from the chief captain of the centurions] to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
Acts 23:26 KJV
ἐπιστολή –
epistolḗ, ep-is-tol-ay’; from G1989; a written message:—”epistle,” letter.
- to send one a message, command
- to write a letter
- to enjoin by letter, to write instructions
Historical Context in the Early Church
During the first century AD, written communication held a central role in connecting communities separated by great distances. It was common for Christian leaders to address the fledgling groups of believers through written correspondence, ensuring consistent teaching and doctrinal guidance. These epistles were often circulated among multiple churches (see Colossians 4:16) and copied for preservation and further dissemination.
The Greco-Roman practice of public reading of letters provided an effective way to convey instructions and encourage unity. Such letters were seen as authoritative instructions from established leaders, which enabled early Christians to remain steadfast in their beliefs and practices.
The New Testament generally indexes Epistles by the place of its recipients, i.e. Philippians, but occasionally by the name of the letter writer, i.e. James.
Older translations like the King James Version use Epistle or Letter from the same Greek word most translations simply title, ‘Letter.’
How do WE respond after hearing a letter from an Apostle of Jesus Christ to our Church?
PAUL and Twelve Apostles had been sent into all the world by the risen Lord Jesus Christ to preach the Gospel.
~ A.D. 30 – Beginning with the Twelve Disciples responding to the command of the risen Lord Jesus:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts of the Apostles 1:8 ESV
A diaspora of the Gospel (Good News) of the risen Christ began with more than five-hundred witnesses of Jesus after the crucifixion of Israel’s Messiah.
See: 1 Corinthians 15:6 [context 1 Cor 15:3-8]
It began, as Jesus commanded, in Jerusalem — Simon Peter and John as Christ’s first vocal witnesses in the Temple — the Gospel then spreading throughout Judea and Galilee, and with Philip in Samaria, Gaza and Caesarea.
Followers of The Way of Jesus Christ establish many churches in person and later write to church leaders (elders) to build up the saints of these churches during difficult times of several decades of the first century.
Acts of the Apostles (including some letter writing)
Acts is an account of FIRST-HAND WITNESS written for saints of every era — AS SCRIPTURE AND TRUTH of the GOSPEL of our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST.
When did the Apostles write their LETTERS?
ALL dates approximate
- AD 49 – James (half-brother of Jesus) writes a letter sent to several churches
- Paul writes a letter to the near-by churches in Galatia (during his first missionary journey)
- AD 50 – During his second missionary journey, Paul writes a letter to the church in Thessalonica (which he had established), then later a second letter.
- AD 55 – Paul writes a letter to the Corinthians (where the Apostle had established this church during his previous mission) and then will write a second letter to these saints a year later.
A contemporary analogy
Need a context to our Common Era?
Taking that the Lord Jesus Christ had been crucified, buried and rose from the grave before ascending into heaven some 25 years ago, WE would be witnessing this HISTORY as if it had occured in about 2000 CE.
(And much has happened with the church since then..)
First Corinthians Featured Series
TALK OF JESUS .COM LINKS to each Chapter of Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians
What did Paul write in Second Corinthians?
a year later...
Although we will not include 2 Corinthians in our current series of Second (or 3rd) Epistles, TAKE A LOOK at the focus of Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians written in ~ A.D. 56.
Key Themes [partial] Endurance through difficulty and Christlike behavior are made possible by the grace of God and are modeled by Paul himself.
The Spirit transforms believers into the image of God, which is seen in Christ.
Christ, as Savior, is also the universal Judge.
ESV Global Study Bible
INTRODUCTION TO
2 CORINTHIANS
Theme: Strength in Christ
BibleHub .com 2 Corinthians
But He said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
—
2 Corinthians 12:9
MORE of the TIMELINE of the Apostolic Epistles
First Century YEARS of continuous Letters (Epistles) to the Church
- AD 57 Paul writes to the Romans
- AD 60-62 While in Rome, writes three Epistles to the churches
- in Ephesus in Asia,
- Philippi in Macedonia and
- Colossae near Laodecia east of Ephesus
- and a personal plea to Philemon, leader of a house church in or near Colossae concerning his fellow escaped slave Onesimus.
- AD 62-64 After his release from prison in Rome, Paul writes his First pastoral epistle to Timothy, the Apostle’s protege and successor as pastor to the church in Ephesus.
- AD 62-64 The Apostle Paul writes a pastoral Epistle to Titus, between his first and second Roman imprisonments, from either Corinth or Nicopolis.
- AD 64 The Apostle Peter writes his First Epistle to ‘the strangers [or pilgrims] scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, from Rome at the time Nero burns it, referring to it as ‘Babylon.’
- AD 66 – Christians flee Jerusalem rather than join a Jewish revolt against Rome.
- Some historians estimate the dates of these Epistles and martyrdoms of Peter & Paul earlier around A.D. 64
- AD 66-67 SECOND PASTORAL LETTER OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY
- (SOON: part of our NEXT Featured SERIES)
- AD 67-68 SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER
- (SOON: part of our NEXT Featured SERIES)
- AD 60’s Epistle to the Hebrews
AD 70 Rome destroys Jerusalem
Do you need a contemporary compasspoint again?
It's now been 40 years since AD 30, our pivotal point in HISTORY.
Think back now forty contempory years to AD 1985. How has YOUR church changed?
- AD 70’s Epistle of Jude (the younger half-brother of Jesus.)
- AD 85-95 The Apostle John writes his Gospel and THREE EPISTLES
- (2 John & 3 John included in our NEXT Featured SERIES)
Epistles for a Common Era church
Once again – a paradigm shift ahead to 2025 of the Common Era.
Our pivotal HISTORY of ACTS of the Apostles and the Gospel began back in the AD 30’s
and the Apostle John writes to the churches in the AD 90’s.
Sixty-some years ago — in the years of our Lord the 1960’s.
Once again, I will ask YOU, my fellow saints of the Lord Jesus Christ:
How do WE respond after hearing a letter from an Apostle of Jesus Christ to our Church?
Even in these last days of the Common Era let us proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world with a remnant of souls yet to be saved from the wrath to come.
Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
