Bible: Epistles
The Bible: Epistles refer to a collection of twenty-one letters within the New Testament, written by early Christian leaders to various church communities. These letters served as a means of communication to address specific issues of faith, doctrine, and moral conduct among early Christians, providing encouragement and guidance during a time of both growth and local opposition. Among these, thirteen epistles are traditionally attributed to the Apostle Paul, who played a crucial role in spreading Christianity throughout the Mediterranean region during the first century.
The epistles often feature a structured format that begins with greetings followed by blessings, and they typically offer insights into Christian living and theological disputes. While most epistles are relatively brief compared to other New Testament texts like the Gospels, they are significant in shaping early Christian belief and practice. Authorship of some letters remains debated among scholars, suggesting that not all were penned by the traditionally attributed authors or within the lifetimes of these figures. Overall, the epistles provide a foundational understanding of the early Christian community's challenges and beliefs, inviting further exploration of their historical and religious contexts.
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Bible: Epistles
The epistles are a series of twenty-one letters written by early Christian leaders to members of the church. The letters were a means to discuss specific aspects of faith within the early church and encourage followers to stay strong in the face of opposition. The epistles are among the twenty-seven books included in the New Testament of the Bible. While they comprise the largest number of works in the New Testament, they are relatively brief compared to the four gospels, the book of Acts, and Revelation. Thirteen of the epistles are traditionally believed to have been written by the Apostle Paul, who significantly spread Christianity through the Mediterranean region. The apostles Peter, John, and Thaddeus, and a relative of Jesus named James are traditionally said to have written the others, although their authorship has been disputed.
Background
Christianity is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, a Jewish preacher who spread his message throughout the Roman province of Judea in about 30 CE. Christians believe Jesus was both the Messiah, a divine savior whose coming was foretold in the Jewish Bible, and the son of God sent to Earth in human form. Jesus was eventually arrested and crucified, but his followers believe he rose from the dead after three days, promising to return one day in his divine glory.
Jesus and his followers did not set out to start a new religion. They were Jews who founded a new branch of Judaism that considered Jesus to be the Messiah. This aspect of belief brought them into conflict with mainstream Jewish religious leaders, who often arrested and persecuted Jesus’ followers. According to the Bible, one of the main persecutors of the early Christians was a Jewish Roman citizen named Saul. After a miraculous conversion, Saul changed his name to Paul and became a staunch advocate for Christianity.
Paul believed Christianity should be more than just a small branch of Judaism and began an effort to spread the message of Christ into the wider Roman world. He traveled across the Mediterranean region, establishing Christian congregations in Turkey, Greece, and eventually Rome itself. Paul preached until about 60 CE, when he was arrested and placed under house arrest in Rome. According to Christian tradition, he was beheaded in 62 CE.
Overview
In the early days of Christianity, new converts often struggled to understand aspects of faith, doctrine, and religious practice. Disagreements arose among Christian leaders on several points, including whether people must first convert to Judaism before becoming Christian. Although there were no widespread persecutions of Christians at this time, some local Roman leaders did harass, arrest, and execute members of the faith on a smaller scale. To reassure worried Christians and communicate matters of faith, Paul and other church leaders visited Christian congregations in distant cities across the Roman Empire. When they could not visit, they wrote letters.
Of these epistles, a name taken from the Greek epistole, meaning “message” or “letter,” twenty-seven were included as canon in the New Testament. Traditionally, the epistles were said to have been written between 45 CE and 90 CE, but modern scholars believe that some were written as late as 150 CE, which would place them beyond the lifetimes of their supposed authors. Most epistles begin with a short greeting, identifying the sender and the recipient, before continuing with a blessing. The main body of the letter typically consists of instructions on how to properly live as a Christian and a warning to turn away from sin. For example, in Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians), a letter sent to the people of the Greek city of Corinth, Paul cautions them to reject the city’s pagan beliefs and tries to resolve disagreements between church leaders. The letters usually end with a brief discussion of business matters and a farewell.
The Pauline epistles are a group of thirteen that have been traditionally attributed to Paul. Scholars believe that seven of these were definitively authored by him, while the other six may have been written by his associates and attributed to him. The first of Paul’s epistles, 1 Thessalonians, was written about 50 CE and sent to Christians in the Greek city of Thessalonica. Paul wrote Galatians for Christians in the Galatia region of Turkey, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians for Corinth, Romans for the city of Rome, and Philippians for the Greek city of Philippi. The Epistle to Philemon is a letter from Paul to a church leader named Philemon, advising him to forgive and accept an escaped enslaved person upon his return.
The authorship of the other six Pauline epistles—2 Thessalonians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus—is disputed by modern scholars who note a difference in writing style and questions about their chronology. For example, 2 Thessalonians and Ephesians are believed to have been written between 80 CE and 100 CE, decades after Paul’s death.
Of the other eight epistles, 1 Peter and 2 Peter were said to have been authored by the Apostle Peter, who is recognized by the Catholic Church as the first bishop of Rome and first pope. Despite the attribution, it is unlikely he wrote the works, as their classical Greek writing style seems out of place for Peter, who was a fisherman from the region of Galilee. Furthermore, Peter died about 68 CE, and 1 Peter dates to about 95 CE and 2 Peter to 150 CE.
Scholars believe the three epistles attributed to the Apostle John—1 John, 2 John, and 3 John—were written by the same author but doubt he was the apostle. These works are written in a simpler style and lack the signature opening greeting and closing farewell of most of the Pauline epistles. They are believed to have been written between 85 CE and 100 CE.
The Epistle of James has been attributed to a stepbrother or cousin of Jesus. This James was a church leader in Jerusalem and a strong advocate for early Christianity maintaining ties to its Jewish roots. The epistle often references observing Jewish law, which makes his authorship plausible, but most experts believe it was written by another author.
The Epistle of Jude was said to have been written by a little-known apostle who was also called Thaddeus. He may have been James’s brother and Jesus’s cousin. The Epistle to the Hebrews was written by an unknown author and addressed to Jewish Christians living in Jerusalem.
Bibliography
Bashaw, Jennifer Garcia. “Did Paul Write the Pastoral Letters? Well, It’s Complicated…” The Bible for Normal People, 22 Sept. 2022, thebiblefornormalpeople.com/did-paul-write-the-pastoral-letters-well-its-complicated/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
Brodie, Jessica. “What Is an Epistle in the Bible and What Is It's Purpose and Meaning?” Bible Study Tools, 27 Apr. 2022, www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-is-the-meaning-and-purpose-of-the-epistles-in-the-bible.html. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
Edwards, Perry. Introduction to Early Church History: The First 500 Years. Wipf and Stock, 2023.
Fairchild, Mary. “What Are the Epistles?” Learn Religions, 11 Feb. 2019, www.learnreligions.com/epistles-of-the-bible-700271. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
Kirby, Peter. “Early Christian Writings.” Early Christian Writings, 2023, www.earlychristianwritings.com/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
O’Neal, Sam. “Overview: The Epistles of the New Testament.” Learn Religions, 23 July 2018, www.learnreligions.com/overview-the-epistles-of-the-new-testament-363407. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.
Salter, G. Connor. “What Is an Epistle? What Are the Epistles in the Bible?” Christianity.com, 30 Apr. 2021, www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-is-an-epistle-what-are-the-epistles-in-the-bible.html. Accessed 10 Nov. 2023.