Claflin University Dr.

David Battle

Modern Critical Consensus

Pauline Epistles:

1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus

Commonly Accepted
Romans 1 & 2 Corinthians Galatians Philippians 1 Thessalonians Philemon

Commonly Rejected

Debated
Ephesians Colossians 2 Thessalonians

Pauline Epistles:
Ancient Consensus

The Early Church and the Church Fathers only question whether Hebrews was written by Paul.
The content of Hebrews is conceptually similar to Paul in both message and theme. The book gives no claim to authorship. The writer of the books seems to be associated with Paul.

Pauline Epistles
The Early Church and Pseudonymity
The test of apostolicity caused many books to be rejected. Pseudonymous works were rejected.
Turtullian reports of a Bishop who was removed form office because he wrote Acts of Paul and Thecla. Serapion (A.D. 180), the Bishop of Antioch, rejected The Gospel of Peter because it was written pseudonymously.

Pauline Epistles:
The Psudopigrapha are known as a collection of rejected works. Many works of great Church Fathers were also kept from the canon.
Clement (c. A.D. 110) Ignatius (c. A.D. 117) Polycarp (d. A.D. 155)

Grouping of Pauls Epistles

Grouped according to addressee:

Ecclesiastical letters are addressed to churches.
Romans through Thessalonians.

Pastoral letters are addressed to individuals.

1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.

Grouping of Pauls Epistles

Grouped according to the ministry of Paul.

Pauls Missionary Journeys in Acts (Acts 13-23)
First Missionary Journey: Galatians (Acts 13-14) Second Missionary Journey: 1 & 2 Thessalonians (Acts 15:36-18:22) Third Missionary Journey: 1 & 2 Corinthians and Romans (Acts 18:23-21:16)

During Pauls First Imprisonment: Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians (Acts 21:17-28:31) Around Pauls Second Imprisonment: 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus

Grouping of Pauls Epistles

Grouped around theological themes

Soteriological: Galatians, and Romans Christological: Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, and perhaps Philemon Ecclesiological: 1 & 2 Timothy, and Titus Church Discipline: 1 & 2 Corinthians Eschatological: 1 & 2 Thessalonians

Survey: General Epistles

Hebrews James 1 & 2 Peter 1, 2, & 3 John Jude

Epistolary Literature

Epistolary literature is occasional.

They were written in response to a specific situation. Paul wrote Romans in preparation for a planed trip to the city (Rom. 15:23-29). Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to address various conflicts in the Corinthian congregation (1 Cor. 1:10-12).

Epistolary Form
Epistolary literature follows a basic from.
Opening
Sender, Recipient, Salutations, and Prayer

Body
Longest part

Closing
Travel plans, Greetings, Benediction, Autograph

Picture by Alma Flor Ada and Leslie Tryon (illustrator);

Epistolary Form

Epistolary literature follows a basic from.

Opening
Sender, Recipient, Salutations, and Prayer

Body
Longest part

Closing
Travel plans, Greetings, Benediction, Autograph

Picture by Alma Flor Ada and Leslie Tryon (illustrator);

Epistolary Literature
When reading Epistles
Look for clues to the situation that is being addressed. Look for major themes that pull together the various topics. Think in terms of paragraphs not single verses.