11 Important Reminders from the Introductions to the Epistles
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Most of the books that make up the New Testament are epistles, another word for letters. All of these letters were written by people who met Jesus, and were eyewitnesses to His resurrected self. They are full of practical wisdom, sound warnings, and godly encouragement.
While many of these books have the format of a letter, not all of them are considered part of the epistles. Instead, they are considered personal historical correspondence, the pastoral letters, or prophecy. While the epistles are full of a great deal of theological depth, the introductions are where the writers are greeting the churches. These short greetings contain interesting insight into the Christian life, the mindset of the writer, and the goings on at the time.
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Which Books Are Epistles and Which Ones Are Pastoral Letters?
It can be tricky at a casual glance to identify which books in the New Testament should be called the Epistles, since so many of them are technically letters. Even the Gospel of Luke begins with an acknowledgment to its intended recipient - Theophilus. The book of Revelation is addressed to seven churches, and not even all the letters written by Paul are considered “the Epistles.” So which books are historically considered canonical as Epistles, as opposed to something else that happens to be a letter?
The first four Books of the New Testament are the Gospels, first-hand accounts of the life of Jesus Christ. While they may have been letters, they are considered separate. The Book of Acts is considered historical. Finally, Revelation is primarily a prophetic text, with some letters within it.
Everything else falls under the broader category of “epistle.” The writers are the Apostles Paul, Peter, John, James, Jude, as well as an unknown individual who wrote the Book of Hebrews. Within these letters, there are three primary subcategories. There are letters to churches, to individuals, and the pastoral letters which were written by Paul to Timothy and Titus.
11 Lessons from the Introductions to the Epistles
1. The Apostles Saw Themselves as Servants
Even though they all saw Jesus in glory, and James and Jude are most likely half-brothers of Jesus, all the writers of the epistles saw themselves as servants of God on behalf of the Gospel and fellow believers. They did not claim any authority except that which was given to them by God.
All Christians should see themselves as servants who act in accordance with the will of their Father and Master, not venerating a person - another servant - nor thinking too much of themselves, willing to see themselves as servants for the Gospel.
Some examples include:
Philippians 1:1 - “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus.”
James 1:1 - “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Jude 1:1 - “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James.”
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2. Correctly Understanding Who Jesus Is, and God’s Truth, Is Important
The apostles regularly introduced their letters with clarifications about who Jesus is, God’s truth, and crucial doctrines. Some of these key doctrines include salvation through Jesus alone, that God is faithful and true, the process of sanctification, the testimony of the Holy Spirit, and eternal life. This emphasis was in part because they were highlighting important tenets of the faith to new believers, people being persecuted who needed encouragement, and gentiles who didn’t have the foundation of the Scriptures.
Some examples include:
Galatians 1:4-5 - “Who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Titus 1:2-3 - “...in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior.”
Hebrews 1:1-4 - “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
1 Peter 1:2 - “According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood.”
1 John 1:2-2 - “The life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us — that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”
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3. We Should Always Greet One Another in Love, even if We Have Disagreements or Conflict
When Paul wrote the first letter to the Church in Corinth, they were supporting sinful behavior, still keeping to the Roman cultural divides, suing one another, having inappropriate sexual relationships, marginalizing poor believers, and engaging in several other prominent sins. Despite preparing to address these issues, Paul greeted them as fellow believers. He encouraged them to behave as the saints they were, rather than the sinners they used to be.
For example:
1 Corinthians 1:2 - “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours…”
4. Faith Is Important
Having faith in Jesus Christ is emphasized through the epistles, as it is the bedrock of the faith. It is the thing that unifies the writers with those groups or individuals from all over the Roman empire. It is also the thing that determines where people spend eternity.
Some examples include:
Romans 1:8 - “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.”
2 Peter 1:2 - “To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ…”
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5. When We Are Saved, God Calls Us to Serve
Everyone can be used by God to serve the Gospel and their brothers and sisters, and once someone is saved, He does. He uses everyone uniquely. The epistle writers would emphasize their calling, focusing on the fact that God ordained their roles.
Paul emphasized his calling in Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 Timothy, and 2 Timothy. By focusing on calling, Paul minimized himself and called on the authority of God. He also demonstrated how important it is for individuals to obey the call to serve, since they are co-heirs with him in the Kingdom of God. They are equals, and if he has a calling to serve, all believers do. It will be unique to each believer.
Some examples include:
2 Corinthians 1:1a - “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.”
Galatians 1:1 - “Paul, an apostle — not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead…”
Ephesians 1:1 - “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…”
1 Timothy 1:1 - “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope…”
Jude 1:1 - “To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ…”
6. The Leadership Roles in the Church Are Important, but No More Important Than Everyone Else in the Church
Generally, the letters to the church were addressed to the whole church, not to the pastors, deacons, elder, or overseers. When the leadership was addressed, it was after the greeting to the church.
Some examples include:
2 Corinthians 1:1b - “To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia…”
Galatians 1:2b - “To the churches of Galatia…”
Philippians 1:1b - “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons…”
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7. All Believers Are Family
The apostles often refer to people in their letters as sons, children, brothers, and sisters. The bonds between Christians are more powerful than any others, and the church is meant to operate like a family, because Jesus is the one who unifies them. For example, Paul had not met the believers in Colossae before he wrote that letter.
Some other examples include:
Galatians 1:2a - “And all the brothers who are with me.”
Colossians 1:2a - “To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae…”
1 Timothy 1:2a - “To Timothy, my true child in the faith.”
Titus: 1:4a - “To Titus, my true child in a common faith.”
3 John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
8. It Is Important to Pray for Grace and Peace for Brothers and Sisters in the Faith
Almost every epistle, across the writers, begins with this greeting. In part, this pattern was a product of their culture, as the Hebrew greeting “shalom” means peace. Approaching believers with love, and demonstrating it by greeting them with peace, as well as praying for them, is a part of the Christian walk.
Some variant of “grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” appears in 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and 1 and 2 Peter.
Here is a selection:
1 Corinthians 1:3 - “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 1:2b - “Grace to you and peace.”
Titus 1:4b - “Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”
2 Peter 1:2 – “ May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.”
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9. Men and Women Have Roles in the Church
The writers of the Epistles often addressed men, but they do mention key women whom they knew, and speak about them with the same level of respect as they do the men.
Some examples are:
Philemon 1:1b-2 - “To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house.”
2 John 1:1 - “The elder to the elect lady and her children…”
10. Believers Will Suffer for the Sake of Christ
There are subtle hints in some epistles about the suffering of the faithful, including the Christians of the early church having to flee persecution in Jerusalem in a movement called the Dispersion.
Some examples include:
Philemon 1:1 - “Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother.”
James 1:1 - “...To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion…”
1 Peter 1:1 - “To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion…”
11. Christians Should Pray for One Another
The writers of the epistles often confirmed they were praying for the people to whom they were writing. They thought it important to lift up people to the Lord – in some cases people they had never even met.
For example:
3 John 1:2 – “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
The Bible is rich with doctrine, encouragement, and conviction. Even the smallest sections of a letter can be a place for the contemporary Christian to study, and for the Holy Spirit to move and reveal something about God’s will. Part of why personal and group Bible study is important is because even verses that have been well-studied can be made new in the light of the discernment of God’s Spirit.
Sources
Walvoord, John F. and Roy B. Zuck. The Bible Knowledge Commentary An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Old Testament and New Testament. United States of America: Victor Books, 1987.
Wilmington, H.L. Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 1981.
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Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer who uses her passion for God, reading, and writing to glorify God. She and her husband have lived all over the country serving their Lord and Savior in ministry. She has a blog on graceandgrowing.com.