The preaching of the Bible is God’s sovereignly ordained means of awakening dead souls to life and bringing order to the local church’s life and worship (Titus 1-2). There is no other substitute. The local church will never discover a better means of growth that reaches beyond the preaching of sacred Scripture. No scheme can create life or spiritual depth in the hearts of God’s people. God has not planned for his church to be built upon schematic methods or empty religious trickery. Therefore, it is the will of God for his Word to be central among his people. Through the weekly preaching and teaching of the Bible, God’s people will be shaped, confronted, reproved, rebuked, and exhorted. This will result in a more sanctified and holy people.
Through the weekly preaching and teaching of the Bible, God’s people will be shaped, confronted, reproved, rebuked, and exhorted. This will result in a more sanctified and holy people.
The Bible contains an array of genres including narrative, poetry, proverb, prophecy, gospel, parable, apocalyptic, and history, but one of the greatest sections of the Bible is found in the New Testament letters. God has ordained for these letters to be used from the beginning for the formation and sanctification of his Church.
Recognizing the Prominence of the Letters
Letter writing was a common means of communication within the early Christian communities. This was the common practice in the Greco-Roman world during the time when the New Testament was complied. Important letters would serve as a channel of communication to deliver vitally important doctrine and corrective messages to local churches from the hands of the apostles. The ancient letters that we have within our New Testament are often referenced as epistles.
While some voices have attempted to make a clear distinction between common ancient letters and epistles, it would be foolish to press that point too far. Dwight M. Pratt observes:
The epistles of the N.T. are lifted into a distinct category by their spiritual eminence and power, and have given the word epistle a meaning and quality that will forever distinguish it from letter.1Dwight M. Pratt, “Epistle,” International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, (1939), Vol. II, p. 967b. Italics in the original.
The point that should be made is that there is little difference in the style, vocabulary, and papyrus between written communication inside and outside of the Christian community during the New Testament period, but the essential distinction is wrought by the Spirit of God who moves upon certain chosen vessels to bring about the letters of our New Testament (2 Tim 3:16; 1 Pet 1:21). We should be free to use letter and epistle interchangeably provided that we make it clear when we reference a divinely inspired work from our New Testament canon.
The Spirit of God has arranged the letters of the biblical canon in a prominent position. Out of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament, twenty-one of the books are letters. Regarding their placement in the New Testament, D. Edmond Hiebert observes:
Modern scholarship is not agreed on the question of the proper place for these epistles in the canon. Influenced by the order generally found in ancient manuscripts, they were placed before the Pauline epistles by Tischendorf, Tregelles, and Westcott and Hort in their editions of the Greek text. But the popular Greek text of Nestle follows the order found in our English canon, which adopts the order of Jerome in the Vulgate.2D. Edmond Hiebert, The Non-Pauline Epistles, vol. 3, An Introduction to the New Testament (Gabriel Publishing, 2003), 19–20.
In contrast to other literature found in the Bible, the didactic style of letters often reveals the structure and theme with more clarity where other literary types conceal. While these letters may seem easier to interpret than other genres such as proverb, prophecy, or apocalyptic literature—we must not underestimate the letters nor relegate them to some elementary position within the biblical canon. Understanding the structure and interpreting the letters is essential to preaching the New Testament.
The Apostle Paul alludes to additional extra-biblical letters he penned to various churches which are obviously not included in our New Testament (1 Cor 5:9; 2 Cor 2:3–4; Col 4:16). In 2 Thessalonians 2:2 we find a reference to a letter from the hand of Paul concerning the anticipated second coming of Christ. In his first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul acknowledges a letter from the Corinthian church, seeking clarification on certain matters (1 Cor 7:1). Additionally, Paul reveals plans to correspond with the Corinthians who would be entrusted with a financial gift from the Gentile churches destined for Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 16:3).
The early church leaders in Jerusalem sent a letter addressed to the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, as cited in Acts 15:23. Likewise, the believers in Ephesus composed a letter on behalf of Apollos to the brothers in Achaia (Acts 18:27). These instances underscore the rich letter exchanges and communication practices within the early Christian communities, providing valuable insights into the doctrinal convictions and organizational dynamics of these local churches.
The letters of our New Testament canon can be organized into two main groupings: General letters and Pauline letters. Within these two groups, there is overlap of structure and characteristics at a basic level, but there are also some unique aspects to these two groups that deserve our attention.
General Letters
The general epistles, or catholic (universal) epistles as they have been referenced in previous scholarship, refer to those letters in the New Testament that are not attributed to the Apostle Paul and are not specifically addressed to individuals or local churches. John Calvin writes:
The word “Catholic,” or General, as applied to the Epistles here explained, has been differently understood. Some have thought that they have been thus called, because they contain catholic truths; but other Epistles might, for this reason, be also called catholic. Others have supposed that catholic is synonymous with canonical; but in this case also there is no more reason for applying the word to these Epistles than to any other Epistles. But the more probable opinion is, that they were called Catholic, or General, because they were not written to any particular Church, but to Jewish or to Gentile Christians generally.3John Calvin and John Owen, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), v–vi.
Over time, the term “General Epistle” or “General Letter” became more of the standard. D. Edmond Hiebert writes, “The term ‘General Epistles’ is a convenient label for these seven epistles as a group, although the term is not strictly accurate.”4Hiebert, The Non-Pauline Epistles, 17. This category includes writings such as James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude.
The contributions of figures such as James, the brother of our Lord, as well as Peter who served as the leader of the inner circle of the apostles must not be minimized. Within James’ letter, he includes an important section related to the relationship between faith and works (James 2) and at the hands of Peter we have one of the most important doctrinal statements regarding the source of Scripture (2 Pet 1:16-21). In addition, the letters of John press the assurance and confirmation of salvation (1 John 5:13) in the life of a believer while Jude emphasizes the need to contend for the faith (Jude 3). All of these letters serve as formative and organizational works used by the Lord in the life of the early church that will continue until Christ returns.
Pauline Letters
The apostle Paul’s ministry is without question one of the largest parts of the redemptive plan of God to save his people and essential to the completion of the New Testament canon. The letters penned by Paul include Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. Not only are these thirteen letters demonstrate the importance of Paul’s ministry, Romans is arguably one of the most important books in all of the biblical canon. D. Edmond Hiebert explains:
The New Testament is striking in that practically one-third of its content is letters. Twenty-one of the twenty-seven books are epistles.* Of these twenty-one, thirteen bear the name of the apostle Paul. They form the bulk of the epistolary section of the New Testament.5D. Edmond Hiebert, The Pauline Epistles, vol. 2, An Introduction to the New Testament (Gabriel Publishing, 2003), 13. *“Twenty-one of the 27 N. T. books are epistles strictly. Three more are so in … Continue reading
Within Paul’s letters we find many different moving parts that include personal greetings, travel plans, sharp correction, and at times words of commendation. Paul’s letters contain both doctrinal precision and practical exhortation. Tom Schreiner writes:
Several examples reveal the circumstantial nature of the letters. Clearly Paul wrote Galatians because the Galatian churches were abandoning the Pauline gospel (Gal. 1:6–9; 5:2–6). He wrote Colossians to stave off a new heresy that had the potential of making inroads in the church (Col. 2:4–23). Various problems plagued the Corinthian church, and thus Paul wrote our two canonical letters to them. Philippians seems to have been written for several reasons. The church has sent Paul a gift, and he wants to express his thanks (1:3–8; 4:10–14). In addition, disunity was probably surfacing in the church (1:27–2:11; 4:2–3), and Paul wants to warn the church regarding the danger of false teachers (3:2–4:1). All of the Pastoral Letters (1-2 Timothy, Titus) were written to strengthen churches in healthy teaching because false teaching was threatening the churches.6Thomas R. Schreiner, Interpreting the Pauline Epistles, Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2011), 31.
Paul’s letters can be organized into three sub-categories based on their focus. These categories include theological letters (Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, and 1-2 Thessalonians), prison letters (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon), and pastoral letters (1-2 Timothy and Titus). These groups are established according to their historical setting and context along with the major theme and aim. The prison letters have an aroma of suffering and perseverance in the faith while the theological letters deliver weighty truths such as justification by faith and eschatology.
The prison letters have an aroma of suffering and perseverance in the faith while the theological letters deliver weighty truths such as justification by faith and eschatology.
The Pauline letters are without question vital to the Christian life and the Church of Jesus. The following description by Philip Schaff is a fitting description and commendation of Paul’s ministry within the New Testament canon:
Tracts for the times, they are tracts for all times. Children of the fleeting moment, they contain truths of infinite moment. They compress more ideas in fewer words than any other writings, human or divine, excepting the Gospels. They discuss the highest themes which can challenge an immortal mind And all this before humble little societies of poor, uncultured artisans, freedmen and slaves! And yet they are of more real and general value to the church than all the systems of theology from Origen to Schleiermacher.7Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, (1910), Vol. I, p. 741.
Preaching the Point of the Letter—Not the Occasion
The aim of expository preaching, which is another way of describing biblical preaching, is to strive to make the main point of the passage the main point of the sermon. A common temptation for preachers is to focus on one specific tree’s bark without a proper view of the forest as a whole. Another temptation common to preachers is to preach with a view of the forest without giving attention to the details of the bark upon the individual trees. The task in expository preaching is to preach the main point of each paragraph while consistently remaining connected to the main point of the entire letter.
The letters within the New Testament are similar in genre and vary in characteristics. The longest letter is Romans (7,111 words) and the shortest is 2 John (219 words). Although some voices such as Adolf Deissmann have labored to designate Paul’s writings as letters in distinction from the other New Testament letters as general epistles, we must note that all of the letters in the New Testament are epistles and considered occasional at some level.8A. Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East: The New Testament Illustrated by Recently Discovered Texts of the Graeco-Roman World (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1927), 228–41. The letters of the New Testament are occasional, meaning that they are penned in such a way as to deal with specific circumstances, problems, or situations unique to people in a particular geographic location within a set historical context.
We approach the New Testament letters remembering that these letters were not written to us, but they were written for us. God used specific men to pen these letters to their recipients and preserved them in the New Testament canon for God’s church throughout the ages.
We live life in modern cities with modern roads, buildings, waste management, and transportation as we are surrounded by a multiplicity of things that our ancient brothers and sisters in Christ never envisioned in their day, including social media and air transportation. In other words, our occasions may be far different than the occasion of the New Testament letter—but the point of the entire letter is very much applicable to a local church meeting in the heart of New York City or in a small rural building on the plains of sub-Saharan Africa.
D. Martyn Llovd-Jones has written that “the business of preaching is to relate the teaching of the Scriptures to what is happening in our own dav.”9D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Christian Warfare: An Exposition of Ephesians 6:10-13 (London: Banner of Truth; Grand Rapids: Baker, 1976), 109. The task in preaching is to drive home the main point of the text while applying the truth to the modern audience as the application is bridged from ancient letter’s setting. Schreiner is helpful at this point:
One of the most crucial points to remember in interpreting Paul’s Letters is that they were written to address specific situations. They are not systematic treatises intended to present a complete Christian theology. They are pastoral works in which Paul applies his theology to specific problems in the churches.10Schreiner, Interpreting the Pauline Epistles, 30.
The occasion of the letter may involve division, as we see in Philippians, but when preaching Philippians 4:13, the aim of persevering through trials, suffering, and persecution must come to the forefront as the aim of that passage. Understanding the background of Paul’s imprisonment will aid in this process. This is a unique passage where the occasion of Paul’s imprisonment is connected to the central point of the text and it must be preached.
Preaching the Parts of the Letter
When Paul called the elders of the church at Ephesus to meet with him at Miletus, he not only warned them about the wolves who would enter the church with a desire to devour the flock of God. He likewise reminded them that he had committed himself to proclaiming the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). Paul had labored to expound the Old Testament texts as he pointed them to Jesus Christ.
That remains the same duty of the modern expositor. We are called to preach the whole counsel of God’s Word which necessitates the proclamation of every part of the New Testament letters from the opening words to the closing statements. Every word matters. The Bible does not contain any wasted vocabulary.
Every word matters. The Bible does not contain any wasted vocabulary.
In the letters of the New Testament, we have glimpses of the early church worshipping, fellowshipping, planting churches, evangelizing unbelievers, establishing a faithful ecclesiology, and dealing with a multitude of controversies and schisms. Not only do we have these snapshots of the early church’s life, but we also have snippets of the early church’s creeds, confessions, prayers, and hymns which are intentionally embedded in these letters.
These letters contain relevant points of application for today’s church while remaining fixed on the sure foundation of sound biblical theology. The task of the modern preacher is to take these letters with all of these component parts and proclaim them with authority and clarity to the modern church in such a way that God will be honored and glorified among his people.
Salutation
The letters of the New Testament, as well as letters of their time period, will on most occasions have a clear opening that develops with biographical data which includes the author, recipients, and on most occasions a greeting that may include a prayer. This is important information for the expositor as he prepares to preach a New Testament letter because it gives him clues that will aid him in his research of the geographic background and historical context. For instance, if the expositor is preaching through Ephesians, he will find the following information in the opening two verses of the letter:
- The author is the Apostle Paul (not just a random man named Paul).
- Paul’s apostleship came by the will of God.
- The recipients are the saints in Ephesus. This is a clear reference to the church in the city rather than the city as a whole.
- His common greeting mentions grace and peace that come from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Not only should the expositor use the biographical data, but there is also important information pertaining to the office of an apostle of Jesus Christ included in the opening words of Paul’s letter. As the letter develops, Paul references Christians as saints which should be properly explained. In order to faithfully preach through a New Testament letter, the opening words must be fully expounded and explained.
Body
Within the body of a letter, the author will begin to develop the key theme which can serve the purpose of education (instruction), correction, and edification. In some cases, a single letter like 1 Corinthians may serve all three purposes. Romans is perhaps the most comprehensive doctrinal letter in the New Testament, but at the end of chapter eleven, Paul transitions from orthodoxy to his section on orthopraxy which serves the purpose of practical instruction.
The expositor will seek to identify the theme (main point of the letter) and keep this theme central as he exposits the truths from every paragraph or preaching section throughout the body. Unlike narrative, the didactic style of the letters will tend to limit the preaching sections to smaller portions that may seem “bite sized” in comparison to other genre, but the skilled expositor will not read over the shorter sentences and pericopes without giving full attention to every word, phrase, and sentence in light of the overarching theme of the letter.
Within the body of the letter, the author may include details that deserves attention but doesn’t directly support the overarching theme of the letter itself. Such information could serve a practical point in a single sermon or lead to a mini-series within the larger exposition of the letter itself. Tom Schreiner is helpful at this point as he observes:
Some passages in the Pauline Epistles will raise questions about specific historical-cultural issues. For example, What was slavery like in the Greco-Roman world? What kind of clothing did women wear in antiquity (see 1 Tim. 2:9–10; 1 Pet. 3:3–4)? Was it typical for women to veil themselves or wear a particular hairstyle in the Greco-Roman world (see 1 Cor. 11:2–16)? And this raises another question: What was the place of women in the Greco-Roman world?11Schreiner, Interpreting the Pauline Epistles, 61–62.
In many ways, the letters of the New Testament will include historically relevant material that may need to be minimized or theological statements that deserve full development and exegetical precision. For instance, when Paul includes a hymn or a creedal statement (Phil 2:6-11; Col 1:15-20; 1 Tim 3:16; Eph 5:14), the text must be given proper attention for the purpose of demonstrating the use of creeds, but more importantly, the window it serves into the early church’s doctrinal convictions.
At the end of the third chapter of 1 Timothy we have an example of this as Paul writes the following words:
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:
He was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.121 Timothy 3:16 (English Standard Version).
In this one verse, we have at minimum a part of an ancient Christian hymn which was likely used as a creedal hymn of confession. The expositor must not miss such details and should understand the importance of Paul’s usage of this quotation in light of Timothy’s pastoral duties. As William Hendriksen observes, “Thus the X—which is the twenty-second letter of the Greek alphabet and is called chi—is drawn twice. We may say, therefore, that the six lines are arranged chi-astically. The six lines of this Hymn in Adoration of the Christ begin with a line about Christ’s lowly birth and end with a reference to his glorious ascension.13William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 139. It is vitally important to unpack the nature of this quotation, the structure of the creedal confession, the theology of the hymn, and connect it to the theme of the pastoral focus and overarching theme of Paul’s letter to Timothy.
Closing
The closing section of the New Testament letters can provide information that’s critical to the occasion as well as instructive and necessary for the modern audience as well. Just as the expositor should not skip over the opening greeting in order to move quickly to the important material contained in the body, in order to preach the whole counsel of God’s Word, the true expositor will likewise give himself to faithfully preaching the closing portion of the letter.
In some cases, it may be revealed that an amanuensis was used for the purpose of compiling the letter. This information comes to the surface in the closing words of Paul to the church at Rome (Rom 16:22), “I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.” At other times, Paul explicitly states that he had penned the letter without an assistant (1 Cor 16:21; Gal 6:11; Col 4:18; 2 Thes 3:17; Phlm 19; 1 Pet 5:12). In either case, it’s often late in the letter or embedded in the closing words that such information comes to the surface. While this doesn’t change any doctrine contained in the body of the letter, it’s still important information that should be documented and preached.
The concluding words of the New Testament letters include final greetings, statements of commendation, expressions of personal thanks for assistance in gospel ministry, doxologies, and travel plans. The calling of the preacher is to preach every line of the text—including what may seem as insignificant information or merely concluding remarks. A grand example of this is the closing chapter of Romans. What may appear on the surface as a list of personal greetings or commendations, a closer examination will reveal Paul’s purpose. It will also be noted that many of the people named are women who Paul is commending for their generosity and assistance. This demonstrates a couple of important facts, not the least of which is proof that the apostle Paul was not a male chauvinist who demeaned the value of women. Such details must be faithfully proclaimed and applied to the modern church.
As Paul concludes his letter to the church at Rome, he did so with a full orbed Christian doxology. After Paul climbed to the heights of glory with the doctrines of justification by faith and the glory of saving faith, he expresses himself with a theologically rich concluding statement. This doxology, which simply put is a praise saying that ascribes glory to God, summarizes the entire letter of Romans and points his readers to their hope in Christ alone.
Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.14Romans 16:25–27 (English Standard Version)
The use of a doxological statement is not unique to Paul or the New Testament. We find doxologies in both the Old Testament and the New Testament alike. Each of the books of the Psalms concludes with a statement of praise to God (Ps 41:13; 72:18-20; 89:52; 106:48; 150). In the New Testament, we find doxologies in various letters such as Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Jude, 1 Timothy, 1 Peter, and Romans.
These statements of praise deserve proper focus and attention. In the case of Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, Jude’s brief letter, and Peter’s concluding words in his first letter, these concluding words must be properly expounded with all of their theological richness while maintaining a skilled eye upon the theme and aim of the entire letter.
Preaching Christ from the Letters
As Christian preachers, regardless of the text we preach, we are called to preach Christ. Preaching is more than giving moralistic talks or theological discourses in a vacuum. We are not merely called to give theological lectures. We are heralds of the good news of salvation.
In Paul’s day, the Jews sought after signs and the Greeks after wisdom, but Paul announced that his aim was to preach “Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles.”151 Corinthians 1:23 (English Standard Version) We live in a day where everyone is looking for human wisdom, profitable knowledge, and politically correct messages, but our calling as Christian preachers is no different than Paul’s or any other New Testament apostle or associate. Our calling is to point people to Christ.
As Christian preachers, regardless of the text we preach, we are called to preach Christ. Preaching is more than giving moralistic talks or theological discourses in a vacuum. We are not merely called to give theological lectures. We are heralds of the good news of salvation.
In some cases, preachers make grave errors in proclaiming Christ in ways that stretch well beyond the original author’s intent. This is especially true when preaching the Old Testament Scriptures. Many preachers have fallen into the abyss of allegorical interpretation without a firm commitment to the original author’s intention. William Tyndale understood this problem in his day as he opposed the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church. In explaining such abuses of the Roman Catholic Church, notice how Tyndale was firmly committed to authorial intent as he speaks of the original sense of the passage:
They divide scripture into four senses, the literal, typological, allegorical, and analogical. The literal sense is become nothing at all: for the pope hath taken it clean away, and hath made it his possession. He hath partly locked it up with the false and counterfeited keys of his traditions, ceremonies, and feigned lies; and driveth men from it with violence of sword: for no man dare abide by the literal sense of the text, but under a protestation, ‘If it shall please the pope.’ … Thou shalt understand, therefore, that the scriptures hath but one sense, which is the literal sense. And that literal sense is the root and ground of all, and the anchor that never faileth, whereunto if thou cleave, thou canst never err or go out of the way.16William Tyndale, “The Obedience of a Christian Man,” Doctrinal Treatises (Cambridge, 1848), 303–4. See also J. W. Blench, Preaching in England in the Late Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries … Continue reading
Our goal as expositors is to preach with a commitment to the original author’s intent, but we must nevertheless preach Christ. The main idea of the text must be the main idea of the sermon we preach. It may prove more natural to preach Christ from the letters of the New Testament than from Esther in the Old Testament, but we must not drop our guard due to our nearness to the cross. It is actually possible to preach Christ from a New Testament passage incorrectly.
The placement of the New Testament letters in the biblical canon is after Jesus’ earthly ministry which included his brutal crucifixion and glorious resurrection that ultimately culminated in his marvelous ascension to heaven’s throne. Each of the letters in the New Testament point back to the completion of Christ’s work and the fulfillment of his saving mission (Matt 1:21). As a result, each letter points us to Christ at various levels including his redemptive work, substitutionary death, divine righteousness, victorious resurrection, and promised second coming. In short, the gospel serves as the bedrock foundation to the Church that was purchased by Christ.
While there is much talk about expository preaching in our day in conservative evangelical circles, it’s one thing to call oneself an expositor and quite another thing to actually labor in expository preaching week after week.
The letters of the New Testament serve a pivotal role in the formation and growth of the Church throughout the ages which continues to this very hour. These letters must be preached for the good of local churches around the world—and in doing so, Christ will be proclaimed and praised among his people. While there is much talk about expository preaching in our day in conservative evangelical circles, it’s one thing to call oneself an expositor and quite another thing to actually labor in expository preaching week after week. If we are to preach Christ and him crucified from the whole counsel of God’s Word, we must commit ourselves to rightly dividing the Word of truth (2 Tim 2:15). In order to rightly divide sacred Scripture, we must commit ourselves to preaching the letters of the New Testament with all of their richness and gospel hope.
**This article was originally published in the Pro Pastor: Preaching the Whole Counsel of God. Spring 2024 Vol. 3 No. 1. A Journal of Grace Bible Theological
Seminary in Conway, AR. Editor: Jeff Moore. Assistant Editor: Ryan Bush.
References
| 1 | Dwight M. Pratt, “Epistle,” International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, (1939), Vol. II, p. 967b. Italics in the original. |
|---|---|
| 2 | D. Edmond Hiebert, The Non-Pauline Epistles, vol. 3, An Introduction to the New Testament (Gabriel Publishing, 2003), 19–20. |
| 3 | John Calvin and John Owen, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), v–vi. |
| 4 | Hiebert, The Non-Pauline Epistles, 17. |
| 5 | D. Edmond Hiebert, The Pauline Epistles, vol. 2, An Introduction to the New Testament (Gabriel Publishing, 2003), 13. *“Twenty-one of the 27 N. T. books are epistles strictly. Three more are so in form: Luke, Acts, and Revelation addressed to the seven churches. Matthew, Mark, and John alone are not epistolary either in form or substance.” A. R. Fausset, “Epistle,” Bible Cyclopaedia, Critical and Expository, (1902), p. 210c. |
| 6 | Thomas R. Schreiner, Interpreting the Pauline Epistles, Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2011), 31. |
| 7 | Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, (1910), Vol. I, p. 741. |
| 8 | A. Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East: The New Testament Illustrated by Recently Discovered Texts of the Graeco-Roman World (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1927), 228–41. |
| 9 | D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Christian Warfare: An Exposition of Ephesians 6:10-13 (London: Banner of Truth; Grand Rapids: Baker, 1976), 109. |
| 10 | Schreiner, Interpreting the Pauline Epistles, 30. |
| 11 | Schreiner, Interpreting the Pauline Epistles, 61–62. |
| 12 | 1 Timothy 3:16 (English Standard Version). |
| 13 | William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 139. |
| 14 | Romans 16:25–27 (English Standard Version |
| 15 | 1 Corinthians 1:23 (English Standard Version |
| 16 | William Tyndale, “The Obedience of a Christian Man,” Doctrinal Treatises (Cambridge, 1848), 303–4. See also J. W. Blench, Preaching in England in the Late Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries (Oxford: Blackwell, 1964), 1–48. |
