How to Study the Epistles? (Part I)

Pei Jia shares with us some of the tools for uncovering the treasure trove behind the letters of the Bible...

 

 

First off... What are Epistles?

 

Epistles are letters written or directed from an apostle to a person or a group of persons (like a church). A list of epistles are commonly found in the New Testament, and they are:

 

Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude.

In this article, let's explore the first of a 3-stage process to help us study the epistles:

 

 

Stage 1: PRE-WORK

 

 

1) Read the entire epistle in one sitting

 

2) Identify the basics:

 

Who is the author?

Who is the audience?

What is the occasion that prompted this letter to be written?

What is the key message / purpose?

 

3) Create an outline for the epistle (which can be revised in Stage 2)

 

4) For historical context, consult secondary resources like a Study Bible.

That's it for now!

 

 

Why not open an epistle from your bible book or app and try this for yourself!

Ready for the next stage?

Here's Part 2 of How to Study the Epistles...