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PROLOGUE TO THE EPISTLES

   Twenty-one of the twenty-seven New Testament books are in the form of letters written by five writers Paul, James, Peter, John, and Jude.

Paul is the apostle of faith      (14 Epistles).

Peter is the apostle of hope    (2 Epistles).

John is the apostle of love      (3 Epistles) plus one Gospel and Revelation.

James is the writer of works   (1 Epistle).

Jude is the writer of vigilance  (1 Epistle).

James and Jude are not apostles, but half brothers of The Lord Jesus Christ.

The Books in the canon of Scripture are not in the chronological order in which they were written. Although placed as the first Epistle after Acts in the canon of Scripture, Romans was not written until after Galatians, First and Second Thessalonians, and First and Second Corinthians.

Paul's Epistles give us far more insight: into his heart and life, his beliefs, practices, and difficulties, and the general conditions of various churches, than any other form of literature could. Nine Epistles are to churches, four to individuals, and Hebrews is universal.

There are six categories in grouping the Pauline Epistles:

     The first nine Epistles as listed above are Church Epistles.

Two of the church Epistles are circular: Galatians and Colossians.

Four Epistles are Prison Epistles: Ephesians, Philippians. Colossians, and Philemon. Paul wrote four Personal Epistles: two to Timothy, and one each toTitus and Philemon. Two were younger, fellow servants whom Paul highly trusted and one was a layman of Colosse, in whose house the church met (Col. 4:17 cf. Phile. 1,2).