Chapter 3 - Epistles: Think Contextually
The Nature of Epistles
Not easy to interpret as often thought.
Epistles themselves are not homogeneous but different
Ancient letters
1. name of the writer
2. name of the recepient
3. greeging
4. prayer or thanksgiving
5. body
6. final greeting and farewell
NT epistles
lack of 1-3 or 6
1. John
none of formal parts
James and 2. Peter
lack of formal final greeting