Third Group, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians. "This group is predominantly Christological. Errors had invaded the churches addressed, which tended to degrade the person and work of Christ, and the Apostle writes with a view to showing his pre-eminence and saving power, so that the readers may be induced to keep their allegiance to Christ and His gospel."
Fourth Group, First Timothy, Titus and Second Timothy. "These are called 'The Pastoral Epistles,' and were designed to instruct Timothy and Titus as superintendents of the churches in Ephesus and Crete, and were thus semi-official in character. But they have also a strong personal element and a tone of warm sympathy and affection." The above characterization of the four groups of these Epistles by Prof. G. B. Stevens is brief and to the point.
Common Plan.—The plan in all of Paul's Epistles, with slight variations, is much the same. The outlines of these letters fall uniformly into six divisions. "First, a greeting sometimes very brief, sometimes extending over several verses, in which he generally manages with consummate skill to strike the keynote of the whole letter. Secondly, a thanksgiving to God for the Christian gifts and graces of his converts. Thirdly, a doctrinal part, in which he argues out or explains some great topic of Christian truth, specially required by the condition of the church to which he is writing. Fourthly, a practical section, in which he applies to daily moral duties the great doctrines which he has developed. Fifthly, personal messages, salutations, and details. Sixthly, a brief autograph conclusion to ratify the genuineness of the entire letter."
The Supreme Purpose was to make known the Divine Christ as the Savior of all men, both Jew and Gentile (1 Cor. 2:1-16; Col. 1:9-29; Phil. 2:9-11; Acts 26:22, 23; Rom. 3:9-31).
THE FUTURE OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM
FIRST GROUP OF EPISTLES
THE FIRST AND SECOND EPISTLES TO THE THESSALONIANS
The First Group of Epistles.—The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians are the earliest writings of Paul of which we have any certain knowledge. He may possibly have written earlier epistles, which are now lost. He speaks of writing a salutation "in every epistle" (2 Thess. 3:17), "with mine own hand," which may imply that he had already written a number of Epistles. In regard to later writings he also speaks of an Epistle (1 Cor. 5:9) to the Corinthians written to them before that now known as First Corinthians and of one written to the Laodiceans (Col. 4:16); of these writings we have no record save these incidental notices, if these notices refer to lost Epistles.
The Chief Doctrinal Point considered in this group is "The Future of Christ's Kingdom" as it was related to His second coming (1 Thess. 4:13-5:9, compare 2 Thess. 2:1-17). It was natural that, after so great a manifestation of the Divine Christ, the earlier believers in Him should make much of the promise that He said He would come again, and amid their troubles and difficulties the strong tendency would be to think that second coming was close at hand. It is a well known fact however that the near approach of a great joy or sorrow unfits men and women for the ordinary pursuits of life. Paul, in his first letter to the members of the church of Thessalonica, spoke of the second coming of Christ to relieve their minds of a worry over those who had died since he had preached to them (lest they should not see the Lord when He came), and also to encourage them in their faith (1 Thess. 4:13-18). It seems that Paul was taken to mean by what he wrote that Christ's coming was near at hand. The believers in Christ, in Thessalonica, began to give up their ordinary avocations and pursuits in speedy anticipation of this great event. He therefore takes occasion in his second letter to the church to correct the impression that Christ's coming (2 Thess. 2:1-17) was near at hand. He exhorts them to true and faithful living in the sight of their Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thess. 3:1-18) as the best way to serve their Divine Master. The principle of the true Christian life is here set forth in a masterly way; it holds good for all time and all peoples.