Epistles

2 definitions found

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Epistles
     the apostolic letters. The New Testament contains twenty-one in
     all. They are divided into two classes. (1.) Paul's Epistles,
     fourteen in number, including Hebrews. These are not arranged in
     the New Testament in the order of time as to their composition,
     but rather according to the rank of the cities or places to


     which they were sent. Who arranged them after this manner is
     unknown. Paul's letters were, as a rule, dictated to an
     amanuensis, a fact which accounts for some of their
     peculiarities. He authenticated them, however, by adding a few
     words in his own hand at the close. (See GALATIANS, EPISTLE {TO}.)
     
       The epistles to Timothy and Titus are styled the Pastoral
     Epistles.
     
       (2.) The Catholic or General Epistles, so called because they
     are not addressed to any particular church or city or
     individual, but to Christians in general, or to Christians in
     several countries. Of these, three are written by John, two by
     Peter, and one each by James and Jude.
     
       It is an interesting and instructive fact that a large portion
     of the New Testament is taken up with epistles. The doctrines of
     Christianity are thus not set forth in any formal treatise, but
     mainly in a collection of letters. "Christianity was the first
     great missionary religion. It was the first to break the bonds
     of race and aim at embracing all mankind. But this necessarily
     involved a change in the mode in which it was presented. The
     prophet of the Old Testament, if he had anything to communicate,
     either appeared in person or sent messengers to speak for him by
     word of mouth. The narrow limits of Palestine made direct
     personal communication easy. But the case was different when the
     Christian Church came to consist of a number of scattered parts,
     stretching from Mesopotamia in the east to Rome or even Spain in
     the far west. It was only natural that the apostle by whom the
     greater number of these communities had been founded should seek
     to communicate with them by letter."
     

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  EPISTLES, civil law. The name given to a species of rescript. Epistles were 
  the answers given by the prince, when magistrates submitted to him a 
  question of law. Vicle Rescripts.