In passing on to the writing of the epistles, little need be said, for their authorship is undisputed and the occasions of their being written is usually quite clear from their contents.
The Epistle to the Romans was written by Paul from Corinth about the year 60 when he spent three months in Greece just before, setting out on his last journey to Jerusalem. (Acts 20:2, 32And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 3And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. (Acts 20:2‑3)). It was carried by Phoebe, the servant of the Church at Cenchrea, which is the port of Corinth, and it contained greetings from Gaius, who lived in Corinth. (1 Cor. 1:1414I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; (1 Corinthians 1:14)).
1 Corinthians was written a short time before Romans, about the year 59, probably from the house of Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus. Acts 18:2626And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. (Acts 18:26). We see that Priscilla and Aquila were living in Ephesus when Apollos passed through that city shortly before Paul’s visit. Paul had in mind (Acts 19:2121After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. (Acts 19:21)) to visit Achaia (where Corinth was situated), but delayed his visit and instead wrote a letter to the Corinthians, whose conduct had caused him so much grief.
2 Corinthians was written a short time later from Philippi, after he had received from Titus the cheering news of the repentance of the Corinthians. “And after the uproar was ceased (Acts 20:11And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. (Acts 20:1)) Paul called unto him the disciples and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.” 2 Corinthians 1:88For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: (2 Corinthians 1:8) speaks of the ordeal which he had just passed through in Ephesus. 2 Corinthians 2:12, 1312Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, 13I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. (2 Corinthians 2:12‑13) tells how he reached Troas, the first port of Macedonia, but was in too much grief of spirit over the conduct of the Corinthians to preach there. However, on his return journey, on his way to Jerusalem after visiting Corinth, he stayed seven days at Troas, and on the first day of the week preached till long after midnight (Acts 20:77And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7)). 2 Corthians 8:1 speaks of the liberality of the Macedonian churches which Paul was visiting at the time. 2 Corinthians 13:11This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. (2 Corinthians 13:1). Paul tells the Corinthians that he expects to visit them in a short time, as in fact he did.
The Epistle to the Galatians was written from 14 to 20 years after the call of the apostle, perhaps during his sojourn in Ephesus; in any case not long after the founding of the churches of Galatia.
Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians were written during his two years’ captivity in Rome about the year 64.
The Epistle to Philemon, who probably lived at or near Colosse, was written during the same period at the end of Paul’s captivity, when he expected soon to be set free.
The First Epistle to Timothy was written as the apostle was leaving Ephesus for Macedonia. The date is uncertain, but many have thought that it was after his first imprisonment, when, for a short time, about the year 65, he was free again.
The Epistle to Titus was written about the same time, after a visit to Crete, of which we have no other account.
2 Timothy, Paul’s last Epistle, was written from prison in Rome shortly before his martyrdom in the year 66.
Although Hebrews contains no salutation or mark of authorship, it is generally believed to have been written by Paul. I cannot do better than quote. Mr. Darby’s remarks on Hebrews and the Catholic epistles contained in the Introduction to the French Bible. He says: “The Epistle to the Hebrews was written at a comparatively late period in view of the judgments which were about to fall on Jerusalem. It calls the Christian Jews to separate themselves from that which God was on the point of judging.”
The Epistle of James relates to a time when this separation had not taken place in any way. Jewish Christians are looked at as still making part of an Israel which is not yet definitely rejected. They recognize Jesus only as the. Lord of glory. Like the other Catholic epistles, that of James was written in the last days of the apostolic history when Christianity had been widely accepted among the tribes of Israel, and judgment was going to close their history.
Those of John were written later still.
The First Epistle of Peter shows us that the gospel had already been widely spread among the Jews; it is addressed to the Christian Jew of the dispersion.
The Second Epistle of course is later, and belongs to the end of the apostle’s life when he was about to “lay aside this tabernacle” and leave his brethren. He did not want to leave them without the warnings which his apostolic care could soon give them no longer; for this reason, as in the Epistle of Jude, this Second Epistle of Peter speaks of those who had denied the faith, and of those who were denying the promise of the coming of the Lord.
In the First Epistle of John, according to the witness of this apostle himself we are in the “last hour.” The apostates are already manifested, the apostates of the truth of Christianity, denying the Father and the Son, and joining in Jewish unbelief to deny that Jesus was the Christ.
The Epistle of Jude comes morally before that of John. It shows us the false brethren who had slipped in unawares in the midst of the saints and brings us to the final rebellion and judgment. It differs from that of Peter in that it does not look at evil as a simple iniquity but as a leaving of the first estate.
Revelation completes the picture by showing us Christ in the midst of the churches represented by golden candlesticks. The first church, having abandoned her first love, is warned that unless she repents and returns to her first estate, the candlestick will be removed. The final judgment of the church is found in Thyatira and Laodicea. This book then shows the judgment of the world, and the return of the Lord, the Kingdom, and heavenly city, and finally the eternal state.