Introduction

The Epistles of St. Paul fall naturally into four groups, each divided from the others by a considerable interval of time. In the earliest of these groups, written during the Second Missionary Journey, the great central thought is the coming of Christ to judge the world. The second group (1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Romans), written during the Third Missionary Journey, has for its leading theme the reconciliation of man with God and with his fellow-man by means of the Cross of Christ. The third group (Philippians, Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon), written during the first Roman captivity, dwells on the thought of Christ as the great King and Head of the Church. The fourth group (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus), written at the close of the Apostle's life, deals with practical questions of Church organisation. The two Epistles to the Thessalonians together form the first group. In them we have the earliest of St. Paul's writings, and, with the probable exception of the Epistle of St. James, the earliest books of the New Testament.