{"id":2112,"date":"2023-07-11T15:26:54","date_gmt":"2023-07-11T19:26:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lexingtonlutheran.org\/htlc\/?page_id=2112"},"modified":"2023-07-12T09:46:36","modified_gmt":"2023-07-12T13:46:36","slug":"how-to-read-an-epistle-colossians","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.lexingtonlutheran.org\/htlc\/how-to-read-an-epistle-colossians\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Read an Epistle (Colossians)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Literary Context<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does this work fit into the whole of the Bible? (See Table of Contents\/Biblical Timeline)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In what style (genre) was it written (& how does that affect my reading)? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Situational Context<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is writing?  \u2013 1:1-7, 4:7-18<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Whom is he writing? \u2013 1:2, 4:16<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why was it written? \u2013 1:9, 1:27-28, 2:8, 4:12<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the overall emphasis? \u2013  1:15-20<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social Context<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When was it written? \u2013 (See ESV Study Bible\/Map\/Timeline)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where did this take place? \u2013 (See ESV Study Bible)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three Steps to Reading an Epistle<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Identify Arrangement<\/strong>: How is this letter arranged?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Epistles are usually arranged into four parts. Look for these parts in your text:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Greeting: introduces who is writing and to whom<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Opening: usually prayer\/poem, why writing, and main message\/theme<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Body: \u201cTherefore\u201d of the letter, focused on exhortation and instruction<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Conclusion: closing greetings \/ instructions \/ blessing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Study Opening<\/strong>: <\/strong>What is the writer want to emphasize as the main message \/ purpose of the letter? Look for words that are repeated \/ patterns, big ideas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Isolate Thoughts<\/strong>: Go paragraph by paragraph in your Bible to summarize ideas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Look for repeated words\/patterns\/big ideas<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Look for cross references to Old Testament, look up and summarize<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Highlight statements that relate\/support opening thought\/main message<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Literary Context How does this work fit into the whole of the Bible? (See Table of Contents\/Biblical Timeline) In what style (genre) was it written (& how does that affect …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2112","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lexingtonlutheran.org\/htlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lexingtonlutheran.org\/htlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lexingtonlutheran.org\/htlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lexingtonlutheran.org\/htlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.lexingtonlutheran.org\/htlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2112"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.lexingtonlutheran.org\/htlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2131,"href":"http:\/\/www.lexingtonlutheran.org\/htlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2112\/revisions\/2131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.lexingtonlutheran.org\/htlc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}