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Heidegger's Bible Handbook: Romans: Categories of Paul's Epistles

3. The argument of the Pauline Epistles, and various distinctions.



But, even if there is a common argument to all the Pauline Epistles, a mixture of salutary doctrines and exhortation concerning Christ, and the benefits bestowed by His death: nevertheless, according to a better account of the argument and scope of each, they are not incorrectly distinguished in such a way that some are διδακτικαὶ καὶ κατασκευαστικαὶ, didactic and systematic, delivering both a confirmation of true and saving doctrine, and a refutation of the false, in which category are the Epistles to the Romans, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians (namely, the first), and Hebrews: others are κατορθωτικαὶ, dealing with virtue, informing of the life worthy of a Christian man, and correcting besetting vices, to which pertain the Epistles to the Corinthians (namely, the first), part of the Epistle to the Galatians, Colossians, Thessalonians (namely, the second): others are ἀπολογητικαὶ/ apologetic, defending his Apostolate, like the latter to the Corinthians: others are ἐκκλησιαστικαὶ/ecclesiastical, in which category are both Epistles to Timothy, and the one to Titus: finally, others are δεητικαὶ/supplicatory or μεσιτικαὶ/intercessory, like the one to Philemon.

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