Epistle (In Scripture) (Catholic Encyclopedia article)
Anthony Maas · 1913
Read Epistle (In Scripture) (Catholic Encyclopedia article) by Anthony Maas (1913) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/catholic-encyclopedia-1913-epistle-in-scripture.txt.
Description
An epistle in Scripture began as a book or writing in general, and only later became a distinct literary form, as this entry explains. Hebrew first used a general word for book, then transitional words for writing, and finally terms of Assyrian or Persian origin that the Septuagint always renders as epistle. The Old Testament shows two stages: first the letter as a book or writing, then the letter as a form in its own right.
The dividing line is hard to fix, but in general the Hebrews shaped their notion of a letter as a specific form during the Captivity. The first written biblical message is David's letter to Joab about Uriah, sent for secrecy, like Jezebel's order about Naboth and Jehu's commands to Samaria. Later letters include Jeremiah's message to the exiles in Babylon and a false prophet's letters from Babylon aimed at undermining Jeremiah.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Anthony Maas |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 1913 |
| COLLECTION | REFERENCE |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 7 KB |
| LICENSE | PUBLIC_DOMAIN |
| RIGHTS | PUBLIC DOMAIN |
| SOURCE | New Advent — Catholic Encyclopedia (1913) |