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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Did Paul write the Laodiceans? | Col 4:16 | Morant61 | 9192 | ||
Greetings Nolan! This is a very interesting question. There is some evidence that Ephesians may have actually been the letter to the Laodiceans. The evidence is as follows. 1) External Evidence: Several very important and early manuscripts to do include the words "in Ephesus" in Eph. 1:1. These words were also omitted in some old codices known to Basil. And Marcion attributed Ephesians as being the Letter to the Laodiceans. 2) Internal Evidence: We know that during Paul’s third missionary journey, he spent 3 years in Ephesus (Acts 20:31). Yet, there are no personal references to anyone in the letter at all. 3) Historical Evidence: We know that Philemon, Colossians, and Ephesians were all sent out at the same time. Philemon was being sent to Philemon, along with his slave Onesimus, in Colosse. We know that Colossians was motivated by the appearance of Epaphras, who was apparently the pastor at Colosse (Col. 1:7) and maybe at Laodicea as well. Therefore, if the above is all true. It appears that at the very least Ephesians may have been a circular letter intended for several churches. It may also have been the Letter to the Laodiceans. Col. 4:16 mentioned reading the letter from the church at Laodicea, the route Paul’s courier would have taken would have been: Ephesus, Laodicea, then Colosse. This is not a great matter of importance, but it would explain several interesting characteristics of Ephesians. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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2 | Did Paul write the Laodiceans? | Col 4:16 | Makarios | 9225 | ||
Greetings Blaze and Tim! Thank you for some excellent and most interesting responses! I especially appreciate Tim's analysis of the letter to the Ephesians and his posting of the complete letter of Paul to the Laodiceans! These were excellent posts! The New Testament tells us that there were letters written that we don't have as New Testament canon. Among them are... - a missing epistle of Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 5:9); - a missing epistle to the Ephesians (Eph. 3:3); - a missing epistle to the Colossians, which may have been written in Laodicea or there may be another letter written from or to the Laodicea (Col. 4:16); - a missing epistle of Jude (Jude 3). Moreover, the Vulgate records a letter Paul wrote to Laodicea. Is it possible that the letter to the Laodiceans in the Vulgate is the letter Paul was talking about in Col 4:16? Is this the same one that Tim posted earlier? http://www.giveshare.org/churchhistory/7churches/7church7.html tells us there were 6 cities named "Laodicea" and the letters gives us no hints as to which "Laodicea" is being referred to here. This may or may not be the same as the one mentioned in Revelations. The largest of these 6 cities was distinguished by the term, "Laodicea on the Lycus", but this term is not applied in this letter. There was a Laodicea in Greece (about 40 miles East of Ephesus on the banks of Lycus) and another in Syria. According to http://www.lazarusinternet.com/guide/footprints.htm, there was a large Jewish population in Laodicea of Turkey, where both Latin and Greek were in use as a common tongue. http://www2.britannica.com/search?query (equals)laodicea, tells us there are several cities in Western Asia by this name. Like both of you fellow brothers in Christ, I find this very interesting! Thank you for sharing the information! Blessings! Nolan |
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3 | Did Paul write the Laodiceans? | Col 4:16 | Morant61 | 9240 | ||
Greetings Nolan! Excellent post and original question! I agree with two of your "missing letters," but I'm not sure about the other two. 1 Cor. 5:9 definitely refers to a previous letter. In fact, 1 Cor. seems to be a response to their response to that letter. Col. 4:16 definitely mentions another letter. Concerning the various cities named Laodicea, you shared some excellent information. I do believe though that the Laodicea of Lycus was probably the one meant in both Col. 4:16 and Revelation, simply because it was on the same mail circuit as Colosse and the other cities named in Rev. 2-3. Eph. 3:3 I don't believe refers to a previous letter. I seems to the a case of an episitletory aroist. In other words, the words "I wrote briefly" refer back to chapters one and two of Ephesians, not to another letter. Just my opinion, but I think it most likely since the topic discussed in Eph. 3:3 is the topic of chapters one and two. Jude 3 I'm not sure where the reference to a previous letter is. He seems to be simply saying, "While I was writing, I felt the need to write about...." Thanks again! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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4 | Did Paul write the Laodiceans? | Col 4:16 | Makarios | 9274 | ||
Greetings Tim! Thank you for your response to these 'supposed' letters.. I am glad that I now have the proper "Forum" to present these questions of mine and have them answered. I agree: only 1 Cor. 5:9 and Col. 4:16 specifically mention letters written previously to the ones that are obviously included in Scripture.. Thanks again dear Brother! Nolan |
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