Paul's Commitment to the Gospel
Paul's Commitment to the Gospel
It was Paul’s custom to write about his own missionary labors and personal involvement with his readers, most naturally after the opening thanksgiving (Rom. 1:11–15; 1 Thes. 2:17–3:11; cf. the lengthy [narration] in Gal. 1:10–2:21), but elsewhere also (Rom. 15:14–32; 1 Cor. 16:1–11; Phm. 21–22). The irregularity of such features is simply a reminder that Paul treated matters of structure and format as completely adaptable to what he wanted to say. So after the lengthy thanksgiving (cf. 1 Thes. 1:2–2:16), Paul picks up the final clause of the last section (“of which I Paul became a minister”) and fills it out.
Dunn, James D. G. The Epistles to the Colossians and to Philemon: a Commentary on the Greek Text. Grand Rapids, MI; Carlisle: William B. Eerdmans Publishing; Paternoster Press, 1996. Print. New International Greek Testament Commentary.
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