An epistle is defined as which of the following?

• A. A historical narrative about Jesus
• B. A formal letter
• C. A prophecy
• D. A poem

Answer: (B)

An epistle is written communication in the form of a formal letter addressed to individuals or to a church, meant to teach, exhort, and address issues of belief and practice. In biblical usage, epistles function as letters from a teacher or leader to a community, containing doctrinal instruction, ethical exhortation, and practical guidance, typically opening with a greeting and closing with blessings or a call to action. This helps distinguish them from historical narratives that recount Jesus’s life, prophecies that deliver revelation or predictions, and poetry, which is primarily lyric in form. In the New Testament, epistles are the letters of Paul to churches and individuals and other apostles’ letters, all structured as letters rather than narratives.