the earlier and later letters. Colossians, Ephesians, and the Pastoral Epistles reflect a later stage in ecclesiological reflection. In Colossians and Ephesians the universality of the church, a theme that is largely implicit in the undisputed Pauline letters, becomes explicit as a result of the changing situation. These letters offer the vision of a cosmic church, the true “megachurch.” The Pastoral Epistles play an important role in maintaining the Pauline legacy. Contrary to a popular view, the