1. A method for using an endpoint reference in a publish-subscribe (“pub-sub”) system, the method comprising: creating an endpoint reference to identify an endpoint in a the pub-sub system, the endpoint reference comprising an address of the endpoint; and encapsulating one or more contexts into the endpoint reference, each context being directed to a respective component of the pub-sub system, each context being transparent to the respective component and selectively opaque to all other pub-sub system components.