459. The Pastoral Letters are the instructions of Paul to two young Christian ministers. Detailing useful advice about church leadership, particularly the importance of setting high moral standards, the books of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus have a fatherly tone as Paul writes to his young proteges.
460. First Timothy. Timothy was Paul's best-known helper. He is first mentioned in Acts 16. Paul met him on one of his journeys, and the two later agreed to work together. Paul writes to Timothy as a father would to a son, so there was likely a significant age difference between them, as well as a bond of love. The message of this book can be summed up with the words "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith" (1 Tim. 1:5).
461. Second Timothy. Paul's second letter to Timothy was written when Paul was facing imminent death. Though the Scriptures don't record it, modern historians generally agree that Paul was beheaded in Rome for continuing to preach the Gospel. This letter to Timothy was apparently written in anticipation of that event and is extremely moving. Paul charges Timothy to continue the good fight of faith.
462. Titus. Though Titus comes after 2 Timothy in the Bible, it was obviously written sometime before it because it contains none of Paul's immediate anticipation of death. Titus was another helper and coworker of Paul's. This letter is instructed much like 1 Timothy. Paul reminds Titus to give attention to instruction and to the appointment of others who could help spread the message.
463. Philemon barely takes up a page in most Bibles. Though the title is "Philemon," it is also addressed to Apphia, Archippus, and the group of disciples that met in the house. The subject of the letter was a runaway slave of Philemon's named Onesimus. Paul ran across Onesimus and urged him to return home. At the same time, Paul encouraged Philemon not only to forgive Onesimus but to treat him as a brother rather than a slave.
464. Hebrews. Though the King James Version of the Bible attributes this letter to Paul, most modern English versions do not. The uncertainty stems from the fact that if Paul did write this letter, he failed to specify such a fact in the text as he had in all his other letters. Regardless of who wrote this epistle, it is distinctly different from any of the other letters in the Bible.
465. The Book of Hebrews is the only anonymous letter in the New Testament. It is placed at the end of Paul's letters in our New Testament specifically because the collectors of the Canon were not sure it was written by Paul or not. We're also not sure of the intended recipients, though it was widely circulated in the early church. Still, the focus of the letter is clear: Jesus is our Great High Priest, the mediator between Holy God and sinful man.
466. The Christian Hall of Fame is the title given to Hebrews 11, which begins with Abel and proceeds to list the key figures of the Old Testament. Since it was probably intended for Jewish Christians, the list emphasizes Abraham and Moses but goes on to include the many believers who suffered persecution and martyrdom for the cause of the faith.
467. James. It is believed the author of this book was James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the Jerusalem council. James was written most likely for Jewish Christians, as it is addressed to the "twelve tribes scattered among the nations." James wrote to instruct and encourage Christians in the midst of persecution and personal trials. James is especially marked by its emphasis on a faith accompanied by good works and a lifestyle that is consistent in its faithfulness to Christ.
468. First Peter. This is the first of two letters from Peter written in Rome. He addressed it to the Gentiles of Asia Minor who were enduring severe persecution. It appears to be a letter meant to circulate; it deals with practical subjects of faith, hope, and love for everyday living. Although certain aspects of his style are rough, others are quite elegant and similar to classical Greek. This leads scholars to believe that Peter may have had a Greek amanuensis (someone to take dictation) named Silvanus (1 Peter 5:12).
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
The New Testament Writings ll
449. The apostles' letters are sometimes called epistles. The word epistle helps convey that there was a formal or public element to these letters. These last twenty-two books of the Bible were personal letters in that they often specify the names of both the sender and the recipient (s). The fact that no point is made of the authors' identities implies how unimportant the issue is. The apostles were charged with the responsibility of spreading Jesus' message faithfully, and that in and of itself gave the writings authority in the eyes of Christ's followers.
450. Romans. In this letter Paul writes to the disciples in Rome. Normally he wrote to communities of disciples that he himself had established. Romans is an exception, for in this case he wrote in advance of his first visit. Misunderstandings about the message of Jesus were complex, so Paul gives an extended explanation of his understanding of the message. He also deals with the complexities of Jewish versus Gentile perspectives.
451. First Corinthians. Corinth was a city in southern Greece. Acts 18 describes how Paul spent eighteen months there. This letter is written some time after that. Parts of this letter are difficult to follow because Paul goes straight into his answers to the Corinthians' problems without restating what they were. First Corinthians 13, the famous love passage, is timeless and universal.
452. Second Corinthians. By the time this letter was written, Paul had to make a defense of his ministry. Recurring problems at Corinth and the infusion of false teachings had sullied his reputation. In this wonderfully moving letter, Paul states that the purpose of the defense is not to protect his reputation but to defend the truth for those he had taught.
453. Galatians begins a series of shorter letters. Galatia was a region situated on the eastern side of Asia Minor. The letters was therefore addressed more broadly than the letters to Rome and Corinth. The Epistle of Galatians was to be read by various gatherings of disciples in various cities of Galatia. The purpose of the letters was straightforward: to protest and refute false teaching that had taken root in that region.
454. Ephesians. Ephesus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor. In New Testament times this region was called Asia. This letter was very general in nature and served as an explanation of God's design, followed by specific instructions for everyday living. It was intended for communities beyond Ephesus as well.
455. Philippians. This letter is as specific as Ephesians is broad. Philippi was a city in northern Greece. Paul preached there on his second major journey. The people in Philippi held Paul in high esteem. He was sending words of encouragement to them during a time of persecution. Ironically Paul seems to be writing from jail. Sharing his hope, he writes of his intent to return to them at some future time.
456. Colossians. Colosse was a city located due east of Ephesus. This letter is very similar to Ephesians, except much shorter. As the letter ends, it gives instructions to send it on to Laodicea, another nearby city.
457. First Thessalonians. Thessalonica was a city in northern Greece. It was just down the road from Philippi. Paul's first visit there was recorded in Acts 17. As usual he was met with two different responses: enthusiastic acceptance and severe resistance. Paul wrote this letter to strengthen and encourage the believers there. Above all he urges them to look for "the day of the Lord" when everything will be made right.
458. Second Thessalonians. Sometime after the disciples at Thessalonica got Paul's first letter, they began to wonder whether "the day of the Lord" might have come and gone. Paul quickly assured them that indeed it had not. He urged them to continue imitating Jesus and loving the people around them.
450. Romans. In this letter Paul writes to the disciples in Rome. Normally he wrote to communities of disciples that he himself had established. Romans is an exception, for in this case he wrote in advance of his first visit. Misunderstandings about the message of Jesus were complex, so Paul gives an extended explanation of his understanding of the message. He also deals with the complexities of Jewish versus Gentile perspectives.
451. First Corinthians. Corinth was a city in southern Greece. Acts 18 describes how Paul spent eighteen months there. This letter is written some time after that. Parts of this letter are difficult to follow because Paul goes straight into his answers to the Corinthians' problems without restating what they were. First Corinthians 13, the famous love passage, is timeless and universal.
452. Second Corinthians. By the time this letter was written, Paul had to make a defense of his ministry. Recurring problems at Corinth and the infusion of false teachings had sullied his reputation. In this wonderfully moving letter, Paul states that the purpose of the defense is not to protect his reputation but to defend the truth for those he had taught.
453. Galatians begins a series of shorter letters. Galatia was a region situated on the eastern side of Asia Minor. The letters was therefore addressed more broadly than the letters to Rome and Corinth. The Epistle of Galatians was to be read by various gatherings of disciples in various cities of Galatia. The purpose of the letters was straightforward: to protest and refute false teaching that had taken root in that region.
454. Ephesians. Ephesus was a seaport on the western coast of Asia Minor. In New Testament times this region was called Asia. This letter was very general in nature and served as an explanation of God's design, followed by specific instructions for everyday living. It was intended for communities beyond Ephesus as well.
455. Philippians. This letter is as specific as Ephesians is broad. Philippi was a city in northern Greece. Paul preached there on his second major journey. The people in Philippi held Paul in high esteem. He was sending words of encouragement to them during a time of persecution. Ironically Paul seems to be writing from jail. Sharing his hope, he writes of his intent to return to them at some future time.
456. Colossians. Colosse was a city located due east of Ephesus. This letter is very similar to Ephesians, except much shorter. As the letter ends, it gives instructions to send it on to Laodicea, another nearby city.
457. First Thessalonians. Thessalonica was a city in northern Greece. It was just down the road from Philippi. Paul's first visit there was recorded in Acts 17. As usual he was met with two different responses: enthusiastic acceptance and severe resistance. Paul wrote this letter to strengthen and encourage the believers there. Above all he urges them to look for "the day of the Lord" when everything will be made right.
458. Second Thessalonians. Sometime after the disciples at Thessalonica got Paul's first letter, they began to wonder whether "the day of the Lord" might have come and gone. Paul quickly assured them that indeed it had not. He urged them to continue imitating Jesus and loving the people around them.
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