First, we have a mystery here, and who doesn’t like a mystery? Who wrote Hebrews? For a long time people said it was Paul, but there are a few reasons this may not be true. For one thing, the book of Hebrews quotes extensively from the Old Testament. Paul, as a Pharisee, would have been familiar with the Scripture in its original Hebrew language. In other letters, Paul either quotes the Masoretic Text (the original Hebrew) or paraphrases it. However, all of the quotes in this epistle are taken out of the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), which is inconsistent with Paul’s usage.

If not Paul, who might have written it? The most plausible suggestion is that this was actually a sermon Paul gave and it was transcribed later by Luke, a person who would have had the command of the Greek language that the writer shows. Barnabas is another likely prospect, since he was a Levite (one who performed subordinate services of worship) and would have been speaking on a subject that he knew much about. Martin Luther suggested Apollos, since he would have had the education the writer of this letter must have had. Priscilla and Clement of Rome have been suggested by other scholars.

But the majority of scholars still believe Paul was the author. The most compelling reason comes from Scripture itself. Remember that Peter wrote to the Hebrews (that is, the Jews). Here’s what he had to say in 2 Peter:  “Just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.” In that last verse, Peter is confirming that Paul had also written a letter to the Hebrews! In addition, the theology presented in Hebrews is consistent with Paul’s. Paul was a proponent of salvation by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8, 9), and that message is strongly communicated in this epistle (Hebrews 4:2, 6:12, 10:19-22, 10:37-39, and 11:1-40), indicating that either Paul wrote the epistle or the writer was trained by Paul. One more thing–although it is a small detail, this epistle makes mention of Timothy, and Paul is the only apostle known to have ever done that in any letter.

OK, this is an important book, so I will save details about it for the next blog entry.

Written in the period between 59-61 A.D., this letter of Paul’s deals with an unusual situation. Apparently, a slave had run away from a friend of Paul’s. This slave, Onesimus,  then became a Christian due to Paul, who then composed this letter asking for the owner, Philemon, to take back his slave even though it was the right of the owner to severely punish any runaway slave. This letter required all of Paul’s literary skills to defuse a potentially serious situation.

Again, here are questions to consider. See a reference in verse 2 to a typical church setting. How was it different from church today? Paul had to use great persuasive skills here. Note each of the following sections and see what tactics Paul used—verses 4-10, 11-19, 20-21. Paul can be playful at times. See verse 11. If you know “Onesimus” means “useful,” does it help you see Paul’s word game?

Paul doesn’t speak against slavery. Should he? Are there any principles here that might eventually undermine slavery? Keep in mind the Christian idea is to change the heart of one person at a time instead of trying to change society from the top down. What negative results might have come about if Paul urged all slaves to throw off their masters? Also, it helps to know that the slavery here and in the Old Testament is different from the slavery in the American South before the Civil War–it wasn’t based on skin color, many slaves could gain their freedom (all could in the Old Testament where slavery was much more like indentured servitude), many slaves had their own businesses.

Read the text carefully one more time. How are all three people (Paul, Onesimus, Philemon) taking a risk and making a sacrifice stemming from their allegiance to Christ?

A Gentile and  friend of Paul’s, Titus went on some of his missionary journeys and helped settle problems at the church of Corinth. See references to him in Galatians 2:1-3, 2 Timothy 4:10, 2 Corinthians 2:13; 7-8; 12:18. He was a leader of the Christian church on Crete. Like 1 and 2 Timothy, Paul wrote him a pastoral letter to help explain pastoral and church duties. Remember that Paul wrote general letters to churches (like the letter to the Romans) as well as pastoral letters to key leaders in churches (like 1 and 2 Timothy).

Here are some key questions to help understand this letter. Why was Paul writing Titus? See chapters 2 and 3—there is a key verse in each of these chapters. Paul told Titus there was opposition for him. See 1:5-16. What was the opposition and what was the solution? What are the characteristics of the false teachers? See 1:10, 1:11, 1:14, 1:16, 3:8-9. Some of Paul’s typical beliefs are here in Titus. See 1:2, 2:11,  2:14, 3:5-7. Does 2:1-10 challenge the status quo or strive to live by its norms? One moving passage is 3:3-3:8. Explain the contrast he sets up. See 3:1. Does this leave any room for disobedience? See Acts 4 as part of your answer.

Key themes in Titus include an emphasis on sound doctrine and good deeds. Titus shares a list of qualifications for church leaders with 1 Timothy–see Titus 1:6-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-13. Many churches use these lists for choosing church leaders today.

The second letter to Timothy was written during Paul’s last imprisonment, in which he was treated much more harshly by the authorities. You can see  what his prison environment was like–Google “Mamertine Prison.” Pretty grim.

Paul discusses women in 2:9-15. Do you think this is only for Paul’s time or for all time? Does this conflict with 1 Corinthians 11:5? This has become a big issue in Christian circles–the role of women in the church. In 2 Timothy chapters 1, 2, 4 Paul describes his personal circumstances. What are they like? Paul’s second letter to Timothy is described as a very personal one. Where do you see that? Critics have found 2 Timothy 4:1-8 very powerful. Your thoughts? Paul makes a prediction in 2 Timothy 3:1-9. Does this seem like a specific prediction of the future or more of a general nature? False teachers are described in 2 Timothy like they were in 1 Timothy. What do you learn about their beliefs in 2 Timothy? See 2:14, 16, 23; 2:18; 3:2-4; 3:5; 3:6; 4:4.

1 TIMOTHY

Confused by all the letters of Paul’s and the order they are in? Well, after Corinthians, you’ve got Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians. Some remember that by this phrase: General Electric Power Company. Then you have alphabetical order–Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus. OK, then it gets tough with Philemon. But at least I hope there is some hope with the above help.

Most critics believe Paul wrote 1st and 2nd Timothy between 62-66 A.D. The recipient, Timothy, was with Paul on his second missionary trip (see Acts 20) and later became leader at the church of Ephesus. Because Paul mentions details concerning pastoral duties, 1 and 2 Timothy, as well as Titus, have been called the pastoral letters, written to specific leaders rather than to churches in general.

Why did Paul write 1 Timothy? See 1:3 and 3:14, 15. Paul complains about false teachers. Since we get only one side in the issue, we have to read Paul’s complaints to see what he was opposing. What seems to be their beliefs? See 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 4:1-8; 6:3-5, 20-21. Explore 1 Timothy 2:1-15 to see what the church looked like. How organized was it? Was it more tightly organized than the church we saw in Acts? What are the qualifications for church leadership Paul lays out in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and 5:17-25? Are any qualifications left out that you feel should have been included?

1 and 2 THESSALONIANS

 Another town in Macedonia, Thessalonica, was visited by Paul during his second missionary tour (see Acts 20). After he left, Paul heard the people were confused about his teaching regarding the return of Jesus and the resurrection of the dead. The first letter to the Thessalonians is one of Paul’s earliest, probably written in 51 A.D. Six months later he wrote the second letter, apparently having heard the people in that church were expecting the return of Jesus very soon or thought they were already living during the troubled last days.

The key to 1 Thessalonians is the fate of dead Christians who had expected to live until the return of Jesus. See Paul’s response in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11. Explain what he said. Compare his answer here with 1 Corinthians 15—does he say anything different here? Read chapter 1 of 2 Thessalonians. What can you guess about how things have gone since he sent the first letter? What does Paul have to say about those who preached that Jesus was coming back very soon? See 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17. What does he say must happen before the return of Jesus? How might the problem in the previous question account for Paul’s comments in 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15?

After Paul’s ministry in Ephesus, a church was started in Colosse, located in present day Turkey. From prison in 60 A.D., Paul wrote this letter after he had been told of false teachers who had come to Colosse, telling of additional necessary doctrines for the faithful. His response stressed the supremacy of Christ and the freedom from man-made rules.

Paul attempted to establish the supremacy of Jesus in 1:15-20. What are his points? Paul’s letter attacks some sort of heretical teaching. Remember that we are only getting Paul’s responses–we don’t know what he was responding to. What can you guess about its points from his teaching in 2:16-17; 2:11 and 3:1; 2:21 and 2:23; 2:18; 1:15-20 and 2:2-3, 9; 2:4,8?  Once again, you can see the difficulty of reading his letters since we don’t know what he is reacting to. Paul explains another mystery in 1:25-27. Explain the term “mystery” and what it is here. It’s not what we normally think of when we use the term “mystery.” Where does the theology end and the practical living portion start in this letter? This pattern is typical of Paul’s letters. Paul has commands for slaves in 3:22-25. Should he be encouraging slaves to rebel instead? Think about how Christianity focused on the individual heart rather than changes from the top down.

Philippi was an important city in Macedonia that was visited by Paul in his second missionary tour. It was probably the first city in Europe that was evangelized by Christians. Paul probably wrote this letter in 60 A.D. as he sat in a prison in Rome. Considering where he was, it’s amazing to read the letter and see how many references there are to joy; the word “joy” or “rejoice” appears sixteen times. Philippians, full of warmth and peace, is the most personal letter to a church, .

Paul used the letter to thank the Philippians. What else did he use the letter for? See 1:12-26 and 4:10-19; 1:27-30 and 4:4; 2:1-11 and 4:2-5; 2:19-30; all of chapter 3. Why is 2:5-11 in the form of a poem? What does the form do for this information? This section is probably part of an ancient Christian hymn, so the deity of Jesus was established at the very beginning of the Christian faith. There are many other songs and creeds scattered in Paul’s letters. The most famous is in 1st Corinthians 15:1-8. What does this portion of Philippians (2:5-11) say about the nature of Jesus and God? In 3:4-8 we learn useful biographical information about Paul. What new details did you learn here? This letter has brought hope and inspiration to many. Which portions seem to do that best? Why? Does the style of writing have anything to do with it?

Ephesus, the fourth largest city in the Roman Empire, was home to the temple of Artemis, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Paul may be the author of this letter sent to several churches in the area although there are critics who suggest it might be the work of an unknown writer. Ephesians deals with unity among the believers and the revelation of something new—the universal church. There is also much here on relationships of husband/wife, parent/child, and master/slave. Unlike many of the other New Testament letters, Ephesians doesn’t address particular errors.

Here are some questions to consider as you read this letter. Chapters 1-3 use the term “in Christ” or “in him.” What do believers have in Christ? Paul uses the term “mystery” in a different way than we do today. Explain the difference (See 3:1-6). What is said about the church in 1:23, 2:19-21, 3:6-10, 4:1-6? In chapters 4-6 what does Paul say about the lifestyle of the believer? In 5:22-33 the relationship of husbands and wives is discussed. Should modern women be upset at what is said? Do men have it easier in the commands? The focus in Ephesians is on unity in Christ. Does that suggest all people, regardless of their beliefs, are saved? See 6:12 as part of an answer.

Paul had founded churches in Galatia on his second missionary journey. Sometime after 50 A.D. he received word that Judaizers, who insisted Gentile Christians must follow all Jewish laws, had infiltrated the churches. They said all believers had to be circumcised, had to eat certain foods, and had to celebrate all Jewish feast days. In addition, they raised questions about Paul’s authority. As a result, Paul wrote this letter to explain the freedom Christians now had and to defend his standing as an apostle. Galatians has been called the Christian declaration of independence; Martin Luther relied on it for his break with the Catholic church.

There is interesting biographical information about Paul in 1:10-2:14. What new material do you learn about Paul? He feels he has to defend his authority–see 1:1-5, 12, 15-17. You will notice this in several of his letters since he came late to the Christian faith and was viewed with suspicion for a long time. Paul’s theme in this letter, the issue of salvation through faith rather than through works, can be seen in 1:6, 3:3, 5:4. Then, if salvation is by faith, what purpose did the Mosaic law have? Paul deals with this in 3:10-11 and 3:19-25. Paul argues in a rabbinical fashion, in which arguments are backed up with Old Testament passages. Look for this as you read the letter. Abraham, Hagar, and Sarah are used as symbols throughout the book; what do they symbolize to Paul? As a typical letter of that time period, there is a division—the first part is theory and the second part is practical. Where is the break between the two here? Paul uses the teaching device of asking questions. Where does he do this? Is it effective? What makes an effective question for an argument? Take a look at Acts 15. How were the issues of Jewish law eventually decided?