A few months after writing 1 Corinthians, Paul heard there were huge improvements in Corinth, but the church had been invaded by some who questioned Paul’s credentials, a problem he had to overcome in several other letters. Notice how often Paul introduces his letters by explaining his background and why he has the right to deliver messages to various churches and individuals. So, this second letter to the Corinthians is both a compliment to the church members and a defense of his right to call himself an apostle.

Chapter 3 contrasts the old/new covenants. Explain. Chapter 10 changes to a new topic—Paul defends his calling as an apostle. How does he defend himself? Is it effective? Many readers say the tone (emotional attitude of the author) is different here from the previous chapters in 2 Corinthians. Do you agree? Chapters 10-13 use irony. It’s the opposite of what’s expected or intended. Where do you see him using this tool? In 11:22-31 Paul speaks out in a powerful way. This section has become a favorite of people who read the New Testament. Why?

 Paul had founded a church in Corinth, the most important city in Greece, on his second missionary journey. It was a cosmopolitan city, known for its immorality. Later, around 55 A.D., Paul received a letter from people of this church, telling him of Christians who were arguing among themselves and allowing immoral behavior among some of the congregation. Paul responded in his letter to these problems—he rebuked people and told them how to act. This became the document we call 1 Corinthians.

Notice 1:10-11. Why did Paul write? In 1:10-3:23. Paul contrasts human and divine wisdom. Explain the differences he sees. Is Paul attacking human reason and logic? In chapters 1-6 he covers several problems he has heard of. What are they? What are his solutions? As Paul deals with each problem and question raised, he tries to explain in terms of one or several doctrines of the faith, not just his opinion. Give an example where he does this as support for his position. Some see chapters 12 and 13 as the core of 1 Corinthians. Explain. Chapter 13 is well-known. Why do you feel it is so famous? Chapter 15 has Paul’s views on the future of the body and soul after death. Explain his point. Chapter 15:35-57 is considered very powerful writing. Explain. Inside chapter 15 (verses 3-8) Paul recites one of the oldest creeds of the Christian faith. What was the basic gospel message from the very beginning?

Romans is Paul’s longest and most carefully worked out statement of his views of the Christian faith. It has been called the “Constitution of the Christian faith” by many who trace the impact of this letter over the years on Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, and other important church leaders. Romans was written by Paul probably in 56-57 A.D. after he completed his third missionary journey in anticipation of going to Rome for the first time.

It is different from his other letters because it is much more general; it is not a reaction to specific problems. Also, it is much less personal in its tone; we don’t hear Paul himself often here. This is a theological letter that attempts to tell people how to get right with God.

Notice the first chapter reflects a typical salutation and thesis. Paul then lays out bad news first (chapters 1-3) and follows this with good news (3:21-4:25). Paul deals with a key question about the Jews—has God rejected them and reneged on the Old Testament promises to them? See 9-11:36 to see Paul’s viewpoint. We see a typical split in Paul’s letters between theology first, followed by practical ethics next. Romans focuses on theology from chapters 1-11. Look at chapter 12:1-2. How does that attempt to provide the transition from theology to practical living? Where else in chapters 12-16:27 do you see Paul giving practical advice for Christian living?

Since 21 of the 27 New Testament book are letters comprising over 1/3 of all material, it is important to look at the concept of letters during this time period. Letters, the single best way to communicate, tended to follow a pattern of salutation, body, and conclusion. Many of the writers used trained scribes to actually do the writing; these scribes sometimes paraphrased what they had been told, which means it is hard to determine if a particular letter is by a particular author.

When you read one of these letters, keep in mind two things. First, remember you are getting only one side of an issue. You must figure out from the text or use available notes to see what the situation was. The author is responding to something, and you need to know what it is. Secondly, realize that the modern division into chapters and verses doesn’t always succeed in grouping related thoughts. Look for the major ideas rather than depending on chapter divisions. In fact, you will notice that some beginning verses are closely connected with the end of the previous chapter and need to be read together.

Paul is the most important of the New Testament letter writers. You can read about his life and dramatic conversion in Acts. He is credited with at least ten letters—1 and 2 Thessalonians, Galatians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans, Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon. He may have written 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus; a few authorities think he wrote Hebrews. As you read his works, notice his great argumentative skills, his intellect, and his effective use of language. He combined Roman citizenship, Greek education, and Hebrew religion in his work. Keep in mind he was usually writing in response to a problem he had heard about; his job was to correct and discipline people in the church. Make sure you understand the reason for his letter.

Acts should be thought of as the second part of Luke’s history that started with the gospel bearing his name. There are no dates given for its composition, but it’s a clue that it never mentions the destruction of the Jewish Temple (70 A.D.) or the deaths of Peter and Paul (the mid-60s A.D.), so there’s a good chance that it was written earlier than that. Then, consider that Luke is earlier than Acts and Mark is earlier than Luke. So we can guess that the gospels were written close to the time of Jesus, meaning there was little time for myths to develop.

Acts is the story of the explosive growth of the early church, which grew  from a local body in Jerusalem to a world religion in thirty years. Like his other book, Luke has penned a historically accurate account that incorporates stories, letters, and speeches. Historians who have examined Acts say Luke is a first-rate historian who got lots of things correct–sailing and ship information, political structures,Jewish laws, . . .  He succeeds in the difficult task of combining history with theology—he defends the new faith, gives principles to guide the church, and illustrates courage in the face of persecution. He demonstrates the talents of a good storyteller when he spaces his speeches, includes only carefully selected details, and creates a sense of rapid movement. It’s not a complete history (someone said it should be called “Some of the Acts of Some of the Apostles”), but it gives us a sense of the excitement that surrounded the early church as it moved out into the world.

Written as late as 100 A.D., John probably was the work of one of Jesus’ closest disciples. It may have been written earlier since it has some details that only a person would know who was living before Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. It is the only gospel that is not considered synoptic (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) because of its major differences in miracles reported, lack of parables, unusual opening, order of events, the focus on the Jerusalem ministry, the literary style, and the material covered.

It is less of a biography and more of a meditation on the theological significance of Jesus. Christian morality is not the focus. Instead, we are introduced to Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the God-man. To prove this, John focuses on miraculous signs that Jesus provided. The key word is “believe,” which is found 98 times in the book. Like a drama, the book has a prologue (chapter 1) that introduces its themes, one act (chapter 2-12) that explains the revelation of God’s Word to the world through six signs (miracles), a second act (chapters 13-20) in which Jesus prepares death and resurrection, and an epilogue (chapter21).  As you read the book, look for John’s attempts to prove his case for the divinity of Jesus.

Luke, written somewhere between 60-80 A.D., is the third and longest of the synoptic gospels (the three that agree with each other–Matthew, Mark, and Luke). The author may have been the physician who accompanied Paul on some of his trips, so that would explain the educated language and rich vocabulary of the work. In addition, the author is acknowledged to be one of the best historians who ever wrote; his eye for details and historical accuracy are exceptional. Archeological finds over the years have proved his statements repeatedly, regarding politics, ship sailing, winds, harbors, towns, . . .

Luke had several purposes in mind when he penned this gospel. He wants to show Jesus as the Messiah, but he extends the message of hope to all the world, not just the Jews. One example of this is the new name he gives Jesus, seen nowhere else in the gospels—savior. Jesus is shown as not only the fulfillment of the Old Testament but a bridge to the new world of Gentiles. In addition, he shows Jesus with the outcasts of society such as women, children, the poor, the oppressed.  Other themes involve joy, prayer, and the Holy Spirit. Luke is the warmest and most vibrant of the gospels. As you read it, remember he also wrote Acts, which should be seen as a continuation of Luke.

This is the second of the synoptic gospels that also include Matthew and Luke. The three are considered closely related because they cover similar themes and events. Written around 60 A.D.(thirty years after the death of Jesus), it may be the first gospel written down, although it would not have been the first Christian book written. That honor belongs to Paul, who wrote some of his letters earlier than Mark. The book never says who the author is, but tradition claims it was John Mark, a missionary who accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their travels. Many believe the author got a great deal of his information from Peter because the book begins with the call of the disciples, it features the ministry at Capernaum (Peter’s home town), it leaves out positive aspects of Peter’s life, and it includes scenes that only Peter and a couple of other disciples were part of.

Mark stresses facts and action, not teachings or themes like Matthew did. Throughout the book there are phrases like “immediately,” “at once,” and  “quickly” that indicate fast-paced movement. His view of Jesus is a man of authority and accomplishments. That’s not surprising, considering his audience appears to be non-Jewish—it has few Old Testament quotations, there is little on Old Testament laws, it translates Aramaic terms that would be known to a Jewish audience, and it explains Jewish customs. There appears to be a missionary purpose for this book, which would be in keeping for someone who went on missionary trips himself.

Matthew is the first of four books called gospels (“good news”) that start the New Testament. These gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, tell the story of the life of Jesus, the central figure of all 27 New Testament books. The stories and teachings of Jesus first circulated orally, which make modern readers, with limited memorization skills, wonder how accurate the disciples were in what they remembered. We fail to realize that Jewish disciples were expected to memorize enormous amounts of information passed to them by the rabbi they sat under. These four accounts were probably written down within one or two generations after Jesus’ lifetime.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the synoptic gospels, a term meaning “seeing together,” a reference to their similarities. They share related language, stories, and order of presentation. Critics are not sure of how this came about. Many believe Mark was the original source used by the other two, some say they all used a common oral source, others think they depended on a missing early gospel, others argue for a mutual dependence, some say there was a mutual dependence, while still others are convinced Matthew was the original source.

Matthew, for whom the book is named, was one of Jesus’ disciples, but the gospel itself doesn’t say who the author was. It appears to be written for  Jews for several reasons. Jewish laws and customs are not explained, there are many quotations from the Old Testament, and there are a great deal of references to messianic claims (“king” and “kingdom of heaven” are used throughout the book). The book is not as concerned with presenting Jesus chronologically; instead, it is arranged around five great discourses of Jesus. There is more space devoted to the teachings of Jesus than in any other gospel. Matthew has been called the “teacher’s gospel”—it was the most widely used gospel in the early church because much of the book’s collected sayings and stories had to do with church teachings. In fact, Matthew is the only gospel to use the word “church.” With its details of his teachings, Matthew makes a good introduction to the life of Jesus.

During this time between the Old and New Testaments, the books called the Apocrypha (“hidden”) were written. Generally, there are fourteen of these Jewish books accepted as valuable, uplifting reading but not canonical. They were incorporated as additions to the Bible by early Christians. Eventually, the Roman Catholics, unlike the Protestants, put these books, which they referred to as “deutero-canonical,” on a par with the other sixty-six works in the Old and New Testaments.  The Apocrypha has different kinds of material—apocryphal writing (revelations of secrets), moral tales, stories of heroes, wisdom literature, prayers, poetry, the history of the Maccabees. Neither Jesus nor the disciples ever referred to these works, and the Jewish community that produced them repudiated them.

Jewish teaching of this time depended on the Pentateuch as the basis for living, but several different groups arose with widely different interpretations. The Pharisees wished to reinterpret the Law by adding oral commentaries. In addition, they believed in the sovereignty of God, the existence of angels, the future resurrection and judgment. They became the spiritual ancestors of modern Judaism Another more aristocratic group  called the Sadducees rejected all the above teachings; they followed only the Torah. They were friendly to the Romans and faded from history when the Jews rebelled against Rome shortly after the time of Jesus. A third group, the Essenes, saw religion as corrupted, so they withdrew to wilderness areas where they lived ascetic lives. It was near an Essene commune called Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947. These are the oldest surviving copies of the Hebrew Bible, in some cases nearly one thousand years nearer to the originals than we had before.

One concept of this time had great impact on writers of the New Testament. The Jews had a term, “Messiah,” which meant “anointed one,” referring to a person commissioned by God through the anointing of oil. God had promised to David an everlasting kingship as recorded in 2 Samuel 7, 23:1-5, and Psalm 89:19-31. People of this time read the prophets who had envisioned a future in which another one like David or from his line would liberate Israel, defeat her enemies, and bring God’s kingdom to earth. This Messiah would be a warrior-king to set the Jews free from political and religious persecution. It was into this world of Jewish thought and literature that Jesus was born.