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?

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.