Paul's words

Part 11

"Words are the voice of the heart." - Confucius

Dear Gentle reader,

We come to that part in this mini study in which we will separate the “men from the boys” or if you like the ‘women from the girls” or better still those who love the Word from those who play with the baby things of what we call Christianity!
If your in the habit of reading the 4 Gospels then you have never in your life meet someone like Paul the Apostle! He wanted everything that he could receive from God. Now I would like to say that I wish that I could put myself in that category but I am just beginning to understand Scripture even after teaching not only Scripture, but Hebrew and Greek for more than (do I have to tell?) Well let’s just say a lot of years. What the average believer doesn’t realize is there is a depth of meaning that is hard to translate into English but the better teachers/pastors do try to get it across to those who are truly interested in learning more about this One that we have committed to follow all the days of our life. Paul (thank God for a teacher who understood not only the Jewish mind and Scriptures but could bring to bear for us Gentiles the deep truths hidden in plain sight). For example the Greek word: The word κοινωνια, which we properly translate fellowship(s), [ what we call churches today] was used among the Greeks to signify their religious communities; here it may intimate the association of Jews and Gentiles in one Church or body, and their agreement in that glorious mystery which was now so fully opened relative to the salvation of both.


Paul addressed the believers in those days as Brothers or [Adelphoi] This was the normal term, both in Paul and Luke, for the followers of Jesus. In the short 1st letter to the Thessalonians, Paul uses it 3 times in direct address and 3 times in description. Though the masculine noun was used generally for the whole Brotherhood, Paul addresses specific woman followers of Jesus as Sister [Adelphe] the wife of Peter and the Lord’s brothers 1Co 9:5 “have we not authority a sister--a wife--to lead about, as also the other apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?”
The term of Christian was first used by pagan opponents of Christianity- by Pliny the Younger, for instance, or Tacitus, or Lucian. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles says that the followers of Christ were first called Christians at Antioch. Act 11:26 and having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for a whole year they assembled with the church and instructed many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. Religious groups often ended up being called by names that were initially derisory. But neither Luke or Paul uses it of the fellow in the faith . King Agrippa is the only person quoted by Luke as referring to a Christian Act 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian People we now call Christians had a number of expressions for each other. Stressing their affective bonds. And we find so many terms precisely because Christian had not been accepted to adsorb them all. More next time....
Love to all of my brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Denis

The Forest and the trees

Part 10

‘You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

Gentle Readers,
It is hard to see the forest for the trees, allow me to show you first of all the forest and then we’ll examine a few trees as we study the events and the exciting times of our Apostle, Paul.

The book of Acts closes with Paul imprisoned for two years in Rome (Acts 28:30). There he awaited his audience with the emperor Nero, to whom he had appealed against the charges brought by his religious enemies in Jerusalem.

It is no doubt significant that the Jewish leaders in the capital had heard nothing about him from Judea, nor had anyone spoken evil of him to them. It was, after all, a trumped-up charge that had seen no resolution over several years. On the other hand, the Jewish leaders in Rome had heard of the "sect" to which Paul belonged. It was "spoken against" everywhere, they said, and they solicited his opinion about it (verses 21–22, English Standard Version throughout). But when Paul explained, the result was a dispute, followed by rejection. Recalling a prophecy of Isaiah that "this people . . . will indeed hear but never understand" (verses 26–27), Paul announced that he would concentrate on giving out his message to non-Jewish peoples (that’s where you and I come in Gentle Reader ) . He also no doubt continued to meet his fellow believers, the brethren, who had come out to meet him as he approached Rome on the Appian Way (verses 13–15).

During those two years in prison, the Roman authorities allowed Paul considerable freedom to pursue his calling. He was able to welcome "all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance" (verses 30–31).

This is an interesting division of responsibilities and provides food for thought. Paul had a twofold role: he was entrusted with both a public and a private work. His public work was that of preaching about, or announcing or proclaiming (in Greek, kerusso), the coming of the kingdom of heaven on the earth. It was the same work that Jesus had done in His public role (see Mark 1:14). By contrast, the Greek word for teaching or instructing is didasko. This was the second aspect of both Jesus' and Paul's role. They taught a way of life to those who believed the announcement about the kingdom of Heaven to prepare them for its establishment on the earth.



PAUL”S LETTERS FROM PRISON

During his time in Rome, Paul wrote several instructional letters that give an insight into both his pastoral care of the churches and his attention to a matter at the individual level.

He wrote to a wealthy Church member and friend named Philemon (Philemon 1), and also to congregations in three cities: Colossae, Ephesus and Philippi (see Colossians 4:3, 18; Ephesians 3:1; 4:1; 6:18–20; and Philippians 1:7, 12–17).

What can we learn from this ? GRACE

Paul introduced himself to Philemon as "a prisoner for Christ Jesus" and well on in years (Philemon 1, 8–9) before asking for his indulgence in resolving a problem with one of his runaway slaves. The wrinkle in the situation was that the slave, Onesimus, had become a convert through Paul's prison ministry (verse 10) and was now returning with Paul's letter in hand (verse 12). Though the apostle could have used his authority to persuade Philemon to forgive his slave-become-brother and take him back, he rather entreated his friend, offering to cover any out-of-pocket costs or debts incurred by Onesimus (verses 18–19). Since the slave is mentioned as known to the church in Colossae—"who is one of you" (Colossians 4:9)—it is likely that Philemon also lived there.



PAUL”S COMPANIONS IN ROME

As he signed off, Paul recorded for Philemon the names of several helpers, indicating that this imprisonment was not solitary. They include Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke (verses 23–24). In his introduction, Paul had also mentioned Timothy, his spiritual son in the faith (see also Philippians 2:19, 22).

Epaphras was a tireless minister in the Colossian area, which also included congregations at nearby Laodicea and Hierapolis (Colossians 4:12–13). He had arrived in Rome bringing news of the state of the congregation at Colossae (Colossians 1:3–8). This caused Paul to compose a letter to them, which was carried back not by Epaphras, who stayed with Paul in Rome as his "fellow prisoner" (Philemon 23), but by Tychicus, "a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord," and the slave Onesimus (Colossians 4:7–9). Tychicus had traveled with Paul from Greece to Jerusalem and was possibly an Ephesian (Acts 20:4). Perhaps this is the reason that Paul also entrusted him (Ephesians 6:21–22) with what is known to us as his letter to the Ephesians, though originally it may have been a circular letter destined for the churches in the Roman province of Asia (western Turkey) that were centered around the capital city (early manuscripts do not contain the words "in Ephesus" [Ephesians 1:1], and its content is more general).

Mark was likely John Mark, who had separated from Paul and Barnabas about 12 years earlier (see Colossians 4:10, where he is described as "the cousin of Barnabas"; see also Parts 3, 4 and 5 of The Apostles). This was an encouraging development in itself, and Paul later wrote to Timothy that "Mark . . . is very useful to me for ministry" (2 Timothy 4:11). An early tradition holds that Mark wrote the Gospel by his name for the Romans. Being present in Rome with Paul gives some support for that belief.

Aristarchus was a Thessalonian convert who had accompanied Paul on various other journeys (see Acts 19:29; 20:4), as well as on the voyage to Rome. Paul mentioned him also as "my fellow prisoner" in Rome (Colossians 4:10).

Demas, later described as "in love with this present world," eventually deserted Paul (2 Timothy 4:10), whereas Luke, "the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14) and author of both the Gospel by his name and the book of Acts, remained faithful to the end. He traveled with Paul to Rome on this occasion and also for his second and final imprisonment there.

In Colossians, Paul commends another helper, the Jewish convert Jesus (Justus), who was also close to him in his imprisonment.

Sometime during his stay in Rome, Paul was visited by Epaphroditus from Philippi. This resulted in the letter known to us as Philippians. Paul commended his visitor for his extraordinary assistance, "for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me" (Philippians 2:30). Once recovered, Epaphroditus returned to his home congregation with Paul's letter (verse 25).

Thus we know that Paul was not alone in Rome in such difficult circumstances but was surrounded by several faithful and true brothers, not to mention the Church members who were residents of Rome (see Romans 16).



A PRISONER FOR THE LORD

Despite the limitations on his freedom, Paul was intent on finding ways to continue the work of proclaiming the good news about God's coming kingdom and the role Jesus had played in making reconciliation with the Father possible. He asked the members in Colossae and Ephesus to "pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to [boldly] declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison" (Colossians 4:3; see also Ephesians 6:19). He also mentioned to the Philippians that "it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ" (Philippians 1:13–14). Paul was likely chained to various guards day and night in rotation (see Ephesians 6:20 and Acts 28:20, which mention a chain, or manacles); thus his every word would have been overheard.

And it was not only among the imperial guard that Paul's message became known. At the close of his letter to the congregation at Philippi, he wrote, "All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household" (Philippians 4:22). Were these newly converted people Nero's servants or relatives? Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing.

Paul fully expected that he would be released from his imprisonment. Hence his comment to Philemon, "Prepare a guest room for me" (Philemon 22), and to the Philippians, "I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also" (Philippians 2:24).



PAUL'S UNIQUE MESSAGE

In the three congregational letters, Paul covered several overlapping themes. In Ephesians and Colossians, there is the reminder that it is only by special revelation from God that the Church understands what it does of His great purpose in creating humanity and sending Jesus Christ. Paul referred to this as THE Mystery (in Greek, musterion) never before revealed in Scripture or to any one else until Paul. The word signifies a secret, a hidden truth that is God's alone to reveal if and when He chooses and to whomever He chooses. Paul emphasized that God had called certain individuals from the Gentile world, as well as the Jewish world, to participate in a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. This development had been hidden until the first century, when God chose to reveal it. It was, as Paul said, "the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints" (Colossians 1:26), "which was not made known to the sons of men . . . as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit" (Ephesians 3:5). It was Paul's specific responsibility to let this be known to those whom God had called in the Gentile world, and as a result he was now a prisoner (Ephesians 3:1).

All three letters make reference to the need for boldness in proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ. As we have seen, Paul asked that the members in Colossae pray for him to be able to speak his message plainly and openly (Colossians 4:3). Similarly, he asked those to whom the Ephesian letter went for prayers that he would speak out boldly (Ephesians 6:19–20). He commended the members in Rome for doing just that themselves as a result of his imprisonment (Philippians 1:14) and expressed his hope that he, too, would act with boldness in answer to their prayers for him (verses 19–20).

Further, Paul was joyful in his suffering, because he knew that it had a great purpose not only for himself but also for the membership (Colossians 1:24; Ephesians 3:13). He did not want them to be discouraged by his situation, because he believed that it would all turn out for the good (Philippians 1:19).

Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon contain general instruction for the God-fearing family and for masters and slaves (Ephesians 5:22–6:9; Colossians 3:18–4:1; Philemon 10–18). Husbands and wives and children are encouraged to treat each other with mutual respect (Paul demonstrates in his letters to the Ephesians and the Colossians that he was far from the woman-hater that many have painted him to be). Converted masters are to treat slaves with fairness, and converted slaves are to work honorably.



SPECIFIC MESSAGES

While there are overlaps in the letters, when it comes to the specific reasons for each letter, there are also differences. As we have seen already, Paul responded to the circumstances that were presented to him in respect of the congregations in Colossae and Philippi.

Judging by Paul's letter to the Colossians, Epaphras had come with some serious concerns about their spiritual well-being. It seems that the brethren were being swayed by Greek philosophical ideas (Colossians 2:8). One of the central precepts concerned spirits who were said to rule the world and mediate between humans and God. According to this philosophy, such beings deserved worship, which included ascetic practices (Colossians 2:18). Paul sought to free the Colossians from this error by reminding them that followers of Jesus had no need for such human beliefs and practices. He wrote, "If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—‘Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch' (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings?" (Colossians 2:20–22). This, he insisted, is "self-made religion" (verse 23) that might look appealing but is in fact an "empty deceit" (verse 8).

Philippians was written in response to Epaphroditus visiting Paul in prison and bringing news of the congregation. It is a letter filled with gratitude on Paul's part for the brethren's spiritual development. He took the opportunity to teach them about the mind and attitude of Christ, which they should emulate. It is a humble mind that does nothing from motives of rivalry or conceit and seeks the good of others, willing to lay down life itself for them (Philippians 2:1–8). As followers of Jesus Christ, the Philippians were to live honorably on earth as citizens of the kingdom of heaven yet to come (Philippians 1:27).

As already mentioned, the letter we know as Ephesians was possibly meant for circulation in the region around the city, including places such as Laodicea, Hierapolis and Colossae, where Paul mentioned that church congregations existed and letters were exchanged (Colossians 4:13, 16). It is a more general letter than either Colossians or Philippians and deals with expansive themes in God's plan. It explains the centrality of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection to that plan (chapter 1) and includes His calling some to conversion in this life, ahead of others (chapters 2–3). It teaches the vital importance of unity among the believers and how they are educated and protected in God's way (chapters 4–6).

Thus we see that Paul's two-year house arrest in Rome was not spent idly, nor did the congregations in his care suffer from lack of attention from the aged apostle. And there is yet more to report.

Next time, The Words that Paul uses and doesn't use!

Love,
Denis

"The Message"

 Paul in Prison

Part 9 in the mini Series

Paul, the Testimony of the Lord’s Prisoner

Dear Gentle Readers,

From the end of the book of Acts until his death Paul spent more time in prison than most do even today (I believe that Paul received his greatest revelation the of all). In his understanding of what God was doing. It’s when God suspends all of our activity (running around being busy) that we stop and hear that still small voice speaking love to us in our inactivity. First let’s get the time line out of the way. Again I turn to my colleague and friend Dr. Jerry Wayne Bernard from Scripture Research and Director of Scripture Institute for the dating of the 6 letters that are considered the "Prison Epistles" of the apostle Paul. Paul's 6 Epistles written after the Acts period (AD 64 - 69) are:

AD 64 - (9th letter) -

1st Timothy

out of prison & from Macedonia

Now, after Paul's release from prison (AD 64-67) he writes his first epistle as an Apostle to Timothy. The epistle to Titus is soon to follow. The two young ministers must have the correct organizational set up (for each local assembly) with order and structure.

AD 65 - (10th letter) -

Titus

out of prison & from Macedonia

Following his release, Paul begins his unrecorded 4th missionary journey. His travel takes him east to Macedonia (1 Tim. 1:3) where he preaches the hope of the eternal life promised long ages ago (Titus 2:1). During this period, he wrote two pastoral epistles, 1st Timothy and Titus. Both of these young men needed further instruction by the apostle concerning organization and structure of the local assemblies.

AD 67 - (11th letter) -

2nd Timothy

from prison in Rome

Here we find Paul in prison (AD 67-69) for the second and last time. Throughout Paul's imprisonment, the activities of the young preachers still banded together with him. He would send them out to various places with messages from him and then they would return with news from the churches. However, at the writing of 2nd Timothy, Paul replaced Titus (at Crete) with Artemas (Titus 3:12). Then Titus was sent to Dalmatia after his visit with Paul at Nicopolis, the winter before Paul's last imprisonment (Titus 3:12 and 2 Tim. 4:10). Tychicus is sent to Ephesus to visit and obviously reports back to Paul with one more important visit to Ephesus coming later (2 Tim. 4:12). Luke remained a companion of Paul in his final imprisonment (2 Tim. 4:11). Finally, Timothy is told to come and be with Paul in his last imprisonment (2 Tim. 1:8; 2:3). Paul wanted Timothy's fellowship badly (2 Tim. 4:9, 21). Remember, Timothy was with him in his first imprisonment. He is told to bring with him Mark, who now can be of great use. Paul's attitude in 2nd Timothy is one of quiet resolve, waiting for his final appointment of death. He still speaks of the promise of life as his main message (2 Tim. 1:1, 10, 11).

AD 68 - (12th letter) -

Ephesians

a prison epistle & circular letter

AD 69 - (13th letter) -

Philemon

a prison epistle to one man

AD 69 - (14th letter) -

Colossians

a prison epistle to complete the Word of God

Timothy must have completed his journey to see Paul (Colossians 1:1 & Philemon 1:1) and bring his friend Demas, whom he picked up in Thessalonica. This caused great joy for Paul (Col.4:14). These last epistles contain further truth that was revealed by the Holy Spirit only to Paul. The divine (and very important) revelation of "the mystery" of the Body was given only to Paul and is explained in Ephesians (a circular letter to be carried to several churches), and Colossians. This truth is put into practical application in the epistle to Philemon concerning his run away slave. This subject, "the mystery" is the cap stone of Church teaching.

Paul was the only one who received the revelation of "the mystery" (Eph. 3:3). If it had been known before Paul's calling, it would have been mentioned by someone. It was not to be taken to the Jew first. This new revelation of "the mystery" of the body (Eph. 3:9) must be made known to all men because it "had been hid in God." Every mystery in the Word of God was taught and revealed as it was received from God. The "mystery of Christ" was revealed little by little until it became very clear (Eph. 3:5). Paul sent the message to Ephesus (or Laodicea) and Colossae by the hand of Tychicus (Col. 4:7 & Eph. 6:21). For Tychicus had previously spent time in Ephesus and would be the likely candidate to carry the letter to Ephesus (or Laodicea) and Colossae. So the 14 epistles close with the high and heavenly revelation of this new Body of Christ. Paul's life did not end in discouragement. It ended in great joy and peace as was found in Philemon. The fact is, Paul is optimistic of his release by their prayers and a miracle of God (Philemon 22).

The concluding statement of Paul in Colossians 1:25 is, "...to complete the Word of God." I heard my friend, Russ Schaefer say that this statement should be enough for us to conclude that Colossians is the last writing of Paul, the Apostle. Paul's last words were about GRACE. In Colossians we find that the Christian is "complete in Christ," the Word of God is complete and that there is nothing to be added to the Christian experience. This epistle closes the fourteen epistles with the high and heavenly revelation.

The identifying mark of Paul's 14 epistles is:

These fourteen epistles are identified as Paul's in 2nd Thessalonians 3:17, 18. He says, "The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." This is the way that Paul signed "every epistle." His "mark" was: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." And here are the fourteen references that mark Paul's epistles.

1st Thess. 5:28 - "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."

2nd Thess. 3:18 - "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

1st Cor. 16:23 - "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."

2nd Cor. 13:14 - "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen."

Gal. 6:18 - "Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen."

Rom. 16:20 & 24 - "...The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."

Phil. 4:23 - "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

Heb. 13:25 - "Grace be with you all. Amen."

1st Tim. 6:21 - "Grace be with thee. Amen."

Titus 3:15 - "Grace be with you all. Amen."

2nd Tim. 4:22 - "Grace be with you. Amen."

Eph. 6:24 - "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen."

Phile. 1:25 - "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen."

Col. 4:18 - "Grace be with you. Amen."

Next time we’ll look a wee bit deeper into this wonderful message given only to our Apostle, Paul!

Love,

Denis

 

 

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 apostle!

Gentle reader,

We have seen that the book of Acts can be visualized into the 3 R’S that is:

Restoration Jerusalem Jews only - Peter

Reconciliation Antioch Jews and Gentiles -Paul and others

Rejection Rome Gentiles only -Paul

Where Peter open the understanding by accepting Cornelius in acts Chapter 10 "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, In truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." Acts 10: 34-35. And now we read not only Jews but Jews and Greeks, Acts 18:4, 19:10, 20:21. The posibility of the salvation of the Gentiles does not seem to have been entertained by the apostles at Jerusalem. Peter himself confessed that the Gentile salvation was never in his thoughts either at Pentecost or after. To the seeking Cornelius he said-"And he said to them, Ye know that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come to one of another nation; but God hath shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean." [Acts 10:28]. The word reconciliation which has been suggested is one of intense significance as it is found only in the epistles of Paul. Here are Paul’s words to the Gentiles where the apostle speaks of the long centuries of Gentile darkness during Israel’s ascendancy, but where he also indicates that the time had arrived when the Gentiles would come back into favor.

Now, while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

Therefore he disputed in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? some others, He seemeth to be a setter-forth of strange gods: because he preached to them Jesus, and the resurrection.

And they took him, and brought him to Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine is, of which thou speakest?

For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears; we would know therefore what these things mean.

(For all the Athenians and strangers who were there, spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)

Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars-hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I to you.

God that made the world, and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

And hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he is not far from every one of us:

For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring.

Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone graven by art and man's device.

And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Acts 17;16-30. And another place where Paul explains what is and has happened. Romans 11:11-15 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? By no means: but rather through their fall salvation is come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.

Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?

For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify my office:

If by any means I may incite to emulation them who are my flesh, and may save some of them.

For if the rejection of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

And now the last few verses of Acts Chapter 28 are associated in Rome. The keyword is Rejection, for Israel now passes off the scene; they become Lo-ammi from the prophetic book of Hosea Israel has become at last "Not my people" so ends the book of Acts and the end of the 1^st ministry of the apostle the Gentiles who went always the Nation of Israel (Jewish) first.

Next time we’ll start to see that even in the failure of Israel God through Paul has an even better plan! What is called "the Church which is His Body" and where we fit in to the wonderful plan of God.

Love,

Denis

 

 

 

A letter from Paul

Rembrandt  "Paul in Prison"

Part 7 of the mini Study,  Paul your apostle

Gentle readers,

Sometimes we find that God teaches up by inspiration, or by hard work through the study of Divine Scripture. In Paul case, as he wrote his words were given to others and the interesting thing to me is from a linear perspective we can see through internal evidence how Paul was lead to write the (13) Books that bear his name (Hebrews while not bearing Paul signature does also seem to reflect his thoughts) . Many don’t understand the reason for theses books and still more have never observed that they were placed in the same order from the 1^st century onward.

After the book of Acts. We find the Inter-relationship of the Seven Church epistles in this manner.

Romans "Justification and the Cross" it is a Book of "Doctrine and Instruction" The Gospel of God; never hidden, but ‘promised afore". God’s justification of Jew and Gentile individually- dead and risen with Christ (Chapters 1-8 ).

Then we have the books of 1^st and 2^nd Corinthians books of "Reproof" dealing with practical failure to exhibit the teaching of Romans through not seeing their standing as having died and risen with Christ (Leaven") in practice. (1 Cor. 5:6 ).

Following that we have the Book of Galatians A book of " Correction" Which deals with the Doctrinal failure as to the teaching of Romans. Beginning with the truth of the nature of the "spirit" These believers were soon removed Chapter 1:6 [I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, to another gospel] and were trying to make perfect the old human nature (flesh) Chapter 3:3 Galatians has to do with leaven in Doctrine (5:9 ) We will stop here in order for those who wish to read these book again and understand their order. More on this later.

Here then is the internal evidence as to the Epistles of Paul and the dates of their writing. Note that all are written in the 1^st Century before the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

After believing for many years that 2 Timothy was Paul's last letter, I found myself dismissing my solid proof. My reason for 2 Timothy being the last letter was taken from chapter 4, verses 6 & 7: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." This seemed to be my rock-hard proof of the conclusion to his ministry. To me, this had to be his last epistle. My other reason for this conclusion was that in Acts 13:25 I read that Paul used similar word describing John the Baptist finishing his course or work up until that time.

My commanding problem was that in Acts 20:24, Paul speaks of finishing his course also, but unlike John, he still had a long way to go. Paul also spoke of "dying daily" or being appointed to death, etc. long before he wrote these words to Timothy of finishing his course. This made me look again at the order of Paul's epistles. Maybe 2nd Timothy was not the last.

No one I have read after has the final word on a chronological order of the Apostle Paul's Epistles. That is, because it is difficult to be precise about the order of the events during his last days after the Acts period. However, in comparing the Epistles with the historical book of Acts, we find somewhat of an order of his early Epistles. As we establish the epistles written during the Acts period, we have those later epistles selected for us.

Paul's 8 Epistles written during the Acts period (AD 30 - 62)

AD 52 & 53 - (1st & 2nd letters) -

First & Second Thessalonians

from Corinth

These first two epistles of Paul were written soon after the conversion of the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 1:8,9). The news of their conversion was spreading (present tense verb) through Macedonia and Achaia. Paul was taken from them for a brief period (1 Thess. 2:17) and was recently at Athens (1 Thess. 3:1). He had already preached in Achaia (1 Thess. 1:7, 8 ) . Timotheus and Silas just returned (1 Thess. 3:6) from Macedonia, which happened (Acts 18:5) soon after Paul's first arrival at Corinth. Then about four years later he writes......

AD 57 - (3rd letter) -

First Corinthians

from Ephesus

The date of this epistle is established more accurately than Paul's other epistles. Apollos had been working at Corinth, and was now with Paul in Ephesus (1 Cor. 1:12; 3:4,22; 4:6; 16:12). During the writing of this epistle Paul resides at Ephesus (Acts 19:1), during the days of unleavened bread (1 Cor. 5:7) and intended on remaining at Ephesus until Pentecost (1 Cor. 16:8 ) . He met with a disturbance in the theatre. Aquila and Pricilla were with him at Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:19) and had taken up their residence at Ephesus just before the visit of Paul (Acts 18:26). After leaving Ephesus, Paul arranged to go through Macedonia to Achaia (1 Cor. 16:5-7). Also, at that time, the Great Collection was going on in Achaia (1 Cor. 16:1-3). When he wrote to the Romans from Corinth during his three months' visit there (Acts 20:3), the collection was concluded in Macedonia and Achaia (Rom. 15:26). Now, Paul hopes to go by Corinth to Jerusalem, and then to Rome (1 Cor. 16:4 & 15:25-28 ) . The time he entertained this personal plan was at the close of his Ephesian residence (Acts 19:21).

AD 57 - (4th letter) -

Second Corinthians

from Macedonia

Paul was exposed to a great danger in Proconsular Asia, i.e. at Ephesus (2 Cor. 1:8 ) . This happened in Acts 19:23-41. Paul traveled from Troas after staying there for some time and then made his voyage to Macedonia (Acts 20:1). Paul was in Macedonia at the time of the writing (2 Cor. 9:2). The verb is in the present tense. He intended (2 Cor. 13:1) shortly to visit Corinth. This was the course of his journey in Acts 20:2.

AD 58 - (5th letter) -

Galatians

from Corinth

It is my understanding that this letter was not written before Paul's second visit to the Galatians. He spoke of their conversion as having occurred at his first visit (4:13). This hints of two visits. "Am I now become your enemy by speaking truth among you?" (4:16) implies a second visit in which he had offended them. He was welcome on his first visit. However, Paul marvels that they forsake his teaching so quickly (1:6). A comparison of the structure of the doctrine of Galatians and Romans indicate that they were written around the same time. However, there is nothing in this epistle to fix the date of it. Nor is there any external evidence of a conclusive nature supplied by other epistles. The content of this letter is my basis for believing that it was written within a few months of the Roman epistle.

AD 58 - (6th letter) -

Romans

from Corinth

Paul had never been to Rome when he wrote this epistle (1:11-15). He intended to go to Rome after visiting Jerusalem (15:23-28 ) . This was his purpose in Acts 19:21. This gives us a time setting. He was going to bear a collection of alms from Macedonia and Achaia to Jerusalem (15:26, 31). He carried the collection from Corinth to Jerusalem at the close of this three months' visit (Acts 24:17). When Paul wrote this epistle, Timotheus, Sosipater, Gaius and Erastus were with him (16:21-23). Out of these four, Luke mentions three in the Acts as being with him at Corinth during the three months' visit (Acts 20:4).

AD 59 - (7th letter) -

Philippians

from Caesar's prison

Paul drops his Apostleship from this Philippian letter and the letter to the Hebrews. This epistle was obviously written during his first imprisonment (AD 59) in a Roman prison (Acts 24:27). The success of the gospel among the praetorian guard (Phil. 1:13) relates to Paul preaching the kingdom of God in Acts 28:31. Paul has hope of soon sending Timothy to Philippi and also the hope of his release (Phil. 2:23, 24). Philippians must have a prior date because the new themes of Ephesians and Colossians do not appear in the epistle. This would place Philippians at a time long before Ephesians and Colossians and the late revelation of the mystery. The lack of internal evidence in Philippians of the new and all important theme of "the mystery" gives weight to an early writing, long before "the mystery" was revealed.

AD 59 - (8th letter) -

Hebrews

from prison in Italy (Heb. 13:24)

I am fully persuaded that the author of this critical epistle to Hebrew believers was the apostle Paul. Although he was distinctively and essentially the "apostle of the Gentiles" (Rom. 11:13), his ministry was by no means confined to them, as the book of Acts clearly indicates. At the time of Paul's arrest, the Lord said, "He is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My Name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel" (Acts 9:15). It is note worthy that our Lord mentions Israel last. This corresponds with the fact that Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews was written after most of his epistles to the Gentiles. It is clear from 2nd Peter 3:15 that this epistle was written by Paul. Peter wrote to the Hebrews as the opening verses of his first epistle indicates. Then in 2nd Peter 3:1, he says that this second epistle was also addressed to the same people as his first epistle. In verses 15, he declares that his beloved brother Paul "also...hath written unto you." If Hebrews is not that epistle, where is it? Although this Epistle was Paul's crowning connection with to the Jews, it was his last.

A great change is approaching. In the Acts of the Apostles, Paul says to the leaders of the Jews (Acts 28:17), "The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet (Isa. 6: 9, 10): 'Go to this people, and say, You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them'." (Acts 28: 26, 27). Then Paul declared to them, "Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen."

This is when the Jewish leaders walked out on Paul (28: 25) and then he turned his back on the nation that he had first gone to (Romans 2:10; 3:1-6). Now, he "welcomed all (Gentiles) who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance" because he no longer ministered to the Jews first who had been a trouble to him.

This same passage from Isaiah was used by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 13: 10-17. After the Jews blasphemed (Matt. 12: 22-25) the work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus told them that "the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.... in this age or in the age to come." (12: 31, 32). This is when Jesus turned His back on the Jews and started teaching the public (13: 1, 2). He severed all connections with His physical family (12: 46-49) and "went out of the house" (a picture of natural ties) "and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him..." THEN, Jesus changed the method of teaching. He started using parables. His disciples asked, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" (Matt. 13: 10) and Jesus explained that He did not want the Jews to understand (13: 11-17). So, he took the disciples aside and explained the parables to them. He wanted them to understand. The prophecy of parables is seen in Matthew 13: 34, 35.

So, what we have here is... two men, Jesus and Paul, turning their backs on the Jews and going to the multitudes AFTER they quote the passage from Isaiah 6: 9, 10. The Jews had forfeited everything in Matthew 12 and as the apparent second chance was given to them during the Acts period, Paul saw that there was no use in prolonging what was apparently dead and over, he turned his back on them also. These next epistles Epistles that follow are under the new administration of Paul, based on his second commission . (Quotes here are from the ESV.) Which we will pick up next time.

Love,

Denis

A thanks To Dr Jerry Wayne Bernard Ph.D. of Scripture Research and Scripture Institute for setting the dates in order.

papyrus 66

“All roads lead to Rome”

Part 6
The Mission of Paul


“All roads lead to Rome”

Note: The Study of Scripture for me encompasses a restudy of everything that I have learned before just to make sure that what has been learned is and fits with the new enlightenment. God provides new truth as we grow in grace. It is as we begin to understand deeper truth that we follow the leading of the Spirit of God. Sometimes it comes as a flash of intuitive knowledge other times it comes through the exhaustive study of hard subjects. But rest assured it will come as you are ready and prepared.

Dear Gentle readers,

I had a deacon one time who ask me after I had finished a study and told the group “check me out!” “Pastor, Don’t you know what you believe?” I replied “Yes, but you need to know and learn from God what you believe. ” So much of the time many take what someone else teaches and never question the truth of what is taught. I want you to check out everything I teach and if you are able try to find a flaw or an inconsistency in what I present. If you do let me know so that I my adjust my thinking. That will make us both better Christians and students of God’s most Holy Word. What I teach I believe is 99% correct but I leave 1% for the possibility of error.

One expects that at some point there will be disagreement remember “You get 6 Jews together and you’ll have 12 opinions”! This part of our mini study has caused many a pastor to stomp out of the hall, cancel their subscription to “boys life” and run home to hide under the blanket! Why you may ask? Go ahead, I’ll wait! Because Gentle Reader, when one begins to deep in history and deep in Scripture it’s a wee more that a child’s prayer before eating “Rub, a dub, dub thanks from the grub”.
My contention is that the closer you get to the original languages, and the deeper you go in your studies ( the meaning is rather like peeling an onion, it has layers) and other times there are gems hidden in plain sight!.

The mission of Paul is so clear to me that I am amazed that more Pastors/Bible teachers have not picked up on what seems to me to be an obvious truth. Paul was chosen to reach not only his own people but those of a non Jewish persuasion {i.e. Gentiles} and so he had not one but two commission. And when we begin to read in the book of Acts. We can see some of this when we recognize when Paul wrote to the various groups for example “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. “ [Romans 1:16 written around A.D. 58 From Corinth Paul had never been to Rome when he wrote this epistle (1:11-15). He intended to go to Rome after visiting Jerusalem (15:23-28). This was his purpose in Acts 19:21. This gives us a time setting. He was going to bear a collection of alms from Macedonia and Achaia to Jerusalem (15:26, 31). He carried the collection from Corinth to Jerusalem at the close of this three months' visit (Acts 24:17). When Paul wrote this epistle, Timotheus, Sosipater, Gaius and Erastus were with him (16:21-23). Out of these four, Luke mentions three in the Acts as being with him at Corinth during the three months' visit (Acts 20:4).]

The first record of Paul’s public witness is given in Acts Chapter 9 where we read: And immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, [ Note: always to the Jew first ]that he is the Son of God. But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ [verse 20, 22] Incidentally these last references show that, to a Jew acquainted with the Scriptures, the fact that Jesus was the Christ would also prove that He was the Son of God ( John 20:31, Matt 16:16 ), although to the untaught mind such a connection would be neither necessary or obvious. Later in Acts 17 we learn that this was his usual procedure “And Paul, as his manner was, went in to them, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that it was needful that Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach to you, is Christ. [verses 2-3]

Please Note: the following that at Antioch the Jews withstood the gospel and were stricken with judicial blindness “Be it known to you therefore, men, brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken in the prophets;
Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye will in no wise believe, though a man declare it to you.
And when the Jews had gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
And the next sabbath came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spoke against those things which were uttered by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
Then Paul and Barnabas became bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you: but seeing ye reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldst be for salvation to the ends of the earth.
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. ( Acts 13: 38:48 ).

Notice also that Paul’s first miracle contrasts with Peter’s first miracle. Peter heals a Jew; Paul blinds a Jew. This Jew withstands the truth, and a Gentile, [ Paulus] who bears the same name as the apostle believes. Resulting from the opposition of the Jews at Antioch, there is a local turning from the Jew to the Gentile and Paul utters that word of warning which anticipates that dreadful quotation of Isaiah 6 with which the Jew was to be finely set aside as we can so easily see and read in Acts Chapter 28 “ And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
For the heart of this people [The Jewish leaders] is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”

When the Jewish leaders representing the nation refused, Paul turned to us (Gentiles) as God had foretold hundreds of years before. (see the book of Hosea where Israel became Lo-ammi = "not my people") Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. [Hosea Chapter 1 verse 9].
Establishing Paul an Apostle with an independent ministry. Paul was an apostle but not one of the 12.

Note:
This is just a mini study many things and concepts have been deliberately by virtue of necessity left out. I hope to provide a jumping off place for those who want more than "Sunday go to meeting Christianity"
Establishing Paul an Apostle with an independent ministry.

To be continued. ..

Love,
Denis a remark:
This is just a mini study, many things and concepts have been deliberately by virtue of necessity left out. I hope to provide a jumping off place for those who want more than "Sunday go to meeting Christianity"

It's my Party!

Here is the first page of the  Printed Babylonian Talmud

 

 

Part 5

Paul’s Party and his opposition

Gentle readers,

When God called Paul, I am sure that Paul had some idea that things would be a wee bit difficult (understatement for those who need help in this study). But He had studied with some of the very best theologians of his day and was no mean scholar as he had given himself over to the study of "the Law" which is all that the Jewish believers had at that time. Now there were several groups to chose from The Sadducees were members of a Jewish sect founded in the second century BC, possibly as a political party. They ceased to exist sometime after the first century AD. While little or none of their own writings have been preserved, the Sadducees seem to have indeed been a priestly group, associated with the leadership of the Temple in Jerusalem. Possibly, Sadducees represent the aristocratic clan of the Hasmonean high priests.

The Essenes were, strictly speaking, an ascetic Jewish religious group that flourished from the 2nd century BC to the 1st century AD. Many separate, but related religious groups of that era shared similar mystic, eschatological, messianic, and ascetic beliefs. These groups are collectively referred to by various scholars as the "Essenes". The Essenes may have emerged as a sect of dissident priests. They are believed to have rejected either the Seleucid appointed high priests, or the Hasmonean high priests, as illegitimate. Ultimately, they rejected the Second Temple, arguing that the Essene community was itself the new Temple, and that obedience to the law represented a new form of sacrifice.

The Essenes have gained fame in modern times as a result of the discovery of an extensive group of religious documents known as the Dead Sea Scrolls, commonly believed as being their library. These documents include preserved multiple copies of the Hebrew Bible untouched from as early as 300 BC until their discovery in 1946. The multiple copies of the Old Testament in the original Hebrew confirmed that the Old Testament has remained relatively unchanged since it was redacted in 450 BCE, with some slight changes in wording but not meaning. Among the scrolls recording each "book" of the Bible separately, only the Book of Esther did not survive the effects of time. This library also included many other, diverse religious texts, adding significant historical insights into various social and religious movements and events around the region.

The main source of information about the life and belief of Essenes is the detailed account contained in a work of the 1st century Jewish historiographer Flavius Josephus entitled The Jewish War written about 73-75 AD (War 2.119-161) and his shorter description in his Antiquities of the Jews finished some 20 years later (Ant. 18.11 & 18-22). Claiming first hand knowledge (Life §§10-11), he refers to them by the name Essenoi and lists them as the followers of one of the three sects in "Jewish Philosophy'" (War 2.119) alongside the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The only other known contemporary accounts about the Essenes are two similarly detailed ones by the Jewish philosopher Philo (fl. c. 20 AD - c. 54 AD; Quod Omnis Probus Liber Sit XII.75-87, and the excerpt from his Hypothetica 11.1-18 preserved by Eusebius, Praep. Evang. Bk VIII), who, however, admits to not being quite certain of the Greek form of their name that he recalls as Essaioi (Quod Omn. Prob. XII.75), the brief reference to them by the Roman equestrian Pliny the Elder (fl. 23 AD - 79 AD; Natural History, Bk 5.73). Pliny, also a geographer and explorer, located them in the desert near the northwestern shore of the Dead Sea, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in the year 1947.

The Dead Sea Scrolls, found in caves at Qumran, are believed to be the work of Essenes or to reflect Essene beliefs.

Then we had the Zealots The Zealots were a "fourth sect", founded by Judas of Galilee (also called Judas of Gamala) and Zadok the Pharisee in the year 6 against Quirinius' tax reform, shortly after the Roman state declared what had most recently been the territory of the tribe of Judah a Roman Province, and that they "agree in all other things with the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to liberty, and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord." (18.1.6)

The Zealots were a Jewish political movement in the 1st century which sought to incite the people of Iudaea Province to rebel against the Roman Empire and expel it from the country by force of arms during the Great Jewish Revolt (CE 66-70). When the Romans introduced the imperial cult, the Jews unsuccessfully rebelled. The Zealots continued to oppose the Romans due to Rome's intolerance of their culture and on the grounds that Israel belonged only to a Jewish king descended from King David.

And then we had Paul’s chosen group. Perhaps the "fundamentalist" of the day. The Pharisees The Pharisee ("separatist") party emerged largely out of the group of scribes and sages who harked back to Ezra and the Great Assembly, were one of at least four major schools of thought within the Jewish religion around the first century and were most prominently in opposition to the Sadducee sect. [The only two that we read about in our Bible are the Pharisees and the Sadducees]. They were also one of several successor groups of the Hasidim (the "pious"), an anti-Hellenistic Jewish movement that formed in the time of the Seleucid king, Antiochus Epiphanes (175–163 BC). (This group is distinct from the Hasidism established in 18th century Europe.) The social standing and beliefs of the Pharisees changed over time, such that the role, significance, and meaning of the Pharisees evolved as political and social conditions in Judea changed. The sages of the Talmud [The Talmud is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs, and history. It is a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, second only to the Hebrew Bible in importance ] see a direct link between themselves and the Pharisees, and historians generally consider Pharisaic Judaism to be the progenitor of Rabbinic Judaism, that is normative, mainstream Judaism after the destruction of the Second Temple. For most of their history, Pharisees considered themselves in opposition to the Sadducees. Conflicts between the Sadducees and the Pharisees took place in the context of much broader conflicts among Jews in the Second Temple era, which followed the Babylonian captivity of Judah. One conflict was class, between the wealthy and the poor. Another conflict was cultural, between those who favored hellenization and those who resisted it. A third was juridico-religious, between those who emphasized the importance of the Temple, and those who emphasized the importance of other Mosaic laws and prophetic values. A fourth, specifically religious, involved different interpretations of the Bible (or Tanakh), and how to apply the Torah to Jewish life, with the Sadducees recognizing only the written letter of the Tanakh or Torah and rejecting life after death, while the Pharisees held to Rabbinic interpretations additional to the written texts.

In short the Pharisees believed in the resurrection and the Sadducees didn’t that is why they were Sad U see.

Sorry but after that wee history lesson we needed a break! Paul was a Pharisee and zealous of the "law." "Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath reason to trust in the flesh, I more:

Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; with respect to the law, a Pharisee;

Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; with respect to the righteousness which is by the law, blameless." [ Philippians 3:4-6] As to all Jewish privileges, he possessed them in the highest degree. He had outstripped every one in holy zeal against innovators. But when Saul became Paul all that changed. It was as if he had been given ears to hear and eyes to see what God really wanted from not only his chosen people but mankind as a whole. And thus Paul set out with his renewed understanding of Scripture and a mission that would change the world!"

Next time...

We’ll look at that mission.

Love,

Denis

Apostle=sent one

Jesus and the 12 apostles

Part 4

Gentle readers,

We have been considering the man that many have never heard of, and those that have heard of Him would rather follow a time before he came on the scene. That is Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles (now unless you’re a person of the Jewish persuasion, this is the man you should follow). There are several reasons why Christians have never fully grasped the importance of the New testament writings of Paul. First many Christian Pastors don’t understand him and as a result never bother to present the 14 Books that we have in our Bible as worth studying! We have the same mentality in our Seminaries. I once ask a student about his studies in regards the Apostle’s writings and he replied "Oh yes I had a semester of all Paul’s books"! Duh! A semester!!! I ask an old Bible teacher the same question and he replied " I have been studying the Epistles of Paul for 35 years and I think I am beginning to get a handle on understanding him a little bit"! In my opinion Gentle readers not to try to understand Paul is like trying to drive a automobile with first putting petrol in the tank or even siting on the drivers side and never putting the key in the ignition. So the first reason Paul is not understood is that is seldom read with any thought. For example Paul wrote this: For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? ( 1 Corinthians 1:11-12 )The reason was that those first century Christian were as divisive as what you see around you today. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? (1 Corinthians 3:1-5 )

But the issue was even greater that playing "Whose my favorite Apostle" Because the issue was that many (including some of the 12 didn’t believe that Paul was an apostle . An Apostle[ Greek Apostolos (ap-os'-tol-os); was one that was especially delegated by the sender in this case it was God Himself that picked out Paul for this mission;

Ro 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an APOSTLE, separated unto the gospel of God,

Ro 1:5 By whom we have received grace and APOSTLEship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Ro 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the APOSTLE of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

1co 1:1 Paul, called to be an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

1co 4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the APOSTLEs last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

1co 9:1 Am I not an APOSTLE? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?

1co 9:2 If I be not an APOSTLE unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine APOSTLEship are ye in the Lord.

1co 9:5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other APOSTLEs, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?

1co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first APOSTLEs, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

1co 12:29 Are all APOSTLEs? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

1co 15:9 For I am the least of the APOSTLEs, that am not meet to be called an APOSTLE, because I persecuted the church of God.

2co 1:1 Paul, an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

2co 11:5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest APOSTLEs.

2co 12:11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest APOSTLEs, though I be nothing.

2co 12:12 Truly the signs of an APOSTLE were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

Ga 1:1 Paul, an APOSTLE, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Ga 1:19 But other of the APOSTLEs saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Ga 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the APOSTLEship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles ) 

Eph 1:1 Paul, an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Eph 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy APOSTLEs and prophets by the Spirit;

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, APOSTLEs; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Col 1:1 Paul, an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

1ti 1:1 Paul, an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

1ti 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an APOSTLE, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

2ti 1:1 Paul, an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

2ti 1:11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an APOSTLE, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

Tit 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an APOSTLE of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness

It was this very fact that Paul had to fight to be heard. And today, Who hears Paul? In every book that bears Paul’s name he has to strive to be heard. More this next time Gentle Reader.

Love,

Denis

Enemies of God

Part 3

Gentle Readers,

From Paul’s conversion to his death he never thought that he was "starting a new religion"! It seems that Paul had the understanding of what we call the Old Testament (or better the Hebrew Scriptures). Paul came from Cilicia (specifically Tarsus) and became a follower of Jesus in Syria (Demascus). Paul didn’t even go to Judea for 3 years after he professed his allegiance to Jesus, and then he spent only 2 weeks. After this first visit it was 14 years before he returned. Paul was by his own account first a Jew " Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless." (Phil. 34-6 ). How then could he have know the risen Christ beyond his private revelation on the Damascus road. You have the answer right in front Gentle Reader He was a Pharisee a teacher of the Law [The word Pharisees comes from the Hebrew prushim from parush, meaning "separated", that is, one who is separated for a life of purity. The Pharisees were, depending on the time, a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews that flourished during the Second Temple Era (536 BC–70 AD). After the destruction of the Second Temple, the Pharisaic sect was re-established as Rabbinic Judaism — which ultimately produced normative, traditional Judaism, the basis for all contemporary forms of Judaism and even the Karaites use the Rabbinic canon of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh.]

Paul was a scholar and taught by scholars and why he went at once to begin to preach "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

And that he was seen of Cephas,[ Peter] then of the twelve:

After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." 1 Cor.15:3-9

The thing to notice here that according to Luke Paul’s biographer is that Jesus "appeared " to Paul from the Greek Optanomai ophthe "he was seen" which means in our English to allow one's self to be seen. Paul put his experience along with others who "saw" the risen Christ! "Paul, an apostle, (not from men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead ) Gal.1:1. Called to be an apostle by the Very one whom he persecuted. What a beautiful testimony for us to emulate Gentle Reader, That is forgiveness! No wonder Paul could write in Romans Chapter 5 verse eight "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, [ sinners by nature] Christ died for us." The word sinners is  Hamartolos (ham-ar-to-los'); which has the force from the figure of speech [Greek Cat-a-bas-is or Gradual Descent {see Phil. 2 6-8} used to emphasize humiliation, sorrow ] where Paul uses in verse 10 as enemies."For if, when we were enemies,( by practice) we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Romans 5:10 Which then we translate that verse But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet enemies see Romans Chapter 5 verse ten, Christ died for us." . Now think of your most hated enemy. Would you die for them? Well Christ did and that was not lost of our Apostle Paul. Also note the word Reconciled we’ll come back to that latter.

But for now think on these things. God died on the cross through Christ that He might give to you eternal life.

Till next time.....

Love, Denis