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Friday, 13 November 2015

LECTURE NOTE ON PAULINE EPISTLES



PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons) MA, PhD.
Call: +2348037346939  E-mail: profbenonyeukwu@gmail.com

LECTURE NOTE ON PAULINE EPISTLES


I.            INTRODUCTORY GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
A.  Brief History of Paul’s Life:  According to C. D. Cole, Paul is the best in human history, and the greatest Christian of all times. We might consider him first in the state of nature. Politically, he was a Roman citizen. Which fact served him well at times in being rescued from mobs by Roman soldiers. Racially, he was a Jewish patriot. He knew Greek culture, but was not influenced by it. He had no patience with Hellenism. For, he boasted that he was Hebrew of Hebrews. Doctrinally, he was a Pharisee with all the pride that characterized the sect. Academically, Paul was a man of much learning, having sat at the feet of the great teachers of his day. Socially, he was a high class gentleman of clean morals and good reputation. He knew nothing of a low life of debauchery and moral impurity. In the state of grace, Paul was a Christian. He delighted to say, “By the grace of God, I am what I am”. He attributed the change that came over him to the grace of God working in him. And. His abundant labour was attributed to grace. He says, “I labored more abundantly than they all: yet, not I, but the grace of God which was in me”. In his suffering, he was supported by the grace of God, so that he came to glory in his infirmities, that the power of Christ might rest upon him.
B.  Numerical Comment on Pauline Epistles: Twenty-one of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament are Epistles; thirteen of the twenty-one epistles bear the Apostle Paul’s name. And, this indicates that there are other epistles in the Bible which were not written by Paul, since the number here does not reflect all the epistles in the Scripture.


  
C.  The Uniqueness of the New Testament Epistles:
1.    The epistolary form distinguishes the New Testament from all other sacred writings of the World, Pagan religions are ignorant of the new life in Jesus Christ which caused the New Testament Epistles to be written.
2.    The Epistles use human experience to reveal the nature and processes of God’s redemptive movements.
3.    While the Old Testament abundantly refers to the use of letters and records a few of them (Ref. Jer. 29, Ezra 5:6-17), no book of the Old Testament is written in epistolary form.
4.    The New Testament use as a tool for revelation shows the difference between the age of law and the age of grace. (Dispensational significance).
(a)         Under the Law: God’s commands are in legal documents sealed by His direct authority. (Dictation Method of God: Information).
(b)         Under Grace: God makes His will known through loving letters of instruction and exhortation. (Fellowship Method of God: Education).
D.  The Fitness of Epistles for Christian Revelation: Christianity is basically a personal relationship between a person and God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Epistles are suitable for a free discussion of Personal Relationships in Christianity.
The Gospel truths were directed to the needs and abilities of the readers. (Epistles met specific needs and were adapted to the occasion). The epistles teach the love of God in operation.
II.         PAUL’S USE OF THE EPISTOLARY FORM
A.           Companionship and Authority: Paul keeps the level of companionship with his readers while adding direct prophetic revelation to his epistles.
B.           The Pattern of Paul’s Writings:
1.    Examples of Letter in Paul’s day: (Acts 15:23-29; 23:26-30)
(a)         The Writer’s name and office.
(b)         Other identification (if any),
(c)         The Reader’s Name.
(d)         The Writer’s wish of some kind for the Reader. (Farewell)


2.    Paul Uses the above Method and Expands It:
(a)         After saluting or greeting the Reader (wish), Paul adds a note of thanksgiving for the reader – (except in Galatians) why! See (Gal. 3) oh! foolish Galatians.
(b)         As he deals with Theological problems;
(i)    He teaches doctrine.
(ii)   Then gives practical advice.
(iii)  He adds personal greetings.
(iv) He concludes with an autograph.
N.B.: His Primary Purpose is personal or practical.
3.    Contents of Paul’s Writings :
(a)         Personal
(b)         Theological
(c)         Ethical (Pertaining to moral behavior).
(d)         Administrative.
(e)         Devotional.
N.B: Paul combines these contents many times according to the purpose of each Epistle.  
C.           The Number of Pauline Epistles:
(1)         Thirteen are preserved in the Bible.
(2)         Others are probably lost.
(References to be examined: I Cor. 5:9; 2 Cor. 10:9; Col. 4:16).
III.       THE ORIGIN OF THE PAULINE EPISTLES:
They are a product of actual life situations and they are intended to meet real needs and to answer important questions.
A.           Life Situations:
1.    Churches asking for help from Paul
(a)         On troublesome matters of believers’ behavior and practices. (Rebuke and correction).
(b)         On current heresies.
B.           Paul’s response to goodnews and love offerings from these Churches. (Expressions of joy, giving encouragement and exhortation).
IV.        THE METHOD OF COMPOSITION AND TRANSMISSION
A.   Composition: Paul dictated his letter to an amanuensis (Scribe) – but Paul wrote the concluding words himself.
1)   Tertius was Paul’s Scribe for Romans. (Rom. 16:22)
2)   Paul’s concluding words prove the genuineness of his epistles. (2 Thess. 3:17; I Cor. 16:21; Col. 4:18).
N.B: Guarding against forgery (as mentioned in 2 Thess. 21:1-2).
B.   Transmission: Paul’s letters were taken by a special courier or sent along with some friend who was travelling to that city.
N.B: The Postal System introduced by the Roman Emperor, Augustus, was a state service; private messages has to be carried by private messengers.
V.           THE ORDER OF THE PAULINE EPISTLES
They may be studied in two different orders.
A.   Canonical Order: This is the present order (in the Bible) which was determined by the length of the Epistles. The longest, Romans, is first; the shortest, Philemon, is last.
N.B: The letters addressed to churches in the order of their length, and those to individuals follow in the same order.
B.   Chronological Order – Kronos: Meaning (based on the date written)
This order helps us to recognize the development of the Apostle’s thought and the sequence of the circumstances which made the letters necessary. The chronological order can be determined fairly accurately in the light of The Book of Acts. (But in this arrangement, the place of Galatians is uncertain).
Paul wrote his epistles over a period of about fifteen years, from various places and under varying circumstances. Generally speaking, all of them can be dated from the beginning of Paul’s second missionary journey.
The purpose of Paul’s second missionary journey was for follow up.
VI.        THE GROUPING OF THE PAULINE EPISTLES
They can be grouped in relation to Paul’s first Roman imprisonment (considering the time before, during and after that event). The common practice is to divide the six epistles before Paul’s first imprisonment into two groups:- 1 and 2 Thess. in one group and Gal. 1 and 2 Cor., and Rom in another group.
In this manner all Paul’s thirteen epistles are commonly put into four groups:-
THE FOUR GROUPS OF PAUL’S EPISTLES
Group         Books                  Time Written                Characteristics
A.                           1 Thess.                During Second tour         Eschatological
2 Thess.                During Second Tour        (Coming of Christ)

B.                           Galatians               Second or Third tour       Soteriological
1 Cor.                    Third tour                       (Cross of Christ)
2 Cor.                    Third tour
Rom.                     Third Tour

C.                           Coloss.                  First Imprisonment          Christological
Philemon               First Imprisonment          (Character of Christ)
Ephesians             First Imprisonment         
Philippians             First Imprisonment
         
D.                           1 Tim.                   After 1st Imprisonment    Ecclesiological
Titus                     After 1st Imprisonment    (Church of Christ)
2 Tim.                   During 2nd Imprisonment
VII.     THE VALUE OF THE PAULINE EPISTLES
They are beneficial both to the church and to the individual believer.
          They are second only to the Gospels in comprising more ideas in fewer words than any other writings.
GROUP A:  THE ESCHATOLOGICAL EPISTLES
(1 AND 2 THESSOLONIANS)
I.            INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: The two epistles to the young church in Thessalonica were written from Corinth on Paul’s second missionary journey. Both put great emphasis on the doctrine of Christ’s second coming. They differ from Group B in that they contain no doctrine of Salvation; they focus on the personal return of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 1 and 2 Thessalonians are generally regarded as Paul’s earliest extant writings.
II.         FIRST THESSOLONIANS
A:      The Hope: This epistle contains one of the fullest New Testament elaborations of the church’s hope of the Redeemer’s return.
B:      The City of Thessalonica
1.           Location: It was a large and prosperous seaport; In Paul’s time, it was one of the most important cities in the Roman province of Macedonia. On the south-western horizon is the cloudy height of Mount Olympus, the fabled home of the Greek gods.
2.           Name: In about 315 B.C., Cassander, the Son-in-law of Philip of Macedon, enlarged the town and renamed it after his wife, the half-sister of Alexander the Great.
          N.B: This name is retained today in its shortened from of Salonika.
3.            Prominence: Thessalonica was in direct contact with the stream of continual traffic between Rome and the eastern provinces.
4.           Political Status: The Romans made Thessalonica the capital of the second division of the conquered Macedonian Kingdom. Later the Roman Governor made his residence there and made Thessalonica the capital. Later the Roman Governor made his residence there and made Thessalonica the capital of the whole province.  
5.           Inhabitants: The majority of the Thessalonians were Greeks; but a few Romans, Orientals also lived there. However, the attractive Commerce at Thessalonica was responsible for the growth of a large Jewish colony in that city.
          NB: The activity and influence of the Jewish community may be seen in the large number of Gentile “God-fearers” who frequented the Jewish synagogue, having become dissatisfied with Pagan religions.
C: The Church in Thessalonica
1.    Origin: It was started by Paul and his helpers in that city on the second missionary journey. (Ref. also to Acts 17:1-10). It was the second city in Macedonia to receive the Gospel from Paul. The first was Philippi where he established the Philippians Church. (Ref to Acts 16:9-10, “The Macedonian Call” received by Paul while he was at Troas).
     The presence of an important synagogue drew Paul to Thessalonica where, according to his custom, he began his work in the Jewish synagogue, he showed that the historical Jesus whom he had come to proclaim, was indeed the fulfillment of the Old Testament Prophecies.
2.     Membership: The majority of the converts were from the God-fearers and a good number of the wives of leading Thessalonian citizens became believers in Jesus. The reason for the large number of Gentile converts was that Paul directly preached to them after the synagogue was closed to him. His ministry drew the majority of the converts from heathenism to Christianity.
3.    Opposition: Paul’s success among the Gentiles caused jealousy among the unbelieving Jews who finally launched an attack on Paul’s work and drove him out of the city. (Acts 17:15-7).
          In agreement with their converts, Paul and Silas left Thessalonica under cover of darkness and went to Beroea. The Thessalonian Jews followed them and again interrupted Paul’s work at Beroea where he left Silas and Timothy and went on to Athens. Later Silas and Timothy also joined him in Athens (I Thess. 3:1).
D:  The Occasion of I Thess.: Having experienced the implacable hatred of the Thessalonian Jews, Paul was rightly filled with great concern for his Thessalonian converts. Hence, he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to establish and comfort the new believers. (I Thess. 3:1-2).
          Paul moved on to Corinth where Timothy later followed him and gave him a report concerning the Thessalonian converts. Timothy’s report was the immediate occasion for the writing of I Thess. (3:6-7). Paul was unable to visit the Thessalonians in person, so he resorted to writing this epistle as a substitute for a personal visit. 
E: The Place and Date of I Thess:
1.    Place: Corinth is generally accepted as the place from which Paul wrote I Thess.
2.    Date: About the middle of 50A.D.
F: The Purpose of I Thess:
1.    Commendation: Paul wrote to express joy and appreciation that the Thessalonians had remained true to the Gospel under severe testing. This fact caused him to give thanks and to take courage (3:7-9). He commended them that they had become an example to others (a) in the Steadfastness of their faith (1:7), and (b) in their brotherly love.
2.    Vindication: (establishment of truth, clearance of charges). Timothy had also reported that certain slanders and insinuations against Paul were being circulated in Thessalonica to harass the Christians. So Paul found it imperative to use the first half of the epistle to defend himself against the calumniations. His enemies were declaring that he was proclaiming his new doctrine for received love-offerings from Philippi). Paul demonstrated that he was not promoted by mercenary motives (2:1-12). Neither was he afraid to return to Thessalonica (2:17-3:13).
3.    Admonition: Timothy’s report to Paul also revealed that the Thessalonian believers were not free from the temptation of immoral practices (4:1-8). So Paul gave them some practical moral admonitions and also sought to correct their lack of respect for their spiritual leaders (5:12-14).
4.    Revelation: Paul sought also to correct wrong ideas on the relation between the resurrection of the dead and the reign of Christ. He gave the Thessalonians the revelation concerning the true relation of the living and the dead to the second coming of Christ (4:13-18).




G: The Characteristics of I Thessalonians:
1.   Self-Revelation: This is the most personal of the letters of Paul. It reveals:
a.   The simplicity, gentleness and affection of his personality.
b.   His tender pastoral heart, full of concern for his young converts (2:7-8).
c.    His desire for their sympathy and prayers (5:25).
d.   His keen sensitivity with regard to what others say about him (2:1-12).
e.   His longing for their spiritual progress (3:11-13).
f.    His fierce indignation against those who are hindering the cause of Christ (2:15-16).
g.   His tact in dealing with his converts: He wisely precedes his blunt warnings by a recognition of the good qualities of the brethren (9:10).
2.   Doctrinal Content: The epistle does reveal a rich doctrinal background:
a.    A firm faith in the Deity of Jesus Christ (3:11).
b.    The teaching on the Second Coming of Christ each of the five chapters ends on the note of the Lord’s return (1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:16-17; 5:23).
c.    The doctrine of the Rapture of the Church (4:13-18).
N.B: This epistle does not contain a single quotation from the Old Testament.
3.  The Value of Witness:
a. The epistle proves that the teaching of Christianity originates directly back to the divine self-revelation made in Christ Jesus.
b. It proves that the picture of Christ given in the Four Gospels is genuine.
c. It bears solid witness to the truthfulness of the Gospel message.

STUDY OUTLINE OF I THESSALONIANS
I.            INTRODUCTION (1:1).
A.   Author (1:1a)
B.   Readers (1:1b)
C.   Blessing (1:1c).
II.         PERSONAL REFELCTIONS (1:2 – 3:13).
A.   Paul’s commendation of the Thessalonians (1:2-10).
B.   Paul’s founding of the Church (2:1-16).
1.    Purity of his intentions (2:1-6).
2.    Extent of his sacrifice (2:7-8).
3.    Integrity of his conduct (2:7-8)
4.    Reliability of his message (2:13).
5.    Repercussions of his message (2:14-16)
III.       TIMOTHY’S FOLLOW-UP VISIT (2:17 – 3:13)
A.   Paul’s Concern (2:17 – 3:5)
B.   Timothy’s welcome report (3:6-10).
C.   Paul’s prayer (3:11-13).
IV.        PRACTICAL ADVICE (4:1-5-22).
A.   Refrain from immorality (4:1-8).
B.   Love one another (4:9-10).
C.   Mind your affairs (4:11-12).
D.   Mutual comfort with the hope of Christ’s second coming (4:13-18).
E.   Live as children of day (5:1-11).
F.    Keep free from evil (5:12-22).
1.    Personal relationships (5:12-15).
2.    Fundamental attitudes (1:16-22).
V.           CONCLUDING REMAKRS AND BLESSING (5:23-28)
III.       II THESSALONIANS:
A.   Introductory Observations: This is the second epistle in the eschatological group; it advances the teaching of the second coming of Christ. Like other New Testament ‘second’ epistles, it forms a logical sequel to the first. It does not contradict but it supplements the First Epistle’s teaching on the Second Coming.
B.   Occasion of II Thessalonians:
The immediate occasion was Paul’s receipt of further information about the Thessalonians after they had read his First Letter or Epistle. The report contained:
1.    Favorable Elements:
a.    The Thessalonians had made progress in their faith and love (1:3).
b.    They had remained firm under repeated outbreaks of persecution (1:4).
c.    Their distress about their loved ones had been relieved by the teachings of the first epistle. (They welcomed Paul’s teaching about the resurrection of the dead in Christ).
2.     Unfavourable Elements: The Thessalonians were increasingly excited about the Second Coming. They believed “that the day of the Lord was already here” (2 Thess. 2:2, in Greek).
a.    They were looking for the immediate return of Christ. (Expecting a speedy Second Coming of Christ).
b.    Some even gave up their accustomed occupations.
c.    The leisure time caused some to become busybodies, interfering with those who wanted to work (3:10-12).
C.   Place and Date of II Thessalonians:
1.       Place: Corinth.
     2.       Date: 51 A.D, a few months after I Thessalonians was written.
D.  Characteristics of II Thessalonians:
1.    Contents:
This is the shortest of Paul’s nine Epistles to churches. (Only the letters to Titus and Philemon are briefer than II Thess) There is direct quotation from the Old Testament.
The three chapters of this Epistle contain:
a.    Four Prayers for the Readers (1:11-12; 2:16-17; 3:5; 3:16).
b.    Paul’s request that the Readers should pray for him also (3:1).
c.    Practical Christian duties (3:5-15).
i. Dutifulness.
ii. Attending to one’s present responsibility.
iii. Doing work that is available.
iv. Refraining from religious excitement and intrusive curiosity.
N.B: Honest work is one of the principles of Christian living (3:10).
2.    Prophecy: Paul gives us a detailed prophecy of end-time events (2:1-12).
a.    The Man of Sin: is the final personal embodiment of the principle of lawlessness, the Satan-inspired manifestation (2:9) of the personal Antichrist who will be destroyed by the personal return of Our Lord Jesus Christ (2:8).
b.    The Restrainer (2:6-7) – This is the Holy Spirit working through the Christian Church (2:6). He is the restraining power (2J on “the mystery of lawlessness”.
c.    The Coming of Christ: Each of the two Epistles to the Thessalonians has a different aspect of the Second Coming in view.
The New Testament distinguishes two Phases of Christ’s return:
i.     Phase I: This is His coming for His saints, when the dead in Christ shall be raised, and the living caught up to meet Him in the air (I Thess. 4:13-18). This is often referred to as the Rapture, the ‘catching up’ of the Church, or ‘Parousia’ in Greek (I Thess. 4:15). This phase I points to “the day of Christ” (Phil. 1:10). 
VIII.   Phase II: This refers to Christ’s coming to earth in glory with His saints to judge the wicked and to destroy the Man of Sin (II Thess. 1:7-10; 2:1-12). This phase is referred to as the revelation or (in Greek) ‘Apocalupsis’ (II Thess. 1:7), pointing to “the Day of the Lord” (II Thess. 2:2).

A STUDY OUTLINE OF II THESSALONIANS
I.            INTRODUCTORY SECTION: (1:1-2)
A.   Authors (1:1a).
B.   Readers (1:1b).
C.   Wish (1:2).
II.         ENCOURAGEMENT DURING PERSECUTION (1:3-12).
A.   Thanksgiving for their growth and steadfastness (1:3-40.
B.   Encouragement in view of Christ’s return (1:5-10).
C.   Prayer for them to continued spiritual growth (1:11-12).
III.       INSTRUCTIONS ABOUT – EVENTS CONCERNING THE DAY OF THE LORD (2:1-12).
A.   Exhortation to calmness: the day is to come in the future (2:1-2).
B.   The preceding definite signs (2:3).
C.   On the Man of Sin (2:4-12).
1.    Self-exalting (2:4).
2.    Additional instructions on the subject (2:5).
3.    The Restraint on the mystery of lawlessness (2:6-7).
4.    The manifestation of the lawless one (2:8a).
5.    The destruction of the lawless one (2:8b).
6.     The power of the lawless one over the lost (2:9-12).
a.    The source of his power (2:9a)
b.    The description of his power (2:9b-10a).
c.    The subjects under his power (2:10a)
d.    The reason for his power (2:10b-12).
i. Guilt of the lost (2:10b)
ii. Judgment of the lost (2:11-12).

IV.        RENEWED THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER FOR THEM (2:13-17)
A.   Praise for their calling (2:13-15)
B.   Prayer for their comfort and stability (2:16-17).
V.            EXHORTATION TO PRACTICAL CHRISTIAN DUTIES (3:1-15)
A.   Request for their prayers (3:1-2).
B.   Reminder of God’s faithfulness concerning them (3:3-5).
C.   The command to discipline the disorderly (3:6-12).
1.    Shun the idle (3:6).
2.    Readers to imitate Paul (3:7-9).
3.    The idle should not eat (3:10).
4.    Exhortation of the idle (3:11-13).
D.   Warning and disciplining the disobedient (3:14-15).
VI.        CONCLUSION (3:16-18).
A.   The prayer (3:16),
B.   Paul’s authenticating signature (3:17).
C.   Benediction (3:18).

FOUR MAJOR VIEWS OF THE SECOND
COMING OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
I.            THE NON-LITERAL OR SPIRITUALIZED VIEW
This view denies that there will be a literal, bodily, personal return of Christ to the earth. This thinking originates from disbelief in the Word of God or the spiritualizing method interpretation.



II.         THE POST-MILLENIAL VIEW
The word millennium is the Latin expression for “a thousand years”; it is based on the Greek word “Chilioi”, meaning “one thousand”, which refers generally to the doctrine of the millennium or kingdom Age.
The teaching on the Millenial Kingdom is based on the belief that Christ will return to reign as king for a thousand years.
Now, the Post-millennial view originates from the belief that through preaching the Gospel, the whole world will be Christianized and brought into submission to the Gospel for a thousand years before the return of Christ. In this theory, Christ returns after the Millennium, (1000 years,) (hence, post or after millennium). Followers of this view believe in a literal second advent (coming) and a literal millennium (1000years).   
III.       THE A-MILLENAIAL VIEW
This view holds that there will be no literal millennium on earth following the Second Advent. All the prophecies concerning the Kingdom are NOW being fulfilled by the Church spiritually before the Second Advent.
IV.        THE PRE-MILLENIAL VIEW
This view holds that Christ will return to earth, literally and bodily, before the millennial age begins, and that, by His presence, a kingdom will be instituted over which He reign as King. In this Kingdom, all of God’s covenants to Israel will be literally fulfilled. After a thousand years, The Son will give the Kingdom to the Father when it will merge with His Eternal Kingdom.
Please, carefully read Daniel ch. 12; Zech. 14:16-19; Rev. 19:1-22:5.

THE SOTERIOLOGICAL GROUP:
GALATIANS
I.            INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS
The Epistle to the Galatians is a major declaration of Christian liberty. It is the Charter of Evangelical Faith, celebrating “the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free”. (Gal. 5:1). This truth was buried for a thousand years under Catholic legalism and was recovered for all Christians when Luther launched the Reformation Movement.

II.         CHARACTER OF GALATIAN CHURCHES IN BRIEF
A.   UNITY: Galatians is the only epistle addressed to a group of Churches: “the churches of Galatia”. (1:2).
B.   FOUNDER: Paul founded these Churches and directly addresses them as his spiritual children. (4:19-20).
C.   RECEPTION: The Galatians received Paul warmheartedly and affectionately, and with great enthusiasm.
D.   COMPOSITION: Most members of these churches had been idolaters before their conversion (4:8); there were so a minority of Jewish converts (3:27-29).

III.       VISITS OF PAUL TO GALATIA
A.   First Journey: Paul and Barnabas left Syrian Antioch, passed through Cyprus and went to interior of Asia Minor. (Acts 13:4-14). They established churches in Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. All these four cities were in the province of Galatia.
B.   Second Journey: Paul and Silas passed “through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.” (Acts 15:14). They revisited the churches of Derbe and Lystra. At Lytrs, Paul found Timothy, circumcised him, and took him along as his assistant. (Acts 16:1-3).
C.   Third Journey: Again, on leaving Syrian Antioch, Paul “went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order, establishing all the disciples”. (Acts 18:23).
IV.        OCCASION FOR GALATINS
A.   Changed Attitudes: A startling report to Paul revealed that the Galatians had suddenly and drastically changed their attitude towards him and his Gospel. They had been suddenly influenced by some false teachers among them who were teaching another gospel. (Gal. 1:7). The Galatians had begun in the Spirit, but now they were led to turn to the Law for perfection. (Gal 3:3).
They were urged: 1. to accept circumcision (Gal. 5:2-4)
                             2. to observe Jewish feast days and seasons (4:10)
3. to distrust Paul and question his Apostolic  authority. 
Such false teaching resulted in dissension and conflicts among the Galatians. (5:15).
B.   Cause for Sudden Change: Alien propaganda intruded into the Galatian Churches. Jewish-Christian teachers apparently claimed authority from Jerusalem leaders. They (the Judaisers) professed to accept putting other things on a level with Him as necessary for salvation. They claimed that Christianity was the logical development from Judaism. They advertised the necessity of keeping the Mosaic Law (4:21)with all its rites and ceremonies.
C.   Paul’s Reaction: Paul was amazed and disturbed. He saw his Galatian ministry in danger. The Judaisers were resisting the decision of the Jerusalem Conference (Acts 15; Gal. 2:1-10). Paul had warned the Galatians on his second visit (1:9; 5:3; 4:16). Due to unavoidable circumstances, he wrote a letter (4:20).  
V.           DATE AND PLACE:
A.   Date: Uncertain, probably A.D. 52.
B.   Place: Possibly Corinth.
THE PURPOSE OF GALATIANS
A.   Vindication: The Judaisers have attacked Paul as an apostle so, he defended his apostolic call and authority. Chapter 1 v 2.
(1)         He explains how he got his gospel.
(2)         How his gospel was confirmed by the Jerusalem leaders.
(3)         How he rebuked Peter to whom the Judaisers appealed to his authority.
B.      Exposition: Chap. 3:4
Paul explains the gospel of justification by faith.
C.   Morality: Paul further discusses that Christian liberty does not mean a law of lawlessness or license. His enemies have attacked his gospel saying that his removal of the law from the life of the Christian encouraged lawlessness and lust.  (I Cor. 5:1-13; 25)
1.    To keep their liberty in Christ (Gal. 5:1).
2.    To be watchful for the force he says was trying to take away the liberty (Gal. 5:2-12).
3.    To practice living a life governed by love and guided by the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:13-25).
4.    To know that the Truth of Justification by faith leads to a life of good works.
(a)         It bears the fruit of the spirit
(b)         It carries the burden of the weak and the needy.
(c)         It never grows tired or weary of doing good to all men.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GALATIANS
A.   Value: It shows Paul’s courage, tenderness, earnestness, sincerity and burning devotion to Christ. It is one of the leading documents of Christian faith and a classic vindication of the gospel of justification by faith.
B.   Tone (Mood)
·        It is an epistle of conflict
·        The tone is severe; the readers are never addressed as saint in Christ.
·        There is not a word of praise for the readers.
·        It is only the Pauline epistle that contains no thanksgiving for the readers.
C.   Unity: It keeps to it purpose. The Galatian defected in two ways denying his authority and rejecting his gospel of justification by faith.
D.           Hand Written: Paul wrote it with his hand.

STUDY OUTLINE OF GALATIANS
I.            INTRODUCTION: (1:1-10)
A.   The Salutation (1:1-5)
B.   The rebuke (1:6-10)
II.         PERSONAL: Vindication of his apostolic authority (1:11-2:21).
A.   How he got his gospel (1:11-24).
B.   How his gospel was confirmed by the apostles at Jerusalem (2:1-10).
C.   How he rebuked Peter’s inconsistency (2:11-21).
III.       DOCTRINAL: The exposition of justification by faith (3 v. 4 to 31)
A.   The elaboration or explaining the doctrine of justification by faith (3 vs. 1 to 4 v 7).
B.   The appeal for them to stop their legalism (4v5B – 31).
IV.        PRACTICAL: The use of Christian liberty (5v51 to 6 vs 10).
A.   The call to maintain their Christian liberty (5 vs. 1).
B.   The peril or (The danger) to Christian liberty (5 vs 2-12).
C.   The life of Christian liberty (5 vs. 13 to 6 vs. 10).
V.   CONCLUSION (6 VS. 11 -17).
A.   His reference to his large letters (6 vs. 11).
B.   His rebuke of his adversaries (6 vs. 12-13).
C.   His confidence in the cross (6 vs. 14 – 16).
D.   His marks of apostleship (6:17).


FIRST CORINTHIANS
I.            INTRODUCTORY NOTE:
The information about the actual conditions within the church at Corinth reveals that even Apostolic churches were not perfect churches. This picture of the Corinthian church is drawn, not by an enemy of the church, but by the founder of that church himself.
II.         THE CITY OF CORINTH:
A.   Location: Corinth was situated near a narrow isthmus. At the southern edge of the city towered the famous Acrocorinthus, a rocky eminence rising form the plain almost perpendicularly to a height of over 1,800feet. The summit was about a half-mile square and capable of accommodating a considerable town. The abundance of water and the protection offered by the isolated mountain facilitated an early settlement on the site of Corinth.
B.   History: The Corinth in which Paul worked was a comparatively new city; it had a long and illustrious past. Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of Corinth is on of the first regions of Greece to be inhabited. It rivaled in importance other Greek centres such as Athens, Thebes and Sparta.
In 388 B.C, Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great, conquered Greece and made Corinth the seat of a new Hellenic League. The eventual struggle between Greece and Macedon resulted in the intervention of Rome and the subsequent enslavement of all the Greeks. In 146 B.C, Corinth fell and the Roman general, Lusius Mummius, plundered the city.
In 46 B.C, Julius Caesar saw the beauty and the importance of the place and sent a colony of veterans and freed men to rebuild Corinth as a Roman colony under the new name: Colonia Laus Julia Corintheiensis. Emperor Augustus made Corinth the capital of Achaia. Soon the proconsul made his residence in Corinth which was eventually rebuilt on the lines of a Roman city. Its official language was Latin, but the common language for the mixed population was Greek. When Paul visited Corinth, it was a little more than a hundred years after its restoration.
C.   Commerce: The position of Corinth gave it command over two different streams of commerce:
1.    It controlled the only route of merchandise between the peninsula and the main land of Greece.
2.    It largely commanded the trade between Asia and Italy.
N.B: Corinth was close to three important harbours: Lechaeum, Cenchchreae and Schoenus.  
D.     Inhabitants: In Paul’s day, the population of Corinth was quite cosmopolitan: It composed of Roman colonists, native Greeks, and a large colony of Jews attracted there by Corinth’s money-making opportunities; there were travelers and traders and agents of vice from almost every known country. Great wealth and extreme poverty existed side by side. At the time of Paul’s visit to Corinth, its population was approximately between six and seven hundred thousand, of whom approximately two-thirds were slaves.
E.   Culture: Corinth cultivated various arts: pottery, brass, architecture, painting, literature, philosophical pursuits, and the Isthmian games.
F.    Morals and Religion: Corinth was a wicked city; the term “a Corinthia” meant a profligate, and “to Corinthianise” meant to engage in prostitution. In Greek plays, Corinthians were usually represented as drunkards. The immorality of Corinth was fostered by the degrading worship of the goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love, whose temple stood on the topmost peak of the Acrocorinthus. There were a thousand female Hieroduli (consecrated prostitutes) for the free use of the visitors to the temple.
The worship of Venus, the Roman counterpart of the Greek Aphrodite, was restored in the new Corinth. Various other gods’ temples were also restored: for Athena, Apollo, Poseidon, Hermes, and others. There was also a Pantheon, or temple of all the gods. The temple of Aesculpius, the god of healing, was surrounded by a number of buildings for the patients’ use. These accommodations provide an excellent example of a pagan hospital. Temples to foreign cults included those of the Egyptian gods Isis and Serapis.
    
III.       THE CHURCH AT CORINTH
A       Origin: Paul was the founder (I Cor. 3:6, 10, 4:15) also see (Acts 18:1-13). Paul was on his second missionary journey. He had established several churches in Macedonia but persecutions had driven him to Athens after a brief and not too successful work in Athens, Paul came to Corinth. Here he found Aquila, one of his country men, recently banished from Rome because of the edict of Claudius against the Jews. Since both were tent makers by trade, Paul accepted the hospitality of Aquila and Priscilla ad laboured with them. Out of the partnership of work sprang a lasting partnership of faith.
*       Paul seemed to consider his stay in Corinth only a temporary matter. He was waiting for his helpers to come with information that he might return to unfinished work in Macedonia. While laboring and waiting, he made use of the opportunity offered him in the Jewish Synagogues to proclaim the message of Christ to the Jew and the Greeks who attended.
*       With the arrival of Silas and Timothy the situation was changed. Timothy’s story about the Thessalonians church cause Paul to write 1st Thessalonians, which a few month later was followed by (2nd Thessalonians), which Paul began an intensive, fulltime ministry in Corinth. Silas apparently had brought and offering from the church of Philippi 2nd Cor. 8:9. Which relieved the apostles of the necessity of manual labour and freed them from an active gospel campaign.
          This intensified ministry resulted in fierce Jewish opposition with his convert, Paul withdrew from the synagogue.
    
IV.        THE OCCASION OF FIRST CORINTHIANS
A series of events produced a cumulative effect, ultimately determining the final form of the Epistle.
A.   Preliminary Causes
1.    Correction of Misunderstanding: Before I Corinthians, Paul had already written a letter (I Cor. 5:9). In That lost letter, Paul dealt with problems in the church. One of the points of the letter was to give them instruction about their attitude towards fornicators. His instructions in that letter were apparently misinterpreted, and Paul found it necessary in I Corinthians to correct the misunderstanding.
2.    Church Factions: Paul received information from the household of Chloe (1:11) regarding factional disputes; this information added to Paul’s concern about conditions in the church at Corinth.
B.     Immediate Occasion: Three messengers from the Corinthian Church, Stephens, Fortunatus, Achaicus, (I Cor. 16:17), came to see Paul at Ephesus. They apparently brought a letter from the church asking the Apostle’s advice concerning certain problems which perplexed them, (7:1; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1). The coming of this delegation with a letter from the Corinthian Church was the immediate occasion for the writing of I Corinthians. However, the Apostle did not confine himself to the problems that had been presented to him by the church; he also dealt with other problems that demanded attention. 
V.           PLACE AND DATE
A.   Place: I Corinthians was written from Ephesus.
B.   Date: Probably A.D. 57.
VI.        THE PURPOSE OF I CORINTHIANS
Paul’s purpose in writing this Epistle was twofold: To correct the disorders existing in the church and to answer questions that they had submitted to him. His method is to alternate between the faults of the church and his replies to their questions, adding also other matters that required his attention.
A.   Church Faults (1:10-6:20):
1.    Church Factions.
2.    Moral Delinquency
a.    Gross immorality (5:1-13).
b.    Litigations before pagan courts (6:1-11).
N.B: These problems show the Corinthians’ failure to understand the Christian truth concerning the sanctity of the body (6:12-20).

B.   Replies to Questions (7:1-11:1)
1.    The problem of Marriage and Celibacy (Ch. 7).
2.    Eating Meats Sacrificed to idols (8:1-11:1).
C.   Church Faults (11:2-34).
1.    The Behaviour of the Women in the Worship Services (11:2-16).
2.    Disorders in Connection with the Lord’s Supper (11:17-34).
D.   Replies to Questions (12:1-14:40): This section deals with their questions about spiritual gifts.
1.    He recognizes their rich endowment of spiritual gifts (Ch. 12).
2.    He shows that they must be governed by love (Ch. 13).
3.    He cautions that the two outstanding gifts, tongues and prophecy, must be used for the edification of all (Ch. 14).
E.   Doctrinal Fault (15:1-58): Having heard that some among the Corinthian Christians were questioning the teaching on the bodily resurrection (15:12), Paul elaborately discusses the matter.
F.    Replies to Questions (16:1-14): Paul had previously urged the Corinthian Christians to take part in the offering that was to be raised for the saints in Judea. He now answers their questions as to the procedure in contributing to the offering.
VII.     CHARACTERISTICS OF I CORINTHIANS
A.   Contents: I Corinthians is second only to Romans in length. It discusses a variety of subjects in an orderly and logical manner, making it comparatively easy to follow the line of thought. Soteriologically, the epistle illustrates the truth that no area in the believer’s life is exempt from the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. It is the epistle of the cross in its social application. While the primary intention of the epistle was practical rather than doctrinal, yet it contains several  passages of the greatest doctrinal importance.
-      The treatment of the Lord’s Super (11:17-34) is the fullest in the New Testament.
-      The Local Church as the body of Christ is very well discussed in chapter twelve, showing that the Local Church is an organism rather than an organization.
-      The doctrine of the Resurrection is exhaustively developed in chapter fifteen. 
-      Chapter thirteen is a classic statement of love.
-      Reactions to the work of the cross reveals human destiny (1:18-25).
-      God’s fire-test will be applied to the builder’s work (3:12-15).
B.   Style: In I Corinthians, one encounters the simplest and most direct language found in all Paul’s epistles. The sentences are not as involved as those in Galatians, II Corinthians, or Ephesians.
C.   Revelations: I Corinthians reveals both the writer and the readers.
1.    It shows: a. Paul’s self-control in spite of distressing news.
              b. His practical wisdom in dealing with such conditions.
2.     It also shows that churches founded and developed by apostles were not in any exceptional condition of holiness of life or purity of doctrine.

STUDY OUTLINE OF I CORINTHIANS
    I.        INTRODUCTION (1:1-9)
 II.        CONCERNING CHURCH FACTIONS (1:10-4:21).
A.   Reaction to the report of their factions (1:10-17).
B.   Arguments against Church factions (1:18-4:5)
C.   Paul’s appeal to the Corinthians (4:6-21).
III.        CONCERNING MORAL DELINQUENCY IN THE CHURCH (5:1-6:20)
A.   The case of gross immorality (5:1-3).
B.   The evil of their litigations before pagan courts (6:1-11).
C.   The Sanctity of the Body. (6:12-20).
IV.        CONCERNING MARRIAGE (ANSWER TO THEIR LETTER) (7:1-40)
A.   The problem of marriage and celibacy (7:1-9).
B.   The problem of marriage and separation (7:10-16).
C.   The Christian life and a person’s earthly position (7:17-24).
D.   Advice concerning the unmarried (7:25-40).
   V.        CONCERNING FOOD OFFERED TO IDOLS (8:1-11:1).
A.   The relationship of love to knowledge (1:1-13).
B.   Paul’s example of voluntary restriction of liberties (9:1-27).
C.   The history of Israel as a warning against abuse of liberty (10:1-13).
D.   Idolatry must be avoided as inconsistent to Christianity (10:14-22).
E.   Summarized general principles for governing their conduct (10:23-11:1).
VI.        CONCERNING DISORDERS IN PUBLIC WORSHIP (11:2-14:40)
VII.        CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION (15:1-58)
VIII.        CONCERNING PRACTICAL MATTERS (16:1-24).

SECOND CORINTHIANS
I.            INTRODUCTOY REMARKS: II Corinthians is the most autobiographical of all Paul’s epistles. His heart and life are fully presented to reveal his character. The great number of personal references presents difficulty for the interpreter.
II.         THE UNITY OF II CORINTHIANS:
A.   The immediate past with its misunderstandings and explanations (Chs. 1-). (From Ephesus through Troas to Macedonia).
B.   The present with its practical problems (Chs. 8-9).
C.   The near further with its anxieties. (Ch. 10:13).
N.B: Paul challenges the judaising intruders as well as the faithful who let themselves be swayed by these “super-apostles” and are tempted to disregard the authority of their apostle and spiritual father.
III.       OCCASION FOR II CORINTHIANS: Titus brought to Paul a generally favourable report from Corinth as to the reaction of the Church. But there was a minority opposition inspired apparently by some Judaisers from Judea. Paul immediately responded to the report by writing II Corinthians.
IV.        PLACE, DATE AND BEARER
A.   Place: Macedonia (no particular city is stated).
B.   Date:  A.D. 57
C.   Bearer: Paul sent Titus with this letter, accompanied by two other brethren, to complete the offering that had been started in Corinth a year earlier (II Cor. 8:16-24; 8:10).
V.            PURPOSE OF II CORINTHIANS
A.   Vindication: Paul wanted to re-establish fully his apostolic authority in the Corinthian Church. His opponents had vehemently, openly and influentially attacked his first letter to the Corinthians. Hence, Paul’s establishment and vindication of his apostolic character and reputation chiefly occupies the whole of II Corinthians.
B.   Minor Purposes:
1.    Paul’s expression of his joy that the Gospel has triumphed in Corinth in spite of the powerful forces seeking to destroy it. (2:14-17).
2.    Paul gives the Church instruction concerning the penitent offender (2:5-11).
3.    He re-activates the campaign for the love-offering collection (Chs. 8-9) for the poor saints in Judea. He felt such an offering was the best refutation of the charges that Paul and his Gentile churches were hostile to the Jewish brethren in Judea.

VI.        CHARACTERISTICS OF II CORINTHIANS
A.   Style: The language reveals Paul’s intense emotional stress (mental agitation and excitement). The contents of the epistle shift rapidly from one character to another, at very short intervals and without warning. (From consolation to rebuke, from gentleness to severity, from earnestness to irony).
B.   Contents:
1.    Personal: Paul’s emotions are not concerned with logical order; hence, II Corinthians is regarded as the least systematic of all his writings. The thread of the epistle is historical, but it is interwoven with elongated digressions; it contains a remarkable self-revelation of the Apostle’s inner life and is the most personal letter of all the books in the canon of the New Testament.
2.    Doctrinal: The epistle also contains some very important doctrinal teachings: (a) nature of Christian Ministry (2:12-6:10). (b) Contrast between the two covenants (3:4-18­); (c) The world’s blindness to the Gospel’s glory (4:3-6); (d) Hope for a bright future (5:1-9); (e) The Judgment Seat of Christ (5:10-11); (f) Christ’s substitutionary work (5:21); (g) The ministry of reconciliation (5:18-20); (h) Christian giving (Chs. 8-9).



ROMANS
I.            INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Romans is one of the most profound books in existence. It has been very appropriately called the Cathedral of Christian Faith. It is one of the major pillars of Evangelical Christianity.
II.         THE CITY OF ROME IN A.D. 52.
A.   Importance: As capital of the fourth world empire, Rome was the largest and most important city in the world at the time. All roads ran to and from Rome. The latter part of the Book of Acts reveals the influence of Rome on the thinking and planning of Paul.
B.   Rule: When Romans was written, the city was enjoying the better days of the earlier years of Nero’s reign (A.D. 54-68). Although corruption and injustice still existed in many places, the government of the provinces was generally fair and just.
C.   Population: Population statistics of Rome in A.D. 14 (the death of Augustus) recorded 4,100,000 inhabitants according to an inscription discovered at Ostia in 1941. Luxury and squalor, wealth and want existed side by side. Manufacturing and trade were considered the business of the slave and the foreigner. Half of the population were free citizens. Even the pauper citizens were proud of their Roman citizenship and disdained the degradation of manual labour. 
There was also a sizeable Jewish community in Rome since 63 B.C. When Pompey brought some Jewish captives to Rome after taking Jerusalem. Because of continued disturbances among the Jews in the city, they were expelled from Rome by the edict of Claudius (Acts 18:2).
D.   Religions: The polytheistic religion of Rome had fallen into the contempt of both the cultured and uncultured classes of the city. This left the masses open to the ready penetration of various foreign religions being imported into the capital. There was in Rome a temple dedicated to the Egyptian gods Isis and Serapis; Nero himself worshipped the Syrian goddess Astarte.
III.       THE CHURCH IN ROME
A.   Date of origin: It is difficult to fix the date when Christianity arrived in Rome. When Paul wrote the epistle to the Roman congregation, it must have already been in existence for a number of years, for Paul informs them that “these many years” he had had a desire to visit them (15:23). He felt that the church there was sufficiently strong to assist him in carrying out his plans for missionary work in Spain (15:24).
B.   Membership: When Paul wrote this epistle, there was a church of considerable size in Rome; they met for worship in several different houses, either due to lack of an adequate place of assembly or to their scattered location in that city. There were both Jewish (4:1; 9:19; 7:16) and Gentile (1:13; 11:13) believers in the congregation.
C.   Origin: While the Roman Catholic view is that Peter was the founder, and other people think the church at Rome was started by Roman Jews converted at Pentecost, most likely this church was begun by small groups or families of Christians from Pauline churches in the East.
D.   Status: The epistle gives no direct information as to the inner condition of the Roman church. There is no refutation of any error into which the church has fallen. Neither does the epistle contain any statement concerning any church organization.
IV.        PLACE, BEARER AND DATE: The epistle was written in Corinth, on Paul’s third missionary journey. The bearer is generally supposed to be Phoebe. The date is A.D. 58.
V.           OCCASION FOR ROMANS: It was not due to any internal conditions in the Roman Church but to Paul’s plans to inaugurate in the West the labours he had anticipated for some time (Acts 19:21). On hearing Phoebe’s impending visit to Rome, Paul dictated the letter to a Christian scribe, Tertius, who is given liberty to add greetings in his own name (16:22).
VI.        PURPOSE OF ROMANS
A.   Missionary Plans: Paul wrote to enlist cooperation and assistance of the church at Rome for the inauguration of his missionary campaign in the West (Spain, 15:24).
B.   Centre for Pauline Gospel: He also wrote to win the church of Rome as basis for his universal Gospel by which he sought to bring about the union between Jews and Gentiles in one universal Christian church.
C.   Prayer Support: In writing to the Romans, Paul also sought to enlist their prayer support for his impending venture at Jerusalem (15:30-33).
D.   Preventive Measure: Paul wanted to safeguard the Roman Church against the errors and practices which had caused him so much trouble in the churches of Galatia and Corinth. This purpose is implied by Paul’s warning in Rom. 16:17-20.
E.   Theological Purpose: Paul is divinely guided to present in this epistle the doctrine of salvation by faith for all subsequent generations. 
VII.     CHARACTERISTICS OF ROMANS
A.   Character and Style: It is the most formal of Paul’s writings. Although written to inhabitants of Rome, the epistle was composed in Greek. The outstanding characteristic of Romans is its universality. It shows that in all times and nations all men are sinners. The epistle also excels in the systematic and logical arrangement of its contents.
B.   Contents: Romans is profoundly doctrinal. It is not a systematic theology, nor was it intended to be. Several important aspects of Christian truth, expounded elsewhere by the Apostle, are not elaborated in Romans. The doctrine of the Person of Christ is not developed as in the “Prison Epistles”. The resurrection is assumed rather than argued as in I Cor. 15. Eschatology, prominent in the Thessalonian epistles, has a comparatively minor place here. Romans is rather a comprehensive statement of the doctrine of salvation by faith. In the first eight chapters, the doctrine is presented; in chapters 9-11, the vital question of the relation of the Jew to this salvation is considered; beginning with chapter 12, the Apostle shows the practical quotations of the doctrine in different areas. There are more quotations from the Old Testament in this Epistles than in all the other epistles together. (There are at least sixty-one direct quotations from the Old Testament).
C.   Influence: Romans has exerted profound influence upon the course of Christian Theology and history. Together with Galatians, Romans laid the foundation of the Reformation. Luther found in this epistle the heart of the Gospel and used it as one of his keenest weapons in his fight against the abuses of indulgences. This epistle also laid the basis for revivals in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

STUDY OUTLINE OF ROMANS
I.             THE INTRODUCTION (1:1-17)
II.           DOCTRINE: GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS REVEALED IN THE GOSPEL (1:18-8:39).
III.         DISPENSATION: GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS IN DEALING WITH ISRAEL AND MANKIND (9:1-11:36).
IV.         PRACTICAL APPLICATION: GOD’S RIGHTEOUNESS APPLIED TO THE BELIEVER’S DAILY LIFE (12:1-15:13).
V.           CONCLUSION (15:14-16:2)

THE CHRISTOLOGICAL GROUP
COLOSSIANS
I.            INTRODUCTORY NOTE ON THE PRISON EPISTLES: Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, and Philippians form the third group of the Pauline Epistles and are commonly designated as the “Prison Epistles”. In these letters for the first time Paul writes as a prisoner. He calls himself “the prisoner of Christ Jesus”. (Eph. 3:1). All four contain explicit references to his prison experience (Col. 4:3, 18; Philemon 10:13, 22, 23; Eph. 3:1; 4:1; 6:20; Phil. 1:7, 13). These references show the deep mark left by the imprisonment on Paul’s heart and thinking. They also indicate that the imprisonment was of a longer duration than Paul’s previous brief detentions (2 Cor. 11:23).
Although 2 Timothy was also written during Paul’s second imprisonment, it is not included under the term “Prison Epistles”. The indications of the severity of the Apostle’s confinement in that epistle show that it was an imprisonment different from that during which these epistles were written. Except for Philemon, which is a personal note and contains no direct doctrinal teaching, these epistles are marked by their special emphasis on the person of Christ and are aptly characterized as the Christological Group.
II.         THE CITY OF COLOSSAE
A.   Location: Colossae was a Phrygian city located on the upper end of the Lycus River Valley, in the eastern section of the Roman province of Asia.
B.   Neighbouring Cities: Two other cities mentioned in the Epistle to the Colossians (2:1; 4:13; 16) were also located in the Lycus Valley; they were Laodicea, a populous thriving centre, and Hierapolis, a famous health resort because of its hot mineral springs.
C.   Population: All three of these cities had native Phrygians mostly, with some Greeks and a considerable Jewish element.
N.B: Antiochus the Great (223-187 B.C.) transplanted two thousand Jewish families from Mesopotamia and Babylon into the rebellious regions of Phrygia and Lydia, with promises of assistance and material advantages.
III.       THE CHURCH IN COLOSSAE
A.   Origin: Concerning the founding of the churches in the Lycus River Vallery, nothing is directly recorded in Scripture beyond what may be learnt from the Epistle to the Colossians. Paul did not personally found these churches; his knowledge of the conditions in Colossae is derived from other people (Col. 1:4, 6-7). He clearly states that the Colossians first heard the Gospel from Epaphras whom he describes as “a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf.” (Col 1:6-7). This reading indicates that it was as Paul’s representative that Epaphras had ministered in Colossae, and this justifies Paul in claiming that the Colossians were within the circle of his apostolic responsibility.
B.   Membership: Principally the membership consisted of Gentiles (Col. 1:27; 2:13); however, according to references in the epistles, the readers were quite familiar with Jewish customs and teachings, thus indicating that there were Jewish Christians as well.  
IV.        OCCASION OF COLOSSIANS
A.   The visit and report of Epaphras.
B.   The problem of the return of Onesimus to his master.
V.           PLACE, DATE AND BEARER
A.   Place: Rome, during Paul’s first imprisonment.
B.   Date: A.D. 62
C.   Bearer: The bearer of the epistle was Tychicus, himself a native of the province of Asia (Acts 20:4). He was accompanied by Onesimus who was being returned to his master at Colossae.
VI.        THE PURPOSE OF COLOSSIANS
A.   Stabilization: Paul wrote to strengthen and to confirm the Colossian Christians in their adherence to the Gospel which they had received.
1.    He expresses joy at the report of their stability and growth in grace.
2.    He assures them of his continuous prayers for them.
3.    He urges them to abide in the faith they have received. (1:3-8; 2:5-7).
4.    Paul also seeks to impress upon them that, although he has never seem their faces, he is yet interested in them and the furtherance of the true Gospel among them.
5.    He informs them of his deep concern for their spiritual welfare (2:1-5).
6.    He reminds them that his personal concern for them is in keeping with the ministry entrusted to him by the Lord for the whole church (1:12-29).
B.   Refutation: The obvious purpose of the epistle is to crush the heretical teaching which had threateningly emerged in Colossae. The teaching was a mixture of Jewish elements, oriental theosophy, and Helenistic Gnostic speculations. (Gnosis – knowledge (GK). (Gnosticism – a heresy based on knowledge instead of faith).
1.    This hersy pretended to be a philosophical system of truth.
2.    It was but vain speculation without a foundation in truth and was empty of moral power for practical life.
3.    It was ritualistic in its teachings and demand: It insisted that the Colossian Christians should observe religious days and seasons, “a feat day or a new moon, or a Sabbath day” (Col. 2:16).
4.    It was ascetic:
a.    It criticized the Colossian believers about their diet, “judge you in meat, or in drink” (2:16).
b.    It drew up rigid ascetic rules: “handle not, nor taste, nor touch” (2:21).
5.    It was inspired by a lack of sympathy for bodily life (2:20-230.
6.    It was mystical: It encouraged angle worship, insisted on some self-abasement, and praised visions which were to be understood only by prolonged meditation. (2:18).
7.    It taught that God was holy but matter was evil, and between spirit and matter was a big gap.
Paul takes the terminology of the heretics to attack their teaching. He develops the doctrine of the “Cosmic Christ”. In Christ, the One Mediator, dwells all wisdom and knowledge; in His death and Resurrection, all powers of the cosmos are defeated and subjected to Him (Col. 2:3, 9, 10, 15). Any teaching that deviates from the centrality of Christ under the pretense of leading men to maturity and perfection is a perversion of the faith. 
C.   Instruction: Paul uses the latter part of the Epistle to instruct the Colossians in a well-balanced Christian life through union with Christ, the Head (Col. 3:5-4:6).
NB: The tendency of Gnostic teaching was to lead its followers either into gross immorality or into asceticism. Paul exposes the root of the error at Colossae. Since his denunciations throughout the epistle are in singular number, rather than in plural as in Galatians, it seems that the Colossian hereby originated from an authority of some single teacher.   
VII.     CHARACTERISTICS OF COLOSSIANS
A.   Contents: The outstanding characteristics of this epistle is its Christology. Its specific burden is the elaboration of the person and work of Christ as the answer to all error. The  marvelous passage in 1:15-23, which presents Christ in His threefold relation to God, creation, and the church, is the distinctive glory of this epistle among the Pauline writings; this passage present Paul’s picture of the Cosmic Christ. The Christology of the epistle is one central and unifying theme of the whole. Every part of the letter directly or indirectly contributes to this exalted theme and acknowledges Christ as “all and in all”.
Since apparently the heresy at Colossae did not claim authorization from Old Testament Scripture, no reference to the Old Testament is made in the epistle.
B.   Language and Style: In Colossians, the mind of the Apostle is seen as anxious and perturbed, struggling with great spiritual difficulties of a profound and perplexing character. Fittingly, the language is lofty and the thought movement intense.
The style is slow and laboured rather than swift. There is a fondness for long compound words, many of which occur nowhere else in Paul’s writings.
VIII.    “THE EPISTLE FROM LAODICEA”: In Colossians 4:16, Paul instructs the Colossians that they are to cause this epistle (Colossinas) to be read in the Laodicean church and that they are also to “read the epistle from Laodicea”. The language clearly implies that it was a letter from the Apostle himself. The two letters were apparently companion letters of some kind, and Paul felt that both churches would profit by the reading of both letters. This directive from the Apostle may throw some light on the question of the circulation of apostolic letters from the very beginning.
STUDY OUTLINE OF COLOSSIANS
I.            THE SALUTATION (1:1-2)
II.         PERSONAL THANKSGIVING AND PRAYER (1:3-14).
III.       DOCTRINAL: THE PRE-EMINENCE OF CHRIST (1:15-23).
A.   His Divine Person (15-180
1.    His relationship to the Father (15a).
2.    His relationship to creation (15b-1).
3.    His relationship to the Church (18).
B.   His Redemptive Work (19-23).
IV.        MINISTERIAL: THE APOSTLESHIP OF PAUL (1:24-2:7).
A.   The Ministry of Paul to the whole Church (1:24-29).
B.   The Solicitude (concern) of Paul for the Colossians (2:1-7).

V.           POLEMICAL: THE FALSE PHILOSOPHY AND THE TRUE FAITH (2:8-3:4)
A.   The warning against the false philosophy (2:8).
B.   The elaboration of the sufficiency in Christ (2:9-15).
C.   The warnings against spiritual dangers (2:16-19).
D.   The resultant exhortations (2:20-3:4).
VI.        PRACTICAL: THE CHRISTIAN LIFE (3:5-4:6)
A.   The believer’s individual life (3:5-17).
B.   The believer in social relations (3:18-4:6).
VII.     PERSONAL: THE FRIENDS OF PAUL (4:7-17)
VIII.   CONCLUSION (4:18)

PHILEMON
I.            INTRODUCTORY NOTE: While this epistle is not a strictly private letter, it is concerned with a personal problem and gives us a glimpse of the Apostle’s ability to deal with such personal affairs as they touched the lives of his converts.
II.         THE HOME OF PHILEMON: The epistle to Philemon is the only New Testament Book giving us a look at a Christian household of that time. Apparently, Philemon was a well-to-do householder. His house was spacious enough to serve as an assembly place for believers in Colossae and that he was in a position to show his benevolence to an extended circle of fellow Christians (vv. 2, ). Apphia was his wife and Archippus was his son. To this household, Onesimus belonged as a slave.
Slavery was a commonly accepted feature of that day. Because of this situation, Paul included instructions for Christian slaves as well as masters in writing to the Colossians and the Ephesians (Col. 3:22; 4:1; Eph. 6:5-9).
III.       OCCASION FOR PHILEMON: Onesimus, a salve of Philemon, had wronged, and possibly robbed his master of some money, and had fled. To evade the slave catchers, he had found his way into populous Rome where he came into contact with Paul who consequently led him to Christ (v. 10). As a new creature in Christ, Onesimus, whose name meant “Profitable” (v. 11), rendered highly appreciated service to Paul in his imprisonment (v. 13). Onesimus had repented, but he had to make restitution. Paul felt that Onesimus must return to his master in accordance with the demands of the law. 
Soon circumstances demanded that Tychicus be dispatched to Colossae with the epistle to that church; Paul used the opportunity to return Onesimus to his master with a letter of explanation incorporating a plea for Onesimus.  
IV.        PLACE, DATE AND BEARER OF PHILEMON
A.   Place: At Rome in prison (vv. 9, 10, 13).
B.   Date: A.D. 62.
C.   Bearer: Tychicus.
V.           PURPOSE OF PHILEMON: Paul wanted to express his high regard of Philemon (the master) and of Onesimus (the slave) and to persuade Philemon to receive, forgive, and reinstate Onesimus.
VI.        CHARACTERISTICS OF PHILEMON
A.   Charm: In this epistle, Paul reveals his mastery of Christian courtesy.
B.   Contents: The letter in itself is a practical commentary upon the precepts concerning the mutual relations of slaves and masters given in the contemporary epistles.
C.   Value: 1. Personal: The epistle throws light upon the character of Paul. 2. Ethical: It has a balanced sensitiveness to what is right. 3. Providential: It suggests that God is behind and above all events. 4. Practical: It applies the highest principles to the commonest affairs. 5. Evangelical: It supplies encouragement to seek and to save the lowest. 6. Social: It presents the relation of Christianity to slavery and all non-Christian institutions. 7. Spiritual: It is closely related to the Gospel story.    
VII.     SOCIAL IMPACT: The epistle greatly contributes to the indirect attack on slavery, it demonstrates that Christianity advocated the spirit of love and consideration which ultimately meant a death-knell to the institution of slavery.

STUDY OUTLINE OF PHILEMON
I.             SALUTATION (1-3).                  
II.           Thanksgiving (4-7).
III.         The Appeal (8-21).         
IV.         Conclusion (22-25).


EPHESIANS
I.            INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Ephesians is the most impersonal of all the Pauline Epistles. Because of the lofty nature of its contents, it has appropriately been called a “heavenly epistle”.
II.         THE CITY OF EPHESUS
A.   Location: On the western shores of Asia Minor, at the mouth of the River Cayster, about three hundred miles east of Corinth.
B.   Commerce: When Paul laboured in Ephesus, it was a great commercial centre of Asia Minor, ranking with Antioch and Alexandria as the three greatest trading centers of the Eastern Mediterranean.
C.   Status: Ephesus prided herself on being the commercial and religious metropolis of the Roman province of Asia. Under the Romans, Ephesus enjoyed the status of a free city. It has an assembly and council of its own and a governor (Acts 19:38). The town clerk (keeper of the city records) was an official  of great influence and responsibility (Acts 19:35).
D.   Buildings: The chief glory of Ephesus and its top attraction was its magnificent temple, dedicated to its patron goddess; by the Greeks she was called (Artermis) by the Romans, Diana. This temple was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. In the inner shrine was the image of the goddess, claimed to have treasury; it served as the bank of Asia. As seen in the case of Demetrius (Acts 19:24-28), the worship of Artemis was ultimately related to business. However, when in .A.D. 262 the temple was destroyed by the Goths, its influence has so far deteriorated that it was never rebuilt. Another architectural wonder in Ephesus was the great theatre, on the west side of Mt. Cressus. It was the largest Greek theatre in Asia Minor. North-east of the theatre was the stadium where races were run and wild beast fights were staged.
Magic” The practice of Magic was intimately related to the worship of Artemis; on the statue of the goddess were inscribed certain mystic formulae to which magic power was ascribed. This led to the manufacture of the famous “Ephesian letters”, mystical monograms, which were used as charms. Luke’s account of the Ephesian ministry (Acts 19:13-19) implies that Ephesus was preeminently a city of astrology, sorcery, incantations, amulets, exorcisms, and every form of magical imposture.
III.       THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS
A.   Origin: It is not clear when or by whom the Gospel was first brought to Ephesus. It appears that there was a group of Christians in Ephesus before Paul began his ministry there. The church, however, seems to have received its definite organizational beginnings with the ministry of Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19:9)
B.   Paul’s Work: Following his arrival in Ephesus during his third missionary journey, Paul, in accordance with his usual practice, began his ministry in the Jewish synagogue. When fierce opposition arose, he separated the disciples, organized the believers as a separate and distinct group, and began a two-years ministry centered in the lecture hall of Tyrannus (Acts 19:8-10). The gospel made devastating inroads on the worship of Artemis (Acts 19:26), and the magical arts practiced in Ephesus suffered a great reverse (Acts 19:18-19). Mounting opposition finally caused Paul to leave the city after nearly three years of ministry there (Acts 20:31).
C.   History of the Church at Ephesus: The fellowship was composed mainly of Gentile converts and some Jewish Christians. When Paul left the city, the church continued under the leadership of its own elders (Acts 20:7). After his first Roman imprisonment, Paul made another visit to Ephesus, dealt with the difficulties that had arisen in the church, and left Timothy in charge of the supervision of the work (I Tim. 1:18-20; 1:3). In the seven letters from the Risen Lord in Revelation 2 and 3, the Ephesian church was the first to be addressed (Rev. 2:1-7). It played a leading role in early ecclesiastical history. However, with the decay of the city of Ephesus, the church also declined.    
IV.        OCCASION FOR EPHESIANS: The contents of the epistle offer no indication as to the occasion of its composition. It does not appear to have been written to meet any particular crises. It is a striking contrast to Colossians, it makes no mention of any false teachers nor hints at any attacks on Paul’s Apostolic authority.
Judging from its close relation to Colossians, it appears that the conflict which caused the writing of Colossians likewise called forth this epistle. The Colossian conflict revealed to Paul the need for a fuller statement of God’s programme for the universe as it centres in Christ in His relationship to the church. The trip of Tychicus to Asia offered the immediate occasion for the fulfillment of such a need.
V.           PLACE AND DATE
A.   Place: Ephesians was written during Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome (Acts 28:30-31).
B.   Date: A.D. 62.
VI.         THE PURPOSE OF EPHESIANS: There is no indication of the purpose anywhere in the epistle. But according to its occasion and contents, the epistle seems to be an aftereffect of the conflict that occupied Paul while writing Colossians. In Ephesians, Paul sets forth God’s purpose of summing up “all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth”. (Eph. 1:10), and gives emphasis to the position of the church as the Body of Christ in the universal plan of God (3:10-11).
VII.     CHARACTERISTICS OF EPHESIANS
A.   Language: The richness of the epistle’s thought is reflected in its rich vocabulary.
B.   Contents: Ephesians is generally considered as the deepest book in the New Testament. Its vision of the purpose of God stretches from eternity to eternity. It is also by far the most difficult of all Paul’s writings.
The epistle is specially distinguished by its universalism, its theme is the church as the Body of Christ. This vital union with Christ spells out the duties of the believer. Special note must be made of the following outstanding passages in the epistle: (i) The ‘Hymn of grace’ (1:3-14); the two prayers of Paul (1:15-22; 3:14-21); The passage on the Mystery (3:2-21) and above all, the description of the Christian’s armor (6:11-17).
C.   Relation to Colossians:
1.    The presentation of Paul’s circumstances (Eph. 3:1; 4:1; Col. 4:3).
2.    The commission of Tychicus (Eph. 6:21-22; Col. 4:7-8).
3.    Both contain a number of passages identical or nearly identical in language.
4.    While Colossians reveals Paul’s spiritual conflict, Ephesians shows his tranquil, meditative and deeply reflective peace.
5.    Ephesians deals with the Body of Christ while Colossians deals with the person of Christ.
D.   Relevance: In terms of Ecumenical concerns of the twentieth-century churches, the true nature of the church in Ephesians is God’s message to contemporary believers faced with the disunity of Christendom.


STUDY OUTLINE OF EPHESIANS
I.            SALUTATION (1:1-2)
II.         DOCTRINAL: The standing of Believers in the Heavenlies (1:3-3:21).
III.       PRACTICAL: The life of Believers here on earth (4:1-6:20).
IV.        CONCLUSION: (6:21-24).

PHILIPPIANS
I.            INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: This letter is like an open window into Paul’s heart. His love and joy for his devoted and loyal Philippian friends are very clearly portrayed. Philippians is the most intimate and spontaneous of his writings.
II.         THE CITY OF PHILIPPI
A.   Location: Paul first visited it on his first missionary journey. It was a fortified city of Macedonia near the Thracian border. It stood astride the famour Roman highway, the Via Egnatia, which ran from Dyrrachium on the Adriatic Sea to the (Greek) Hellespont.
B.   History: The ancient name of the place was Crenides, “The Little Fountains” so called because of the numerous springs in the region. Philip II of Macedonia, the father of Alexander the Great, recognized the strategic importance of the place and seized the territory in order to protect Macedonia from the Thracians. In 356 B.C, the place was enlarged, fortified, and renamed Philippi by him.
C.   Population: The population was mixed: Romans, Macedonians, Orientals, and a few Jews (not enough to have a regular synagogue, but they had a “place of prayer” outside the city by the riverside).  
III.       THE CHURCH IN PHILIPPI
A.   Origin: The Church in Philippi was established as a result of the labours of Paul and his co-workers there during the second missionary journey.  The first convert in Philippi was a proselyte to Judaism, Lydia, a business woman of Thyatire (Acts 16:12-14). Her own conversion of such a household conversion led to the conversion of her whole household, the first instance of such a household conversion recorded in Acts. The opening of her home to the missionaries provided a base of operation for them and a place of assembly for the young church (Acts 16:15). The work continued for some time and converts were won. The crisis which arose, when Paul cast out the spirit of divination from the slave girl (Acts 16:16-18), helped to establish the security of the church in Philippi (Acts 16:19-39). Although the missionaries departed after the crisis, Luke apparently remained behind in Philippi to guide the affairs of the Church.
B.   Characteristics of the Philippian Church: The prominence of women in the church is noteworthy. This is in accordance with the general status of women in the province of Macedonia. As already mentioned, the first convert in Philippi was the business woman Lydia. Her own fervor and spirit of liberality seem to have diffused themselves throughout the church. In the letter to the Philippians two women, Euodia and Syntyche are mentioned as having been co-workers together with Paul (4:2). The membership of the church mainly Gentile with a few Jewish converts.
C.   Relations to Paul: The Philippian church maintained its intimate relations with their founder, Paul. Shortly after Paul left their midst, they sent a financial contribution “once and again” to him while he was labouring at Thesalonica (Phil. 4:16). A further contribution was sent to him while he was at Corinth (Phil. 4:15; Acts 18:5; II Cor. 11:9). In this matter the Philippians had a distinctive record, as Paul himself reminds them in his letter (4:15). From them he received the support that he refused to receive from the Corinthians (II Cor. 11:7-10).
D.   Subsequent History: With the letter to the Philippians that church fades from the Biblical records.
IV.        OCCASION FOR PHILIPPIANS: The immediate occasion for the writing of Philippians was the return of Epaphroditus to Philippi following his serious illness in Rome (2:25-30). The occasion couldn’t have been the information concerning the disagreement between two women in the church (4:2), since the matter was quite minor, and Paul does not ensure the church in internal factions. Even the gift from the Philippians was not the immediate occasion for the letter.
V.           PLACE, DATE AND BEARER OF PHILIPPIANS
A.   Place: According to internal evidence, Paul was a prisoner in Rome when he wrote this letter.
B.   Date: A.D.63.
C.   Bearer: The bearer of the letter is Epathroditus. He is not mentioned elsewhere beyond this epistle and must not be confused with Epaphras, the founder of the Colossian church (Col. 1:7-8; 4:12-13). Paul describes Epaphroditus as “my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need.” (2:25).
VI.        PURPOSE OF PHILIPPIANS
A.   Information: The letter was written to provide the Philippian church with official information about his circumstances. The Philippians naturally were anxious to get the latest information concerning developments in Paul’s case. He informs them of the generally satisfactory results of his imprisonment (1:12-20), and imparts the important news that the Imperial Court has actually begun to dispose of his appeal to Caesar (2:23).
B.   Affection: The letter is marked by a spontaneous outpouring of his personal regard and affection for the Philippians.
C.   Warning: His love and concern for the Philippians causes him to warn them against two dangers which he senses: The Judaisers (3:2-16) and Antinominianism (3:17-4:1).
D.   Exhortation: Paul exhorts the cultivation of the following graces in particular:
1.    To develop and uphold unity in aim and work (1:27-29).
2.    To endeavour to foster that which will promote the common good (2:2-4).
3.    To avoid any personal disagreements that have arisen (4:2-3).
4.    He also urges upon them the cultivation of humble-mindedness (2:3), a virtue commended by the example of our Lord Himself (2:5-11).
5.    He further desires that they foster the spirit of joy and thanksgiving (3:1; 4:4-9).
VII.     THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PHILIPPIANS
A.   Personal: The epistle has all the marks of a spontaneous letter to beloved friends.
B.   Joyfulness: The joyousness of this epistle is an eloquent testimony to the triumph of the Christian faith over all adversity and affliction.
IX.        Theological Importance: Philippians, like the other prison epistles, contains a profound Christological passage (2:5-11). In summary form, it presents the pre-existence, incarnation, and exaltation of Jesus Christ. However, this passage was written with an ethical rather than a doctrinal purpose, and it was intended to enforce the practical Christian virtue of humility in the interest of ecclesiastical unity.
STUDY OUTLINE OF PHILIPPIANS
I.             SALUTATION (1:1-2)
II.           PAUL’S RELATIONS TO THE PHILIPPIANS (1:3-110.
III.         PAUL’S ACCOUNT OF HIS CIRCUMSTANCES (1:12-26).
IV.         PAUL’S PRACTICAL APPEALS TO THE PHILIPPIANS (1:27-2:18).
V.           PAUL’S PLANS FOR HIS COMPANIONS (2:19-30).
VI.         PAUL’S WARNINGS AGAINST ERRORS (3:1-4:1).
VII.       PAUL’S EXHORTATIONS TO THE PHILIPPIANS (4:2-9).
VIII.     PAUL’S THANKSGIVING TO THE PHILIPPIANS (4:10-20)
IX.         CONCLUSION (4:21-23).



ECCLESIOLOGICAL GROUP
(CHURCH OF CHRIST)
I TIMOTHY
I.            INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Timothy was one of Paul’s most devoted and constant companions. His name is connected with all four groups among the Pauline epistles, the only companion so honoured.
II.         ABOUT TIMOTHY HIMSELF:
A.   Ancestry: Timothy was a native, at least a resident of Lystra (Acts 16:1-3). He was the son a Greek father (Acts 16:1), apparently dead at the time of the story in Acts, and a Jewish mother, Eunice by name (II Tim. 1:5). His name which means “honouring God” or “honoured by God” was apparently given him by his pious mother in the hope that he would exemplify it in later life. From a youth up, he had received careful instruction in the Hebrew Scriptures from his loving mother and pious grandmother (II Tim. 1:5; 3:15)., and he also inherited their earnest faith.
B.   Conversion: Timothy was apparently one of Paul’s personal converts, won while Paul was at Lystra on the first missionary journey. (Acts 14:8-20).
C.   Call: When Paul revisited Lystra on the second journey, Timothy was already an active Christian approved and generally praised by the brethren in Lystra and Iconium (Acts 16:2). Paul was attracted to this young worker and decided to take him among as his assistant on his journeys. Timothy and his mother agreed. In order to remove any hindrances to Timothy’s usefulness as a worker in evangelization among the Jews, Paul took him and circumcised him as a matter of concession to Jewish prejudices (Acts 16:4). Before beginning the new life of traveling with Paul, Timothy was ordained to the ministry by the presbytery, Paul himself participating in it (I Tim. 4:14; II Tim. 1:6).
D.   Work: Timothy became one of the most constant companions of the Apostle. He was with Paul at Troas when the Macedonian call was received and was in the group which began work at Philippi (see also Acts 19:22; Acts 20:3-4; and I Tim. 1:3).
E.   Character: Timothy had an attractive character, with a tender and affectionate disposition, faithful and loyal to Paul.       
III.       OCCASION FOR I TIMOTHY: Upon his release from his first Roman imprisonment, Paul had found that Ephesus was the storm centre of false teaching. He dealt with the leaders of the trouble (1:19-20), but, anticipating further trouble (6:3-5), he left Timothy in charge of the situation when he went to Macedonia (1:3). Feeling that Timothy would need encouragement and authorization to proceed with the difficult task entrusted to him, Paul wrote him this letter. (N.B. Timothy was not the pastor, because the Ephesian church was under the leadership of its own Elders).
IV.        PLACE AND DATE: Written from Macedonia, (probably at Philippi) in A.D. 63.
V.           PURPOSE OF I TIMOTHY
A.   Personal: To aid Timothy in his difficult task of dealing with the heretical teachers at Ephesus (4:11-13; 4:6-16).
B.   Ecclesiastical: To give Timothy instructions on how to deal with the false teachers (Gnostic Judaists) (1:7-11).
VI.         CHARACTERISTICS OF I TIMOTHY: This epistle is more than a personal letter like Philemon. It is the most ‘pastoral’ of the three epistles in this group.
VII.     CONTENTS OF I TIMOTHY: A pure Gospel; a worthy worship; a faithful ministry.

STUDY OUTLINE OF I TIMOTHY

I.             SALUTATION (1:1-2)
II.           THE CHARGE TO TIMOTHY CONCERNING FALSE TEACHERS (1:3-20).
III.         THE INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING CHURCH ORDER (2:1-3:16).
IV.         ADVICE TO TIMOTHY IN VIEW OF THE CHARGE (4:1-6:2).
V.           THE CONCLUDING WARNING AND EXHORTATIONS TO TIMOTHY (6:3-21a).
VI.         THE BENEDICTION (6:21b).




II TIMOTHY
I.            INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: In II Timothy, we have Paul’s final moving words as he faces death unafraid. It is the dying appeal of the Apostle to his young associate, exhorting him to steadfastness in the ministry in the face of appalling difficulties. It is the most personal of the Pastoral Epistles.
II.         HISTORICAL SITUATION IN II TIMOTHY: When II Timothy was written, Paul again was a prisoner. The reference to his circumstances in the epistle make it evident that it cannot belong to the imprisonment mentioned in Acts 28. The circumstances of this imprisonment are quite different from conditions during the Acts imprisonment. At that time he was treated with considerable leniency by the Roman government, being permitted to live “in his own hired dwelling” (acts 28:30); now he is kept in close confinement and regarded as a “malefactor” (II Tim. 1:16; 2:9). Then he was accessible to all who wished to see him (acts 28:30); now even Onesphorus could find him only after diligent search and at personal risk (II Tim. I:16-17). 
After the burning of Rome (July 19, A.D. 64), Nero propagated the calumny that the Christians were the criminals and issued an edict that they should be arrested and punished. Many Christians perished in the savage persecution that followed.
Because it had become a dangerous thing openly to profess Christianity or to befriend its outstanding leader, many of Paul’s former friends had evaded all contact with him. This is evident in Paul’s statement that “all that are in Asia turned away from me” (II Tim. 1:15). Having no one to plead his cause, Paul took up his own defense very successfully; he was remanded in prison and the case adjourned for further study by the court (II Tim. 4:17). Under these conditions he wrote II Timothy.
III.        OCCASION FOR II TIMOTHY
A.   Timothy’s Need: The epistle was largely prompted by the Apostle’s fatherly concern for young Timothy to encourage him and keep him steadfast in that dark hour of Paul’s impending death.
B.   Paul’s Yearning: From Paul’s own standpoint, the letter was prompted by his deep sense of loneliness. His heart craved for human sympathy and understanding love as he anticipated the hour of his martyrdom.
IV.        PLACE, DATE AND BEARER OF II TIMOTHY: The Epistle was written in Rome during Paul’s second imprisonment, in the year A.D. 66. The bearer is most probably Tychicus.
V.           PURPOSE OF II TIMOTHY
A.   Encouragement: Paul wanted to encourage, instruct and strengthen Timothy in his ministry. He urges him to suffer hardships “as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2:3).
B.   Summons: He also wanted to summon Timothy to Rome as soon as possible (4:9, 12a).
C.   Testimony: The epistle gave Paul an opportunity to record his own testimony.  
VI.        CHARACTERISTICS OF II TIMOTHY
A.   Last Words: II Timothy comprises the last words of a great man of God, Paul; it records his dying testimony and advice.
B.   General Contents: II Timothy is definitely a personal appeal to Timothy himself in view of the appalling conditions confronting him.
C.   Prophecies: The epistle contains two definite prophetic utterances concerning the coming apostasy (3:1-6, 4:3-4).
D.   Important Passages: (i) Inspiration and function of Scripture (3:16-17) (ii) Admonition to study (2:15). (iii) The firm foundation of God (2:19). (iv) Sevenfold picture of a believer (2:1-24). (v) Reference to different “lovers” (3:2-4).

STUDY OUTLINE OF II TIMOTHY
I.             INTRODUCTION (1:1-5).
II.           EXHORTATIONS TO STEADFASTNESS IN THE MINISTRY (1:6-2:13).
III.         EXHORTATIONS TO DOCTRINAL SOUNDNESS (2:14-4:8).
IV.         CONCLUSION (4:9-22).





TITUS

I.            INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: It is a testimony to Paul’s practical wisdom and foresight that he drew into association with himself such young men as Titus and Timothy in the work of the Gospel.
II.         ABOUT TITUS HIMSELF
A.   Background: Titus was a Greek by nationality (Gal. 2:3). His home was in Syrian Antioch and he accompanied Paul to the Jerusalem Conference.
B.   Work: It is at Ephesus that we first hear of Titus as one of Paul’s assistants. He comes into the picture by his work at Corinth where he was sent by Paul on three different occasions (II Cor. 8:6, 10, 16-24).
C.   Character: From the difficulty of the tasks which Paul assigned to Titus, it is evident that Titus was a most capable man, tactful, resourceful and skillful in the handling of men and dealing with affairs. He was a man of strong affection, and devout enthusiasm.
III.       THE CHURCHES ON CRETE
A.   Location: When Paul wrote to him, Titus was working with the Churches on Crete, an important island in the Mediterranean. The inhabitants of Crete had an evil reputation (Titus 1:12-13). Their falsehood was proverbial. The expression “to Cretise” was synonymous with “to lie” and “to play the Cretan meant, “to out-trick a trickster”. Their morals were low.
B.   Origin: There is no available record of how Christianity first came to Crete. It is possible that some of the Cretans who were present in Jerusalem on Pentecost and were converted (Acts 2:11) brought the Gospel back to Crete, but there is no record of that.
C.   Conditions: The emphasis upon worthy Christian conduct in the epistle implies that moral conditions in the churches were not what might be desired. The standard of morality among the Cretans in general had doubtlessly had its adverse influence on the lives of the believers. Standards of morality consistent with the Christian faith needed to be stressed. In the inadequately organized condition, the Cretan churches were plagued with the presence of false teachers (1:10, 14, 16).
IV.        OCCASION FOR TITUS: The immediate occasion for the writing of Titus seems to have been the forthcoming visit of Apollos and Zenas to Crete (3:13). Paul took the opportunity thus accorded him to write to Titus. Because of the difficult conditions on Crete, Titus would need the encouragement and authorization the letter would give him.
V.           THE PURPOSE OF TITUS
A.   Authorization: For Titus’ work on Crete (2:15b).
B.   Instruction to Titus concerning his work in the churches (1:6-9, 10-16, 2:1-10, 11-14; 3:1-8).
C.   Information to Titus concerning Zenas and Apollos (3:13). 

VI.        CHARACTERISTICS OF TITUS:
A.   The celebration of the grace of God (2:11-14),
B.   In the past, present and the future.
C.   The positive and the negative view of Christian life (2:12).
D.   Concentrated summary of Pauline doctrine (3:4-7).

STUDY OUTLINE OF TITUS
I.             SALUTATION (1:1-4)
II.           CONCERNING ELDERS AND ERRORISTS IN CRETE (1:5-16).
III.         CONCERNING THE NATURAL GROUPS IN THE CONGREGATIONS (2:1-15).
IV.         CONCERNING BELIEVERS AMONG MEN GENERALLY (3:1-11).
V.           CONCLUSION (3:12-15).



4 comments:

  1. God bless you sir. This is one the best exposition on Pauline Epistles I've stumbled on. More grace sir.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Really appreciate your work Prof. More of God's grace..

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  3. This is really a great piece of work and I really appreciate it. God bless you Sir.

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  4. I found it so important material in teaching this course. I would like to thank you very much for your impressive works.

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