Mark

Mark, who had been the interpreter of the Apostle Peter (Geulich), was the author of the Gospel of Mark.  He wrote it between 64A.D. and 67A.D. while he was in Rome, to his fellow believers in Rome.  The letter, however, would have been copied and distributed to other churches, as it was the first written account of Jesus’ life and teachings.  Mark himself did not know Jesus, but as he was close with Peter, had the opportunity to hear all about his ministry from one of his closest disciples.  (Hence the inclusion of stories that only the three disciples closest to Jesus would have known about. i.e. the Transfiguration 9:2-13). 

The initial recipients of this letter in Rome were facing harsh persecution under Nero’s rule- and harsh is an understatement.  They were being torn to pieces by lions and burned alive, used as human torches(Tacitus). Nero had blamed them for a fire in Rome in 64A.D. that had destroyed 7 of the 10 existing districts.  (An accusation which has been declared false by most historians today.)  And was now persecuting them relentlessly as punishment.  Rulers in Rome were often power-hungry, egotistical dictators who were received as gods, but Nero topped them all as a savage, homicidal tyrant. His rule extended from 54 A.D. until his death in 68 A.D. (Adams).

Geulich, Dict. Of Jesus, 514; quote from New Bible Dict. 728

Tacitus, Cornelius, Annals XV, 44

Adams, Tim.  Class lecture, October 16, 2012.

OBSERVATION

Theme (1:41) How Jesus cares for individuals

What happened?

Jesus touched a leper.

How does Jesus feel about the man?  He has pity on him.

What else does Jesus do?

Heals him.

INTERPRETATION

What did it mean to touch a leper in that day?

It made you unclean.  It was taboo. No one did it.

What statement is Jesus making by not only touching the leper, but healing him? 

In both actions he shows how much he cares for the man.  He’s willing to cross societal boundaries, even break traditions to display his love for him.

APPLICATION

Timeless Truth?

As Christ’s representatives in the world, we ought to be willing to go against societal expectations if it means that we can better show our love for others.  Also, actions can speak more powerfully than words, and they are what truly prove your feelings/beliefs. 

Galatians

Paul is writing this letter to the churches in Galatia (1:1-2) while he is in Antioch, before the Jerusalem Council has occurred (a council at which they debated the way we achieve salvation). He had planted the churches during his first missionary journey, and now he is frustrated and perplexed at how the people of the churches in Galatia are being so easily swayed toward a gospel that differs from the one he preached to them (1:6).  During this time, there is a lot of serious debate surrounding the question of whether or not circumcision is required for Gentiles.  So it makes sense that Paul is as emphatic and straightforward as he is during this letter, because he doesn’t want the Galatians to be confused.  He wants to be clear that the gospel he has been preaching is from God (1:1) and that it completely negates the necessity to adhere to the Jewish laws (2:16), especially circumcision (5:2).

"But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles" 1:15-16.

OBSERVATION:

What does Paul say about grace?

God called him by his grace and set him apart before he was born.  It also pleased God to reveal Jesus to Paul.

What was Paul like before he experienced God's grace?

He was a persecutor of the church and tried to destroy it.  He was a zealous Jew (1:13-14).

INTERPRETATION:

What does grace mean?

The Complete Word Study of the New Testament defines grace as a favor done without expectation of return.  Or unearned favor.

How did Paul experience unearned favor?

In being called out of his former life of enslavement and destruction by Christ Jesus himself-receiving complete forgiveness and being called to be a warrior and a pioneer for God's kingdom.  Salvation was something that came to Paul entirely by God's initiative, not his own.

APPLICATION:

Is there a timeless truth?

Salvation comes to us by God's initiative, not ours.

Also, each book we come up with a creative application to express one of the timeless truths that we have found from our studies.  This week I made a video.  It's short.  And awesome.

Titus

Paul wrote this book to Titus (1:1-4) during his fourth missionary journey while he was in Corinth .  At this time, Titus was in Crete, as Paul had left him there to set the churches on the island in order and appoint elders to each of them (1:5).  Crete, at that time, had a terrible reputation for drunkenness, insolence, untrustworthiness, lying, and gluttony (Barclay).  “One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’” (1:12) Paul emphasizes the importance of rebuking those who contradict sound doctrine (1:9).  This was especially important because of the existence of the Circumcision Party (1:10).  The circumcision party was made of Jews who taught that salvation was not through faith alone, but also through obeying the law (i.e. being circumcised). Paul also outlines what it ought to look like for different groups of people in the church to live out that sound doctrine (Chapter 2). He has to do this because the church has people who devote themselves to Jewish myths (1:14), and they deny God by their works (1:16).  He warns against following those with false teaching and falling into the sinful world that they are very much in the middle of (1:10-14). 

William Barclay, “The Letters to Timothy, Titus and Philemon” (Westminster John Knox Press, Kentucky), 1975 Page 242-243

So, as was true last week, we studied a LOT in class, but I am only going to draw out one aspect of one small portion of the book for you.

I'm going to focus on what Paul says in the first couple verses of the book, "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ... in hope of eternal life".  There is more in there, but I am focusing on the fact that Paul is a servant in the hope of eternal life.

OBSERVATION

Connective-“in hope of eternal life” (1:2)

What 2 ideas are being connected?

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, is connected to the hope of eternal life.

INTERPRETATION

How does having hope in eternal life affect Paul’s service to God and apostleship?

His hope in eternal life is the reason he is a servant of God.

This can be encouraging to Titus, to be reminded that, although he may be in the midst of opposition or difficult circumstances, there is a reason he’s doing this.

APPLICATION

What is the timeless truth?

Especially when we are discouraged in our ministries (but really at all times) we ought to keep in mind the reason why we have hope and are doing these things.  Christians need to live with an eternal perspective.  We are looking forward to heaven!

In light of a question I received, I would like to make some additional comments.
Here was the question:
Is our hope of heaven the only reason we serve the one true God?  Would we do it even if there was no hope of heaven?  What if this was all there was?  Would loving God be enough just because of who he is?

I asked around the YWAM base and here are some general thoughts:
-In John 17:3 it says, "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent."  From this, it seems like eternal life is not only living on and on forever, but it is relationship with God.  Seeing as that is the reason we were created, to be in relationship with God, if there were no eternal life as it is defined here, there would be no reason to pursue/follow God.
-The idea of having an eternal perspective does not only apply to our own lives, but also in our interactions with others.  If we truly love others, we should be trying to bring them into a relationship with God, into eternal life as well. (not so much a thought on this question as a thought about the idea of having an eternal perspective)
-If this life was all that there was, but we could still have a relationship with God during this time, some say that it would be worth it for the peace that they feel living at the center of God's will, for the miracles that they see God bringing forth, and for the encouragement and excitement of having the Holy Spirit dwell within them.
-Others say that they would not, because without the hope of eternal life, temporary pleasure would take precedence, and they would probably follow the ways of the world.

So I guess, ultimately it's a matter of opinion.

Philemon

So for this book we went through the four steps  (Observation>Historical Background>Interpretation>Application) for over 20 things in throughout the scripture, but I'm just going to flesh out for you the one that interested me the most.

I recommend you read through the book once before reading on.  It's only 25 verses, but everything will make a little more sense if you have the context.

GENERAL IDEA+some HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
So after reading through it, you can see that the letter is an appeal to Philemon from the Apostle Paul to accept back his slave Onesimus.  Onesimus had run away from Philemon (in Colossae) to Rome (where the majority of the population was made up of slaves or former slaves) and had met Paul while he was in prison there.  He had become a Christian through his relationship with Paul, who was now sending him back to Philemon, who was also a Christian.  Paul is asking Philemon to receive Onesimus back in love, as a brother, with no debt owed while the cultural standard said that Onesimus is Philemon's property and therefore he could do with him whatever he saw fit- which oftentimes in this situation was crucifixion.

OBSERVATION:
So we observed the repeated theme of close relationships...
Paul calls Timothy a brother (verse 1)
Philemon a beloved fellow worker (verse 1) and his brother (verse 7, 20)
Apphia a sister (verse 2)
Archippus a fellow soldier (verse 2)
Onesimus his child (verse 10) and his very heart (verse 12)
and calls Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke his fellow workers (verse 23)

INTERPRETATION:
Why would Paul repeat this idea so often, and use it to refer to so many different people?
To communicate that when people receive Christ, they become a part of the same family.  They are closely connected to one another, no matter what their previous background.
Why might Philemon need to be reminded of this?
Culture would tell him that Onesimus is his property and he can do what he wants with him, but as a believer he ought to treat him as a brother.

APPLICATION:
Are there any timeless truths that we can take from this?
Yes, as Christians we ought to see all other Christians as family-regardless of social standing, race, gender, denomination, or how our culture tells us to receive them.
This whole point of this letter is a call to reconciliation of a broken relationship and forgiveness. We can definitely apply these principles in our lives today.

Side note: In Acts 15:37-40, at the beginning of Paul's second missionary journey, we see that Mark and Paul parted ways over a sharp disagreement.  This letter is written after Paul's third missionary journey, so just the fact Mark is included in the list of people who sends greetings at the end of this letter proves that Paul has reconciled a broken relationship with another Christian-that he's willing to practice what he preaches.