2 Thessalonians

This second letter to the church of Thessalonica was sent a relatively short period of time after the first.  Paul writes the letter to comfort and reassure the believers in Thessalonica concerning the second coming of Christ.  It seems that someone has tried to deceived them about the day of the Lord, saying that it has already come (2:2), so Paul provides truth about the day that is still yet to come and encourages them to continue living life and working hard.

"Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.  This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering" 

-2 Thessalonians 1:4-5

OBSERVATIONS

What is the evidence of God’s righteous judgment?

Their steadfastness and faith in persecutions.

What is the surrounding context?

The main idea is that persecution is not in vain and God will bring justice/vengeance.

INTERPRETATION

What is meant by the judgment of God?

God’s decision to allow persecution to happen with the intention of repaying affliction to those afflicting.

How does their steadfastness and faith prove that God’s decision to allow persecution is good and right?

It brings God glory, encourages other believers, proves that the gospel is more powerful than anything man can do, and it’s a testimony to how much the afflicted cares for God.  It strengthens the church.

TIMELESS TRUTH

We should not fear persecution for God can use it with great power to strengthen his kingdom.

1 Thessalonians

This letter was written by Paul to the church in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey, while he was in Corinth, between 49 and 52AD.  Paul had founded the church in Thesslonica not long before he had written this letter.  He had been in Thessalonica about three weeks (Acts 17:2) before being chased out of town (Acts 17:5,10).  Despite the persecutions that the believers were facing in Thessalonica, they received the gospel in word, in power in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction (1:5,6).  The church quickly became an example for believers elsewhere (1:7).  Paul really had a heart for the people in this church (2:9).

"And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit"- 1 Thessalonians 1:6

OBSERVATION

What happens amidst affliction?

Thessalonians received the word with joy in the Holy Spirit, as it came to them in power, in word, in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

INTERPRETATION

How would this encourage Paul?

It would be a good reminder that God works despite, through, and around persecutions.  Also, as he faces much of this throughout his life, it would be nice to know that he is not alone, a reminder that he is not the only one suffering for God, and that the gospel is so powerful that even those who have only just received it believe it worth suffering for.

TIMELESS TRUTH 

The gospel is more powerful than anything man can do and is worth suffering for.

Romans

This letter was written from Paul to the Roman church in 57AD.  He had not yet been to Rome. He did, however, know a few of the Christians in churches in Rome (Chapter 16).  The Roman church had likely come about from Jews who had been present in Jerusalem during Pentecost that brought back the good news.  So in the beginning, it’s likely that the churches were predominantly Jewish.  When Claudius Caesar expelled the Jews from Rome in 49AD, the Jewish believers were forced to leave, and by the time they came back in 54AD, they found that the Gentile believers had taken their positions of authority and had different ideas of the right way to worship, when to worship or what to eat.  Disagreements and disunity were prevalent and overpowering.  It was for this reason that Paul wrote the letter.  When he wrote it he was planning on going to visit the Romans on his way to Spain (15:28) but knew that he was going to be facing persecution in Jerusalem in the mean time (15:30-31).

"Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness."- Romans 6:13

OBSERVATION

What is being personified?

Sin.

How?

Paul is commanding the Romans not to set their members before sin as an instrument for unrighteousness.

INTERPRETATION

How does the personification enhance what Paul is saying?

It makes sin sound even more powerful and it emphasizes the fact that it is something that you choose to follow, something that you submit yourself to.  You either follow sin or you follow God.

TIMELESS TRUTH

You cannot choose both God and sin. 

2 Corinthians

This letter was written by Paul and Timothy while they were in Macedonia in 55AD to the church in Corinth.  By this time, Paul has had a lot of interactions with the Corinthian church.

The letter generally holds a defense of Paul’s ministry.  This was prompted by the appearance of super apostles in Corinth. The super apostles are people who claim to be apostles and servants of Christ, but they are preaching a different gospel (likely surrounding Moses).  They speak with lofty words and are everything that a Greek culture is looking for in a leader (they accept money, are likely physically appealing, exalt themselves, boast in visions).  Their presence is causing the Corinthians to question Paul’s authority and lead them away from their devotion to Christ.  Ultimately, they are making slaves of the Corinthians and taking advantage of them.  

"Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs."-2 Corinthians 2:10-11

OBSERVATION

What is connected?

Not being outwitted by Satan because they are not ignorant of his designs.

What does the connective refer back to?

What Paul has forgiven (the same person the original readers have forgiven) has been for the sake of the Corinthians in the presence of Christ.

INTERPRETATION

Considering the context of Paul and the original reader's forgiveness, what do Paul’s connectives imply are Satan’s designs?

Unforgiveness. (bitterness, disunity etc.)

Why does Paul connect his choice to forgive with he and the original readers not being outwitted by Satan? Why not simply say that he forgives?

Paul may want to emphasize that choosing unforgiveness is a really stupid thing to do.  Outwitted in Greek means “to be taken advantage of or defrauded” in this case, by Satan.

So to choose not to forgive is a choice to be defrauded and defeated by Satan.

TIMELESS TRUTH

Unforgiveness is a harmful choice that we make to be defeated and defrauded by our enemy Satan.

1 Corinthians

This letter was written from Paul and Sosthenes in Ephesus between 53 and 55AD to the church in Corinth.  The church had been started up in the last five years and was having problems with allowing their old worldviews to permeate, and really infect, their faith. 

The city of Corinth in the first century AD was a recently re-founded Roman colony that, in large part because of its location (which made it an ideal stop on many well-used trade routes) quickly rose to prominence as the third most important city in the Roman Empire.  Because of the inevitable mesh of cultures (as it was visited by every nation in the civilized world) and the sheer number of people who traveled through there, it quickly became a city directed toward wealth and prosperity.  For Paul, this city was seen as an opportunity to spread the gospel to places where it could be heard by people from places that he would never have the opportunity to go.  That is likely why he stayed in this city with an overwhelming mix of cultures and worldviews and languages with a distinct reputation for wealth and commerce as well as sexual immorality for so long (over a year and a half (Acts 18:11)).  Corinth’s reputation was known around the empire for it’s complete lack of morals in regards to drinking and debauchery and its widely accepted unrestrained sexual license.  It's culture was heavily influenced by Greek culture, which meant that there were philosophers who would travel around from city to city speaking eloquently to draw in followers and students who they would charge to teach.

"For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power."-1 Corinthians 1:17

OBSERVATION:

How did Paul preach the gospel?

Not with words of eloquent wisdom.

For what reason did he avoid words of eloquent wisdom?

If he had preached with eloquent wisdom, the cross would have been emptied of its power.

INTERPRETATION:

What is Paul implying about eloquent wisdom?

It can’t be trusted.  When one hears eloquence and fancy speech, that is all there is, there is nothing behind it, nothing to it.  In order for something to be powerful, the thing itself must be powerful.

What does this implication tell the Corinthians about their society?

Those who have put their faith in the philosophers-that come and sound educated and charge money to teach others to think big thoughts and speak well-have put their faith in nothing.

How does this prime Paul for the rest of this letter?

He spends much time trying to make the Corinthians aware of the way that the views they held in their pre-Christian lives are impacting the way they are living now.  If he can at least discredit the philosophers, a very valued and respected part of their society, they can begin to think about how they need to begin tearing down their old thinking and replacing it with wisdom from God and with the truth of the gospel, which has power in itself.

TIMELESS TRUTH:

As Christians, we need to be sure that the views that we hold and the way that we live are consistent with the gospel, and biblical truth, rather than what is valued in our society or the things we’ve learned from the world through our upbringing. 

Ephesians

This letter was written by Paul during the time he was in Ephesus (54-57AD) to the churches that were being established around Asia.  Ephesus was an extremely influential city, being a port city and hub of spiritual activity.  As the gospel went out to all of Asia during the time when Paul resided in Ephesus (Acts 19:10), we can guess that there were new believers and new churches all over Asia who had been recipients of influence from this demonic worship-oriented city.  This letter was written to those churches.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus"- Ephesians 2:4-6

OBSERVATION:

What did God do because of his great love for us?

He made us alive together with Christ, and seated us with him in the heavenly places.

INTERPRETATION:

How would this be encouraging for the original reader, who has neighbors worshiping evil spirits and (in many cases) turn against the Christians because of their unwillingness to practice the cultural norms of worshiping the Greek gods and participating in cults?

It would be so encouraging!  They know that God has given them more power than all other forces and spirits, so they have nothing to fear.

TIMELESS TRUTH:

We should not be afraid!  We are seated with Christ above all other powers. :)