1 Timothy

This letter was written from Paul to Timothy during his fourth missionary journey, between 62 and 66AD.  Paul had previously left Timothy in Ephesus (1:3), and although they have been doing ministry together for at least 10 years (beginning in Acts 16:1), Timothy is struggling in his ministry at Ephesus.  The church is overridden with false teachings- primarily of the sort that women are overpowering men and claiming authorship over them, and dominating the church, as was a popular trend in Ephesian religions at that time.

Ephesus was more or less the gateway between Asia and Macedonia and Greece at this time, and was the fourth largest city in the Roman Empire.  Because of its location, it received overwhelming amounts of influence from both Greek and Asian culture, and was stuffed full of mystery religions.  The worship of Artemis, the goddess of fertility and the Ephesians, was one of many elements that led to the view of women having religious superiority and therefore dominance.

Paul is writing to Timothy to encourage him to remove the false teachings from the church, live a godly life as an example, and to remind him of his calling and what is good.  In the letter he switches back and forth between commands specific for Timothy, and more general commands for the church at large.

"Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled."- 1 Timothy 6:1

OBSERVATION
What is being connected?

Name of God and teaching not being reviled. 
What does the connective refer back to?

Servants regarding their masters as worthy of all honor.

INTERPRETATION
What does this imply about how outsiders view a believer’s faith?

It is judged by how they act.  If, in this case, a servant treats his master honorably and respectably, the master will see that and not revile the name of God, but the reverse is also true.

TIMELESS TRUTH

The way we act as Christians determine how outsiders view God.

James

James, the brother of Jesus, wrote this letter to the early Jewish believers between 40 and 49 AD (BRI).  He was a major leader in the church in Jerusalem (class handout), and therefore well known amongst the believing Jewish population.  The “twelve tribes in the Dispersion” are believing Jews around Jerusalem who are facing various levels of persecution.  They are struggling to live out their faith, to speak honorably, with holding onto worldly desires, and quarrelling with one another.  James writes to address these issues and strongly admonish them, commanding that they change their ways.

"And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?" -James 2:25

OBSERVATION

What example does James give of someone who is justified by works? 

Rahab, by receiving messengers and sending them out another way.

INTERPRETATION

Are there examples in the NT of people proving their faith by works?

Mark 9:41 and Matthew 10:42 say whoever gives a cup of water to someone because they belong to Christ will not lose his reward. It is unspoken yet true that supporting someone because they are a believer proves that individual is also a believer, because they care about what they are living for.  In each case it is what the person has done that proves their beliefs.

TIMELESS TRUTH 

Faith is proven through works.

Hebrews

While conjecture is involved in determining the authorship and original readership of the letter to the Hebrews, I have presumed it to be written by Barnabas to Roman Jewish Christians.  It was written c. 64-68AD when Nero was emperor.  Nero was an extreme mad-man.  During his reign, a great fire in Rome in 64AD destroyed much of the city.  While it is widely believed that Nero started the fire for his own amusement, he accused the Christians, conducted mass arrests, and had many burnt alive.  The Roman public had already been suspicious of Christian morals, and Nero's organized persecution resulted in a legal precedent enabling the pursuit of Christian persecution.  Thus, the Jewish Christians in Rome had the tempting option of returning to their Jewish roots to escape this persecution.  If salvation could be found in following the Law, why not return to it?  The author saw the Jewish Christians' great need for encouragement to remain steadfast in Christ alone (Stephanie Armbruster, 2010).

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." -Hebrews 4:16

OBSERVATION

What should lead the original reader to have confidence?

Christ has been tempted as they have, yet is without sin, and he is their high priest.

What should they do with that confidence?

They should draw near to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

INTERPRETATION

Why would this be a shocking suggestion to the original reader?

They are Jewish, and drawing near to the throne of grace used to only happen once a year by the high priest, and he would need to purify himself first, and then (just in case he was somehow unclean in a way the people did not know about) they died a rope around his ankles so that, if he dropped dead, they would be able to pull him out.

What does this tell the original reader of Jesus’ power? 

That it is mighty enough to negate the need for all of that hullabaloo in order to approach God.  They can approach God with confidence now, because of Christ and what he has done.

TIMELESS TRUTH 

We can come before God with confidence to receive mercy and grace because of what Christ has done.

Colossians

This letter was written from Paul and Timothy to the church in Colossae during Paul’s imprisonment in Rome in 60-62AD.  At the time, there was a heresy prevalent in Colossae that was a mixture of Jewish tradition, Greek culture, and mystery cults that led people to asceticism (starvation, dehydration, self-flagellation etc.) to the point of hallucinations (which they called visions) that would supposedly enlighten them, and they believed were brought by angels.

This church was not planted by Paul, but Epaphras (1:5-7) between 53 and 55AD, the beginning of Paul’s third missionary journey (Acts 19:10).  The Jews who lived in Colossae had largely been there since the Babylonian exile, and so had much time to allow their Jewish traditions to be saturated with the culture surrounding them, and (as was popular around this specific time) mystery cults.  The main industry of the area was wool fabric production, and it was also on a major trade route.

The big problems that stemmed from the aforementioned heresy were pride and fear; pride, on the part of those who experienced a “vision” and fear of judgment/inferiority/insufficiency for those who had not.  Paul addresses all of these things by teaching them that Christ is enough.

"And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."- Colossians 1:9-10

OBSERVATION

For what reason does Paul pray that the Colossians will be filled with the knowledge of God’s will?

So that they will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in knowledge of God.

INTERPRETATION
What else is the idea of increasing in the knowledge of God tied to throughout the book?
"That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ"
-Colossians 2:2

Unity-being knit together in love

What does that unity lead to?

The knowledge of God’s mystery-Christ.

TIMELESS TRUTH 

Unity leads to knowledge of God which should lead us to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, which leads to more knowledge of God and the cycle continues.