The New Testament in 90 Days

Today we have another short, personal letter:  Paul's letter to a man named Philemon. What I love about this letter is that, just like all good personal letters, we don't know exactly what i going on, because we only have one side of the conversation.  But we know that Paul's letter to Philemon has to do with one of Philemon's slaves, Onesimus.  Onesimus may have run away, or Philemon himself may have sent him to Paul.  But now Paul has met him, and he is sending him back to Philemon.  In the meantime, Onesimus has become a believer, and when Paul sends him back to his master, he asks him to consider Onesimus not simply as a slave but as a brother in Christ. Because of the delicacy of Paul's words (and the fact that it is only one side of the conversation), it's not clear whether he is trying to convince Philemon to set Onesimus free, or simply to treat him more fairly. And of course there's more going on, but this very short letter is a window not jus...

Titus and the next letter we will read are similar in some ways, and very different in some others.  Titus is a church letter.  Philemon may also have been, but that's not why Paul is writing to him.  Paul is writing to Titus in his role as a leader of a church. The letter to Titus does not seem as personal.  It is concerned with church order and everyone's behavior.  Paul does not want the congregation members to give offense in the community, so advices master and slaves, older men and older women, and advises the congregation members to live in peace in the community as well.  Paul seems to be concerned that no one make waves -- he doesn't seem like the same person who once healed a slave girl who was possessed by a demon, because she was following them around and shouting.  He doesn't seem like the same person who made waves everywhere he went, until people say, "These people who have turned the world upside down have come here also!" But somet...

At least, that's what I hear when I read this second letter he writes to young Timothy, his son in the faith. There's a sort of passing-the-baton going on here, with Paul giving advice to Timothy, and warning him about what and who to watch out for.  There's a little world-weariness (everyone who wants to live a holy life is going to be harassed, Paul says).  There is some sadness, as Paul lists off people who have deserted either him or the faith, or both. Getting old is not for sissies. Usually, when I say this I mean it's because of health issues, or because people who get old have to watch their friends die.  But in this case, Paul is getting older, and looking back and even though he can look back to all of the good things he's done, and his accomplishments, he also gets to look back and see the things that are not going well right now, too.  He sees those who used to be fervent in the faith, and now have cooled off.  he sees people who were well-thou...

That is what Paul is concerned about, and wants Timothy to know:  sound doctrine, and sound conduct.  There will be those who will be led astray by other teachers, tempted by demons, Paul says.  He specifically refers to sects that prohibit marriage (ascetics) and who forbid certain kinds of foods, and practice all kinds of self-denial.  So the sound teaching is that all things were created good and are to be used with thanksgiving to God. As for sound conduct, Paul is very concerned that Timothy's church live in such a way that they don't give offense to the culture that surrounds them.  So there's this extended conversation about widows, and who should be provided for, and who should not.  (I have to ask, though:  why are there so many widows, both young and old?) Paul is also concerned about the reputations of leaders, and what makes a good leader.  (This is a concern contemporary for us as well.  There are leaders who lead their flock...

Up until now, Paul's letters have been to congregations, religious communities, but today's letters (and others) are written to individuals, in this case, Timothy.  Since we have been reading in the New Testament, we know a little about Timothy.  He was a young man who had a Jewish mother and a Greek father, he traveled with Paul, and was much beloved by him. Now I'm going to tell you something that might seem a little confusing:  Some scholars don't think that Paul wrote this letter. They believe this because of some of the subjects Paul discusses:  the particular church controversies he mentions and the qualifications for bishops, for example.  And may I suggest that if this is Paul, the tone of the letter is much more said and (ahem) establishment-sunning than some of the earliest letters that we read.  There's not as much passion in this letter, although there's still a concern for good order and Truth. Then there are the pronouncements regarding ...

Paul writes a second, even shorter letter to the church in Thessalonica.  Again, he encourages them, prays for them, admonishes them.  There are some great phrases in this short letter.  I love how he calls the Thessalonians "the first fruits", and how he tells them that God has chosen them "from the beginning."  Paul's perspective:  God chooses us from the beginning of time, but I don't think it's a simple determinism, the way we look at it.  But it's a way of looking at the world and our lives as a story that God is writing. The main reason Paul is writing back to the Thessalonians is this, though:  it's because the idea of "the end of the world" has infected the community with some unfortunate practices.  Some have even been telling them that the Day has already come, and some people think this is an excuse for lax moral behavior. So Paul tells them that no, the Day has not come yet, and there are things they ought to watch for, ...

In chapter 4, Paul continues to encourage the Thessalonians, and then he gets to the concern that is on his heart, and that he knows is on their hearts:  The Return of Jesus.  More exactly, what are they to think about Jesus' return now that some of the members of their congregation have died? So it's apparent that the first Christians thought Jesus was coming back very soon.  VERY soon.  So much so that they are taken aback when some from their congregation die, because they thought Jesus would come back before that happens.  But Paul has some comfort for them, and wants to let them know what he thinks will happens. Here's what he says:  those who have died will rise first, and then those who are still alive will go up to meet the Lord in the air.  (I suspect that this is where the term "rapture", which is not found in the Bible, originates.  I'm not sure why it came to be called "the rapture.")  As well, Paul cautions the church members...

The Letter of Paul to the church in Thessalonica is the very earliest piece of Christian literature we have:  it is the earliest letter Paul wrote, and earlier than all four gospels.  So we have a small glimpse into the spread of the gospel not so long after the death and resurrection of Jesus. This short letter is filled with thanksgiving for the community, for their reception of the gospel, of their faithfulness.  Paul also admonishes them to holy living, and reminds them that he believes that the Lord Jesus is coming soon.  Not that they have a time or a date set, but they are waiting eagerly for the return of Jesus. Paul constantly refers to his experience of meeting and getting to know the Christians in Thessalonica in this short letter.    It feels like he is proud of the work they have done and how it is bearing fruit.  He wants to visit them, but Satan has prevented him (so far).  Instead, they were able to send Timothy to come and vis...

As I read the rest of this letter, I'm also struck by Paul's statement about supplying what is missing in the suffering of Jesus.  I have always been taught that there was nothing missing in the suffering of Jesus, so I'm intrigued by what he means.  What is the meaning of the suffering of Paul, or our own suffering, for that matter?  How does this connect with Jesus?  What does it mean (do you think) to "supply what is missing"? You may have noticed that again, Paul gives advice to members of households:  husbands and wives, slaves and masters, children and parents.  The gospel is cosmic, but has practical and local implications.  Even though Paul admonishes masters to be kind to their slaves, I would wish that perhaps the bold Paul could be even bolder with regard to slavery.  Perhaps that was not possible, given that time and place.  That was left to later generations of Christians.  Later one, they would appropriate the Exodus stor...

This is another one of those short letters that some people think Paul might not have authored (but some people think he did).  Some scholars date this letter slightly later because of some of the concerns named:  false teachers and doctrines, particularly preaching harsh ascetic practices.  Paul writes in part in order to counter these claims and re-assert the claims of the gospel. Again, I'm struck by Paul's expansive gospel and Jesus:  "All things were created by him, both in the heavens and the earth."  This is a view of Christ that goes beyond the man Jesus who walked on this earth.  Jesus is God-incarnate, and he was around from the beginning of creation.  The gospel is God's secret plan from the beginning of time, now made manifest in the crucified and Risen Christ.  It was a secret, but it is a secret no longer, not since Jesus rose from the dead. It's possible that Paul speaks this way because he is countering the claims of another re...

Now we turn the corner into chapter 3 of Philippians.  I have to admit that this chapter is memorable to me for at least one reason:  my uncle (amateur theologian) used to use it as an example of the colorful, earthy language in the Bible.  In chapter three Paul is trying to describe that it is really true, he is really willing to give up everything, everything, for the sake of knowing Jesus and being found in him.  He's not just willing to give up his sins and the things that weigh him down, but even the things he thought were valuable, his birthright as a Jew, his righteousness under the law.  All these, Paul says, he counts as "loss" or "rubbish", compared to Christ.  Except that he doesn't use the word "rubbish."  He uses the Greek equivalent of the word "shit."  At least, that's what my uncle told me, when I was an impressionable age.  (and now that I have studied Greek, I have discovered that he is right).  "We try to make ...

These four short chapters Paul writes to the Philippians while he is in prison somewhere.  Some people think he is I'm prison in Rome, other suspect an earlier imprison meant.  The church in Philippi, which is not a wealthy community, has sacrificed several times in order to send Pau help, and this letter is a thank you note. For a man in prison, Paul is in incredibly good spirits.  He puts a good construction even on those who oppose him (those who are preaching Christ, but not from good motives( saying to the Philippians that it matters not what the motives are, only that people are preaching and hearing the gospel.  While he is imprisoned, he also encourages them, for he considers that they too live in difficult circumstances (their poverty) and he tells them to look to Christ as they live together in community.  So they are to serve each other, becomes slaves to one another, as Christ became a slave to us, in order to set us free. Remember in Ephesians, ...

In the second half of Ephesians, Paul (or one of his disciples) writes about what this expansive vision of the grace of God means for the community life of the Ephesians (and everyone...) "live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called", he begins, and he goes on to paint a picture of what that will look like.  Humility and patience, compassion and truthfulness -- and most of all, striving for unity, because there is only One Lord, One Baptism, One Faith, even though it looks so much different sometimes ( some things never change).  There seem to be many factions and warning sects in the church (much to our detriment, Paul understands), but in reality, there is only one Bod you Christ.  Speak the truth, but speak in Love.  Work together.  Come out of the darkness and into the light.  Forgive each other. Easy words to understand, perhaps.  Harder to do, certainly. Especially when Paul uses the words, "Be imitators of God, as beloved...

One thing you might notice about the letter to the Ephesians right away is that, unlike Galatians and both of the letters to Corinth, Paul has almost nothing personal or specific to say to the church at Ephesus.  that has led some people to speculate that this short letter really was not written to the Ephesians, but was a letter more generally circulated to all of the churches.  It has led others to speculate that Paul did not actually write it, but that instead it was written by one of his disciples.  (it would not have been a terrible thing in those days to write a letter "in the name of" one of your teachers.) So this letter doesn't have juicy details about the sins of the Ephesians, or greetings to individuals that we want to know more about, except Tychicus (Darn).  But it does have (and you'll just have to trust me on this) those really really long sentences that Paul is famous for (you can tell this especially if you read the original Greek).  I believ...

That's the question Paul has for the Galatians.  Do you want to be free, or do you want to be slaves?  He is angry with them because he told them the truth, he spoke the Gospel to them, and God set them free, and he thinks that they want to be slaves again. Freedom. What does it mean? Freedom is a loaded word in our culture.  We are the "land of the free and the home of the brave."  Paul wants the Galatians to be free, free in Christ, which is not "freedom to do anything you want", even though he speaks of "freedom from the demands of the law."  Freedom in Christ is freedom from:  freedom from fear that we are not acceptable to God; freedom from keeping the law in  a slavish way.  but it is also freedom to:  freedom to love our neighbor, freedom to love God, freedom for love, joy, peace, patience, and all of the other fruit of the Spirit. Someone wants the Galatians to be circumcized.  Paul thinks that these "Judaizers" believe i...

Paul begins chapter 3 in the same exasperated tone he's been using from the beginning of Galatians.  It's possible, I suppose, to read the whole letter in this same tone, but it seems to me that he calms down just a bit as he tries to explain to the Galatians the difference between the law and the promise. He begins, now with Jesus, but with Abraham.  Abraham first received the promise, the promise that he and his family would be blessed.  Later on, that family would become the people of Israel.  They would be freed from slavery and lead through the wilderness to the promised land.  In the middle of their wilderness wandering they were given the law.  But the covenant is not based on the law.  It is based on that original promise, given to Abraham, and it is received by faith. The promise is prior to the law, Paul argues.  The law did not come about until 430 years after the promise was given to Abraham.  Therefore the promise has precede...

The book of Galatians in short (only 6 chapters) and Paul doesn't have time to be subtle.  so, after brief, perfunctory greetings, he gets right to the point: What the heck is wrong with them? Why are they abandoning the gospel he preaching to them? That's what he has been hearing.  Since Paul has left the church in Galatia, others have come, and have been telling the Galatians that trust in Jesus death and resurrection is not enough to be considered a follower of Jesus.  They also need to be circumcized, and keep the law.  This Paul emphatically rejects.  And he is angry that it is so easy for them to desert the gospel, and cling, instead, to the law. These false teachers are often called "Judaizers."  While Paul is careful not to tell the Galatians that the law is bad, he wants them to know that the law does not save them.  (this was actually never the point of the law.)  Paul tells the Galatians that the other apostles agreed with him o...

So we are drawing to the close of Paul's 2nd Letter to the Corinthians (though some people think it is actually portions of two different letters( and Paul is ratcheting up his rhetoric in the face of the competition:  the super-apostles.  Whether the problem is that those super-apostles are there, on the ground, or that the super-apostles just seem so, well, super:  strong, without flaw, awe-inspiring charismatic, inspiring -- or perhaps, all of the above, I don't know.  But Paul's  reputation among the Corinthians suffers b            y comparison.  He doesn't speak as well as they do  He doesn't cut as fine a swath as they do.  He does not have the mega-churches or large crowds that they do. So, what does Paul really have to brag about? Plenty, as it turns out. He can bring about the hardships and persecution that he has endured (and he does).  He can bring about how much he loves them (and he does). ...

A good portion of these chapters is taken up with the offering that Paul is bringing to Jerusalem, and that he hopes the Corinthians will contribute generously to.  In Macedonia, they astonished Paul with their generosity, and it might seem that he is shaming the Corinthians (a somewhat wealthier congregation) to do their part.  it is not that they are not going to give anything; he wants them to (cheerfully )give generously, not just a little. Paul goes back and forth -- give generously, he tells them.  But then he will say, but I'm not saying you should give above your means, just what is appropriate.  Then again, "God loves a cheerful giver."  But again, it's not what you don't have that counts, but what you DO have.  He doesn't seem to want them to give out of guilt or compulsion, but freely, but this is really really important to him.  He wants it to be important to them. I think I understand this.  I want people in my congregation to giv...

I'll admit it:  embedded in these three chapters of 2nd Corinthians are sine if nt favorite verses in the New Testament. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away; everything has become new." "For the love of Christ controls us, for we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died." "We have this treasure in clay jars so that the awesome power belongs to God and doesn't come from us." Paul is unleashing persuasive powers on the Corinthians.  In his first letter, he admonished them; now he's trying to paint a picture of the riches of the gospel, in order to convince them of the beauty and truth of the message he brings. It seems that Paul still has competition for respect among the Corinthians; he still has to make his case that he ought to be listened to and respected as an apostle.  But it also appears that his warnings have borne fruit; he believes that even though h...