NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY - Mason City · NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY Introduction This class is designed to give the student a brief understanding of the 27 New Testament books. This will be

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NOTES

NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY Introduction

This class is designed to give the student a brief understanding of the

27 New Testament books. This will be accomplished by studying the

time period leading up to the N.T. era (intertestamental period) as well as

surveying each of the biblical books. Also included in this course will be

a short introduction on the formation of the canon.

The student will learn the following six points about each book:

1) Authorship, 2) Audience, 3) Purpose, 4) Key Verse, 5) Place of

Writing, 6) Contents. This course is not set up to look at each book in

an in-depth manner due to the time factor; but, is designed to assist the

student in learning principles which will enable him to study the

Scriptures more thoroughly on his own.

Homework-Attendance:

The homework for this class is to complete Jensen’s NT survey

questions. Each student is required to complete two book studies: One

from the gospel of your choice, and a book study on Jude. The forms are

provided in your class notes (see pages 132-155). If you miss a class you

must purchase the tape and keep your syllabus current. Jensen's survey

of the N.T. will be used to help with the assignments.

Goals: By the end of this semester the student should know:

1) The events and writings of the intertestamental period.

2) The purpose and contents of the 27 N.T. books.

3) How to research background information on any biblical book.

Schedule:

Week 1- Intertestamental Period

2- The Four Gospels Pt. 1

3- The Four Gospels Pt. 2

4- Acts - 2 Corinthians

5- Galatians - Colossians

6- 1 Thessalonians - Titus

7- Philemon - James

8- 1 Peter - 3 John

9- Jude - Revelation

Required Text: Jensen's Survey of the New Testament, by Irving Jensen

Tapes: Tapes will be available immediately after each class for any of

the lectures.

Questions: Please feel free to raise your hand during the lecture to ask

your questions. If something is not clear, please ask! Never feel your

question is not worth asking. I may not be able to answer it at that

moment but will be available after class for assistance. Let's enjoy this

semester together as we spend time learning the Word of God.

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The 400 Silent Years

The Old Testament closes approximately at 430 B.C. At this point

Israel was firmly established in the land of Palestine and had their

Temple and city rebuilt. The time period between 430 B.C. and the

ministry of John the Baptist is known as the 400 silent years. The term is

derived from two factors: 1) The Lord did not send any prophets during

this period, and 2) None of the inspired Scriptures were written during

this period. The voice from heaven, which broke the silence, came from

the ministry of John the Baptist, who had the privilege of announcing the

coming of the Messiah. The 400 silent years were very eventful years,

but the Lord chose for His own reasons not to have any inspired

Scriptures written during this period. The Apocryphal books were

written during this era, which contain the records of some important

historical events, but are not considered to be inspired by the Church.

This era can be divided into seven different time periods. Each period is

designated by the ruling powers, which controlled Palestine. These are:

Persian Alexandrian Ptolemaic Selucid Maccabean Hasmonean Roman

430-334BC 334-323BC 323-198BC 198-166BC 166-135BC 135-34BC 34BC-

30AD

A. Persian Period 430-334 B.C.

This time period was basically mild and uneventful. At the close of

the O.T. era, the Jews were allowed to return to their homeland to rebuild

their city and Temple (Ezra-Nehemiah). Two important factors

developed:

1. ______________________________________

2. ______________________________________

B. Alexandrian Period 334-323 B.C.

The armies of Alexander the Great defeated the Persians along with

taking control of Palestine. The Jews developed a friendly working

relationship with the Greeks during this period. Two factors are

important:

1. _____________________________________

2. _____________________________________

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NOTES

C. Ptolemaic Period 323-198 B.C.

At the sudden death of Alexander the Great, his empire was divided

amongst his four prominent Generals. Ptolemy Legus took over the area

of Egypt and Palestine. During this time his descendents became the

ruling authorities over the Jews. An unfortunate thing happened during

this period, Palestine became a battleground for their two surrounding

neighbors (Egypt & Syria). Israel just happened to stand in the middle of

these two powers which made it a convenient place to battle. Two

important events:

1. _________________________________________

2. __________________________________________

D. Selucid Period 198-166 B.C.

As Ptolemy Legus took over Egypt, Seleucus Nicator (another

General) gained control of Syria to the north of Palestine. Palestine

continued to be a battleground between the Ptolemies of Egypt and the

Selucid family of Syria. The Selucid family eventually gained

permanent control of the area, thus having the control over the Jewish

nation. Four points of interests:

1. __________________Helenists______________________________

_____

2. _____________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________

E. Maccabean Period 166-135 B.C.

The brutality of Antiochus Epiphanes and his desecration of the

Temple (slaughtering a pig upon the altar and forcing the Priests to drink

its blood) eventually stirred up a revolt led by Judas Maccabees. Under

his leadership, despite the incredible odds, they were able to gain their

freedom and establish an independent Jewish state. Three factors are:

1. _______________________________________________________

________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________

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3. _______________________________________________________

F. Hasmonean Period 135-34 B.C.

The term Hasmonean is related to the time when the original

descendents of the Maccabean family ruled. During this era the Jewish

state began to expand by capturing neighboring countries. The

Maccabean family ruled by heredity and became known as the

Hasmoneans. The last Maccabean ruler was given the title, "Ruler and

High Priest forever until there should arise a faithful Prophet." Two

points of interest are:

1. _________________________________

2. ___________Helenists______________________

G. Roman Period 34 B.C.-30 A.D.

The expansion of the Roman empire eventually engulfed the land of

Palestine. Rome placed Antipater's son (Herod) as the one to sit on the

throne in Judea and to rule over the Jews. The Jews were even forced to

pay taxes to the Roman government during this era. One important issue

is:

1. ___________________________________________

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NOTES

The Formation of the Canon

Definition of the Word Canon: _________________________

-Greek Usage: _______________________________________

-Hebrew Usage: ____________________________

-Base Meaning: _____________________________

The formation of the N.T. is a very interesting and detailed process.

During the apostolic years there were far more than 27 books written, but

the Church did not consider all of them to be inspired by God. The

Church had the difficult job of deciding which of the many books were

to be placed in the Bible alongside the O.T. Scriptures.

The Church has given names (Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha,

Homologoumena, Antilegomena - defined later) to categorize the nature

of these books. Let us briefly look at the way in which the New

Testament came into existence.

A. The Apocryphal Books (ACCEPTED BY SOME- REJECTED BY

OTHERS)

1. The Definition of Apocrypha: ______________________

There are _______ apocryphal books written between _________ and

__________. They bridge a gap between Malachi and Matthew and

were written two or three centuries before Christ. The following is a list

of these books:

1) Wisdom of Solomon 30 B.C.

2) Prayer of ______________(Song of Three Young Men) 100 B.C.

3) Bel and the Dragon_______________

4) Susanna 100 B.C.

5) 2 Esdras 100 B.C.

6) Prayer of________________________________

7) 1 Maccabees 110 B.C.

8) 2 __________________ 100-170 B.C.

9) Additions of_______________130-140 B.C.

10) Ecclesiasticus 132 B.C.

11) Baruch 150 B.C.

12) _________________ 150 B.C.

13) 1 Esdras 150 B.C.

14) Tobit 200 B.C.

15) Letter of _______________ 300-100B.C.

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The Church has always declared these books to be non-canonical, but

has been able to appreciate them for their historical value. The RCC has

accepted these books as canonical since the Council of Trent (1546).

Schaff states the official position of the RCC in his book, The Creeds of

Christendom:

"The Synod...receives and venerates...all the books both of the Old

and New Testament [including Apocrypha]- seeing that God is the

Author of both...as having been dictated, either by Christ's own word of

mouth or by the Holy Ghost...if anyone receives not as sacred and

canonical the said books entire with all their parts, as they have been

used to be read in the Catholic Church...let them be anathema."

2. The Six Reasons the Church has Rejected These as Non-Canonical

Books:

a. The Authority of Jesus: Jesus never _________ from the

Apocrypha.

b. New Testament Authority: The N.T. _________ cites an apocryphal

book as inspired. The NT does however quote from almost every

canonical book in the OT. The NT does make allusions to the

Apocrypha, but this falls into the same category as the writers quoting

pagan poets.

c. The ____________ Community Never Accepted them as Canonical:

Even Josephus, the great Jewish historian, clearly rejects the Apocrypha

and lists only 22 books as canonical for the OT.

d. The Books Contain Historical Errors :____________ (See Tobit 1:3-

5 and 14:11).

e. The Books Contain Theological Errors: See 2 Mac 12:45, 46, 4-

where ______________________________________ is mentioned.

f. Most Great Fathers of the Early Church did not View Them as

Canonical.

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NOTES

B. The Psuedepigrapha (REJECTED BY ALL)

1. The Definition of Psuedepigrapha: __________________________

-The term literally means _________________________________.

A file with a list of 280 such books as these was in existence as early

as the ninth century. These books contained heretical statements as well

as some questionable historical events. No Father, canon or council ever

called these inspired, and Eusebius labeled them, "totally absurd and

impious." At best these books were received by one of the cults in

existence during the early years of the Church (Docetic- Christ had no

humanity, Gnostic- Matter was evil therefore they deny the incarnation

and emphasized special knowledge). The stories usually centered around

the lives of some of the prominent biblical characters. Some of the more

popular of these books are:

a. The Gospel of Thomas (1st Century)- Gnostic view and mentions the

childhood ___________________________ of Jesus.

b. The Gospel of Peter (2nd Century)- A Docetic and Gnostic forgery.

c. The Passing of Mary (4th Century)- Mentions

the ______________ assumption of Mary and advanced stages of Mary

worship.

d. The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew (5th Century)- Mentions the visit to

Egypt and some of His _______________ boyhood miracles.

C. Homologoumena (ACCEPTED BY ALL)

1. The Definition of Homologoumena:

-Homologoumena:

___________of the 27 N.T. books were considered to be accepted by

all. The ones which were not given this label were Hebrews, James, 2

Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude and Revelation.

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2. The Authority of the Church Fathers:

The New Testament was written between the years 45-96 A.D. Many

point to the council of Carthage in 397 A.D. as the place the 27 books of

the NT were finally declared as canonical. This is not the case when one

studies the attitude of the Church Fathers and the writers of the NT

themselves. There is good evidence that as early as 393 AD all 27

books were viewed as authoritative by the early Church. Some of the

evidence, which points to this truth, is:

a. Early Acceptance of Some of the NT- As early as 100 A.D. the

Gospels and the major epistles of Paul were viewed as

Scripture. Even Peter called Paul's letters Scripture in 2 Peter 3:15-16.

b. Early Church Father Quotes- Here are just a few examples:

1. Clement of Rome calls Matthew, Mark and Luke Scripture.

2. Ignatius of Antioch wrote seven epistles and quotes the NT frequently.

3. Polycarp (a disciple of John) introduced verses from the NT with the

phrase "the Scripture saith".

4. The Didache records many free quotations from the NT.

5. Justin Martyr called the gospels "the voice of God."

6. Clement of Alexandria refers to the Old and New Testaments by

saying, "the Scriptures...in the Law, in the Prophets, and besides the

blessed Gospel.... are valid from their omnipotent authority".

c. Early Lists and Translations: 1. The Old Syriac Translation- A translation of the NT dating from the

second century which was circulated in Syria. It included all the NT

books except 2 Peter, 2 John, 3 John, Jude and Revelation and served

as a Bible for the Church in the East.

2. The Old Latin Translation- A translation prior to 200 in Latin. The

books not listed were Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter. It served as the

Bible for the people in the West.

3. The Moratoria Canon- The earliest canonical list from the early

Church dated around 170 A.D. The list omits Hebrews, James, 1 &

2 Peter.

4. Codex Barococcio (206)- This codex contains 64 of the 66 books we

have today omitting Esther and Revelation.

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NOTES

5. Eusebius of Caesarea (340)- Listed all the NT books as

authoritative except James, Jude, 2 Peter and 2 & 3 John.

6. Athanasius of Alexandria (373)- He has been called the Father of

Orthodoxy and lists all 27 books as canonical.

7. The Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397)- These two

councils acknowledged the 27 books of the NT as canonical.

D. Antilegomena (DISPUTED BY SOME)

1. Definition of Antilegomena:

-Antilegomena: ____________________________

2. The Seven Books Which Were Not Accepted By All Were:

a. Hebrews-______________________________

b. James- __________________________________________________

c. 2 Peter- ________________________________

d. 2 John- The fact he calls himself the elder and limited circulation.

e. 3 John- Same reason as 2 John.

f. Jude- The fact he quotes the book of Enoch (_____________) and the

possible reference to the Assumption of Moses (______________).

g. Revelation- The doctrine of chiliasm (millennialism) from Rev 20 was

a point of great controversy. The debate over this book lasted the

longest and extend well into the 4th century. The book itself was one

of the first to be accepted by the early Church Fathers and was

accepted by the writers of the Didache, Papias, Irenaeus and was

included in the Muratorian Canon. The problem arose when the

Montanists derived their heretical teachings to the book of Revelation

in the third century. This caused the Church to look at the book a little

bit closer. By placing these books into such a category it did not mean

the Church considered these books to be false; but they had

reservations about each one in relation to inspiration.

_____________ _

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E. The Process of Forming the Canon

The 27 N.T. books were written between the years 45-96 A.D.

Between the years 100-400 A.D. the Church was involved in the process

of forming the canon. The antilegomena books were the ones that

slowed this process down, but once that issue was solved the Church had

an authoritative list of 27 books.

1. The Eight Basic Steps in Forming the Canon:

a. The Selection of Authentic Books- (2 Thess 2:2,

3:17) _____________________ books were circulating. No official

list yet given.

b. The Reading of Authoritative Books- (1 Thess 5:27, Col 4:16) The

early Church had the practice of reading the Scriptures.

c. The Circulation and Collection of Books- (Rev 1:1, Col 4:16, 2

Peter 3:15-16) The _____________ itself hints at the fact

the Church already had a collection of books they viewed as

authoritative. The early Church copied and circulated the books of

the NT (James 1:1, 1 Peter 1:1, 1 Tim 4:13).

d. The Evidence of a Circulating Canon- Peter seems to hint at this

fact in _________________________________.

e. The Witness of the Early Church Fathers- Every book of the NT

was cited as authoritative by the early Church Fathers, and after the

year 200 every passage can be seen as quoted.

f. The Collection of Early Lists- The early lists of the 2nd and 3rd

centuries.

g. The Old Translation- See the list mentioned earlier.

h. The Church Councils- The Councils of Hippo (____________) and

Carthage (397).

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NOTES

F. The Rules for Accepting or Rejecting a Book

The Church had guidelines to help them decide which books were to

be a part of the canon. These rules were used in conjunction with the

eight different evidences listed above.

The five guidelines used were:

1. The Five Basic Steps For Discovering Canonicity:

a. Is the Book Authoritative-______________________________

____________________________________________________

b. Is the Book Prophetic- ________________________________

c. Is the Book Authentic- _________________________________

____________________________________

d. Is the Book Dynamic- __________________________________

e. Is the Book Received- ______O_________________________

It is important to note that this process did not cause the books

selected to be inspired; but these books were chosen because they proved

themselves to be inspired.

The Inspiration of the New Testament

The N.T. writers claimed God inspired their writings to the same

extent as the O.T. Scriptures. The word inspired/inspiration (2 Tim 3:16)

literally means _________________________. When a person claims

their writings to be inspired they mean the words they have written are

from God.

A. Five Proofs For the Inspiration of the N.T.

1. The Promise of Christ- _______________________________

______________________________________________________

2. The Claims of the Disciples-________________________

__________________________________________________

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3. The Writers Call Other Books Inspired-__________________

__________________________________________________

4. The Writers Call Their Own Works Authoritative-_________

__________________________________________________

5. Two Key Verses On Inspiration-________________________

*Helpful Book: From God To Man - Geisler & Nix

Homework Week #1

1. Define these terms-

Canon-

Apocrypha-

Pseudepigrapha-

Homologoumena-

Antilegomena-

2. How many apocryphal books are there?

3. What has been the Church's position in regard to these books?

What do you see are the two strongest arguments the Church has for

their position and why?

4. How has the RCC viewed the apocryphal books?

5. How many N.T. books were given the title Homologoumena?

6. What are the three main proofs that the NT was seen as Scripture as

early as 175-200 A.D.

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NOTES

7. What are the seven Antilegomena books?

8. List three of the five rules for accepting or rejecting a book.

9 List two of the 5 proofs for the inspiration of the N.T.

10. What does the word inspired literally mean?

11. List the two key verses on inspiration and write one of them out.

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Introductory Considerations to the Gospels

A. The Purpose of this Study

The gospels have been a great source of encouragement and teaching

for the Church throughout history. Without them our understanding of

the Lord and His teachings would be reduced to the barest of facts. It is

important to note that these books are not merely biographical sketches

of the life of our Lord but were written with a very specific purpose in

mind. Each writer had a group of people in mind when he wrote his

book and he wanted to prove a specific point. The purpose of each

writer can be clearly seen when one closely examines the contents and

emphasis of each book. The purpose of this study is to discover the main

objective each author had for writing his gospel. This will be

accomplished by studying the book and seeing its overarching message,

and by seeing how the individual parts relate to the whole.

B. The Synoptic Gospels

The first _________ gospels have been given this title due to the fact

much of their content is the same. The word synoptic comes from two

Greek words syn, together, and optanomai, to see. The three authors

view and write about the life of Christ in the same way, even to the point

they have exact verbal agreement in some places.

C. Overview of the Four Gospels

The following is a chart that serves as a tool to help see the main

messages of the four gospels. You should fill in this chart by next week.

The answers will be provided in the lectures and/or from your own

personal study.

THE FOUR GOSPELS

MATTHEW

Jews

Fulfilled TEACHING

LAW

__________

MARK

Gentile

Nations

Immediately ACTIVITY

POWER

__________

LUKE

Greeks

Son of Man

HUMANITY

COMPASSION

GRACE

__________

__________

JOHN

Church

Believe

MIRACLES-8

I AM'S-7

GLORY

__________

__________

BOOK

GENEALOGY

READERS

KEY WORD

KEY

VERSE

EMPHASIS

CHRIST

SEEN

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

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NOTES

A. Authorship

The Church has always held to the fact that Matthew wrote the first

Gospel. This has been supported unanimously by Church tradition as

well as by the early Church Fathers. The liberal scholars of the 20th

century were the first to call this into question. These men not only

attack the authorship of this book (and others), but also reject the idea of

the inspiration of Scripture. The best answer these "scholars" have for

suggesting that Matthew did not write this book is the ridiculous idea of

the __________. This document is a supposed written collection of the

teachings of Christ, which the authors of the Gospels copied from to

write their own books. What is interesting about this Q- Document is

that it has never been ________________.

It is true that this book does not name Matthew as the author, but the

following facts support this claim:

1. The early Church attributed the authorship to Matthew.

2. The caption ________________________________has been written

on this Gospel since the beginning of the 2nd century A.D. There is

strong evidence that this title was affixed as early as _________.

3. The following quotes from Church Fathers lend credence:

a. Papias wrote, "Matthew composed the Logia (Gk- ta logia) in the

Hebrew tongue and everyone interpreted as was able."

b. Pantaenus, according to Eusebius, discovered that the Gospel of

Matthew preceded him to India and was preserved in Hebrew,

having been left there by Bartholomew.

c. Origen supports the idea Matthew wrote the Gospel bearing his

name.

4. Other Church Fathers such as Justin Martyr (100-165 A.D.) and

Irenaeus (125-202 A.D.) attributed the authorship to Matthew.

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B. Biography

Very little is known about this apostle since the Scriptures are almost

silent about him. There are only seven references in the Word

concerning Matthew, which makes it difficult to piece together a

biography on him.

1) ____________________________________________________

2) ____________________________________________________

3) ____________________________________________________

4) ____________________________________________________

5) ____________________________________________________

6) ____________________________________________________

7) ____________________________________________________

C. Date/Location

A date for this Gospel is hard to pinpoint since the book does not

contain many references to specific historical dates. Scholars have

suggested dates ranging from as early as 40 A.D. to as late as 140 A.D.

Most Evangelical scholars date the book between 50-70 A.D. It is

assumed the book must have been written prior to 70 A.D. since there is

no mention of the destruction of the Temple (70 A.D.) by the Romans.

IN FACT, Matt 24:15 mentions this event in a prophetic manner. This

Gospel was probably written in Jerusalem or Antioch of Syria.

D. Position In The Bible

The Gospel of Matthew was placed first in the N.T. for theological

reasons and not because it was the first one written. This Gospel,

according to the quotes from early Christian writers, was used more than

any of the other three. This is primarily due to the fact the book proves

from the O.T. Jesus was the Messiah. The reasons Matthew is placed

first are:

1) ____________________________________________

2) ____________gap______________________________

E. Readers

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NOTES

This Gospel was written directly to the _______. This is seen by the fact

the writer uses a number of Jewish _________________________,

_____________________and __________________ and does not

explain them to his audience.

This truth is also seen by:

1) ____________ quotes from the O.T.

2) ____________ allusions to the O.T.

3) __________ references to the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew alone

uses this phrase and most likely to avoid using God's name (which was

generally avoided by most Jews).

4) ______ references to Jesus as King.

5) ________ references to Jesus as _________________________.

6) ________references to the Kingdom of God.

7) The reference to: the jot or tittle not passing away (5:18), the Seat of

Moses (23:2), the Commandments (19:17, 23:23), the Temple tax being

paid (27:24), his disciples are expected to fast, pray, give alms, keep the

Sabbath (5-7, 24:20), Jesus is sent only to the lost sheep of Israel (15:24),

the genealogy of Jesus is traced from Abraham in three groups of

fourteen in rabbinic style (1:1ff), the mention of Jewish practices without

explanation such as the traditions of the elders (15:2), the strict washing

practices (13:5), and the mention of phylacteries (23:27).

F. Emphasis

1) Teaching: Christ is seen as the Great Teacher since _______ major sermons are

contained in this book. These are:

1) The Sermon on the Mount 5-7

2) The Commission to the 12 10

3) The Kingdom Parables 13

4) The Message On Forgiveness 18

5) The Olivet Discourse 24-25

2) Royal: The author stresses the fact that Christ is King (a total of 13

references to this subject). This truth is also seen in the opening verse of

the book, where Jesus is related to the greatest King of Israel and is

PAGE 18

given the title, "Son of David." When Matthew ascribed this title to

Jesus he was trying to establish the link between Jesus and His Jewish

royal heritage. Another way this is seen is by the fact Matthew alone

includes the story of the __________(2:1-12) coming to view the birth

of the King of the Jews, and the fact Jesus will sit

__________________________ when He returns to earth (Matt 25:31).

PAGE 19

NOTES

G. Theme/Purpose

The purpose of this Gospel is to prove that Jesus was the fulfillment

of the O.T. prophecies concerning the Messiah. This Gospel was written

as an attempt to answer the three most pressing questions in the mind of

the Jews. These are:

1) _________________________________________________

2) _________________________________________________

3) _________________________________________________

The theme of this book reveals how Christ fulfilled both the suffering

and glory aspects of the O.T. prophecies. 1 Peter 1:11 links these two

aspects into one verse, but it takes Matthew an entire Gospel to explain

this concept. There are five ways the author develops this theme:

1) The Opening Verse: The opening verse ascribes to Jesus the titles, "Son of David." and

"Son of Abraham." The first title relates to the glory of the King, and the

latter emphasizes the one who would be a blessing to many through His

sacrificial death (Gen 12).

2) Literary Manner: This book can be divided into two main sections separated by the key

phrase ________________________. The first mention is found in 4:17,

which states, "From that time, Jesus began to preach repent for the

Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. This verse mentions two important

elements. First, it includes an offer by the Messiah for a Kingdom to the

Jews, and secondly, it emphasizes the glory of the O.T. Kingdom. The

second time this phrase is used is found in 16:21. This reads, "From that

time, Jesus began to show... how He must...suffer many things...and be

killed and be raised the third day." This verse reveals the suffering

aspect of the Messiah.

PAGE 20

3) Contents:

The first part of the book presents Christ as one who is offering the

prophesied Kingdom to the Jews. The latter half presents Christ as one

determined to go and suffer in Jerusalem as a ransom for many.

4) Key Word: The key word of this book is fulfilled. This word relates to the fact

Christ is the fulfillment of all the O.T. prophecies of the Messiah.

5) Key Verse: The key verses are 4:17 and 16:21 as explained in #2 above.

6) Progressive Nature Of The Book

In order for the reader to completely understand this book it is

imperative one sees the following progression:

1) ____________________________________________________

2) ____________________________________________________

3) ____________________________________________________

4) ____________________________________________________

***If you do not see this concept it is hard to

understand 10:5-6 and 28:19.***

I. Outline/Contents

The Prophecies of the Messiah- 1-4

The Teaching of the Messiah- 5-7

The Miracles of the Messiah- 8-10

The Rejection of the Messiah- 11-16

The Teachings of the Messiah in Light of His Rejection- 16-25

The Suffering of the Messiah- 26-27

The Commission of the Messiah- 28

Guthrie, in his book An Introduction to the New Testament, summarizes

the contents as follows:

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NOTES

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

A. Authorship

This Gospel does not refer to its author by name but there has never

been any hesitation to name Mark as the writer. Many Church Fathers of

the second century ascribed the authorship of this book to Mark. Some

of these were Papias, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Origen,

Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Eusebius and Jerome. Tradition teaches that

_______________ helped Mark write this book since he was an

eyewitness of the events recorded. Mark was not one of the twelve so he

needed a reliable and authoritative source that he could rely upon.

B. Biography

1) Name and Family: His Hebrew name was John (God is Gracious) and his Roman name

was Mark. He was the son of Mary of Jerusalem and the cousin of

Barnabas (Col. 4:10). Peter and Paul refer to him as Marcus in their

writings, which is the Latin equivalent to Mark.

2) Age:

He was born 15 years after Christ and was a teenager during the

ministry of Christ.

3) Conversion and Ministry: a. It is possible Peter had the privilege of leading Mark to the Lord

since he calls him his son in 1 Peter 5:13.

b. In 45 A.D. Mark accompanied Barnabas and Paul on their first

missionary journey as a servant (Acts 12:25, 13:5). The word used

in verse 5 for minister is the same word used to describe a baggage

carrier.

c. He quit before the journey was finished which caused the two leaders

to go their separate ways on their next outreach (Acts 15:37-41). But

near the end of Paul's life he is mentioned as being helpful in the

ministry and one whom Paul would like to see (2 Tim 4:11,

Philemon 24).

d. Tradition teaches John Mark became the first Bishop of the Church

in Alexandria Egypt, and then eventually suffered martyrdom.

C. Date/Location

According to tradition Mark wrote this Gospel while living in Rome.

This theory has been adopted because of the many Latin terms used in

the book (Roman coins, terms and military words). Scholars have set

dates for this Gospel for as early as (50 A.D.) but it was most likely

written in 65-70 A.D.

PAGE 22

D. Readers

This Gospel was written to the ______________ population in general

and the ______________ citizens in particular. This is seen by the fact

that O.T. references are few, Aramaic expressions and Jewish customs

are explained for the readers (5:41, 7:3-4, 11), and by the fact Latin

words are used quite frequently. The style of the book portrays Christ as

a Man of action and power, in contrast to His teaching ministry as seen

in Matthew. This emphasis would appeal to the Roman mind whose

interests were in deeds more than words.

E. Emphasis

1) ________________________________________________________

2) ________________________________________________________

3) ________________________________________________________

4) ________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

5) Mark emphasizes the work on the cross more than any other Gospel

writer does. A larger portion of his Gospel is given over to the passion

narrative (the story of the cross) than any of the other three. Mark is the

only one to mention the statement that Jesus came to give His life as a

ransom for many (Mk 10:45). Mark describes a Christ who had to come,

suffer and die for the sins of many.

F. Theme/Purpose

Mark's Gospel seems to have an evangelistic purpose since it presents

Christ and His work (primarily His redemptive work). The theme of this

book is: Jesus Christ, the servant of God, who provides salvation for

mankind. Christ is seen as a man of action who is pressing toward a

goal. The goal of providing salvation for mankind upon the cross. The

emphasis is not on His teaching ministry but on the activities of the Lord.

The concept of the suffering servant of Isaiah 52-53 is seen by many in

this book. The writer accomplishes the presentation of his theme by:

1) Key Verse: __________________________________

2) Key Word: __________________________________

PAGE 23

NOTES

3) Genealogy: ______________________________________________

4) The Short Opening: ________________________________________

5) Emphasis: _______________________________________________

G. The Ending

Scholars have questioned the authenticity of the last 12 verses of the

gospel for many years. This does not mean that they question the

inspiration of the Scriptures, but question whether these verses were part

of Mark's original manuscript. Some believe this section was added later

for various reasons. Some of these are:

1. The mention of Jesus appears in another form in verse 12.

2. The mention of serpents and poison in verse 18.

3. The difference in Greek grammar between this section and the rest of

the gospel.

4. The fact this ending did not appear in some important and older

manuscripts.

5. The word for week used in verse 9 is not the same as the one used in

verse 2.

6. The introduction of Mary in verse 9 does not seem natural since she

was already mentioned in verse 1.

Others believe they are original for the following reasons:

1. The overwhelming majority of manuscripts contain the full twenty

verses.

2.Earliest Christian writings show acquaintance with this section which

3. assume their genuineness.

3. The abrupt ending of verse 8.

4. It would seem strange that Mark did not include anything of the

post-

resurrection ministry of Christ.

H. Outline/Contents

The Presentation of the Servant 1:1-13

The Ministry of the Servant 1:14-8:30

The Move Toward Jerusalem of the Servant 8:31-10:52

The Ministry in Jerusalem of the Servant 11-15

The Victory of the Servant 16

PAGE 24

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE

A. Authorship

Since the middle of the second century the authorship of this book has

been ascribed to Luke. This can be substantiated by the fact the writer of

Acts and Luke are the same person (compare Acts 1:1 with Luke 1:1-4).

Luke is the obvious choice as the author of Acts as seen by the fact he

was with Paul as a companion (Acts 16:10-17-[We]) and was in Rome

with Paul (Acts 27-28, Col.4:7-17 & Philemon 23-24). There is really

no doubt Luke wrote this Gospel.

B. Biography

1) _______________________-The only one to write part of the N.T.

2) ____________________________________________-Col 4:14.

3) ____________________-Has the best grammar of all books.

Virtually a literary masterpiece.

4) ______________________-With Paul on travels (Acts 16-28).

5)_Pau’ls______________________________-Philemon 24-Fellow

laborer.

6)_______________-Tradition teaches he died in Greece.

C. Date/Location

Since Luke is volume one of a two part series (Luke-Acts) most date

the book close to the time of the second volume. The book of Acts was

written around 60-62 A.D., so this would place the time of composition

somewhere between 58-59 A.D. The abrupt ending of Acts suggests to

many Luke concluded his writing at the imprisonment of Paul (Acts 28),

or else he would have wrote about Paul's death (68 A.D.). This helps

one to narrow down the date to approximately 58-59 A.D. The place of

writing could have been either Rome or Caeserea.

D. Readers

PAGE 25

NOTES

Luke wrote his Gospel specifically to his friend Theophilus (Lover of

God- Acts 1:1 and Luke 1:3), and to the _____ audience in general. The

presentation of Jesus as the, "Son of Man" (the perfect man) would

impact the Greek mind in a personal way. Other factors such as the fine

Greek style, the universal nature of his message and the stress on the

humanity of Christ all point to a Greek readership. Luke also traces his

genealogy all the way back to Adam (not David or Abraham) stressing

the humanity of Jesus.

E. Emphasis

1) Gospel of _______________-Mary 1:46-55, Zachary’s 1:68-79,

Angels 2:14, Simon 2:29-32.

2) Gospel of_________________-2:20, 5:26, 7:16, 13:13, 17:15, 18:43,

23:47.

3) Gospel of ________________ -Christ in prayer at His baptism 3:21,

Calling of the Twelve 6:12-16, Transfiguration 9:28, on the cross

23:24, Teaching 22:24-26, 11:5-13, 18:1-8. His last breath 23:46.

4) Gospel of _______________ -More than any other Gospel and

especially in the first 3 chapters. Also the widow of Nain 7:12-15, Mary

& Martha 10:38-42, Daughters 23:28.

5) Gospel of ____________________________-Excellent grammar.

6) Gospel of __________________-References to Samaritans/Gentiles

and genealogy.

7) Gospel of __________________-61 items of pertinent information are

found only in Luke such as the birth of John the Baptist, the Emmaus

road incident and the childhood of Jesus.

F. Theme/Purpose

The purpose of Luke's Gospel is to give the readers a more complete

and accurate historical account of the life of Christ (Luke 1:1-4). The

theme of this Gospel is: Christ is the perfect God-Man, who after a

perfect ministry, provided a perfect salvation for a sinful humanity. The

author accomplished this by:

1) _______________________________________________

2) _______________________________________________

3) _______________________________________________

PAGE 26

4) By placing an emphasis on His humanity: Christ is seen as being

helpful to man, one with his suffering, being truly human, sympathetic

toward people, writing an in-depth birth account and the genealogy.

These are all used to show the "Son of Man" as being qualified to

represent man in His work on the cross.

5) _______________________________________________

G. Outline

The Son of Man Introduced 1-4

The Son of Man Serving 4-9

The Son of Man Rejected 9-19

The Son of Man Suffering 19-23

The Son of Man Victorious 24

PAGE 27

NOTES

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

A. Authorship

The author of this Gospel is not listed within this book but tradition

teaches that John the Evangelist was the author. The titles in our Bibles

were not part of the original manuscripts but were later added for

identification purposes. According to 21:21-24 The "Disciple whom

Jesus loved" was the author, which is none other than John himself. It is

usually only the _________scholars who doubt John as being the author.

B. Biography

1)___________________- Proven by his awareness of the customs and

his knowledge of the land of Palestine.

2) FAMILY- John was the son of Zebedee and Salome (Matt 4:21,

Mark 15:40 & Matt 27:56). Tradition teaches that Salome was a sister of

Mary. If this were true, this would mean that John was Jesus’ cousin.

We know he was the brother of James (Matt 4:21).

3) NICKNAME- He was called one of the "Sons of Thunder" possibly

for his explosive personality.

4) MINISTRY- He was an Apostle and an eyewitness of the accounts

recorded, and a leader of the Jerusalem Church (Gal 2:9). He was also

considered to be one of the prominent three of the 12 Apostles. In his

later years he ministered in Ephesus where he taught and wrote some of

the Scriptures.

5) Writings- He wrote 1, 2 and 3 John and Revelation as well.

C. Date/Location

It is assumed the other three Gospels had already been written before

the Gospel of John. The Church needed some interpretative facts to go

along with the material that was already written on the life of Christ. He

PAGE 28

wrote this Gospel around 85 A.D. while ministering in Ephesus. This is

why his Gospel is so different than the other three. The first three have

been given the name Synoptic Gospels because they are so similar in

content.

PAGE 29

NOTES

D. Circumstances

1) _______________________________________________________

2) _______________________________________________________

3) _______________________________________________________

4) _______________________________________________________

5)

Dounts____________________________________________________

___

E. Readers

By the time John wrote his Gospel the Church had grown into a

worldwide outreach and was no longer considered a Jewish sect.

Therefore he wrote his Gospel to all mankind, and to show that all

men need Christ. This can be seen by the following three aspects:

1) He translated Hebrew and Aramaic words (9:7, 19:13, 17), 2) He

explained Jewish practices (19:40) and 3) Christ is presented, not

as the Messiah or Suffering Servant, but the Eternal, Incarnate

Word in whom all must believe in to be saved.

F. Emphasis

1) ___________________________________________________

2) ___________________________________________________

3) ______fo_____________________________________________

4) ___________________________________________________

5) ___________________________________________________

6) _______________________________________________

G. Purpose/Theme

The purpose of this book is twofold as seen in John 20:30-31. The

first is evangelistic- to have people believe in Jesus for eternal life. The

word signs here point to the miracles He did as proof of His Deity, and

that one should put their trust in Him. The second purpose is to give the

PAGE 30

believer proof and assurance of the true identity of Christ (the Son of

God), and assurance that believing in His name will result in eternal life.

The theme is: Jesus Christ is God and His own claims and miracles

prove it. The theme can be seen in:

1) Genealogy- Brings it back to the eternal past (John 1:1).

2) Six lines of proof of his Deity- 1) John the Baptist, 2) Jesus'

work, 3)

Jesus' claims, 4) The Scriptures, 5) The Father and 6) The Holy

Spirit.

3) Key Words: 1) Signs- These signs point to the true identity of Jesus

Christ. 2) Believe- What one should do because of these signs.

3) Life- The result of believing in Christ.

H. Outline

His Pre-existence Proves His Deity 1:1-18

His Friends Prove His Deity 1:19-51

His Works Prove His Deity 2-12

His Words Prove His Deity 13-17

His Death and Resurrection Prove His Deity 18-21

PAGE 31

NOTES

THE BOOK OF ACTS

A. Authorship

The writer of this book is the same author of the Gospel of Luke as

evidenced by the comparison of Luke 1:1-4 and Acts 1:1-5. Both books

are addressed to Theophilus and comprise a two-volume set. The Gospel

of Luke describes the life of Christ while on the earth, and Acts records

His ministry from heaven through the Holy Spirit. Luke was a travelling

companion of the apostle Paul and was part of the ministry team that is

mentioned in this book. His name is not specifically mentioned but one

finds the "We Sections" in many of the recorded facts. The 'we' sections

point to times Luke was with the ministry team. The full name of this

book is actually, "Acts of the Apostles" which dates back to the second

century.

B. Biography

See the notes under the Gospel of Luke.

C. Date/Location

In order to narrow down a date for this book one needs to see that it

could not have been written before 61 A.D. because Acts 28:30 records

Paul's two-year imprisonment (59-61 A.D.). It must not have been

written after 70 A.D. since there is no mention of the destruction of

Jerusalem at that date. Luke probably wrote this book, while he was

with Paul in Rome near the end of his 2-year imprisonment, around 61

A.D. The apostle Paul must have been his main source of information in

writing this treatise, which enabled him to pen an accurate account of the

historical events.

D. Readers

Luke wrote this book directly to Theophilus (1:1) as a continuation of

his first work, but the letter actually is relevant for the whole Church. It

gives the reader a historical account of the growth of the early Church. It

shows how the Church expanded from an entirely Jewish group in

Jerusalem, to a worldwide outreach even unto the Gentiles. It helps the

Jews see God's plan of bringing a people unto Himself (including the

Gentiles), and shows the Gentiles how they were brought into the

Church. Just imagine your Bible without the book of Acts! You would

not know who the apostle Paul was, or how all the Churches were

established, or how the message of the Gospel got beyond the borders of

Jerusalem. This is a very important book to have as it reveals God's

activity in the Church during the first century.

PAGE 32

E. Purposes

1) _______________________________________________________

2) _______________________________________________________

3) _______________________________________________________

4) _______________________________________________________

5) _______________________________________________________

6) _______________________________________________________

F. Theme

The theme of this book is: The exalted Christ continues to work in

His Church through the power of the Holy Spirit, starting in

Jerusalem among the Jews and eventually working His way out to

the Gentile world.

1)________________is the key verse of this book since it summarizes

the message of the entire book. It does this by emphasizing the power of

the Holy Spirit, the energizing force of the Church, and by declaring the

geographical spread of the Gospel according to regional areas. The

message will start in Jerusalem and then be carried to the whole world.

2)______________: Acts records the mission work among the Jews

through Peter and the Jerusalem Church in _______________until they

eventually reach Caeserea. From this point on, the focal point of

ministry becomes the Gentile Church in Antioch, and its outreach to the

Gentiles mainly through the apostle Paul in ______________.

3)__________________and _____________are seen as the leaders in

Jerusalem among the Jews (Acts 1-12), and a shift takes place in chapter

13 where Paul's ministry among the Gentiles is prominent.

4)_____________________________: The Church was established on

the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit filled those

believers who were present that day. The first ____chapters center

around Jerusalem and the ministry among the Jews only. A great

persecution arose in _________which forced the disciples to go outside

Jerusalem and the area of Palestine causing the Gospel to be spread to

various groups (8:4). Philip went to Samaria in Acts 8 and a revival

takes place.

The Samaritans were a group of people hated by the Jews because of

their religious differences, but they also had some very similar beliefs.

PAGE 33

NOTES

The following chapters ______center around the areas of Judea and

Samaria. In chapters 10-11 Peter was sent to preach the Gospel to the

__________and a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place. Then

chapters_______ describe the progress of the Gospel from Antioch to

Rome under the influence of the apostle Paul. It took the Jews ten years

to understand the message of Christ needed to be preached to all the

world, and the Lord even had to use persecution to motivate the Church

to do its job. The progression of the spread of the Gospel is as follows:

a) ________________________________________________

b) ________________________________________________

c) ________________________________________________

d) _____________________________________________________

e) _________________________________________________

5)__________________________________:

a)______________________- used 70 times showing the secret

behind the success of the early Church. One man said if the Holy Spirit

was taken away from the early Church about 90% of the activity would

stop and 10% of the work would continue, but if the Holy spirit was

taken away from today’s Church, about 10% of the ministries would stop

and 90% of the work would continue.

b)_______________________: This word is used over 20 times

which was the calling upon the Church according to Acts 1:8.

G. Emphasis

1) __________________________________________________

2) __________________________________________________

3)

__________________Jews:Peter______________,_Gentiles:Paul____

_____________

4) __________________________________________________

5) __________________________________________________

PAGE 34

H. Point Of Interest

The book of Acts furnishes the background information concerning

ten of Paul's letters: Romans, 1&2 Cor, Gal, Eph, Phil, 1&2 Thes, Col,

and Philemon.

I. Outline

The Ministry of Peter Among the Jews 1-5

The Ministry of Stephen Among the Jews 6-7

The Ministry of Philip Among the Samaritans 8

The Ministry of Peter Among the Gentiles 9-12

The Ministry of Paul Among the Gentiles 13-28

PAGE 35

NOTES

THE BOOK OF ROMANS

A. Epistles

The first five books of the New Testament supply the church with an

accurate historical account of the life of Christ (the Gospels) and the

activities of the early church (Acts). The remaining 22 books are called

epistles or letters (except Revelation) because they were written in

letterform to churches, individuals or groups of people. They are an

excellent addition to the historical records of the Gospels and Acts,

because they are personal in character and reveal some of the issues the

early church faced. The real value of the epistles lie in the fact they help

interpret and apply the work of Christ in a personal way. They supply

the believer with the proper meaning of the cross as well as explain how

to apply this truth to daily living.

As the message of Christ began to spread all over the world there also

arose a need to communicate with the many young converts. In that day

this was commonly done through letter writing. The spread of the gospel

caused many new churches to form throughout the known world. This

made it humanly impossible for Paul to handle all the new issues, or to

spend time at every new church to help them work out their problems.

So he did the next best thing and wrote letters to these churches in order

to: _____________________________________________________and

_____________to these groups. Twenty-one such letters were written as

we have them in our Bibles today. Of these 21 Paul wrote _________ or

______of them, depending on the authorship of Hebrews. The books he

wrote are:

PAULINE LETTERS NON-PAULINE LETTERS

Romans Hebrews (Paul? to the Jews)

1 & 2 Corinthians James (To Hebrew Christians)

Galatians 1 & 2 Peter (to Asia minor)

Ephesians 1 John (general Churches)

Philippians 2 John ( the "Elect Lady”)

Colossians 3 John (Gaius)

1 & 2 Thessalonians Jude (Christians)

1 & 2 Timothy

Titus

Philemon

The book of Revelation is not considered to be an epistle even though

John did address the seven churches by name. The book is considered to

be a prophetic book for obvious reasons.

PAGE 36

B. Authorship

According to 1:1 of this epistle, Paul the apostle is the obvious author.

Also Romans 11:13 and 15:20 describe the writer as an apostle to the

Gentiles. But the actual person who wrote the letter rout was Tertius

according to 16:22. Tertius evidently wrote as Paul told him what to

write. In those days it was quite common to hire an individual to write

out your letters. It was a profession of the day and evidently Paul hired

Tertius to pen the book of Romans.

The authorship of this book was not questioned until 1792 by an

Englishman named Evanson. Bruno Bauer followed in his footsteps

along with other liberal Swiss theologians, based on the premise the

book of Acts does not mention a church in Rome. They conclude from

this that it would therefore be impossible for Paul to have known so

many people listed in Romans 16. Other "scholars" have made up the

"brilliant" idea that chapter 16 actually belongs at the end of the book

of_________________ since some of the names are associated with that

region. These are just liberal ideas that do not amount to a hill of beans.

Paul wrote this letter as proven by the very first verse of this epistle.

C. Biography

One will be given later

D. Date/Location

Paul wrote this epistle during his three-month stay in

_____________as recorded in ________________, which helps

one narrow down a date of ______________. This date is

derived from the following sequence found in the Scriptures: 1)

At the time of writing he was on his way to Jerusalem to bring

financial relief (Romans 15:25-27)

2) This fact is also mentioned in 1 Cor 16:1-4, 2 Cor 8-9 showing

these letters were written about the same time

3) Romans is later than 2 Cor since Paul is ready to depart for

Jerusalem (15:25)

4) He wrote 2 Cor from Macedonia, and from Macedonia he went to

Greece (Corinth). It would be a good idea to mark in the book of

Acts where each letter was written from and when.

PAGE 37

NOTES

E. Readers

The Roman epistle is addressed to the saints at Rome (1:7) who were

a mixture of Jews and predominantly Gentiles. There was obviously a

mixed group as the letter addresses certain cultural problems that would

arise from Jews and Gentiles trying to fellowship together. This is seen

in Romans 15, which mentions specific days to observe and dietary laws.

As mentioned earlier the book of Acts does not mention the founding of

the church at Rome, so it is hard to say just how this church was

established. Three theories have been promoted throughout the years:

1) ______________________________________________________

2) ______________________________________________________

3) ______________________________________________________

The City of Rome in A.D. 56 was the largest and most important city

in the world (approximately 4 million people). This fact might explain

why so many of Paul's associates had moved there to take up residence.

F. Purpose

Paul wrote to these believers to instruct them concerning the basic

truths of salvation, and to instruct them in daily living. Three other

minor purposes can be seen as on reads the letter, which are:

1)

___Alet____________________________________________________

_

2) ________________________________________________________

3) ________________________________________________________

The apostle had never visited this church, but he felt a responsibility

to see all the Gentile churches grounded in the truth of salvation. Paul

described his burden for the Gentiles as a debt to them (Rom 1:14-15).

This sense of responsibility motivated him to write and/or visit all the

Gentile churches.

PAGE 38

G. Theme

The theme of this epistle is: The righteousness of God is imparted to

an individual on the basis of faith apart from the Law. This theme can

be clearly seen in chapters 1-8. The rest of the book divides as follows:

Chapters 9-11 deal with God's plan for the nation Israel in light of their

rejection, and chapters 12-16 instruct the believer on practical

Christianity. This theme can be seen in the following ways:

1)___________________: Romans 1:16-17 is the key verse since it

summarizes the teaching of the first eight chapters.

2)________________: The key words are _______________and

__________________________ since justification is the result of one

having faith in Christ.

3) The theme can be seen the way the book naturally divides itself:

a) 1:1-3:20: _____________________________________________

b) 3:21-5:21: ____________________________________________

c) 6:1-8:39: _____________________________________________

d) 9:1-11:36: ____________________________________________

e) 12:1-16:27: ___________________________________________

PAGE 39

NOTES

1 CORINTHIANS

A. Introduction

The importance of 1 Corinthians lies in the fact that it reveals a true

picture of the life and problems of one primitive local church. The

apostle writes to correct the problems this fellowship was experiencing

concerning divisions, fornication, marriage, divorce, doctrinal

differences, abuse of spiritual gifts and the resurrection. It seems that

this letter could have been written to the churches in the United States

today and addresses many of the present-day issues. This letter contains

the most exhaustive discussion on spiritual gifts, marriage and divorce,

love, and the doctrine of the resurrection found anywhere in the

Scriptures. It's a sad commentary on the early church that these detailed

instructions had to come out of a letter written to correct these problems,

and not one commending the church for its observance of these issues.

B. Date/Location

Paul wrote this letter in _______________ while he was ministering

in __________________________ (1 Cor 16:8). Paul was on his third

missionary journey ministering in Ephesus, when he took time out to

write to this young church. He had received reports of the problems in

the church of Corinth and wanted to write a letter of instruction to

correct the confusion. He knew it would be awhile before he could

personally visit the church and correct the problems, so he did the next

best thing by correcting them through writing them a letter. The letter

was written at the end of Paul's three-year stay in Ephesus. Acts 19

supplies the background of his ministry in Ephesus.

C. Readers

The apostle addresses this letter to the Church of God which is at

Corinth (1:2). But who were these people, and how was this church

formed? The Lord has preserved the founding of the church in Acts

18:1-18. The following points can be seen in these verses:

1.

_______________________________Aquilla_____________________

_ 2. _____________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________________

6. _____________________________________________________

PAGE 40

7. _____________________________________________________

D. Emphasis

The emphasis of the book is __________________________. This

epistle, more than any other in the New Testament, is a rebuke to a

church for its involvement in sinful practices.

E. Purpose/Outline

1. Instruction concerning unity and a rebuke of their divisiveness

____________________________.

2. Instruction concerning his apostleship

_____________________________.

3. Instruction concerning church discipline (incest)

_____________________________.

4. Instruction concerning lawsuits

_____________________________.

5. Instruction concerning marriage and divorce

_____________________________.

6. Instruction concerning food offered to idols

_____________________________.

7. Instruction concerning public worship

_____________________________.

8. Instruction concerning the Lord's Supper

_____________________________.

9. Instruction concerning spiritual gifts

_____________________________.

10. Instruction concerning the resurrection

_____________________________.

11. Instruction concerning the collection for the saints

_____________________________.

12. Instruction concerning his plans

_____________________________.

PAGE 41

NOTES

13. Instruction concerning his fellow workers

_____________________________.

The apostle did not write this letter at random but wrote with the

purpose of addressing very specific problems. The apostle wrote another

letter to this church that has been lost (1 Cor 5:9). 1 Cor 5:9-13 is a

correction of a misunderstanding of a letter, which had been written

before the 1 Cor in our Bibles. Paul received this information and other

news concerning the church through the household of Chloe (1:11) and

Apollos (16:12). He also received a letter brought to him by Stephanas,

Fortunatus and Achaicus (16:15-18). Paul sent Timothy to Corinth but

was not sure he would arrive there before the letter (16:10). Paul's letter

was in response to the bad reports he had heard from the individuals

mentioned. He attempted to solve the problems as much as possible

through a letter until he could personally get there.

F. Key Phrase

The key phrase in this book is, " _______________________" which

appears at 7:1, 8:1, 12:1, and 16:1. This phrase shows the nature of this

epistle and marks the different subjects dealt with in the letter. It shows

the nature of the letter in that it marks some of the different places the

author begins to give instruction. The different subjects are: marriage

(7:1), meat offered to idols (8:1), spiritual gifts (12:1), and the collection

(16:1).

G. Authorship

A number of times the writer of this epistle uses his own name (1:1,

1:12-17, 3:4, 6:22,16:21) giving us enough proof that Paul wrote this

letter. Another line of proof is that many of the Church Fathers attribute

this letter to the apostle Paul. Bruno Bauer's name is again associated

with those trying to discredit the Pauline authorship.

PAGE 42

PAGE 43

NOTES

2 CORINTHIANS

A. Introduction

The second letter to the Corinthians is entirely different from the first

one. The first epistle emphasizes instruction on various subjects, where

the second letter is very personal and autobiographical. In 2 Cor the

apostle discusses: his suffering in the ministry, travel plans and gives a

rather lengthy defense of his apostleship for his readers. The apostle

gives minimal instruction in this letter as compared to the first epistle.

B. Authorship

Two places in this letter (1:1, 10:1) the writer calls himself by "Paul"

giving us enough proof he wrote it. It's only the liberal groups that try to

say someone else wrote this letter. But who else could have possibly

wrote such a letter as this apart from the apostle Paul.

C. Date/Location

It is evident the letter was written from ______________________

(2:13, 7:5-7, 8:1, 9:2-4) in ____________. Paul wrote 1 Corinthians in

55 A.D. and sent it by the hand of Titus while he remained in

__________________. Troubles arose there, he had to move on and

started to minister at _____________, but he could not find Titus (2 Cor.

2:12-13) and so he moved on to _____________. Problems there

multiplied (2 Cor 7:5) and Titus arrived with the mixed results of the

affairs of the Corinthian church. Some individuals had experienced

revival, while others still were involved with problems, including

opposition to Paul's authority. From ______________________ Paul

writes 2 Corinthians to prepare the way for his next visit. He sent the

letter by Titus (and two companions) to this church (2 Cor 8:6, 16-24).

D. Readers

This letter is addressed to the Church at Corinth and to all the saints

who are in Achaia, a Roman province covering most of modern day

Greece. For information on Corinth see the notes on 1 Corinthians.

E. Purpose

Three distinct purposes can be seen as one reads this letter:

1. _____________________________________________________

2. / _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________

PAGE 44

In spite of Paul's sharp rebuke of the divisive spirit that prevailed

among the Corinthian church in his first letter, it is still present by the

time he wrote 2 Corinthians. A Jewish party came along (Judaizers) and

brought more division among the body. They referred to themselves as

the apostles of Christ, and as those belonging to Christ in a unique sense

(10:7). There seems to have been a ringleader which caused many

problems for the apostle (10:7-11, 2:5-11). This group gathered

followers with themselves to attack and resist the authority of Paul.

When Titus told Paul about this he planned to visit them but was unable

to (2:1, 12:14, 21, 13:1-2), this in turn caused the Corinthians to say Paul

was not a man of his word (1:17). The information Titus gave Paul was

that the majority was on his side (7:6-16) but there existed a small

minority in opposition to him (10-13). This is the situation that

prompted the writing of this letter. Paul also wrote this letter because he

wanted this church to be involved with the collection for the poor saints

in Jerusalem.

F. Outline

The Purpose of his Suffering in Asia 1:1-11

The Purpose for his Change of Plans 1:12-2:4

The Advice Concerning the Offenders 2:5-11

The Anxiety of the Apostle 2:12-13

The Glory of the Gospel Ministry 2:14-6:10

An Appeal for Separation 6:11-7:16

The Collection for the Saints 8-9

The Defense of his Apostleship 10-13

PAGE 45

NOTES

GALATIANS

A. Introduction

The book of Galatians is the first inspired work of the apostle Paul.

The book of James and Galatians were the first two books to be written

and it is interesting that they both address the subjects of faith and works.

James emphasizes the importance of works as a manifestation of true

saving faith, and attacks the theory that since one is saved by grace,

works are not important. The book of Galatians addresses the false

concept that one is saved by faith plus works. This church was being

taught they were saved by grace then perfected by keeping the Law. The

two epistles do not contradict each other but give us the balanced

perspective concerning grace, faith and works. It is no wonder Martin

Luther embraced the book of Galatians as his favorite during the

Reformation.

B. Authorship

Three passages identify the writer as Paul the apostle (1:1, 6:11, 5:2).

There are also the numerous historical events backed up by the book of

Acts that support this truth. There is no doubt that Paul the apostle wrote

this epistle.

C. Original Readers

The text refers to the readers as the churches of Galatia (1:2 and 3:1).

Note that the word "churches" is plural so this letter was actually written

to a group of churches in one area. This is the only letter Paul writes to a

group of churches even though some of his letters were meant to be

circulated. There is one problem here, what does the term Galatia refer

to? At the time of writing there was a ____________________ and a

_____________________Galatia. The North Galatia view proponents

say these were the churches founded by Paul on his second missionary

journey when he ministered in northern Asia Minor. The South Galatia

view proponents say Paul founded these churches on his first missionary

journey when he ministered in southern Asia Minor. The South Galatia

view proponents say these churches were founded by Paul on his first

missionary journey to the southern cities mentioned in Acts 16:1-10

(Derbe, Lystra, Antioch, Iconium). The South Galatia view seems to be

the best in light of the fact these specific cities are mentioned in Acts,

and that nothing specific is mentioned about North Galatia except in a

general sense. Most of the churches in this area would have been

______________________, which explains the difficulty Paul was

trying to correct. The founding of these churches are described in Acts

13:4-14:23.

PAGE 46

The Lord worked through the apostle Paul in this area and the result in

14:23 is that they ordained elders in all the churches established. But as

one reads this section of the book of Acts, the tension between the

message of grace versus legalism is apparent. Paul visited these

churches on all three of his missionary journeys.

D. Date/Location

Paul wrote this letter after his first missionary journey (Acts 13-14)

and before the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. A date for the Jerusalem

Council can be set at 49 A.D., so Paul wrote this letter around ________.

Three spots have been mentioned as possibilities: ________________,

___________________ or somewhere between these two cities (Acts

14:25-28). The reason this letter must have been written before the

Jerusalem Council is because the very same issue is being discussed in

both places, but the apostle does not mention the outcome of the

council's decision in this letter. All that he would have had to do is to

tell the Galatians what the church at Jerusalem had already decided on

this issue.

E. Purpose/Setting

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

The purpose of this letter is to show that salvation is by faith alone

apart from works. To discover the setting of this letter one needs to

read Acts 13:4-14:23. When one reads this section one can see the

strong opposition the Jews had to the ministry of Paul. The Apostle had

to leave this area to participate in ministry elsewhere and then the

Judaizers arrived and told the Galatians that they had not heard the whole

Gospel (1:6-7). They taught these young converts that salvation was by

faith in Christ _______________ observance of certain Jewish practices,

such as __________________________________________(5:24, 6:12),

_____________________________________ (3:2-3) and

_______________________________________________ (4:10). They

basically taught these young believers that they had to become Jews in

order to be saved. Read Acts 15:1-3 to see the similar problems the

whole church was working through. Paul's harsh words to these believers

(he calls them fools in 3:1) reveals the intensity of his emotions

concerning this subject. The apostle also has harsh words for the false

teachers that were causing the problems. He says, "they are to be

accursed (1:6-9)," "they had bewitched (Satanized) the Galatians," "they

want the Galatians to follow them (4:17)," "they are trouble makers

(5:10)" and Paul wished they would "mutilate themselves (5:12)." These

are strong words that the cults should be warned by today!

PAGE 47

NOTES

The book of Galatians clearly proves that one is saved apart from the

observance of the Law. The apostle wants to exhort these believers to

continue on in the spirit where they began and to not try to perfect

themselves in the flesh (3:2-3). After all, isn't that what salvation by

faith plus works amounts to be a dependence on self rather than Christ?

F. Key Verse/Key Words

The key verse of this book is Gal 5:1. It includes the two main

aspects of this letter which are: 1) An exhortation to remain in the

freedom Christ established by making salvation by faith, and 2) An

exhortation to stop trying to perfect themselves by observing the Law.

This is the same determination of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:10.

The words that are used over and over again are:

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

___________________________

G. Outline

The Defense of Paul's Apostleship 1-2

The Defense of Salvation by Faith 3-4

The Defense of Christian Liberty 5-6

EPHESIANS

Introduction

This is my favorite book of the Bible since it describes the spiritual

blessings the believer receives at the moment of salvation. It is my

conviction that one cannot relate to God the way He desires apart from a

proper understanding of the principles found in the first three chapters of

Ephesians. These chapters describe "Who the believer is in Christ," or

as others have put it, "Our position in Christ." Paul elaborates on the

concept of "being blessed with every spiritual blessing" (1:3) for three

chapters. Some of the blessings mentioned are: being chosen before the

foundations of the world, being accepted by God, saved by grace, being

made holy and many more. It is imperative for one to understand this

PAGE 48

book before one attempts to teach the Bible; otherwise, it is easy to

unknowingly misrepresent the heart of God towards His people.

A. The Author

The apostle Paul according to 1:1 and 3:1 wrote the book. This is

also supported by many quotations from the writings of the Church

Fathers as well as the style of the book. It is very important to

understand the way in which the apostle Paul wrote his letters. In a great

majority of his letters he begins by giving a

_________________________________________and concluding with

_________________________. The importance lies in the fact that Paul

first teaches then exhorts. The apostle's emphasis is first on __________

__________________________________________________________.

But the priority is on the first part. Too much of the preaching today

emphasizes the latter part, but Paul did not write his letters in this

fashion. It is my conviction that the Bible should be preached in the

fashion it was written.

In addition to proving the authorship of this book this section will

review the author's circumstances and his relationship to the readers.

1) Authorship proven: Three lines of proof can be given to show that

Paul is the author of this book:

1. The writer identifies himself as Paul (1:1 and 3:1)

2. Internal witness of style and content (A total of 155 verses in

Ephesians and 78 in Colossians)

3. External witness of tradition (Ignatius, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Clemet of

Alexandria, Tertullian, Marcion, Clemet of Rome, Hippolytus)

2) Circumstances of the Author: The book of Ephesians is known as

one of the prison epistles because the apostle Paul was in a Roman

prison as he penned his letter. This letter contains three explicit

references to this fact in 3:1, 4:1, and 6:20. The other three letters

written during this time were Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians.

These letters as well contained specific references to the apostle's

imprisonments as described in Acts 28:30-31.

3) Relationship to his readers: The book of Acts furnishes the

necessary information concerning the founding of this church and Paul's

intimate relationship with this church. The following events took place

on Paul's second missionary journey:

PAGE 49

NOTES

1. Acts 16:6 On his second journey the Holy Spirit forbade him to go

into Asia.

2. Acts 18:18-19 Spent time in the Synagogue ministering to the Jews.

3. Acts 18:20-21 He was asked to stay but had to leave.

4. Acts 18:24-28 Aquilla and Priscilla stayed on to minister.

5. Acts 18:24-28 The couple stayed and ministered to Apollos.

The following took place on Paul's third missionary journey:

1. Acts 19:1-7 The first converts on this third journey.

2. Acts 19:8 Preached three months in the synagogue.

3. Acts 19:9-10 Met with opposition so started to teach in the school of

Tyrannus.

4. Acts 19:11-17 Tremendous outpouring of miracles.

5. Acts 19:18-20 Revival and repentance took place.

6. Acts 19:23-41 Opposition of the Silversmiths.

7. Acts 20:1,31 Spent three years in Ephesus then left.

8. Acts 20:17-38 Ministered to the elders.

B. The Readers

This section will consider the letter's destination, the city, the religion,

and the church at Ephesus. This letter was addressed to the Church

which is at Ephesus according to 1:1. Support for this reading can be

found in many of the writings of the early Church Fathers. But there is a

segment of the scholars who believe this letter was addressed to a circuit

of unspecified churches since "at Ephesus" is not in some of the early

manuscripts. These scholars also point out that there lacks the personal

greeting as in most of his other letters. Since many of the earliest

Church Fathers mention the phrase "at Ephesus" it is most likely that it

was part of the original letter.

Destination: There are two main views regarding the destination of Eph:

1) An Encyclical Letter: The words "at Ephesus" are not found in three

of the major Greek manuscripts: the Chester Beatty Papyrus, dated about

200 A.D . . (p.46); Codex Sinaticus, and Codex Baticanus, both dated

from the fourth century. The proponents of this theory suggest the letter

was sent to the seven churches of the province of Asia, and they connect

the epistle mentioned in Colossians 4:16 as this encyclical letter. The

final item that lends support to this idea is that there is no personal

greeting contained in this letter and no treatment of a local church

problem. The main obstacle this view faces is the fact that there are

Greek manuscripts that included the name of any of the other six cities

normally occupied by at Ephesus.

PAGE 50

2) The Church at Ephesus: This view is supported by the reading of

1:1 where the words “at Ephesus” appear in a great majority of the Greek

manuscripts. Also the early church fathers wrote that this letter was

written to the Ephesians. The third and final reason to accept this view is

that 4:17 and 6:21-22 point to a specific church being addressed.

Specific names may have been left out due to the nature of the epistle

and its emphasis on the "Body of Christ" as being one.

The Church at Ephesus was:

1. Made up of mainly Gentiles with some Jews present.

2. On the day of Pentecost people from Ephesus were present Acts 2:9.

3. The founding of this church is found in Acts 18:21, 24-26.

4. Paul ministered in Ephesus for three years Acts 19.

5. Paul's message to the Ephesian elders is recorded Acts in 20:17-38.

6. Timothy became the Pastor of this fellowship - 1 Timothy 1:3.

7. The Lord Himself writes a letter to this church - Revelations 2:1-7.

8. Tradition teaches the apostle John ended up in Ephesus and made it

the center for much of the early church

activity.

The City: "The city was colonized in the eleventh century B.C. by the

Athenians. In subsequent generations the Persians, the Macedonians,

and the Romans conquered it. Destroyed by fire in 356 B.C., it was

immediately rebuilt because of the pride of its inhabitants and the

importance of its strategic location. Located on the banks of the Cayster,

it was both the chief port and capital of the province of Asia. In New

Testament times it was famous as a political, commercial, and religious

center."(1) "It was the natural gate by which the Roman governors and

visitors form the West entered the province. Under the Romans,

Ephesus enjoyed the status of a free city. It had an assembly and council

of its own and governor (Acts 19:38). The `town clerk', keeper of the

city records, was an official of great influence and responsibility (Acts

19:35)."(2)

1. Commerce: At the time of Paul, Ephesus was one of the top

commercial centers of Asia Minor, along with Antioch of Syria and

Alexandria Egypt. These three were also leaders of international trade.

Her prosperity was due to a large extent to her geographical location. At

her extensive docks might be found ships from every maritime nation of

that day. As the western terminus of the great overland route to the

Euphrates, she was likewise assured of an abundance of trade.(3)

2. Buildings: The city boasted of the largest Greek theater in Asia Minor

(able to Hold up to 50,000 people), a race track where races were run

along with wild beast fights, and the Temple of Diana. "This temple was

reckoned as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Built of

shining marble, it stood outside the city walls. The temple, facing the

east, was erected on a platform about 425 feet by 240 feet and was

PAGE 51

NOTES

reached by a flight of fourteen steps. The temple columns about sixty

feet high, thirty-six of which were beautifully carved. In the inner shrine

was the image of the goddess, Diana, claimed to have fallen from heaven

(Acts 19:35). It was a mummy-like figure with many breasts, the symbol

of fertility. Behind the temple was the treasury; it served as the bank of

Asia."(4)

3. Magic: "The practice of magic was intimately related to the worship

of Diana. On the statue of the goddess were inscribed certain mystic

formulae to which magic efficacy was ascribed. This led to the

manufacture of the famous `Ephesian letters', mystic monograms which

were used as charms. As implied in Luke's record of the Ephesian

ministry (Acts 19:13-19), Ephesus was "preeminently the city of

astrology, sorcery, incantations, amulets, exorcisms, and every form of

magical imposture."(5)

4. Arts and Sciences: The city was the center for philosophers, poets,

artists, and orators.

5. Religion: The worship of Diana (Artemis-Greek) was the prominent

religion of the Ephesians. Also many of the citizens belonged to the cult

of Agustus and various forms of magic (Acts 19:13-19). But thank God

the message of Christ broke through the satanic realm of darkness and

brought these people to the glorious light of the gospel of Christ. This

church was made up of predominantly Gentile converts, although there

were a large number of Jewish Christians as well. At the point Paul left

the city it was under the leadership of its own elders (Acts 20:17), later

Paul put Timothy in charge of the work (1 Tim 1:18-20), and tradition

teaches that John ended his last years of ministry supervising the work.

The Ephesian church was the mother church to the others in the province

and eventually replaced Antioch as the headquarters for missions.

C. Date/Location

It is easy to fix a date for this epistle because it is known as one of the

_________________________ (along with Philippians, Colossians &

Philemon). This narrows the date down to 61 A.D. since Paul was

imprisoned in Rome for two years from 61-62 A.D. (Acts 28:30-31).

Three times in this letter he mentions the fact he was in bonds (3:1, 4:1,

6:20), which meant he was chained to a Roman soldier at all times.

Tychicus was with him and was the one who delivered the letter (6:21-

22) along with the letters of Colossians and Philemon (Col. 4:7-9).

Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon were written first and sent by

Tychicus and then Philippians was written later. As mentioned

previously the apostle wrote this letter from Rome while in prison. This

has been the traditional view for many years and was not questioned

until recently. Two other places have been mentioned, Caeserea and

PAGE 52

Ephesus, as possible places of origin, The reason given for these cities is

that Paul spent time in prison in both of these cities, but the Biblical

evidence seems to substantially support the traditional view.

D. The Circumstances of the Church

Many of Paul's epistles were written to correct a specific problem

within a local church, such as the following:

1. Colossians: Combat a heresy attacking the person and work of

Christ.

2. 1 Corinthians: Internal strife and many lifestyle problems.

3. 2 Corinthians: Correct false accusations against the apostleship of

Paul.

4. Galatians: Combat a false doctrine promoting works/righteousness.

5. 1 Thessalonians: Correct the false views of Christ's return.

6. 2 Thessalonians: Correct the idea that Christ already returned.

But just as many were written with no such problems in mind, and

were penned to give the church a specific teaching.

1. Romans: Proves the doctrine of justification by faith.

2. Ephesians: The high position and responsibility of the believer.

3. Philippians: Thanks the church for their support financially.

4. 1 Timothy: Show a young pastor how to conduct the affairs of the

church.

5. 2 Timothy: Final exhortation to his beloved son in the faith

Timothy.

6. Titus: Instructions to a pastor on ordination and body life.

7. Philemon: Instruction to a slave owner about his slave.

The book of Ephesians seems to be written to a young church for the

specific purpose of spiritual growth. The church was only in existence

for six years and all the believers there needed to mature spiritually.

E. The Purpose/Theme

Purpose: The purpose of this book is to show the believer's

_________________________ in Christ (Chapters 1-3), and to exhort

the believer how to live out this privileged position in Christ in their day

to day experience (Chapters 4-6). In the first three chapters the apostle

shows how the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are involved in the

work of redemption. This section also contains an emphasis on how this

redemption has made both Jew and Gentile one in Christ. The key to the

whole book centers around the concept of being In Christ, and the fact

that all spiritual blessings belong to the believer because of this. But the

apostle does not leave his readers in the heavenly realm became he

realizes the believer must live this spiritual experience on earth. He then

explains to the believer how to have a walk worthy of this prestigious

PAGE 53

NOTES

calling (4:1) in all areas of life. It is very important to see that Eph 4:1 is

an exhortation to live out what Christ has already made them, and not a

call to fulfill these commands in their own power. His exhortations in

chapters 4-6 are based on the truths presented in the first three chapters.

Theme: The theme of this epistle is "The blessings and privileges of

being __________________ and how that truth should be lived out in

daily life. This phrase and concept occurs over thirty times in this short

epistle. One just has to read the first fourteen verses to see this phrase

occurring over and over again. It is imperative for all believers to

understand all their privileges and blessings of being In Christ so they

can properly relate to God. Understanding this fact will ensure the

believer that he is not relating to and serving God on the basis of guilt

and condemnation, but out of the pure motive of love. They recognize

that God first loved them and now service to the Lord is merely a

response to that love.

F. Key Words/Key Verse

The key words are "In Christ" or the equivalent phrases such as in the

Lord, in the Beloved etc. This concept occurs over thirty times in this

letter. The apostle Paul wants these believers to understand their high

calling and privileges of being "In Christ". The key verses are 1:3 and

4:1 since they contain the two main points of the letter: 1) The high

calling (chapter 1-3), and 2) The command to live out this calling

(chapter 4-6).

Eph 1:3 states in a general sense what the rest of the first three

chapters discuss. The rest of the first three chapters delineate the spiritual

blessings of being in Christ based on Christ's efforts on the cross. The

second key verse is 4:1 since it summarizes the author's purpose of

chapters 4-6 of having a walk that matches their spiritual position. The

key words are "In Christ," "In Him," and " In The Lord," or any other

phrases which repeat the principle of being in Christ.

PAGE 54

G. Distinctive Features

1. Words used:

A. In: 98 times

B. Grace: 13 times

C. Spirit: 13 times

D. Body: 8 times

E. Walk: 8 times

F. Heavenly: 5 times

G. Mystery: 5 times

2. The Holy Spirit is stressed in this book in 1:13, 14, 17, 2:18, 22, 3:5,

16, 4:30, 5:18, 6:17-18.

3. The Body of Christ is stressed and is called 16 different names as in

1:22, 2:16, 19, 21, 22, 3:3, 4, 10, 15, 21, 4:4, 12, 16, 5:18, 30, 6:19.

The book of Colossians emphasizes the head of the body (Christ)

while the book of Ephesians emphasizes the body of Christ and its

universal program.

H. The Survey

The epistle can first be divided into two larger sections (chapters 1-3)

dealing with the believer's position in Christ as a member of the body

and chapters 4-6 discuss the believer's lifestyle.

A. 1:1-14: After the introduction and the greeting the apostle

emphasizes the activities of each member of the Trinity in securing

salvation. The Father's work (1:3-6) involves blessing (1:3), choosing

(vs. 4), predestination (vs. 5), perfecting (vs. 4), adoption (vs. 5), and

causing the believer to be accepted in the Beloved (vs. 6). The Son's

activities include redemption (vs. 7), forgiveness (vs. 7), knowledge of

his will (8-10), and an inheritance (vs. 11). The Spirit's work (1:13-14)

includes sealing (vs. 12), and is seen as the down payment of all that is

promised (vs. 14).

B: 1:15-23: In this section the apostle prays for the church that they will

understand all that he has just revealed to them. This will not come by

way of natural revelation or natural understanding but through revelation

and knowledge given only by God. He wanted them to know the hope of

their calling and the riches of God's grace.

PAGE 55

NOTES

C. 2:1-22: This chapter discusses the individuals who make up the

body of Christ. All members of this body shared in a lost condition of

being dead in their sins until Christ made them alive by raising them into

the heavenlies. All entered the body not by works or on the merit

system, but by the grace of God. The new spiritual body has been formed

by both Jews and Gentile since Christ broke down the wall separating the

two, and by making both one in Christ.

D. 3:1-21: This chapter emphasizes the fact that the church is a

mystery (a hidden truth) that has now been revealed to the believers. The

mystery is that the Gentiles are partakers of the blessings of the gospel

and are fellow heirs (3:6). This plan reveals the wisdom of God in how

He has merged His divine plans of Israel with the church for ages. The

apostle ends this doctrinal section with a prayer for the believers (3:13-

21) that they would be strengthened in the inner man and bring glory to

God.

E. 4:1-32: The apostle exhorts the church to walk worthy of their

calling elaborated in chapters 1-3. The first way in which this calling

should be lived out by a life of unity (4:1-6), which Christ Himself has

established. Although a unity needs to exist there is also a diversity of

gifts and responsibilities within the body of Christ (4:7-16). The gifted

members are present to develop spiritual maturity within the church, and

when all the members are doing their part the body will be edified. The

believers should have a different lifestyle than that of the world in all

areas (4:17-32). The unsaved still lives in darkness while the saved have

been enlightened which should be manifested by putting on the new

man.

F. 5:1-21: The believer is exhorted to have a walk of love (5:2), to

walk as children of light (5:8), and to walk circumspectly (5:15). They

are not to get involved with the sinful practices of the unbeliever because

that is part of the past life. But one is to live a life filled with the Spirit

of God at all times.

G. 5:22-6:9: This section discusses the proper relationships that are to

exist in the home. The Spirit filled life should effect husbands, wives,

children, and master/servant relationships.

H. 6:10-24: The apostle warns the believer that his walk of holiness

will be met with resistance, so he must wear the full armor of God. This

walk must be lived in the power of the Spirit and not in one's own

strength.

PAGE 56

I. The Outline

Introduction (1:1-2)

I. The Wealth of the Church (1:3-3:21)

A. The plan of God (1:3-14)

1. The Father (1:3-6)

2. The Son (1:7-12)

3. The Spirit (1:13-14)

B. The prayer of Paul (1:15-23)

C. The people of the church

1. Sinners made alive (2:1-10)

2. Jews and Gentiles made one (2:11-22)

D. The purpose of the church (3:1-12)

E. The prayer of Paul (3:13-21)

II. The Walk of the Church

A. In unity (4:1-6)

B. In diversity (4:7-16)

C. In holiness (4:17-5:17)

D. In the Spirit (5:18-21)

E. In domestic affairs (5:22-6:9)

1. Wives (5:22-24)

2. Husbands (5:25-33)

3. Children (6:1-3)

4. Parents (6:4)

5. Servants (6:5-8)

6. Masters (6:9)

III. The Warfare of the Church (6:10-20)

A. The need for armor (6:10-13)

B. The nature of the armor (6:14-17)

C. The purpose of prayer (6:18-20)

Conclusion (6:21-24)

PAGE 57

NOTES

THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS

A. Authorship/Emphasis

The writer of this letter calls himself Paul (1:1) and that should be

enough information on the subject for now. The emphasis of this letter is

one of tenderness and affection. This epistle does contain some doctrinal

teaching but it is the most personal of any of Paul's letters. This church

seems to be very close and dear to his heart as evidenced by the many

compliments and personal terms of affection. The letter itself does not

contain even a hint of rebuke. He looks upon the members of this church

as his personal friends and is assured of their loyalty to him. This

Philippian Church sent financial contributions to support the apostle on

three different occasions. Once while he was in Corinth (Acts 18:5, 2

Cor 11:8-9) and twice while he was in Thessalonica (Phil 4:15-16).

The book of Philippians was the last of the four letters written by Paul

while in prison in Rome, and was written near the time of his release.

This letter is very personal but this does not mean it does not contain

practical exhortations or doctrine as well. In this letter he emphasizes

having Christ first in every aspect of life, the joy of the Lord, the

incarnation of Christ. The fact Paul emphasizes the joy of the Lord must

have had a tremendous impact upon the readers, since the one writing the

letter was still serving the Lord with great joy and zeal while in prison.

B. Readers

This church was predominantly made up of Gentiles. This is seen in

the fact there was not even a Jewish synagogue at the time Paul visited

the city of Philippi. Jensen's survey of the N.T. gives a good study on

the actual city on pages 325-326. The book of Acts furnishes the

background information for the founding of this church in 16:9-40:

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________

4.

__________Lydias___________________________________________

_ 5. ______________________________________________________

6. ______________________________________________________

7. ______________________________________________________

8. ______________________________________________________

9. ______________________________________________________

10. ______________________________________________________

11. ______________________________________________________

PAGE 58

This church was established on the apostle's 2nd missionary journey

(A.D. 49-52) and most likely met in the house of the first convert, Lydia

(Acts 16:15, 40). The Philippian jailer and his household were converted

the first few days of the apostle's ministry there (Acts 16:22-34). By the

time Paul wrote this letter the church had an established leadership of

elders and deacons (1:1). After Paul left, Luke stayed there for another 5

or 6 months to make sure the new converts were strong in the faith. Paul

and his team visited the church on his 3rd journey (Acts 20:1-6), but a

detailed description of his activities of that time are not included in Acts.

The other cities that Paul went to on his 2nd journey were Amphipolis,

Apollonia, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, and Corinth.

C. Place

Paul wrote this letter and three others (Colossians, Ephesians,

Philippians, and Philemon) from a prison in Rome. He was chained to a

Roman guard 24 hours a day, yet continued to serve the Lord through his

writing. His imprisonment lasted about 2 years and is recorded in Acts

28:16-31. Paul and Silas spent one night in the prison in Philippi but

were divinely rescued, which resulted in the conversion of the jailer and

his family. It is important to know that Paul was in prison while he

wrote this letter, since there is such an emphasis on the joy of the Lord in

this book. The author had learned how to rejoice in every circumstance

life may bring.

D. Time

Paul wrote this letter between __________________ while in prison

in Rome. It had been 3-4 years since he had seen his dear friends last

and wanted to encourage them in the faith.

E. Purpose

Paul had specific reasons for writing this letter, which are evident

when one reads the letter. It is different from the rest of his epistles in

that it is filled with the apostle's affection and sincere care for the church.

Some have even called this his "love letter" to the saints at Philippi.

There are basically two reasons Paul wrote the letter: The first one is

found in 4:10-19 and relates to his appreciation for their support. The

apostle wanted to write to these believers and express his sincere

appreciation for the financial support they sent him for the ministry and

personal needs. Epaphroditus was sent by the church to deliver the gifts

and to be a source of encouragement for Paul (4:18), Paul simply wanted

his readers to know that he was thankful.

PAGE 59

NOTES

The other reason Paul wrote this letter was to communicate the plans

he had set for the near future (2:19-24, 25-30). In these two sections Paul

speaks of sending Timothy, and hopefully he himself can come to

encourage them in the Lord (2:19-24). In 2:25-30 he relates the events

of what happened to Epaphroditus while he was with Paul. Epaphroditus

had gotten very sick and almost died. The Philippian Church heard

about this and was worried about his condition. Paul wanted them to

know that the man had been a great blessing to him despite the problems.

This letter is much less doctrinal than his others and one of the most

personal.

F. Contents, Key Verse, Theme

The key verses in this letter are 1:21 and 4:4. The first one

emphasizes the lifestyle of the apostle in that his whole purpose in life

was to live for Christ. The second key verse emphasizes the joy of the

Lord and the idea of rejoicing in Christ. The words "joy" or "rejoice"

occurs _____________ times in this short letter. This obviously shows

what Paul was trying to communicate to his readers. Some of the themes

that run through the letter are:

1. ___________________(4:4)

2. ____________________ of the body (1:27-2:18, 4:1-9)

3. The ______________ and ______________ of Christ (2:1-11)

4. __________________________________ (3:12-16, with verse 14

as the key)

5. Keeping above the circumstances of life (1:12-30, 4:11-13)

Other important aspects of the book of Philippians is its emphasis

upon the following:

a. The unity of the body and the need for __________________ in the

Church (2:1-11).

b. The __________________________ against false teaching of the

Judiaizers (3:1-3).

c. Paul's personal __________________________________ (3:4-16).

PAGE 60

G. The Outline

The contents of this letter emphasize having joy in all circumstances

in life. Paul is the perfect example of being content in all situations.

The contents in this letter are divided into nine sections. He wrote:

1) to express his appreciation for them (1:3-11)

2) to share his circumstances (1:12-26)

3) to exhort them to unity 2:1-1

4) to explain his plans to send Timothy and the return of

Epaphroditus (2:19-30)

5) to warn them against the Judiaizers (3:1-14)

6) to appeal for the reconciliation of Euodia and Syntyche (4:2-3)

7) to exhort them to pursue good things (4:4-9)

8) to thank them for their gift (4:10-20)

to send greetings (4:21-23).

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NOTES

THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS

A. Introduction

In this lesson on the book of Colossians we will be doing a

background study. It is important to do such a study because it helps one

understand the book as a whole before looking at the smaller parts. This

type of research involves studying the book according to its author, date,

purpose, theme, key verse/work, contents, relationship of author and his

readers, the people it was written to, the location at which it was written,

and any particular false doctrine the writer was trying to correct. The

two main objectives of this study are to help the individual understand

the main message of the book, and how the author has written about that

subject. Many people study and read the Bible but never seem to quite

understand it, but this does not have to be the case. I believe if one

would simply study to find out the main message of the book, and how

the author has explained that message, they would get a lot more out of

their Bible reading. The problem is that people try to understand the

smaller parts of the letter without ever realizing how that smaller piece

fits into the larger one. It would be the same as working on a section of a

puzzle, and trying to piece it together, without having a picture of the

whole puzzle. This is why it is imperative to do a background study

before doing a verse by verse study.

B. Author

It should be enough that three times (____ ______________ and

4:18) in this epistle the writer call himself Paul. But there are those

liberal scholars who want to date this book in the second century A.D.

They do this for two reasons: 1) There are some words in this letter

which do not appear in Paul's other letters, and 2) The heresy the apostle

combats here is very similar to a second century heresy called

Gnosticism. Gnosticism is a belief that one is saved by having specific

knowledge about God, which God alone reveals to specific people.

These liberal ideas can be are easily refuted. In the first place, in every

letter Paul writes, there are words that do not appear anywhere else. And

the heresy Paul is attacking in Colossians is similar to 2nd century

Gnosticism, but at the same time it has distinct differences.

C. Date/Location

The date of this letter is fairly easy to pin down since it is one of his

prison letters. Paul was in prison for two years while in Rome from 60-

61 A.D. (Acts 28:30-31). So the letter was written during these two

years and probably in ____________________.

PAGE 62

One needs to realize as the apostle was in prison he had a Roman

soldier chained to him at all times. Thank God he didn't give up or get

discouraged and quit! He made the best of his situation and wrote four

of the New Testament letters while in that prison (Ephesians,

Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon). It is obvious he was in prison

while he wrote this letter since he himself was a _____________ in 4:10.

D. Theme/Purpose

The theme of this epistle is: Christ is the all sufficient God who died

for man's redemption. On the basis of this fact the believer is absolutely

perfect in Christ and does not need any works to make this perfection

complete. Put another way: A person is saved by having faith in Christ

alone because Christ was the perfect redeemer. The theme of this epistle

can clearly be seen in the key verse ______________. Verse 9 shows

the perfection of _________________ and verse 10 shows the perfection

of our _____________________________. It took the perfect God-man

to supply a perfect salvation for sinners.

The doctrine of being saved by faith alone apart from works has

always been attacked throughout church history. It is attacked even to

the present day. The problem is that many groups place their focus on

man's efforts in gaining or keeping their salvation. But the gospel places

the emphasis on the perfection of Christ and His efforts on the cross.

The Scriptures also direct point the reader to Christ as the one who keeps

them from falling (Jude 24). The Word clearly reveals that it is not by

man's effort that he is saved or remains saved, but is due to the power of

God. The apostle wrote this epistle with a very specific purpose in mind.

Epaphras reported to Paul the heresy and false doctrines that had crept

into the Church at Colossae (1:6-8). Paul wrote to correct these false

doctrines and teach the Colossians the truth about salvation. No name is

given to this heresy but it can be called the beginning stages of

Gnosticism. Gnosticism teaches three thing: 1) The material (universe)

is evil, 2) Only the spiritual things are good, and 3) Both the material and

spiritual are eternal. This led to the following false teachings:

A. Since the material is evil:

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

B. Since only the spiritual is good:

1. ________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________

PAGE 63

NOTES

One can see these last two principles still existing is some of the cult

groups in the world today. The heresy attacking the Colossian Church is

described rather explicitly in 2:8-23 as:

1. A Judiastic legalism involving circumcision (2:11, 3:11),

ordinances (2:14), foods, holidays, and other (2:16)

2. ___________________________________________ (2:16, 20-23)

3. _________________________________________________ (2:18)

4. __________________________________________________ (2:8)

5. ________________________________________________ (3:5-8)

The paragraph above describes the heresy the author was addressing,

but it is just as important to see how he refuted these false ideas. The

heresy basically attacked the person and work of Christ. Paul's approach

in refuting this false doctrine was to prove that Christ provided a perfect

salvation due to the fact He Himself was perfect. His work on the cross

made the believer complete and acceptable before God, thus there was

no need to add works into the formula. The reason His sacrifice was

perfect is due to the fact He was perfect. He was perfect because He was

God. Paul addressed the following three specific subjects:

#1 He Wrote About the Sufficiency of Christ's Death

The believers who followed the false teachings ended up not relying

completely upon the finished work of Christ, but upon their own efforts

and works. They began to rely upon certain Jewish practices and

external rites rather than upon the work of the Spirit. It is a simple

matter of fact, if one does not rely completely upon Christ for salvation

& sanctification he will trust in his own efforts. This is why the false

teacher emphasized ascetic practices. Paul's refuted this by showing the

sufficiency of Christ's death (especially seen in Col 1:19-23,2:11-23).

Christ's death provided for mankind a sufficient and complete salvation.

This is seen in the results His death had upon the believer.

Christ's death was sufficient because it:

1. Qualified us to receive an inheritance (1:12)

2. Delivered us from the power of Satan (1:13)

3. Provided for us redemption and the forgiveness of sins (1:14)

4. Reconciled us to God (1:20-21)

5. Made us holy, blameless and irreproachable in God's sight (1:22)

6. Made us complete (2:10)

7. Made us alive to God (2:13)

8. Made us guiltless of our failures of the Law (2:14)

9. Gave us victory over the devil (2:15)

PAGE 64

#2 He Wrote About the Sufficiency of Christ's Person

Paul had to address the false concept of Christ that was presented to

the Colossians. They were taught that Christ was a created being and

that He was only an emanation from God. The way in which Paul

combated this aspect was to present Christ as He rally is, the all-

sufficient and pre- eminent one. His deity is clearly seen in Col 1:12-18

and 2:9.

The heresy this church was taught did not come out and openly deny

the existence of Christ; but, did not ascribe to Him His deity or give Him

His rightful position as Head of the body of Christ. This is why Paul

clearly pointed out that Jesus was the creator of all things, He existed

before all things, He is the sustainer and the visible image of God. This

false teaching did not deny Christ but caused His glory to be veiled.

Paul simply removed the veil by proving the deity of Christ, and by

showing the glory He rightfully deserves. This point is seen where Paul

describes Christ as:

1. The Image of the Invisible God (1:15)

2. The Pre-eminent One (1:15)

3. The Agent in Creation (1:16)

4. The Eternal One (1:17)

5. The One who holds all things together (1:17)

6. The One in whom all the Fullness Dwells (1:19)

7. The Fullness of God (2:9)

#3 He Wrote About the Sufficiency of Christ's Humanity

The false teachers also taught that the physical was evil, thus Christ

did not possess a body like ours. Paul combated this by proving the

humanity of Christ as seen by the following phrases in the book:

1. Body of his flesh (1:22)

2. All the fullness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily (2:9)

Paul simply shows these believers who Christ is in reality; and, then

uses this to prove that their salvation was complete. They didn't need to

add rigid rules and regulations to faith. Christ was perfect and already

fulfilled these standards for us. Paul wants the Colossians to see who

Christ is, and on the basis of this, trust Him completely for their

salvation and sanctification.

PAGE 65

NOTES

E. Readers

The founding of this church is not specifically spelled out in the book

of Acts, but the evangelization of this area is mentioned in Acts

19:10,26. This church was predominantly Gentile as revealed by the

author's description of the people (1:27, 3:5-7, 1:21), but there was also a

Jewish segment to the church. Paul may have never even visited this

church (2:1) and may have only heard about their faith (1:4,9), but he

wanted to write a letter to correct the problems they were facing.

Archippus was the Pastor of the church (4:17) and they probably

assembled in the home of Philemon (Philemon 1:2).

F. Contents

It was already noted that this letter combats a specific heresy that had

crept into the church attacking the perfections of Christ. Therefore the

apostle clearly defines the person, work, and position of Christ, and calls

for a complete acceptance and dependence upon Him. The letter can be

divided into six sections proving these points:

The first section (1:1-14) contains the greeting (1-2) which is

followed by an expression of joy for their faith, hope, and love (3-8).

Then the apostle prays for them that they may have the strength to live

out the Christian life (9-14). The second section (1:15-23) is the heart of

the letter as the apostle expresses the supremacy of Christ. This section

contains the facts that Christ is God, Creator, Sustainer, Head of the

Church, Pre-eminent one, all the fullness of God, Redeemer, and the

Sanctifier. The next section (1:24-2:5) is of a more personal note and

describes the sufferings of his ministry and his care for the Colossian

Church. The fourth section (2:6-23) deals with the apostle's corrections

concerning the false doctrines. He first warns them against the false

forms of knowledge (2:6-15) and then against the rigid rules and

regulations (2:16-23). The next section (3:1-4:6) deals with the practical

aspects of the Christian walk in the areas of family, business, social life,

and the grace of God. The sixth and last section (4:7-18) includes Paul's

personal greetings and commendations of individuals.

G. Emphasis/Key Words

The emphasis of this epistle is on the ________________________ of

Christ. This is clearly seen in 1:13-23, which describes the exaltation

and rightful place Christ, deserves. The key words are wisdom and

___________________________. These words are used continually

through the book since the Colossian heresy was related to salvation by

knowledge. This helps us to understand why Paul said in 2:3, "In Christ

are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." All true wisdom

is found in Christ and not is the "special knowledge" the false teachers

claimed to possess.

PAGE 66

H. Outline

The Greeting to the Colossians 1:1-14

The Christ of the Colossians 1:15-23

The Apostle's of the Colossians 1:24-2:5

The Heresy of the Colossians 2:6-23

The Daily Life of the Colossians 3:1-4:6

The Friends of the Colossians 4:7-18

1 THESSALONIANS

A. Authorship

The apostle Paul wrote two letters to this church dealing with the

issues pertinent to that particular body. The church has never doubted

that Paul wrote both of these letters, except for some of the moral liberal

scholars. Church tradition and the early Church Fathers both support the

fact Paul wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians. But the most convincing

argument that Paul actually wrote 1 Thessalonians, lies in the fact that

twice in this epistle ________________ name is mentioned as the writer.

There is not one conservative scholar who believes Paul did not write

this letter.

B. Date/Place of Writing

In order to establish an accurate date and place of writing for this

book, the bits of information found in the book of Acts and

Thessalonians must be pieced together. According to Acts 16:11-40 and

1 Thess 2:2, Paul, Silas, Luke and Timothy were ministering in Philippi

when a controversy erupted forcing them to leave the area. According to

Acts 17 and 1 Thess 3:1 the team traveled to Thessalonica then to Berea,

but the Thessalonican Jews followed the team to Berea causing problems

for the team. Paul then went alone to Athens while Silas and Timothy

stayed in Berea (Acts 17:15-34). Paul eventually went to Corinth and

ministered with Aquila and Priscilla (Acts 18:1-5); meanwhile, Timothy

and Silas went back to the churches to discover their condition. Timothy

and Silas met Paul back in Corinth (Acts 18:5, 1 Thess 3:1-8) and

relayed their findings to the apostle. Timothy brought Paul the news

from Thessalonica (1 Thess 3:6) concerning their condition. Paul spent

18 months (Acts 18:11) ministering in ________________________ and

during this time he wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians. This would give us an

approximate date of A.D._____________ for the time of writing.

C. The Occasion for Writing

The apostle Paul only spent approximately 3 weeks in the founding of

this church (Acts 17:1-2). This was not due to his lack of concern for

PAGE 67

NOTES

them but because persecution forced him to flee the city (Acts 17:5-10).

At one point he sent Timothy back to check up on the church and find

out their spiritual condition. Timothy brought back a report which

contained some good news as well as some alarming points

(1 Thess 3:6-7). Paul was glad to hear they were still serving the Lord

but was concerned about some of the problems that had arisen in the

church. The problems and concerns he had which prompted him to write

this letter were:

1. This church was under tremendous persecution.

2. This was a _________________ church and needed encouragement.

3. His concern for the women who received the Lord and how their

husbands might be treating them because of this commitment.

4. These believers were converted from paganism and he was

concerned they might go back to that lifestyle.

5. The Jews who were converted were faced with the problems the

Judaizers were causing among the church.

6.He was concerned if these individuals were truly converted or not,

7. since he was only there for _________________________.

7. The church consisted of immature Christians.

8. This was a _________________ church (2 Cor 8:2-3).

These issues and probably many other concerns prompted Paul to

write this letter of encouragement to this fellowship. Paul did say in 2

Cor 11:28 he carried around the deep concern for the churches daily.

D. The Readers

1) The Area- After leaving Philippi Paul traveled the 100-mile distance

(the distance between L.A. and San Diego) to Thessalonica along the

Egnation Way. This road linked Rome with the east and was their most

famous military road. The largest and most influential city along this

road would have been Thessalonica. It was a prominent city due to its

commerce and the fact it was a strategic place for the shipping and

receiving of goods.

The city was built in the form of an amphitheater on the slope at the

end of the bay and also housed a Roman naval station. Although many

Jews, Romans and other Orientals were attracted to this city's wealth

most of the individuals were involved in manual labor.

2) The Founding of the City- The city was founded in 315 B.C. by

Cassander. He was one of the four generals who received one-fourth of

Alexander the Great's kingdom after his death. Cassander eventually

killed Olympias (Alexander's Mother) because of her military

opposition. For political reasons, he married Alexander's half sister

PAGE 68

whose name was Thessalonica. Many cities in that day were named after

relatives of the conquering general as this one Cassander's wife. Today

Thessalonica is the city in Greece known as Solonica, and has a

population of over one-fourth of a million people.

3) The Political Status- When the Romans conquered Macedonia they

divided it into four smaller portions and made Thessalonica one of its

capitals. In 16 B.C. it became the capital of the entire providence. It

eventually became a "free-city" enabling them to experience a degree of

home rule, self-government in internal offices and the right to choose

their own magistrates. This was a right these individuals valued greatly,

and why there was such a disturbance over the fact Jesus was given the

title king in Acts 17:5-8. The people guarded their freedom thus to speak

about another king besides Caesar was a grievous crime.

4) The People- The people of Thessalonica were mainly Greeks and

the culture was basically Hellenic (Greek). The city did contain a

number of Romans, Jews and other Orientals due primarily to the

commerce, but they were not the majority. The women in this city

experienced a great deal of freedom in economical and political areas.

5) The Religion- The presence of the Jews in this purely heathenistic

area created a very divers atmosphere. In general the Thessalonians

were heathens who worshipped idols, but at the same time a synagogue

was established in the city. The Jews were able to reach a number of

these individuals and were given the title "God fearers." They attended

the synagogue and tried to lead pure and holy lives. The city was a

center for shipping activity and was a wealthy community. These two

elements attracted all sorts of corrupt individuals along with their

actions. This was a place that definitely needed the gospel.

6) The Founding of the Church- Paul was on his second missionary

journey when he planted the church at Thessalonica. Timothy and Silas

were along with him on this trip. Their main purpose was to go back and

strengthen the churches planted on the first journey. They spent time in

Phillipi (Acts 16:1-40) but were forced to leave due to the persecution (1

Thess 2:2). The following are the steps Paul and his team took in

establishing this church:

1. Paul earned a living with his hands to support his ministry work

and be an example to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 1:5, 2:9,

2 Th 3:8). He did this so he would not be a burden to anyone, or

be classified with the traveling philosophers who often had selfish

interests.

2. He preached the gospel there (Acts 17:2, 1 Thess 1:5, 2:2, 2:8,

2:11-12).

3. He preached the gospel for three weeks in the synagogue

(Acts 17:2).

PAGE 69

NOTES

4. They were converted from pure heathenism (1 Thess 1:9, 5:12).

5. His message centered around the death, burial, resurrection and the

fact Jesus was the Messiah (Acts 17:3).

6. Some Jews, many devout Greeks and some leading women (rich)

turned to the Lord (Acts 17:4).

7. The Jews became jealous and began to stir up some problems

(Acts 17:5).

8. These Jews brought Jason and some of the other believers to the

magistrates, but they were eventually released (Acts 17:6-9).

9. The church began under persecution and continued to be threatened

with this problem (1 Thess 1:6-7).

10. They secretly snuck Paul out of the city (Acts 17:10).

11. The devil hindered Paul from coming to this church

(1 Thess 2:17- 18) so he sent Timothy to go and encourage this

group (1 Thess 3:1-5).

12. Timothy brought the news about this church which motivated Paul

to write this letter (1 Thess 3:1-8).

E. The Purpose

Timothy brought back the news about the condition of this church

which caused both joy and concern in the heart of Paul (Acts 18:5, 1

Thess 3:1-8). The specific purpose for this letter is to address the

problems that had arisen in this church and to communicate his joy for

their faith. The specific concerns and encouragements are:

1. They thought the ________________ of the Lord was immediate so

some quit their jobs (1 Thess 2:9, 4:11).

2. They were living in a disorderly fashion and were being tempted to

go back to their pagan practices (1 Thess 5:14).

3. They were under persecution (1:6, 2:14-16), but were loyal to the

faith and anxious for Paul's return (1 Thess 3:6-8).

4. There arose an opposition to Paul's ______________________ and

reputation through lies and gossip (1 Thess 2:1-20).

5. There was a reluctance to the gifts (1 Thess 5:19-21).

6. There was a temptation to return to sexual impurity and heathen

vices (1 Thess 4:1-8).

7. They thought the departed saints would not experience the Lord's

return and were suffering grief over this misconception. Paul

wanted to correct this problem and have them receive comfort by

knowing the truth (1 Thess 4:13-5:11).

8. Paul wanted them to know he was encouraged about their spiritual

growth.

F. The Theme

This letter does not just contain one message or theme. Paul actually

addresses a number of issues. A good suggestion for a theme is: The

PAGE 70

Apostle's Concern for a Young Church. It is true that 1 Thess does

emphasize the end-times, but this is not all the book addresses. The

epistle deals with many other issues any local fellowship will face.

G. Contents

Section E lists the different topics discussed in this book. Here is

how those topics fit into this book by the chapters:

1. The apostle addresses the attacks and rumors about his ministry and

character (chapters ______________).

2. The apostle expresses his joy and gratitude over their progress

(chapter ___________).

3. The apostle exhorts them to live pure lives and not to go back to

their old ways (4:1-12 and 5:12-28).

4. The apostle attempts to comfort and correct their misunderstanding

of the Second Coming (chapter _________________________).

H. Outline

The Testimony of the Thessalonians 1:1-10

The Ministry of the Apostle Among the Thessalonians 2:1-16

The Persecution of the Thessalonians 2:17-3:13

The Prescribed Lifestyle of the Thessalonians 4:1-12

The Departed Loved Ones of the Thessalonians 4:13-18

The Day of the Lord and the Thessalonians 5:1-11

The Sanctification of the Thessalonians 5:12-28

PAGE 71

NOTES

2 THESSALONIANS

A. Authorship

The apostle Paul identifies himself in this letter by using his name in

____________________, which is sufficient evidence as to the

authorship of this book. It is so closely related to the first letter in

content, vocabulary and style that nobody can deny the Pauline

authorship of both letters. This is one of Paul's earliest letters and was

written soon after 1 Thessalonians. Liberal scholarship of recent times

has come up with a real winner in relation to the authorship of 2

Thessalonians. They conclude that since the letter is so similar to the

first, a forger must have produced a second one. This just shows the

extreme they will go to discredit the inspiration of the Scriptures. Half

the time they deny Paul's authorship of certain letters on the basis of

being too different from his other writings. Now when dealing with this

letter, they want to say it's too similar. They start from the premise Paul

did not write these letters, then they come up with ridiculous ideas to

prove their point. If Paul did not write 2 Thessalonians because it is too

similar (as the liberals say) how do they not know 2 Thess was the

original and 1 Thess is the forgery? I write as a fool to show how

ridiculous their arguments are.

B. Date/Location

The time of composition of this letter is easy to establish since it deals

with some of the same issues as the first letter. This means that these

letters were written very close to each other. 2 Thess could not have

been written any longer than a couple of ______________ after the first

one, which gives us a date of ____________. According to Acts 18:11

the apostle stayed in Corinth for 18 months, he must have written these

letters before the persecution of the Jews recorded in Acts 18:11-28. The

reason it is evident this letter was written so soon after the first one is

because the author addresses the same problem as in the first letter. The

only difference in the problems he addressed in the first letter is that they

seem to have intensified (compare 1 Thess 4:11-12 with 2 Thess 3:6-14).

The other line of proof is that there is an emphasis on the Day of the

Lord in both letters.

C. Occasion/Emphasis

The individual who delivered the first letter, stayed long enough in

Thessalonica to view their response concerning the apostle's teaching on

the Day of the Lord (2:1-12). The people misinterpreted the apostle's

PAGE 72

teaching and became idle, some even to the point they quit their jobs

(3:1-12). The report of this problem prompted Paul to write this letter.

The emphasis of this letter is on the return of Christ, and the way in

which a believer should conduct his life in light of this truth.

The difference between these two letters is that 1 Thess consists of

many different topics (Paul's defense for his ministry, his concern for the

church, his encouragements for the church, his desire for them to walk in

holiness and his teaching on the rapture), where 2 Thess mainly deals

with the topic of the second coming. The other aspect present in 2 Thess

is the apostle's exhortation to go back to work and to stand fast in the

Lord's work.

D. Purpose/Key Verse

The purpose of this letter is to __________________s________

________________________. These believers were under such severe

persecution (1:4-7), they thought they had missed the _______________

(2:1-2). Paul wrote this letter to correct this issue. He shows them that

the Day of the Lord was not present, because it will not come until the

apostasy and the man of lawlessness is revealed (2:2-10). Two other

reasons for this letter are seen:

1. In 2:13-3:5 an exhortation to live for Christ.

2. In 3:6-15 an exhortation to get back to work.

E. Readers

See the notes on 1 Thessalonians concerning the establishing and the

character of this church.

F. Outline

The Present Persecution and the Coming of the Lord 1:1-12

The Day of the Lord and the Coming of the Lord 2:1-17

The Lifestyle of the Believer and the Coming of the Lord 3:1-17

PAGE 73

NOTES

PAGE 74

1 TIMOTHY

A. Authorship

The apostle wrote 13 of the 27 N.T. books. 1 Timothy, Titus and 2

Timothy were the last of these. During the 18th century these books

were given the title "Pastoral Epistles." This title was given because they

deal with issues relating to church leadership. They are letters written to

pastors on how to organize and lead a fellowship. Since these books can

be seen as one unit, and were written by the same individual, the

authorship of all three will be considered here. In each book (1 Tim 1:1,

2 Tim 1:1, Titus 1:1) the writer calls himself Paul. These verses alone

should be enough evidence on the subject. It was not until 1804 that a

scholar named Schmidt denied the genuineness of 1Timothy. It seems

easier to adhere to the teaching the church has held to for 19 hundred

years, than what recent scholarship has promoted.

The other fact that proves Paul must be the author of these books

relates to their contents. Timothy is called "his son in the faith" (1:2,

2:2), the comment about being the chief of sinners (1 Tim 1:15), the

author's sense of divine calling (1 Tim 2:7, 2 Tim 1:11), along with the

fact 2 Timothy has twenty-three personal allusions. These books could

not possibly be forgeries and must have been written by the hand of Paul.

B. Date/Location

It's hard to pin down a date for the writing of this book. Paul must

have written this book after he was released from prison (62 A.D.) and

before suffered martyrdom in 67A.D. He most likely wrote this letter in

____________ from ____________________ 1 Tim 1:3. After the

apostle's Roman imprisonment it is hard to specifically monitor his

travels since the book of Acts ends at that point.

C. Key Verse/Purpose

The key verse of this letter is ___________since it summarizes the

purpose of this letter. The purpose of this letter is to supply a young

Pastor with instructions on how to conduct church affairs. Paul left

Timothy in Ephesus (1:3) as the Pastor of the church and he realized that

he might not get back there for some time (3:14-15). He felt it necessary

to write Timothy a letter describing how the different areas of the church

should be organized. This letter also serves as a source of

encouragement to Timothy to continue to labor in his ministry. Some

scholars point out the fact Timothy may have wanted to excuse himself

from his work. They point to the fact people may have taken advantage

of him due to his age (1 Tim 4:12), and hia____________________

(5:23), a neglect of his gifts showing a distaste for his task (4:14-16) and

a desire to travel with Paul (1:3).

PAGE 75

NOTES

D. Original Readers

This letter was addressed to Timothy (1:2) who was serving as a

Pastor of the church of Ephesus (1:3). This congregation was _______

years old when Paul wrote this letter and was under attack by false

teachers. The city itself was very immoral. Most of the members came

out of this type of background and were being tempted by the obvious

problems.

Some important facts about Timothy are:

1. Converted by Paul (he calls him his son in the faith, 1 Tim 1:1 and

Acts 14:6-21).

2. His name means honored by God and is used ______ times in the

N.T.

3. He was a native of _______________________y__ (Acts 16:1,

20:4).

4. He had a Gentile father and a Jewish mother (Acts 16:1, 3).

5. As a child he was instructed in the O.T. (2 Tim 1:5, 3:14-15).

6. Accompanied Paul on ______ missionary journey (Acts 16:3-5).

7. Paul's companion in ___________ (Col 1:1) and closest co-worker.

8. Age ________ when 1 Timothy was written.

9. The Pastor at _____________________________.

10. Paul calls him a ______________________ (1 Tim 6:11).

E. Contents

The contents of this book centers around the phrase in 3:15 where

Paul tells Timothy "how to conduct yourself in the house of God."

Chapter one shows Timothy how to oppose the false teachers (1:1-20),

chapter two deals with prayer and the role of women in the church (2:1-

15), chapter three lists the qualifications for elders and deacons (3:1-16),

chapter four instructs Timothy how to be an effective minister (4:1-16),

chapter five deals with the treatment of the elderly, widows and sinning

elders (5:1-25) and chapter six is an exhortation to servants, the rich and

a charge to Timothy (6:1-21).

F. Outline

Handling False Teachers in the Church 1:1-20

Prayer in the Church 2:1-8

Women in the Church 2:9-15

Leadership in the Church 3:1-16

Being an Effective Minister in the Church 4:1-16

The Treatment of Elders in the Church 5:1-2

The Treatment of Widows in the Church 5:3-16

The Treatment of Leadership in the Church 5:17-25

The Treatment of Servants in the Church 6:1-3

The Treatment of the Rich in the Church 6:4-10

The Life of the Pastor in the Church 6:11-21

PAGE 76

2 TIMOTHY

A. Authorship

See 1 Timothy.

B. Date/Location

Paul wrote this letter from prison __________________ in ________.

This letter came five years after 1 Timothy and is the last of Paul's

epistles. Caesar Nero was emperor at the time and an intense

persecution was brought against the church. At the time he wrote this

letter he happened to be in prison waiting to face death at the hands of

the Roman Empire. Not long before his death he wrote this last letter to

his dear son in the faith. Timothy moved on from Ephesus since Paul

left Tychicus (4:12) there, and he was probably doing evangelistic work

in __________________________ at the time he received this letter.

C. Original Reader

See notes on 1 Timothy.

D. Tone/Emphasis

The tone of this letter, although the author is facing death, is one of

triumph, glory and gratitude. It says much about a man the way he faces

death. Paul mentions he is ready to be poured out (death) 4:6 and that

people have deserted him (4:16-18). But he also proclaims that he was

clinging on to the hope of receiving the crown of righteousness laid up

for him in heaven (4:8). The key verses have to be 4:6 and 4:8 since

they describe the imminent death awaiting Paul, along with his attitude

while facing this situation. The emphasis of this letter is of a very

personal nature. The apostle is pouring out his heart to Timothy

concerning the future of the church, Timothy's future and his

relationships with the believers.

E. Purposes

Five things led Paul to write this letter:

1. Concern for Timothy confronting false teachers (4:3-4, 3:13, 2:18).

2. His desire for fellowship with his most trusted companion (4:9, 11,

21).

3. He needed his cloak, parchments and books (4:13).

4. Paul is lonesome (1:15 Asia Minor, 1:16-18 Onesiphorus, 4:16-18

Roman Court, 4:10 Demas).

5. Timothy to take on where Paul has left off (chapters 1-4).

PAGE 77

NOTES

F. Outline

This book is more of a personal letter that makes it very difficult to

outline.

Thanksgiving for Timothy 1:1-18

Exhortation to Timothy 2:1-26

Warning to Timothy 3:1-17

Final Charge to Timothy 4:1-5

Personal Instructions to Timothy 4:6-22

PAGE 78

TITUS

A. Authorship

See 1 Timothy.

B. Original Reader

This letter was addressed to Titus (1:4) and was written soon after the

composition of 1 Timothy. The letter discusses the topic of church

organization and Pastoral leadership. Eight things can be seen about the

man Titus:

1. Converted under Paul's ministry (Titus 1:4).

2. Titus is a Latin name and he was Greek (Gal 2:1-3).

3. He accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-2).

4. Paul's representative at the Corinthian Church to alleviate tension (2

Cor 7:6, 13-14) and to collect money for the poor (2 Cor 8:6, 16,

23).

5. Delivered 1 and 2 Corinthians (2 Cor 12:18, 8:16-24).

6. Paul left him in Crete to organize the Church (Titus 1:4-5).

7. He had a ministry later on at Dalmatia (2 Tim 4:10).

8. How the churches in Crete were started is not known- for more

information on the island of Crete (see page 386-387 of Jensen's).

C. Date/Location

Paul wrote this letter most likely from Macedonia, in route in

Nicopolis (3:12) in ____________. The letter was written soon after 1

Timothy and serves as a guideline to Paul's representative on the island

of Crete.

D. Key Verse/Purpose

The apostle clearly reveals his purpose for writing this letter in _____,

which is to _____________________ the Churches of Crete and

_________________ their leadership. Three specific reasons can be

seen why this letter was written:

1. The qualifications and role of the ________________ (1:6-16).

2. The proper relationships between the individual members (2:1-10).

3. The importance of good works (2:11-3:15).

PAGE 79

NOTES

E. Emphasis

As noted above, the epistle addresses three specific topics. These are

all related to the way in which Titus should recognize the churches in

Crete. The first point he discusses is the qualifications needed in the

elders personal lives (1:5-9), and the need for them to be able to handle

the false teachers (1:10-16). False teachers began to appear on the island

stressing:

_____________(1:10) _____________(1:14) _________________ (1:14)

______________(3:9) ______________(3:9) _________________(3:9)

Paul wrote to Titus instructing him on how to handle these problems,

and exhorted him to remain in sound doctrine (1:9). This letter places

emphasis on having sound doctrine in order to combat the false teaching

that was creeping into the Cretan Church (1:9).

The things that needed to be set in order (besides the eldership)

related to the proper relationships the believers were to exhibit towards

one another (2:1-10). He shows how the older men (2:2), older women

(2:3-5), young men (2:6-8) and servants should act in a sinful society.

Another emphasis in this book is that of good works as a manifestation

of saving faith. The Cretans were known for sinful lifestyles (1:12-13),

so the apostle had to write this letter exhorting Titus to make sure they

maintain good works. This topic is related to the Second Coming (2:13)

and the grace of God as salvation (2:11-15, 3:4-8). This emphasis on

good works is seen in 2:11-14, 1:16, 3:1-2, 3:8, 3:14.

F. Outline

The Organization of the Church 1:1-9

The Heresies of the Church 1:10-16

The Relationships in the Church 2:1-10

The Grace of God in the Church 2:11-15

The Correct Lifestyles in the Church 3:1-8

The Method for Treating Heretics in the Church 3:9-11

The Visitors Coming in the Church 3:12-15

PAGE 80

PHILEMON

A. Authorship

The correct pronunciation of this book is PHI-LEE-MON and not

PHILLY-MON. In this short letter the writer calls himself Paul ______

times (1, 9, 19) which is enough proof as to its authorship. Another line

of proof is its close connection with the book of ________________

(Col 4:10-17, Phil 2, 23, 24) where some of the same individuals are

identified. In the 4th & 5th century some attacked the Pauline authorship

of this book on the grounds it had no value for edification. But this is

just not the case when one takes the time to study this insightful book. In

it they will find a snapshot of how the early Christians dealt with the

grievous social problem/issue of slavery.

B. Date/Location/Purpose

This letter is known as one of the ________ epistles of Paul, which

gives it a date of ____________________and a location of

________________.

Onesimus was a runaway slave who had stolen something of value

from his master (Philemon- vs. 18), and eventually ended up in Rome.

The Lord caused this slave's path to be crossed with the Lord's slave

(Paul) and the result was Onesimus accepted Christ (vs 10). The apostle

wrote this letter to this slave's master, asking him to receive the runaway

slave back with out any reprisals. Paul first asks it as a favor (vs 17), and

then encourages Philemon to place this debt on the apostle's account (vs

18). It is estimated that _________________ slaves were alive during

the time this letter was written. In those days a slave was entirely at the

mercy of his master; for any offense he could be whipped, mutilated,

thrown to wild beasts or even crucified.

This letter does not speak against slavery, as others do not which

discuss this subject (1 Cor 7:20-24, Col 3:22-4:1, Eph 6:5-9); but, is an

appeal to a Christian slave owner to show mercy towards Onesimus

since he was now a brother in the Lord. The letter is very personal in

style. Paul even mentions the fact he led Philemon to Christ, and then

uses that as a motivation to treat Onesimus as requested (vs 19). The

apostle also wanted Philemon to do this act of kindness from the heart

and without compulsion (vs 14).

C. Outline

Thanksgiving for Philemon 1:1-7

Entreaty for Onesimus 1:8-21

Paul's Personal Affairs 1:22-25

PAGE 81

NOTES

HEBREWS

A. Authorship

"Who wrote the epistle in truth, God alone knows." This statement by

the Church Father ______________________, is probably the best

answer to this question. In some places the epistle seems that Paul must

have written it, but one cannot reach any definite conclusions on this

subject.

B. Readers/Date

The title given to this letter, "to the Hebrews" was probably not part

of the original manuscript, but is obviously an accurate one when the

nature of the book is taken into account. The only thing known about the

readers is what can be derived from the letter itself. They must have

been a congregation of__________________ Christians living in the

______________________ (2:3, 5:11-12, 6:9-10, 13:23-24). Since it is

not known who the author is it is difficult to narrow down a date. Many

accept that it was written between _________________, since no

mention of the destruction of the temple is given.

C. Theme

The theme of this epistle is:

________________________________________________________

__. Christ is seen as superior to:

1. _____________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________________

6. _____________________________________________________

The other theme that runs through this epistle is _________ _

__________________________________) are five of these

exhortations:

1. Do not miss such a great salvation ______________.

2. Do not miss the rest __________________.

3. Do not backslide ___________________.

4. Do not go on sinning willfully _________________.

5. Do not disobey Christ __________________.

PAGE 82

D. The Controversial Passages

1. Hebs 6:1-9: There are four major views on this passage:

a. __________________ persons who are subsequently lost.

b. __________________believers who have never really been saved.

c. Saved persons who ___________________________________.

d. A hypothetical case to show the folly of ____________________.

2. Hebs 10:26-31: The three major views are:

a. A person who loses their salvation due to willful sin.

b. A "professed" believer who eventually departs.

c. A hypothetical situation.

d. Jews who were tempted to go back to Judaism-no sacrifice for sin.

E. Purpose/Key Verse

The purpose of this letter is to prove to the Hebrew Christians that

Christ is better than the O.T. system, and to use this fact to exhort them

not to backslide into dependence on religious works. The author uses

____________ references to the O.T. and attempts to point out that the

sacrificial system and laws were all types pointing to Christ. This proves

beyond a shadow of a doubt there is no reason to go back to this system.

The one who has come (Christ) is far greater and has provided a much

superior way. The key verse is ____________ since it mentions the

supremacy of Christ and the fact the believer needs to hold fast to Him.

This letter also contains a section _____________________ filled with

practical application related to the daily lifestyle of the Christian.

F. Outline

The Supremacy of Christ over the Angels 1:1-2:18

The Supremacy of Christ over Moses & Joshua 3-4

The Supremacy of Christ’s Priesthood 5-8

The Supremacy of Christ’s Covenant 9

The Supremacy of Christ’s Sacrifice 10:1-18

The Supremacy of Christ Applied to Daily Living 10:19-13:25

The Hall of Faith 11

The Race of Faith 12

The Evidence of Faith 13

PAGE 83

NOTES

JAMES

A. Authorship

It was not until the Third Council of Carthage (397 A.D.) that the

Church officially accepted this book as canonical (inspired). This was

due to the fact James places an emphasis upon works in chapter two that

at first glance appears to contradict Paul's teaching. The Church Fathers

quoted this book as authoritative and generally viewed it as Scripture.

The author of this epistle is James (1:1). The problem is that the N.T.

mentions at least four persons by that name:

1. The son of Zebedee (Matt 4:21)

2. The son of Alpheus (Matt 10:3)

3. The father of Judas (Luke 6:16)

4. The Lord's brother (Matt 13:55, Gal 1:19)

Which of these is the author of this book? There is not much known

about the second and third James and the first one was martyred in 44

A.D. These facts more than likely disqualifies the first three. James the

brother of the Lord must have been the one who penned this book.

James was the Lord's brother in the sense they had the same mother but

different fathers. The Scriptures also teach:

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________

5.

_____________________________________________Ananais______

___

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

B. Date/Location

James was the earliest book written in the N.T. that places the date of

writing at _______________________.

PAGE 84

C. Readers

The opening verse addresses the twelve tribes scattered abroad (1:1).

But who does this refer to? There have been two suggestions:

1. Symbolic Understanding-

2. Literal Understanding- The dispersion/diaspora (Lit- scattered seeds).

a) Reference to the _______________________________.

b) Illustrations from the ________________________________.

c) Reference to __________________________as "our Father".

d) The title, ____________Saboath

________________________________.

e) Lack of ______________________________________.

f) Emphasis on ________________________________________.

D. Purpose/Contents/Key Verse

The book of James was written to a group of Jewish believers who

needed to have a way to measure the legitimacy of their faith. Many

who read the book of James say he overemphasizes works, but in

actuality he is primarily discussing the _________________ of genuine

faith. The individual who reads the book could automatically determine

whether his faith was genuine or not, or if it needed to mature in specific

areas. The place of works in James is seen as flowing out of genuine

faith. So the emphasis is really on faith and not works. The faith James

has in mind is not mere "head knowledge" but the type of genuine faith

that produces works.

The purpose of this book is to provide the readers with a _________

by which they can ___________________ the validity of their _______.

The contents of the book can be divided up into the thirteen different

tests of genuine faith discussed by the author. These are:

1. The Test of _______ 1:2-11. What happens to the person when

they experience trials? Do they endure with the right attitude or do

they grumble and complain?

2. The Test of Temptations 1:12-18. Does the individual blame God

for their sin and temptations? Or do they realize sin is their own

fault?

PAGE 85

NOTES

3. The Test of the Word 1:19-27. Does the person humbly receive the

Word (1:19-21)? Does the person apply the Word to daily living or

are they hearers only (1:22-27)?

4. The Test of Partiality 2:1-13. Does the person treat all people with

the same attitude? Or do they base their treatment of others on their

status or the race of the individual?

5. The Test of Works 2:14-26. Does the person manifest good works?

Or is their faith merely an intellectual one?

6. The Test of _______________ 3:1-12. Is the person able to control

their tongue? Or do their words indicate they are not truly saved?

7. The Test of Wisdom 3:13-18. Does the wisdom the person receives

come from God or another source?

8. The Test of Worldliness 4:1-10. Is the person a lover of God or of

the world?

9. The Test of Humble Dependence 4:11-17. Does the person set

themselves up as a judge over others? Does the person submit all

their plans to the Lord? Are they dependent upon the Lord in

humility or does pride rule them?

9. The Test of ________________ 5:1-6. What is the person's

perspective on money? Is it a source which pulls the individual

away from the Lord?

11. The Test of Patience 5:7-12. Does the person patiently endure until

the coming of the Lord?

12. The Test of Prayer 5:13-18. Does the individual call out to the

Lord, the leadership or his fellow brethren while suffering?

13. The Ultimate Test 5:19-20. Has a person really turned from sin and

come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ?

The key verses for this book are ____________. These verses exhort

these believers to make sure they possess a faith that produces works.

This section can be confusing when read in light of what Paul says in the

book of Romans on the same subject. But this can be cleared up when

the reader understands the purpose and background of this epistle. James

wrote to warn these believers that a faith that does not result in a

changed life is not a saving faith. The theme for this epistle is:

___________________________________________________.

PAGE 86

E. Outline

The Believer and Trials & Temptations 1:1-18

The Believer and the Word of God 1:19-27

The Believer and Impartiality 2:1-13

The Believer and the Life of Faith 2:14-26

The Believer and the Tongue 3:1-12

The Believer and Wisdom 3:13-18

The Believer and Worldliness 4:1-12

The Believer and Business Affairs 4:13-5:6

The Believer and Patience 5:7-18

The Believer and an Erring Brother 5:19-20

PAGE 87

NOTES

1 PETER

A. The Author

The writer of 1 and 2 Peter is clearly stated in the Bible as Peter the

apostle, according to 1 Peter 1:1 and 2 Peter 1:1. Additional evidence of

this truth is seen in 2 Peter 3:1, which declares that this is his _________

which he has written to this group. The Bible is clear on the authorship

of 1 and 2 Peter based on three Scripture references. And when the

Word is this clear on an issue there is no reason to think otherwise. It is

not known in what circumstances Peter was in when he wrote this letter

but it is clear that he is the author.

B. The Readers

To whom was this letter sent? There exists three major theories

concerning the identity of the recipients:

1) They were Jewish Christians.

2) They were Gentile Christians.

3) They were a combination of Jewish and Gentile Christians.

This writer's personal opinion is that Peter was writing to the last

group because of the references that appeal to both groups. It is clearly

stated in Galatians 2:7-8 that Peter was the apostle to the Jews and Paul

to the Gentiles; but this does not mean that they never ministered to the

people outside these groups. This verse shows the main group of people

that each man was called to reach. Let's look at some of the references

that point to a Jewish audience.

1) The Term Diaspora 1:1 This is definitely a Jewish term that

describes the Jews that have settled down

outside their homeland of Palestine.

2) The Many OT Quotes:

a. 1:15-16 = Lev 11:44 that God is holy.

b. 1:24-25 = Is 40:6-8 about the Word of God.

c. 2:6-8 = Is 28:16, Ps 118:22, Is 8:14 that speak of the Jews

rejecting the Christ.

d. 2:22 = Is 53:9 about Christ suffering but not sinful.

e. 3:10-12 = Ps 34:12-16 about living a holy life.

f. 4:8 = Prov 10:12 that love covers sin.

g. 4:18 = Prov 11:31 about judgment.

h. 5:5 = Prov 3:34 about humility and pride.

PAGE 88

3) The OT Allusions: These are references to the OT but not direct

quotes.

a. 1:10-12 about the prophetic nature of the Scriptures.

b. 1:19 about the sacrifice of a lamb equated with Christ.

c. 3:5-6 about Sarah and Abraham.

d. 3:20 about Noah.

From the above information it is evident that a Jewish person reading

this material would find many elements that he could relate to and

understand. Remember that the OT was given to the Jews and that the

Gentiles may or may not have had the OT. But there are references in

the book of first Peter that would appeal only to the Gentiles. Let's look

at these verses:

1) The Term Diaspora 1:1: This term in this context could possibly

mean those displaced from their heavenly home are since they are only

sojourners here (see 1:17).

2) The Gentile Phrases: These are terms that describe Gentiles and not

Jews throughout the Bible.

a. 1:14 times of ignorance and idolatry is a phrase used to describe

Gentiles.

b. 2:10 not a people of God is used to describe those that were

outside the covenant people of the OT since they did not know

Jehovah.

c. 4:3 Speaks of the old life as doing the will of the Gentiles.

From the above verses it can be seen that Peter was writing to a

mixed group of both Jews and Gentiles. But it must be remembered that

this book was written for me and for you today. God desires for us to

receive the necessary comfort we need in the midst of our trials.

C. Location

1 Peter is addressed to the believers in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,

Asia and Bithynia. Look on the map provided and find these places and

find Jerusalem which was the place Jesus ministered. The Church

started out on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, and by the time of this

epistle churches had already been established in this area listed in 1:1.

The command was to go into all the world and to preach the gospel,

which they were obviously fulfilling. According to 5:1 Peter wrote this

letter from Babylon.

PAGE 89

NOTES

D. Time and Circumstance

Since Peter wrote to a group of believers who were under intense

persecutions it seems most likely a date during the _________________

(54-68 A.D.) would be best. In 64 A.D. a great fire broke out in the city

of Rome which destroyed a large part of the city. It is told that the

citizens were prevented from trying to extinguish the flames and that

mysteriously, where one fire was put out a few moments later another

one started in its place. Large sections of the city were made up of

tenement houses that were made of wood; this caused the city to burn

rather quickly. It is reported that Nero was suspected of deliberately

setting the fire to enable him to build his new palace called the Golden

House. Nero needed a scapegoat and the Christians were the most likely

suspects since they went around teaching that God was going to judge

the world by and purge it by fire. Nero inflicted upon the Church the

harshest forms of persecution the Church has ever faced.

One of the forms of persecutions which Nero inflicted was to use

them as human torches for his garden at night. He would light them on

fire after he covered them with pitch, and then set them on a pole as

human torches for his garden. As the people were burning he rode

through on his chariot in the lighted path. Another form that he used was

to tie animal skins to the believers and feed them to the wild animals,

and watch as they were torn limb from limb. Other types of persecution

that he used took the forms of beatings, crucifixions, being boiled,

whippings, being sent to prison and others. These were the

circumstances in which the readers of 1 Peter were in when they received

this letter. It seems from the language of 4:14, 16 that it was a crime to

be a Christian at that time.

In light of the above information, the letter was probably written

between 64-68 A.D. and possibly in 65 A.D. Before this time

Christianity was seen as a Jewish sect and was protected by the state. It

is not known to what extent Peter's actual readers were being persecuted.

The most intense forms of persecution were taking place in Rome, while

the readers lived in a province of Rome.

E. Theme and Purpose

Theme: As mentioned earlier these readers were under intense

persecution, and Peter was writing primarily to encourage them. The

theme of 1 Peter is: How to Have Hope and Proper Conduct in the Midst

of Suffering. Peter pointed these individuals who were going through

rough times to the glorious future that God has for them. He speaks of

their:

PAGE 90

a. Living _______________ 1:3

b. Future _______________ 1:4

c. Future _______________ 1:5

d. Future _______________ 1:7

e. Future _______________ 4:13

f. Future _______________ 5:1

g. Future Crown of Glory 5:4

Peter wrote to a group of persecuted Christians that were probably

discouraged and down. This is the reason he pointed them to the future

and the blessings that God has for them. He desired to instill hope in

them despite their present circumstances.

Purpose: During the time the New Testament was being written many

false teachings crept into the Church. But as far as the epistle of 1 Peter

is concerned, there is no detection of any false teaching being corrected

in the letter. The book of second Peter is full of warnings about false

teachers. 1 Peter was written for a more practical purpose. Peter wrote

to a group of people that needed to be encouraged since they were being

persecuted. He also wrote to instruct the readers to live a holy life

despite their circumstances. Persecution was no excuse to use as a

reason to compromise their faith. He also told them how to conduct their

lives in light of the return of Christ.

The key verses are 4:12 and 5:10. In 4:12 the readers are taught that

they should not think it is a strange thing to experience persecution. And

1 Peter 5:10 tells them that through these trials God is going to perfect,

establish, settle, and strengthen them.

Other Themes: Two other minor themes that run through this book

are Christ's suffering and submission. Six times Peter uses Jesus'

example of suffering as an example to motivate the believer to a holy

life. He lists:

a. __________________________and glory of Christ 1:11

b. Christ as the example for us to follow. 2:21-23

c. Christ's suffering had a tremendous result in that it

brought us to God.

3:18

d. Christ ceased from sin through suffering. 4:1

e. We should rejoice we can suffer with Christ. 4:13

Peter uses the fact that Jesus suffered to show his readers that they

need to have the same type of attitudes, reactions and lifestyle that Jesus

demonstrated when He suffered. Peter also teaches about the results of

Christ's suffering. The main accomplishment is that God brought man to

Himself and granted eternal life to those who believe on Jesus.

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NOTES

Submission is another theme that Peter mentions in this letter. It must

be remembered that Peter calls these readers to submit to the very

government that is persecuting them. All through the book Peter states

that circumstances in life should not dictate to the believer the way he

should live. His message is that in every situation the believer should

follow the Divine standards in the Word. He tells them to submit to:

a. The government (the one that was persecuting them). 2:13-17

b. Servants to their masters (even to harsh ones). 2:18

c. Wives to husbands (even to unbelieving ones). 3:1

d. Younger people to the older. 4:5

e. Everyone to each other. 4:5

F. Exhortations or Encouragements

Holy Living: Peter stresses the need to live a holy life especially in

1:13-21. He states that since God Himself is holy, His followers should

live holy lives (1:16). He continually uses Christ as an example of an

individual that lived a righteous life despite the fact He was persecuted

(2:23).

Assurance of Salvation: This idea is stressed in 1:2-12, which is the

exact message an individual would need in time of intense persecution.

In this letter Peter states that salvation is secure because:

a. It is based on _____________________________ 1:2

b. The _____________________________of Christ 1:3

c. The _______________________ of our inheritance 1:4

d. We are __________________ by the power of God 1:5

e. The fact that God has a purpose for our trials 1:6-9

Future Blessings: Peter mentions the future blessings that belong to

the believer. These are:

a. Inheritance 1:3

b. Salvation 1:9

c. Joy 4:13

d. Glory 5:1

e. Crown of glory 5:4

Other Topics: The importance of the Word of God (1:23-2:3). The

purpose and results of trials (1:6-9, 5:10).

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G. Outline

Introduction 1:1

a. The author 1a

b. The readers 1b

I Your Assurance of Salvation 1:2-12

a. Based on election 1:2

b. Based on the resurrection 1:3

c. Based on the secure inheritance 1:14

d. Based on the power of God 1:5

e. Based on the end result of trials 1:6-9

f. Based on the prophetic Scripture 1:10-12

II Your Lifestyle Before God 1:13-2:10

a. A life of holiness 1:13-21

b. A life of love 1:22

c. A life of the Word 1:23-2:3

d. A life of praise 2:4-10

III Your Lifestyle Before Man 2:11-4:19

a. For the gentiles 2:11-12

b. For the government 2:13-17

c. For your business 2:18-25

d. For your family 3:1-7

e. For your society 3:8-22

f. For your example 4:1-19

IV Your Lifestyle in the Church 5:1-11

a. Of the pastor 5:1-4

b. Of the people 5:5-11

Final Greeting 5:12-14

a. The final exhortation 5:12

b. The final greeting 5:13-14

PAGE 93

NOTES

2 PETER

A. Authorship

The writer calls himself Simon Peter (1:1) in the opening verse, and

this should be enough evidence as to the proof of authorship. This book

has been under severe attack as to Petrine authorship by the Liberals.

The book is self-authenticating by the following facts:

1. ___________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________

4. ___________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________

6. ___________________________________________________

B. Date/Place

Peter wrote this letter in ____________ while in ______________as

evidenced by the fact his death seems to be imminent (1:14). Since 2

Peter 1:14 mentions the fact Peter's death appears to be imminent, the

letter must have been written near the end of his life. This would give a

date of approximately 67 A.D. It has been suggested by many that he

wrote the letter from Rome.

C. Readers

According to __________ this letter was addressed to the same group

of individuals as the first one. See notes on 1 Peter concerning the

readers.

D. Purpose

The reason Peter wrote this letter becomes obvious as one reads

through this letter just one time. Between the time of the first and

second letters, the apostle became aware of a serious problem these

believers were facing. False teachers had begun to creep into the

congregation and started to spread their destructive heresies. He wrote

this letter to warn these believers to be on the alert and to not be

deceived by these wolves in sheep's clothing. He wanted to expose the

false teachers and instruct these believers on how to combat this threat.

PAGE 94

Since these believers were faced with the deterioration of the truth by

the many false teachers, Peter's purpose is _______________________

_____________________________. His answer is that they should

continue to ____________ in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ.

The heresy that attacked this Church was the same that Paul addressed in

Colossians. It was the beginning stages of Gnosticism and from this

letter one can see:

1. ______________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________

3.

______________it’s________________________________________

Peter's answer to experiencing victory over this heresy and to escape

being fooled by it, is to have an intimate knowledge of God.

The specific things he says about these false teachers are:

1. They are called false teachers 2:1

2. They secretly creep into the Church 2:1

3. They teach destructive heresies 2:1

4. They deny the Lord 2:1

5. They will be judged 2:1, 2:3-11

6. They will lead many astray 2:2

7. They are motivated by greed 2:3

8. They are depraved (sinful) 2:12-17

9. They are extremely deceptive 2:18

10. They bring people into bondage 2:19

11. They deny the Second Coming 3:1-4

12. They deny God as Creator 3:5

The book of Jude addresses this very same problem and uses some of

the same phrases. Jude and 2 Peter are very similar in content.

The first epistle of Peter is one of _____________ since the believers

were under such heavy trials. Actually this letter is more a ___________

due to the abundance of ___________________________ effecting the

Church. This is why Peter emphasizes true ______________________.

He actually uses the word "know" 16X ___________________to stress

this point. He uses the word that means full knowledge in 6 of these 16

references. This is not a head knowledge, but a knowledge that relies

upon facts and is communicated by the Holy Spirit. The way to combat

false teaching is to know the truth. There is also and emphasis in this

letter on the Second Coming of Christ and how that should effect the

believer's lifestyle (Chapter 3).

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NOTES

PAGE 96

E. Key Verse

2 Peter 3:18 has been chosen as the key verse for this book because it

consists of an exhortation to continue to grow in the grace and the

knowledge of the Lord. The false teacher were those who denied the

true grace of God. The sure way to overcome this threat is by continuing

to grow in the Lord in the area of knowledge and grace. When this is

taking place the believer does not have to be preoccupied with the threat

of false doctrine.

F. Contents

The True Knowledge 1:1-21 This first chapter centers in on the different facets of the true spiritual

knowledge, as opposed to the false teachings described in the rest of the

book.

The Greeting (1:1-4) The writer introduces himself as Simon Peter and as a calls himself a

servant and an apostle. He addresses the letter to those who share the

same faith he maintains. Peter then mentions the fact each believer has

received everything it takes to live a godly life in this age. The reason

for this is due to the fact every Christian is a partaker of the divine

nature.

The Need to Grow 1:5-11 The believer is encouraged to continue in a direction of Christian growth.

Peter lists several virtues, which climax in love (1:7), which should be

increasing in the life of the believer. When these virtues on evident in

one's life it assure there will be an abundant opening into the kingdom of

God, as well as blessings in this life.

The Imminent Death of the Apostle 1:12-15 Peter expresses the fact he knows his death is near, so as long as he is

alive he wants to reiterate the things he has already taught them. He

wrote this letter so that they would have something to refer to after he

departs and goes home to be with the Lord.

The Foundation of the Truth 1:16-21 Since this letter primarily combats the errors of false teaching, Peter

here mentions the reliability of the Christian message. He reminds the

readers that he was present when Jesus was transfigured and the voice

from heaven spoke (1:16-18). Peter was and eyewitness when this event

took place. The apostle then points out that this is not the only thing he

has to guarantee his message is true. The Lord has also given the Church

the prophetic Scriptures as proof positive our message is accurate and

true (1:19-21).

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NOTES

The False Knowledge 2:1-22 The second chapter consists primarily of a description of the false

teachers. Peter wants these verses to serve as a warning to the true

believers so that they are not led astray.

The Destructive Doctrines of the False Teachers 2:1-3 These false teachers will creep into the Church unaware, will deny the

Lord, lead others into immoral acts, use deceptive words and try to

exploit the believer.

The Doom of the False Teachers 2:4-11 Peter makes it very clear that these individuals will eventually judged

harshly by he Lord. He uses several Old Testament examples of how the

Lord carried out His judgement in the past. The believer will be

protected and experience the mercy of God in the process.

The Depravity of the False Teachers 2:12-17

In 2:12-17 Peter takes time to describe the base nature of these false

teachers. Actually he started his description in verse 10, but it is hard to

divide the chapter at this point. One simply has to read through verses

10-17 to get a proper picture of the true nature of false teachers. Most

false teachers appear on the surface to be men of integrity, but this is not

the way Peter viewed these men. He saw these men as vile disgusting

people who deserved the fires of hell. He wanted his readers to see these

men as they truly are so that they would stay as far away from such

people as possible. Peter had a true shepherd's heart and wanted to raise

the staff to protect these precious sheep from these dangerous false

teachers.

The Deceptive Means of the False Teachers 2:18-22

Peter's main point in this section is that the false teachers were using

deceptive means to allure the believers into following their message. In

their preaching they used words that would attract the believers, they

promise liberty, but in truth their message only produces a lifestyle of

bondage. These men taught on the grace of God and the freedom the

believer has in Christ; but they twisted these truths to mean believers are

free to the point they can participate in any type of sin. Peter calls this

licentiousness in verse 18. The most dangerous thing about false

teachers is that they are deceptive.

They do not come right out and tell you their entire message or what they

really teach. They usually give you bits and pieces here and there, and

use terms the believer is familiar with. This is how so many young

believers (and those ignorant of the Word) get caught in these false

systems.

The Second Coming Chapter 3

PAGE 98

The entire third chapter is dedicated to giving instructions to

believers concerning the Second Coming. The third chapter can

be divided as follows: The first two verses of chapter three are an

introduction and reveal the purpose Peter wrote this letter. He

then basically says three things about the Second Coming: #1-

Scoffers will deny the Lord's return (3:3-4), #2- The evidence He

is coming back (2:5-10) and #3- The practical implications of the

Second Coming (3:11-18). The last section is a very important

one due to the fact it helps the reader practically apply the

teachings on the Second Coming. Peter does not merely offer

prophetic insights, but tells the believers how they should live in

light of the fact the Lord is coming back soon.

G. Outline

Exhortation to Christian Growth 1:1-21

Exhortation Against False Teachers 2:1-22

Exhortation Concerning the Lord's Return. 3:1-18

1 JOHN

A. Authorship

The author describes himself as an ________________ (1:1-4, 4:14), but

nowhere in this epistle does he use his own name. Church tradition has

held to the view that the apostle John wrote this letter. There does not

exist today a modern theory or evidence strong enough to refute this

idea. Another line of evidence is its close similarity to the Gospel of John

in its style and vocabulary. Both books use the same Hebraic style,

simple sentence structure and ____________________.

Some of the common words are:

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

B. Biography

PAGE 99

NOTES

There are five different individuals called John in the New Testament:

1. John the Baptist (Matt 3:1)

2. John Mark (Acts 12:12)

3. John the Father of Simon (John 21:15)

4. John the relative of Annas the high priest (Acts 4:6)

5. John the son of Zebedee (Matt 4:21) an apostle (Matt 10:2), who

called himself an elder in 2 and 3 John.

The fifth individual wrote this letter, and for more information on him

see the biographical notes on the Gospel of John.

C. Readers

The book itself does not specifically mention when this letter was

written or to whom it was written. Tradition teaches that John eventually

became the Pastor of the Church at Ephesus and helped organize the

surrounding Churches. John may have written this letter to the believers

in that area since he must have had a deep love for them. It just might be

he wrote this letter to the same Churches addressed in

______________________________.

D. Date/Location

John probably wrote this letter from _____________________in

___________. Three lines of proof have been given to support this date:

1. _____________________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________________

E. Purpose/Key Verse

Four times in this letter John tells the reader the purpose for writing

this epistle. These are:

1. 1:4- ________________________________________________

2. 2:1- ________________________________________________

3. 2:26-_______________________________________________

4. 5:13-_______________________________________________

PAGE 100

John wrote this letter to the believers who were beginning to be

deceived by the enemy. Some of the problems they were having were

loving the world, hating one another, indifference toward the needy,

false doctrines, and not being sure of their salvation. The false teaching

attacking that Church has been given the title the infant stages of

Gnosticism. The Gnostics taught:

1. ____________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________

5. _______________ies_____________________________________

6. _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________ The apostle calls these false teachers Antichrists since they deny the real

Jesus of the Scriptures. The key verse would be ____________.

F. Outline

The Incarnation 1:1-4

The Sin Issue 1:5-2:6

The Commandment of Love 2:7-11

The Exhortation to be Separate 2:12-17

The Warning Against False Teachers 2:18-29

The Exhortation to Live Properly 3:1-12

The Marks of Salvation 3:13-24

The Spirit of Truth & the Spirit of Error 4:1-6

The Command to Love One Another 4:7-21

The Power of Faith 5:1-12

The Assurance of Salvation 5:13-21

PAGE 101

NOTES

2 JOHN

A. Authorship

In this short letter the author calls himself John the ___________

(1:1). Some have objected to the idea this is John the apostle since he

calls himself an elder. But one just needs to read Peter's writing where

he refers to himself as an elder in __________________. The term elder

may simply be a reference to his ___________rather than to a position.

B. Readers

This letter is addressed to ______________________. Five views have

been suggested to the identity of this name:

1. ____________________________________________________

2. ____________________________________________________

3. ____________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________

5. ____________________________________________________

PAGE 102

C. Date/Location

This letter was written around ________ from ________________.

D. Purpose

This is a short personal letter the apostle wrote to one of his friends.

He wrote concerning the joy he had concerning the individual's devotion

to Christ (1-4), exhorted them to walk in love (5-6), warned them against

false teachers (7-11) and to convey plans and greetings (12-13).

E. Outline

I. John Commends the Lady (1-4)

II. John Commands the Lady (5-6)

III. John Cautions the Lady (7-13)

3 JOHN

A. Author/Reader

The author is the same individual who wrote ______________ based

on the ____________, ____________________ and ___________. The

writer addresses this letter to ______________. This name is very

common and it is very difficult to know whom John addressed in this

letter. The N.T. lists four individuals by this name:

1. ___________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________

4.____________________________________________________

There is no mention that Gaius was in any position of leadership, and

he may have just been a personal friend of the author.

B. Date/Location

John wrote this letter from _____________________in ________.

C. Purpose

PAGE 103

NOTES

Trouble had arisen in the Church of which Giaus was a member.

Traveling preachers, seemingly sent by John, had visited the Church, but

_________________________________to recognize these men and

bothered those who did. He also wrote this letter to express his love for

Giaus (1-2), to express his joy for his walk (3-4), to commend him for

receiving the itinerant preachers (5-8), to instruct about Diotrephes (9-

10) and to share his personal plans (11-14).

PAGE 104

JUDE

A. Authorship

The letter clearly identifies the author as __________ the brother of

James (1:1). Since James was the brother of Jesus, this makes Jude also

the brother of Jesus. The Gospels list Jude as one of the brothers of

Christ in ______________________________________. We do not

know a lot about this man except for the following facts:

1._______________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________

B. Date/Location

A date for this book has been suggested of ____________Ad ___, and

he probably wrote it from

_______________________________________.

C. Inspiration

Some of the Church Fathers rejected this book due to the fact that the

author apparently quoted from ________________________________

and from ________________________________________.

This does not mean the writer is endorsing these books but that the

events quoted are true. Paul does the same thing when he quotes three

Greek poets: Aratus (Acts 17:28), Meander and Epimonides (Titus 1:12).

D. Readers

It is impossible to state with certainty the exact city in which the

recipients of this letter lived. Palestine, Asia Minor, and Alexandria

have all been suggested, but the letter itself does not give any clues to

any specific designation. The letter simply addresses:

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

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NOTES

PAGE 106

E. Occasion/Purpose/Key Verse

Very disturbing news had reached Jude as to the condition of these

believers. He intended to write a doctrinal statement concerning their

common salvation, but found it necessary to warn them about________

________________________________________________________.

This is why __________is the key verse for the epistle since it

emphasizes fighting for the faith that was being attacked. When he tells

them to contend earnestly for the faith (1:3), he is referring to the one

true doctrine given to them through the Church.

Jude, like 2 Peter deals primarily with false teachers who had secretly

joined the believers (Jude 4-16, 2 Peter 2:1-3:3). The author had some

strong words for these false teachers and he calls them:

1. _______________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________

5. _______________________________________________________

6. _______________________________________________________

7 ________________________________________________________

8. _______________________________________________________

9. _______________________________________________________

10. _______________________________________________________

F. Outline

Greetings 1:1-2

Admonition to Contend for the Faith 1:3-4

Warning Against False Teachers 1:5-13

Their Future Judgement 1:14-19

The Lifestyle of the Believers 1:20-25

PAGE 107

NOTES

REVELATION

INTRODUCTION

The book of Revelation has been interpreted in different ways over

the course of Church history, and even continues to be a source of debate

for expositors. The four ways in which this book has been interpreted

are:

1) The Preterist Approach- Everything in the book of Revelation has

been ________________ in the past. The contents relate to the events of

John's day and refer to either Nero or Domitian. Revelation pictures in

symbolic form the conflicts the Church had with Judaism and paganism,

with the final chapters (20-22) describing the triumph of the Church.

This system is similar to the allegorical method, but views the material

primarily as symbolic history rather than prophetic. The purpose of the

book was to bring __________________to the persecuted Church and

was written in symbolic language that the Christians in that period could

understand.

2) The Historical Approach- The fulfillment of the book is going on

______________________ in the history of the Church. Revelation is a

symbolic presentation of total Church history culminating in the Second

Advent. This system is adopted by most Postmillennialists.

3) The Allegorical Approach- This system originated in the Alexandrian

School of Theology represented by Clement of Alexandria and Origen.

The book of Revelation is seen as one great allegory that goes beyond

the natural symbolism found in the book. This system interprets the two

beasts as Imperial and Provincial Rome and that the point of the book is

to encourage the believers. The book has largely been fulfilled and

contains only _____________________lessons for the Church today.

Those classified as Amillennialists adopt this view today. The real

weakness of this viewpoint is that it is left up to the imagination of the

interpreter to define what the symbols in the book mean. For example,

one interpreter sees in one of the symbols a picture of Luther and the

Reformation, while another saw it as a picture of the printing press.

4) The Prophetic Approach- All the contents of the book are seen as

primarily _________________________. This system is adopted by all

Premillennialists. Three major views exist within the way the book is to

be interpreted within this system.

These are:

PAGE 108

a. _______________________ in the book is prophetic. This

system divides the book as follows:

Chapter 1: The Glorified Christ

Chapters 2-3: A Prophetic view of all of Church History

-Ephesus: The apostolic era

-Smyrna: The persecuted Church in the 2nd & 3rd

centuries

-Pergamos: The Compromising Church from when

Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the

Roman empire to the middle ages (312- to the middle ages

500-1500). Thyatira: The middle ages to the Reformation

where the Church was corrupted by pagan philosophy and

ritualistic religion.

-Sardis: This Church pictures the Protestant Reformation

when the Church had a name but it was dead. Some came

out of this and came to life, while many continued in their

outward show of religion.

-Philadelphia: The missionary Church of the last few

hundred years and the one which will experience the

rapture.

-Laodicea: The corrupt Church that will exist in the last

days.

Chapters 4-5: A Picture of Heaven and the Rapture (Pretrib)

Chapters 6-19: The Tribulation Period

Chapter 20: The Millennium

Chapters 21-22: The Eternal State

b. ______________ of the book is prophetic. This system

divides the book as follows:

Chapter 1: The Glorified Christ

Chapters 2-3: Exhortation to the Churches in John's Day.

Chapters 4-5: A Picture of Heaven and the Rapture

Chapters 6-19: The Tribulation Period

Chapter 20: The Millennium

Chapters 21-22: The Eternal State

c. Most of the book is prophetic but the timing of the

_______________________ is debated. This system divides the

book as follows:

Chapter 1: The Glorified Christ

Chapters 2-3: Exhortation to the Churches in John's Day.

Chapters 4-5: A Picture of Heaven

Chapters 6-19: The Tribulation Period

PAGE 109

NOTES

-Mid-Trib: The Rapture somewhere in between Rev

11 & 12 or between the fifth and sixth seal, between

the wrath of Antichrist and the wrath of God. See

also Dan 7:25,9:27,12:7,11 & R11:2,3,12:4,6,11,13:5

which all mention a 3 1/2 years.

-Post-Trib: The Lord raptures the believers and then

comes to

the earth to judge the world (Rev 19 & 1 Thess 4:13-

18).

Chapter 20: The Millennium

Chapters 21-22: The Eternal State

The following chart summarizes the different viewpoints on the rapture:

A. Posttribulational View- The Lord will return for the Church

_________________________________ the seven year tribulation.

Church Age

7 Year Tribulation

Millenium and Eternity

B. Midtribulational View- The Lord will rapture the believers in the

middle of the tribulation period at the _________________________.

Church Age

7 Year Tribulation

Millennium and Eternity

C. Pretribulational View- The Lord will rapture the Church __________

the seven-year tribulation period begins.

Church Age

7 Year Tribulation

Millennium and Eternity

PAGE 110

A. Authorship

Four times in this book the author identifies himself as _________. The

author never calls himself an apostle, but it is evident he is the same

person who wrote the Gospel of John. See the notes on the Gospel of

John for a biography.

B. Date/Location

John probably wrote this book around _________ at the end of the reign

of Emperor Domitian. The apostle was banished to the Island of

________________where he wrote this book. The early Church Fathers,

such as Irenaeus & Clement, say he was banished there during the reign

of Domitian. Tradition teaches that he was forced to labor in the mines

at Patmos.

C. Readers

The book clearly points out to whom this revelation was addressed in

chapters 2 and 3. The________________________in ______________

were the recipients of this book, but the whole Church throughout the

ages has benefited from this book. The cities mentioned are a part of

modern-day Turkey.

D. Key Verse

The key verse is _________ since it supplies the reader with a way to

outline the entire book

a. The things which you have seen- the vision of Christ (Rev 1).

b. The things which are- the state of the Churches (Rev 2-3).

c. The things which will be hereafter- the end-times events (Rev

4-22).

E. Theme/Contents

The theme of this book is revelation of the _________________ and

____________________of Jesus Christ. The word revelation means the

_______________________ of something previously hidden. The same

word is used when a cover is removed off a new statue and it is unveiled

at that time. The theme is seen in a prophetic style as it relates to the

end-times events. The way this theme is seen in the book is as follows:

- THE LORD OF GLORY

Chapter 1: Christ is seen as the Lord of Glory. The descriptive phrase

used here actually describes the garb of a _____________________ and

emphasizes his _____________. Christ is seen as the High Priest in the

midst of His Churches cleansing His people (as seen in chapters 2-3).

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NOTES

2- THE LORD OF THE CHURCHES

Chapters 2-3: Christ is pictured as the Lord of the Churches. Here he

rebukes His people and calls them to a walk of purity.

3- THE LORD OF HEAVEN

Chapters 4-5: Christ is pictured as the Lord God. He is seated on a

throne receiving worship and praise from his followers. He is the Lamb

who alone was worthy to take the scroll from the Father and redeem the

earth.

4- THE LORD OVER THE NATIONS

Chapters 6-19: Here Christ is seen as the Lord over all the Nations.

He is the one judging and pouring out the wrath of God as the seven-

sealed book is unwrapped. The contents of these seven seals are:

a. Seal #1- A False Christ (Rev 6:1-2)

b. Seal #2- _____________ (Rev 6:3-4)

c. Seal #3- Famine (Rev 6:5-6)

d. Seal #4- _____________ (Rev 6:7-8)

e. Seal #5- Persecution of the Saints (Rev 6:9-11)

f. Seal #6- Cosmic Disturbances (Rev 6:12-17)

(Rev 7- The 144,000 Jew sealed & the persecuted in

heaven)

g. Seal #7- Contains the Seven Trumpets (Rev 8:1-6)

-Trumpet #1: Vegetation Ruined 8:7

-Trumpet #2: Seas Ruined 8:8-9

-Trumpet #3: Waters Ruined 8:10-11

-Trumpet #4: Heavens Ruined 8:12-13

-Trumpet #5: _______________________ Torment from the

bottomless pit 9:1-12

-Trumpet #6: Four Demonic Angels Released 9:13-21

(The Angel and the Little Book Rev 10, The Two

Witnesses Rev 11:1-14)

-Trumpet #7: The Proclamation of the Kingdom 11:15-19

(A lengthy interval appears at verse 20 and concludes at

15:8- the seventh trumpet begins with a proclamation of the

coming kingdom and ends with the seven bowl judgments-

Rev 16)

Interval:

Rev 12: The Woman, the Child and the Dragon. The nation ________

(the woman) gives birth to the Messiah (the _________) and the dragon

(___________) tries to destroy the child. Satan is cast out of heaven and

then comes to persecute the woman (Israel) during the tribulation period.

God protects Israel for 3 1/2 years as she flees into the wilderness.

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Rev 13: The Two Beasts. A beast rises from the sea (the Antichrist) and

another from the land (the __________________________). Those who

follow him receive a mark on their right hand or foreheads.

Rev 14: The tribulation period is seen from the vantage point of the

Messiah's _________________. This chapter describes the entire seven-

year period in broad terms and emphasizes the victory the Lord will

bring about over His enemies. In this chapter one can see the victory of

the 144,000 (1-5), the judgment on the last world religious system

(Babylon), the Antichrist, the false-prophet and their followers (6-20).

Rev 15: This chapter is seen as a prelude to the seven bowl judgments.

The seven last angels with their bowls of wrath come out of the temple in

heaven and prepare to pour out the wrath of God. These bowls are the

________________________ of the wrath of God (15:1).

-The seven bowl judgments are:

Bowl #1: Malignant Sores 16:1-2

Bowl #2: Sea Turns to Blood 16:3

Bowl #3: Waters Turns to Blood 16:4-7

Bowl #4: Men are Scorched with Fire 16:8-9

Bowl #5: Painful Darkness 16:10-11

Bowl #6: Euphrates Dried up 16:12-16

Bowl #7: The Great Earthquake 16:17-21

Interval:

Rev 17-18: The Description and Judgment of Mystery Babylon.

Mystery Babylon is the last political/religious system ruled by the

Antichrist. The destruction of this empire by the Lord is recorded in

18:1-24.

Rev 19: This Second Coming of Christ. The Lord is pictured riding on a

white horse coming out of heaven (with his army) to conquer the world.

Of course He wins! He defeats the beast and his armies and casts them

into the lake of fire.

5- THE LORD IN THE MILLENNIUM

Rev 20: Satan is bound for 1,000 years and then released for a short time

near the end of the millenium. He deceives those who were not

completely loyal to the Lord during the millennium and leads them in

one last attempt to defeat the Lord. He loses of course! The Lord then

judges all those who rejected him at The Great White Throne and casts

them into the lake of fire (20:11-15). The different views on the

millennium are as follows:

A. THREE DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THE MILLENNIUM

1. The Postmillennial View- Christ returns _______________ the

Millennium. The millennium occurs when the world is converted

though the preaching of the gospel and is not (most likely) a literal

1,000 years. The world supposedly gets better and better through

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NOTES

the preaching of the gospel. The promises in the OT are

spiritualized to fit the conditions of the Church age.

SECOND COMING

(<----THE CHURCH AGE---->)

(<---THE MILLENIUM--->) (<------------THE ETERNAL STATE------------>)

GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

GENERAL RESURRECTION

2. Amillennial View- The millennium began when Christ ____________

into heaven. This view teaches that there WILL NOT BE A

LITERAL, future millennium. Christ is presently reigning in heaven

and through the believers. The Church is the Israel of God and is

fulfilling the OT prophecies in a ______________________ sense. The

Eternal State is inaugurated at the return of Christ without any

intervening millennium.

SECOND COMING

(<----THE MILLENIUM----->) (<----THE ETERNAL STATE---->)

GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

GENERAL RESURRECTION

3. Premillennial View- Christ will return ________ the Millennium and

set up a literal 1,000 year reign upon the earth. This time period is a

literal fulfillment of the prophecies given in the O.T. to Israel. The

Messiah will rule the entire earth with a rod of iron, from Jerusalem

while sitting on the ___________________________.

RIGHTEOUS RAISED (PRE-TRIB VIEW)

GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

(<-CHURCH AGE->) (<-TRIBULATION->) (<--MILLENIUM-->) (<ETERNAL STATE>)

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MILLENNIUM

A. Peace Is. 2:1-4

B. Righteousness Isaiah 11:1-10

C. Blessing Is. 61:1-10

D. Obedience Jer. 31:31-34

E. The Fullness of the Holy Spirit Joel 2:28-29

C. THE CONDITIONS DURING THE MILLENNIUM

In, Things To Come Dwight Pentecost lists the following as the

conditions in the millennium:

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1. Peace Is. 2:4, 9:4-7

2. Joy Jer 30:18-19, Zech 8:3

3. Holiness Jer 31:23, Ezek 36:24-31

4. Glory Is. 24:23, 60:1-9

5. Comfort Zeph. 3:18-20, Zech 9:11-12

6. Justice Is 9:7, Jer 23:5

7. Full Knowledge Is 11:1-2, 9, 41:19-20, 54:13, Hab 2:14

8. Instruction Is 2:2-3, Mic 4:2

9. The Removal of the Curse Is 11:6-9, 35:9, 65:25

10. Sickness Removed Is 33:24, Jer 30:17

11. Healing of the Deformed Is 29:17-19, Jer 31:8, Amos 9:15

12. Protection Is 41:8-14, Ezek 34:27

13. Freedom from Oppression Is 14:3-6, Zech 9:11-12

14. No Immaturity Is 65:20

15. Reproduction by the Living People Jer 30:20, 31:29, Ezek 47:22,

Zech 10:8

16. Labor Is 62:8-9, 65:21-23, Jer 31:5, Ezek 48:18-19

17. Economic Prosperity Is 4:1, Ezek 34:26, Joel 2:21-27

18. Increase of Light Is 4:5, 30:26, Zech 2:5

19. Unified Language Zeph 3:9

20. Unified Worship Is 45:23, Zech 13:2

21. The Manifest Presence of God Ezek 37:27-28, Zech 2:2, 10-13

22. The Fullness of the Spirit Is 32:13-15, 61:1, Ezek 36:26-27, Joel

2:28-29

23. The Perpetuity of the Millennial State Joel 3:20, Is 51:6-8, Dan 9:24

6- THE LORD OF THE ETERNAL STATE

Rev 21-22: The Description of the Eternal State. Heaven is described

in these chapters as a giant city descending from the sky. Some say it

actually comes down and touches the earth while others say it hovers

over the planet. Either way, there is a new heaven and new earth for the

redeemed to enjoy for eternity.

F. Outline

Christ and the Revelation of Himself Chapter 1

Christ and the Churches Chapters 2-3

Christ and the Heavenly Realm Chapters 4-5

Christ and the Great Tribulation Chapters 6-19

Christ and the Millennium Chapter 20

Christ and the Eternal State Chapters 21-22

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NOTES

Book Study

Name of Book______________________________________

How Many Times Read:_____________

A.

1. Who wrote the book?

2. To whom did he write?

3. What was his relationship to his readers?

4. Where were the people he wrote to living?

5. From where did the author write?

6. When did he write?

7. In what circumstances was the author when he wrote the book?

B.

1. Why did he write the book?

2. What were the conditions of the people to whom he wrote?

3. What was the writer trying to correct? (sin, doctrine etc.)

4. What was the philosophy or false teaching the writer was trying to

correct? (Study about this idea and write out some notes)

5. What were the encouragements of the writer?

PAGE 116

C. 1. What is the main theme of the book?

2. What is the main chapter and verse of this book?

3. What other themes run through this book?

4. Who are the main characters?

5. Which other books will help you understand this one?

6. Make a brief outline of the book on the back of this page.

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NOTES

Book Study (Gospel)

Name of Book_____________________________________

How Many Times Read:_____________

1. Who wrote the book?

List two proofs.

2. Write out a brief historical sketch of the author.

3. When did he write the book?

4. To whom did he write? What is the evidence?

5. What is the purpose of the book?

6. What is the theme of the book? How is this seen in the book?

Write out in your own words the theme of the book.

7. How did the author present Christ in this gospel? How is this seen in

the book?

8. What are the key verse(s)? What are the key word(s)? How do these

relate to the main message?

9. What is the significance of the genealogy?

10. Write out a brief outline and briefly summarize the contents (use

back).