A Bird's-eye view of the New Testament Part 2

A Bird's-eye view of the New Testament 

 The apostle Paul spent 18 months in Corinth, preaching the gospel and planting a church (Acts 18). The church in Corinth was a blessed church: I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 1:4-8). Amen!

But they were also a troubled church. In 1 Corinthians Paul addressed matters he had heard about and answered questions from a letter they sent him.

1-4 (heard) Divisions in the Church
5 (heard) Unusual immorality
6 (heard) Taking each other to court
6 (heard) Immorality part II
7 (letter) Marriage & Divorce
7:25 (letter) Virgins / Marriage & Divorce part II
8-10 (letter) Things offered to idols (Christian liberty)
11 Veils for women
10 & 11 (heard) The Lord’s Supper
12-14 (letter) Spiritual Gifts
15 (heard) Resurrection of the Dead
16 (letter) Collection for the saints in Jerusalem
16 (letter) Our brother Apollos

If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. (16:22-24)

In 2 Corinthians Paul responded to attacks made on him and his ministry by false teachers, attacks which had distressed the Corinthians. He explained and defended his ministry and provided spiritual encouragement to them.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. (2 Cor 13:14)

 

 

Paul’s ministry in Galatia is described in Acts 13-14, where we read he preached the gospel in Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe; many believed and churches were planted. Sometime after he left Judaizers came and caused a disturbance, telling the believers they needed to become Jews if they really wanted to be saved (be circumcised and keep the feasts). Paul wrote this letter to provide comfort and assurance in the faith and to warn them of the consequences of pursuing this false teaching.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (3:26-29)

1-2 Paul’s testimony
3-4 The gospel explained. Again
5-6 Practical Application

“Having given the Argument of the Epistle, we now come to show what was the occasion St. Paul wrote it. He had planted the pure gospel, and the righteousness of faith among the Galatians, but after his departure false teachers crept in to overthrow all that he had truly taught. For the devil cannot but furiously impugn this doctrine, neither can he rest so long as any spark of it remaineth... For, by the preaching of it, the devil is overthrown, his kingdom destroyed, the law, sin, and death are wrested out of his hands, his prisoners are translated from the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of light and liberty.” Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians; translated by Erasmus Middleton

Paul’s first visit to Ephesus is found in Acts 19. He spent two years there, all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul. (Acts 19:10-11)

“Of all Paul’s epistles, it is in Ephesians that we find the highest spiritual truths concerning the Christian life. The letter abounds with spiritual riches, and yet at the same time it is intensely practical. The first half of the letter reveals our life in Christ to be one of union with Him in the highest heavens. The second half shows us in very practical terms how such a heavenly life is to be lived by us down here on the earth. In the first section of the letter, we note the word SIT (2:6), which is the key to that section and the secret of a true Christian experience. God has made us to sit with Christ in the heavenly places, and every Christian must begin his spiritual life from that place of rest. In the second part we select the word WALK (4:1) as expressive of our life in the world, which is its subject. And finally, in the third part we find the key to our attitude toward the enemy contained in the one word STAND (6:11), expressive of our place of triumph at the end.”
Sit Walk Stand: The Process of Christian Maturity, Watchman Nee

An important and recurring phrase is “in Christ” (in Christ 8x / in whom 7x)

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

 

 

In Acts 16 we read that Paul had a vision in which a man said to him, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. (16:9) In obedience to the vision he went to Macedonia and stopped in Philippi. We read of Lydia of Thyatira, the first convert in Europe, and then of the Philippian jailer; neither of whom is mentioned in the epistle!

Paul was very close to these saints, and they to him. They supported him financially - For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. (4:16) This epistle is essentially a thank you letter for their gift.

1 Paul’s current condition – prison
2 Beautiful explanation of the incarnation / Paul’s ministry is a drink offering
3 Warning against false teachers / Paul’s testimony

4 Written so we would have the chorus, “Rejoice in the Lord always” 😊

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (2:8-11)