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New Testament Studies
These are studies to help you get acquainted with Gods precious word to us to grow and live the life He made available to us by His passion
on the cross for our sins thereby justifying the one that receives what He has made available in Himself by His blood shed on the cross.
Remember Acts 17:11Act 17:11
These were more noble than those in
Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and
searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
Always examine all things in the light of Gods word not taken out of context.
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All of the authors of Grace Notes materials have made
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The New Testament is a collection of 27 books, usually
placed after the Old Testament in most Christian Bibles. The name refers to the
new covenant (or promise) between God and humanity through the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. The New Testament chronicles the life and ministry
of Jesus, the growth and impact of the early church, and instructive letters to
early churches.
Matthew
Matthew's main purpose in writing his Gospel (the "good
news") is to prove to his Jewish readers that Jesus is their Messiah. He does
this primarily by showing how Jesus in his life and ministry fulfilled the Old
Testament Scriptures.
Since Mark's Gospel (the "good news") is traditionally
associated with Rome, it may have been occasioned by the persecutions of the
Roman church in the period c. A.D. 64-67. Mark may be writing to prepare his
readers for such suffering by placing before them the life of our Lord.
Luke's Gospel (the "good news") was written to strengthen
the faith of all believers and to answer the attacks of unbelievers. It was
presented to debunk some disconnected and ill-founded reports about Jesus. Luke
wanted to show that the place of the Gentile (non-Jewish) Christian in God's
kingdom is based on the teaching of Jesus.
John's Gospel (the "good news") is rather different from
the other three, highlighting events not detailed in the others. The author
himself states his main purpose clearly in 20:31: "that you may believe that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in
his name."
The book of Acts provides a bridge for the writings of the
New Testament. As a second volume to Luke's Gospel, it joins what Jesus "began
to do and to teach" as told in the Gospels with what he continued to do and
teach through the apostles' preaching and the establishment of the church.
Paul's primary theme in Romans is presenting the gospel
(the "good news"), God's plan of salvation and righteousness for all humankind,
Jew and non-Jew alike.
1 Corinthians
The first letter to the Corinthians revolves around the
theme of problems in Christian conduct in the church. It thus has to do with
progressive sanctification, the continuing development of a holy character.
Obviously Paul was personally concerned with the Corinthians' problems,
revealing a true pastor's (shepherd's) heart.
2 Corinthians
Because of the occasion that prompted this letter, Paul had
a number of purposes in mind: to express the comfort and joy Paul felt because
the Corinthians had responded favorably to his painful letter; to let them know
about the trouble he went through in the province of Asia; and to explain to
them the true nature (its joys, sufferings and rewards) and high calling of
Christian ministry.
Galatians stands as an eloquent and vigorous apologetic for
the essential New Testament truth that people are justified by faith in Jesus
Christ—by nothing less and nothing more—and that they are sanctified not by
legalistic works but by the obedience that comes from faith in God's work for
them.
Unlike several of the other letters Paul wrote, Ephesians
does not address any particular error or heresy. Paul wrote to expand the
horizons of his readers, so that they might understand better the dimensions of
God's eternal purpose and grace and come to appreciate the high goals God has
for the church.
Paul's primary purpose in writing this letter was to thank
the Philippians for the gift they had sent him upon learning of his detention at
Rome. However, he makes use of this occasion to fulfill several other desires:
(1) to report on his own circumstances; (2) to encourage the Philippians to
stand firm in the face of persecution and rejoice regardless of circumstances;
and (3) to exhort them to humility and unity.
Paul's purpose is to refute the Colossian heresy. To
accomplish this goal, he exalts Christ as the very image of God, the Creator,
the preexistent sustainer of all things, the head of the church, the first to be
resurrected, the fullness of deity (God) in bodily form, and the reconciler.
Although the thrust of the letter is varied, the subject of
eschatology (doctrine of last things) seems to be predominant in both
Thessalonian letters. Every chapter of 1 Thessalonians ends with a reference to
the second coming of Christ.
Since the situation in the Thessalonian church has not
changed substantially, Paul's purpose in writing is very much the same as in his
first letter to them. He writes (1) to encourage persecuted believers, (2) to
correct a misunderstanding concerning the Lord's return, and (3) to exhort the
Thessalonians to be steadfast and to work for a living.
1 Timothy
During his fourth missionary journey, Paul had instructed
Timothy to care for the church at Ephesus while he went on to Macedonia. When he
realized that he might not return to Ephesus in the near future, he wrote this
first letter to Timothy to develop the charge he had given his young assistant.
This is the first of the "Pastoral Epistles."
2 Timothy
Paul was concerned about the welfare of the churches during
this time of persecution under Nero, and he admonishes Timothy to guard the
gospel, to persevere in it, to keep on preaching it, and, if necessary, to
suffer for it. This is the second "Pastoral Epistle."
Apparently Paul introduced Christianity in Crete when he
and Titus visited the island, after which he left Titus there to organize the
converts. Paul sent the letter with Zenas and Apollos, who were on a journey
that took them through Crete, to give Titus personal authorization and guidance
in meeting opposition, instructions about faith and conduct, and warnings about
false teachers. This is the last of the "Pastoral Epistles."
To win Philemon's willing acceptance of the runaway slave
Onesimus, Paul writes very tactfully and in a lighthearted tone, which he
creates with wordplay. The appeal is organized in a way prescribed by ancient
Greek and Roman teachers: to build rapport, to persuade the mind, and to move
the emotions.
Hebrews
The theme of Hebrews is the absolute supremacy and
sufficiency of Jesus Christ as revealer and as mediator of God's grace. A
striking feature of this presentation of the gospel is the unique manner in
which the author employs expositions of eight specific passages of the Old
Testament Scriptures.
Characteristics that make the letter distinctive are: (1)
its unmistakably Jewish nature; (2) its emphasis on vital Christianity,
characterized by good deeds and a faith that works (genuine faith must and will
be accompanied by a consistent lifestyle); (3) its simple organization; (4) and
its familiarity with Jesus' teachings preserved in the Sermon on the Mount.
Although 1 Peter is a short letter, it touches on various
doctrines and has much to say about Christian life and duties. It is not
surprising that different readers have found it to have different principal
themes. For example, it has been characterized as a letter of separation, of
suffering and persecution, of suffering and glory, of hope, of pilgrimage, of
courage, and as a letter dealing with the true grace of God.
In his first letter Peter feeds Christ's sheep by
instructing them how to deal with persecution from outside the church; in this
second letter he teaches them how to deal with false teachers and evildoers who
have come into the church.
John's readers were confronted with an early form of
Gnostic teaching of the Cerinthian variety. This heresy was also libertine,
throwing off all moral restraints. Consequently, John wrote this letter with two
basic purposes in mind: (1) to expose false teachers and (2) to give believers
assurance of salvation.
During the first two centuries the gospel was taken from
place to place by traveling evangelists and teachers. Believers customarily took
these missionaries into their homes and gave them provisions for their journey
when they left. Since Gnostic teachers also relied on this practice, 2 John was
written to urge discernment in supporting traveling teachers
Itinerant teachers sent out by John were rejected in one of
the churches in the province of Asia by a dictatorial leader, Diotrephes, who
even excommunicated members who showed hospitality to John's messengers. John
wrote this letter to commend Gaius for supporting the teachers and, indirectly,
to warn Diotrephes.
Although Jude was very eager to write to his readers about
salvation, he felt that he must instead warn them about certain immoral men
circulating among them who were perverting the grace of God. Apparently these
false teachers were trying to convince believers that being saved by grace gave
them license to sin since their sins would no longer be held against them.
John writes to encourage the faithful to resist staunchly
the demands of emperor worship. He informs his readers that the final showdown
between God and Satan is imminent. Satan will increase his persecution of
believers, but they must stand fast, even to death. They are sealed against any
spiritual harm and will soon be vindicated when Christ returns, when the wicked
are forever destroyed, and when God's people enter an eternity of glory and
blessedness.