Apicontent

A. Overview and Summary.

1. This is the second of three epistles written by the Apostle John (see the overview for First John). This one and Third John are the shortest epistles in the New Testament. Both contain fewer than 300 Greek words and could have fit on a single sheet of papyrus. The date of writing is believed to be in the same time frame as John’s other writings, or 90 to 95 AD. John refers to himself as “the elder” (1a), which reflects his age, his authority, and status as the last remaining apostle from the original twelve.
2. The theme of this epistle is the same as for First John. False teachers had arisen and were presenting doctrines that were damaging to the early church. This epistle is addressed “to the elect lady and her children” (1b), which means it is not a general epistle, but one sent to a house church or small group of Christians meeting together. He warns about “many deceivers who have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh” (7a).
3. John also provides instructions on being discerning in hospitality. He warns, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (10-11).

B. Synopsis of the text.

1. It is not known who the “elect lady” is specifically or even her ethnic background. Still, as believers in Christ, she and her “elect sister” (13) are elect because, like all true believers, they were chosen before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) to be part of Christ’s church, His body. The “elect sister” apparently was a close friend of John’s, as were the children of the elect sister (13), as he tells her they also sent their greetings.
2. John writes of love and truth, mentioning truth five times in the opening verses. Truth must be the foundation of love. Truth is the means by which love can be shown in Christian hospitality. John seems very harsh in his warning about not receiving one who teaches false doctrine (10-11). But he had the evil false teaching of Gnosticism in mind, which was threatening the early church. Apparently, false teachers were using the hospitality of believers to lure some away from the truth. Today, pleas for false Christian unity are something that we need to guard against. Many once solid mainstream denominations are denying the truth in an attempt at unity.
3. Jesus has come in the flesh (7), meaning His incarnation, is a fundamental basis of the truth. That, along with the virgin birth, His deity, His substitutional atonement, His death, His resurrection, and His return, are the basic fundamental truths of the Christian faith. These truths we must uphold before love can truly be expressed.

C. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it On.

1. Are you solidly grounded in Christian truth? Can you use Scripture to refute false teaching?
2. Do you think John was being too harsh? We need to express love in our relationships, but truth must be upheld. How would you address false teaching if it should come up in your church?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. This is the second of two epistles written by the Apostle Peter. Tradition states that Peter was martyred during the persecution by Emperor Nero, who died in 68 AD. It is generally believed that Peter wrote this epistle shortly before his own death. Acceptance into the canon of Scripture was slow among the church fathers. This was primarily due to differences in vocabulary and style between the two books. The issue was resolved by a realization that Peter used a different amanuensis, or scribe for each book.
2. While Peter wrote the first epistle to encourage primarily Jewish believers facing persecution, this book was written to warn believers about false teaching creeping into the church. This epistle is considered the most scathing attack against false teachers in the New Testament, along with Jude. He describes false teachers and how their lack of moral fortitude can identify them. He also wanted, in a related theme, to encourage his readers to develop Christian character. Another significant theme is the acquisition of knowledge. Peter uses this term 16 times in these three chapters. Having true knowledge is Peter’s solution to false teaching.

B. Chapter One.

1. After his greeting, Peter opens the epistle with a word about knowledge of God and Jesus and our great and precious promises: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (1:2-4). That we are “partakers of the divine nature” is indeed a great and precious promise. This is a unique attribute of New Covenant believers.
2. He again mentions knowledge as well as his theme of godliness of the believer: “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (1:5-7).
3. Peter mentions his impending death which he believes will come soon and mentions Jesus foretold him of it: “knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease” (1:14-15).
4. He tells his readers what they have received from the apostles, came by being eyewitnesses and by direct revelation from God: “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain” (1:16-18). The holy mountain refers to the Mount of transfiguration where Peter, James, and John were eyewitnesses.
5. Peter closes the first chapter with these words: “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (1:19-21). That no prophecy came by private interpretation and it came by men moved by the Holy Spirit should be a strong word to those who claim falsely that God spoke this or that to them.

C. Chapter Two.

1. In chapter two, Peter gets to the point of his writing: “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time, their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber” (2:1-3).
2. He continues with a reminder of the destruction of angels who sinned, the wrath that fell upon Noah’s generation, Sodom and Gomorrah and then says: “the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord” (2:9-11).
3. He continues with a strong word against the false teachers: “But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, arousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness” (2:12-15). The phrase “feast with you” most likely refers to the love feast or Lord’s Table. Peter is warning about these false teachers being embedded in their church meetings “with eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin.”
4. Peter closes the chapter with words that can be misunderstood: “For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of [corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire” (2:18-22). New converts to Christ can be drawn back into a life of sin. This is not to lose one’s salvation. It is the responsibility of the church to disciple such believers and help them mature to resist the influences of false teachers.

D. Chapter Three.

1. Peter opens the final chapter with a word about the Lord’s coming: “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’ For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” (3:3-7). This cynicism is a common theme among today’s false teachers. They hope to destroy the hope that we have in looking to the return of Christ.
2. He reminds us God does not operate on our timeline: “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (3:8-9).
3. He continues with an admonition to look to the Lord’s return: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (3:10-12a).
4. Peter encourages us to be steadfast and he also mentions the writings of Paul which can be hard to understand: “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (3:14-16). By saying this, Peter confirms that Paul’s writings are inspired.
5. He closes his epistle with these words: “You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen” (3:17-18).

E. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Do you have a sense you are truly “partaking of the divine nature”? Does this concept help you to escape the corruption which is in the world?
2. Second Peter is a strong word against false teachers. However, unlike Paul’s writings, he does not identify specific false teaching. Can you identify false teachings which are gaining footholds in today’s churches? How would you address something false you see in your church?
3. In first Peter, he writes to his readers expressing their need for the pure milk of the word. But to confront false teaching, we need knowledge which Peter frequently refers to in second Peter. Are you gaining true knowledge which is “meat” in Scripture?
4. Does the phrase “one day is like a thousand years” cause you to have encouragement or the opposite as we wait for Christ’s return?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. The author is not mentioned in the epistle, but the consensus among all of the church fathers is that it was written by the Apostle John. John humbly wrote of himself in the gospel attributed to him, as the disciple “whom Jesus loved”. As John does not identify writing this epistle to a particular church or individual, it is considered a general epistle to the church at large. John wrote towards the end of his life from Ephesus, and his writings included this and two other epistles with the simple titles of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John. This is the longest epistle and the most significant. He wrote the gospel of John, which is unique from the synoptic gospels and the viewpoint of his eyewitness presence throughout Jesus’s earthly ministry. He also wrote the book of Revelation during his imprisonment on the island of Patmos. All of his writings are dated towards the close of the first century. At that time, John was the sole remaining Apostle of the original twelve, the others having died by martyrdom. John died of natural causes but survived being boiled in oil as well as his imprisonment on Patmos.
2. John writes with the authority of an aged Apostle. He tackles the heresy of Gnosticism, which says there are two states of existence: material and spiritual. In that viewpoint, material is evil, and spiritual is good. For this reason, it denies that Jesus was both human and divine. It teaches that Jesus only had the appearance of a physical nature and that His spirit descended upon Him at His baptism but left Him before His crucifixion on the Cross. That is why John hits that concept hard in his opening words: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life” (1:1).
3. John is very concerned that the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith are being lost and presents them in simple, yet profound statements. His tone is of a father speaking to his children (2:1). Yet he addresses those who attempt to destroy sound doctrine in very negative terms. It is an excellent book to read and study.

B. Chapter One.

1. After the greeting, mentioned in the overview above, John continues with: “the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us— that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full” (1:2-4). Again, John is firmly stating that he and the other apostles saw and bear witness to the reality of Jesus in the flesh.
2. John declares that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (1:5b). Then he writes: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1:7-10). John uses the analogy of the Christian life as walking in the light. If we walk in the light, the Holy Spirit will reveal our sins, causing us to repent and ask for forgiveness. This statement should cause us not to be negligent about confessing our sins to God. Forgiveness of our sins is not a one-time event. It is a lifetime manner of walking in the light with the resulting confession.

C. Chapter Two.

1. John writes: “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (2:1-2). John is stating the essentials of the faith, which in Christ we have an Advocate, Jesus who is the “propitiation for our sins”. This phrase references the cover to the ark of the covenant in the Temple called the “Propitiatory Cover” or “Mercy Seat”. In Greek, the word is “hilasterion” or “that which makes propitiation”. The High Priest would once a year go into the Holy of Holies and carry with him the blood of the sacrifice and sprinkle it on the cover or mercy seat. By Christ’s sacrifice, He once and forever accomplished this by shedding His blood on the Cross for our sins. The phrase “for the whole world” implies that forgiveness of sins is available to anyone who accepts Christ as Savior.
2. John gives us a test by which we can know if we are in Christ: “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this, we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (2:3-6).
3. John then gives insight to those who walk in the light of God: “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (2:9-11).
4. He confirms the spiritual state of those walking in the light by their sins being forgiven, knowing the Father, and overcoming the wicked one (2:12-14). He gives us caution about loving the world: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (2:15-17).
5. John gives a word about “antichrists”: “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us” (2:18-19). There will be an Antichrist who will be manifested at the time of the end. In John’s time, it was a common belief that he would appear shortly as they thought it was “the last hour”. These “antichrists” were false believers that went out of the fellowship of the true believers and began to spread false teachings.
6. John tells us how we know truth and how to identify antichrists: “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son, does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also” (2:20-23). In the Old Testament, oil, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, was sprinkled on the heads of priests, signifying their empowerment. True believers have the anointing of the Holy Spirit within them and thereby know the truth.
7. He then writes about letting the anointing abide within us as truth (2:24-25). He gives a strong word to guard against those who try to deceive them: “These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him” (2:26-27).
8. He concludes the chapter with: “And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him: (2:28-29). This is an often-overlooked admonition. To “not be ashamed before Him at His coming” indicates the possibility of being ashamed when He comes. Many Christians do not realize that although saved from hell, they are still accountable for how they live their lives after being born again. As Paul tells us, “We all will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to account for the things done in our bodies, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10). The key to not being ashamed is to abide in Christ.

D. Chapter Three.

1. John opens with these words: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (3:1-3). That we shall be like Jesus is a magnificent promise. We do not know fully what we shall be, but to be like Him is sufficient.
2. He then writes something that is difficult to understand: “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Hi does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him” (3:4-6). Some say that we can achieve sinless perfection. That is not what this passage means. To abide in Him is to remain firmly attached to Jesus as the vine (John 15). If we continue in this abiding, we will not desire to sin. This thought of not sinning is continued: “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (3:9). But John has already told us earlier in this epistle “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:9). The Amplified Bible helps interpret these seemingly contradictory passages: “No one who abides in Him [who remains united in fellowship with Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin. No one who habitually sins has seen Him or known Him” (1 John 3:6 AMP). The key is that believers do not habitually continue to sin. As we grow in Christ, we should desire to spend more time in abiding, which removes the desire to sin.
3. John continues about the imperative of love and its outworking: “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (3:16-17). He continues: “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment” (3:23).
4. He closes the chapter with these words with instruction on how to abide: “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us” (3:24).

E. Chapter Four.

1. John gives us a means by which we can test false and deceiving spirits: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (4:1-3). This simple test exposes the multitude of false religions that abound.
2. He continues with what has become a great saying among His people today: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore, they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (4:4-6). To know that the Holy Spirit is dwelling in us and is greater than what Satan can throw at us is of great comfort.
3. John’s writings are full of his desire that “his children” love one another: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this, the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (4:7-11).
4. He continues in later passages with the understanding that confession of Jesus as the Son of God abides in Him as well as the theme of love: “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (4:15-16).
5. John gives us assurance for the day of judgment: “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us” (4:17-19). We love God, because He first loved us. We should not fear the day of judgment.
6. He concludes the chapter with: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (4:20-21).

F. Chapter Five.

1. John speaks of the love of God and of the brothers: “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this, we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (5:1-5). John is not speaking of legalism here. But our love for God should cause us to keep His commandments as a child of God just as we kept our parent’s commandments when we were young.
2. John gives another passage that can be difficult to understand: “This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one” (5:6-8). The best interpretation is that Jesus’s baptism was the “water”, and the Cross was the “blood”. John mentions three witnesses: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. Together they testify of the truth. In Jewish culture, only two witnesses were needed to validate something.
3. John states the certainty of God’s witness of our eternal life: “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (5:11-13).
4. John gives a word about assurance of prayer but then, another difficult passage about sin that leads to death: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death” (5:14-17). God purges His church. The best interpretation of a sin leading to death is repetitive unrepentant sin. There is a point where God says of those types of believers, “that is enough” and takes their lives.
5. He closes with a word about one who is born of God keeps himself and then says: “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (5:20).

G. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it On.

1. John was the last remaining apostle who was an eyewitness to Jesus’s ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension. Does that knowledge give you any more incentive to read and understand his writings?
2. Are you walking in the light? (1:5-10) We can deceive ourselves by saying we are not sinning. By whose standards are you walking? Is it the culture you live in or the Word of God?
3. Christ will come back soon for His believers. Are you ready or will you be put shame away from Him at His presence? (2:28). What is the secret of being ready?
4. John was deeply concerned about false teaching creeping into the church. This is also a problem today. What is the test he gives us to determine truth or falsehood?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. Peter is identified as the writer in the first verse. He writes to “pilgrims in the Dispersion” (1:1), which traditionally has meant the scattering of Jews due to persecution. But throughout the epistle, he writes to those who are spiritual pilgrims, those who are aliens to the earth whether Jew or Gentile. He identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ (1:1) and as such, was one of a small group of men called by Jesus (Matthew 10:1-4) and commissioned (John 20:19-23) for ministry.
2. Due to his impetuous nature, he was often used as an example by the Lord to teach a truth. For example, in Matthew 16:16, Peter declares that Jesus “is the Christ, the Son of the Living God”. Jesus praises him and says that “My Father in heaven” revealed it to him. He then says, “You are Peter and upon this rock, I will build my church”. Jesus uses a play on words here. He calls Peter “petros,” meaning “little rock,” and then says Upon this ‘petra’ or foundational stone, I will build my church. The prevailing Protestant view is that the foundational stone is the revelation that Jesus is the Christ. The Roman Catholic Church holds the view that Peter is the foundation of the church and bases its papal doctrine on this perspective. Although Peter took a leading role in the early church, he was certainly not infallible. Only a few verses later, Jesus tells Peter “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (16:23). Additionally, there is no Scriptural evidence Peter ever visited Rome, the site of the present-day Vatican.
3. Peter was married, and according to church tradition, he and his wife were both martyred. Peter writes to encourage the believers who were suffering from increased persecution. This was during the reign of Nero, who burned the city of Rome to make way for his building projects. Due to the resulting outcry, he successfully shifted the blame to Christians. This caused a significant scattering “of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1:1). This would put the writing of this epistle shortly after July of 64 AD, when the city of Rome burned.

B. Chapter One.

1. After his greeting, he writes: “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (1:2). Peter confirms the doctrine of the election, in that God chooses his own according to His foreknowledge.
2. He continues: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1:3-5). This is a wonderful promise, our inheritance awaits us, and the power of God keeps us.
3. Again, he writes: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls” (1:6-9). Peter encourages the believers their present trials are for a purpose: “the salvation of their souls”. Bible scholars point out that salvation is comprised of three parts. The first “justification” is given through the new birth as a gift. The second “sanctification” is a lifelong process of growing and maturing in Christ. The final salvation is “glorification” when our resurrected bodies will be joined to our souls upon the Lord’s return.
4. Peter gives us an understanding of what the Old Testament writers under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote of what the New Covenant would bring: “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into” (1:10-12). Even the angels did not understand this. As those of the New Covenant, we are truly blessed!
5. He charges us to “gird up the loins of our minds” (1:13a), and to be holy because God is Holy (1:15b). Peter writes: “And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1:17-19). The New Testament frequently tells us we will be judged according to our works (Matthew 16:27; 2nd Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 22:12). This is not for our eternal destiny; we will spend eternity with God and Jesus, and salvation is a gift (Ephesians 2:8-9). But we will be judged on how we have cooperated with the Holy Spirit regarding our sanctification. This is the “fear” referenced here and is to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).
6. He closes the chapter with words about our brief time upon this earth compared with the eternal Word of God, which endures forever (1:24-25).

C. Chapter Two.

1. The chapter opens with Peter charging us to “lay aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (2:1-3). It is interesting that Peter mentions the Word as pure milk (in Greek, Gala) while Paul criticized the Corinthians for being able only to drink milk and not being able to eat meat (in Greek, Broma) (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). Milk means the basic, elemental teachings of Christianity, while meat means the more solid, complete, and more profound spiritual doctrines of the Christian faith. Peter may have had a sense that his recipients were less mature in their faith and needed to grow by drinking the pure milk of the Word.
2. He continues with: “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (2:4-5). Christ as the living stone is the foundational stone upon which the believers are built. It is apparent that Peter understood the analogy that he is a stone (Matthew 16:16). Peter continues by quoting from Psalm 118:22: “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone”.
3. Peter gives a word of encouragement: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (2:9-10). He goes on to admonish his readers to “abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (2:11b). He also instructs “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good” (2:13-14). This does not mean blind submission. As Peter himself says “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29b) when they were told not to speak of Jesus by the Jewish council.
4. The chapter concludes with: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth’; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (2:23-25). Peter quotes Isaiah 53 here, showing that although he was an unlearned man (Acts 4:13), he was not illiterate, but had been trained in the Hebrew Bible in the synagogue.

D. Chapter Three.

1. Peter opens the chapter with a word to wives: “Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (3:1-4).
2. He continues with a word to husbands: “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered” (3:7).
3. This is followed by a word to all: “Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing” (3:8-9).
4. He gives a word about being ready to defend your faith: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and respect” (3:15). The phrase translated “to give a defense” in Greek is “apologian” from which we get the theological term “apologetics” which is a practice of defense of the Christian faith. Peter instructs those who are apologists to defend with gentleness and respect. Fighting with someone will not win them over to your position. However, we should always be ready to give a proper answer to their questions.
5. He then gives insight into Christ’s soul going to Hades while he was in the tomb: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water” (3:18-20). Within the context of the passage, many Bible scholars interpret the “spirits in prison” as the fallen angels who sinned before the flood by co-habiting with human females with the result of producing the Nephilim, the giants of old (Geneses 6). Jesus went and “preached” to them indicates His victory. We will discuss this again in 2nd Peter, Jude and Revelation.
6. Peter uses the eight souls saved through water as an illustration of baptism. He is not saying that baptism saves us, but rather that baptism is an analogy of being buried with Christ as we go into the water and being raised with Him in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4). Noah’s ark represents Christ, and the eight souls inside the ark were saved from God’s wrath, which came upon all humanity outside of it.

E. Chapter Four.

1. Peter opens the chapter with a word about following Christ’s example in suffering and we who used to walk in the sins of the flesh: “when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries” (4:3b). He then tells his readers those who do those things think it strange we do not walk in the same dissipation. He then gives a difficult passage to interpret: “They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason, the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (4:5-6). Those who are continuing to walk in dissipation, the unsaved, will be judged. They may live many years without consequences. Still, God will judge them. The difficult portion is “the gospel was preached also to those who are dead”. This does not refer to the spirits in Hades in the previous chapter. Nor does it give a second chance to those who are already dead. The prevailing interpretation is that these are believers to whom the gospel was preached and then died. “They will live according to God in the spirit”.
2. Peter continues with a word about serving to God’s glory: “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’ Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (4:7-9). The early church believed the end of all things was very near. We too should live in such an expectation.
3. He continues with a word of encouragement about suffering: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part, He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (4:12-16).
4. The chapter closes with “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (4:17). Those who do not obey the gospel will suffer the full fury of God’s wrath. These are the unbelievers. But Peter is saying judgment begins with us, the house of God. He expects His children to walk in holiness and fellowship with Him. He will discipline us if we do not do so (1 Corinthians 11:32).

F. Chapter Five.

1. Peter opens the final chapter with a word to the elders: “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (5:1-4). An elder who possesses the attributes as described by Paul in 1st Timothy chapter three and Titus chapter one, will be one who does these things.
2. Peter gives a word to young people and to all of us: “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, But, gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (5:5-6).
3. He moves towards closing with these words: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (5:8-11).
4. The final verses by mention of a Silvanus, who may have been his scribe. He then uses a peculiar reference to “she who is in Babylon” (5:13a) as greeting them. It could be Peter is purposefully not mentioning her name as well as the city due to persecution that could happen to her.

G. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Was the narrative about Peter in Matthew 16:16 helpful in providing insight on the false teaching of the Roman Catholic Church which says that Peter was the first Pope?
2. Do you have a sense that when you are suffering for His sake, you are being refined like gold to make you more holy?
3. Do you understand the three steps of salvation? Are you working diligently on your sanctification? What steps might that involve?
4. Are you always ready to give a defense of what you believe? How could you be more prepared?
5. Do you consider yourself first regarding “let judgment begin with the house of God”? What sins do you need to address?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. The book’s title comes from the author’s name James, who is recognized as Jesus’s half-brother, along with Jude. He and Jesus’ other siblings did not affirm Jesus as the Messiah until after His death and resurrection (John 7:5). However, James later became a pillar in the Jerusalem church (Galatians 2:9). According to the first-century historian Josephus, James was martyred in 62 AD. The Apostle Paul affirmed him as one who had personally seen Christ in His resurrection (1st Corinthians 15:7). Scholars believe that the book of James is one of, if not the earliest written book of the New Testament canon about 44-49 AD.
2. James writes to Jewish recipients who had been dispersed as a result of persecution, most likely from Herod Agrippa. Because of its Jewish recipients, the book leans towards a Jewish interpretation. Martin Luther considered the book of James of lesser importance than Paul’s epistles and at one point even called it a “book of straw”. But he preached from the book of James at least five times in his career, showing a change in mindset after 1519.
3. James is a book of direct statements on wise living reflecting the outworking of the Holy Spirit in such statements as “what does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?” (2:14-15) or “faith without works is dead” (2:20b). What the reader should understand is that James complements justification by faith as preached by the Apostle Paul with the necessity of showing the reality of salvation in a believer by their works. Paul writes of this in Ephesians 2:8-10: “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them”.

B. Chapter One.

1. After his greeting to the 12 tribes in dispersion (see overview), James gives a word about trials, patience, and wisdom: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (1:2-5).
2. He continues with a variety of instructions. First, about the rich and lowly. The lowly will glory in his exaltation, but the rich will fade away in his pursuits (1:9-11). He goes on to address temptation: “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (1:12-15).
3. James then gives the qualities needed in trials: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (1:19-20).
4. He gives his first word about acting out the faith: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (1:22-25).
5. He closes the chapter with this word: “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” (1:26-27). James lived in a time of religion. He was born into Judaism with its multiple commandments. The era was fraught with idol worship. So, he gives a simple word about “pure and undefiled religion before God” which is simply “to visit orphans and widows and keeping oneself unspotted from the world”.

C. Chapter Two.

1. James opens the chapter with a caution against favoritism. He shows the hypocrisy of treating a rich man with esteem and a poor man with contempt. He reminds his readers by saying, “Hasn’t God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?” (2:5b).
2. He lifts up what he calls the “royal law”: “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all” (2:8-10).
3. He then gives words about faith without works: “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? So, faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (2:14-17).
4. He continues in this manner to emphasize: “But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works’. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (2:25-26). Many have seized upon these verses and condemned James for putting works in such a high status. But he is right. If someone declares his faith, there should be fruit to validate it.

D. Chapter Three.

1. James issues a strong word for those who desire to be teachers: “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (3:1). There are many who desire to teach, but may not have the capacity, or are teaching falsely. If more would take this verse to heart, it would do much to correct that situation.
2. He segways into a word about the tongue: “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things” (3:2-5).
3. He continues with words of caution about the tongue: “See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God” (3:5b-9).
4. He closes with another word about wisdom: “For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (3:16-18).

E. Chapter Four.

1. He presents the thought that lust and ungodly desire result in strife: Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (4:1-4).
2. He writes about pride and humility: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you”. (4:6-8). He closes that train of thought with: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (4:10).
3. He gives a word about judging before going on to words about self-strategies apart from God: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (4:13-15).
4. He closes the chapter with a profound statement: “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (4:17).

F. Chapter Five.

1. James opens the final chapter with a scathing word against the rich who are corrupt: “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you” (5:1-6).
2. He continues with a word about patience and endurance before going on to prayer: The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (5:16b-18).
3. He closes the book about the concept to bring back one who has erred: “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (5:19-20).

G. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. James references the “Royal Law” (2:8). In the previous verses, James discusses preferential treatment of the rich and poor. Then he gives the manifestation of the royal law as loving your neighbor as yourself. In doing so, he quotes Leviticus 19:18 and Jesus in Matthew 22:39. This command should guide the honor we show to every person, regardless of their stature in the community. Can you say you are fulfilling this royal law?
2. Do you understand the argument that faith is validated by works? Would you agree with Martin Luther that James is a book of straw, or do you see value in what James says about works?
3. Do you desire to be a teacher of the Bible? If so, do you take to heart the admonition that teachers will be held to a higher standard?
4. Do you guard your tongue? Are you able to control it or does it control you?
5. Have you felt you lack wisdom? Have you asked for it?
6. There are essentially two types of sins: sins of commission and those of omission. What is your aptitude towards sins of omission after reading what James says? (4:17).
7. When tempted, do you submit to God and resist the devil to have assurance that he will flee? (4:7).

A. Overview and Summary.

1. The book is named after the recipient of the letter, Philemon. He was a prominent member of the church at Colosse, which met in his house (2). It is one of the Apostle Paul’s prison letters written during his imprisonment in Rome along with Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. This would place the date of its writing 60 to 62 AD. Philemon was saved through the preaching of Paul, probably at Ephesus, and is reminded by Paul of that indebtedness (19).
2. Paul’s purpose in writing is to ask Philemon to forgive Philemon’s slave Onesimus, who had run away, and to welcome him back into service, not as just a slave but now a brother in Christ (15-17). Onesimus had run away from Philemon and gone to Rome, where he apparently hoped to lose himself in the large population of slaves. He met Paul somehow in prison, and Paul led him to Christ. He ministered to Paul there (11-13), and Paul became caring towards him and desired to keep him there with him. However, Paul recognizes that this would be unjust and proposes to send him back with Tychicus, a trusted coworker who is also mentioned in this epistle, as well as the epistle to the Colossians (Colossians 4:7-9). Onesimus needed an escort due to people who acted as slave catchers. The book contains just 25 verses and contains no doctrinal matters as it is a personal letter from Paul to his friend.
3. The letter shows insight into first-century slavery. Slavery was widespread in the Roman Empire, and according to some estimates, constituted over one-third of the population. Slaves were not considered persons, but property and tools of their masters. They could be bought, sold, inherited, and could be punished severely for even minor infractions. But the climate was changing as masters realized that contented slaves were more productive. In 20 AD, the Roman Senate granted slaves accused of a crime the right to a trial. The New Testament does not attack the institution of slavery. If it had, the gospel might have been hopelessly confused with social reform. Instead, the gospel changes the hearts of slaves and masters. Unfortunately, the Bible was used to justify slavery in many nations and civilizations, as it did not directly attack the institution of slavery.

B. The text of the epistle.

1. Paul opens by mentioning Timothy, who was there with him. He greets Philemon and says: “I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, hearing of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints; that the fellowship of your faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is in you, unto Christ. For I had much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother (4-7).
2. He gets to the heart of his letter to Philemon: “ I beseech you for my child, whom I have begotten in my bonds, Onesimus, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me: whom I have sent back to you in his own person, that is, my very heart: whom I would have kept with me, that in your behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the gospel: but without your mind I would do nothing; that your goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will. For perhaps he was separated from you for a season, that you should have him forever; no longer as a servant, but more than a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord” (10-16).
3. He asks that Philemon receive Onesimus as he would Paul himself. He offers to pay Philemon for any debts that Onesimus incurred (17-18). He closes with “Having confidence in thine obedience, I write unto thee, knowing that you will do even beyond what I say. But prepare me also a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be reunited with you” (21-22).

C. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it On.

1. Paul’s mention of having any debts owed by Onesimus charged to his account is similar to the Good Samaritan and his instructions to the innkeeper about the injured man. Do you have such a caring heart for someone less privileged than you?
2. Slavery is still a very prevalent social disease today, involving sex trafficking, forced labor, or indebtedness. As Christians who were once enslaved by sin, we should be on the forefront of organizations that work to end such practices. Research what organizations are involved with ending such practices and if possible, support them as a volunteer or with financial contributions.

A. Overview and Summary.

1. The author of Hebrews is anonymous, although of course it is recognized that it is under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Various individuals have been suggested such as Paul, Barnabas, Silas, etc. but definite authorship has not been determined. The literary style and vocabulary do not match the writings of other New Testament authors. The author quotes extensively from the Septuagint and not from the Hebrew text. The text places emphasis upon the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices which confirms that the recipients are Jewish. And as they were still being practiced, this would place the writing prior to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple which occurred in 70 AD.
2. This community of Jews was predominantly believers, but among them were unbelievers who had “tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the age to come and then fell away” (6:5-6). Not understanding this composition of the recipients has caused confusion and interpretations inconsistent with the rest of Scripture. There was also a trend to focus on angels almost to the extent of placing them in a position higher than the Messiah, which explains the dialogue in chapter one of the superiority of Christ over angels.
3. An understanding of the book of Leviticus is helpful in understanding the book of Hebrews. God’s Old Testament covenant was established as Israel consistently sinned and God established a system of sacrifices representing repentance and Divine forgiveness. However, the need for sacrifices did not end and required a perfect priest and a perfect sacrifice in the person of Jesus Christ the Messiah. This is the New Covenant and is the central message of the book of Hebrews.

B. Chapter One.

1. As mentioned in the summary, the “Hebrews” to which this epistle is addressed were toying with the idea that angels were superior to the Messiah. The author sets this straight immediately: “God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by different portions and in different manners, has at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds; who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name than they” (1:1-4).
2. Angels are created beings and Jesus, the Messiah is the creator (1:2b). The creator is not also the created. He continues this theme with: “In the beginning, Lord, You established the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain. They will all wear out like clothing; You will roll them up like a cloak, and they will be changed like a robe. But You are the same, and Your years will never end” (1:10-12). He closes the chapter with: “Now to which of the angels has He ever said: Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation? (1:13-14).

C. Chapter Two.

1. The chapter opens with a warning: “how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to His will” (2:2-3). This is a word to the unbelieving Jews, the Hebrews who have heard the gospel but neglect it particularly as the signs, wonders and various miracles confirmed it.
2. Jesus’s humility is confirmed: What is man that You remember him, or the son of man that You care for him? You made him lower than the angels for a short time; You crowned him with glory and honor and subjected everything under his feet. For in subjecting everything to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subjected to him. But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace He might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering in death” (2:7-9).
3. Jesus proclaims His unity with those that are His own: “For the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying: I will proclaim Your name to My brothers; I will sing hymns to You in the congregation. Again, I will trust in Him. And again, Here I am with the children God gave Me” (2:10-13). We need to have the understanding that when we assemble as believers in the church congregation and are singing hymns, Jesus is singing hymns with us to the Father.
4. The reason for Jesus’s incarnation and passion is given: “He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tested and has suffered, He is able to help those who are tested” (2:17-18).

D. Chapter Three.

1. The author continues with a warning against unbelief: “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works for 40 years. Therefore, I was provoked with that generation and said, they always go astray in their hearts, and they have not known My ways. So, I swore in My anger, ‘They will not enter My rest’” (3:7-11).
2. Again, the author warns: “Watch out, brothers, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God. But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception. For we have become companions of the Messiah if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start” (3:12-14). He continues with a warning about hardening the heart. In portions of the chapter which are not included here, he references Moses and the Israelites who provoked God for 40 years because of their unbelief. The message has the prominent focus on the unbelieving Jews.

Chapter Four.

1. The first portion of the chapter concerns the Sabbath rest: “For the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His. Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience” (4:10-11). Genesis 2:2-3 tells us that God rested on the seventh day after His creation work was complete. God is all powerful and this did not mean He was tired. It does mean that He stopped His creation work. In Exodus 20:8-11, God tells His people “To remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy”. They were to stop their work and rest for a day. This has a deeper spiritual meaning than just to rest from labor. The Law of Moses required the Jews to labor intensively to attempt to keep all of the commandments that included ceremonial, civil, and Temple law. They could not do it and had to constantly offer animal sacrifices for forgiveness. Jesus met all of God’s righteous requirements and completed His work of salvation on the Cross. He declared “It is finished” (John 19:30) before He died meaning He had satisfied all of the requirements of the Law for us. Now we can enter into His rest and cease from our works to earn salvation.
2. The author then gives an insightful word about the Word of God: “For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart. No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account” (4:12-13). Man is comprised of three parts: body, soul, and spirit (1st Thessalonians 5:23). Our soul, where we make decisions, our emotions reside, and is where our rational thinking is. The spirit is where the Holy Spirit dwells in believers who are born again. The boundary between soul and spirit is very hard to discern, but the Word of God can make that distinction and judge our ideas and thoughts, which are laid bare before Him.
3. The chapter closes with a word about Jesus as our High Priest. Once a year, the Jewish High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies in the Temple to offer sacrifice for the people. Jesus has done that once and for all for us, His people. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time” (4:14-16).

F. Chapter Five.

1. The chapter presents Jesus as our High Priest: “During His earthly life, He offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the One who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. Though He was God’s Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. After He was perfected (through the cross, burial, and resurrection), He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him, and He was declared by God a high priest in the order of Melchizedek” (5:7-10). We are first introduced to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:18-20. There is no previous history given in Scripture about him other than he was “King of Salem” meaning “peace”. He is without beginning or end (7:3). Abraham offered tithes to him, signifying that he was higher than Abraham. He was an analogy of Christ, who has no beginning or end and is eternal as our High Priest.
2. The chapter closes with a rather scathing word about the immaturity of the recipients of the book of Hebrews: “We have a great deal to say about this, and it’s difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. Now, everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil” (5:11-14).

G. Chapter Six.

1. Chapter six contains a difficult verse to interpret unless there is an understanding of who the recipients are. The following passage can be misunderstood to mean loss of salvation because it is not interpreted with a viewpoint of the entire New Testament passages: “ For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit, tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away, because, to their own harm, they are re-crucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt” (6:4-6). Again, the recipients are Jews who have “tasted” the heavenly gifts and received some enlightenment of the Messiah but have fallen away without accepting Christ as Savior. They may have even repented, but did not take salvation.
2. The chapter closes with a promise: “We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek” (6:19-20). The inner sanctuary refers to the Temple where the Holy of Holies was separated from the other portions by a heavy curtain. It is an analogy pointing to Jesus, who has entered into the presence of God to act as our High Priest.

H. Chapter Seven.

1. Much narrative is spent comparing the temporary priesthood of the Levites with that of Christ. The Levite priest perished, but Christ remains forever. “Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. But because He remains forever, He holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore, He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them” (7:23-25).
2. The chapter closes with a firm statement about our High Priest Jesus: “For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all when He offered Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son, who has been perfected forever” (7:26-28).

I. Chapter Eight.

1. The chapter opens with the essential point of the previous chapters: “Now the main point of what is being said is this: We have this kind of high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by the Lord and not man” (8:1-2).
2. The balance of the chapter pertains to the better covenant we have in Christ: “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people” (8:10).

J. Chapter Nine.

1. This chapter compares the Old Covenant ministry with the New. It gives the illustration of the Temple items and then says: “The Holy Spirit was making it clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing. This is a symbol for the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper’s conscience. They are physical regulations and only deal with food, drink, and various washings imposed until the time of restoration” (9:8-10).
2. The chapter closes with a statement of the New Covenant ministry: “For the Messiah did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that He might now appear in the presence of God for us. He did not do this to offer Himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. Otherwise, He would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment— so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him” (9:24-28).

K. Chapter Ten.

1. Chapter ten continues with a discussion of the Old and New Covenants. He says: “This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws on their hearts and write them on their minds, He adds: I will never again remember their sins and their lawless acts” (10:16-17). This gives us the boldness to approach God: “Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh), and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (10:19-23).
2. A difficult passage to interpret is given: “For if we deliberately sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries” (10:26-27). Again, we must consider the recipients. To “deliberately sin” within the context of the surrounding passages, is to reject the only sacrifice for sin which under the New Covenant is forgiveness of sins in Christ Jesus. For a Christian, we can choose to sin. But if we allow the Holy Spirit to convict us and bring us to repentance and asking Christ for forgiveness, there is His sacrifice for our sin. Remaining in sin does have consequences and we will account for it at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).

L. Chapter Eleven.

1. Chapter eleven is often called the “faith” chapter due to its focus on those of great faith in the Old Testament. It opens with: “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. For our ancestors won God’s approval by it. By faith we understand that the universe was created by God’s command, so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible” (11:1-3).
2. It goes on to name several Old Testament faith heroes. Then it says this: “by faith (they) conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the raging of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength after being weak, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead—they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection, and others experienced mockings and scourgings, as well as bonds and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they died by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, and mistreated. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and on mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground” (11:33-39).
3. The chapter closes with these words: “All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us” (11:39-40).

M. Chapter Twelve.

1. The chapter opens with an admonition to endure: “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne” (12:1-2).
2. He then gives a word about discipline: “Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline—which all receive—then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had natural fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness” (12:7-10).
3. He gives a warning about rejecting God’s grace: “Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many. And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for one meal. For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance, though he sought it with tears” (12:15-17).
4. The chapter closes with: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us hold on to grace. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (12:28-29).

N. Chapter Thirteen.

1. The author gives a final exhortation: “Let brotherly love continue. Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it. Remember the prisoners, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily. Marriage must be respected by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge immoral people and adulterers. Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (13:1-6).
2. The book closes with several notable sayings: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings” (13:8-9). “Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name. Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices” (13:15-16).

O. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it On.

1. The Judaizers attempted to place the Gentiles under the Law of Moses. The New Covenant is very explicit in that Jesus is our Sabbath rest and how can we neglect so great a salvation. Are you resting in Christ for your salvation or do you depend upon your good deeds? Why are good deeds important? (See Ephesians 2:8-10 for help).
2. Are you able to explain why Hebrews apparently says that salvation can be lost but that is not true based upon the Hebrew recipients and the rest of Scripture?
3. Are you able to eat solid food, or are you still consuming milk? How do you mature in the faith?
4. Do you sin deliberately? What does that mean to a born-again Christian?

A. Overview and Summary.

1. Titus is one of three so-called “pastoral letters” written to a young pastor named Titus. The other two were written to Timothy. Date of the writing is believed to be between 62-64 AD by Paul from either Corinth or Nicopolis (3:12). Titus had served with Paul on both his first and second missionary journeys and like Timothy, had become a true son in the faith (1:4). Paul mentions Titus in 2 Corinthians where he refers to Titus as “my brother” (2:13) and “my partner and fellow worker” (8:23). Altogether, Titus is referred to by Paul 13 Ames in the New Testament; 9 Ames in 2 Corinthians alone.
2. In a similar fashion to 1st and 2nd Timothy, Paul gives encouragement and counsel to a young pastor, who, although well-versed in doctrine, faced opposition from ungodly men within the churches where he ministered. Although not a doctrinal book, Paul affirms election (1:1), saving grace (2:11), Christ’s deity and second coming (2:13), Christ’s substitutionary atonement (2:14), and the regeneration of believers by the Holy Spirit (3:5).
3. The last mention of Titus in the New Testament indicates he was with Paul during Paul’s final Roman imprisonment. From there, he was sent to Dalmatia (2 Timothy 4:10), now called Serbia and Montenegro. He was a Gentile born of a Greek father on the island of Crete. Church tradition has him die of natural causes, but the year is disputed as either 96 AD or 107 AD. A relic, reportedly his skull, is kept at the Church of Saint Titus in Heraklion, Crete.

B. Chapter One.

1. In his opening salutation to Titus, Paul states the purpose of his apostleship: “to build up the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness, in the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before time began” (1:1-2). He goes on to say that the reason he left Titus in Crete was to appoint elders in every town (1:5). He enumerates the qualifications of an elder: “one who is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of wildness or rebellion. For an overseer, as God’s administrator, must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it” (1:6-9).
2. Although similar to the qualifications listed for an elder in 1 Timothy 3:17, there are minor differences. In Timothy, there is mention that he should: conduct himself in good taste; not be offensive to others; be gentle; not be a new convert, and have a good reputation in the community. In Titus, there is mention that he is God’s administrator, not self-willed, loves good, upright, and holy. Titus does not contain qualifications for deacons. That may be due to the fact that the qualifications given in 1 Timothy are almost identical except for the ability of an elder to teach.
3. He goes on to warn Titus: “For there are also many rebellious people, full of empty talk and deception, especially those from Judaism. It is necessary to silence them; they overthrow whole households by teaching what they shouldn’t to gain money dishonestly” (1:10-11).
4. He closes the chapter with: “To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good work” (1:15-16).

C. Chapter Two.

1. Paul admonishes Titus to teach sound Christian principles. He describes the characteristics of older men and women before proceeding to discuss the principles of living for younger men and women, as well as slaves. He makes note of such things as level-headedness, respect, and being sound in faith. And for the women, to be reverent, and to teach the younger women to love their husbands and children. (2:1-5). He tells Titus, “Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us” (2:7-8).
2. He concludes the chapter with: “For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works. Say these things and encourage and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you (2:11-15).

D. Chapter Three.

1. Paul gives instructions about Titus’s teaching as to how his church should conduct themselves towards those outside of the church: “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness to all people. For we too were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by various passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, detesting one another” (3:1-3).
2. He presents the pure gospel: “ But when the kindness of God our Savior, and his love toward man, appeared, not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly, through Jesus Christ our Savior; that, being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire that thou affirm confidently, to the end that they who have believed God may be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men” (3:4-8).
3. He then gives a warning: “shun foolish questionings, and genealogies, and strife, and fighting about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A factious man after a first and second admonition refuse; knowing that such a one is perverted, and sinful, being self-condemned” (3:9-11).
4. He closes the book with instructions about other co-workers and a final blessing: All that are with me salute thee. Salute them that love us in faith. Grace be with you all” (3:15).

E. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it on.

1. Do you profess to know God but deny Him by your works? (1:16). This is a serious matter and may be an indication of your true salvation.
2. If you are a church leader, do you possess the attributes listed by Paul. There are many church leaders who have secret sins that they are not dealing with. Do you have any?
3. When would it not be appropriate to submit to rulers and authorities? (3:1).

A. Overview and Summary.

1. Paul wrote this first epistle to the church at Thessalonica from Corinth about 51 AD. Thessalonica was a city on the northern reaches of the Aegean Sea. Today, Thessaloniki, also known as Salonica, is a modern city with over one million inhabitants, making it the second-largest city in Greece. Thessalonica was founded in 315 BC by Cassander of Macedon, King of Macedonia from 305 to 297 BC, who named it after his wife, Thessalonike who was the sister of Alexander the Great. The city became the capital of the Roman Province of Macedonia in 148 BC. It was made a free city of the Roman Republic by Mark Anthony in 41 BC and was on an important trade route. Its population in Paul’s day was 200,000. It had a large population of Jews and from the 16th to the 20th Century, it was the only European city with a majority of a Jewish population. It was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1430 and remained a multi-ethnic municipality and seaport during the five centuries of Turkish rule. It was turned over to Greece in 1912.
2. Paul and his traveling companions founded the church during his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-9). Because of its large Jewish population, Paul sought out the synagogue upon his arrival to teach the Jews about Jesus as Messiah on three Sabbaths. His preaching resulted in the conversion of some Hellenistic Jews and wealthy women (Acts 17:4). However, his success resulted in the Jews, moved by jealousy, causing some “vile fellows of the rabble” (Acts 17:5) to raise a commotion, which eventually led to Paul being evicted from the city.
3. The epistle has a strong apologetics theme, a theme of the church, and also of end times with a missionary theme of gospel proclamation and church planting.

B. Chapter One.

1. After Paul’s greeting, he opens with praise for the church: “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father; knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election, how that our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance” (1:2-5). Paul’s mention of election is an important topic, but it’s crucial to understand it within the context of God’s foreknowledge. While God chooses those who respond to His call, this election is always in conjunction with the human free will that God gave. We are saved through God’s grace, made available through faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:4-5 speaks of God choosing us before the foundation of the world, but we must remember that this does not mean some are irrevocably predestined to salvation or condemnation. We don’t know who is elected on this side of eternity, and that is why it remains vital for us to preach the gospel to everyone and to continually pray for others, trusting that God desires all to come to repentance (1 Timothy 2:4). Our role is to faithfully share the good news, knowing that God works in and through us to bring others to salvation.
2. Paul continues his praise for them: “As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia, for the Lord’s message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything, for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath” (1:7-10).
3. To “turn from idols to serve the living a true God” was truly a high praise for the Thessalonians. Idol worship was rampant. Mankind prefers a “god” that they can see and touch. This tendency also permeated Israel up to the time of the Babylonian captivity. Paul’s mention that “Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath” is also a great promise. There is a coming wrath from God that will impact the entire inhabited earth. We have confidence that Jesus will rescue us from that.

C. Chapter Two.

1. Paul opens the chapter with a reminder of how the brothers conducted themselves and encouraged them while at Thessalonica: “You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously, and blamelessly we conducted ourselves with you believers. As you know, like a father with his own children, we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (2:10-12).
2. Paul has the boldness to declare the truth of his message, as being from God: “This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the message of God, which also works effectively in you believers” (2:13).
3. Paul likens the persecution he and his companions received from the Jews to what the Thessalonians are receiving from their own countrymen: “hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are always completing the number of their sins, and wrath has overtaken them at last” (2:16). The phrase “completing the number of their sins” would indicate that God has a certain amount of sin that He will allow a people, a nation or a person to accumulate before His wrath comes. We see that in Genesis 15:16, where the Israelites could not come back to Palestine because “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete”. God’s wrath would fall upon the Jews, which happened in 70 AD, when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans. This lesson needs to be in our thinking even today as believers, as our lives could be cut short by sin or lengthened by righteous living (Proverbs 10:27; Ephesians 6:2-3; 1 Chronicles 10:13,14). This may be what is implied by “a sin that leads to death” (1 John 5:16).
4. Paul concludes the chapter with: “But as for us, brothers, after we were forced to leave you for a short time (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face. So, we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy!” (2:17-20).

D. Chapter Three.

1. Paul relates to them after they fled to Athens, he was concerned about their wellbeing and sent Timothy to inquire about them: “For this reason, when I could no longer stand it, I also sent him to find out about your faith, fearing that the tempter had tempted you and that our labor might be for nothing” (3:5).
2. Timothy returned with a good report: “But now Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news about your faith and love and reported that you always have good memories of us, wanting to see us, as we also want to see you. Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution, we were encouraged about you through your faith. For now, we live, if you stand firm in the Lord” (3:6-8).
3. Paul concludes the chapter with a prayer of blessing for the church: “Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you. And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone, just as we also do for you. May He make your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.” (3:11-13). Paul alludes to Christ’s return and his coming with all His saints (Revelation 19:11-16).

E. Chapter Four.

1. Paul opens with a call to sanctification: “Finally then, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you must walk and please God—as you are doing—do so even more. For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus” (4:1-2).
2. He then reminds them about refraining from sexual immorality, unlike the Gentiles who do not know God (4:3-5). He continues by warning not to sin against one’s brother in because God is an avenger in these offenses (4:6). This is because God has called us not to impurity but to sanctification, and one “who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who also gives you His Holy Spirit” (4:7-8).
3. He then praises them for their love for one another and then admonishes them “to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, so that you may walk properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone” (4:11-12).
4. He closes the chapter with a strong word of encouragement about the rapture. Since Paul’s visit to Thessalonica, some believers had died and the other living believers were concerned that they would miss what has been called the rapture: “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words” (4:13-18).
5. The word “rapture” does not appear in the English translations of the New Testament. It comes from the word “rapturo” used in the Latin translation of this verse. In Greek, the word used is “harpazo” which literally means to “snatch or take away”. From this, end-times Bible teacher Hal Lindsey calls the rapture “the great snatch.” There is disagreement between Bible teachers if the rapture of the church is different from the glorious appearing of the Lord at the end of the Great Tribulation. However, if they are one and the same, it would mean believers would have to go through the Great Tribulation with all of its suffering. This would not be an “encouragement” to them (4:18). The best interpretation of the rapture is found in the pre-tribulation view in which the church is raptured before the tribulation. This fits perfectly with the doctrine of the “imminent” return of Jesus Christ which means He can come at any time. If the rapture is at the end of the Great Tribulation, there are a number of milestones that would have to take place and would remove the imminency of Christ’s return. We will explore this topic more in the synopsis of the book of Revelation.

F. Chapter Five.

1. Paul opens with a word about the Lord coming as a thief in the night: “About the times and the seasons: Brothers, you do not need anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the Day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. When they say, “Peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains come on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in the dark, for this day to overtake you like a thief. For you are all sons of light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or the darkness” (5:1-5). The “Day of the Lord” always refers to the second coming of Christ. In chapter four, we have discussed the rapture which is different from this. Paul affirms that we will escape the wrath that is coming from God: “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing” (5:9-11).
2. He then exhorts them: “Now we ask you, brothers, to give recognition to those who labor among you and lead you in the Lord and admonish you, and to regard them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we exhort you, brothers: warn those who are irresponsible, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all” (5:12-15).
3. He continues with specific admonishments: “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus to you-ward. Quench not the Spirit; despise not prophesyings; prove all things; hold fast that which is good; abstain from every form of evil” (5:16-22).
4. He concludes the epistle with: “And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it. Brethren, pray for us. Salute all the brethren with a holy kiss. I adjure you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” (5:11-13).

G. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it On.

1. Throughout the New Testament, the term “election” is used referring to God’s choosing His people. How does this resonate in your thinking? Some say God is not fair as those not chosen will spend eternity in hell. How would you respond to this?
2. Do you believe Paul’s writings are a message from God (2:13). See 2nd Peter 3:15-16 for additional insight.
3. Is your heart blameless before God? (3:13). What is the Holy Spirit instructing you as to what you should do if the answer is no?
4. This epistle contains a major word about the rapture. What is your viewpoint after reading this synopsis?
5. Do you have a realization that Jesus could return at any time? How should that impact how you are living your life?

A. Overview and Summary. It is believed Paul wrote this epistle shortly after he wrote 1^st Thessalonians in 51 AD or early 52 AD. Please see the synopsis of that book for information about the city of Thessalonica. Paul must have been in contact with the church through messengers or disciples who traveled through the area and he received information about their condition. The book has a strong focus on end times. Apparently, there were some in Thessalonica who spread false teaching about the Lord’s return. Paul wrote this to address that false teaching. The church was also experiencing persecution, so Paul also wrote to encourage the believers.

B. Chapter One.

1. Paul first praises them for their faith in persecution: “We must always thank God for you, brothers. This is right, since your faith is flourishing and the love each one of you has for one another is increasing. Therefore, we ourselves boast about you among God’s churches—about your endurance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you endure” (1:3-4).
2. He then encourages them that their persecution will result in worthiness for the Kingdom of God: “It is a clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment that you will be counted worthy of God’s kingdom, for which you also are suffering, since it is righteous for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to reward you who are afflicted, along with us. This will take place at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful angels” (1:6-7).
3. He continues with the fact that those who are afflicting them, who don’t know God and do not obey the gospel, will be judged by God with flaming fire. This will take place when the Lord returns with His powerful angels (1:7-8).
4. He closes the chapter with: “And in view of this, we always pray for you that our God will consider you worthy of His calling, and will, by His power, fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith, so the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1:11-12).

C. Chapter Two.

1. Paul then gives a word of clarification about the Lord’s return and the man of sin who we commonly called the “Antichrist”, here Paul calls him the man of lawlessness: “Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to Him: We ask you, brothers, not to be easily upset in mind or troubled, either by a spirit or by a message or by a letter as if from us, alleging that the Day of the Lord has come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in God’s sanctuary, publicizing that he himself is God” (2:1-4). Many believe this man will be revealed before the rapture and will sit in God’s newly constructed temple in Jerusalem. Others point to the doctrine of the eminency and say that if the man of sin appears, believers will know exactly the return of Christ. Because of the Thessalonians undergoing persecution, it seemed as though the end times persecution was happening. Paul gave this word to refute that.
2. The Greek word translated as “apostacy” in 2:3 is “apostasia,” which means a turning away from a former position or abandonment of loyalties. In this usage, it is the denial of the truth of the gospel. That is happening more and more in our age, as former mainstream solid denominations are rejecting the validity of Scripture.
3. Paul then talks about the one who restrains the man of sin: “Don’t you remember that when I was still with you, I told you about this? And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, and then the lawless one will be revealed” (2:5-8a). The Thessalonians apparently knew what is meant by the “one now restraining”. There is much debate about this, but the best answer is the Holy Spirit within the church, which, when raptured, will allow the lawless one to emerge.
4. Paul continues with more information about the lawless one and why he will be exalted: “The coming of the lawless one is based on Satan’s working, with all kinds of false miracles, signs, and wonders, and with every unrighteous deception among those who are perishing. They perish because they did not accept the love of the truth in order to be saved. For this reason, God sends them a strong delusion so that they will believe what is false, so that all will be condemned—those who did not believe the truth but enjoyed unrighteousness” (2:9-12).
5. Paul encourages the believers to remain steadfast in their faith: “We must always thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because from the beginning, God has chosen you for salvation through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by our message or by our letter” (2:13-15). While the phrase “chosen from the beginning” underscores God’s initiative in salvation, it should be understood in light of God’s universal offer of grace. God’s call to salvation is extended to all, but the response of faith is what makes it effective in the lives of believers. Foreknowledge is not causation. This passage encourages believers to respond to God’s calling with perseverance and hold fast to the truths they have received through the gospel.

D. Chapter Three.

1. Paul opens the final chapter with a request for prayer for them: “Finally, brothers, pray for us that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one” (3:1-3).
2. He continues with a warning against irresponsible behavior: “Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother who walks irresponsibly and not according to the tradition received from us. For you yourselves know how you must imitate us: We were not irresponsible among you; we did not eat anyone’s food free of charge; instead, we labored and struggled, working night and day, so that we would not be a burden to any of you” (3:6-8).
3. He mentions some who are not working but depending upon others and interfering with their work. But also, not to grow weary of doing good: “In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: ‘If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat’. For we hear that there are some among you who walk irresponsibly, not working at all, but interfering with the work of others. Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ that quietly working, they may eat their own food. Brothers, do not grow weary in doing good” (3:10-13).
4. He then gives a strong word about avoiding such a person before closing with a blessing: “And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note of that person; don’t associate with him, so he may be ashamed. Yet don’t treat him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you. This greeting is in my own hand—Paul. This is a sign in every letter; this is how I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you” (3:14-18). That he mentions a “greeting in my own hand” may indicate the “thorn in his flesh” which may be possible damage to his eyes when he was temporarily blinded (Acts 9:1-9).

E. Discussion Questions, Application and Passing it On.

1. Are you facing suffering for the gospel? If so, do you have a sense this is for your worthiness for the Kingdom of God? (1:5).
2. The difference between the rapture and the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13) at the end of the Tribulation has been a great area of disagreement between Bible teachers. What is your view based upon both epistles to the Thessalonians?
3. Do you grow weary in doing good? (3:13). How can you prevent that?