THE WORD OF GOD
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE BIBLE
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    Our Bible consists of sixty-six component parts.  These are divided into two main collections: the Old Testament and the New Testament.  The first consists of thirty-nine books and the second consists of twenty-seven books and are found to be completely homogenous.  Together they reveal the presents of a marvelous Divine design running  through the whole.

The Old Testament consists of  five books of Basic Law, nine pre-exile records, three post-exile records, five "inner life" records, five Basic Prophecy, nine pre-exile prophetic records and three post-exile prophetic records.

The New Testament consists of  the four major Gospels and Acts, nine Christian Church Epistles, four Pastoral and Personal Epistles and nine Hewbrew Christian Epistles. 

The Thirty-nine books of the Old Testament fall into the orderly grouping of seventeen historical, five experential, and seventeen prophetical.  The five experential are the "heart" of the Old Testament.
Think of it:  over thirty writers contributed, spaced out over twelve hundred years, writing in different places, for different purposes, to different parties and little dreaming that that their writings, besides being preserved through the generations, were eventually to be compiled into that systematic plurality in unity that we now find in the Old Testament.  When one reflects on this, surely one cannot be charged with fancifulness for thinking that behind  the human writers there must have been a controlling Divine design.

In the New Testament, the Gospels and Acts form Historical records, the Christian Church Epistles are Doctrinal, the Pastoral Epistles are pastoral and personal, the Hebrew Christian Epistles are addressed primarily to the Hebrew people.

This presence and design does not only pertain to the Bible in its general sense; it runs through all the different book-groups considered separately ; and the more we follow it through in detail, so the more wonderful it becomes, until all possibility of its being mere coincidence is eliminated by overwhelming abundance of evidence that this is indeed the word of the living God.
From the beginning of the world to its end, there is no place you can
look and not see Jesus. He is everywhere. He is everything. "He is
before all things, and in Him all things hold together."
  (Colossians 1:17)

THEMES OF THE SIXTY-SIX BOOKS OF THE BIBLE

Consider the themes of the sixty-six books:

In Genesis, He is the Creator God.
In Exodus, He is the Redeemer.
In Leviticus, He is your sanctification.
In Numbers, He is your guide.
In Deuteronomy, He is your teacher.
In Joshua, He is the mighty conqueror.
In Judges, He gives victory over enemies.
In Ruth, He is your kinsman, your lover, your redeemer.
In I Samuel, he is the root of Jesse;
In 2 Samuel, He is the Son of David.
In 1 Kings and 2 Kings, He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords
In 1st and 2nd Chronicles, He is your intercessor and High Priest.
In Ezra, He is your temple, your house of worship.
In Nehemiah, He is your mighty wall,  protecting you from your enemies.
In Esther, He stands in the gap to deliver you from your enemies.
In Job, He is the arbitrator who not only understands your struggles,
    but has the power to do something about them.
In Psalms, He is your song-and your reason to sing.
In Proverbs, He is your wisdom, helping you make sense of life and live
    it successfully.
In Ecclesiastes, He is your purpose, delivering you from vanity.
In the Song of Solomon, He is your lover, your Rose of Sharon.
In Isaiah, He is the mighty counselor, the prince of peace, the
    everlasting father, and more.  In short, He's everything you need.
In Jeremiah, He is your balm of Gilead, the soothing salve for your
    sin-sick soul.
In Lamentations, He is the ever-faithful one upon whom you can depend.
In Ezekiel, He is your wheel in the middle of a wheel-the one who
    assures that dry, dead bones will come alive again.
In Daniel, He is the ancient of days, the everlasting God who never
runs
    out of time.
In Hosea, He is your faithful lover, always beckoning you to come
    back-even when you have abandoned Him.
In Joel, He is your refuge, keeping you safe in times of trouble.
In Amos, He is the husbandman, the one you can depend on to stay by
your
    side.
In Obadiah, He is Lord of the Kingdom.
In Jonah, He is your salvation, bringing you back within His will.
In Micah, He is judge of the nation.
In Nahum, He is the jealous God.
In Habakkuk, He is the Holy One.
In Zephaniah, He is the witness.
In Haggai, He overthrows the enemies
In Zechariah, He is Lord of Hosts.
In Malachi, He is the messenger God.

In Matthew, He is king of the Jews.
In Mark, He is the servant.
In Luke, He is the Son of Man, feeling what you feel.
In John, He is the Son of God.
In Acts, He is Savior of the world.
In Romans, He is the righteousness of God.
In I Corinthians, He is the rock that followed Israel.
In II Corinthians, He is the triumphant one, giving victory.
In Galatians, He is your liberty; He sets you free.
In Ephesians, He is head of the Church.
In Philippians, He is your joy.
In Colossians, He is your completeness.
In I Thessalonians, He is your hope.
In II Thessalonians, He is your patience and discipline.
In I Timothy, He is your faith.
In II Timothy, He is your stability.
In Titus, He is the truth.
In Philemon, He is your benefactor.
In Hebrews, He is your perfection.
In James, He is the power behind your faith.
In I Peter, He is your example.
In II Peter, He is your purity.
In I John, He is your life.
In II John, He is your pattern.
In III John, He is your motivation.
In Jude, He is the foundation of your faith.
In the Revelation, He is your coming King.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF GENESIS

    by Dr. Stanley L. Morris

  The name "Genesis" comes from a Greek word meaning "beginning".  This title was taken from the Septuagint (LXX), the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament.  The Hebrew title, HSN7225 - Bereshith ("in [the] beginning," literally, "head"), was derived from the first word of the Hebrew text.  The Book of Genesis is an appropriate introduction to the entire Bible.  The kernels of all truth are found in Genesis.  More than half of all human history is covered in only 50 chapters!

  Genesis answers the gnawing questions that we have about the origins of the universe, concerning ourselves, about all life forms, and of sin and evil in the world.  Also, in a detailed manner, Genesis first unfolds the early history of mankind and then the family records of God's chosen family and related lines of descent, from the dawn of time to their settling in Egypt.

  Although Genesis is, strictly speaking, not a scientific document, only divine inspiration can account for its accuracy in a pre-scientific age before modern times.  Genesis is very clear that all things were created by and had a definite beginning point in the true God (Gen.1v1).  Everything was well designed by the Supreme Intellect and continues on the basis of His purpose, not random chance.
God controls the cosmos (see GSN2889) and truly cares about the centerpiece of His creation--people. Though the human race departed from God's ordered plan for them and must pay the consequences, God has lovingly provided the Way (Jn.14v6) back home to Paradise (compare Lk23v43).

  Only Genesis fully informs us about the events which pre-dated Moses.  Surely Moses wrote it, using some ancient sources under God's direction.  In Lk.16v31, Lk.24v44, and Jn.5v46-47 Jesus referred to Moses as a writer.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF EXODUS

  Exodus is a Greek word which is composed of two parts, GSN1537 - ek, "out" (origin) and GSN3598 - hodos, "road."  The Book of Exodus describes the departure of the nation of Israel from their bondage in the land of Egypt.  Centuries before, the patriarch Jacob had brought his extended family to Egypt to avoid starvation (see Gen.46v1-27).
Because of a shift in political power, the descendants of Joseph and his brothers fell into slavery, but later they became very numerous.  The emphasis upon one family in Genesis gave way to a focus upon the nation of Israel in the Book of Exodus.  The children of Israel were slowly being shaped into a people who were in covenant relationship with Yahweh God.

  The main theme of Exodus is redemption.  All people may have hope, no matter how desperate the situation.  God will send a Deliverer to display His awesome power, and deliverance will come through blood.  Moses is clearly a type of Jesus Christ.  And, God keeps His promises.

  There can be little doubt that Moses wrote the Book of Exodus. He penned it from first-hand experience with God and with the people of Israel.  There are two distinct parts: (1) the historical section (Exo.1-19); (2) the regulations (Exo.20-40).

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS

  The Book of Moses is called by the title of "Leviticus" because it records the duties of the Levites and priests.  This book describes the role of sacrifice in God's plan.  Though all people have sinned, God will accept a substitute for the death of each sinner.  It is a portent of things to come in the New Testament, where Jesus, "the lamb of God," takes away the sin of the world (Jn.1v29).

  Leviticus contains material which delineates civil, sanitary, ceremonial, moral, and religious laws from God. The main purpose of this book is to show that God is holy and that man is sinful. However, if people will recognize this and obey, then they will be permitted to approach God. Each type of offering was commanded to teach God's ways.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF NUMBERS

  Numbers, believed to be the fourth book of Moses, was so named because the sons of Israel were numbered in Num.1 and Num.26.  As in former books, Moses is the principal figure.  The central theme of the book of Numbers is service.  The nation of Israel had become, at least temporarily, nomadic.  God was weeding out the "dead wood" during a period of about 40 years.  Those who did not truly believe in God's promise were not permitted to enter into the land of Canaan, but their children were being prepared for battle.
The younger generation was full of faith and courage.  This book describes how they wandered in the wilderness for 38 years, while the older generation died off, but a new nation, trained to obey God, was ready for an assault upon the Promised Land which "flowed with milk and honey."  There are many lessons for us to learn from them today.  We must never complain against God or doubt Him. God could get them out of Egypt, but it was difficult to get Egypt out of them!
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY

  The name "Deuteronomy" is a Greek word and is an inexact rendering of Deut.17v18 in the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament.  It should have been translated: "this is the repetition of the Law."  This book is not a "second Law," but only a partial restatement and expansion of former laws in the writings of Moses.  The Jews called this book: "the five-fifths of the Law," since it is the last of the five books of Moses.
Deuteronomy resumes where the Book of Numbers leaves off.  Israel is not in the Plains of Moab, poised for invasion.  The laws of Moses were rehearsed and expounded for this new generation as they were about to take possession of the land which had been promised to them by God.

  Deuteronomy contains the last words of Moses in the final week of his life.  Since God would not allow him to cross the Jordan River with them, under the direct inspiration of God, Moses re-emphasized God's Law in view of the new conditions which they would soon face.  Moses warned them against disobeying God and he encouraged them to follow the true path.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY

  The name "Deuteronomy" is a Greek word and is an inexact rendering of Deut.17v18 in the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament.  It should have been translated: "this is the repetition of the Law."  This book is not a "second Law," but only a partial restatement and expansion of former laws in the writings of Moses.  The Jews called this book: "the five-fifths of the Law," since it is the last of the five books of Moses.
Deuteronomy resumes where the Book of Numbers leaves off.  Israel is not in the Plains of Moab, poised for invasion.  The laws of Moses were rehearsed and expounded for this new generation as they were about to take possession of the land which had been promised to them by God.

  Deuteronomy contains the last words of Moses in the final week of his life.  Since God would not allow him to cross the Jordan River with them, under the direct inspiration of God, Moses re-emphasized God's Law in view of the new conditions which they would soon face.  Moses warned them against disobeying God and he encouraged them to follow the true path.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JUDGES

  The term "judges" is not a good translation of the Hebrew word (HSN8199 - shaphat); "leader" is better.  God raised up these heroes (and one heroine) to deliver local tribes of Israel from apostasy and then to govern them.  After their conquest of the land of Canaan under Joshua, the people of Israel had become a very disorganized, loose confederacy.
Each tribe of Israel had become mostly isolated from the other tribes.  Therefore, without leadership, they repeatedly fell into idolatry, foreign political domination, intermarriage with pagans, and other major sins.  They were in a general state of spiritual confusion.  A key verse, says: "Every man did that which was right in his own eyes."  (Judg.17v6).

  The Book of Judges is fragmentary, and it is not chronological. Many scholars believe that some of the events were concurrent. About 350 years are covered by the Book of Judges.  The nation of Israel was in disarray, and they needed help from God. The Book of Judges portrays some of the blackest pages in the history of the sons of Israel.  In effect, it was their Dark Ages. There were regular cycles of falling away, salvation, restoration, and falling away again.

We can decipher seven apostasies, seven bondages, and seven deliverances.  Over and over they forgot who the true God was.  They adopted Baal worship, the local Canaanite religion, abandoning the spiritual purity which the Lord required.  They were surrounded by hostile nations who wanted the land which the Israelites had taken, the land which God had promised to them as an inheritance.  They had lost their sense of national unity under God, and they were an easy prey for enemy invasion.  The book begins with compromise and ends with anarchy. The author is unknown.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF RUTH

  The Book of Ruth is a love story.  It took place during the turbulent period of the Book of Judges.  The author is unknown. Ruth, the main character, was a heathen girl from Moab who had married one of the sons of Elimelech and Naomi.  However, Elimelech and both of his sons had died in Moab.  Ruth decided to return with Naomi to Bethlehem, and eventually came to believe that Yahweh was the only true God.
Boaz was a close relative to Elimelech.  According to the Law of Moses (Lev.25v25-28; Deut.25v5-10), Boaz had the right to be a kinsman-redeemer and marry Ruth to perpetuate the family of Elimelech.
Through the providence of God, Boaz, who was the son of Rahab, a former prostitute in the pagan city of Jericho (Josh.2v1), did marry Ruth, a young woman who had no opportunity to know the God of Israel in her childhood.  This marriage produced a son named Obed who fathered Jesse, and Jesse became the father of King David.  Therefore, the great-grandparents of the royal Messianic line had roots outside Israel.  How fitting it is that Jesus, the Son of David, descended from such a family (Matt.1v5-6)!

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF FIRST SAMUEL

  Originally, in the Hebrew Bible, the first and second books of Samuel were just one book.  Also, 1 Kings and 2 Kings formed one continuous story about total dedication toward God. Samuel, which means "heard by God" (HSN8050 - Shmuw'el) was a young boy who was given to God by his mother, Hannah, for God's service under the direction of Eli, the old priest, judge, and leader of God's people.
Samuel was destined to become one of the greatest leaders in the Old Testament--a judge, a prophet, and a priest. He even established schools of prophets for guiding Israel.  God communicated directly to the prophets and they, in turn, spoke to the people.  Although God was the true King of Israel, the people clamored for a physical king to lead them.  God allowed Samuel to assist in the transition to a unified kingdom.

  Samuel anointed Saul with oil to be the first king of Israel. And, though Saul was tall, brave, and handsome, he proved to be a very disappointing spiritual leader.  He forsook God's directives and ignored the counsel of Samuel.  Saul sank lower and lower spiritually.  Finally, God chose an unknown to be the new king of Israel.  His name was David.  Though David certainly had his shortcomings, God used him mightily to teach many important spiritual lessons.
Jesus Christ was called the "Son of David." (Matt.20v30).  The main purpose of the book of 1 Samuel was to show the folly of wanting a human king instead of God, but that God's purpose would be accomplished in spite of mankind.  Samuel and David were obedient to God and were consequently blessed. Saul was disobedient to God and was eventually destroyed.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL

  The Second Book of Samuel narrates the career of David in considerable detail.  He was probably the strongest king that Israel ever had.  He had real ability as an administrator, a soldier, and a musician.  However, his greatest trait was godliness.  He was truly close to the God of Israel.  When David was a young man, the Lord sought him because he was "a man after His own heart."  (1Sam.13v14).  He also engendered outstanding loyalty in his many followers.  He was an exceptional spiritual leader.

  Under inspiration, David wrote the famed Twenty-Third Psalm (Ps.23), as well as numerous other psalms in which he praised God.  He had so many things going for him, but he slipped and fell spiritually.  He lusted after Bathsheba, committed adultery with her, and had her husband (Uriah) abandoned in battle to be killed.  Then God sent Nathan the prophet to expose David'sin. Shortly after this time David truly repented.  That contrition is recorded in Ps.51.

  2 Samuel focuses upon the restoration of order, following the chaos of Saul's reign.  David emerges as the king of all the Israelite people, and Zion (Jerusalem) was his seat of power. God made a special covenant with David in 2Sam.7v8-17 to establish a continuous, royal lineage which would culminate with Jesus Christ, who would sit upon the throne of David (Lk.1v32).
God's original purpose of blessing the whole world (through Abraham, see Gen. 12:1-3) is further explained by this new prophecy; all nations would be blessed through a particular descendant of David--Jesus Christ.  The closing years of David were more peaceful than his earlier years, but he was forced to live with the memories of a turbulent life.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF FIRST KINGS

  As with 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel, the First and Second Books of Kings were originally one book in the Hebrew text. 1 Kings and 2 Kings tell of David's death, the golden age of Solomon's reign, how the nation divided into two kingdoms, and their eventual captivity by heathen powers.
Solomon, David's son, began his rule with great wealth, glory, and power, but it ended in disgrace.  He did not seem to have the same spiritual toughness of his father.  Solomon compromised some of the most sacred spiritual principles in order to achieve his political ends.  In other words, the end justified the means.  Also, he began to depend on military might instead of the true God.  He taxed the people so much that the stage was set for rebellion later.

  The spiritual condition of Israel was of paramount importance to the writer amidst political changes.  The author registers a spiritual value-judgment concerning each king: Those kings who tried to maintain the traditional worship of the God of Israel were "good," and those who abandoned the true God were "evil."
The apostate northern kingdom (Israel), which had been established by Jeroboam I, finally went too far and was destroyed, but the smaller, southern kingdom (Judah) proved to be more penitent.  The ancestry of Jesus Christ was traced through the tribe of Judah.

  The main messages of the Book of 1 Kings are: (1) Human governments are faulty even at their best, but this is especially true when God is not included in the scheme of things.  (2) God's rule continues despite the foibles of man.  The will and purpose of God will indeed prevail.  He still spoke through His prophets even when some of the people did not want to listen.  God showed His power through the forces of nature and He incited foreign hostile armies to accomplish His purpose.  God is always in control!

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SECOND KINGS

  The First and Second Books of Kings are called the Third and Fourth Books of Kingdoms in the Septuagint (LXX), the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament. 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, and 1 Kings provide the necessary backdrop of historical events which preceded 2 Kings.  The book picks up where 1 Kings left off, the end of Ahaziah's reign.
In painful detail, the Book of 2 Kings narrates the tragic events of the divided kingdom until Israel's fall in 722 B.C. and Judah's captivity in 586 B.C.  The start of 1 Kings is full of hope and promise, but the end of 2 Kings describes a nation in ruins.  The people have forsaken their God-- the same God who had led them out of Egypt with such awesome power!

  About 400 years are covered by the two books, which were originally one book in the Hebrew Bible.  The author is not known, but many speculate that it could have been the prophet Jeremiah.  In addition to the important lessons of 1 Kings, the Book of Second Kings teaches that once a nation abandons its heritage, it loses the ability to discern the difference between right and wrong.
The very makeup of the national and individual conscience is affected.  Superficial reform and mere lip service accomplish little.  The Lord demands true repentance.  The final result of continued sin is always total collapse.  However, God's love is so persistent that He will never give up on His people.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF FIRST CHRONICLES

  The name "Chronicles" was coined by Jerome, the famous Latin Bible translator.  The Jews called 1 and 2 Chronicles by another name--"the words of the days."  Originally appearing in the Hebrew Bible as one volume, they constitute a recapitulation of everything which preceded them.  (The Books of Chronicles are the last books in the Hebrew Bible.)  They retell the same story and end with the same conclusions.
However, special attention is given to the rule of David, Solomon, and the kings of the southern kingdom (Judah).  1 Chronicles is similar to 2 Samuel except that 1 Chronicles is prefaced by massive genealogies, from the beginning of time until the Babylonian Captivity.

  Jewish tradition says that the author was Ezra, who led them back from exile.  Whoever the author was, he had access to many historical archives which have not been preserved.  Guided under the inspiration of God, the writer penned what suited his purpose.  Though there is much repetitive material and some double narratives, we must not be lulled into thinking that these accounts are not an important part of God's revelation.  God is constantly involved with His people.  When they obey, God blesses them.  When they disobey, God cancels their spiritual privileges. We must be faithful to God.

  1 Chronicles is not to be confused with the lost Chronicles of Israel mentioned in 1 and 2 Kings.  The Books of Chronicles were written after the Books of Kings.  1 and 2 Chronicles were compiled after the Jews returned from the Babylonian exile (2Chr.36v21-23) in the priestly and legal spirit of Ezra, the scribe.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SECOND CHRONICLES

  The Second Book of Chronicles continues the story of 1 Chronicles.  They were originally one book in the Hebrew Bible. They encompassed most of the history of the Old Testament before the Babylonian Exile.  Ezra, the famous priest, is believed to be the author, but we cannot be absolutely certain.  Generally speaking, 2 Chronicles covers the same events of 1 Kings and 2 Kings, except that it omits the narratives concerning the kings of the apostate northern kingdom (Israel).  The Books of Kings were clearly written afterward.
The former traces the same history from a prophetic point of view, while the latter stresses the viewpoint of the priests.  The northern kingdom is hardly given honorable mention because they were not considered true Israelites.  They had not only defected from the kingdom of David, but also from God's law.  2 Chronicles states that the principal reason for the deportation of the southern kingdom (Judah) was their refusal to conform to the Law of Moses.

  The author of 2 Chronicles condemns empty ritualism; God deserves to be recognized both formally and with sincerity.  The great Temple of Solomon had become only a vacuous symbol for the people.  Few took this Holy Place seriously.
Although Jeroboam I, the founder of the northern kingdom (Israel), substituted a false form of religion which may have appeared to be more responsive to the immediate needs of the people, and Rehoboam, Solomon's headstrong son, retained the original outward form of Jewish religion with little or no spirituality, the influence of both men doomed succeeding generations to rootlessness.
2 Chronicles teaches that the path back to God begins with genuine repentance and a desire to restore God's original pattern.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF EZRA

  The Book of Ezra was formerly associated with the Book of Nehemiah.  Both books were treated as one book.  They give an account of the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylonia to Jerusalem.  They tell of the re-establishment of the Temple, their worship, and national life in their original homeland.
Ezra, whose name means "help" (HSN5828; HSN5830), was a wonderful priest who led the people home.  He wrote a very simple history and did not give much direct teaching.  He made no effort to tell a continuous story.  In fact, between Ezr.6 and Ezr.7 almost sixty years passed.

  One should read the contemporaneous Book of Esther to discover what was happening elsewhere during this general time period.  It would also be helpful to read the Books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, who lived and preached during this restoration age.  The two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, were closely connected with the first return of Zerubbabel in 536 B.C.
God encouraged the Jews to complete His temple through these men, despite much opposition.  Actually, there were three groups which returned to Palestine.  They were led respectively by Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah.  Ezra's group went in 457 B.C., taking four months for travel.  It is not known whether any women or children made the trip.  Nehemiah came later as governor in 444 B.C.  The Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther cover about 100 years (536-432 B.C.).

  The main message of Ezra is that God uses whomever suits His purpose, whether Cyrus and Artaxerxes, or Ezra, Zerubbabel, and Nehemiah.  God empowered His chosen people to overcome all opposition, even against impossible odds.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH

  Although the current Books of Ezra and Nehemiah were originally one book, and later came to be known as 1 Ezra and 2 Ezra, Jerome was the first man to call the second portion by the name of "Nehemiah."  The name of "Ezra" and "Nehemiah" were first printed in an English edition in the Geneva Bible in 1560.  Nehemiah means "Yahweh comforts" (HSN5166).
Nehemiah was the principal character of the book and probably wrote it.  The book recounts the rebuilding of Jerusalem as a fortified city and the establishment of civil authority there.  Nehemiah was officially appointed by the Persians to be the Governor of Jerusalem.  He came with an army escort at government expense to accomplish God's purpose.

  The Book of Nehemiah is a natural sequel to the Book of Ezra. It focuses much attention upon their efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, despite fierce opposition from unfriendly neighbors.  The Persian kings were humane rulers, unlike their predecessors, the Assyrians.  The Persian Empire (539-331 B.C.) was established upon a more benign policy of returning displaced ethnic groups to their homelands.
Nehemiah was a remarkable spiritual leader who could perform in several practical ways.  He was very sad to learn of the terrible condition of Jerusalem, but he believed that God, working through pagan kings, could bring about full restoration.  He trusted God completely and would not be intimidated by anyone.  The Book of Nehemiah covers about twenty-five years (457-432 B.C.).  The prophet Malachi was active during this time.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ESTHER

  The name of this book comes from its main character, Esther, a young Jewish girl who later became Queen of the Persian Empire. Through the providence of God, she was in position (Esth.4v14) to prevent the annihilation of her entire nation.  The Feast of Purim commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people on that occasion.  There is no organic connection between the Book of Esther and the rest of the Bible, but scholars believe that this book is our only glimpse of Jewish life under the Persians during the period between the first and second returns to Jerusalem.

  Although there is no mention in the Book of Esther of Palestine, Jerusalem, the Temple, or the Law of Moses, the events took place within the general time-frame of officially-approved migrations of Jewish exiles back to their homeland.
Esther lived during the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) in 486-465 B.C. Early in his rule, his armies fought the Greeks for the first time.  His empire extended from India to Ethiopia and included twenty satrapies, which were divided into many provinces.  Jerusalem was only a tiny outpost in his kingdom.
Though the word "God" never appears in Esther, God's power is implied everywhere in this book.  The Book of Esther teaches that God's providence is active in every facet of human life.  We cannot escape Him. His purposes, though sometimes hidden, are far-reaching.  We can always be confident of God's care and protection.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JOB

  We do not know precisely where these historical events took place.  The Land of Uz (Jb.1v1) may have been somewhere between Palestine and Arabia.  The exact time is also unknown, but many believe that Job lived at the same time as Abraham, during the patriarchal age.  Nowhere is the Law of Moses or the nation of Israel mentioned.
The Book of Job was an early part of the wisdom literature of the Old Testament, but it was not connected with Psalms, Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, or any other Biblical book.
Job is recognized even by secular literary critics as being among the world's most magnificent dramatic works.  It is comprised mostly of poetic passages.  Hebrew poetry did not have Western-style meter or rhyme.  It was composed of parallel thoughts which were synonymous or contrastive.  Only the first and second chapters and the last chapter are prose.

  Job is the most ancient statement which addresses the perennial, multitudinous questions of the problem of evil and human suffering:

  How could such a good God make such an evil world?
  Why should we do good?
  What reward is there for living right?
  Why do some righteous people suffer, and why does sin sometimes go unpunished?
  How does this square with the concept of a fair, holy, loving God?
  Does God really care for and protect His people who revere Him?
  Are adversity and affliction a sign that a sufferer is wicked?
  If God is good, why does He allow the suffering of the innocent?

  The story begins with a very prosperous, respected, and good man who was devastated in just one day.  He lost everything he had, including all of his ten children.  However, he refused to blame God for his troubles.  Later, Job himself was stricken with a terrible disease and he suffered excruciating pain for a long time.
Then, in three series of dialogues, some of his friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) came to comfort him, but later they began to criticize him unmercifully along traditional lines of religious thought.  They were certain that all of these horrible things which had happened to Job were due to his own sin.  They simplistically taught that all suffering is ALWAYS the result of sin.  Therefore, if Job would only repent of his sins, all would be well again.
Job knew better.  He was sure that he did not deserve this alleged cruel punishment, but, at the same time, he could not understand how God could let all this happen to him. And so He was faced with the dilemma that God must be dealing unfairly with him, or there was some other unknown explanation. He desired to regain the honor that he once had as a respected man.  He boldly challenged God to allow him to plead his own case (Jb.29-31).  He struggled on with the confidence that he would eventually be vindicated.  Job never did lose his faith.

  Another younger friend, Elihu, appeared (Job.32v1-37v24) and asserted that afflictions sometime do come from God in order to purify the righteous and that this, in no way, indicates that God is unloving.  It is only His way of calling us back to Him, like a father chastening his children.  Suffering sometimes instructs us in righteousness and prevents us from sinning.  Elihu cautioned Job not to question God or to accuse Him. He told Job to humbly submit himself to God's will.

  Then God spoke in Jb.38-41.  God chose not to answer any of Job's penetrating questions.  Instead, God overwhelmed Job with a panoramic view of His creative power amd divine wisdom. Then God reprimanded the friends of Job for not understanding the true meaning of Job's suffering.  Job was truly humbled and felt foolish (Jb.42v1-6).  Unless you can canvass your own world, how can you presume to tell God how to run His world?  Finally, God restored Job two-fold (Jb.42v7-17).

  Do we understand the enigmas of life any better than Job did? We did not ask to be born, and we are just as bewildered about the prosperity of evil men and the calamities of good men.  But now that Jesus has come, we can understand the mystery much better.  He suffered much and was unjustly condemned and executed, yet He too was victorious.  Surely we can see that all things DO work together for good for those who love God (see Rom.8v28).
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PSALMS

  The name "Psalms" comes from Greek (GSN5568 - psalmos which means "song.")  Sometimes the book is called the Psalter. It has been called the "Hebrew Prayer and Praise Book."  It was the first book in the third main division of the Old Testament which is called the Writings (see Lk.24v44).

  The Book of Psalms may very well be the most beloved book of the Old Testament!  It was the hymnbook and prayer book of Israel and later of the early Christians.  It has provided people with so much comfort in times of trouble, as well as in private and public worship.

  The Psalms were written by different authors over a long period of time.  Of the 150 Psalms, seventy-three were ascribed to David, forty-nine are anonymous, twelve were written by Asaph, twelve by the sons of Korah, two by Solomon, one by Moses, and one by Ethan.

  The collection is arranged in five sections: Book I (Ps.1-41); Book II (Ps.42-72; Book III (Ps.73-89); Book IV (Ps.90-106); Book V (Ps.107-150).  There are sub-groups here and there within Psalms: the psalms of Korah's sons (Ps.42-49; the michtam psalms (Ps.56-60); the psalms of Asaph (Ps.73-83); and the songs of degrees (Ps.120-134).
The longest psalm is Psalm 119 with 176 verses.  (It is also the longest chapter in the entire Bible.) In this particular psalm, each character of the Hebrew alphabet (from 'aleph to taw) begins a verse in each section of eight verses.  The shortest psalm is Psalm 117.

  There was a wide variety of purposes and occasions which prompted the writing of the various types of psalms.  Some are national in scope and some are intimately personal.  Some are exultant and some are forlorn.  There is a tremendous range of human emotion expressed in the Psalms (both collectively and individually).
It us no wonder that Psalms has been so popular through the ages.  There is something there for everyone: Temple hymns, royal psalms which anticipated Christ as Messianic King, imprecatory wishes, aspirations, struggles, deep contrition, feelings of deliverance, outpourings of prayer to God, worship, confession, inner conflicts, pleas for help and protection, and songs of thanksgiving for God's blessings.

  In the New Testament there are 283 quotations from the Old Testament; 116 of them are from the Book of Psalms alone!  Jesus loved the Psalms.  Even while dying on the cross, Jesus quoted from them (Matt.27v46; Lk.23v46).  Messianic predictions abound regarding His suffering, death, resurrection, and final victory in glory.

  The Psalms are especially useful for all of us today (1Cor.10v11).  The book emphasizes the following things:  There is only one God.  He is ever-present, all-powerful, and infinitely wise.

  We must all recognize the universality of God's love, His providence, and His goodness.  He is sovereign and we must obey Him unfalteringly with reverence.  Idols are empty, false, and abominable.  Sin is horrible and God hates it.  He will execute judgment upon sinners.
But God is also merciful and forgiving, if man is truly penitent and submissive.  Great joy will result. Many psalms stress the beauty of God's holiness and a deep personal relationship with God.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PROVERBS

  The term "Proverbs," which could also be translated "similies" or "parables," is used in this book more generally to include various other types of short, pithy statements as well.
Although the book itself does have a clear order, and proverbs are sometimes grouped by subject matter, each proverb generally stands on its own and is without context.
Proverbs, then, are timeless words of wise men concerning the way to conduct one's life, both in terms of what is right and what is prudent.
Hence, Proverbs is the best Old Testament example of wisdom literature.

  Wisdom sayings are markedly practical, rather than abstract or theoretical.  Since the focus is about everyday life, the scope of subjects treated is rather wide.  The authors of Proverbs, thus, did not concern themselves much with overtly sacred or religious matters, but that in no way diminishes the religious character of the book.
There is a distinct optimism about the world and its workings, because they believed that God is in control.  Because of this, the reader is assured repeatedly that he will reap what he has sown.  God cannot be left out of the picture, because knowledge and wisdom begin with reverence for Yahweh (Prov.1v7; Prov.9v10).
Numerous passages from Proverbs are reflected in the New Testament and are otherwise well known, but perhaps the most beautiful is the classical Old Testament description of ideal womanhood in Prov.31v10-31.

  Solomon, who is known to have spoken 3,000 proverbs (1Kgs.4v32), is the principal author of the book, but others, both anonymous and identified, also have their maxims included. Proverbs reached its final form well beyond Solomon's day.  Work was still being done on it in Hezekiah's time (Prov.25v1), and it is generally thought that its final editing occurred just after the return from the Babylonian exile.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES

  The superscription identifies the author as the "Preacher," which is a loose translation of the Hebrew text.  Based on this, the Septuagint (LXX), the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, gives the book the name from which our word "Ecclesiastes" is derived.

  The identity of the author is problematic, although the traditional ascription has been to King Solomon.  The strongest evidence in the text against Solomon as the writer is the allusion to a line of kings over Jerusalem PRIOR TO the author's time (Ecc.1v16).  Hence, it is best to treat the author as an anonymous one, and this is consistent with the fact that Solomon's name nowhere appears in the work.
Ecclesiastes gives us a glimpse into the life of one who had the means to pursue happiness through any avenue.  He had tried wisdom, pleasure, alcohol, human achievement, the fruits of great riches, and sex, but he concluded that all of this was emptiness (Ecc.2v11).

  He was deeply troubled by injustice in this life.  Many good men suffer while the wicked prosper in their wickedness. Regardless of how righteously a man tries to live, he ends up in the same grave as any other man--or beast!  A man can do all the right things, but "chance" can still cancel it all out.
The pessimism of this book is as pronounced as is the optimism of Proverbs. Only at the end does the author tell us what he found to be the real source of meaning in life--reverence for God (Ecc.12v13-14).  He had left God out of the picture in his search for happiness.
This is the book for the secular humanist to read, because it shows how utterly meaningless and unjust life is in a closed system where God does not play an effective role. The author's solution is that true happiness is found only when we revere God as the center of our lives!

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SONG OF SOLOMON

  This book has come to be known in English as "The Song of Solomon," but in the original Hebrew (and hence in the Greek and Latin versions) the title is "The Song of Songs," in the superlative sense, i.e. the best of songs.  The question of authorship is closely connected with that of the meaning of the book, but it has traditionally been attributed to Solomon, who figures prominently in the work.
The Song (also known as Canticles) is best described as love poetry.  Because of its explicit erotic character, ancient Jews and Christians alike rejected its literal interpretation and always allegorized it.
To most Jews, it referred to God's dealings with his bride, Israel.
The early Christians saw it as representing the relationship between Christ and His bride, the Church.  Vestiges of this type of interpretation can even be found in some modern Christian hymns, such as "Jesus Rose of Sharon" and "I Have Found a Friend in Jesus" (see SS.2v1; SS.5v10).  The early Christian inability to deal with this book at the literal level was influenced more by the Greek philosophy of the time than by the Bible itself.
If, as seems justified by the text, we take the Song of Solomon as the words of a couple anticipating an imminent wedding, the book serves as a useful corrective to unbiblical marital asceticism.  This book shows that God intended every married couple to enjoy a wide range of sexual pleasure when expressing love between them.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ISAIAH

  Isaiah is one of the longest and most important books of the Old Testament.  The prophet began his career during a time of relative peace and prosperity under two of Judah's kings--Uzziah and Jotham.  However, before long, conditions deteriorated, especially on the international scene.
During Ahaz' reign, Assyria became a superpower and deported Judah's sister kingdom (Israel) in 722 B.C., but Ahaz viewed Syria and Israel as greater threats than Assyria.  Isaiah tried to reassure Ahaz, asking only that he have faith in God.  Ahaz refused.

  Later, in 701 B.C., during Hezekiah's reign, Assyria ravaged the Judean countryside, and the city of Jerusalem itself almost fell.  Again, Isaiah preached a message of hope for a repentant Judah who would trust in the Lord.

  Exactly when Isaiah's career ended is not known, but a Jewish tradition (which may be reflected in Heb.11v37) says that he was martyred by King Manasseh, Hezekiah's son.

  To view Isaiah merely as a preacher about events during his lifetime is to have only half of the picture, because he is perhaps best known for his prophecies about the intermediate and distant future.
Isa.1-39 deals primarily with events during the prophet's lifetime, but the latter part of the book is almost totally concerned with the future (from their vantage point).
Isa.40 begins a major section that looks ahead to Judah's return from Babylonian exile in the sixth century B.C.
The latter chapters also peer beyond Isaiah's day, but the time period covered is more difficult to determine.  The New Testament finds in many of these passages (including some in the first part of the book) as prophecies about the Messiah.  The most striking of these relate to Jesus' miraculous birth (Isa.7v14) and His suffering and death (Isa.53).
Christians, therefore, have found Isaiah to be one of the most valuable books of the Old Testament.
N INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH

  Jeremiah came from a priestly family in Anathoth, a suburb of Jerusalem.  As the author of the longest prophetic book, his career spanned more than 40 years--during the reigns of Judah's last five kings and beyond.
When he was still a young man, Jeremiah was called by God. And, throughout his long, turbulent life he constantly had to confront a people who had rejected God for false gods.  He warned them that this would cause their eventual destruction, but they refused to repent.  So, Jerusalem and the Temple were indeed destroyed, and the people were deported to Babylon.
In his famous "Temple Sermon," he had told the people that the Temple was vulnerable; he nearly lost his life for making that speech.  (Jesus later drew from that message.)  Before Jerusalem fell, Jeremiah had to deal with lying prophets who were predicting deliverance.
Jeremiah was treated as a traitor by the people for the ultimatims that he delivered from God. In a letter to those who were already in exile, he also warned about the false prophets in Babylon and told the people to settle down for a long stay, giving them instructions for preserving their identity.

  When the city of Jerusalem fell, the Babylonians gave Jeremiah the option of remaining in Judah.  He chose to stay, but a band of Jews forced him to go to Egypt, where tradition has it that he died.  Even in Egypt he had to preach against worshiping other gods.

  Jeremiah was one of the most colorful of the prophets, using visual aids to reinforce his messages.  He was also one of the saddest, because his burden was so heavy.  The people would not listen to him, and even some of his own townspeople and relatives opposed him and tried to kill him.
He had periods of deep depression over his failures.  He did not want to be a prophet in the first place, but the urgency of his message was like a fire raging within him, and he could not contain it.  His was an example of total faithfulness to God, regardless of personal desires or circumstances.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS

  Lamentations is the work of one person with a broken heart. If, as has been the traditional view, Jeremiah was the author, it serves as a supplement to his longer work (the Book of Jeremiah).
The writer was surely a witness to the destruction of Jerusalem and its aftermath in 586 B.C., and the book is largely comprised of elegies for that holy city.  He alternates between horrifying accounts of the destruction of the city and the suffering of its inhabitants, descriptions and confession of the sins which caused it, appeals for divine help, and the holding out of hope because of God's great mercy.  The overall tone is melancholy.

  In the midst of the gloom, the author framed the chapters with a beautiful literary device called acrostic.  Jer.1, Jer.2, and Jer.4 each have twenty-two verses, corresponding to the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and the first word of each verse begins with a different letter, in order, through the entire alphabet.
Jer.3 does the same thing in blocks of three verses, for a total of sixty-six verses (22 X 3 = 66).  Although Jer.5 also has twenty-two verses, no acrostic mechanism is present.  To this day, Jews use the Book of Lamentations in their religious calendar to mourn the destruction of Jerusalem.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL

  Ezekiel went to Babylon in the second deportation in 597 B.C. Four years later, he began a prophetic career that was to last more than twenty years, all of it in Babylon.  He had the helpful habit of dating many of his prophecies, and most of the messages about contemporary events were delivered before the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
The New Jerusalem section in Eze.40-48 held out hope for restoration of the land and the Temple after the exile.  Of all the prophets, Ezekiel was probably the most colorful.  He used pantomime, would cry and wail and slap his thighs, ate a scroll, and did many other unusual things to burn his messages into the minds of the people.
Some of his visions are unusually arresting in their graphic details.  From Ezekiel
we get a picture of a holy, transcendent God whose name and glory must be protected.  By contrast, Judah had sunk to the depths of depravity in a national apostasy.  God had to punish His people because of His hatred for idolatry, but He never ceased to love them.
Judah's sin was a national one, but Ezekiel also stressed individual responsibility for one's own sins to an extent unparalleled in the rest of the Old Testament.
Ezekiel forms the important background for many passages in the New Testament, but this is perhaps more true of Revelation than any other book.  Material from most of Ezekiel's chapters is quoted or alluded to in all but one chapter in Revelation.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF DANIEL

  Daniel went to Babylon during the first deportation in 606 B.C. He and other members of the Judean royal and noble families were given special training to serve in the Babylonian court.  He quickly gained a reputation as an interpreter of dreams and riddles.  This led to his appointment in high government posts.

  As an old man, Daniel served in the Medo-Persian administation after Babylon fell in 539 B.C. He was unlike the other prophets in that he did not go around saying, "Thus saith the Lord." Instead, he was primarily an interpreter of dreams and a recipient of visions himself.

  The book falls naturally into two parts.  In Dn.1-6 Daniel spoke in the third person about activities involving himself and his three Jewish companions, and he interpreted dreams and riddles received by others.
In Dn.7-12 he spoke in the first person about visions which he himself received.  Some of the most well-known stories in the Old Testament are found in the Book of Daniel, especially those about Daniel's three friends in the fiery furnace (Dan.3) and Daniel in the lion's den (Dan.6).

  The book has become a modern battleground on two counts. Liberal scholarship places the writing of the book in the middle of the second century B.C., whereas conservatives generally believe it was written by Daniel in the sixth century B.C. Secondly, scholars have been divided on the precise historical identification of features of the visions.

  The book has many important passages, but Dan.12v2-3 stands out as the clearest Old Testament reference to the resurrection of the dead.  The key Old Testament passage behind Jesus' application of the term "Son of Man" to himself is Dan.7v13. Material from every chapter in Daniel is either quoted or alluded to in Revelation, and only two chapters are without some background in Daniel.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF HOSEA

  Hosea is the first book in the Book of the Twelve Prophets in the Hebrew Bible.  The prophet proclaimed in Israel during the second half of the eight century B.C., beginning with the reign of Jeroboam II.  He was a contemporary of Isaiah and Micah in Judah and began his career shortly after Amos' brief one in Israel.
Hosea foresaw Israel's exile to Assyria and actually witnessed some of it happen.  He was the last prophet that God raised up in the nation of Israel to plead with the people to repent.
Hosea's task was doubly sad, because, at God's direction, he took a wife (Gomer) who was just as unfaithful to him as Israel was to her God. The first three chapters relate the sordid details of their stormy marriage.  Of the three children born while they were together, only one was Hosea's.  Gomer left Hosea for other lovers but got herself into such trouble that she wanted to return home.
In loving forgiveness, Hosea purchased her.

  All of this was an object lesson to Israel, who had been just as faithless to God. The remainder of the book records Hosea's portrayal of their sins and the disastrous consequences.  Through it all, God's love and compassion stand out to a remarkable extent.
The picture of God in Hosea is that of a loving husband who yearns desperately to have a faithful wife.  Israel, however, would have none of it, and the consequences of her sins had to play themselves out, although hope for the future is never lost.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JOEL

  Joel, which means "Yahweh is God" (HSN3100), is named as the author of these prophecies.  The name is found several times elsewhere in the Old Testament, but none of these men can be identified with this prophet who is called the son of Pethuel. Therefore, we know nothing of Joel beyond this writing.

  It is almost impossible to assign a date to its origin. Scholars have tended to date it either among the earliest or among the latest of the prophetic writings.  They generally agree that his ministry was carried out in Judah.  Conservative scholars usually place it during the reign of Joash (ninth century B.C.), before the exile.
It is noted that the enemies mentioned in Joel are the Philistines, Phoenicians, Egyptians, and Edomites of their earlier history rather than Assyria and Babylonia of later historical importance.  Other scholars place it after the exile, pointing out that no mention is made of the northern kingdom and that elders and priests seem to be in authority rather than a king.  Neither of these lines of reasoning is conclusive for dating, nor is the fact that it is the second book in order among the minor prophets.


  The prophecy is clearly divided into two parts.  In Jl.1v1--2.27, Joel uses the description of a plague of locusts and a drought to call the people to repentance with fear, fasting, and prayer.
In Jl.2v28-3:21, God's mercy drives out the locusts and gives a plentiful harvest, bringing blessings to His people and punishment to their enemies.  "The day of the Lord" which is "coming" is a major theme in Joel.  On the day of Pentecost (Ac.2v16), Peter quoted Jl.2v28-32 about the outpouring of the Spirit, stating that it was fulfilled on that very day.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF AMOS

  Amos was a shepherd from a rural area in Judah.  God called him to preach near Israel's royal sanctuary at Bethel.  His prophesying took place about 750 B.C. during the reign of Jeroboam II. It lasted only a few days.
Amos found in the nation of Israel great social extremes--comfortable prosperity and abject poverty.
His message was against the wealthy.  The poor were being exploited and cheated.  Merchants were greedy and dishonest.
The judicial system was corrupt.  There was religious arrogance as well.  Many were even attempting to corrupt some of the religious leaders.  Affluence had lulled the upper class into such apathy that they refused to recognize the sickness of their society.
Amos' warning to the worshipers at Bethel was that, because of their sins, destruction was coming upon them from both Egypt and Assyria, a prophecy made all the more bold because the international scene was relatively quiet, and Assyria was still in a period of decline.
Amaziah, the apostate priest at Bethel, made it clear to Amos that he was not welcome and that should go back home to his own country.  Amos refused to back down, explaining that he was not a professional prophet (Am.7v14-15), but he was there solely because God had sent him.
The Book of Amos is one of the most outstanding among the prophets, both because of its timeless message and because it contains some of the finest examples of literary artistry in the entire Old Testament.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF OBADIAH

  Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament.  Though there are thirteen different men with this name mentioned in the Old Testament, none of them can be identified with this prophet with certainty.  Obadiah means "servant of Yahweh" (HSN5662).

  No definite conclusions can be drawn as to the date, though prophecies regarding the destruction of Edom and references to the captivity of Jerusalem within the book have caused many scholars to date it after 586 B.C.
Obadiah's prophecy predicts the fall and utter destruction of Edom (compare Isa.34v5-15; Jer.19v7-22; Eze.25v12-14; Am.1v11-12).  It seems to have been written for the encouragement of the Israelites, rather than to bring Edom to repentance.
Edom, the sons of Esau, was the perennial enemy of Judah.  Edom openly rejoiced at the plight of Judah (Ps.137v7) and filtered into the vacuum created by Babylon's victory.  Though they were proud of their mountain strongholds, which seemed to be invincible, they would not be able to stand against the day of the Lord.
When Malachi (Mal.1v2-5) was written, Edom had already been severely defeated. Nabatean Arabs vanquished Edom and occupied their territory, which was later called Idumea.

  The Herods of New Testament times were from the Edomite remnant in Idumea.  After the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Edomites finally passed from the pages of history.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JONAH

  The Book of Jonah is unique among the prophets in that, instead of containing a group of oracles or visions, it relates an extended episode in the life of the prophet.
From 2Kgs.14v25 we learn that Jonah was from Gath-hepher, a town in Galilee, and that he prophesied during the time of Jeroboam II, which means that his book is probably to be dated in the first half of the eighth century B.C.

  The story line is simple.  God called Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and denounce her wickedness, but he fled by boat in the opposite direction, because he feared that the success of his preaching would cause God to show mercy.  He was thrown overboard to save those on his ship from a fierce storm, and God arranged for him to be swallowed by a large fish.  After three days, the fish spit him out on dry land, and God again called Jonah to preach against Nineveh.  This time he went.

  His message that Nineveh would be overthrown in 40 days was as powerful as it was brief.  The entire city repented, and God cancelled his judgment against them.  Jonah became angry because of this; he went out of the city to see what would happen to it.

God caused a plant to grow up to shade Jonah, and then He caused it to die.  Jonah was again angry, because he needed the shade, but God used the incident to teach him a lesson about forgiveness and mercy.  God pointed out that Jonah was more concerned about a plant than he was about a city with more than 120,000 infant inhabitants.

  The Book of Jonah occupies an important position in the Old Testament canon, because it so clearly shows that, although God had a special relationship with Israel, He did not abandon his compassion for other nations.
In Jonah's experience with the fish, Jesus saw a sign pointing to His own burial, and He used Nineveh's repentance to chide His unrepentant contemporaries (Matt.12v39-41).
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF MICAH

  The southern prophet, Micah, was a contemporary of Isaiah in Judah and Hosea in Israel, prophesying in the last third of the eighth century B.C. Although his message related to both Israel and Judah, he focused on the latter.  He denounced ethical sins primarily, and the social situation which he addressed is markedly similar to that encountered by Amos in Israel a few years earlier.
The rich were continually oppressing the poor. Merchants were cheating their customers.  The religious and judicial leaders were corrupt, and the true prophets were told to keep quiet.
Many people were so insensitive to the problem that they believed God would still defend them--in spite of their sins.
Micah's message reminded them of the consequences of national sin.  He foretold the fall of both Samaria and Jerusalem and even the Babylonian exile later.

  Two passages stand out above the rest: Mic.5v2 prophesied the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem, and this was fulfilled by the birth of Jesus.  Mic.6v8 is one of the classical statements of the prophets, and some regard it as the high-water mark of Old Testament religion.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF NAHUM

  Nahum was from Elkosh, probably in Judah.  His name means "consolation" or "full of comfort" (HSN5151).  He is mentioned nowhere else in Scripture, with the possible exception of Lk.3v25.  He was a contemporary of Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah.  We know nothing of the prophet other than this.

  Two bits of historical information with the book itself help fix the date.  Nahum (Nah.3v8-10) refers to the capture of Thebes (No-Amon), which did fall to the Assyrians in 661 B.C. Throughout the book, the fall of Nineveh is still future.  It was subsequently taken in 612 B.C.  Considering these two events, most scholars place the date about 620 B.C.

  Judah was crying out, "Has God forsaken Judah?  Why do the Assyrians, so full of evil, prosper, while we are suffering?  Are God's promises empty?"  The powerful military state of Assyria, with its great wealth, continually oppressed Judah, almost enslaving her.  National life was very precarious, spiritual life was diminishing, and the nation was continually endangered by marauding bands from Nineveh.
Judah was desperately needing answers to these questions when Nahum thundered onto the scene, proclaiming, "Nineveh will fall!  God will save His people!"  In light of Assyria's great might, the message seemed incredible.
Jonah, a century and a half earlier, had denounced Nineveh if it did not repent. The time of repentance was past.  The voice of Nahum is harsh and vengeful--Nineveh will pay for ignoring God and oppressing the weak.
The message is timeless:  Those who arrogantly ignore and resist God will taste His wrath, but those who trust Him will be saved by His love.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK

  The prophet, Habakkuk, is a rather obscure figure, but his book is one of the gems of the Old Testament.  It seems to have been written shortly before the Battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C., when the Babylonians became the undisputed power in the area.
Habakkuk's theological problem was theodicy (divine justice). Internally, he saw that violence, lawbreaking, and injustice was going unpunished, so he questioned God about it.
God's answer only troubled him more, so he raised the question of God's justice again.  God reassured Habakkuk by telling him that if he could only wait, all would become clear to him.  This satisifed Habbakkuk, and with renewed faith, he seemed to conclude that, given God's holiness, his own questions were unjustified (Hab.2v20).
Hab.3 is a prayer-psalm which ends with another strong statement of faith.  For a book of such small size, Habakkuk has wielded remarkable influence.

  The Habakkuk Commentary is the most well-preserved Old Testament commentary of those found among the Dead Sea Scrolls and reflects a type of Old Testament exegesis which helps us understand much of the New Testament use of the Old Testament.

  More significantly, Hab.2v4 was used by Paul in Rom.1v17 to introduce the principle of justification by faith rather than by works. And it was Martin Luther's interpretation of this verse which totally re-oriented his thinking and contributed to the spark which led to the Protestant Reformation.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH

  Zephaniah had a brief but powerful message for a people locked in religious apostasy.  His four-generation genealogy, going back to an unidentified Hezekiah, may indicate that he was of royal descent.
The conditions which he addressed reflect Judah in the decade before Josiah's reforms in 621 B.C.  If he were a member of the royal family, he may have been one of the dominant influences on the young king to reverse the apostasy of his father and grandfather.

  Zephaniah was an urban prophet whose message to Judah focused on Jerusalem.  The description of God as One searching Jerusalem with lamps (Zeph.1v12) formed the basis of the way that Zephaniah was represented in Medieval art.  Zephaniah addressed a people who had misplaced their religious loyalties.  The gods of Canaan, Assyria, and Ammon were being worshiped, but the Yahweh was being neglected!
Some concluded that the Lord was no longer active in their history.  To this, Zephaniah responded with the strongest development of the theme of "the Day of the Lord" to be found in the prophets.  Terrible punishment was coming, but after the return of the faithful ones, Jerusalem would have a glorious future.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF HAGGAI

  Babylon fell to the Medo-Persian Empire in 539 B.C., and a year later Cyrus issued a decree allowing the Jews to return.  By 536 B.C., the first group had arrived and laid the foundation of the Temple.
Because of opposition from neighboring peoples, work on the Temple stopped (see Ezr.4v4-5) and was not resumed until God raised up Haggai and Zechariah 16 years later to preach the need to complete the reconstruction project.
Over a four-month period in 520 B.C., Haggai delivered four messages concerning this effort.  The first and third messages explained that the land's lack of productivity was because the Temple lay in ruins and the land was still spiritually unclean.
The other two were words of reassurance that God was supporting the project and would prosper them.  The people quickly responded to the challenge, and the rebuilding of the Temple was completed in 515 B.C.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH

  Zechariah and Haggai both preached to the first generation after their return to Judah from the Babylonian exile.  In 536 B.C. the Temple foundation was laid, but due to local opposition, the work was discontinued for sixteen years.  In 520 B.C. God raised up these two prophets to stir up the nation to complete the rebuilding of the Temple.
Many of the economic hardships which the people had experienced since they returned were caused by the fact that, with no Temple in operation, the land was still polluted from their former sins and would not produce well.

  Response to Zechariah and Haggai's preaching was immediate and complete.  By 515 B.C. the Temple was finished and in operation again.  Zech.1-8 relates to the years of 520-518 B.C. The oracles supported the leadership of Zerubbabel, the civil leader, and Joshua, the high priest, especially in connection with the Temple project.
The glorious future of Jerusalem and the remnant that returned to it is also vividly depicted.  Some of Zechariah's visions are filled with rich apocalyptic-type imagery.  Both Zerubabbel and Joshua were anointed leaders, and in certain passages it is difficult to determine whether they are being referred to or whether it is the future Messiah (Jesus).
At any rate, Jesus' dual Messianic role as both king and priest finds its closest Old Testament basis here.  Zech.9-14 is very different from the earlier chapters in that they deal exclusively with the future beyond Zechariah's day.
The time frame for the fulfillment of individual prophecies is a disputed point among scholars, but several passages were seen by New Testament writers as being fulfilled by Jesus.  These include such events as Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, His arrest, His crucifixion and His Second Coming.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF MALACHI

  Malachi means "my messenger" (HSN4401).  Because nothing else is mentioned of him in the Old Testament and because of the meaning of the word, some scholars have thought that "Malachi" may have been just a pen name used by the prophet.  This possibility is mentioned in an ancient Jewish tradition.

  The prophecy was probably written in the period between 450 and 425 B.C. This was the time of Nehemiah, about 100 years after the first exiles had returned from Babylon.  The book reflects that era.
The Temple had been completed and sacrifices were being offered, but the priests were careless.  The people doubted God and were intermarrying outside Israel.  Judah was under a governor and Edom had been destroyed.

  The prophet's style is unique in the Old Testament.  He makes a statement and then asks a question growing out of that statement. In the answers to these questions Malachi sets forth the greater portion of his message.

  The enthusiasm that marked the Jews' return to Jerusalem a century earlier was gone.  They were discouraged.  There was a drought and the crops were bad.  They expected a golden age of prosperity, but it had not dawned.
Did not God care?  Malachi answered these doubts: God is still on His throne!  Look what He did to Edom.  God deals with sin.  Pay your tithes, obey Him, and see how He will bless you.  The Messiah is coming!  He will destroy the wicked and give victory to the righteous.  But before that day, the prophet Elijah must come ( = John the Baptist, Matt.17v10-13).
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF MATTHEW

  Although this account does not say that Matthew (Levi) was the author, it was known from a very early time that Matthew did write this Gospel.  The name Matthew means "gift of Yah(weh)" in Hebrew (HSN4993).  Matthew was an eye-witness of Jesus' entire ministry.  He was one of the original twelve apostles (see Matt.10v3).
Jesus called him to leave his occupation of gathering taxes for the Romans (see Matt.9v9-13).  Lk.5v27-32 mentions that Matthew gave a banquet for Jesus and that he forsook everything to follow the Lord, but Matthew's own account modestly omits this.  He was present on the day of Pentecost (Ac.1v12-2v47).

  No one knows precisely when Matthew wrote this book, but it is clear that he aimed it at a Jewish audience; there are many quotations from the Old Testament.  He stressed the passages which show that Jesus is the Messiah (Christ).
For the most part, the narrative is chronological, but some of the material is grouped according to subject matter (e.g. the Sermon on the Mount in Matt.5-7 and the parables in Matt.13).
The central theme of Matthew's presentation of the life of Jesus is: Jesus is Savior and King of the long-awaited kingdom of God.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF MARK

  The book of Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels.  About 93% of the material in Mark is covered by Matthew and Luke, but Mark gives more vivid details in his brief account.  The Gospel of Mark emphasizes the superhuman power of Jesus.  Christ is presented as God's Son in action, demonstrating His divinity by His miracles.
Mark tells more of what Jesus did and less of what Jesus said.  Like a motion-picture camera, the author rushes from one dynamic scene to the next.  He uses "immediately" and "straightway" about 40 times to make the transitions.
Judging from only a few references to the Old Testament, his translations of Aramaic expressions, and the themes of power, it is safe to say that Mark's Gospel was aimed at those who lived outside Palestine.

  A very early tradition states that Mark, the son of Mary in Jerusalem (Ac.12v12), wrote this Gospel.  We know that John Mark was a cousin of Barnabas (Col.4v10) and may have been a Levite (Ac4v36).  Many scholars believe that Mark was the young man described in Mk.14v51-52.
Mark traveled with the Apostle Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Ac.12v25), but Mark turned back (Ac.13v13).  For this reason, Paul refused to consider taking him along on the second missionary journey (Ac.15v36-39).  Since both Paul and Barnabas had strong opposite feelings about the matter, they decided to go different directions--Paul with Silas and Barnabas with Mark.  However, much later, Paul felt differently about Mark (2Tim.4v12).
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF LUKE

  The Gospel of Luke portrays Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah of the Jews and also as the Savior of all mankind.  Special emphasis is placed upon the kindness of Jesus toward women, the poor, the outcasts, the weak, and those who were suffering in different ways.  In addition, the book is filled with expressions of praise and prayer.
Luke's account had a universal appeal, especially to the Gentiles.  Jesus is presented as the perfect Man who is truly interested in every person on earth, no matter what his or her station in life.
Luke was aimed at the Greek mind and, therefore, had to be written in a comprehensive, logical, and orderly manner.  There are portions of the book which approach the grandeur of Classical Greek literature.  Luke has been called "the most beautiful book ever written."

  There is little doubt that the author was Luke, the "beloved physician" (Col.4v14).  From the context of this passage we learn that Luke was "not of the circumcision" and, consequently, he may have been the only Gentile writer of the New Testament.  Paul refers to him as his "fellow-worker" in Phm.24.
Several passages indicate that he was a close companion to the Apostle during the missionary journeys of the book of Acts.  He was with Paul until the very end (2Tim.4v11).  Judging from the style of his Greek, we can surmise that he was the most cultured of all the writers of the Gospel.

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JOHN

  The Gospel of John stresses the deity of Jesus.  It begins with: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (meaning, Jesus was divine)" (Jn.1v1) and, "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us"  (Jn.1v14).
And the Gospel concludes with the author's purpose expressed: "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name." (Jn.20v30-31).

  This account of Jesus' life is very different from the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).  It offers the very substantive, inside things which Jesus said more than the things that He did.  Step by step, this Gospel unfolds its proofs until the reader must reach the inescapable conclusion that Jesus is indeed the Son of God!

  The literary style is unique: the sentence structure is uncomplicated and easy to understand.  Every step in a given narrative is presented as though it is an isolated event or statement, rather than attempting to merge it into an overall framework.  The same majestic truths are repeated in intricate parallelisms.
It is a book of striking contrasts: light and darkness; truth and falsehood; good and evil; life and death; God and Satan.  Only in John's Gospel do we learn that the length of Jesus' public ministry was about 3 1/2 years (by counting the Passover feasts).
The Book of John is saturated with symbolic representations from ordinary life.  Jesus used common things (such as water, bread, light, a vine and its branches, a loving shepherd and his pet sheep) to teach profound spiritual truths. The Gospel of John was written not so much to retell the historical facts of Jesus' brief stay on earth, but to ask us the question: "What does His coming mean?"

  The author merely identified himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (Jn.13v23; Jn.20v2).  The writer was John the Apostle, one of the "sons of thunder" (Mk.3v17).
John was very close to Jesus (Matt.17v1; Mk.5v37; Lk.8v51).  It was young John who leaned against the bosom of Jesus (Jn.13v23), to whom Jesus entrusted His aged mother (Jn.19v26-27).  John was the first male to believe that Jesus rose from death (Jn.20v1-10), the first to recognize Him on the shore of Lake Galilee (Jn.21v1-7), and probably the last Apostle to die (see Jn.21v23).

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ACTS

  The Book of Acts is the second volume of a two-volume set written by Luke, the physician.  The "former treatise" of Ac.1v1 refers to the Gospel of Luke.  Both books were written to Theophilus (Lk.1v3; Ac.1v1).
Acts of the Apostles tells how the early followers of Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit, did spread the Good News far beyond the confines of Jewish life to the whole world.  Jesus said:  "And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth"  (Ac.1v8). This is the three-part outline for the Book of Acts.

  Acts reveals the sometimes painful implications of the gospel to the Gentiles.  The Lord had never intended for the message of Jesus to remain "bottled up" in one little culture.  New wine requires new winebags which can stretch (Lk.5v36-39).
Everything before Acts was focused upon God's untiring love for Israel, His chosen people.  But, from Acts onward, the second part of God's promise to Abraham (Gen.12v1-3), "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed," is being fulfilled.

  From within the Book of Acts itself, one can learn that the writer was with the Apostle Paul on several occasions.  Compare the "we" passages in Ac.16v10-17; Ac.20v5-21v18; Ac.27v1-28v16.
Many believe that Luke was "the brother" who was praised by all the congregations (2Cor.8v18).  Luke was especially careful to reassure Theophilus that Christians were not a subversive political threat to the Roman Empire.
The Book of Acts ends with Paul imprisoned in Rome.  Apparently, the author could write nothing further.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ROMANS

  Paul's Letter to the Roman Christians was written about 57 A.D. near the close of his third missionary tour (compare Rom 15:25 with Ac 20:16).  Some time after Paul wrote Second Corinthians, he is believed to have penned Romans from Corinth.
In the Roman letter Paul was informing the Christians there that he planned to visit them.  He did so about three years later, however, not under the circumstances that he could forsee--in chains (Ac 28:14-31)!

  Although it has been widely asserted that the Apostle Peter had started the first congregation of believers in Rome, there is no evidence of this.  In fact, it is quite to the contrary.
Why, in a long list of names of Christians (Rom 16:1-23) was Peter's name not mentioned once?  The reason is clear--because Peter wasn't there and probably had never been there, even though he traveled a good bit with his wife (1Cor 9:5).

  How did the congregation in Rome begin?  It is well known that Jews had been broadly dispersed throughout the Roman Empire. They had established synagogues everywhere.
A contingent of Jews appeared in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (A.D. 30), according to Ac 2:10.  Doubtless, some of these new believers returned to Rome with their new-found faith in Jesus, the Messiah. 
At any rate, it is clear that Paul was addressing himself to a non-Jewish audience (Rom 1:13).

  In Romans is found the most comprehensive statement about the full meaning of Jesus' cross.
And, Rom 1:16 is the most pivotal verse in the whole letter:
The gospel (2098-GSN - euaggelion, the Good News about Jesus) is where the power (1411-GSN - dunamis) of salvation (4991-GSN - soteria) is found for ANYONE--Jew or Gentile--who personally makes a commitment (4100-GSN - pisteuo) to Christ.

  Paul wrote Rom 1 -8 primarily to educate these new believers about the most fundamental teaching regarding salvation.  He systematically explained HOW God makes sinners "righteous" in His presence.  Since everyone is a sinner (Rom 3:10,23), all need salvation.  And, the only path to forgiveness is through the mercy of God extended in Christ Jesus.
One either fully accepts that this offer from God is true or one rejects it (Rom 3:24-25). If a person truly realizes his or her true condition before God, then the heart will melt (Rom 10:9-10) and complete obedience will follow (Rom 1:5; Rom 16:26).
However, Paul was quick to point out that personal salvation cannot come through any frail, human attempts to obey any law perfectly (Rom 3:20-21,26-28; Gal 2:16; Gal 3:11; Gal 5:4; Eph 2:8-9).  Through Jesus Christ, God is the one who justifies (1344-GSN - dikaioo) sinners (Rom 3:26; Rom 4:5; Gal 2:16).
Dikaioo (1344-GSN) appears 15 times in Romans, 8 times in Galatians, and only 16 additional times in the remainder of the New Testament!  Dikaioo (1344-GSN) does not refer to the way that this spiritual exoneration is accomplished, but only to the act itself.
God makes us "righteous" (Rom 5:19) through the obedience of Christ.  God considers the new believer as having legally and morally fulfilled all the demands of law because of the righteousness of Jesus.
Though no righteous person (1342-GSN - dikaios) could be located on earth, no unrighteousness (0093-GSN - adikia) could be found in Christ (Jn 7:18).

  Then Paul explained what a new life in Christ entails: No longer does an individual need to live under the constant domination of sin, guilt, and death (Rom 7:1-25).  God can clear us of the guilt of sin and give us power against this terrible urge.
A believer is liberated by the Spirit of God and possesses a serenity of soul, as well as peace with God.  All hostilities from God have ceased (Rom 8:1-39).  Next, Paul went to great lengths to recount God's original purpose in giving the Law of Moses and how the Jews had been a part of God's master plan to bring all nations home through the grace provided for by the cross of Jesus Christ (Rom 9 -11).
Paul concluded with many other practical things about how Christians should live in this world (Rom 12 -16).  We must serve one another (Rom 12:4-21).  We must be good citizens (Rom 13:1-7).  And, we must be tolerant and sensitive to the consciences of others who may not agree with our personal scruples (Rom 14:1-15:3).
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF FIRST CORINTHIANS

  Corinth was an important cosmopolitan Greek city located on a large isthmus about fifty miles west of Athens.  It was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire.  Only Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch had more people.
Corinth was on a major trade route and had a thriving economy, but the vices of East and West converged there.  Greeks, Romans, Jews, and a mixed multitude of sailors and merchants flocked to this crossroads.
Corinthian-style architecture was famous.  The Isthmian athletic games were held there every two years.  By the end of the second century, Corinth had become one of the richest cities in the world.

  Paul believed that Corinth was a strategic center of influence and there was already a large Jewish presence (see Ac.18v4).
But Corinth was also full of sin. It was one of the most wicked cities of ancient times.  Degradation, immorality, and heathen customs abounded.
There were many religions represented, especially a temple which offered one thousand "sacred" prostitutes. Pleasure was worshipped more than principles.

  Paul stayed in Corinth for eighteen months (probably A.D. 52-53.)  The congregation was established by Paul during his second missionary journey (see Ac.18v1-11; 1Cor.2v1-2).  Paul, also a tentmaker by trade, worked with a husband-wife team, Aquila and Priscilla (Prisca).  Apollos came later.

  After about three years, Paul was in Ephesus, approximately 200 miles due east, across the Aegean Sea. Both cities were on a busy trade route.  Communication flowed freely between them.  Paul received unfavorable news about the Corinthian congregation from members of the household of Chloe (1Cor.1v11) and other friends (1Cor.16v17). They reported that there were divisions and much sin in the congregation.
There was gross immorality (one particular incestuous relationship), specific instances of trouble between Christians, many practical problems in living the Christian life, marriage problems, difficulties concerning meat offered to idols and matters of conscience, abuses in partaking of the Lord's Supper, disorderly conduct in the formal assemblies for worship, confusion about the role of women in the church, and heresies about the afterlife, which produced a tremendous response from Paul to teach the truth about the resurrection.

  1Cor.13, the famous chapter about love, is one of the most beloved passages in the entire Bible.  Judging from 1Cor.7v1, the Christians at Corinth had already written Paul at least one letter before First Corinthians was written.
And Paul had written them a previous letter (now lost) (compare 1Cor.5v9). Many of the individual Christians there had recently converted from pagan practices and they were having difficulty in adjusting, i.e. breaking with the past.
As long as there are human beings in a congregation, there will be human failures. Paul did not have enough time to ground them well.  Paul planned to spend the following winter in Corinth (1Cor.16v5-8) and did so (Ac.20v2-3).
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SECOND CORINTHIANS

  Soon after Paul wrote "First" (compare 1Cor.5v9) Corinthians from Ephesus, there was a riot in Ephesus (see Ac.19v21-41).  He had been gone for three years.  The relationship between Paul and his converts in Corinth was strained during the interim.  It was a difficult period for both while separated.
Then, during Paul's third missionary journey, while traveling into Macedonia (northern Greece) on his way to Corinth in Achaia (southern Greece), Paul encountered Titus and learned that his letter to the Corinthian brothers had accomplished much good (2Cor.7v5-7).
However, there were still some who denied that Paul was a true apostle of Jesus.  So, Paul decided to write them the next letter and send it on ahead with Titus before Paul arrived in Corinth (see 2Cor.2v13; 2Cor.8v1; 2Cor.8v6; 2Cor.8v16-17; 2Cor.9v2-4).
He explained why the first letter had to be so severe.  Paul agonized much as he waited for their reaction to that letter.  He truly cared for them, but he was not going to allow his apostolic credentials to be questioned by them.  He stood ready to confront his accusers (2Cor.16v5-6).
It was probably during that time that he wrote the Roman letter.

  Except for Paul's letter to Philemon, "Second" Corinthians is the least systematic and doctrinal and the most personal letter that he wrote.  Paul's intense emotion and fiery personality are revealed more clearly here than in any other epistle.
It is full of natural digressions and meanderings.  He tells of some very personal experiences such as his vision of the "third heaven" (2Cor.12v1-4) and of his "thorn in the flesh" (2Cor.12v7-9).
Throughout the letter, there is a suppressed indignation, a deep sadness, and a strong undercurrent of defensiveness.  He was being attacked and felt forced to justify his authority against false legalistic teachers who had meddled in his work.
He warned the congregation against some errors, instructed them in matters of duty as Christians, and expressed his happiness that they had heeded what he had to say in "First" Corinthians.  But the real watchword of "Second" Corinthians is that we must all be loyal to Christ, not to human personalities.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF GALATIANS

  Galatia was a Roman province which included Lycaonia, Isauria, and parts of Phrygia and Pisidia.  It is now southern Turkey. The purpose of this letter was to eradicate the doctrinal errors which had been recently introduced by hostile Judaizers and to urge the Galatian Christians to hold firmly to what they had been taught by Paul at the beginning.
The people were generally impressionable, fickle, and quick-tempered (see Gal.4v13-16; Ac.14v8-19).  Paul had started these congregations on his first missionary journey (Ac.13 and Ac.14) with considerable success, proclaiming "the door of faith" as being open to them (Ac.14v27).
Then he revisted them on his second missionary journey (Ac.16v1-6) and again on his third missionary journey (Ac.18v23).
In the meantime, Judaistic teachers had subverted his work by teaching a new type of legalism to these innocent Gentile (non-Jewish) believers.  These Jewish traditionalists refused to accept the true apostolic teaching (Ac.15v1-31).
They felt that they had the "copyright" on Jesus!  They zealously undermined and unsettled these new converts who were unstable and not grounded, persuading them to defect from Paul's teaching.  They suggested that Paul had learned his ideas "second-hand" from the apostles who were the true pillars in Jerusalem.  These false teachers felt that they themselves had the inside story!

  Judaizers were insisting that non-Jewish believers in Christ could not be true Christians until they submitted to circumcision (a Jewish rite from the Old Testament) and by keeping the Law of Moses.  The naive Galatian Christians listened to them with the same enthusistic receptivity that they had given to Paul originally.
Paul did not deny the importance of circumcision or any other Jewish custom to Jews.  In fact, Paul was formerly a high-ranking Jewish leader himself, and he had even participated in religious practices in the Temple late, in his ministry (Ac.21v17-26) to prove that he could be "all things to all men." (1Cor.9v22).
However, Paul clearly taught that circumcision had nothing whatever to do with personal salvation!

  The Judaizing threat ended at the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Prior to that time, all Jewish Christians (Messianic believers) were considered to be a "sect" (Ac.24v5), a new branch of Judaism.  But, after A.D. 70, all Christians were on their own; they were recognized as separate from Judaism.

  Paul contended that his apostleship was genuine, not from any human authority, but from God. He had proclaimed the true "good news" (GSN2098 - euaggelion) to them.  The Judaizers were tampering with the essential thrust of the very nature of the Gospel.

There was much at stake.  If the Judaizers were right, then Christ died on the cross for nothing (Gal.2v21)!  Paul taught that a proper relationship with God was based upon believing in Jesus Christ, not by trying to "make points" through obeying law!
Christians already had freedom and should not have been made to feel that they were in bondage again.  In this brief letter Paul forever settled the question about the relationship which we have with the Law of Moses.

  In Galatians there are a series of important contrasts:
- a different type (GSN2087 - heteros) of "gospel" versus the authentic Gospel (compare Gal.1v6)
- man's reasoning versus God's revelation
- law versus grace; works versus faith
- the curse of death versus the blessing of life
- condemnation versus exoneration
- servants in bondage versus sons in freedom
- defeat versus victory
- the old covenant versus the new covenant
- living in the flesh versus walking in the Spirit
- the works of the flesh versus the fruit of the Spirit
- falling from grace versus standing firm in grace
- the world (self) as the object of boasting versus the cross of Christ.
Paul recapitulates by saying that the Christian life is the natural fruit which flows from love (Gal.5v6).

  The date of Paul's writing is uncertain, but it is thought that it was before he wrote the more detailed Book of Romans concerning much of the same subject matter.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF EPHESIANS

  Ephesus was the capitol of pro-consular Asia.  It was about one mile inland from the eastern portion of the Aegean Sea. A great theater, seating about 50,000 people, was there (see Ac.19v31). Also, one of the seven wonders of the world, the temple of Diana (Artemis), was located in Ephesus.  Rivaling Jerusalem and Antioch, Ephesus proved to be a very powerful springboard for influencing the world for Christ.

  Paul visited Ephesus during his second missionary journey (Ac.18v18-21).  He left Aquila and Priscilla (Prisca) there to help them.  He spent three years in Ephesus on his third tour (Ac.19v1-14).
He exerted so much influence there that the idol-makers became worried and incited a riot against him (Ac.19v21-41).  He was compelled to leave for Macedonia (Ac.20v1).
Upon his return trip, while heading for Jerusalem, he asked the elders of the Ephesian congregation to meet with him at Miletus, thirty-five miles to the north, on a quick stopover (Ac.20v16-38).

  Ephesians is one of Paul's five "Prison Epistles", probably written while in prison in Rome (from about 60-64 A.D.) Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon were written and sent about the same time period.  Paul's letter to the Laodiceans (Col.4v16) did not survive.
This Ephesian letter was addressed to the congregation in Ephesus (see Ac.19), but was also probably intended as a circulating letter to other area congregations.
This may account for the absence of specific information in the letter.  Also, there is a textual problem in Eph.1v1.  The words "at Ephesus" are absent from several important manuscripts.

  Ephesians is quite similar to Colossians.  There are 78 verses between them which are almost the same.  Each is devoted half to doctrine and half to practical Christian duty.
Colossians portrays Christ as the head of the Ekklesia (GSN1577), but Ephesians goes further to display Jesus as the ascended, glorified Christ.
In Colossians, Paul is within the throes of fighting against a serious heresy, but in Ephesians Paul is relishing the grandeur of Christ in quiet meditation.

  Paul's letter to the Ephesians is truly profound, transcending the pettiness of some of the other congregations.  The major theme of Ephesians is:  The Ekklesia (GSN1577) is the mystical body of Christ.  God's great master plan was to bring everything together (Eph.1v10) under Christ as head (Eph.1v22-23).
We, as the body of Christ on earth, have a part in this plan and the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of God's promise (Eph.1v13-14).

  "There is one body" (Eph.4v4), not two (i.e. races).  Paul emphasizes the unity of the Ekklesia (GSN1577).  Jews and Gentiles are now one in Christ.
Non-Jews could become Christians without first becoming Jewish converts (proselytes).
But many Jewish Christians, who had always been prejudiced against the pagan Gentiles, thought that Gentiles should not presume to call themselves followers of the Messiah unless they were first circumcised and obedient to the Law of Moses.
In other words, the Jewish believers tended to see themselves as the center, instead of seeing the centrality of Christ.
However, Paul taught that they should view the Gentiles as their brothers in Christ--on an equal footing. Jesus soars high above all cultural barriers.
The large gift from Gentile congregations offered to Jewish brethren in need in Judea (Ac.21v15-27; Ac.24v17-18; Rom.15v25-28; 2Cor.8v1-15; Gal.2v10) bound them together more closely and promoted a much better feeling.
Christ is large enough to accommodate all races, divergent positions, culture, problems of humanity (social and family life, see Eph.5v22--6v9), and even the unseen beings (Eph.3v10).

  Paul used several figures of speech to explain:
The Ekklesia (GSN1577) is like a body, with Christ as head (Eph.1v22-23; Eph.2v15-16).
The Ekklesia (GSN1577) is like a building with Christ as the cornerstone (Eph.2v20-22).
The Ekklesia (GSN1577) is like a wife with Christ as the husband (Eph.5v21-33).

  God's chosen people have been set free from sin by Jesus, and they must live consistently with the oneness which is in Christ.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS

  The city of Philippi had a checkered history.  It was named after Philip of Macedon who seized the city in 358 B.C. from the Thracians.  He was the father of Alexander the Great.  In 42 B.C. Mark Anthony and Octavius defeated Brutus and Cassius nearby and consequently transformed the Roman Republic (Oligarchy) into the Roman Empire.
Later Augustus Caesar made Philippi a Roman colony.  It was a principal stop on the great highway.  Traders going East or West would come there.  Therefore, it was a strategic place for the spread of the Gospel.

  In the early portion of Paul's second missionary journey, the Lord indicated that He wanted Paul to cross over into Macedonia (Ac.16v9-10), an event which has affected all of our lives in the West.  This was the first congregation ever to be established on European soil.
Ac.16v6-40 describes Paul's contact with Lydia and the Philippian jailor's household.  Paul may have visited them again when he journeyed from Ephesus to Macedonia (Ac.20v1; 2Cor.2v12-13; 2Cor.7v5-6).  We know that he spent time there that spring (Ac.20v6).

  It is ironic that Philippians was written in another prison (in Rome) a decade later.  Paul, who supported himself, ordinarily refused to receive a preacher's salary because of a principle (1Cor.9v2; Ac.18v3).  However, he did accept encouragement and financial support from the Philippian brethren when he was in Thessalonica (Php.4v16-18) and while in Corinth (2Cor.11v9).
Epaphroditus arrived in Rome from Philippi with another offering of love.  Epaphroditus nearly died, but recovered (Php.2v25-30; Php.4v18).  Paul sent him back to Philippi with this letter and with his heartfelt thanks for their gift.  He reassured them that they would be victorious if they had the same attitude of Christ, instead of conceited pride.  Php.2v5-11 is a classic passage.

  Although, strictly speaking, there is no developed single theme, the main thought of Philippians is the all-sufficiency of Christ in any circumstance--good or bad.
Christ is the very meaning of life and death (Php.1v20-21).  More than a dozen passages exude Paul's joy and confidence.  He loved them very much and urged them to persevere.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS

  Colossae was an important city in the province of Phrygia in Asia Minor, situated to the east of Ephesus.  It is not definitely known that Paul visited it, but it is quite possible that he went there on his third missionary journey.
Most probably, this letter was written by Paul while he was a prisoner in Rome, about A.D. 62, and delivered by Tychicus (Col.4v7-8).

  Colossians is the sister epistle to the Ephesians, just as Romans is to Galatians.  It was written almost simultaneously by Paul and sent through the same messenger, Tychicus (Eph.6v21-22).
The central theme of Colossians is Christ, while that of Ephesians is the Ekklesia (GSN1577)

  The Colossian heresy combined philosophical speculations, astral powers, reverence to angelic intermediaries, food taboos, and ascetic practices with Judaistic borrowings (Col.2v8-23).

  Paul does not confront the heresies that existed in Colossae point by point, but, in a positive manner, he presents related truth.
From the subjects he touches upon, we conclude the following:
  (1) Inordinate attention was being given to the powers of the spirit world to the detriment of the place given to Christ.  In Col.2v18 he speaks of "worshiping of angels," and in other references to the relation of the spiritual creation to Christ (Col.1v16, Col.1v20; Col.2v15).
  (2) Undue attention was given to outward observances such as feasts and fasts, new moons and sabbaths (Col.2v16f), and probably also circumcision (Col.2v11). These were presented as the true way of self-discipline and the subjection of the flesh (Col.2v20ff).
  (3) They were definitely also influenced by Gnosticism, a heresy that plagued the early believers in the first 200 years.  The word is derived from the Greek word (GSN1108 - gnosis) meaning "knowledge".  This heresy was repudiated not only by the writers of the New Testament Epistles but also by the church fathers who followed the early church.  It is from them that we acquire a knowledge of its general tenets.

  The Gnostics separated matter from thought.  They considered matter as evil and thought (knowledge) as the ultimate for salvation.  This is why they did not want to attribute humanity to Jesus Christ, since humanity (being material), to them, was evil.
From this false doctrine the Docetic heresy arose.  They believed that the body of Christ was only something that "appeared" to be material, but in reality it was not.  Such a belief led to an immoral life from which the human spirit was entirely separate and not responsible for the acts of the body.
This is the reason why Paul stressed in Col.2v9 that in Jesus Christ, as He appeared on earth, all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt "bodily."  He was truly God in the flesh.  As a result of the Gnostic philosophical concept of the evil of the body, the Gnostics ignored or diminished the significance of the historic facts of the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as not being real, but only allegedly apparent.
To them, all the secrets of God were in the mind--an non-material identity.  The result developed in two divergent directions, one being a complete denial of sexual and other bodily appetites, i.e. virtual asceticism; and stemming from the same premises, the practice of unrestrained indulgence of the body (libertinism).

  In this letter, Paul counters the teaching which stressed that the way of holiness was through an asceticism that promotes only spiritual selfishness.  Paul emphasizes that spirituality is not achieved by self-centered efforts to control the passions, but by putting on Christ, setting one's affections upon Him, and so stripping off all that is contrary to His will (Col.2v20ff; Col.3v1ff).

  Furthermore, Paul stresses that, as far as non-material knowledge is concerned, true wisdom is not a man-made philosophy (Col.2v8), but the "mystery" (revealed secret) of God in Christ, who indwells all who receive Him (Col.1v27), without distinction of persons (Col.3v10f).

  The occasion of the writing and sending of this letter was that of Paul sending a messenger to Philemon in Colossae in connection with Philemon's runaway (but now converted) slave--Onesimus (Col.4v7-9).
In addition, Epaphras had brought Paul a report about the congregation in Colossae which included many encouraging things (Col.1v4-8), as well as some disturbing news about the false teaching that threatened to lead its members away from the truth of Christ.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF FIRST THESSALONIANS

  Paul and his companions had to leave the city of Thessalonica hastily early in the summer of A.D. 50, after making a number of converts and planting a congregation there.  Today, Salonica (Thessalonica) is the capitol of Greek Macedonia (Ac.17v1-20).
Thessalonica was the first place where Paul's preaching achieved a numerous and socially-prominent following (Ac.17v4). Thessalonica remained a triumphant crown to his efforts (1Th.1v8).

  The sudden departure of Paul and his companions from Thessalonica left the newly-founded congregation exposed to great persecution for which they were not prepared (see Ac.17v5-9).
Paul simply did not have time to teach them adequately beforehand.  At Paul's earliest opportunity, he sent Timothy back to see how the Thessalonian Christians were faring.
When Timothy returned to Paul in Corinth (Ac.18v5), he brought good news about their steadfastness and zeal in propagating the Gospel, but reported that they had certain problems, some ethical (with special reference to sexual relations, see 1Th.4v4-7) and some eschatological.
They were concerned that those who had died would be at a disadvantage, not being alive when the coming (GSN3952 - parousia) of the Lord would be realized.
Consequently, Paul writes about the coming of the Lord as the result of this concern that existed among the Thessalonians.  He wanted to assure them that those who had already died would not miss any of the glory that those who would be alive at the coming of the Lord (1Th.4v13-18) would experience.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SECOND THESSALONIANS

  The Second Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians was written in A.D. 51-52 from Corinth soon after his first letter.  Some members from the congregation in Thessalonica had inferred that, since the coming of the Lord Jesus was imminent, there was no point in continuing to work on this earth.
Paul went on in the Second Epistle to explain that certain events must happen before the Lord Jesus' return.  In particular, there would be a world-wide rebellion against God, led by one who would become incarnate in the forces of lawlessness and anarchy.

These persons were being held in check by a power which Paul did not need to name in writing, since his readers already understood what he meant.  He told the Thessalonians not to live at the expense of others, but to get back to work.
Some of the Thessalonian Christians were apparently confusing the suddenness of the Lord's coming with its immediacy.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF FIRST TIMOTHY

  The two letters to Timothy and the one to Titus, commonly known as the Pastoral Epistles, belong to the period at the very close of Paul's life.  They provide very valuable information about the great missionary's thoughts as he prepared to delegate his tasks to others.  It is generally believed that 1 Timothy was written about 63 A.D.

  Timothy was the son of a mixed marriage; his mother, who evidently instructed him in the Scriptures, was a Jewess, and his father was a Greek (Ac.16v1; 2Tim.1v5).  He was a native of Lystra (Ac.16v1) and was highly esteemed by his Christian brethren both there and in Iconium (Ac.16v2).
Timothy came to know the Lord on Paul's first missionary journey which included Lystra in its itinerary.  When Paul took his second missionary tour, Timothy's mother was also a Christian.

  Paul added Timothy to his group as he traveled with Silas (who had replaced Barnabas).  Timothy probably replaced John Mark whom Paul had refused to take along (Ac.15v36ff).  To avoid criticism from local Jews, Timothy was circumcised before setting out on Paul's trips.

  Timothy was first assigned to minister to the believers in Thessalonica.  He was associated with Paul and Silvanus (Silas) in the greetings of both epistles directed to the congregation and was present with Paul during his preachings at Corinth (2Cor.1v19).
Timothy was next heard of during the apostle Paul's Ephesian ministry when he was sent with Erastus on another important mission to Macedonia.  From there he was to proceed to Corinth (1Cor.4v17).  Apparently, Timothy was of a timid nature; hence, the admonition of Paul to encourage him (1Cor.16v10-11, compare 2Tim.4v17ff).

  Timothy also went with Paul on the journey to Jerusalem with the collected funds (Ac.20:4-5) and was next mentioned when Paul (then a prisoner) wrote Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians from a prison in Rome.
When Paul was released from imprisonment and engaged in further activity in the East, as the Pastoral Epistles indicate, it would seem that Paul left Timothy at Ephesus (1Tim.1v3) and commissioned him to deal with certain false teachers and to help supervise public worship and the appointment of some Christian leaders.
Although Paul evidently hoped to rejoin Timothy, the fear that he might be delayed occasioned the writing of this first letter to him.  This was followed by another when Paul was not only re-arrested, but put on trial for his life.
We have no indication as to whether Timothy was able to come to Paul in Rome as he had been urged to do.  Later, Timothy himself became a prisoner (as Heb.13v23 shows), but no details are given.  No further information about Timothy is given after that.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SECOND TIMOTHY

  The Apostle Paul wrote this Epistle to Timothy, his "dearly beloved son" (1Tim.1v1-2).  He wanted to prescribe the path which Timothy should follow in troubled times, both inside and outside the Ekklesia (GSN1577).

  Paul was clearly writing from a prison in Rome (2Tim.1v8).  The Book of Acts ends with Paul under house arrest (Ac.28v30-31), but there is abundant evidence that Second Timothy describes his second imprisonment (2Tim.4v16-18).
Most scholars believe that Paul was acquitted at his first trial.  Then he probably returned to Greece and Asia Minor for more missionary work. Later, he must have been re-arrested, taken back to Rome, and beheaded.
Many believe that Paul was made the chief scapegoat for Nero's burning of Rome.  The insane emperor set fire to Rome in order to rebuild it to his liking.
Since Nero was suspected of starting the blaze, he publically blamed the Christians for it and ordered them all to be executed.  This time Paul must have been charged with being a criminal (2Tim.2v9), not a technicality, as before.
Paul resigned himself to the inevitable, but he was very happy with the life of Christian service that he had lived, confident that the cause of Christ would ultimately triumph (2Tim.4v6-8).
He urged Timothy to arrive in Rome before winter with a warm coat and some Scripture parchments to read (2Tim.4v13; 2Tim.4v21).

  Paul's second Epistle to Timothy was written soon after the first one, approximately 66 A.D., while Paul was expecting his own execution.  This was Paul's last letter.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF TITUS

  Titus was probably a Gentile from Antioch (Gal.2v3) who was brought to Christ by Paul (see Tit.1v4) fourteen years after Paul himself had been converted.  At that time, when the dispute arose about the circumcision of Gentiles, Titus accompanied Paul to Jerusalem.
While there, some dogmatic Jewish brethren insisted that Titus (born a non-Jews) be circumcised.  Paul would not allow it for the sake of principle (Gal.2v5,16).  To do otherwise would imply that all non-Jewish Christians were second-class citizens in the kingdom of God.

  Titus remained as Paul's traveling companion and was probably with Paul when he wrote the letter to the Galatians.  Titus is not mentioned again until the events which triggered the writing of 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians.
After Paul's release from his first Roman imprisonment (circa 64 A.D.), he traveled with Titus in the East.  They landed at Crete and evangelized several towns (Tit.1v5).  However, Paul was unable to remain any longer.
So, he left Titus behind to help appoint some leaders and to organize the Christians in that region.

  Titus found considerable opposition, especially from the Jews (Tit.1v10), and a strong tendency toward insubordination.  Quite possibly, Titus had written to Paul to report this fact and to ask for his spiritual advice.
Consequently, Paul wrote a short letter pressing him to complete the process of organization, to ordain elders, to teach sound doctrine and to avoid empty disputations.
The letter was probably delivered by Zenas and Apollos (Tit.3v13).  Titus was requested to be ready to leave Crete and to join Paul at Nicopolis (Tit.3v12), where he was staying for the winter.

  It is probable that Paul dispatched Titus from there on a new mission to Dalmatia (2Tim.4v10).  A comparison of 1Tim.4v12 and Tit.2v15 suggests that Titus may have been older than Timothy and that he had been the stronger of the two men during the difficulties which had occurred in Corinth (1Cor.16v10; 2Cor.7v13-15).
Titus volunteered readily for a delicate task (2Cor.8v17).  He was full of affection and enthusiasm for the Corinthian brethren (2Cor.7v15).  He was effective, free from all sordid motives, and shared in Paul's spirit and example (2Cor.12v18).  Paul regarded him as if he were his own son (Tit.1v4), his brother (2Cor.2v13), and his partner in Christ (2Cor.8v23).
The epistle to Titus was probably written almost simultaneously with 1 Timothy from Nicopolis in Macedonia (Tit.3v12).
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF PHILEMON

  The Epistle to Philemon touches upon servitude among the Jews in the time of Christ and His Apostles.  The key to Paul's letter to Philemon is the Hebrew fugitive law in Deut.23v15-16.  This missive is proof that Paul acted in strict accordance with Mosaic requirements.

  Paul gave Onesimus shelter in his own hired house in Rome, while Paul was awaiting trial.  Paul would not betray Onesimus or deliver him up into the power of his master (Philemon) as a fugitive.
Paul did not send word to Philemon to come to Rome to prove that Onesimus was Philemon's slave and to take Onesimus back home.  Instead, Paul benignly protected and quietly instructed Onesimus about Jesus.  Then Paul sent Onesimus back (by his own consent) as a trusted and honored messenger, and as a BROTHER, bearing a request to Philemon concerning Onesimus' own freedom!

  Paul did not accuse Onesimus of running away wrongfully.  On the contrary, Paul stated that it was because of the merciful providence of God that Onesimus had departed from Philemon for a brief time, so that Onesimus might be received once more later, no longer as a servant, but--far more than as a servant--as a beloved Christian brother!
In this letter Paul besought Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would have welcomed Paul himself--as a partner.  Whatever wrong Onesimus may have done to Philemon, even though he may have been unprofitable to him (at the time), Paul now takes upon himself.
Paul did not intimate that the wrong was in Onesimus' running away from Philemon.  No, whatever wrong Onesimus had done during his "unprofitable" state of bondage, that situation was irrelevant because of the profound change in Onesimus' spiritual status.

In order that there might be no shadow of remaining claim by Philemon against Onesimus whereby he might say, "I (Philemon) will keep you (Onesimus) still in bondage until you work out your debt," Paul takes all of Onesimus' debts upon himself, whatever they might be, and becomes a guarantor for Onesimus.
The result is that Onesimus was to be viewed as a free man, and no longer as a slave (GSN1401 - doulos)
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

  We do not know exactly who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews. Perhaps it was Apollos.  According to Ac.18v24-28, he was a well-read Hellenistic Jew from Alexandria in Egypt.  Martin Luther guessed that he wrote it.
Tertullian (A.D. 150--230) said that Hebrews was a letter from Barnabas.
Adolf Harnack and J. Rendel Harris speculated that it could have been written by Priscilla (Prisca).
William Ramsey suggested that it was done by Philip.
However, the traditional position is that the Apostle Paul wrote Hebrews. About the end of the second century, Clement of Alexandria thought that Paul originally wrote the letter in the Hebrew language and that it was later translated by Luke or someone else into polished Greek.
From the very beginning, the Eastern Church attributed the letter to him, but the Western Church did not accept this until the fourth century.
Eusebius (A.D. 263-339?) believed that Paul wrote it, but Origen (A.D. 185-254?) was not sure.
Regardless of who wrote it, it is certainly a superb, literary, Greek masterpiece which is well-organized, logical, and comprehensive.

  Whoever the author was, this individual wanted to reassure Jewish believers that their faith in Jesus as Messiah was secure and reasonable.  He tried to prepare them for the impending disaster--the Temple in Jerusalem, with its attendant animal sacrifices, would soon be destroyed by the Romans, just as Jesus had predicted (Matt.24).
There was no further need for the Temple, because Jesus had cleared the way for direct access to God's throne (Heb.4v14-16; Heb.10v19-22; compare Matt.27v51).
Animal blood was no longer necessary, because the blood of the Lamb of God (Jn.1:29) now continually takes away sin (Heb.9v18-26).  Jesus' system is vastly superior to the abolished Jewish system.

  The date is also a matter of conjecture.  However, it seems certain that it was prior to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., because the Temple was still standing at the time Hebrews was written (Heb.10v11; Heb.13v10-11).
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JAMES

  There were two Apostles with the name of James.  One was the brother of John, son of Zebedee.  The other was the son of Alphaeus (Matt.10v2-3).  However, neither of them is thought to have been the author of this Epistle.
The oldest half-brother of Jesus was also named James (Matt.13v55).  Jesus appeared to him after He rose from the grave (1Cor.15v7).  He was present in Ac.1v14.  Later he became a great leader in the Jerusalem congregation (see Ac.12v17; Gal.1v18-19).  Most scholars believe that this man wrote this general letter.

  Tradition has it that this James spent so much time on his knees in prayer that they became as callous as the knees of a camel!  Paul listened to James' advice in Ac.21v18-26.
Though James was a very conservative Jewish believer, he moderated a potentially-explosive situation in Jerusalem and helped to draft a very tolerant letter to the non-Jewish Christians in Antioch regarding their spiritual status (Ac.15v13; Ac.15v19; Gal.2v1; Gal.2v9-12).
Though James certainly recognized Paul's role to the Gentiles, he concentrated on his own mission, that of winning his own Jewish brethren to Jesus, the Savior.

  The Book of James is the most Jewish book of the New Testament, but would fit well within the stream of Wisdom Literature in the Old Testament.  In fact, it has been called "the Proverbs of the New Testament."
It is closer in spirit to the Gospel of Matthew than any other New Testament book.  This is especially true with regard to the Sermon on the Mount (Matt.5-7).
This letter from James is representative of Jewish Christianity of the type found in the Jerusalem congregation, where James was the dominant figure from about A.D. 45 until his martyrdom in A.D. 62.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF FIRST PETER

  The imprint of Peter upon the early community of Christians was stronger than that of any of the other original Twelve Apostles. He was the most prominent disciple during Jesus' lifetime, and the first twelve chapters of Acts are devoted to his ministry and to that of the church in the East, where he was still the dominant figure.
Paul mentioned him in Galatians (Gal.1v18; Gal.2v7-11, 14) and 1 Corinthians (1Cor.1v12; 1Cor.3v22; 1Cor.9v5; 1Cor.15v5), and two New Testament Epistles bear his name.

  Peter's first letter is one of the seven general letters and is addressed to the five Roman provinces in Asia Minor north of the Taurus Mountains (what is now modern Turkey).  The occasion of writing was persecution in the area, and the letter tries to encourage and equip the readers for the difficult times ahead.
There were, as yet, no empire-wide persecutions of Christians until the brutal one under Decius (A.D. 249-51), but temporary local ones could be quite severe.
One of the worst persecutions known to have struck the early believers took place early in the second century in Bithynia, one of the provinces to which 1 Peter was written.
In a letter sent from Pliny, Governor of Bithynia, to the Roman Emperor, Trajan, in A.D. 112, the official explained that he had been executing people who confessed that they were Christians.
Trajan's reply indicated his approval of Pliny's policy but allowed Christians who would renounce their faith and worship Roman gods to go free.  Since First Peter was probably written in the A.D. 60's, persecution of the severest kind for its recipients was only a few decades away.
Peter used Jesus' own suffering as the cornerstone of his exhortation.
Another key concern was that Christians suffer as Christians, not as lawbreakers.  In this connection, he produced one of only three instances of the word "Christian" to be found in the New Testament (Ac.11v26; Ac.26v28; 1Pet.4v16).
Peter wrote from "Babylon," which was sometimes a code word for Rome (see Rev.14v8; Rev.17v5), so it was probably actually written from Rome.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SECOND PETER

  Although the author of this letter asserts that he is the Apostle Peter (2Pet.1v1), no book of the New Testament had a more difficult time establishing its authenticity, apostolicity, and its deserved place in the canon (the universally-recognized list of inspired, holy books) as 2 Peter.
This was due in part to the fact that 2 Peter was not widely known very early, and, so many people in the second and third centuries A.D. were falsely writing under the name Peter.  Nevertheless, the traditional view has remained--that the Apostle Peter was indeed the author.

  There is a literary relationship between Second Peter and Jude, because the material in 2Pet.2v1-3v3 is very similar to the text in Jd.3-18, in both order and content.  The specific application of the two letters, however, is slightly different.
Second Peter was occasioned by the presence of a group of false teachers who were about to cause serious problems for his readers.  In 2Pet.2 we learn of their licentious life style and in 2Pet.3 of their skepticism about whether Christ would return .  This prompted Peter to provide one of the fullest discussions about the end of the world in the whole Bible.
The seeming delay of Jesus' return is only apparent, because God lives outside the dimension of time.  One day, the "Day of the Lord" WILL occur, and it WILL be accompanied by the total destruction of this physical universe.
In the meantime, the readers were warned to be careful, lest they be infected by the false teachers' life style and teachings.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF FIRST JOHN

  The Apostle John, the follower of Jesus whom he loved so much (Jn 13:23; Jn 19:26; Jn 20:2; Jn 21:20), wrote this letter, probably about 95 A.D.  A few scholars try to date it before the fall of Jerusalem (70 A.D.).
A tradition says that John took care of Jesus' mother, first in Jerusalem and then later in Ephesus until she died.

  The main purpose of this epistle was to combat the rising tide of Gnosticism.  Later, in the second century, Gnosticism was to become a major threat to the historical truths of the gospel message.
Gnostic devotees claimed to have a special "knowledge" (1108-GSN - gnosis) which was supposedly not available to rank-and-file Christians.  These "intellectuals" believed, along with the Greek philosopher, Plato, that the human body and spirit were two entirely separate entities.
The flesh (4561-GSN - sarx) was allegedly and inherently "evil," while the spirit (4151-GSN - pneuma) was "good" and functioned in a completely different manner.  Since the material body was considered "evil," these Gnostics were felt forced to reject the teaching that Christ had ever been in a real, physical body.
So, they taught that Jesus only "seemed" to have had a body (2Jn 7 ).  In actuality (they claimed) Jesus was only a phantom.  However, the Apostle John was very careful to point out that Jesus had been PHYSICALLY present (Jn 1:14; Jn 20:27-31).
John and the other apostles saw Jesus closely, heard him at close range, and touched him with their hands--both before and after his resurrection from death (1Jn 1:1-2).

  John also emphasized that we CAN be certain of our salvation.  As long as one continually "walks in the light (truth) as he (Jesus) is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth (i.e. continually) us from all sin" (1Jn 1:7).  We must also continually admit our sinful condition (1Jn 1:9).

  Can one who is "born of God" commit sin?  Answer: certainly! However, it must NOT be habitual (1Jn 3:6, with the Greek present tense).  If it is, then that sinner is in league with the Devil (1Jn 3:8)!
The true Christian does not PRACTICE that kind of life (1Jn 3:9), though, at times, he or she may occasionally slip and fall.

  Because of early Gnostic influence, some were claiming that they were now sinless (1Jn 1:8,10)!  If such were the case, we wouldn't need Jesus (1Jn 2:1-6). The Gnostic sympathizers were teaching that a mere intellectual knowledge made them acceptable to God, even though they were living immoral lives!
John responded with: "The one who PRACTICES good is from God, but the one who PRACTICES evil has never experienced God" (3Jn 11 )!

  In this letter, the Apostle John stressed that we must love one another, according to the wishes of our Savior (Jn 13:34-35; Jn 14:15; Jn 14:23; Jn 15:10-17).
The noun "love" (0026-GSN - agape) appears 17 times and the verb "love" (0025-GSN - agapao) occurs 28 times in these short five chapters!
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF SECOND JOHN

  The Second Epistle of John was a personal letter.  One gets the impression that John wrote other similar letters which we do not possess (1Jn.2v14; 3Jn.9).
Second John was just long enough to fit on a standard-sized sheet of papyrus (10" x 8"), conforming to the pattern of letters in that period.
It was addressed from "the elder" to "the elect lady and her children," which could symbolically mean a congregation.  It may have been so stated in order to confuse any enemy who might intercept the epistle in dangerous times.

  The occasion of this letter is similar to that of 1 John--false teachers were traveling from congregation to congregation formally denying that the Jesus, Son of God, had really come in the flesh.
This was perhaps the beginning of the powerful Gnostic heresy.  John cautioned his friends not to extend even normal hospitality to such people.  To do so would imply endorsement (2Jn.10-11).
Loving others (2Jn.5-6) must not be construed as encouraging false doctrine!
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF THIRD JOHN

  Like the Epistle to Philemon and Second John, Third John is a private letter addressed to the elder's friend, Gaius, who was a leading member in another congregation.
There was a Gaius in Corinth (1Cor.1v14; Rom.16v23); a group of Christians met in his home.  One tradition says that this Gaius later became John's scribe.  However, we do not know if he is the same Gaius as the one in 3 John.
One thing is certain; John truly loved this man. (3Jn.1-5; 3Jn.11).  This particular Gaius is commended for his deep devotion to the truth and for showing his practical love to traveling preachers who depended on congregations of true believers to support them.

  There was another individual in that vicinity whom John did not appreciate.  His name was Diotrephes.  He was a self-appointed, domineering man who summarily excommunicated anyone who did not agree with his policies.  He was so arrogant that he ignored even John's apostolic credentials.  A confrontation was inevitable (3Jn.9-11).

  John's teaching about committing sin (1Jn.1v6-10; 1Jn.3v4-10) may be interpreted by his own phrase in 3Jn.11--"a doer of evil." This does not mean the mere commission of an inadvertant, single act of sin, but denotes a habitual sinner, one who deliberately sins often.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JUDE

  The author of this small letter identifies himself as "Jude (or, Judas), the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James" (Jd.1).
In the early church, there was only one James who could be referred to in this way without further specification, and that was "James, the Lord's brother," as he is called in Gal.1v19.
This Jude was probably the same one who is numbered among the physical brothers of the Lord Jesus in Matt.13v55 and Mk.6v13.  A few scholars identify Jude as the Apostle Judas (not Iscariot) in Matt.10v2-3, also called Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus (Lk.6v16; Ac.1v13) in some manuscripts.

  Little is known of the circumstances to which Jude addresses himself, and no one knows the precise time of writing.  Jude is quite similar to some of the content of Second Peter (which see). Both writers were alarmed at the inroads which false teachers were making.
Jude urges the Christians to "earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jd.3).  The apostasy of which Paul spoke (Ac.20v29-31) was beginning to threaten.  It was a very serious situation.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION

  The word "Revelation" means "to take the cover off," (GSN0602 - apokolupsis), from the preposition (GSN0575 - apo), "from" and (GSN2572 - kalupto), to cover.
Therefore, it is an uncovering, especially of the glory of Christ and of what the future holds because of him.

  This book is full of symbolism and prophecies.  What the Book of Daniel was to the Old Testament, Revelation was to the New Testament.  Both books were written in an apocalyptic form. There are similar passages in the Gospels (Matt.24-25; Mk.13; Lk.21).


  The author is John (Rev.1v1; Rev.1v9; Rev.22v2; Rev.22v8), the same John who wrote the Gospel and the three Epistles of John (which see).

  This book was written at a time when the Ekklesia (GSN1577) was undergoing persecution and great difficulty.  The two most important such periods were during the reigns of Nero in A.D. 37-68 and Domitian in A.D. 51-96.
A spirited debate continues about whether Revelation was written BEFORE Jerusalem fell in 70 A.D. or was penned later (about 95 A.D.).  Some who believe the former allege that "Babylon" was the code word for "Jerusalem."
Others who accept the later date, traditionally believe that "Babylon" was "Rome," the capitol of the Empire.

  Revelation was addressed to the seven congregations of Asia Minor which are mentioned in Rev.2-3.  Almost everyone believes that this section was historical--that these were seven literal congregations in existence at the time that John copied down what he witnessed.

  There are essentially four ways of interpreting Revelation. The first, or preterist view, places the events and visions described as belonging to the past, particularly to the Roman Empire of the First Century A.D.
The advocates of this position explain the highly-symbolic character of the book as an endeavor by John to hide the real meaning of what he was saying to the general populace but which would become apparent to the insiders who lived at the time.
People holding this view believe that the main purpose of Revelation was to encourage the early believers that God would ultimately intervene in the affairs of mankind.

  The second view, or the historicist view, says that what we have in Revelation is a panoramic view of history from the First Century until the Second Coming of Christ.
This was the view of most of the Protestant Reformers.  In our opinion, this is an untenable position because historians have not been able to identify precise events in history which would correspond to the visions symbolized in the Book of Revelation.

  The third view is the symbolic view which states that the Book of Revelation portrays the continuing conflict between the forces of good and evil throughout the entire span of human history.
According to this view, the Book of Revelation was mainly designed to give encouragement, since at the end good will triumph over evil.

  The fourth view is the futuristic view which asserts that Rev.4-22 deals with events of the end time.
According to this view, the Book of Revelation was not concerned with events of John's own day as much as with later historical events, and particularly those happenings that WILL take place in connection with the Second Coming of the Lord in the future.
This view takes seriously the predictive element in the book (Rev.1v19; Rev.4v1).  Very definitely the final chapters of Revelation deal with the last days and a definitive change in the things as they are today.
Rev.1 deals with the past; Rev.2-3 tells us about things that were current at that particular time and which were to follow; Rev.4-22 informs us about the things which were to follow their time period.