A New Year, A New Lesson

Happy New Year! Now that we're deep into January of the year 2011, and snuggled in for the rest of the cold winter months, let's learn more about Paul and his letters. I'm going to tackle 1 & 2 Thessalonians next. But before we get started on the scripture, let's review what was going on in Paul's life to make him write these letters.

Summary of Paul’s life up to the time he wrote 1 Thessalonians:

• Born around 10 AD in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, which is now a part of Turkey. A Jew because his parents were Jewish. Yet he was born in Tarsus which gave him Roman citizenship. So he was a Roman citizen with a Greek culture and Jewish faith.

• He learned to speak and think like a Greek, but remained loyal to his Jewish heritage. At the age of 18, he was sent to Jerusalem to be educated as a rabbi and, therefore, learned the Old Testament thoroughly. Being the devoted Jew, he refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah and became a persecuter of the Jews who did believe. As such, he was commissioned by the high priest to travel north and arrest any followers of Jesus.

• While on the road to Damascus, the risen Jesus appeared to him and Paul was converted to Christianity by this encounter. He was also left blind from looking upon the Lord. He knew it wasn’t a dream because, not only was he blinded, but his troops also heard the loud voice of Jesus, although they didn’t see Him or understand His words.

• At about 26 years old (36 AD), right after his conversion, Paul went to Arabia, which is now Jordan, and then returned to Damascus. He preached there for three years and then traveled to Jerusalem, then to Tarsus, Syria, and Cilica. This took another 4 years.

• This is about the time Jude wrote the book of Jude – about 44 AD.

• At the age of about 36, Paul takes his first missionary journey, covering about 1400 miles, with Barnabas and Mark (also know as John-Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark). He moved quickly from place to place as he angered the Jews with his bold and controversial speeches.

• In 2 Corinthians 11:24-28, we learn from his own words what his life was like during this time. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

• Now we are up to about 48 AD, about the time James wrote the book of James.

• At about age 40, Paul began his second missionary journey, covering about 2800 miles, accompanied by Silas and later joined by young Timothy.

• On this trip he traveled to northwest Asia Minor and crossed to Macedonia, bringing Christianity to Europe for the first time. About 51 AD, they visited Thessalonica, the capital of Macedonia. They preached here until they were forced to flee to Berea. Although they were only in Thessalonica for a short period of time, they were able to establish a church with a group of devoted Christians. From Berea, Paul fled to Athens, leaving Timothy and Silas behind.

• After later joining Paul in Athens, Timothy was sent back to Thessalonica to help lead the newly formed church. Paul, failing to convince the people in Athens of the Messiahship of Jesus, moved on to Corinth, where he stayed for 18 months, working as a tentmaker and teaching about Christ, resulting in a large church being formed in Corinth.

• Still anxious about the immature congregation he had left behind in Thessalonia, he received a report from Timothy in about 52 AD and wrote the two letters of encouragement and instruction known as 1 & 2 Thessalonians.

Bookmark this website and return in a couple of weeks for the study on the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians.

In the meantime, I've been asked about how I prepare these lessons. I'll briefly try to answer that question here.

First, I pray for guidance as I open the Bible and choose which scripture to study next.
Then I research the writer to learn who, when, and why they wrote it.
Next, I read through the chapter to glean my limited understanding, some of which comes easy, and some not at all.

Now comes the difficult part. I study the footnotes in several translations of the Bible, as well as study aides in each. Then I look at other reference books to see how others have interpretted the scripture. Often, these reference books contradict each other, depending on the researcher's basic beliefs. That's when I take out my Strong's Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words, which has a cross-reference guide of every word in the scripture and the original Greek and/or Hebrew word and its original meaning. This helps me break down what the writer intended rather than what the translator interpretted. Whenever I do this, I again pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit.

I don't always get it right. I know this. Many times I will freely admit I'm not sure what the writer meant. I'm not a Bible scholar and never have claimed to be. That's why I want discussion through the comment page. If you disagree with anything I have to say in my blog, I welcome your input.

I am seeking the truth from God's Word. That is my purpose for this study blog. By having this obligation, it forces me to study my Bible in depth. Sharing what I've learned is my way of sharing God's love with you. I hope we'll both grow in wisdom and Christian strength in this upcoming year.