The General Epistles and the Antilegomena

After considering the epistles of Paul, with some of the introductory and theological issues they present, we come to hte so-called "general" epistles and Revelation.  Several of these books have been called "antilegomena" since at one point or another someone has spoken against their authenticity and/or canonicity.  Sometimes the issue is uncertainty regarding authorship (e.g. Hebrews) or supposed "stylistic" or theological differences with accepted books (e.g. I Peter and 2 Peter on style, James and Paul on theology).  A couple of the books were little letters with limited circulation and so were questioned as well (2 and 3rd John).  All in all, the church came to a clear consensus and recognized the canonicity of these books among the collection we know as the New Testament.  As you read and ponder the message of these books I encourage you to hear afresh the message the Divine Author has for you in each of them.
Dr. Nash

The Letters to the Thessalonians and the Pastoral Epistles

The arrangement of our New Testament has us looking today at what might be the first, and the last, of the letters of the apostle Paul.  The second missionary journey was a major step, as Paul and Silas crossed over to Macedonia and traveled down the Grecian peninsula preaching Jesus and planting churches. The persecution did not discourage them from their mission. The distances involved however, may have been the impetus for beginning a ministry of writing letters and sending messengers to the churches.  We see in the Thessalonian letters encouragement and teaching that is appropriate to a young church and to believers in every age.

We also know that Paul realized he could not maintain personal supervision over all the churches that would be established.  Beginning on the first journey, once churches were planted, elders were appointed in every church.  The pastoral epistles are gems of apostolic instruction, admonition and encouragement to churches and to those called to pastoral ministry. What characteristics are important for the pastors or elders of a church to have?  Read I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 and see how these lists look in comparison to the "job profile" or "position description" that many search committees or nominating committees have today.  Why do you think there is so much emphasis on the character and heart of leaders in these letters?
Dr. Nash

The Prison Epistles

Today we will have an overview of the so-called "Prison Epistles," Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  There is some discussion among scholars with respect to which imprisonment of Paul provides the context in which one of more of these letters were written. The traditional view is that they were written during Paul's first Roman imprisonment, reported at the end of the Book of Acts.  The main point is that in each of these letters Paul is clearly more concerned about the challenges being faced by the churches than he is about his own well being. Each of these letters is a gem that contributes to or deepens our understanding of some aspect of theology or the Christian life.  Which of these great highlights stood out for you as you read this? The depths of our great salvation spoken of in Ephesians 1 or 2? The humbling "kenosis" passage in Philippians 2? The mystery of the Godhead, incarnate in Christ, alluded to in Colossians 1? The Christian response to a social evil in Philemon? Share your impressions in the "comments" below!
Dr. Nash

The Corinthians and the gifts of the Spirit

One of the pervasive themes in Paul's letters is the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. He is not a "force" but rather is a person, the third person in the Trinity.  One writer said that the Spirit gives believers R.I.B.S., we are Reborn of the Spirit, Indwelt by the Spirit, Baptized in the Spirit, and Sealed by the Spirit.  Paul is interested in all of these ministries of the Spirit and more.  He also writes about the gifts of the Spirit to the church (I Corinthians 12-14, Romans 12, Ephesians 4). The unity of the church is fundamental, but we are each uniquely gifted to have a part in God's mission, including the edification of other believers. Pay attention to the "one another" statements in the letters and you will see how important our ministry to each other really is. But, importantly, it is Spirit empowered ministry. The permanent presence of the Spirit in the assembled church and in individual believers sets apart this age in the history of redemption.  As you continue reading Paul's letters, notice his references to the person and work of the Spirit - and thank God for his presence and power!
Dr. Nash

The Letters of Paul

The expansion of the church during the apostolic period was dynamic. The small group of disciples, centered in Jerusalem was scattered through persecution (Acts 8:1,4) but as a result the gospel reached Antioch in Syria and a church was planted there (see Acts 11). That church became the missionary church that sent out Paul and his coworkers on the missionary journeys that reached Asia minor and ultimately Europe in the second part of the book of Acts. Travel took time, and there were only so many apostles! Sending written letters allowed for follow up and outreach that went beyond the limited reach of the leaders of the early church. Romans was a letter that Paul wrote to a church that he still planned to visit in which he laid out a systematic explanation of the Gospel. The Corinthian letters were written to correct misunderstandings and deviations from Paul's teaching during his time in that city and from other, non-canonical [and non-extant!] correspondences he had with them (we referred to them in class as the "previous letter" and the "severe letter"). One of the greatest challenges we have in reading the NT letters is that we are looking from the outside in, without the full understanding of the context and issues that compelled them to be written. Reflecting on the context of these writings in the life and ministry of Paul can help lead us to a fuller understanding of what the writer meant, then and there, and can open our hearts to receive the truth God has for us here and now.
Dr. Nash

The Acts of the Apostles?

     The title the church has used to refer to the "Acts of the Apostles" is interesting, especially when we consider that of the 12 only Peter, and to a lesser extent John, are mentioned with any frequency by name in the first half of the book, Then they all but disappear in part 2 where Paul becomes the primary human character during the missionary journeys and his journey, as a prisoner, to Rome (though there is a little "reunion" at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15!). Dr. Luke really wants us to understand that Acts is presenting God's continuing story. Jesus is building his church, and has sent the Holy Spirit to empower his followers to carry out that mission. The abrupt ending of Acts is also an invitation to the reader to consider his own part in the continuing story.
       We can avoid a lot of confusion in interpreting and applying the book of Acts by remembering that it is describing a transitional period in the history of God's people. The charge Jesus gave to his disciples in Acts 1:8 is exactly what we see unfolding in the story. After the pouring out of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost we see the witness bearing activity of the church moving outward towards the "ends of the earth." The early conversions in Jerusalem (Acts 2-3), the continued growth through tests from within and without (4-7), the persecution intensifies to the point that the believers are "scattered [like seed]" but God is still at work (8:1,4).  The shocking ministry to the Samaritans (8) followed by the unexpected conversion of a lone Ethiopian eunuch, the conversion of a young persecutor named Saul (9), the first gentile and his family believe (10), a cosmopolitan church is planted in Anitoch (11). James is martyred and Peter departs "to another place" (12), the missionary journeys, etc. (13 ff.). God is at work, and despite the circumstances and challenges nothing is going to stop what he is doing!
      As we seek to interpret and apply the book of Acts it is important to ask what was unique about the situation "then and there." What has changed by the time we get to the end of the story?  Was there something unique and foundational about the ministry of the apostles? What principles have continuing validity as God continues his mission today?  These and other questions will guide us in understanding God's Word to the church today, and hopefully, will lead us to a better understanding of our place in God's Story. What do you think?

Spiritual life week, a lesson on grace

This week, since we have no class for spiritual life week, is a great opportunity to get caught up on your reading of the New Testament for this class. As I mentioned in class I am using this as an opportunity to illustrate grace concerning one of our class assignments: the weekly on time reading of the assigned chapters in the New Testament, and the weekly reports you are writing answering the two questions from requirement #1 on the course syllabus.  If  you are behind and can get caught up by the time we meet next week, you can claim "on time" reading of the assignments to this point.  We are still a couple of weeks away from our midterm exam but you have also made great progress in reading our textbook, ENT (if you have been up to date on your reading you are half through the book!).  Remember, this blog is where you can post your questions (or observations/insights) over the weekly assignments in both the NT readings and ENT. Remember that ten "comments" will earn a perfect quiz grade score that can replace a low quiz grade. Don't miss out on this opportunity to help your grade and in the process encourage one another.  Let's learn together!
Dr. Nash

The Gospels, and the Maverick Gospel

We anticipate enough of a break in the weather to meet on Wednesday, and hopefully we'll be able to get caught up on our course calender, as we finish our overview of the synoptic Gospels and take a look at the fourth Gospel, called by one writer the "Maverick Gospel," John.  I regret having only a day to talk about John as I worked on this Gospel for several years as it was at the heart of my doctoral dissertation, and also preached a two year series working through John at Boothbay Baptist Church.  You might enjoy reading the final sermon in that series, which was presented as a first person overview from the perspective of John. Here is the link: http://boothbaybaptist.blogspot.com/2013/07/johns-story.html
Keep reading as per the class schedule, and remember that the quiz from this week will be taken from chapter 7, and chapters 10-12 in the textbook. They will be lifted directly from the practice quizzes on the text website, so if you are prepared on those you'll do fine. By the way, remember to be reading through the NT weekly, and journaling your progress by answering the questions as noted in course requirement 1 in the course syllabus. God willing, I'll see you on Wednesday!
Dr. Nash

Four Gospels, One Jesus

       As we continue reading the Gospels perhaps you are asking, "Why did God give us four parallel, complementary accounts of Jesus' life, ministry, and teachings, and not a single, more comprehensive volume presenting his complete biography?" We need to remember that these too are occasional documents, written to specific audiences with definite pastoral concerns and theological interests. We have talked a little about the importance of context in interpretation, and the Gospels are an excellent example of this principle. We need to look at the historical situation of Jesus, and appreciate what his actions and teachings revealed to his disciples, to the Jewish leaders, and to the multitudes. We also need to think about the historical context of the gospel writers, years after the cross and resurrection. The writers used selectivity in bringing together and arranging their accounts of the teachings and works of Jesus in order to teach and minister to the needs of their audiences. The Gospels are reliable accounts of what Jesus did and said, but they are not exhaustive biographies. They have a message. They teach theology. We need to read each of the four as complete narratives, and study them carefully to understand what the writer was teaching his original readers. Having done that, we can ask how the principles taught relate to us in our 21st century context. As we continue our survey of the gospels over the next couple of weeks pay attention to the unique perspective, emphases, and message of each one. Each contributes to our understanding of who Jesus is and what he has done. Each one also challenges us to live as his disciples. 

Keep reading, and don't forget to record your reactions to the biblical text. Feel free to post questions in the comments section below, if you are wondering about something it may be a question that someone else is thinking about as well! 

Snow day, but keep reading!

NTS class,
Our class today has been cancelled due to the snow, but that doesn't mean the work stops! Continue reading according to the class calender. Our quiz at the start of class next week will be based on the chapters that were due today, 3-5, in our text book. Continue reading the New Testament books as per the calender, and remember, you need to be recording your reactions to these reading week by week as outlined in the course syllabus. If something stands out in your reading of the Bible or the text book that you would like to share with me or the class you can publish it as a comment below this post. Don't worry if it doesn't immediately appear, I have to approve comments before they appear online. God willing I'll see you next week!

The Culture and Context of the New Testament

Today we will be talking about the religious, political, geographical, and cultural climate in which the New Testament was written. Do you think of reading the Bible as an exercise in cross-cultural communication? It really is!  As a missionary needs to learn the culture of the people among whom he or she will live and work, we need to immerse ourselves in the study of the culture(s) of the biblical world. Though we have excellent translations of the Bible into our language, it is still challenging to “hear” these documents as the original readers would have heard them, since we are not immersed in the same cultural context.  Chapter 2 in our text book is a good starting place, but as students of the Bible we need to be life-long learners of the biblical world and its culture. The better we understand the setting and context in which these documents were written, the better we will hear their message(s) as the writers intended. In reading the Bible we need to seek to discern the meaning that the writer intended to communicate to his original audience. Only after we understand what it meant "then and there" can we ask the questions about its meaning "here and now."

Why did the Pharisees have such a problem with the teaching of Jesus? And why is it in Acts that the Sadducees are the ones who seem to have the biggest objection to the preaching of the apostles? Understanding the religious context helps us to grasp what is happening and why. Other examples that would impact a first century reader differently than they do us include the relationship between Jews and Samaritans. Why was it so shocking for Jesus to have a conversation with a Samaritan woman (Jn 4), and why would he make a Samaritan the “hero” of one of the stories He told (Luke 10)?  Why does Luke point out that of ten men who were healed, the one who returned was a Samaritan (Luke 17)? 

The apostle Paul says that God sent His Son when the “fullness of time had come” (Gal 4:4,5). How did Jewish history in the centuries before the coming of the Messiah prepare the way for his arrival and the unfolding of God’s plan? The messianic hope was dynamically alive in the first century, but was it complete and balanced?

I hope you read this chapter carefully, and that you are intrigued enough to continue your study of this important background to the most important Book you will ever read. Your comments are invited below, what stood out to you in this chapter?

Companion Web Site

By the way, Baker Academic has a companion web site for our textbook "Encountering the New Testament." It is strongly recommended that you take advantage of the video overview and outlines, as well as the practice quizzes, in your study and preparation.  The address is...
http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/encountering-the-new-testament-3rd-edition/274454/esources
 (you may have to copy and paste the link to your browser).
SN

My Story

I thought it might be good to start with a short account of my own story.

       In 1979, I was called to serve as a juror on a murder trial. A man had killed his wife; his plea was temporary insanity.  She had become a "born again Christian," and he said that her talk about religion, God, and Jesus, drove him to a state of temporary insanity, when he killed her.  As evidence was presented in the course of the trial, witnesses were brought in to testify of the change in that woman's life.  To me it seemed like a very positive change. They spoke of the peace she seemed to have, and of the assurance she had that she was going to heaven. As the jury began deliberating we were sequestered in a hotel. I noticed a book on a night stand by my bed, and began reading a Gideon Bible. For the first time in my life, I read John 3:16. It sounded too good to be true. I always felt that if I were to get to heaven it would be through my good works, now I was reading that it was through faith in Jesus and his finished work that I could be saved. I did not yet trust in Christ, but God certainly had my attention!

       After the trial concluded, I went home and tried to tune into the "Rock" radio station I liked in those days, and "accidentally" heard the radio program "Unshackled!" (from the Pacific Garden Mission, in Chicago). I realized I was hearing the same story in someone else's life, that as God comes into someone’s life through faith in Jesus, they don't simply hope they might get to heaven someday, they know they are forgiven and have full assurance of salvation. They gave an invitation. I recognized my need, that my sin had separated me from God, and trusted in the finished work of Jesus Christ for my salvation. He did it all, my part was simply to believe and receive. 

       I soon sensed God was calling me to the ministry and I withdrew from the night classes I was taking at a secular college and the next semester began attending Northeastern Bible College. From there I went on to Westminster Theological Seminary for further study in the Biblical languages and hermeneutics.   After finishing a masters degree I went on for a Ph.D. in hermeneutics and biblical interpretation, focusing on  the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament.  Over the last thirty years the Lord has given me opportunities to serve him in pastoral ministry and as a seminary teacher in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I have taught as an adjunct instructor at Northeastern Bible College, Cairn University (then Philadelphia Biblical University), and now New England Bible College. Currently I serve as the senior pastor of Boothbay Baptist Church.

       My life purpose is to know God intimately, to love him passionately, and to serve him joyfully as a part of his church, and to use my gifts, experiences, and abilities to help others grow as his disciples.