NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

Transcription

1 3New Testament Survey is a course designed as a complement to the Old Testament Survey Course. The student will see the consummation of God s story of human history. NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION...4 INTER-TESTAMENT PERIOD...8 TOPICAL NEW TESTAMENT...10 CAIN & ABEL, THE FLOOD AND THE TOWER OF BABEL GEOGRAPHICAL NEW TESTAMENT...11 THE GOSPELS...16 ISAAC, JACOB AND JOSEPH PERSONAL LETTERS BY PAUL...30 LETTERS FROM OTHERS...33 PROPHECY OF FUTURE...38 APPENDIX-A...40 APPENDIX-B...43 APPENDIX-C...45 EARLY CHURCH HISTORY GENERAL LETTERS BY PAUL...23 MOSES (NUMBERS / DEUTERONOMY)

2 Servant Leaders RESOURCE Copyright 2015 Servant Leaders International Visit our website: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior permission of the Publisher or Authors of this content. Written requests to the publisher for permission should be addressed to David M. Graef at dmgraef@live.com. He can also be reached at (616) Credits Author: Mark Cowell Graphic Design: Ashley Day

3 course: new testament survey Description: New Testament Survey is a course designed as a complement to the Old Testament Survey Course. The student will see the consummation of God s story of human history. Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to Understand the historical context of inter-testamental period up till the coming of Christ. Articulate the literary structure of the New Testament, knowing which books of the Old Testament belong to the Gospels, History, Letters and Prophecy. Grasp the geographical context of the New Testament narratives. Distinguish the purposes and intents of the four gospels. Show how Jesus fulfilled all Old Testament Messianic prophecies and prophetic elements of the Old Testament covenants. Have a basic understanding of the content and structure of all New Testament books. Have a basic understanding of the New Testament prophecies which are yet to be fulfilled. Learning Inputs: 1. Attendance of course lectures 2. Completion of assigned reading Outcome Activities: 1. Complete Homework Assignments 2. Complete Final Project 3 OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY

4 INTRODUCTION The Overview THE BIBLE PYRAMID (Symmetry within the structure of the Bible) 1 BIBLE 2 TESTAMENTS 3 MAJOR TOPICS 17 HISTORY 5 5 EXPERIENCE PROPHECY 1 (Israel) 8 MAJOR DIVISIONS (Church) Law History Poetry Prophecy Gospels History Letters Prophecy NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

5 EIGHT MAJOR DIVISIONS Old Testament 1. LAW (Genesis Deuteronomy): 5 books Foundation In the Law God lays down the foundation on which the superstructure of the succeeding Scriptures is built. All major Bible themes and doctrines have their roots in the first 5 Bible books. 2. HISTORY OF ISRAEL (Joshua Esther): 12 books Explanation The History books (Joshua through Esther) give us the explanation of how God s character and plan for man should have worked out in the history of one nation. In the Law, Abraham and his people were called and prepared. Then in the historical books they were to practice their faith before a pagan world. They were to be God s salt and light. The plan was to give the world a living illustration, through Abraham and his descendants, of the quality of life God desires for all His creatures. God s precepts were to be their practice, His law their life. In so doing they would make the world thirsty for the quality of life the one true God could produce in people. 3. POETRY (Job Song of Solomon): 5 books Aspiration In these books (Job through Song of Solomon) are recorded the aspirations of men and women, to encourage us to walk closer with our Creator. JOB PSALMS Why is their suffering in our lives? How can we handle it? How can we worship God in a wicked world? How can we stay pure when persecuted and suffering? PROVERBS Where can we get wisdom for the practical problems of everyday life? ECCLESIASTES What is really worth living for? SONG of SOLOMON What is God s view of love in marriage? 4. PROPHECY (Isaiah Malachi): 17 books Expectation The Old Testament prophetic books (Isaiah through Malachi) are filled with double expectations: God s expectation for His people, and His people s expectations from Him. These books were written to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. 5 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

6 New Testament 5. GOSPELS (Matthew John): 4 books Manifestation After Malachi there were 400 years of Prophetless, and mostly profitless, existence. Then the New Testament opened with the announcement and arrival of the long awaited perfect Prophet, Priest, and King. Here in the Gospels was the mighty manifestation of God incarnate (in flesh). The infinite somehow became an infant. Jesus was fully man, because He had to be a man in order to die, for God can t die. But He also had to be fully God, because only God is perfect and therefore able to pay for the sins of the world. If Jesus Christ was not fully God and fully man, the God-man, He could not have been our Savior. 6. HISTORY OF CHURCH (Acts): 1 book Formation The history book of Acts contains the formation of the church. Acts 1 records the final words of Christ s earthly ministry, chapter 2 contains information on the birth of the church at Pentecost, and the rest of the book of Acts records the expansion of the church throughout the Roman Empire. The church is born in Acts 2 and then spreads from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and the rest of the world. 7. LETTERS (Romans Jude): 21 books Exhortation In the Law there were 613 commandments given to God s people. In the New Testament there are 1,051 commands, most of which are in the Epistles (Letters). That s why we describe the New Testament Letters (Romans through Jude) as exhortation. Here the will of God for believers is spelled out in no uncertain terms. If you really want to know what God wants you to do, read the Letters. IDEA: Why not read through the Letters and mark a big letter C in the margin of your Bible beside each command. 8. PROPHECY (Revelation): 1 book Culmination Just as Genesis describes the origination of things, so the New Testament Prophecy book (Revelation) depicts the culmination of things. The perfect environment that was marred by sin in Genesis is made new in Revelation WHAT THEN IS THE MAJOR PURPOSE OF THE BIBLE? 6 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

7 The Authors of the NT MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN PAUL PETER JAMES JUDE one of the original disciples, tax collector /publican not an apostle, lived in Jerusalem, played a role in Paul s ministry not an apostle, traveled with Paul, two books he authored may have been written as part of Paul s defense part of the inner circle of three disciples religious Pharisee who was converted after meeting Jesus face to face on the road to Damascus. part of the inner circle of three disciples half brother of Jesus, did not become a believer till after Christ s resurrection, called an apostle half brother of Jesus, full brother of James, did not become a believer till after Christ s resurrection? The author of Hebrews is unknown 7 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

8 inter-testament period 400 YEARS BETWEEN Testaments The so-called 400 silent years between Malachi and Matthew (silent because no authoritative prophet was on the scene) were in reality filled with activity of spiritual significance. God was very active in human history preparing things for the coming of His Son (Galatians 4:4, But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His The Empires: 1. ASSYRIAN EMPIRE Came to ascendancy about 900 BC.. 2. BABYLONIAN EMPIRE Controlled the world scene from MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE This lasted from BC. 4. GREEK EMPIRE Their world domination lasted from BC. 5. MACCABEES This was a large group in Judah which established a time of Jewish independence after a revolt against Greek authority in 176 BC. 6. ROMAN EMPIRE Caesar Pompey the Great brought Palestine under Roman rule in 63 BC. This would be a dominion that would last until around 500 AD. Christ was born during the reign of Caesar Augustus who had appointed Herod the Great as king over Palestine. Important Events Preparing the Way: During the period of Roman rule leading up to the birth of Christ there were several important developments that prepared the way for the coming of Christ (Galatians 4:4) and the spread of the gospel throughout the first century. 1. SYNAGOGUE During the period of Babylonian Exile and after the Jewish people were dispersed throughout the then known world, synagogues (places of Jewish worship and the study of the OT Scriptures) were established wherever there were groups of Hebrews. During the 1st century they provided a place where the apostle Paul and others could go and preach the gospel. 2. ROADS Cyrus, the first king of Persia, began developing a system of roads during his reign. This continued during the early years of the Romans to the point that by the time of Christ there was a very well developed system of roads throughout the entire empire. 8 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

9 3. LAISEZ-FARE ATTITUDE (worship without interference) This started with the Medo-Persian Empire where they allowed the Jews to return and live in their home land, worshiping as they pleased as long as they did not cause any disturbance. This policy carried right on into the Roman Empire and all its provinces. Thus the Jews were able to worship freely and the early Christians were able to openly spread the gospel with little or no hindrance from the government. 4. GREEK LANGUAGE The fact that everyone spoke Greek also facilitated the spread of the gospel. Christians did not have to learn new languages, nor did the Bible have to be translated into dozens of other languages in order for the message to get out. This also led to the writing of the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament, LXX). Now everyone could understand the Bible. (Four major languages: Latin Roman courts & literature, Greek common man, Aramaic in Palestine/Israel, Hebrew Jewish religious leadership) 5. PAX ROMANA (Roman peace) During the time of Christ and the 1st century church the Roman Empire was at relative peace. This made the world one big happy neighborhood and facilitated free movement throughout the empire for Christians and the gospel. PARTIES OF THE JEWS BETWEEN THE TESTAMENTS Judaism in Jesus day was fractured by factions, which largely developed during the inter-testamental period. Overall the Jewish faith had become an emphasis on the externals (being right with God by following a long list of rules). The Sanhedrin (the 70) became the supreme court in Israel in religious and some civil matters, but any major decisions were subject to Roman approval. The high priest served as the Sanhedrin s leader. There were 6 Jewish parties that vied for the people s allegiance. The 6 Parties of Jews between the Testaments: (3 religious groups & 3 secular) A. Religious Groups 1. PHARISEES (legalists) These were the staunch conservatives, upholding both the Old Testament and the accumulated oral traditions of the Jews. They were strict legalists and political separatists. 2. SADDUCCEES (rationalists) These were the upper class religious and political liberals. These wealthy and socially minded rationalists rejected belief in the resurrection or the immortality of the soul. They strongly opposed the Pharisees and their traditions. 3. SCRIBES (traditionalists) These were the professional religious teachers and interpreters of the OT law. They devoted themselves largely to disputes and debates over small details of Scripture. They hated Christ from the very beginning of His ministry. B. Secular Groups 4. HERODIANS (status quo) They were pro-establishment, committed to maintaining the status quo. 5. ZEALOTS (political activists) These were the Middle East terrorists of Jesus day 6. ESSENES (isolationists) These were the extremists, living in isolation from the rest of Jewish society 9 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

10 topical new testament The first 5 books of the New Testament give us the history of Christ and the church, the next 21 books, in the form of letters, focus on the believer s experience and the closing prophecy book is a fitting culmination to the whole collection of Scripture. History 5 Books Experience 21 Books Prophecy 1 Book...of Christ Matthew Mark Luke John...of the Church Acts Letters written by Paul Romans 1 & 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 & 2 Thessalonians 1 & 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Letters written by Others Hebrews James 1 & 2 Peter 1, 2, & 3 John Jude Revelation Observations: 1. The five New Testament history books give us the story line, books supplementing that story. 3. The 4 Gospels record the manifestation of Christ in the flesh. 4. Acts records the formation and expansion of the church under the leadership of the apostles. The letters (epistles) are full of God s exhortation to His people. As expected the majority of the 1,051 commands of the New Testament are found here. For the most part the letters fit into the time period of the book of Acts. The 21 letters divide naturally into two groups. The first 13 are from Paul, and the last 8 are from others. Paul s epistles all get their names from the people to whom they were addressed (for example: letter to Timothy, to the Ephesians, etc.). But the others all get their names from their human authors (for example: letter from Peter, from James, from John, etc.). Hebrews, with its unknown author, is the only one that doesn t fit this scheme. See Appendix A: The Chronological New Testament. Pages 40-42) 10 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

11 geographical new testament THE FOUR GOSPELS ON ONE MAP Most believers are familiar with the pieces of Christ s earthly life and ministry, but rarely do they see the panorama of it all. In this section of our study we will draw a map of the land of the gospels and place major events from Christ s life and ministry on it. The Old Testament map stretches all the way from Egypt to Persia, but for the life of Christ we only need a small section of that map. Jesus never traveled more than 100 miles from home during his whole earthly life. The Water 1. The Great Ocean The names of the major bodies of water change some from the OT to the NT. The Great Sea of the OT is never mentioned by name in the NT, though many events take place on it. Today we call it by its modern name, Mediterranean Sea In the Gospels the Sea of Chinnereth becomes the Sea of Galilee The Jordan River keeps its same name 4. The Salt Sea is not mentioned in the NT, but today it is known as the Dead Sea. The Regions There are 5 major regions where Jesus traveled The area between Mt. Carmel and the Sea of Galilee is named Galilee. 2. The area between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean was Judah in the OT, but in the NT it is Judea Between Judea and Galilee is Samaria. 4. Northeast of the Sea of Galilee is Iturea 5. Northeast of the Dead Sea is Perea. 11 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

12 ACTS AND LETTERS ON ONE MAP On the map below you will see the area in which all major biblical events from the ascension of Christ to the Revelation take place. These land areas all clustered around one great sea, the Mediterranean. Geographical Observations 1. Italy is well known for its boot-shaped boundaries. 2. The next land mass to the east jutting south into the Mediterranean Sea has 3 provinces ; Macedonia, Achaia, and Greece. 3. The province of Asia is in the southwestern corner of the next landmass to the east, with Galatia in the center. 4. Syria and Israel hug the eastern shoreline of the Mediterranean. 5. Arabia to the southeast and Egypt southwest of Israel. 12 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

13 Geography and Formation of the Church: ACTS THE FORMATION OF THE CHURCH IN ACTS 1-12 The 5th New Testament period covers the expansion of the church from Jerusalem to Syrian Antioch. Jesus ascended back to heaven from Jerusalem. Fifty days later the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. That event marked the beginning of the church, a body in which there is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. After Pentecost the church was mainly Jewish and centered in Jerusalem. Then Philip took the gospel to Judea and Samaria. Peter was encouraged in a vision to take the gospel to the Gentiles at Cornelius house. Then Jewish persecution of the church caused believers to go out from Jerusalem as far north as Antioch in Syria. Shortly thereafter Antioch became the missionary center of the church which was becoming more and more Gentile in its focus. In fact the first 3 missionary trips led by the Apostle Paul were sent out from this church. Paul s Missionary Journeys 1. PAUL S FIRST JOURNEY IN ACTS The 6th New Testament period Paul, Barnabus, and John Mark (the author of the Gospel of Mark) were sent out as missionaries. Traveling through Cyprus, the group experienced both conversions and conflicts. After Mark left for home from Perga the other two continued inland to the central cities of Galatia. Many were saved and several churches were founded, but Satan was hard at work as well. In Lystra Paul was nearly stoned to death. After the pair had ministered in Derbe they returned to each of the new churches to strengthen the believers in their faith. Finally they returned to their home base in Antioch. 13 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

14 2. PAUL S SECOND JOURNEY IN ACTS During this 7th New Testament period Paul, who had now partnered up with Silas and Timothy, left the church at Antioch and went overland to encourage the believers in Galatia. Then, clearly directed by the Holy Spirit, the party headed for Troas on the Aegean Sea. Their Paul saw a vision of a man from Macedonia calling for help. The churches of Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, and Ephesus were all started on this trip. Paul stayed for 18 months in Corinth teaching the Word of God, and after stopping in Jerusalem to greet the church there they headed home. Most of this missionary tour was spent in Macedonia, Achaia, and Greece. 3. PAUL S THIRD JOURNEY IN ACTS The 8th New Testament chronological period began with a time of strengthening the Galatian Christians, Paul and his companions went west to Ephesus where Paul stayed a total of 3 years. Following a brief tour through Macedonia, Achaia, Greece, and back to Ephesus, Paul quickly made his way to Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost despite several warnings that he would be arrested there. 14 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

15 4. PAUL S FOURTH JOURNEY IN ACTS The 9th New Testament period really began in Jerusalem. After he arrived for the feast, Asian Jews mobbed Paul in the temple, which led to his arrest by the Romans. After 18 months in a Caesarean jail, Paul, as a Roman citizen, appealed his case to Caesar in Rome. The ship, which transported him and other prisoners there, got caught in a violent storm and wrecked on the Island of Malta, just off the coast of Sicily. Once in Rome Paul was placed under house arrest for 2 years. Fortunately he was free to receive visitors and openly proclaim Christ to the soldiers and others who were guarding him during all this time. 5. PAUL S FIFTH JOURNEY Most historian s believe that after his imprisonment in Rome Paul was freed and took a fifth journey to Spain, Ephesus, Macedonia, Crete, and back to Rome. During this 10th New Testament period Paul s overriding concern was two-fold: 1. To take the gospel to Spain which was at the western extremity of the Roman Empire. 2. To encourage his pastoral appointees, Timothy and Titus who were pastoring at Ephesus and Crete respectively. CONCLUSION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT Most of the writings of the Later Apostles (LA), those first generation apostles who outlived Paul, were done by the aged Apostle John who was exiled on the barren island of Patmos. The book of the Revelation tells of history s conclusion and it letters could also reminds us of how history will conclude: He s Coming! The forces of evil will not triumph. Jesus Christ is Lord of history and He has promised to personally return to consummate all of history. 15 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

16 the gospels Introduction: Each of the four Gospels develops the life and teachings of Jesus around a central theme. 1. Matthew and John stress divine aspects of Christ. 2. Mark and Luke emphasize His humanity. 3. Matthew and Mark together give us a balanced view of how Christ exercises His royal authority: He is servant of all. 4. Luke and John each stress one side of Christ: He is fully man and fully God, united in one person. (See Appendix B: Comparison of the four Gospels. Page 44) MATTHEW Messiah/King for the Jews Matthew is a Jew writing for Jews. His message is that Jesus is none other than the long-awaited Messiah, God s Anointed One, predicted and pictured throughout the Old Testament. Matthew is a natural link between the two testaments, with 99 references to the Old Testament. He recorded 10 specific Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled by Jesus. He uses the terms king and kingdom 75 times. Matthew wastes no time or words in presenting Christ as king. In chapters 1-4 he gives Jesus a pedigree straight back through David to Abraham. His earthly arrival was attested by Scripture, the star and the angels. John the Baptist proclaimed Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and at His baptism He was openly approved of by God. Matthew quoted the King s own principles for His people (chs. 5-7). His miracles proved that He had the power to rule (chs. 8-10). After Jewish leaders decided to oppose Jesus as their king (chs ), He prepared His disciples (chs ) for His impending death and resurrection (chs ). Ultimately He died on a cross with a sign attached that proclaimed Him as King of the Jews. 16 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

17 Outline of Matthew: Chapters 1-10 Chapters Looks more at Christ s first coming Looks more at Christ s second coming Ministering to the multitudes Christ came to serve Emphasis on miracles Ministry in northern Israel Outline for part 1a Focus on Disciples Christ came to suffer Emphasis on teaching Ministry in southern Israel Outline for 2a Presentation of King (chs. 1-4) Progressive opposition to King (chs ) Proclamations of the King (chs. 5-7) Preparation of Disciples (chs ) Power of the King (chs. 8-10) Passion of the King (chs ) Mark Christ is Servant Mark presents Christ as coming not to be ministered to, but to minister. Jesus taught that the way to be great is to be a servant (10:42-45). Jesus nativity and genealogy are not recorded in Mark, for who cares about a servant s birth or pedigree. Though this is the shortest of the four gospels it has the most words about the works of Christ. In stressing the activity of the divine Servant, Mark used the Greek term eutheos, meaning straightway and immediately forty times to show the clear obedience of Christ to His Father and His service to others. No one in Mark called Jesus Lord before His resurrection. Stern indictments of others are omitted as they are improper for a servant. Six of the sixteen chapters cover the week before the cross, which makes sense, because redemption was the Servant Messiah s greatest work. Throughout the book Christ leaves a perfect example of service to others as the proper path to greatness. 17 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

18 Outline of Mark: The service of the Servant Jesus life chapters 1-10 Jesus preparation for service (1:1-13) Jesus ministry in Galilee (1:14-6:29) Jesus withdrawal from Galilee to train the disciples (6:30-9:29) Jesus final ministry in Galilee (9:30-50) Jesus ministry in Judea and Perea (ch. 10) The sacrifice of the Servant Jesus death chapters Sunday (11:1-11) The triumphant entry into Jerusalem Monday (11:12-19) The cleansing of the temple Tuesday (11:20-13:37) Controversies with Jewish leaders and signs of the end of the age Wednesday (14:1-11) The anointing by Mary Thursday (14:12-52) The last supper and Gethsemane Friday (14:53-15:47) Trials and crucifixion of Christ The success of the Servant Jesus resurrection chapter 16 The conquest of the grave (16:1-14) The conquest of he globe (16:15-20) LUKE Likeness of Man Luke s favorite title for Christ is Son of Man. He wrote the longest gospel to demonstrate that Jesus in His humanity came to sympathize with sinful people as well as to seek and to save them (19:10). It s not surprising that a physician would give us the most historical facts and intimate details about Christ s interactions with people. Jesus emotions emerge the most in Luke and he gives us the lengthiest lineage of Jesus; assuring us that Jesus was a man. Luke is the gospel commentary on Hebrews 2:17-18 and 4: Christ is our likeness in every way but one; he had no sin of His own which meant that He could voluntarily take ours on the cross. Outline of Luke: Preparation (1-3 Identification (4-8) Instruction (9-18) Culmination (19-24) Jerusalem/Nazareth Galilee Judea & Perea Jerusalem Angels and People Miracles Parables Great Sacrifice and Miracles 30 Years 1.5 Years 6 Months 8 days + 50 days Mighty in Deed MIghty in Word 18 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

19 JOHN Jesus is God In John the emphasis is on Jesus deity and His role as the Son of God. The fourth gospel is 92% unique, only 8% of it s content is found in any other gospel and thus John stresses the absolute uniqueness of Christ. He is none other than God come in the flesh! John carefully selected seven I am claims of Christ to deity, buttressed by seven preresurrection miracles (signs) that only God could do. Seven I Am Claims: I am the... Bread of life (6:35) Light of the World (8:12) Door (10:9) Good shepherd (10:11) Resurrection and the life (11:25) Way, and the truth, and the life (14:6) Vine (15:1) Seven Miracles/Signs: Water to wine (2:1-11) Official s son healed (4:46-51) Lame man healed (5:1-9) Feeding of 5,000 (6:1-14) Walking on the water (6:16-21) Healing of a blind man (9:1-7) Resurrection f Lazarus (11:1-46) John s stated goal was to present Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world so that people would believe on Him and have eternal life (20:30-31). This is the gospel of belief, the word believe is used in some form 99 times and it is available to the whole world, a term used 77 times. Sufficient teaching of and testimony about Christ was available to produce many more books (21:25), but John states that he included enough so that we would have a valid basis for belief in Christ as the Son of God. God has done His part. The Savior has come, the Scriptures about Him have been written, and our part is to believe the record and receive Him as our Savior (1:12). The Son of God became the Son of man so that the sons and daughters of men could become sons and daughters of God. 19 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

20 Outline of Luke: Prologue 1:1-14 Jesus pre-galilean ministry 1:15-4:54 Jesus Galilean ministry, conflicts in Jerusalem 5:1-10:42 Jesus miracle at Bethany and entry into Jerusalem 11:1-12:50 Jesus final teaching and prayer 13:1-17:26 Jesus death and resurrection 18:1-20:10 Jesus post-resurrection appearances 20:11-21:25 (See Appendix C: ALPHABETIZED LIFE OF CHRIST -Page 45.) 20 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

21 early church history Acts The four gospels give us the history of Christ, and Acts the early history of the church. The apostles, trained under Christ s earthly ministry, became His church leaders and spokesman under His heavenly ministry. His apostles (meaning ones sent with authority ) went out in the power of the Holy Spirit to evangelize the world. Observations: 1. The church (Jews and Gentiles one in Christ) was: Born on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) with the Spirit empowering the gathered saints 2. Peter quickly emerged as the dominant spokesman, seeing 3,000 converts after his first sermon. 3. For about seven years the church was all Jewish and centered in Jerusalem. 4. Jewish persecution expanded the church to Samaria and beyond. 5. Saul of Tarsus was converted (Acts 9) and became the apostle to the Gentiles, expanding the church throughout the Roman Empire by his missionary journeys. 6. The book of Acts is the natural bridge to the Epistles (letters) and it testifies that Jesus method of multiplying his ministry through others works well. This is still his method today. He desires our lips to be used to tell His praises and our lives to show His power. Outline of the Book of Acts: Formation of the church (1-7) Transition of the church (8-12) Expansion of the church (13-28) Peter Peter and Barnabus Paul Evangelizing Jerusalem Evangelizing Judea and Samaria Evangelizing the world AD (7 Years) AD (8 Years) AD (20 Years) 21 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

22 4 Journeys of Paul Scripture Time Places Visited Books Written 1st Acts nd Acts 15:36-18:22 3rd Acts 18:23-21:17 4th Acts 21:18-26:32 Acts 27:1-28:31 5th? AD Seleucia, Cyprus (Salamos, Paphos), Perga, Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe AD Syria, Cilicia, Derbe, Lystra, Phrygia, Galatia, Mysia, Troas, Samothracia, Neopolis, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Caesarea, Jerusalem AD Galatia, Phrygia, Ephesus, Macedona, Greece, Philippi, Troas, Assos, Mitylene, Chios, Samos, Trogyllium, Miletus, Coos, Rhodes, Patara, Tyre, Ptolemais, Caesarea, Jerusalem AD AD AD AD 68 AD Imprisoned in Caesarea for two years Imprisoned in Rome for 3 years Crete, Macedonia, Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3; Imprisoned in Rome Titus 1:5) Beheaded in Rome Galatians 1, 2 Thessalonians 1, 2 Corinthians Romans Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon 1 Timothy, Titus 2 Timothy 22 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

23 general letters by paul ROMANS Righteousness of God Romans gives us the big picture of the Gospel developed around the theme of the righteousness of God, so it s no wonder that it has been placed at the beginning of the thirteen letters penned by the Apostle Paul. Paul had never been to Rome when he wrote this letter. Major Themes: 1 Everyone has a witness of God s existence and righteousness in creation and conscience, and the Scripture is available to most. 2. But we all fall short of God s righteous standard and we are in certain need of the salvation only God can provide as a grace-gift. 3. Once we sinners accept God s gift we are given a right standing before Him (justification) and we begin to grow in a process called sanctification. 4. We are to be living demonstrations of what the righteousness of God can produce in lives that are given to Him. As with other letters Paul wrote, Romans, gives a balanced presentation of doctrine and duty; of how belief ought to make a difference in our daily behavior. SELECTION SERVICE & SEPARATION Rejected by Israel (9-11) SECURITY Manifested in practical life. (12-16) Guaranteed as permanent (8:18-39) ROMANS GOD S RIGHTEOUSNESS SIN Needed by sinful people. (1:1-3:20) Experienced in the soul (5:1-8:17) Proved by God (3:21-4:25) SANCTIFICATION 23 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

24 1 CORINTHIANS Church Problems Solved (written while in Ephesus on 2nd journey) This letter is all about problems and questions in the early Gentile church. They had problems such as incest, believers filing lawsuits against each other, adultery and immorality, divorce, disorderly conduct surrounding the Lord s Supper, financial giving, the resurrection, following God s wisdom and more. But the tone of the letter is not one of condemnation, but rather of concern and correction. God had a solution for all the problems they faced and He has solutions for ours; be they personal, family, or church related. Outline of 1 Corinthians: Section Theme Verses Introduction 1:1-9 Personal Reports Letter Divisions Fornication Lawsuits Body Purity Marriage Virgins Christian Liberty Women in the church Lord s Supper Spiritual Gifts Resurrection 1:10-4:21 5:1-13 6:1-8 6:9-20 7:1-24 7: :1-11:1 11: : :1-14:40 15:1-58 Collection for Jerusalem Relief 16:1-4 Conclusion 16: NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

25 2 CORINTHIANS Clearing Paul s Reputation With Paul s straight forward approach to their problems outlined in the first letter, it s no surprise that another letter was needed to clear His reputation. Those who didn t like his instruction sought to discredit him. In this most autobiographical letter, the Apostle Paul opened a window to His soul. He could be emotional, even angry and though he had God-given apostolic authority, he preferred not to throw that authority around or for that matter even share all that He had been through for the cause of Christ. Paul set aside personal rights and even his reputation if that would help the Corinthians remain true to the Lord and to grow in their faith. Outline of 2 Corinthians: Apology of Paul (1-7) Arrangements of Offering (8-9) Authority of Paul (10-13) Change in plans Charity Defense Chastening Commendation Delight Call to Ministry Cheerful Giving Duty GALATIANS Gospel of Liberty (This letter was sent to a group of churches planted on Paul s first missionary journey) The good news of Galatians is that in Christ we can be set free: 1. from our bondage to sin 2. from the Old Testament Law that is helpless to produce righteousness in us. 3. to serve Christ and fulfill our highest potential in this world. But liberty doesn t mean license! We are not set free to live to ourselves, but to Him who loved us and gave Himself for us (2:20). We are freed from our former slavery in order to voluntarily choose a new Master. The price of our new ability to live and walk by the Spirit (instead of the flesh) was fully paid on Calvary. Christ has broken the links of the chain that bound us to our old nature and old lives. Outline for Galatians: Chapters 1-2 Chapters 3-4 Chapters 5-6 Lessons directly from Chris Law produces slavery Liberty only from the Gospel Autobiographical Theological Practical Christ Contrast: Law vs. Grace Conclusion God s revelation in Christ today God s revelation in Moses before God s expectation in us today 25 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

26 EPHESIANS Exaltation of Christ (begins prison epistles) Every believer is wealthy with all the riches of Christ Himself. God sees us as exalted with Christ in the heavenlies. We have a perfect position. Chapters 1-3: God s love for us is so great the whole Trinity was involved in our salvation. We who were dead in sin are now made alive in Christ. Not only are we reconciled to God through the blood of Jesus Christ, but barriers between people in Christ s church are broken down, because there is no more a distinction racially, economically, or socially. We are all apart of the same family. Chapters 4-6: God is concerned that our daily lives, our walk, match our wealth (all we have in Christ). Our practice should compliment our position in Christ. This ought to make an impact on our relationships with other believers, our ministry for the Lord, our family relationships, the way we handle ourselves at work and issues related to spiritual warfare. Outline for Ephesians: Chapters 1:1-3:21 Chapters 4:1-6:9 Chapters 6:10-24 Our Wealth Our Walk Our Warfare Complete in Christ Fruitful in Christ Victory in Christ Redemption by Trinity (1) Walk in Unity Our Adversary New relationships with God and Man (2) Walk as children of light, walk in love Our Armor Paul s preaching and prayer Walk in relationship Farewell PHILIPPIANS Priority of Unity When there is individual unity with Christ and corporate unity in the church, then the joy is free to flow. Disunity on the other hand, destroys unity. Personal humility is a necessary attitude for unity with God and man. Christ is the ultimate example. He set aside His robes of glory so that we might receive the righteousness of God in Him and be robed in His righteousness. Paul made it clear that his lengthy list of human achievements was not a valid basis for acceptance by God. Right standing with God comes as a free gift through Jesus Christ. We can rejoice in the Lord always by availing ourselves of the power and provision given us as grace-gifts by Christ. 26 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

27 Outline for Philippians: Section Theme Verses Paul s Condition Preaching in Person 1:1-30 Three Examples to Follow How Christ Charged Paul Paul s Concern for the Church Christ s Humility Timothy s Service Epaphroditus Faithfulness Past Present Future Exhortation Encouragement Appreciation 2:1-18 2: : :1-6 3:7-12 3: :1-9 4: :14-23 COLOSSIANS Church s Ascended Head (very similar to Ephesians, these two letters compliment each other) Chapter 1: Christ is the heavenly head of His earthly body, the church. Just as a deep sea diver depends totally on those in the ship high above him who control his life support systems, so the church depends on Christ. From Him flows every provision needed for victory over sin, ministry in the world, and security in one day reaching our heavenly home. Chapter 2: Paul came on strong against those who would undermine simple faith in Christ. Once we crown Him as totally preeminent in our lives we want to put our minds on things above, pronounce death on our sinful old man, put on the new man, and personally share Jesus with all we can. Chapters 3-4: As His body, we are His instruments of expression on the earth. He has no hands but our hands, no feet but ours. Thus our hands and feet must become His, swift to do His desires. Outline for Colossians: Section Verse Introduction 1:1-14 Supremacy of Christ 1:15-2:3 False Teachers Refuted 2:4-23 Authentic Christian Life 3:1-4:6 Conclusion 4: NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

28 1 THESSALONIANS Triumph before Return (visited on 2nd journey, church established at that time) At first some of the Thessalonian believers thought Jesus would return before any Christian died. Later they wondered what would happen to their fellow believers and loved ones who had died. Paul had good news. 1. The dead in Christ are with the Lord and when He returns their living souls will return with Him and their dead bodies will be resurrected. 2. Believers that are still alive when Christ returns will be caught up off the earth, meet them in the air and receive transformed bodies that are fit for eternal existence. When believers die we need not sorrow as do those who have no hope. Instead, we should live daily looking for and ready for the Lord s return. The main themes of this letter are righteous love, resurrection and rapture and respect for leaders. Outline for 1 Thessalonians: Section Theme Verse Paul s Hearfelt Thanks 1:1-10 Paul s Personal Defense Defense of His Actions Defense of His Absence 2:1-16 2:17-3:10 His Prayer 3:11-13 Exhortation to Live Godly 4:1-12 The Return of Christ 4:13-5:11 Final Admonitions 5: THESSALONIANS Tribulation before Return When persecution began to come upon the believers at Thessalonica they thought perhaps they had missed the Lord s return for His own and were having to go through the Great Tribulation that Jesus predicted (Matthew 24-25). Paul s teaching indicates that the Lord will return in two stages. 1. First, He will return in the air to gather His own and take them to heaven. 2. Then following the Great Tribulation He will return to the earth to establish His kingdom, bringing all His saints with Him. The Great Tribulation will precede His second coming to the earth. Paul reassures them that the persecution they were experiencing was not the Great Tribulation because before that would happen they would be raptured, restraint on sin would be removed, the Antichrist would be revealed, and a great apostasy would take place. Paul s words were an encouragement to them and to us. Experiencing persecution for the sake of Christ is nothing new and it will soon end when the Lord comes to take us to be with Him. 28 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

29 Outline for 2 Thessalonians: Section Verse Encouragement from the Promised Return of Christ 1:1-12 The Events Before Christ s Return 2:1-12 Further Instruction and Admonition 2:13-3:5 Living and Working as a Christian 3:6-15 Final Greetings 3: NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

30 personal letters by paul TIMOTHY Trust Placed in Timothy Timothy and Titus were two of Paul s pastoral students. Paul had deposited a sacred trust in Timothy, who was ministering in the apostle s place at Ephesus. Almost three years of Paul s life had been invested in planting and nurturing the Ephesian church. And even more time was invested in Timothy s internship with Paul on His second and third missionary journeys. In this letter, Paul talks to Timothy about how a young pastor should conduct himself and how he should relate to the diverse age groups and types of individuals a pastor encounters. These were important subjects of Paul s letter to Timothy. A pastor must: 1. Be given to prayer and the ministry of the Word. 2. Appoint faithful men to be fellow overseers and deacons over the flock of God. 3. Always guard against false teachers and their false teachings. 4. Set an example for the believers in words and action, love and faith. No one can despise a pastor who does these things faithfully. Outline for 1 Timothy: Section Verse Warnings About False Teaching 1:1-20 Instructions About Public Worship 2:1-15 Instructions About the Selection of Leaders 3:1-16 Instructions About False Teachers 4:1-16 Instructions to Groups Within the Church 5:1-6:2 Miscellaneous Matters 6: NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

31 2 TIMOTHY Teach the Church In this second letter to His prodigy, Paul reminded Timothy of His major responsibility as a representative of Christ. It s easy to get side tracked onto other things, but what the church mainly needs is the teaching of God s Word in a clear and relevant manner. The best way for a pastor to guard His people against falsehood creeping in is to guide them into the will of God for their lives as revealed in God s Word. Teach them the truth and they ll recognize error. Paul gives Timothy eight pictures of what it means to be faithful in a pastoral/teaching ministry (ch.2). He warns Timothy that he would be opposed by those who don t want to hear or follow the truth. But he should still persevere in preaching the Word. Outline for 2 Timothy: Loyalty (1-2) Apostasy (3) Ministry (4) Thanks for Timothy Danger Preaching Charge to Timothy Defense Perseverance Pictures of Faithfulness Paul s desires and plans TITUS Truthless Teachers Denounced A good offense is the best defense; this is the theme of Titus. One of a pastor s most important tasks is the selection and training of faithful people to be fellow elders and oversee the flock. Correct doctrine should be taught and applied in a relevant manner to the needs of the different age groups within each church. God s gospel of grace that freely brings us salvation should result in good works. They are the bi-product of salvation not a part of salvation. Outline for Titus: Section Verse Elders in the Church 1:1-9 False Teachers 1:10-16 Various Church Groups 2:1-15 Believers in General 3:1-8 Responding to Spiritual Error 3: NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

32 PHILEMON Pardon of Onesimus Onesimus was a run away slave who came into contact with the Apostle Paul in Rome and through Paul he came to trust Christ as his personal Savior. Onesimus former owner happened to be a friend of Paul and fellow believer, Philemon. Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon with this letter requesting pardon of the run away. Paul was seeking forgiveness of Onesimus, not the forgetting of any debts he might have owed. Onesimus obligations should be put on Paul s account (debt was probably the reason Onesimus was Philemon s slave). What a perfect picture of salvation! God can freely pardon us because all of our sins have been charged against His Son s account. What a difference this makes in our lives. Outline for Philemon: Section Verse Praise for Philemon 1-7 Plea for Onesimus 8-17 Pledge to Philemon NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

33 letters from others HEBREWS Hasten to Maturity When people are born again through faith in Christ they enter the family of God as newborn spiritual infants. What is needed is a process of spiritual growth to maturity. But not all grow as fast as they should and some even regress back to former stages of development. Such were the recipients of the letter of Hebrews. So its author gave some strong exhortation to encourage them on to maturity. The letter compares and contrasts Jesus Christ, demonstrating His superiority. The comparisons prove that He is superior to angels, prophets, Moses, Joshua, Aaron, and all the Levites. He definitely surpasses the Old Testament covenant, sanctuary, and sacrifices. So why drift back to the inferior, when you have the superior? God is committed to our growth. As a loving heavenly Father, He at times takes His wayward children to the spiritual woodshed for necessary discipline. So they will once again be encouraged to move toward maturity. The author gives examples to us as readers of those who lived by faith and saw its benefits and power in their lives. Superior Person of Christ Superior Priesthood of Christ Superior Provision of Christ Superior Principles of Christ 1:1-4:16 5:1-8:5 8:6-10:39 11:1-13:25 a. Over Prophets a. Over Aaron and Levites a. Covenant a. Faith b. Over Angels b. Comparable to Melchizadek b. Sanctuary b. Endurance c. Over Moses c. Sacrifice c. Relationship d. Over Joshua Six danger signals in Hebrews... Drifting (2:1-4) Doubting (3:7-4:2) Disobedience (4:11-13) Degeneration (5:11-6:12) Despising (10:19-39) Denying (12:25-29) 33 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

34 JAMES How Belief Behaves James wrote to Jewish believers scattered all over Asia Minor. He made it clear to them that people who believe should act like believers. It is faith alone that saves, but the faith that saves is never alone. James includes an impressive list of some of the differences that saving faith should make in a Christian s life. Faith produces: 1. victory over trials 2. obedience to the Word of God 3. impartiality in the treatment of others 4. good works like those of Abraham and Rahab 5. purity in speech and thought 6. humility before God as we make our plans 7. endurance in suffering and sickness...just to name a few. James point is that even the demons believe in God. They are fundamentalists in their doctrine, but they are not saved even though they tremble at what they know (2:19-20). True saving faith demonstrates itself in a changed life. Faith is known by its fruits. Outline for James: Faith produces: Section Verse Victory in Testing and Temptation 1:1-18 Obedience: Listening and Doing 1:19-27 Impartiality: Favoritism Forbidden 2:1-13 Works 2:14-26 Tongue Control 3:1-12 Wisdom 3:13-18 Purity 4:1-4 Humility 4:5-5:6 Endurance & Perseverance 5: NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

35 1 PETER Patience in Trial From what we read about Peter in the Gospels we probably would not think of Him as a shining example of patience. But the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost made a major difference. Which shouldn t surprise us since patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Peter s first letter is written to encourage patience on the part of believers who are suffering trials for the Gospel. Peter reminds his immediate audience and us that we should feel secure in our salvation and realize that our suffering is noted by our sovereign heavenly Father who allows it. There are certain benefits that come back to us from these sufferings; identification with and insight into parts of God s Word, incentive to spiritual growth, increased recognition of our earthly status as aliens, and a more intensive focus on our redemption by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, shed at the hands of His persecutors. Peter gives special instructions to citizens, servants, wives, and husbands. But all believers must be sure their suffering is for good and not for evil which we have done. When we suffer patiently for doing well, we are following the example of our Savior and glorifying God. We must remain faithful sheep, trusting in our Great Shepherd s power over Satan and His promised return for His own. Outline for 1 Peter: Believer s suffering and (how our suffering ties into)... Section Verse Security 1:1-9 Scriptures 1:10-25 Sanctification 2:1-12 Submission 2:13-3:12 Sufferings of Christ 3:13-4:19 Second Coming 5: NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY

36 2 PETER Purge False Teachers The false teachings that were being brought into the church in Peter s day sound very modern. They were advocating lawlessness and immoral living, scoffing at God s slowness in keeping His promises, and they promoted hedonism; eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die (enjoy this life because this is it). Once again, active growth in God s Word is the best guard against the infiltration of falsehood into our lives and our church. Additionally, those who teach falsely must be exposed and expelled from the church, for they are like a cancer. True believers can be identified by their personal purity and patience in waiting for the promised return of Christ. God is patiently waiting for people to receive His Son in the interim. Either we are waiting for Jesus to return, or He is waiting for us. Outline for 2 Peter: Section Theme Verse Christian Life False Teachers Return of Christ 1 JOHN Joy in Fellowship Our Growth Our Foundation Their Teachings Their Judgment Their Conduct Their Followers The Scoffers Exposed The Saints Exhorted 1:1-11 1: :1-3 2:4-9 2: : :1-10 3:11-18 The three letters of John form a trilogy on fellowship: 1 John - we should have fellowship with God. 2 John - we should not have fellowship with false teachers. 3 John - we should have fellowship with those who teach the truth. John wrote his first letter as a personal participant in the joy God gives to those who enter into fellowship with Him (read 1 John 1:3-4). Fellowship means, sharing in common. John reminds believers that they share in common God s light, His love, and His very life. Walking in light means we don t love the world or listen to antichrists, but we do walk in obedience to God s Word (chs. 1-2) Walking in love manifests itself in love for God s people (chs. 3-4). Walking in the life of God it may be difficult at times to understand but believers share the very life of God (ch. 5, read 1 John 5:11-13). 36 NEW TESTAMENT SURVEY