The first half of chapter five addresses the appointment of the Son of God as a superior high priest. The Old Testament focus here is Psalm 110:4 which reveals that the Son would be a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. The author begins with high priests in general meaning earthly high priests. They were men, but also considered one of the people of God. Because of this, Jesus had to become human. There was a second requirement for high priests and that was they would represent other people by offering sacrifices on their behalf. Only the high priest could offer the sacrifice on the Day of Atonement. A high priest was able to deal gently with those who sinned because he himself was also subject to the same weakness of sin. On the Day of Atonement the high priest was required to offer sacrifices for himself and his household before he could offer sacrifices on behalf of the people. The role of the high priests was not something you could sign up for. This office was by God’s appointment only. The author of Hebrews also referenced Psalm 2:7and 110:4 together based in their shared language. Both passages have God speaking to His Son. It was this exalted Son who came to earth as a human. He is the one God appointed to a unique high priesthood. Jesus’ suffering was a foundation for this superior priesthood. But the Son’s humiliation and suffering must come before His exaltation. The phrase “with a loud cry and tears” is most likely a reference to Christ’s suffering and struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane. God heard His prayers in the sense of affirming His righteousness and suitability for His role as high priest. Jesus’ faithful devotion is being presented as an example for the readers of this book.
Jesus was not disobedient before His suffering. In fact He was sinless, which made him the perfect and unblemished sacrifice for the sins of the people. Jesus walked His path of human existence, all the way to His death on the cross. All of His life was lived in complete submission to the Father’s will. We are expected to travel on the same path. God qualified Jesus as a perfect High Priest. Perfect here means complete or mature. Jesus through His sufferings was qualified to be he source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him. The author is saying that just as the Son obeyed the Father’s will by completely submitting, so those who come to Him for salvation must obey Him. We will look at Melchizedek when we get to chapter seven. Once the author began discussing Jesus’ appointment as High Priest they confronted their audience with a series of exhortations. In ancient times a shift in direction was meant to refocus the hearers attention. This exhortation dealt with the listeners spiritual lethargy. The author calls them spiritually dull. The Greek work here is not at all complimentary. It means; sluggish, dim witted, negligent, and lazy. Their lack of spiritual vitality was shocking since they had been believers for so long. The author admonished them because they should have been spiritual leaders by now, leaders who were teaching others from their known and Christian experiences. Instead they still didn’t understand the basic spiritual things. They still needed to be bottle fed instead of being able to eat solid food. Milk and solid food were used to distinguish between basic and advanced learning and immature from mature students. They didn’t even seem to be able to distinguish between right and wrong. In light if their immaturity the author urged them to move beyond the basic teachings. The six basic teachings were all foundational elements of Jewish instruction. Perhaps the authors urging was to get them to move beyond the basics to understanding about the person of Jesus Christ. The author is pushing them to move forward. There were some things they did not need further instruction about. This included things like baptisms, or washings. This is more than just Christian baptisms. Instructions about various washings was a hallmark of the teaching in first century Judaism. But the author might have also envisioned the cleaning rituals found in the Old Testament. Laying on of hands dealt with healing, ritual blessings, the reception of the Holy Spirit, and acknowledgement of a persons ministry. The author also points to the end times when the Lord will judge everyone of us. By verse three the author is nearly begging the people to move forward, to be more mature, and to gain understanding in everything. Verses 4-8 are some of themost difficult in the New Testament. We find a harsh warning about those who have left the Christian faith. Those who have fallen away from Christ and the church are like those who fell in the wilderness. The lack of faith shown in such apostasy results in devastating judgement. The Greek word for impossible begins the sentence in verse four. The author uses it for emphasis. This absolutely cannot happen. Once the people were enlightenedwhen they first learned about Christ. Now they were not at all confident in what they believed or thought. The reference to the “good things of heaven” may well refer to the manna God provided the Israelites in the wilderness. This was a picture of spiritual blessings. These people had heard the word of God preached and they had seen its effects in their lives and the lives of others. They had even witnesses signs and wonders when they first heard the Good News. And then they turned away. This is an Image of the Israelites who had seen all that God had done and still turned away from obeying God, falling in the wilderness without ever seeing the land God had promised them. Bringing people back from the brink like that was a challenge. These people had repented before but there had been no fruit from their repentance. When people turn their back on Jesus Christ and His superior sacrifice, it is impossible for them to find any other means of repentance. And, when they rejected Him again it was like nailing Him to the cross all over. Crucifixion was the ultimate instrument of rejection and humiliation in the Greco-Roman world and it carried with it public shame. Again, those who turned away from Christ were like those who stood before the cross shouting insults. They insisted that Jesus couldn’t possibly be the Messiah nor was He any resemblance to the Son of God. Never mind they had no idea what the Son of God might look like. They only knew this man Jesus was somehow worthy of shame. The author reminded them that good and productive land was an image of blessing. This is in contrast to the curse of unproductive land that bears thorns and thistles. Burning this kind of a field was a picture of judgment. For eight verses the author has confronted the people with stern warnings. Now, inverse nine they soften the warning a bit by calling the peopledear friends. The author expressed confidence in them and gave them further encouragement. This was a common speaking tactic in the ancient world, designed to motivate those listening. The author is confident that the people’s lives showed evidence of a true relationship with the Lord and that they knew salvationmeant Christ’s saving work on the cross. Hebrews placed emphasis on the consummation of salvation at the end of the age. By showing that they loved God and His people, their works bore witness to their true relationship with God. God will acknowledge and remember those who are truly His. The people are called to keep on loving others, showing their commitment to the Lord. Loving others is a picture of genuine Christian faith. Through diligence and focused commitment the people can make their hope in Jesus Christ certain. The assurance of salvation comes through perseverance. A focused commitment to the Lord is the antidote to being spiritually dull and by loving God and others, we follow the example of great people of faith. This author puts much emphasis on both faith and endurance as normal requirements for God’s people. The rest of chapter six focuses on the reliability of God’s faithfulness to His promises. The theme of God’s oath is developed with an illustration, followed by a general principle, followed by the main point. God has sworn a significant oath which gives us hope because it shows that Jesus is our permanent High Priest. The author cites Abraham as the prime example of faith. He continued to believe that God would give him a son and then he was willing to offer him up as a sacrificein obedience to God. In response to Abraham’s faith God took an oath, assuring Abraham that he would bless him and multiply his descendants. God kept that promise and through Isaac God made Abraham into a great nation. It is common knowledge that when we make an oath it binding. In human context if the oath gives assurance that something is true, how much more does an oath from God inspire confidence. God bound Himself with an oath, making it clear that He would never change His mind. And, it is impossible for God to lie. Fleeing to God in refuge is like going to one of the Old Testament cities of refuge when someone was accidentally killed. Jesus Christ is like a city of refuge where believers escape the wrath of God. This should bring us great confidence. The author also reminded theirreaders that Christian hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. In the first century, an anchor was an image of stability and safety. This sense of security can take us through the curtain to God’s inner sanctuary. If you remember there was a curtain that hung on the outside of the Holy of Holies. This separated everyone from God and only the high priest could enter into this place, and only once a year. The requirements were rigorous and this action on the Day of Atonement was fraught with danger, but because of Jesus’ extraordinary High Priesthood, He had already gone in there for us into the presence of God as our eternal High Priest. And He leads us in with Him. Chapter seven is the extended discussion of Jesus being a priest in the order of Melchizedek. His priesthood was also superior to that of the earthly priests. Unlike the Hebrew kings, Melchizedek combined the offices of king and priest, foreshadowing the Messiah. Abraham was giving a tenth to the Lord by giving it to Melchizedek, His priest. This act anticipates the giving of tithes under the law, and it becomes a key point in the authors argument. The name Melchizedek comes from two Hebrew words: “melek” which means king, and “zedek” which means justice or righteousness. Salem, where Melchizedek was from is shalom in Hebrew and that means peace. It was common for rabbis to bring out the theological significance of a biblical figures name by making associations between the name and other Hebrew terms. There is no record of Melchizedek having father, mother or any other ancestors. This is significant in light of the Levitical requirements for being a priest. Melchizedek appears out of nowhere as though there is no beginning or end to his life. The author here is interpreting Genesis 14:17-20 in light of Psalm 110:4 which also understands Melchizedek as representing an eternal priesthood. The author stated that Melchizedek remains a priest forever. This is in contrast to a Levitical priest whose office ended when he died. Melchizedek was not an Old Testament appearance of Jesus. Rather, his priesthood and that of Jesus had characteristics in common, in light of Psalm 110:4. The point of this section is having the reader consider how great this Melchizedek was by comparing him to the descendants of Levi. Melchizedek was so great that Abraham gave him a tenth of the spoils of battle. Collecting the tithe was a requirement and an honor for the priests under the law of Moses. This was collected from all the people of Israel. And although Melchizedek was not a descendant of Levi, he collected a tenth from Abraham, the ancestor of the Levites. This demonstrated Melchizedek’seminence over both Abraham and the priests. Melchizedek also placed a blessing upon Abraham, an example of the type of blessing a superior would give to a subordinate. This would be like a father blessing his son or a priest blessing the people. The power to give a blessing demonstrates Melchizedek is greater than Abraham, and his seeming immortality makes him superior over the Levites. The Levites are men who die while Melchizedek lives on. Abraham represented all of his descendants when he gave his tithe to Melchizedek. Levi was united with Abraham because the seed that Levi came from,came from Abraham’s body. All the people coming after Abraham were one with him so, his act could be considered their act. The author argued for Melchizedek’s superiority to the Levites and now in the rest of the chapter he will argue that Jesus, our High Priest like Melchizedek, is also superior to the Levitical priests of the old covenant. The author uses the word perfection here but in Hebrew perfection does not mean flawless. It means reaching a desired goal. The priesthood under the old covenant could not achieve all that God intended for a covenant relationship with His people. This is why God needed to establish a different priesthood. According to the law given to Moses, the appointed priests were descendants of Aaron. The priesthood is changed because Jesus is now the High Priest. So, God Himself changed the law concerning priests. Under the old covenant the priests came from the tribe of Levi but Jesus, the High Priest came from the tribe of Judah. This change of howGod appoints priests has been made very clear by the appointment of Jesus as a different priest. He, like Melchizedek, is a priest forever. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead shows that He has the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. And because His priesthood is in the order of Melchizedek it is superior to that of the Levites. Jesus supersedes them as priest. The old requirement about the priesthood being membership in Aaron’s family has been set aside. It was ultimately weak and useless. The weakness of the priesthood under the old covenant is highlighted in that those priests died and were themselves sinful. In contrast, Jesus, the new High Priest, never sinned and will never die. This made Him a much more effective and permanent High Priest. The law never made anything perfect nor did it accomplish what God had planned to do through the superior high priesthood of Jesus; namely completely removing sin and guaranteeing eternal salvation. This gives believers confidence in a better hope in relationship with God. Now we can draw near to God without feeling condemnation. The new system referred to here is God’s way of appointing a priest, done by solemn oath. Legally the one who guarantees the oath refers to the one who bears the risk of another persons investment or debt. But because of God’s oath, Jesus’ priesthood is unassailable. That means our covenant relationship with God is secure. Having Jesus as the guarantor makes the new covenant way better. Out of necessity the old covenant had a succession of many priests because each of them died. In contrast, Jesus’ priesthood will last forever. It is literally permanent. This cannot be changed…ever. Since Jesus lives forever the salvation He brings also lasts forever. But to draw near to eternal God, we need an eternal priest. Jesus will intercede or appeal to God for us as our High Priest of the new covenant, and His intercession is never ending. Jesus is unstained by sin and age is set apart from sinners. That makes Him superior to the priests of the old covenant who had to deal with their own sins as well as the sins of the people. Jesus has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. This is an affirmation of his uniqueness as High Priest. He offered Himself once and for for the sins of the people. This does not mean once for all people but once, never to be repeated again. Verse 7:28 echos 5:1-3 and sums up the entire discussion of Christ’s appointment as High Priest. Jesus the Son, through His sacrificial death and resurrection has become completely qualified to serve as our eternal High Priest. And His priesthood lasts forever. In His Grip Pastor Matt W Beginning in chapter three the author compares Jesus and Moses, setting Jesus forward as the supreme example of faithfulness. The great status of Moses, a revered figure in Judaism, is used to show the incomparable greatness of Jesus. The author begins by addressing the holy brothers. Speakers and writers in the ancient world often addresses religious gatherings as brothers, referring to both men and women. The the writer is encouraging the audience, us included, to focus on Jesus as the primary means of persevering in the faith. Jesus is God’s messenger, literally God’s apostle. This highlights the Son’s role in bearing a proclamation of God’s name and message. Jesus was faithful to God and to the task which the Father had appointed Him, just as Moses had been. Many Jews of the first century regarded Moses as the greatest person in history, of even higher status than the angels. BUT, Jesus deserves far more glory for two reasons. First, a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. The Messiah is the one who builds God’s house. The implication is that Moses is part of the house, (that is God’s people), that God has built. Second, whereas Moses was a servant in God’s house, Christ as the Son, is heir in charge of the entire house. Sons have much greater status than the household servants. We are part of Christ’s house if we keep our courage. The author could not give unqualified assurance to those who were drifting away from Christ and the church. Those who persevere in the faith have the assurance that they are part of God’s house.
The rest of chapter three, verses 7-19, are presented as a warning. This is the negative example of the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for forty years and died there. The wilderness wandering represent disobedience to God and it’s consequences. There were many times in the wilderness years that Israel disobeyed. They rebelled and they tested God. Two of those places were Massah and Meribah. In both those places there was a shortage of water, and the people complained bitterly. And then there was Kadesh-Barnea where the disobedient Israelites refused to enter the promised land, even after Joshua and Caleb said God would give then the land He had promised to Abraham some 450 years earlier. This was after the miracles they had witnessed. They tested God’s patience by refusing to trust Him in the wilderness. The essence of their rebellion was that their hearts were always turned away from God. They didn’t even desire to try to obey Him. And the result was that God was angry with them. Rebellion has consequences. God’s anger is not merely an emotional reaction. It is His full displeasure towards sin. God’s oath was that these disobedient Israelites would never enter the promised land, the place of rest from their wanderings. The author of Hebrews discussed the terms; heart, day, today, hear, enter, rest, unbelief, and oath, all drawn from Psalm 95. Bible teachers of the ancient world would cite and then explain an Old Testament text, often highlighting significant words from the text, just as preachers and teachers do today. The first warning was about the people’s hearts. An evil heart stubbornly sets itself over and against the Lord due to unbelief. This causes a person to turn away from God. By using the word today, the author warns and challenges their hearers to warn each other every day against the power of sin and the tendency it has to harden hearts. Those who persevere in the faith have the assurance that they are indeed part of God’s family. Verse fifteen quotes Psalm 95:7-8. This part of the Psalm sums up the authors own exhortation. This focuses on the importance of listening and responding to God’s voice positively. This warning is followed by a series of short, rhetorical questions. The questions follow the progression of ideas found in Psalm 95. The people of Israel rebelled against God. That made God angry. God made an oath that they would never enter into his promised rest. And theanswers to these rhetorical questions are taken from other Old Testament passages that also focus and on Israel’s rebellion in the wilderness. The answers come from Numbers 14, Deuteronomy 9, and Psalm 106. Again the author is very serious about the cost of rebellion and disobedience to God. Unbelief and disobedience are very closely related in the Book of Hebrews as well as the Old Testament passages that the author uses here. The consequences for the Israelites disobedience was harsh, and fitting. In chapter four the author transitions to the promise that the faithful will enter into God’s rest and the author urges the audience to take this promise seriously. Simply hearing will not be enough here. It must be combined with faith. To fear God means to experience an appropriate reverence, even awe, for God and His will. It would be the worst of tragedies to fail to experience what God has promised. The Good News here is the message of salvation. The Israelites did not listen to what the Lord said nor did they bother believing or having faith in Him. They did not trust inHis promise. But, people who believe the Good News are the true heirs of God’s rest, the salvation offered through Christ’s sacrifice. Again the author quoted Psalm 95, reminding the people that the unbelieving rebels in the wilderness would never enter God’s place of rest. And since God created everything, entering His rest means means more than just a physical entry into Canaan. The author even quoted Genesis 2:2 to demonstrate that the promised rest was established when God rested at creation. Building on the previous verses the author argues that the promised rest is still available. Those who wandered in the wilderness, even though they heard the good news that the promised land was open to them, failed to enter because they disobeyed God. There is repetition here because the author wants to make it crystal clear that God’s rest is still available, but only to those who have faith in the Lord and trust that what He has promised is true. The time for entering that rest is today. The logic here is that David wrote much later that the wilderness disobedience so God’s rest cannot be limited to that earlier generation. The words from Psalm 95 are meant to encourage and warn us not to harden our hearts when hearing God’s voice so that we can enter the rest that the people in the wilderness were denied. This opportunity is available today. Joshua is the same name as Jesus. It is translated in the Old Testament as Joshua and as Jesus in the Greek New Testament. The author is making a word play in Jesus’ and Joshua’s shared name. Joshua did lead God’s people into the promised land but God had more in mind when He promised His people rest. God’s ultimate rest is provided by Jesus. His sacrifice functioned as a Day of Atonement sacrifice,and through that sacrifice God’s promised rest for His people is available. The author encouraged the people to do their best to enter into this rest. This meant responding to the Good News with an active obedience to God’s voice through scripture. If we fail to respond we will have an outcome just like the Israelites inthe wilderness who rebelled. We will fail to enter into God’s rest. There is both an individual responsibility and a communal responsibility to obey and the author calls on the people to support each other in that endeavor. Echoing the call to hear God’s voice is again a quote from Psalm 95. The author gives a beautiful epigram ( a remark that expresses a cleaver idea) on the power and penetration of God’s Word in our lives. That Word is powerful and alive. God’s Word is an active and effective force to be reckoned with. The Word that created and governs the cosmos can also deal powerfully with His people. His word is able to penetrate the darkest recesses of people’s lives, exposing their innermost thoughts and desires. That leaves us naked and vulnerable, helpless and unprotected. The guilty are not able to hide from God’s penetrating words of judgement. And that would be every single one of us. The last two verses conclude the exhortation begun in 3:1 and they introduce the long discourse about Jesus’ role as the High Priest. Verse 14 summarizes the whole message and challenge of Hebrews, and that is that the high priesthood of Jesus the Son of God is the basis for endurance in the Christian faith. Israel’s high priest was the main leader in the worship of God and the primary mediator between God and the people. The earthly high priest entered God’s presence in the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement. By contrast, Jesus our High Priest has entered God’s presence in heaven and he remains there. An enduring commitment to active belief in and allegiance to Jesus is what the author is advocating. Our High Priest understands our weaknesses and our human pull towards sin because He faced the same testings as we do. He was tempted with all the essential aspects of sin, such as lust, greed, unforgiveness, and dishonesty. This makes Him compassionateas our High Priest. But Jesus is not like the earthly high priests because He never sinned. They had to make offerings for themselves before they could make offerings for the people. But Jesus did not sin and He didn’t have to make any offerings except Himself. The verb in the Greek translated “let us come” can also be translated to indicate an ongoing action. So it would be “let us continually come”. As our compassionate High Priest Jesus has opened for us the way to enter boldly into God’s presence where we can receive His mercy and grace. In His Grip Pastor Matt W The letter to the Hebrews is anonymous. Many believe that Paul wrote this book but there is compelling evidence both for and against his authorship. Some others that have been suggested as authors include: Luke, Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Apollos, Epaphras, Silas, Priscilla and others. In reality, we do not know for sure who wrote this book. The author was well schooled in the Old Testament, acquainted with their audience, capable of writing excellent Greek, and a friend of Timothy. Hebrews was written before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. In light of the authors determination to demonstrate Christ’s superiority over the Aaronic priesthood and the temple sacrifices, it seems inconceivable that no mention would have been made of the destruction of the temple, the ultimate sign of rejection by God, had that event already happened. Scholars know that the book was written as the persecution of Christians was heating up. Scholars suggest a date between 60-70 AD. Not only is their uncertainty about the author of this book, but there is also ambiguity about just who this was written to. The title was not part of the original text but most scholars agree that it was written to Jewish Christians who spoke Greek and most likely used the Septuagint; the Greek translation of the Old Testament. The author seems to have been concerned that these Christians might shrink back though there seems to have been no danger of their claiming paganism. Hebrews everywhere stress the superiority of Christ to the glory of the old covenant. Against the magnificence of Herod’s temple, the worship service carried out in house churches must have seemed rather paltry. The author of Hebrews sought to warn their struggling audience that the glory of the earthly temple was but a shadow, soon to disappear. The author gave five warnings to the readers regarding their spiritual condition (2:1, 3:7, 5:11, 19:26, 12:25). Note the writers statements about Jewish customs and their explanation that Jesus brought a new covenant (of grace through faith) that is infinitely better than the old one (of obedience to the law). Pay attention to the repeated use of the words “better” and “superior”. Here are some themes to watch for as you read. First, the superiority of Christ. Hebrews presents Christ as superior to the prophets, angels, Moses, Joshua, the Old Testament priesthood and the high priest, the sacrificial system, and the sanctuary. Second, perseverance. Believer are called to a heavenward journey but must first undergo testing. Third, faith pleases God. Hebrews 11 emphasizes a faith that is exercised in numerous large and small ways. Four, discipline comes to God’s children. Hardship is the means God uses to discipline His children. Fifth, Christian living. Christians are to show hospitality, refrain from sexual immorality, guard against the love of money, do good and share with others, obey their leaders, and pray.
Ancient sermons often began with an introduction meant to grab the hearers attention and introduce the sermons first topics. In Hebrews the first four verses form a single, eloquent Greek sentence built around the main clause, God has spoken. Most English translations present these verses as several sentences for ease of reading. The author begins with two time periods, long ago and now. In both of those times, God has spoken. Long ago, in Jewish theology, referred to the time before the Messiah appeared. For the author of Hebrews this meant the Old Testament era. Throughout that past era God spoke many times and in many ways; through dreams, visions, mighty acts, stories, commands, exhortations, angelic appearances, and appearances of God Himself. The prophets were all those through whom God gave His revelation. The final days refers to the historical era inaugurated at Christ’s coming. So revelation in the Old Testament came is a wide variety of ways over the course of time but God’s ultimate revelation was given through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus is God’s royal heir. It is possible the author was thinking about Psalm 2:8 here. The Son radiating God’s glory is found only here in the New Testament. This indicates a level of brightness never seen before. God’s own glory is the glorious manifestation of His presence. Think the Shekinah glory here…pillar of fire by night. And the Son’s glory is an expression of God’s glory, the Son of God manifests the person and presence of God. The Son is the exact representation, a very clear picture of the very character of God the Father. God’s word is the powerful, dynamic force that created and governs the world. Elsewhere the Son is called the Word of God. (Revelation 19:13 and John 1:18). The Son has washed us clean and made us acceptable to stand before the Lord. And after He completed that, He sat down at the right hand of God. The right hand is the place of highest honor. The Son’s exalted position shows that the Son is far greater than the angels in rank and status. First century Jews were fascinated with angels and held them in high esteem, so the author of Hebrews established the Son’s superiority over them. In verses 5-14, the rest of chapter one, the author uses a variety of Old Testament texts to show that Jesus is superior to the angels. Among ancient Jews and Christian interpreters, Old Testament passages were strung together one after the other in chain quotations called pearl stringing to convince the hearers or readers of a certain theological point by presenting a lot of scriptural evidence together. In verse five the author quotes both Psalm 2:7 and 2Samuel 7:14. By exalting Jesus to His right hand the Father proclaimed His unique relationship with the Son. He said today I have revealed you as my Son. Jesus did not become the Son at the exaltation. He had been involved in creation. The exaltation verified His identity to all. The firstborn or supreme Son shares the authority of the father, inherited most of his property, and was especially favored. In the New Testament firstborn typically refers to Christ’s supremacy in both the church and the created order. His resurrection is commonly given as the evidence for this status. The quote from Deuteronomy 32:43 once again demonstrated the lower status of the angels in regards to Christ. Not only are the angels lower than Christ but they are called to worship Him as well. Verse seven quotes Psalm 104:4 to show yet again that the angels are messengers or servants making them a lesser rank than the Son. This is the chain of quotes I wrote of just a bit earlier. Sometimes angels in the Old Testament are associated with wind and fire which is why angels are mentioned in connection with God’s Lordship over nature. Verses 8-9 quote Psalm 45:6-7, proclaiming the Son as the divine, just, eternal, anointed king of the universe. Jesus here is addressed as God, and”your God” is a reference to God the Father. Pouring the oil of joy is an Old Testament reference to the anointing of kings. Olive oil was used to anoint kings of Israel at the inauguration of their rule. God has anointed His Son, Jesus Christ, as king. Verses 10-12 quote Psalm 102:25-27. These verses celebrate the Son as both the creator and the one who brings the created order to an end. All created things will wear out like old clothing and the Son will discard them. By contrast, the Son of God will live forever. The author ends their string of quotes with Psalm 110:1 in celebration of Christ’s exaltation. The picture of the Son’s enemies as a footstool under His feet represents their absolute subjugation. In the ancient world it was common for a victorious king to place their foot on the neck or back of an enemy as an act of domination. And one final word on angels in verse 14. They are only servants and not someone to be worshiped. God sends the angels out to care for His people, who will inherit salvation at the end of the age. Chapter two begins with a warning, with an argument that moves from the lesser to the greater. If in the Old Testament era, people who rejected God’s Word as delivered by angels were severely punished, how much greater the punishment will be for those who now reject the Word of salvation that has been delivered by the Son Himself and confirmed by the Holy Spirit. The truth we have heard is the message of salvation delivered through Christ. The drifting away pictures a ship going off course. Here it speaks to getting off track spiritually due to not listening very carefully to the Good News. According to Jewish tradition the message God delivered, the law given on Mount Sinai, was delivered through the angels. Violations of the law were punished and that punishment was unavoidable. In verse three the author brings the full force of the danger of turning away from Jesus Christ and His salvation. There is no escape from punishment for those who walk away, and the punishment will be of the greatest severity. Salvation here refers to God’s acts on behalf of His people. For example, God saved His people from slavery in Egypt by way of the exodus. In the New Testament salvation is a reference to Christ’s work of saving people from the penalty of sin and the wrath of God. In His actions we are given new life now and eternal life after this life is over. Jesus was the first to announce the salvation He was bringing and then He validated the message through those who heard Him speak of it. God bore witness to the message by giving signs and wonders and assorted miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit. The author of Hebrews used Psalm 8:4-6 to transition from the discussion of Christ’s exalted divinity to the discussion of His humanity. Psalm eight is often presented along with Psalm 110:1 to speak to the submission of created things to Christ. He is the consummate human being. In His exaltation, He fulfills what fallen and sinful humanity could not. He has true and complete dominion over the created order. Again we see references to angels. They will not control the future. Psalm eight speaks of the position God had given humanity, but the author of Hebrews applies it as a prediction about Christ, who is the fulfillment and the representative head of humanity. Mere mortals speak to God’s attention to humans. The phrase Son of Man is what Jesus often called Himself. It speaks to His human existence and parallels the phrase mere mortals . For a time God made Jesus a little lower than the angels, like other human beings. But as a result of His suffering death on the cross Jesus has been crowned with glory and honor. Verse eight is a reminder that all things have been put under Jesus’ feet. Nothing is left out and all things are ultimately subject to Him. We have not yet seen the complete expression or fulfillment of this reality. That will come when Christ returns triumphantly, at the end of the age. We see Christ as a little lower than the angels as He spent time on earth. He lived a perfect life. He did not sin, not even once. He willingly gave His life up so that we could have eternal life. His suffering as fully human led to His exaltation as the Son of God who is seated at the right hand of God, in the place of highest honor. The rest of the chapter gives us at least four reasons why the Son of God became human. First, it was only right. It is consistent with what we know of God’s character that He would accomplish salvation this way. Second, Jesus had to become human to die. Third, high priests, as detailed in the Old Testament law, had to come from among God’s people. Fourth, Jesus became a sympathetic priest, experiencing the suffering and testing we know as humans. The author here plays off their use of the title Son for Jesus throughout this section, here referring to the people of God as sons. The translation children makes it clear that this term refers to all of God’s people, male and female. The term translated leader had a wide range of meanings in the ancient world including; founder, hero, champion, prince, captain, leader, or scout. Jesus is the leader who blazed a trail for those who are saved, leading them to glory. Based on the family terminology used here, this phrase, “have the same father”, can be understood as referring to God. However, the author might have been thinking of Abraham as a common ancestor or of human nature as a common experience. Verse twelve quotes Psalm 22:22, commenting on the phrase brothers and sisters. Psalm 22 contains profound Messianic prophecies concerning the sufferings of Christ. This Psalm shows the solidarity of the righteous sufferer, Jesus, with the people of God in praising God for His help. Verse thirteen quotes Isaiah 8:17-18 which comes from a broader Messianic context. Putting trust in Him here is Jesus putting trust in the Father’s plan for Him. And He spoke of the close relationship between Jesus and the children of God. The death of the Son of God served to break the power of the evil one and made his death ineffective. Through His sacrificial death Christ set free those who were slaves to the fear of death and dying. And more about angels. Jesus didn’t come to help them but instead, the heirs of Abraham. That would be all of us. Finally we see Jesus’ role as our merciful and faithful high priest. We will revisit this theme extensively in chapters 4:14-10:25. Suffice it to say, it was necessary for Jesus to share in our humanity. In His Grip Pastor Matt W One of the things the church of the Thessalonians were focused on was the last things, what would happen in the last days or on the day of the Lord. The Thessalonians readily embraced Paul’s teaching about the end times and the day of the Lord. They were curious about Jesus’ second coming. But when Paul taught, there were more questions and some speculations. Like many of us, we want to know all the answers. So did the Thessalonians. They asked what would happen to believers who died before Jesus’ return. They wanted to know when the day of the Lord was going to be. Would believers suffer the wrath of God. Paul patiently and lovingly answered all their questions and reminded them of the teaching he had already done. It seems that when we are overwhelmed with questions it is easy to forget what we already know. Paul expected Jesus’s return to happen in his lifetime. That fueled his sense of urgency to share the Good News with as many people as he could. But Paul also recognized that Jesus’ return would happen at an unpredictable time. He likened it to a thief coming in the night. The way to be ready for the end has nothing to do with knowing the date and time. It has everything to do with living with Christian alertness. That means a constant spiritual watchfulness and a readiness to meet Christ. The other challenge for the Thessalonians was the issue of what would happen to the believers who had already died. Paul said nothing about the believers between their deaths and the return of Christ. Instead he focused on the resurrection, Jesus’ second coming. He taught that just as Christ was raised from the dead, those who die as believers will be raised up when He returns. In fact, the dead will be raised first and they will be caught up in the air with the living believers to meet Christ in His royal coming. Paul worked to clarify this Christian hope but the false teachers were preying on the Thessalonians and they became confused. They were teaching that the day of the Lord had already come, which meant the Thessalonians had missed it. As a result, Paul wrote a second letter to the Thessalonians, addressing this topic again.
In 2 Thessalonians Paul taught that when Christ returns, He will destroy the enemies of the Good News; in other words the false teachers who were confusing the Thessalonians. Paul acknowledged that Jesus’ return was a future event. No one knows when in the future though many have made predictions that did not come to fruition. And he taught that those who obey the Good News can have confidence of being rescued when Jesus returns. Those who are disobedient will experience everlasting destruction. The choice is all ours. Paul carefully laid out the events that will come before the day of the Lord. He spoke of things like apostasy and the appearing of the man of lawlessness. But Paul does not keep his focus there. He uses these things to refute the teachings of the false teachers and to remind the Thessalonians that God will judge evil and that those who have believed the lies they taught, will perish. He reminded them that God’s choosing and calling of believers is their hope and comfort. They can stand firm in the present as they face the future. Only the Father knows when the day of the Lord will be. Our job is to be faithful, obedient, and ready. Nothing is guaranteed except Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. The present is not a time for speculation because we have reason to hope and be confident. Scripture teaches about the final things to give hope in the midst of trouble. It is also to bring perspective on our present lives and conduct. One of the steadiest of Paul’s companions was Timothy. He traveled with Paul for much of his missionary career and he was one of Paul’s best loved and most trusted assistants. Two of Paul’s last letters were written to Timothy at a time when he was providing leadership for the church in Ephesus. This was near the end of Paul’s life. Timothy had a very devout mother and grandmother, both Jewish. His father was a Greek. Timothy was highly respected by the Christians in his hometown, Lystra and in nearby Iconium. He joined Paul’s missionary team on Paul’s second missionary journey. Paul speaks prophetic words that confirmed Timothy’s selection. Timothy also received a special gifting for service through the laying on of hands of the elders and Paul. Out of deference to the Jews in the area, Paul had Timothy circumcised. (Acts 16:1-3) Over the next 15 years Paul sent Timothy on special assignments to several different churches. Paul included Timothy’s name as a coauthor on several of his letters and it is clear that Paul had a close relationship with Timothy and held him in high regard. As Paul neared the end of his life and awaited his sentence in prison, he longed to see Timothy once more. Of all of Paul’s coworkers, Timothy especially is commended for his selfless concern for Christ and His people. In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, which was written shortly before Paul was beheaded, he encouraged Timothy to be bold and fearless in his proclamation of the Good News, and willing to suffer for Christ. These were strong words for Timothy, whom Paul had reminded that God didn’t give us a spirit of fear or timidity, but of power, love, and self discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7). It may be that Timothy became a prisoner himself later on (Hebrews 13:23). Timothy was exemplary in the way he faithfully served the cause of Christ behind the scenes, devoting himself selflessly and with single minded focus to the work of Christ and the people of Christ wherever help was needed. He served as a reminder that believers should seek to become strong and effective witnesses for Christ. Another of the topics Paul wrote about was the mantle of leadership. For Paul, the essence of good leadership was to provide an example that mirrored Christ’s own example. The cross of Christ was central for Paul, and it had a total claim on his life. When he said “I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death” Paul was speaking of more than emotional turmoil or even dealing with sin. He meant suffering violently and bodily. Paul endured suffering for the sake of those to whom he proclaimed the Good News, always putting their salvation before his own physical well being. Paul’s life was a proclamation of Christ crucified, of God’s power through Paul’s weakness, and of God’s wisdom despite human foolishness. As Paul summoned Timothy to take up the mantle of leadership, he was also summoning Timothy to suffer with him, scorning the shame of the cross. The mantle of Christian leadership is the garb of a servant who suffers for those they lead. If leadership does not orbit faithfully around Christ as its self giving center, it ceases to be leadership in Christ and fails to understand the Good News. But leadership that is modeled after Christ gains a reward at Christ’s future coming, when those who have died with Him will live with Him and those who endure hardship will reign with Him. And then there is this; the role of women in the New Testament church. There are many different interpretations of Paul’s writing on this subject. I will share three with you. Paul’s words regarding women’s roles in the church were intended to correct what was happening in Ephesus, but the extent to which this passage applies to other situations is a subject of discussion. The first interpretation is the universal interpretation. Galatians 3:8, “there is no longer male and female” does not negate the creation order of gender distinctions and roles. Even if this verse represents the ideal of equality in God’s eternal kingdom, gender roles should still be ordered as outlined in 1 Timothy 2:11-125 for as long as this creation continues. By way of comparison, Matthew 22:30 discusses the status of marriage in the new creation. It differs from the structure of this creation outlined in Genesis 2:23-24, and it applies to the present life only in a special and limited sense. The structure of the new creation will be fully realized in the coming age, and it is not ideal for the present time. Therefore Christian women in all times and places must recognize their role in the created order of God. They must not teach men or exercise authority over men in the church. The second interpretation is called the Polemical interpretation. Paul was addressing a particular situation created by the false teachers within the Ephesian church. Evidence suggests that this trenching was disturbing family relationships. It is possible that Ephesian women, caught up in the local heresy, were abusing Genesis 1-3 in their teaching. They might have been asserting female domination in the final resurrection, and accentuated Adam’s blame for the fall. Paul corrects their misreading by alluding to the Biblical text, but his point is not to make a universal statement about the status of women in the church. His concern is merely to silence the false teachers in Ephesus, including the women among them. 1 Timothy 2:11-15 entails a rebuke with loss of privilege specifically for those false teachers. The third interpretation is the cultural interpretation. This states that Paul’s argument was not necessarily directed to a local problem in Ephesus, but it presupposes a strong patriarchal society, both in concern for public decorum (women in their place, showing respect to men) and in handling Genesis 2:2,7. This shows that Christians must accept cultural norms insofar as possible in their evangelistic mission. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). In addition, most women in that society had limited training as teachers. Their society, in contrast to many 21st century societies, usually educated their women poorly. Because of that culture’s patriarchal structure, women would not normally have qualified as teachers and leaders of much of anything. Therefore 1 Timothy 2:11-15 shows that properly qualified people should lead and teach. At the same time, there is a tendency in Paul and the early church ( Acts 18:26, Romans 16:1-7) toward the full engagement of women in ministry, which makes it unlikely that Paul was issuing a universal limitation here. Cultures that do not operate according to patriarchal norms would apply Paul’s principle in very different ways. An egalitarian culture, as in contemporary western society, would see men and women as sharing equal roles in the church. In His Grip Pastor Matt W It is believed that Paul was in prison in Rome when he wrote this letter. This is the shortest and most personal letter Paul wrote and it shows how relationships are transformed in Christ. Philemon was a believer in Colossae but the letter is also addressed to Apphia, presumably Philemon’s wife, and the members in the church there. The letter was written in behalf of Onesimus, a run away slave as he returned to Philemon his master. Paul encouraged Philemon to go beyond the traditional master slave relationship by welcoming Onesimus back as a beloved brother in Christ. With these reconciling words Paul reminds us that all relationships among Christians, regardless of a person’s social standing, are transformed by the love of Christ. Here are two themes to look for as you read this short letter. First, forgiveness. Paul asked Philemon to accept his formerly troublesome slave as he would accept Paul himself, extending the same love to Onesimus that he himself had received from God. Their reconciliation was so important that it took precedence over Paul’s desire to have Onesimus remain with himself. This letter speaks of failure, intercession, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration. Second, equality in Christ. Paul did not overtly challenge the slavery system but neither did he sanctify it as part of God’s design. Instead, he focused on how conversion fundamentally transforms personal relationships with others and with God. He laid down universal principles that, when taken seriously, ultimately topple the foundations of injustice in any form.
Many scholars believe Paul was writing this from prison in Rome but some think Paul may have been writing much earlier and from Ephesus, which was also much closer to Colossae. It is clear that Philemon was also a worker for the Lord, along with his wife and Archippus. Being a soldier meant they were involved in a battle, probably against false teachers. They were called to be able to stand firm in the face of opposition. It is possible that Archippus was Philemon’s son. The family was very involved in the church in Colossae because there was a house church that met in their house. When Paul brought grace to them it was to you, plural, meaning the family and most likely their house church as well. Paul reminds them that it is by faith in Christ that we are saved and it is by love for fellow Christians that we live out salvation. Paul hints, not too subtly, that Philemon should be gracious to Onesimus in lightly of God’s goodness to Philemon. Paul is asking this as a favor because of Philemon’s reputation as a gracious and loving person. Paul could demand this because of his authority as Christ’s apostle, but love leads Paul to make a request rather than a demand. He also appeals to the respect that is to be shown to older people, and Paul considers himself old. He also uses the fact that he is in prison for the gospel as a means to ask for respect. In the Roman world run away slaves could be treated harshly with whipping, branding, or even execution, all at the owners discretion. However, Onesimus is Paul’s spiritual child having come to faith because of Paul’s ministry. The name Onesimus means “useful” but Paul acknowledged that he hadn’t really lived up to his name in the past. But now that he has come to faith he is useful to both of them. Onesimus was now serving others and proclaiming the Good News. At least he had become what his name meant. Paul hinted that he would like to keep Onesimus with him if Philemon would set him free. He had become a good helper. But Paul also hinted that Onesimus had run away as part of God’s plan to bring him to salvation. In any case, Paul asked that Philemon take Onesimus back and treat him as a brother in the faith. Onesimus was still legally a slave however. Now that they were both believers their brotherhood in Christ must transform their whole relationship in both the natural and spiritual realms. It seems that Onesimus may have stolen some things from Philemon’s home or, he had a debt to pay off when he ran away. Paul offered to pay the damages and guaranteed his promise with his own handwriting. But he also made a dig at Philemon in that he reminded Philemon that he owed Paul for his soul because it was due to Paul’s ministry that Philemon now believed. In fact, Philemon owed Paul much more than anything Onesimus might have owed. Again Paul asked for a favor from Philemon saying it would give him encouragement in Christ. The “even more” Paul is asking for is probably Onesimus’ release as a slave. Or, he could simply be expressing confidence in Philemon’s kindness. Paul requested a guest room be readied for him because he planned to visit as soon as he could. Then he would see for himself how Onesimus was being treated. Usually Paul closed his letters with greetings for others but here he simply sends greetings from those who were with him. Epaphras was from Colossae and most likely first brought the Good News to Philemon and his family. The men in verse 24 are the same ones mentioned at the end of the Book of Colossians. They were Paul’s coworkers in the mission field. Mark here is John Mark who deserted Paul on the first missionary journey. Aristarchus was a faithful companion of Paul for many years. We know Luke, the good doctor and Demas was a coworker who later abandoned Paul. Paul ended the letter wishing for God’s grace to be with their spirits. In His Grip Pastor Matt W The church in Crete was full of new converts living in a culture that was known for its crude conduct. Paul, the aged missionary, demonstrated finesse in adapting the Good News to the spiritual condition and circumstances of these believers in Crete as the church was beginning to grow. This letter to Titus was probably written from Nicopolis is western Greece. It was delivered by Zenas and Apollos who were on a missionary journey that took them through Crete. Titus was a gentile Christian, probably converted through Paul’s ministry and he was presently overseeing the churches on Crete. Titus had travelled with Paul and became a trusted associate. After Paul’s release from his first Roman imprisonment he and Titus had ministered briefly on Crete. When Paul departed he left Titus to continue the ministry, organize the churches, and appoint elders. This letter was intended to encourage Titus and give him further instruction for completing his tasks. Paul evidently regarded the Cretans as a difficult group to work with. In New Testament times life on Crete had sunk to a deplorable moral level. Those who had become Christians were immature in their faith and needed basic instruction concerning immorality for Christians conduct. And, there were false teachers who were stirring up trouble as well. Paul gave Titus a list of qualifications for effective church leaders. He also gave instructions for living a godly life, including his guidelines for successful relationships with family, friends, and community. Note that specific groups had special responsibilities but that every individual was accountable to live a life characterized by self control, integrity, and grace. Crete was the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It was a Roman province primarily populated by farmers and fruit growers. Here are some themes to watch for. First, church leaders. Since Cretan culture was known for its moral decadence Paul instructed Titus that leaders in the church must be above reproach as examples to others of the Christian life. When Christians are guilty of immoral behavior, they discredit the truth of the very gospel they proclaim. Second, self control and integrity make the gospel attractive. Paul instructed Titus on directing a various other groups besides leaders: older men, older women who also taught younger women, younger men. All were called to exhibit self control. Slaves were to be respectful and honest. The gospel has a civilizing effect on all aspects of a Christian’s life, including relationships within the home. Third, false teachers. As you can tell by our readings, false teachers seemed to follow the gospel proclamation around, trying to counteract the message that Paul was proclaiming. It seemed to be a constant battle. Like Timothy, Titus also had to contend with false teachers. Paul spoke harshly about these teachers. But Paul also highly valued unity within the community and he condemned anyone who threatened that.
Paul’s opening salutation to Titus served to establish Paul’s authority for his representative. He called himself a slave for Christ. He was called to strengthen the faith of those God has chosen so that they will know how to live godly lives. The confidence that people have in eternal life allows them to live in the present. This is because they know the future. Paul is adamant that God does not lie. This no doubt contrasts with teaching from the false teachers and popular Cretan conceptions. This statement also underlines God’s plan of salvation as unchanging, also a point that corrects what the false teachers were saying. God can be trusted to fulfill His promises. All of this happens by the command of God, when it is the right time. And Paul reminds Titus that both Jesus and God the Father are called our Savior. The rest of chapter one deals with what strong, faithful leadership looks like. It was needed in the churches on Crete to address the dangers of false teachings. This was a tall order but Titus was also given the responsibility to shape as Christian community that bears witness to Christ by embodying God’s grace in its conduct. Titus was directed to appoint leaders in order to complete Paul’s work there. That work was establishing the church. Deacons are not mentioned here because these were new churches and probably still small. These leadership qualities might be an accommodation to the newness of the converts and the roughness of their character. It is assumed that the elders will be male. Crete was an important location for travel and trade by sea so it had a wide mix of influences, including a Jewish population. Some from Crete had been in Jerusalem at Pentecost but this letter really seems to deal with an infant church. There may have been more than one house church in a given town and possibly more than one elder in a house church. It is clear that there were churches in at least two towns and the leadership was specific to each house church. Again we see that elders are allowed to have only one wife and they were not to be wild or rebellious. This most likely points to the Cretan culture and moral degradation. The church leader, also translated as overseer or bishop, is a manager of God’s house. Given the qualifications it is also clear that these church leaders could not be a part of the Cretan masses. They were to live above reproach and that would not be possible if they ran with the masses. The elders had a leading role of teaching within the church community. This may have been necessary because of the volume of the false teachings that were out and about. Elders were to have a strong belief in the Good News so they could teach. We also see that one of the challenges were rebellious people who engaged in useless talk. They enjoyed deceiving others, and insisted on circumcision for salvation. This suggests Jewish Christians or Judaizers who were instigating trouble. It had gotten so bad that their false teaching was turning entire families away from the Good News of Jesus Christ. And they were being paid to be false teachers. Paul commanded Titus, “they must be silenced.” It was so bad that one of Crete’s own prophets referred to the people of Crete as liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons. Calling them liars pointed directly to the Cretan claim of having Zeus’s tomb on the island. According to their mythology the god Zeus was once a mere human who lived and died on Crete but he had achieved godhood through his patronage, (gifts and benefits) to humans. However, the One true God does not lie and He stands in opposition to such lies and myths. Many believe the moral degradation on Crete came from their beliefs about Zeus and their religious lies gave way to moral corruption. Paul called the Cretans to reach ethical ideals that are extolled in human society but were absent on Crete. Even their own prophet spoke of this. Cretans were known to do anything for a little bit of cash. They saw no shame in greed. Paul applied this to the false teachers who lived this and encouraged the Cretans to do the same. Being strong in the faith here is defined as rejecting false teachings and the Jewish myths were not just mere unbelief but apostasy. These people were to be avoided. Paul always linked sound teaching and godliness and on the flip side, Paul also linked false teaching and ungodliness. Chapter two is all about wholesome relationships and teaching. It was urgent because of the damage the false teachers were causing. They had wreaked havoc on entire families so Paul addressed different groups worthy in the household of faith, showing his concern for the public testimony of the church. Then Paul elaborated on the coming of Christ. That was followed by Paul giving Titus a direct charge. The purpose of the commands was to make the teaching about God attractive. Older men refers to those who are at least 50, and the same is true for the older women. The character of those who are mature should serve as a spiritual example to all. But, maturity is not determined simply by age or even how much a person knows. It is determined by how skilled a person is in applying the truth to life and in distinguishing good from evil. Older women are not to engage in evil practices like slander, gossip, or drunkenness. Instead they are to teach good morals to younger women. Paul places great importance on the roles of women in the home. They are not under the authority of men in general but only under the authority of their husbands. Paul wanted older women to teach younger women so that their actions would glorify God, build His kingdom, and strengthen the family. Failure to follow Paul’s instructions would result in the word of God being maligned in the pagan community. Young men are called to pursue the character qualities that older men should already possess. Paul also reminded Titus that people will learn from us just by observing the way we live our daily lives as much as they will by listening to what we say. Also, good works from a Christian slave would make the doctrine of God very attractive to a non Christian master. The commands of verses 1-10 are grounded in the past and future coming of Christ. God’s grace is a model for the church’s own conduct, even as salvation by grace makes a good life possible and creates people devoted to good works. The grace of God has been revealed to all people and Paul intends that it will fully accomplish its ends among the Cretans and that in doing so it will enlist them into God’s saving work of evangelism. Paul acknowledges that we live in a world that is evil but we are called to live in wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God. These virtues counter the vices Paul listed in 1:12 and are transformed into thoroughly Christian qualities. Paul exhorted the Cretans to bring these virtues to life. This would be an example to their fellow Cretans of a virtuous life that comes only because of God’s grace. Looking forward implies hope but there is also future accountability. Both of these things push godly conduct now. There will be a time of epiphany when Christ returns. This is one of the few places in the New Testament where Jesus Christ is called God outright. And this claim is totally consistent with the roles and attributes of Christ and the worship He receives. At the time of this letter Christians were insisting more and more that Christ alone, rather than rulers and emperors, should be called divine. Paul reminded Titus that salvation produces people who have the desire and the capacity to perform the good deeds listed in 2:2-10. Verse 14 details what Jesus did for us. He gave His life for us. By doing that He freed us from bondage to sin. His blood has washed us clean. And He has claimed us as His very own people. Being His own people goes back to the formation of the nation of Israel. All those who follow Christ are now God’s people and the Holy Spirit leads these people to keep God’s covenant. Titus is charged with teaching these things and encouraging the believers to do them. Titus has the authority to correct the believers. And he shouldn’t let anyone ignore what he is saying. Paul continues his emphasis on wholesome teaching to oppose the false teachers. Now he turns to the relationship of the Christian community to society as a whole. God’s instructions for His people are based on His dealings with them. Titus is instructed to avoid fruitless debates and to insist on beneficial teaching. Paul is instructing believers to make a clear distinction between themselves and the unruly and crude masses. Also, the troublemakers may have developed unruly behaviors that stemmed from their false teachings. However, Paul is also reminded that there was a time when believers were disobedient and slaves to many earthly things. Their lives were full of envy and hate. But in grace Jesus Christ came to them. It had nothing to do with what the people did. This was all on God showing his mercy. He washed away sins, gave rebirth, and new life through the Holy Spirit. Verses 4-7 may have been a summary from a standard teaching or a creedal statement. Paul called believers to behave towards others as God had acted towards us…in kindness and love. It is God’s salvation that makes this possible. Paul contrasted human actions versus God’s actions. We don’t come out to well on our own but in Christ we receive way more than we deserve or could even imagine. Washing away sins signifies a complete departure from the life of sin we knew before we knew Jesus Christ. God did what He did out of grace to give us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. What Paul is saying is trustworthy and true and he insists that Titus teach this. It will result in people’s salvation but also it will change how people act and the good works they will do. Paul gave Titus yet another warning about foolish discussions, quarrels, or fights about obedience to Jewish laws. Titus is to warn them twice and then have nothing to do with people who quarrel and spread false teachings. And some of those who are, are believers. Paul is sending help to Titus; Tychicus or Artemas. But he sent Tychicus to Ephesus so Timothy could visit him in Rome. Zenas and Apollos were also involved in spreading the Good News and they might have been the ones to deliver this letter to Titus. Zenas was probably an expert in Roman law or a lawyer. Paul’s final exhortation is connected to the responsibility to take care of Zenas and Apollos. Believers are called to involve themselves in the life giving ministry of the Good News rather than the unproductive speculation of the false teachers. This letter was addressed to Titus but it was intended for the whole church on Crete to hear and take to heart. In His Grip Pastor Matt W It appears that after Paul was released from prison in 62 AD, after his first Roman imprisonment, he traveled to Spain and then back east where he did missionary work in Crete and various cities around the Aegean Sea. Most scholars believe that Paul wrote 2 Timothy at the end of his last missionary journey, after which he traveled back to Rome and was again imprisoned. This suggests a date for this letter of about 67 AD. Paul wrote from prison this time and not house arrest. He wrote out of concern for both personal reasons and for the churches. On the one hand he was isolated in prison and feeling abandoned. He was aware he was soon to die and he was eager that Timothy get to him as soon as possible. On the other hand Paul was alarmed at just how quickly heresy and factionalism had grown in the churches. He sensed severe persecution was about to begin. He used this letter as a final occasion to exhort Timothy and other missionaries to be faithful in preaching, to oppose false doctrine and cultic teachers, and to promote genuine godliness among the churches. As you read look for hints about Paul’s loneliness, suffering and future martyrdom…and for his hymn of hope. Even as Paul suffered he continued his role as a mentor to Timothy. Paul encouraged him by offering him practical advice regarding his role and responsibilities as pastor-teacher. Here are three themes to look for as well. First there is encouragement to persevere. Paul encouraged Timothy to continue the mission of evangelism. He directed him to hold fast to the traditions he had received and set himself up as a model for Timothy to imitate. This letter teaches that the truth is not just something to believe but a path to follow. Second is reliance on the authority of scripture. Timothy had been trained from early childhood in the scriptures which helped him respond to the truth of Jesus Christ. Paul emphasized correct handling of scripture, it’s authority, and it’s importance in developing disciples capable of serving others. Third, a warning against false teachers. Paul warned Timothy about false teachers who stir up quarrels over senseless controversies and seek to deceive. They indulge in godless chatter, and propagate muddy theology. In contrast, the Lord’s servants are to hold to sound doctrine and avoid pointless quarrels. They are to be kind to everyone, promote sound doctrine and gently and patiently instruct opponents in the truth, rather then seeking to crush them. Back in a Roman prison Paul realized that he had reached the end of his race. His life, modeled on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was nearing its conclusion, so Paul commissioned his right hand man Timothy to carry on his work. When Paul died at the hands of the Romans he had composed this letter as his own epitaph and he empowered the church to carry on in his absence.
This letter to Timothy celebrates Christ’s resurrection and the life which results from it as the answer to the suffering and death of the godly. Paul’s own life demonstrated this hope. The thanksgiving and prayers are standard sections of Paul’s letters and he reminds Timothy that he serves with a clear conscience. Paul knows he has been obedient to his call from the Lord. It doesn’t take long for Paul to urge Timothy to come visit. He knows his time is short and Timothy held a special place in Paul’s heart. He also reminded Timothy that if he remains faithful, suffering is almost certainly guaranteed, so Paul wrote to strengthen his resolve. Paul spoke of Timothy’s faith, here meaning his Christian faith, but Paul also knew Timothy had a rich heritage in his Jewish roots as well thanks to his mother and grandmother. But they too had put down Christian roots which they passed along to Timothy. The Spirit’s work is not automatic. It must be cultivated and the spiritual gift Timothy received is the Holy Spirit’s enabling Timothy’s ministry. Paul and the elders had laid hands on Timothy and ordained him for ministry. And when you read verse seven, these words are for us as well. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in each one of us. We are not to be fearful or timid in sharing the gospel with others. We have the Spirit’s power in us. We have been lavished with the love of Jesus Christ. And we have an example in both Jesus, and Paul of what self discipline looks like. Verse eight really sums up the letter, and Paul’s life. Timothy would experience suffering both in coming to Rome and in his subsequent ministry as Paul’s successor. Paul underscores the importance of obedience and strengthens Timothy for that. Here Paul interchanges God and Jesus in the role of Savior. He has also linked salvation and godliness. Everything we receive in Jesus Christ we have not earned nor do we deserve it. But out of His boundless love, Jesus has given us incredible gifts when we really deserved condemnation and the full measure of God’s wrath. All of this was God’s plan from the very beginning. Salvation is completely removed from human merit and located exclusively in the gracious working of God. Jesus Christ is God’s gift of grace. Salvation is provided by Christ but it’s effects are mediated through the proclamation of the Good News. Paul had complete confidence as he faced his own death and it was an example for Timothy to follow. That which Paul had entrusted to Timothy was either the Good News that had been entrusted to Paul that he had passed along or, Paul’s life and ministry that he had committed to God. He cautioned Timothy to guard the Good News as well and faithfully proclaim it, preventing false teachers from distorting it. Chapter one ends with Paul giving Timothy examples, both good and bad, of what being faithful looks like. For just a brief moment we see Paul’s humanity. He tells Timothy everyone had deserted him. This may have happened in Rome or when he was arrested in the province of Asia. He may well have seen this as yet another way in which his life looked like Jesus’. The two mentioned in verse 15 are mentioned only here and nothing is known about them except they deserted Paul. They may have been church leaders who sided with Paul’s opponents. Chapter two begins with Paul once again exhorting Timothy to be strong and to endure suffering along with him. Timothy’s obedience should be motivated by reflecting on the Good News and on Paul’s example. Many reliable witnesses would confirm the validity and veracity of Paul’s teaching, and Timothy is called to not only preach the Good News but to entrust it to people who are also faithful. In rapid fire sequence verses 4-7 find Paul quoting maxims about single minded struggling and laboring. Paul reminds again that his life and suffering reflects the life and suffering of Jesus Christ and he points to the cross and resurrection as the meaning of the Good News. He teaches that Jesus, who was a descendant of King David was raised from the dead and suffering with Christ should be viewed from the perspective of the resurrection to come. Jesus was treated like a common criminal and Paul was as well. But Paul would bevictorious through the power of Christ’s resurrection. Christ remains faithful even when we are not. Perhaps this means He allows those who have stumbled, an opportunity for repentance. It could mean He faithfully judges unbelievers in accord with His unchanging will. He Himself is an example for His people to follow. Jesus will faithfully accomplish His purposes in history, to save those who trust Him through the Good News. Paul insists that Timothy teach 2:8-13 and steer clear of the teaching and conduct of the false teachers. The talk of the false teachers was spreading like gangrene and Paul was concerned. Hymenaeus was earlier teamed with Alexander and both of them were still wreaking havoc. They had become false teachers, claiming the resurrection had already come. They have twisted Paul’s own teachings on the resurrection of the dead by teaching they have already participated in the heavenly life and perhaps physical resurrection would not occur. There are several other options the false teachers were using but what ever it was, Paul dismissed them as teaching worthless and foolish talk. Paul assured Timothy that the false teaching will not win and he again reinforced the call to purity. God’s truth is like a foundation stone. This is meant to assure Timothy and the church in Ephesus that the Good News is immune to destruction. All who belong to the Lord, the believers, are cautioned to stay away from evil. Paul moved from the foundation to utensils that one would find in the home of the wealthy. Within God’s household one should endeavor to be like a utensil that is cherished rather than one that is treated with contempt. Believers are to pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Servants of the Lord are not to argue or quarrel but be kind to everyone, even those who are not kind to us. Gently guide and correct and maybe they will come to their senses Paul believed. There will be difficult times at the end, but by the time Paul was in prison again, the persecution under Nero was heating up. Paul knew it was going to get bad. The first five verses in chapter three detail what the bad at the end would look like. From people being focused solely on themselves and their money, to scoffing at God and being disobedient, to cruelty, hate, and pride, these are the signs of the end times. Believers and especially Timothy are called to avoid these people at all costs. Paul is constantly worried about the effects of the false teachers on both households and women. Whether or not they targeted women, it seems like they were successful with some of them. And according to tradition, Jannes and Jambres are the names of the Egyptian sorcerers who opposed Moses. Paul reminded Timothy of what and how he taught and encouraged Timothy to do the same. Timothy was from Lystra, near Antioch and Iconium so he was well aware of what Paul had suffered there. It was in Lystra that Paul was stoned, dragged out of town and left for dead. It was after these acts that Timothy was recruited. In spite of the challenges and suffering Paul kept his faith in Jesus and the Lord rescued him. God would accomplish His purposes through His faithful servant Paul. Again Paul brought upTimothy’s mother and grandmother, reminding him that they were the ones who provided his education in the Old Testament scriptures and because he trusted them, he knew their teachings to be true. These gave him the wisdom to receive Jesus Christ and in turn Jesus is needed to fully understand the Old Testament scriptures. The fact that scripture is inspired by God, literally God breathed, does not negate the active involvement of human authors. But it does affirm that God is fully responsible for His Word. Scripture is true, reliable, authoritative, permanent, and powerful because it comes from God Himself. It’s message is coherent, and it is consistent in its testimony about Jesus Christ. That means it has the power to bring salvation and elicit faith. It must not be abused as the false teachers had been doing but it must be taught properly. As a consequence of inspiration, all scripture is useful. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are together our guide and teacher in life. Paul makes it clear that salvation results in godliness and that scripture is used to prepare and equip His people to do every good work. Chapter four is Paul’s charge to Timothy. He charges him in the presence of the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is God who will one day judge the living and the dead. Timothy is to preach the Word of God. He is to be always prepared. He is to patiently correct believers who stray, rebuke those who are blatant sinners, and encourage the believers with good teaching.In effect, Paul is handing over the mantle of leadership to Timothy. He needs to be alert and ready to preach God’s Word. Sound teaching is essential for spiritual maturity, but will not always be tolerated. There will be a time when people seek out teachers to tell them what they want to hear and what makes them feel good. People will turn their ears to avoid the truth. This is the sixth time in this short letter that Paul has used the word truth. And he used it five times in his first letter to Timothy. As Paul faced execution he seemed to be concerned that the false teachers would get to Timothy and he would be tempted to depart from the truth. Paul pictured his death as a drink offering that is poured out to God. Again this offering participates in Christ’s own sacrifice. Paul’s life was already being poured out in service to Jesus Christ. But he was also confident that no one could touch him until his Heavenly Father ushered him into his eternal home with a victory celebration. Paul had been vigilant in his service to God. Notice that Paul didn’t make these comments until the end of his race, as he was about to die. He didn’t presume or rely on his past service. Instead Paul persevered, struggled, and served God until the end. Paul also understood the eternal potential of a lifetime of faithful service to Christ. Jesus would return with rewards for those who stick it out over the long haul. The crown of righteousness was a special reward given to those who serve God faithfully on this earth. There will be as many crowns as there are runners who finish the race well. And those who are waiting for His appearing are those believers in Christ who have lived faithfully in the hope of His return. Paul asked for Timothy to come to Rome as soon as he could, knowing his time was short. And Paul needed his cloak so he could keep warm in the dark and dank jail cell. The only person with Paul was Luke. Everyone else had deserted him. Some returned to life in the world and others were on their own missionary journeys. Paul also asked that Mark come to him. This is John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas who had left Paul early on. This is a story of redemption and forgiveness. It appears that Tychicus was headed to Ephesus to take over for Timothy so he could go to Rome. The papers Paul asked for could have been scriptures, personal notes, letters addressed to Paul, copies of Paul’s own letters, and other Christian and Jewish materials. Alexander in verse 14 is most likely the same Alexander from 1 Timothy. The harm done was more than just opposing Paul. He may well have had a hand in Paul’s arrest. A Roman trial was divided into three parts: an initial trial or hearing, a preliminary investigation, and the trial itself. Paul was most likely referring to the first of these three. It also sounds like in this first hearing God gave him the strength, the words, and the opportunity to preach the Good News to those in the courtroom. Paul was faithful until he drew his last breath. Paul turned his defense into proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ, just like before. He acknowledged that God had rescued him from the lions. Think Daniel and the lions den here. One of the punishments for capital crimes was being taken into the arena and set over and against the lions. However, Roman citizens were exempted from this. Lions here could have also referred to the emperor, the false teachers, or to the evil one. Paul contrasts God’s kingdom where glory is with the earthly kingdom that was about to pass judgement on him. But he ends here with a doxology, giving all the glory to God. As always Paul sent a list of greetings to those whom he had ministered to and with, and asked again that Timothy come before winter set in. Winter closed travel across the Adriatic Sea between November and March and Paul would freeze in prison without his coat. The last verse is phrased somewhat uniquely, perhaps to emphasize what had already been said earlier. By praying for God’s grace for all of them this indicates the letter would be read publicly. We do not know if Timothy made it to Rome before Paul was beheaded but he wasn’t completely alone. The good doctor Luke was with him to the end. In His Grip Pastor Matt W Paul here is contrasting his sound teaching with the false teachings he denounces. The early church regarded itself as already in the last times and in fact many believed they would see Jesus return in their lifetime. Hence the sense of urgency to take the gospel to as many people as they could. Paul is still concerned about the false teachers and their heresies. He viewed these folks as having dead consciences. Either they don’t function at all or they function wickedly, and they rendered judgements that opposed the truth of the gospel. Again Paul commanded Timothy to teach the believers the truth. He has to respond to the false teachers. And if Timothy does this, he will be a worthy servant of Jesus Christ. Being a worthy servant involves a whole pattern of conduct, modeled by Paul and based on sound doctrine. Good teaching unifies Word and deed, belief and behavior. Paul even went so far as to compare physical training to godly training, which it’s better and preferable. Even for us today, only those whose lives are shaped by the Good News are worthy teachers of it. And the false teachers were not! Timothy was to be an example. It is clear he is a younger man but Paul cautioned that should not matter. Timothy had to be above reproach and he was to be an example to all who saw him in terms of how he lived his life, in his love, his faith, and his purity. He was to read the scriptures out loud for all to hear and then encourage the believers. Not much has changed between then and now. We too as believers should be leading lives that are above reproach. We too should be examples in the way we live, in our love, faith, and purity. When Timothy was commissioned, other believers laid hands on him and his spiritual gifts were identified and spoken out loud. The laying on of hands signifies recognition, authorization, and blessing. Timothy was to not forget that Paul’s ministry and that of his representatives was under the authority of the church.
Chapter five addresses the right conduct in God’s household as it relates to young and old, widows, elders, and slaves. Proper honor within the household cuts across social and economic boundaries. Paul had a soft spot for widows but that most likely came from his Jewish background where the people were commanded to care for the widows, orphans, and the poor. A widow without wealth or family, which was painfully common, was alone in a world that did not provide for her. The Christian community was expected to care for such widows among it as members. Some have argued that this passage suggests a religious order of widows in the first century church at Ephesus, but there is no certain evidence of a religious order of widows in the first century church, only of a ministry of care for community members without means. The only recourse for a widow who was truly alone was hope in God. Some widows in Ephesus were living only for pleasure, more interested in receiving than giving. They did not need support. Paul spoke of faith here in terms of not a mere belief but a way of life. Widows required different approaches. Young and old were typically divided about age 40. Elders would have been 50 or older. Older widows were to have been the wife of only one husband and faithful to him. She was also to have been well respected because of the good she has done. She is to have been kind to strangers; in other words she practiced hospitality. Young widows still in their child bearing years required a different approach. Paul was concerned that the false teachers were leading them astray. He may well have been worried that they would remarry and choose an unbeliever, renouncing their previous pledge which wasn’t marriage but their faith, which they would surrender upon entering into a pagan marriage. Such a marriage as this would have alienated them from Christ. Too seldom do those who are fully supported by the church invest their lives in remarkable piety. Abusing the church’s support does not help them or the Good News. The fact that Paul is worried about them talking about things they shouldn’t, means they are already involved in the false teachings. So, Paul advised young widows to remarry and to marry believers because their current actions were hurting their testimony for the Good News. Following the false teachers meant they were following the evil one. They had committed apostasy, renouncing Christ, probably in connection with the false teachers and their self indulgence. Individual households still maintained their functions and identity within the church, and they were not overshadowed by the church. Just like in Judaism, community leaders were typically older men who were leaders in the community. Both the letters to Timothy and Titus recognize the office of elder. But the word is also used in the secular world for older men who lead in the community at large. There is no evidence of paid clergy at this time but the word is never used for a continuous salary either. However, it does imply something beyond simply a show of respect. The quotes from scripture, both Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7 suggest gifts of money. The charges by the false teachers may well have included charges against the leaders of the community. But nothing can be done without two or three witnesses. Paul then commanded Timothy to obey all of the instructions he had given him. The highest angels are often associated with God’s judgement. Timothy is called to keep himself apart from the false teachers, to not share the sins of others, and to not play favorites. He is also to make sure about the character of anyone who might be appointed to any leadership position within the church. The subject of wine was always interesting because many were concerned about purity and thus would not drink any wine. But the water was notoriously bad so they would mix part water and part wine to prevent stomach troubles. It seems that Timothy was trying to be pure and drink only water which was making him sick. Wine may have also been considered medicinal at this point. Verses 24-25 are proverbial and speak to God’s judgement. Both believing and unbelieving masters should be treated with respect, which brings honor rather than shame to God’s name. The rest of the letter, verses 2-21 returns to the need for Timothy to confront the false teachers. This section closely resembles 1:3-20. It appears that the false teachers are doing their work to get wealthy. Paul warned Timothy to be on guard and to keep teaching Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead. These teachings would promote a godly life. But anyone who taught something different was a false teacher, they were arrogant, and they lacked understanding. This then resulted in such things as arguments that tended in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. They always cause trouble, their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth of the Good News. Just how these false teachers thought they would get rich wasn’t clear. In the wider culture there were many itinerant teachers who taught for pay. Abuse was common and often deserved the accusation that someone was teaching for gain and glory. It is quite possible that the false teachers were bringing this into the church in Ephesus. Or they could have been teaching a prosperity gospel. They seem to have had influence on wealthy believers, wealthy women in particular. Paul also reminded Timothy and the Ephesian church that true godliness with contentment is also great wealth. This isn’t just a philosophical outlook but total dependency on the sufficiency of Christ. Before ending the discussion of wealth Paul exhorted Timothy to live beyond reproach, commanding him to flee from the desire for wealth. The promise of external life moderates the appeal of wealth. The faith that Timothy declared so well before witnesses probably refers to his confession at his baptism. Paul went on to emphasize the historical nature of Christ’s mediating work at His trial before Pilate, holding this up as an example or incentive for Timothy to remain steadfast under the pressure of the false teachers. Christ’s comings, both past and future are described by Paul as epiphanies or appearances. An epiphany is a divine intervention in a particular historical moment. The church is positioned between these past and future appearances of Christ. Christ’s first saving epiphany made possible a new life. His future epiphany will achieve final salvation. And even though the present is evil, our anticipation of Christ’s appearance creates accountability for living a godly life in the present. By contrast the false teachers advocated sinful behaviors because they assumed the resurrection had already occurred. In response Paul made it clear that salvation has begun but is not yet complete. The conduct of God’s household requires responsible living in the light of Christ’s past, present, and future saving work. Paul reminded Timothy that just the right time God will act and bring everything to fruition. God will then complete the salvation promised to us before the world began, which Christ enacted in His first appearance. The saving work of Christ is positioned within God’s sovereign and eternal purposes. This thought leads naturally into worship of God our Savior. This material might be quoted from a baptismal confession. In light of what Paul said in verses 11-16, it is foolish to treasure the transient wealth of this age. It is better to store up treasures for the coming age through trust in God and by being rich in good works and generous in love for others. Christian hope leads to the management of resources which we are to use for enjoyment and for sharing Christ’s love with others. Paul ended with a blessing and an exhortation. He called Timothy, by name, to guard what God had entrusted to him. In other words Timothy is to guard the Good News of Jesus Christ. This was entrusted to him and to the church for safekeeping. But it is more than just the Good News. Timothy is also to guard the whole pattern of conduct expected from believers and leaders that flows from knowing the Good News. This would help stabilize and purify the church as it is buffeted by the false teachers, counterfeiters, and influences of the world. The Good News belongs to the tradition of the church and it requires creative and faithful interpretation to meet the changing and challenging circumstances and problems of the world. The letter closes rather abruptly so evidently there was no need of directions for the mission. And, somehow greetings were either not needed or unnecessary. The letter was sent to Timothy but clearly it was intended to be read to the whole church in Ephesus. In His Grip Pastor Matt W Paul wrote this letter to his disciple Timothy whom he had left in Ephesus to oversee the work there. This book was written sometime after Paul was released from Roman imprisonment in about 63-65AD. He may well have written from Macedonia. During the final phase of Paul’s apostolic career, a serious disruption troubled the long standing church of Ephesus. Some of the church leaders had become false teachers. Paul had warned that this would happen (Acts 20:29-30) and now their impact was threatening the life and well being of the community. A skillful person was needed to restore order to God’s household. Paul gave this daunting task to Timothy. Here are some themes to look for as you read. First of all, sound doctrine. False teachers showed an unhealthy fascination with myths and genealogies and a preoccupation with the law. That had infiltrated the church in Ephesus. They prohibited marriage and the eating of certain foods. They taught that the resurrection had already taken place. In contrast, Timothy was to teach only what was trustworthy, sound, and good. Second is the right living. The false teachers were intent on stirring up controversy. They were prone to speculation, deception, and greed. Paul instructed Timothy to set an example for believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity. Third is evangelism. Paul’s concern for the church’s successful evangelism lay at the heart of his commands. The conduct of Christians is to be above reproach because it has a direct effect on the success of their evangelistic efforts. Fourth, church leaders. Church leaders need to reach for even higher standards than what is expected of persons holding similarly important positions in contemporary society. Warnings against immoral practices and materialism, however, apply to all members.
Timothy was serving in Ephesus as Paul’s disciple. Paul referred to him as his true son in faith but it is possible that Timothy was not one of Paul’s direct converts. Typically when Paul wrote, the first few verses of the letter contained greetings and thanksgivings but 1 Timothy and Titus do not because of theirofficial nature in a authorizing a delegate or representative. Here, Paul’s first concern is to silence the false teachers. Paul had warned about false teachers and I am sure he would have been very happy to be wrong about this. This letter was written to help Timothy deal with these false teachers. Paul spoke of endless discussions and meaningless speculations. Perhaps he is trivializing these teachings or he might be rejecting the fanciful nature of their interpretations and their justification of immoral behavior. Their spiritual pedigrees were the same as their genealogies. In Judaism one’s genealogy established one’s spiritual pedigree. It seems the false teachers were preoccupied with this and they may well have been exploiting Old Testament genealogies. These things didn’t help anyone live a life of faith in God. The Greek here can be translated literally “rather than a stewardship of God in faith”. Stewardship here is household management. It can be used as faithfulness to God’s household management or, faithfulness in managing God’s household. Paul writes so that all believers will be filled with the love that comes from a pure heart. Paul seeks godliness that flows out of sound faith and renewal. In both 1 Timothy and Titus when Paul writes about a clear conscience he is setting that over and against the false teachers dead consciences. From verse# 6-11 Paul elaborates on the false teachers and he turns their subject matter against them. He referred to the false teachers as “some people”. This is most likely a put down, demoting the false teachers to a general class of opponents of the Good News. They were professing believers who had missedthe whole point of the Good News and had turned away. Their aspirations to be teachers of the law of Moses were ironic. Their handling of the law was deficient in the light of the Good News, and they neither understood nor fulfilled the law. Paul taught that the law was not intended for people who do what is right. As a general principle, the virtuous person needs no law. For Christians , a righteous life results from faith apart from the law. Paul’s list in verse 10 portrays the ultimate tendencies of the false teachers teachings, their underlying spiritual state, and the superior righteousness of the Good News. Adding the phrase, “anything that contradicts the wholesome or sound teaching”, is both a closing generalization and a powerful assertion. Righteousness is now defined more perfectly by the Good News than the law, but the law still speaks to all that is opposed to the Good News. The false teachers reliance on the law underscores their departure from Paul’s teaching. Paul also gives thanks and gratitude to who has both called him to this work and given him the strength to complete it. When he talks about his own work, Paul directs glory to God and he makes it crystal clear he is doing God’s work. Paul is awed by God’s grace and mercy for him…Paul who persecuted believers in Christ before he encountered the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. His trustworthy saying falls on Christ’s entrance into the history for the salvation of sinners, which was probably being marginalized by the false teachers. They emphasized the law, having special knowledge, and teachings about marriage and what foods to eat or avoid. Verses 18-20 are Paul’s charge to Timothy to act. He was to draw on available resources, and remain faithful. The church should expect Paul representative to do these things. The prophetic words spoken earlier most likely came during Timothy’s commissioning. See Acts 13:2-3. Keeping your conscience clear, or good, means ensuring that it is not destroyed. Hymenaeus and Alexander might have been elders in Ephesus but because of their false teaching Paul handed them over to the evil one by removing them from the church which is the realm of the Spirit’s oversight. They had attacked and defamed the true Good News and thus God Himself. Chapters 2-3 deal with the areas of conduct in God’s household that were affected by false teachers. Community life had been corrupted in worship, gender roles and leadership. Chapter 2 deals with prayer and the deportment of men and women. It ends with the question of women and teaching. First, prayer. This suggests that the false teachers he brought the church into disrepute in the wider society and hampered its mission to the Gentiles. The prayers of the false teachers and their disciples were apparently not consonant with God’s will to save all kinds of people. Those who had the power to persecute or to protect the church were to be prayed for. The same is true today. We are called to pray for our leaders. The point was not for Christians to blend in and be unnoticed, but to display the beauty of the Good News and allow the churches mission to proceed without unnecessary complications. The word godliness carries the beliefs, attitudes, and lifestyles that accord with right and reverential knowledge of God, obedience, and authentic worship. Verses 5-6 may be a bit of a creed statement, part of a hymn, or prayers that were known to the church. And the doctrines referenced probably relate to Paul’s trouble with the false teachers. It seems that their teaching undercut the universal appeal of the Good News and the effectiveness of the Gentile mission. The false teachers also had a deficient understanding of Jesus and His salvation. There is One God and therefore one mission encompassing all people. When Paul uses the phrase one God he is also suggesting a fundamental declaration of Christian faith, similar to the basics of the one faith of the Jews. There is also one mediator of God’s covenant. This is the man Jesus Christ. He is fully human and fully God so that makes Him uniquely qualified to reconcile God and humanity. It seems like genuine prayer had deteriorated among the Ephesians due to the false teachers influence so Paul recommends praying in the ancient posture of prayer, praise, and supplication…with hands uplifted. He asks that there be no more anger or controversy among the church of believers. Paul also asks that women be depressed modestly. It seems that some women were dressing to be noticed by others when they went to worship. But Paul cautions that women should be dressed modestly so as not to call attention to themselves. He maintained that all attention should be focused on the Lord. That Paul mentioned jewelry and expensive clothes suggests that there may have been some significant class struggles in the church as well. The relationship between teaching and authority depends on how both are understood. Women did teach (Titus 2:3-5) but there are no clear examples or endorsements of women teaching men in church meetings. We know it was happening in some of the churches only by way of Paul’s opposing responses. Women did prophesy (Acts 2:17-18) but some types of prophecy might not have been seen as authoritative teachings. The most common understanding of this verse is that Paul believes social roles are attached to the man being created first. Paul’s logic is also tied to the leading role of the firstborn son in the Old Testament. However, there are exceptions to the rule of the firstborn even in scripture. See Genesis 27-28. And while gender retains its distinctions in the New Testament, there is also an element of equality in Christ. It is also possible that the heretics asserted a reversal of gender status in Christ relative to the surrounding culture, giving an objectionable dominance to women. Paul’s allusion would then function to discredit this assertion and reestablish balance. Verse 15 is problematic, particularly for women who have not or cannot bear children. Again, there was no doubt trouble stirred up by the false teachers who taught that the only a way a woman could be saved is if she had borne children. But Paul is most likely referring to the birth of The Child, Jesus Christ, as the way that all of us, women included, will be saved. Chapter three shifts to church leadership by elders and deacons. Timothy’s role in the appointments is less clear than in Titus, possibly because the church in Ephesus was more mature and thus better able to manage the process. The criteria Paul lists focuses on character, not function. And the criteria is most likely in response to the false teachers and local heretics. Reading this letter in the churches would make the criteria public and demonstrate the unfitness of the heretics for leadership. In the Greco-Roman world an overseer was a religious, civic, or military supervisor. The most general prerequisite is that the leader must be above reproach. They can only have one wife but this does not assume that a overseer or deacon must be married. This mostly addresses purity and faithfulness in the marriage relationship, something that could not be taken for granted in the current culture. It does not prohibit remarriage after the death of a spouse. Hospitality was an important duty and a respected virtue in the ancient world. Any traveling Christian would seek out and probably stay with believers. And, in the first century most believers met in one another’s homes. The church as a household overlapped with the family household and the overseer’s capacity to manage in one sphere reflected his capability in the other. The Greco-Roman household was united by familial bonds characterized by mutual responsibilities, roles, and stewardship. The household included the blood relatives living together as well as other dependents, such as household servants. Paul expected Christians to live in a way that could be respected by people outside the church. Deacons are commonly used for service of any kind. And again Paul is more concerned about character than he is about activities. Greed is disreputable and improper, especially in those who lead the church. His reference to wives or women may well mean there were women who acted as deacons. Paul hopes to visit Ephesus soon but in case that doesn’t work out, he has given Timothy ammunition in his fight against the false teachers and heretics. The earliest churches were house churches that reflected the codes of conduct of the Greco-Roman households. Violating these norms brought disrepute, disgrace, and shame on the entire household and its head. The same is true for the church. Paul spoke of the church as the pillarand foundation of truth. He may have been anticipating the transition from the time of the apostles to the period after their deaths. The church must be active rather than defensive in upholding the truth in the world. Verse 16 is a short hymn or creed and it shows the theological richness of early Christian worship. Jesus Christ is the only source of godliness. Christ’s resurrection answers the apparent weakness of His life and death as a human and affirms His teaching. He has been seen by angels which speaks to His divinity and His sovereign rule in the heavenly realm. Christ’s provision of salvation and sovereign rule must be proclaimed and accepted in the earthly realm as well. The mission to the nations is successful, but that does not guarantee universal acceptance. Christ was taken to heaven and exalted in glory and His saving work is crowned with success in the world and with glory in heaven. In His Grip Pastor Matt W The believers in Thessalonica had faced persecution since the beginning but it was becoming more and more severe. A false teaching was circulating, supposedly written by Paul that said the day of the Lord had already come and they had missed it. Some believers even gave up and quit working. This letter is written to people whose lives have gone from bad to worse. Some of the Thessalonians had become frantic about the return of the Lord. Others had taken to living off the largesse of their fellow believers. Paul wrote to sent the record straight. As you read notice Paul’s words of encouragement to the Thessalonians, expressing his concerns for them through his prayers. Paul shared several truths with them regarding the end times and Christ’s second coming. Look also at these themes. First, Christ’s return. Some of the believers had developed an unhealthy anxiety about Christ’s return and had been duped by those who claimed this event had already happened. Paul told the believers that Christ’s coming will be preceded by the arrival of an antichrist figure who will unleash a season of unprecedented hostility towards God, incite widespread rebellion and delude many through satanic signs and wonders. He will be a self deifying figure who will exalt himself over other deities, seek to destroy Christ’s work and beguile those who are perishing. The second theme is vigilance until Christ’s return. Paul reminded this church that it had been chosen for salvation through sanctification by God and that it must stand firm to the end. Since God is the One who will inflict vengeance on those who afflict the faithful, Christians are to wait patiently and faithfully for Christ’s return. Watchfulness is expressed by diligent work for Christ.
Paul opened by wishing for the Thessalonians both grace and peace. Their hope was bound to God’s grace and even in persecution they could find peace in the Lord. He began his letter by speaking of the Thessalonians persecution which had increased since the last letter. He told then that God would relieve their suffering and He would punish those who persecuted them. Again Paul thanked the Thessalonians for their faith, love, and endurance. These are fundamental Christian values and they were maturing in them even under persecution. Paul even went so far as to boast to other churches about the faith of the Thessalonians and he reminded them that those who are called to enter God’s kingdom will suffer for it. He reminded them that God would give them rest, which here means peace, and then he spoke of Christ’s second coming as the appearing or unveiling of the Lord Jesus Christ who cannot currently be seen physically. It will be quite a sight, what with mighty angels and flaming fire. Those who have refused to obey the Good News of Jesus Christ will be punished for rejecting the message about Christ which will lead to eternal destruction and a forever separation from the Lord and His glorious power. The decision is irrevocable. When that day comes the Thessalonians will join with all the other believers to praise and glorify the Lord. Paul assured the believers that God will enact justice and that Paul, Timothy, and Silas were praying for them all the time. There would be justice for both the Thessalonians and for their persecutors. And because future deliverance means carrying out present responsibilities, Paul prays that they will be found worthy at Christ’s return. Paul reminded them that there was a point that he had warned them to conduct themselves in a manner that God would consider worthy. He prayed that God would give the Thessalonian Christians power to live and work in a manner that would please God. Though the name of the Lord Jesus was rejected by the Thessalonians persecutors, Jesus will ultimately be glorified because of the lives of the believers. Further more, they will be honored along with him. False teaching about the day of the Lord had disturbed the Thessalonian church and Paul reminded them that two events will precede the day. There will be a great apostasy and then there will be the unveiling of the man of lawlessness. Christ will destroy this man when He returns and those who have been deceived will also be judged. When Jesus returns all His people will be gathered to meet Him. This will occur at the resurrection and rapture of the church. The Thessalonian Christians had previously asked Paul when the day of the Lord would come. Now a false teaching that this day had already begun was causing the Thessalonians to waver in to faith and become frightened. The source of the teaching might have been a false prophecy, an erroneous sermon, or a letter falsely attributed to Paul. Both Jewish and Christian theology predicted a great rebellion against God before the end. The man of lawlessness is without and against the law, and his character is defined by sin. Some translations say that this man is the man of sin, the son of destruction. The emphasis is on the lawless man’s own destruction rather than on the destruction he brings. Like other Roman cities, Thessalonica constructed temples for the worship of the emperor; not places for him to worship but places to worship him. This cult was the prototype of the worship described here. He would even sit in the temple of the Lord and call himself god. In 167 BC Antiochus Epiphanies profaned the temple in Jerusalem, perhaps a foretaste of the things to come. It may also be a reference to the emperor Caligula, who referred to himself as the new god manifest, when he tried to erect a statue of his own image in the Jerusalem temple. This occurred in 40 AD. This temple could also be an imperial temple built in honor of the lawless man and not necessarily built in Jerusalem. Giving the emperor a divine title was common practice in the first century. When Paul speaks of what is holding this lawless man back there is quite a bit of speculation as to who this is. Some believe God the Father and others the Holy Spirit. Some think the church, the gospel, Paul, the emperor, the Roman Empire, or the government. It is also possible that the term may refer to something or someone who comes before the man of lawlessness, an agent of the lawless active at that time. In Greek literature, this term could describe demonic possession. This figure would prepare the way for the man of lawlessness when his time comes. But we know that God is ultimately in charge and everything will happen in His time and in His way. The power of the coming man of lawlessness is already at work secretly, like the antichrists in 1 John 2:18. Secretly is a descriptor commonly used of rituals in the mystery religions. The one at work indicates some sort of supernatural intervention, either divine or evil. The one holding it back could refer to one who is in opposition to the man of lawlessness, to one who is possessed, or to the evil one, the one who possesses. Paul announced the doom of the man of lawlessness. Although this figure claims to be divine, he places his cult above all other worship, and receives power from the evil one. Then Jesus will utterly and violently destroy him with the breath of His mouth and the splendor of His coming. This relates to the mighty angels and flaming fire Paul spoke of earlier. This is the epiphany of the Lord. In ancient literature an epiphany was the appearance of a deity or a demonstration of divine power that evoked worship. As Christ will appear in royal and divine power this figure similarly will come with a royal entrance. Doing the work implies supernatural, evil action and he will do everything in his power, which will be significant, to pull people away from the Lord. People will be deceived and believe this evil ones lies. Sometimes we have seen God hand people over to the power of sin because they have desired sin and evil in place of the truth. Then they will be destroyed because they enjoyed the evil rather than believing the truth. They will be condemned by God’s judicial verdict for not believing the truth and instead they have believed the lies of the man of lawlessness. Paul thinks that God had chosen the Thessalonians to experience salvation, because God calls His chosen ones to Himself through the preaching of the Good News. Those who suffer because of their faith will ultimately share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ever since the founding of the Thessalonian church Paul has been concerned for the stability of their faith and their adherence to his teachings. Paul asked for eternal comfort and hope for the Thessalonians. Both of these things transcend death and the uncertainty the immediate future. Paul’s prayer echoes the purpose of Timothy’s visit to the church, to strengthen and encourage the Thessalonian believers in their faith. Comforting someone in this instance means more than just to console. It also means to exhort or encourage them because of their fears or doubts. Before he took up his final topic in this letter Paul asked for prayers, prayers that the Lord would keep opening doors for Paul, Timothy, and Silas to keep sharing the Good News. He also assured the Thessalonians of God’s Providence in times of trouble. The image Paul paints about the prayer for he and his co-workers merges with an image of a reference to the games, like Olympic style games, in which the victor was honored. But he is praying that the Good News is what gets honored. Paul also asked for prayer that they will be rescued from the evil that persists. He is asking that they might be rescued. He knew that the sufferings that the Thessalonians were enduring came from the evil one. Paul is also confident that the Thessalonians are strong and can withstand the challenges and be obedient to Paul’s teachings. He prayed that the Lord would lead their hearts to better understand the expression of God’s love in Jesus Christ. Believers are expected to love as God loves and practice patient endurance like Christ did. In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians he addressed the problem of believers who were being lazy, going so far as to say that if you won’t work you shouldn’t eat. Some had ignored Paul’s message so he gave additional instructions! He gave his command under the authority of Jesus Christ. Church members are to shun Christians who live idle lives. To stay away from the lazy would make a strong impression on them, promoting shame, and repentance, but stopping short of excommunication. Teaching by example was very highly regarded in the ancient world and Paul practiced this all the time, often regarding his refusal to accept help from the churches he was serving. He worked for his own food. But, Paul also taught that workers in the christian church could receive pay for their labor but he did not take advantage of that privilege. He had distanced himself from others who were motivated by fame and money. Work is the appropriate way to gain a living, and Paul absolved the church of responsibility of feeding other believers who refuse to work. By calling these folks to settle down he was telling them to start leading a quiet life instead of being involved in meddlesome affairs. The Thessalonians were encouraged to reach out and help those in genuine need, in contrast with those who were lazy and dependent. Paul hoped the disobedient Christians would be ashamed and repent in response to being shunned by the community. But he also told them not to look at these folks as enemies. That would bring a whole different set of rules and regulations. In the ancient world social relations with enemies were broken off and punitive action was initiated against them. Paul warned the Thessalonians that discipline against disobedient Christians should not result in this kind of attack. Rather, the church should treat them as members of the family, with the hope that they would correct their conduct. Paul’s final prayer echoes Jesus’s blessing in John 14:27 and contrasts with the situation these believers faced in Thessalonica. Paul was always conscious of the Lord Jesus’s presence with His people. Once again we know that a secretary had written this letter for Paul but again he took the pen and added a final greeting to give it authenticity. He suspected a letter he had not written was being circulated in his name so he wanted to emphasize this letter was from him. And once more Paul called on the Lord Jesus Christ to grant the Thessalonians grace. In His Grip Pastor Matt W |