Reading the New Testament 2 Thessalonians

'A bit sharper in tone than the first and also briefer'. This is how one writer speaks of 2 Thessalonians. The suggestion has been made that there were two churches in Thessalonica, a Gentile one and a Jewish one and that is why we have two letters but such an idea totally lacks support.

In a previous article on Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians we said something about the city of Thessalonica, the church that Paul established there under God and the first letter itself. We will not repeat that here but go on to look at Paul's second letter.

Paul's letters to the Thessalonians are among his earliest writings and interestingly they show that at a relatively early stage in Paul's preaching the message was well established and there was a well defined body of doctrine. In 2 Thessalonians 2:15 there is a reference to the traditions they had received (So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings [or traditions] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.) and in 3:6 it says that they should avoid any practices that are not according to this tradition (In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching [or traditions] you received from us.) It would have been an oral tradition at this point in the development of the Christian church but it was clearly defined and known. This last reference to it (3:6) shows that it included ethical teaching as well as doctrine. The teachings of the apostle were to be received as authoritative, as is made clear in the slightly earlier letter Galatians. No other teaching could be substituted for it. Paul shows to the Thessalonians that this is not just his own personal authority but one that comes from God. They received his message as it really is, God's Word (1 Thessalonians 2:13). 

The Second Letter

Paul's second letter was probably written fairly soon after the first, while he was still in Corinth, in AD 52 or 53. It was intended to help clear up some further misunderstandings about the Second Coming - that it was going to be very soon or else that the Day of the Lord had already come. They may have misunderstood what Paul had written in his first letter. Otherwise, they may have been influenced by some other false teaching. In 2:2 he warns them not to be shaken or disturbed by a spirit or message supposedly from him. It may be that Paul is having to deal with teaching falsely attributed to him. He wrote to them so that they could identify the approach of the true Day of the Lord.

The criteria he sets before them for this were obviously understandable to them at the time, though they it may not be quite so clear to us today, especially the identity of the man of lawlessness and whatever it is that is restraining him at the moment. Paul writes You know what is restraining him now (2:6). The Thessalonians obviously did not have to indulge in the protracted eschatological debate that has characterised attempts to interpret that verse in more recent times!

It seems that Paul puts before them three things that must happen before the Lord will come again

1. A great increase in godlessness and apostasy (2:3)

2. The removal of some restraining influence (2:6,7) You know what restrains him now … He who restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

3. The manifestation of complete evil, the incarnation of evil, energised by Satan (2:9) who will exalt himself as God, the one traditionally called the man of sin and the son of perdition and whom modern versions refer to as the lawless one and the man doomed to destruction.

We do not find such teaching elsewhere in Paul’s New Testament writings, though it must have been an integral part of his instruction to new converts and young churches. It would seem that in his brief time with the Thessalonians he had already imparted some teaching on the Lord’s return. Paul shows that the mystery of lawlessness and of Christ will develop alongside each other in the world, leading to a final clash in which the Lord will triumph. 

The third chapter expands on the instruction given in the first letter that they should lead a quiet life, attend to their own business and work with their hands (1 Thessalonians 4:11). This addresses the problem of those who were so taken with the idea of the Lord’s return that they ceased any kind of work and just waited for him to come. This led to their becoming dependent on others for their support. The problems persisted, even after Paul’s first letter and had to be dealt with more thoroughly. 

The man of sin

All sorts of interpretations have been suggested to explain who the man of sin is, everything from a Roman Emperor to the Pope to Hitler or Stalin to a new incarnation of the devil himself. It all makes for entertaining matter for pulp fiction or the cinema and intriguing stories round the fireside but is not of much help to us in the end. 

His characteristics are worth noting – lawlessness, opposition to all that is called God, exalting of himself above God, one having access to the temple of God (that is where God is worshipped), one connected with apostasy or falling away and someone that first century believers needed to know about. He is also one who was being restrained but who will eventually be revealed and then removed. It seems likely that the man of sin and the Antichrist are one and the same and perhaps in both cases we are wisest to think in terms of principles operating in this world rather than in terms of one particular individual. The Reformers were right to see the Popes as fitting the bill but there are others too.

Outline

The book is about the church's expectation: Christ's Second Coming

1. Salutation 1:1-2

2. Expectation in Persecution 1:3-12

Thanksgiving for Growth 1:3-4

Explanation of Purpose of Suffering 1:5

It is for the sake of the kingdom Expectation of the Outcome 1:6-10

Christ will come in power to vindicate his saints Prayer 1:11-12

3. Explanation of Events 2:1-17

Fears Calmed 2:1, 2

Fears stirred up by false teaching Apostasy Predicted 2:3-7

A great falling away before Christ comes Antichrist Predicted 2:8-12 

Steadfast Faith Encouraged 2:13-17

4. Exhortations to Readiness 3:1-15

In Prayer 3:1-5

In Diligent Labour not idleness 3:6-15

5. Benediction and Closing Greeting 3:16-18

This article appeared originally in Grace Magazine

Reading the New Testament 1 Thessalonians

Are you interested in evangelism? Are you interested in the Second Coming? Are you interested in living the Christian life? If so, according to Phil Arthur (in his Welwyn Commentary) then 1 Thessalonians is a book you should know.

The City

Paul came to Macedonia, you may remember, in response to a vision. He saw a man from Macedonia calling for help. Paul and his companions worked first in Philippi then travelled west along the Via Egnatia, the Roman Road across Thrace and Macedonia, and came to the city of Thessalonica. It was about 20 years after Christ's death and resurrection. 

Today's city of Thessaloniki in Northern Greece was founded near Therma (named for its hot springs) in BC 315 by Cassander. It was named for his wife, a half sister of Alexander the Great. The Romans made it the capital of Macedonia and a free city under 'Politarchs'. It was a significant seaport, a centre of trading. It is now a much smaller city of around 70,000. In Paul's day the population was as as much as 200,000. There was a Jewish colony there and, unlike Philippi, a synagogue, where Paul preached for three consecutive Sabbaths.

The Church

Paul was probably only in Thessalonica for three weeks but he had an astonishing impact. See Acts 17:1-9. He reasoned from the Scriptures that the Messiah had to die and rise again, and that the Jesus he preached was that Messiah. This led to a sharp disagreement among the Jews there, some accepting what Paul said, especially the God-fearing Greek proselytes, others rejecting it and becoming jealous. The opposition became so intense that Paul and his companions had to flee from Thessalonica to Berea, 35-40 miles to the west.

The reception there was quite different. Luke records that the Jews there were more noble-minded than those at Thessalonica. They examined the Scriptures to see if the things Paul preached were true. Again, some were converted, along with some prominent Greeks, both women and men. However, news of this reached Thessalonica and some of the Jews from there came to stir up trouble and again Paul and the others had to move on. *They went to the sea, as if to board a ship away from the area. However, Silas and Timothy remained at the coast while Paul travelled across land, south to Athens. Paul probably left his companions in the area to help the young churches, who were meeting such great opposition. It may have been that they had not been so much in the public eye as him and so could more easily remain without attracting too much violent attention.

The Letter

First Thessalonians is one of the earliest New Testament letters. It was written after Timothy had reported back to Paul on what was happening to the fledgling church. We find his name alongside that of Silas (Silvanus) in the opening greeting. In Chapter 3 Paul expresses his anguish at the problems the converts would be facing. He says When we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy ... to strengthen and encourage you. This may indicate that Timothy, after being left behind at Berea, returned to Paul in Athens and was then sent back to Macedonia to further minister to the churches. The verse seems to imply that Timothy was sent to them from Athens. It may be that Silas was with Paul for a while and was then sent after Timothy and the two of them returned to Paul while he was at Corinth. Alternatively, Timothy went to Paul in Athens alone, having left Silas in Macedonia and was then sent back alone, both of them then returning to Paul at Corinth. Commentators are divided on how 1 Thessalonians 3:1 fits into the admittedly edited account in Acts.

Themes

One of the main themes of the letter is commendation for the Thessalonians firm endurance in the faith, despite harsh opposition. Paul also needed to correct certain misunderstandings about the return of Christ. The fact that Paul had only spent a short time there, perhaps as little as three weeks, and so had not had very long to teach the new converts probably meant that there were things he mentioned only in passing that needed to be expanded on. It is hardly surprising then that they had not fully understood some aspects of his teaching.

The problems dealt with in the letter are very different from those addressed in, say, Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia. They are the problems of a largely Gentile church, bringing with them the legacy of Gentile thinking, rather than the problems caused by Judaisers. Paul deals with matters like sexual immorality and idleness, frequently a part of everyday life for pagans but which for the Jews would have been kept in check by the demands of the Law. The Jews had a sense of brotherhood in the nation of Israel and in the family, which the Gentiles did not possess to any great degree. Therefore the Apostle encourages such positive attitudes in Chapter 5. 

A characteristic of the letter is its teaching on the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. Every chapter closes with a reference to the subject (1:10; 2:19, 20; 3:11-13; 4:13-18; 5:23, 24.). In his second letter Paul says that he spoke of these things while he was with them (2 Thessalonians 2:5). It may be that Paul knew of the Lord’s own teaching on his return, as he speaks in 4:15 of passing on the Word of the Lord. He uses the imagery of a thief in the night, which the Lord used in the same context. The fact that Paul wrote to them of these matters was partly because of the concern of the Thessalonians themselves for those among them who had died. They believed that Christ would return, as Paul had taught, but would those who had already died be worse off because they had gone before his return? Paul reassures them on this point and addresses the question of when the Lord would return. Of course, he does not answer the question, as no man can. Rather he urges them to be morally prepared, to be living in the light of the Lord’s Coming, whenever that might be. That is the real thrust of the New Testament teaching on the Second Coming. We are not intended to be experts on interpreting the twists and turns of human history in order to fix the exact date. Rather, the Lord’s Return is to affect the way we live now. It is to affect our morals more than our politics. 

Outline

We could entitle the letter Instructions and corrections for a new church.

1. Salutation 1:1

2. The State of the Church 1:2-10

Church's character 1:3

Church's election 1:4-7

Church's reputation 1:8-10

3. Paul’s Relationship to the Church 2:1-3:13

Paul’s conduct toward the church 2:1-12

Paul’s reception by the church 2:13-16

Paul's concern for the church 2:17-3:10

Paul's prayer for the church 3:11-13

4. The Problems of the Church 4:1-5:11

Sexual Morality 4:1-8

Social Conduct 4:9-12

The state of those who have died 4:13-18

Times and seasons 5:1-11

5. Closing exhortations and greetings 5:12-28

This aritcle first appeared in Grace Magazine

Reading the New Testament Colossians

A modern writer calls Colossians ‘one of Paul’s most powerful and attractive’ letters. Like Ephesians, Philippians (and Philemon) Paul wrote it from prison, probably under house arrest in Rome, 61-63 AD. He refers to himself by name in 1:1, 23 and in 4:18 he says I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. He refers to his chains (4:3) and in 4:10 calls Aristarchus his fellow-prisoner. He also writes (1:24) of filling up in his flesh what was still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions.

Colosse

Known for the glossy black wool produced from flocks tended by shepherds in the nearby hill country, Colosse lay 100 miles inland of Ephesus in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) on a rock ridge overlooking the Lycus River valley. Laodicea was 11 miles west, slightly to the north. Hierapolis was also nearby. Colosse was an important city in the Persian Wars of the fifth century BC but the other two places grew in significance and Colosse declined. By the first century AD it was still a good-size but rather decadent.

Paul had not visited these cities. He says the Colossians are among those who had not seen his face (2:1). Uniquely, the letter is to a church not founded by Paul himself. There is no record in Acts of its beginning though Luke says (19:10) that during the two years Paul preached in the lecture hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus, all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the Province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. The Colossian church was probably founded in this period.

The church there

Maybe Timothy (mentioned with Paul as writer) or another fellow-worker went east and planted the church. More likely, people from Colosse, especially Epaphras, came to Ephesus and were converted, then returned and started the churches in Colosse, Hierapolis and Laodicea. Paul says of the gospel (1:7, 8) You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow-servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. He is the one who had gone to Paul in Rome to discuss problems in Colosse. Also see 4:12, 13. Other people we know of in these churches include Nympha (4:15), Archippus (4:17) and Philemon and Apphia (see Philemon). From the way Paul speaks it seems Colosse was a largely Gentile church.

Heresy

The letter reflects concern over a heresy affecting the church. Being on trade routes to the east, the Colossians were influenced by oriental, mystical religions from that direction. We do not automatically leave all our old ways of thinking behind on conversion. The exact nature of the Colossian heresy is unclear. It is a little like hearing one side of a telephone conversation. We hear what Paul says against it and how he positively counteracts it but we do not know what was being said on the other side. It seems to have included Jewish legalistic practice mixed with Gentile pagan doctrine. We know there were many Jews in the area and they tended to be heretical. To what extent they had penetrated the church is unclear. What is apparent is that the Colossians were heavily influenced by the spirit of their age. This is always a danger.

We can identify seven characteristics of the heresy. Such ideas are still around today in different forms.

1. Promising fullness. It offered a spiritual fullness not otherwise attainable. Paul’s reference to fullness in Christ suggests perhaps this was their big thing. Yes, the Colossians are Christians but they needed more. This is typical of heresy. It just wants to add something. Beware!

2. Promising freedom. Freedom was also a big thing. They knew how to find it. In fact, Paul points out, the false teachers were only seeking to impose a new sort of slavery.

3. Gnostic. This word has been used a lot lately thanks to Dan Brown. They seem to have claimed a particular insight into the powers of evil and the Colossian heresy may have been an early form of Gnosticism. The ideas from which Gnosticism developed are likely to have been in circulation some time before its second century rise.

4. Ascetic. Asceticism was high on their agenda – fasting, harsh treatment of the body, etc.

5. Arrogant. They spoke of a higher knowledge reserved for the initiated. They went into great detail about what they had seen. Their unspiritual mind puffing them up with idle notions.

6. Backward-looking. What they were advocating was a step back into Judaism, into keeping religious festivals such as New Moon celebrations or Sabbath days. These are only a shadow of the things … to come. The reality is found in Christ.

7. Divisive. Like all false teachers they were divisive. Paul does not want the believers to be deceived by fine-sounding arguments but to united in love and peace for God’s glory, where there is no Greek or Jew, … but Christ is all, and is in all (3:11).

Other material

The Colossian heresy centred on Christ’s person of Christ. Paul corrects makes a positive presentation of the correct doctrine. He shows that all philosophies, ceremonies and spiritual powers are secondary to the glory and fullness of Christ.

This is in 1:14-22, a section that flows from the prayer he offers for them in the opening verses after the usual greeting. What Paul says of Christ can only be applied fully to God himself. The section is summarised in Paul’s assertion that in Christ the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily. Paul is using a term here familiar to the heretics - fullness - and applying it to Christ. He argues that in creation, redemption and our personal lives, Christ must be pre-eminent. 

The doctrine of redemption is prominent. In Christ we have forgiveness of sins (1:14); we are reconciled to God through the blood of the cross (1:20, 22) and all our debt is cancelled by Christ (2:14). In the light of all the Lord has accomplished, Paul argues that we should not submit ourselves to man-made ordinances but rather seek the things that are above.

Ephesians

As in Ephesians, he shows the kind of life and conduct that should flow from an understanding of our privileges in Christ. There are many similarities between Colossians and Ephesians. Some argue, unconvincingly, that Colossians is just a copy of Ephesians with certain matters added. One writer calls the books twins. They were written at the same time, so it is hardly surprising that the same matters were in Paul’s mind and that these were expressed in similar ways in both letters. An interesting difference is that in certain places where Ephesians speaks of the Spirit, Colossians speaks of the Word. These parallel verses are useful for cross-interpretation.

Reasons for writing

To sum up, among reasons for Paul writing his letter are

1. His prayerful concern for them. See 1:1-12.

2. His desire for them to have a clear understanding of Christ’s sovereign headship over creation and the church. See 1:13-29.

3. His obvious desire to warn against the heresy referred to. In Chapter 3 he begins to exhort the Colossians to a life of holiness.

4. The need to explain the mission of Tychicus and Onesimus who brought the letter. He sends greetings from those with him in Rome.

Outline

1. Greeting 1:1-2

2. The Person and Work of Christ 1:3-2:7

Paul’s Thanksgiving for the Church 1:3-8 Paul’s Prayer for the Church 1:9-12 The Pre-Eminence of Christ 1:13-23 Paul’s Sufferings and Concern for the Church 1:24-2:7

3. False Teaching and Its Remedy 2:8-3:4

False Philosophy 2:8-15

False Worship 2:16-19

False Asceticism 2:20-3:4

4. The Christian Life 3:5-4:6

Negatively Put off … 3:5-11

Positively Put on … 3:12-17

Family Relationships 3:18-4:1

General Conduct 4:2-6 

5. Personal Notes and Final Blessing 4:7-18

This article first appeared in Grace Magazine

Reading the New Testament Philippians

We all like Philippians. William Hendriksen has called it a ‘little gem of four sparkling chapters’. It is not the most important of Paul’s letters but it has what one writer calls ‘a peculiar charm’. Short, straightforward, positive, practical and casting light on some of the characters connected with the church at Philippi, it is full of interest. Bengel claimed ‘The sum of the epistle is I rejoice, rejoice ye’ and indeed the joy and rejoicing words appear many times (see 1:18, 25, 26; 2:2, 17, 18 29; 3:1, 4:1, 4, 10). Furthermore, there is the wonderful ‘hymn’ in Chapter 2 – full of theology and focused on Christ. Don Carson has preached and written on it under the heading Basics for believers. No wonder we are drawn to it.

It is one of three New Testament letters written by Paul from prison and is the most personal of his letters to churches. It is only a short letter but Paul uses the first personal pronoun around a hundred times! He speaks of himself, not in a boastful way, nor as a defence against attack on his authority and apostleship, as in 2 Corinthians, but rather out of a deep affection for the Philippians.

Philippi

Founded BC 356 and named for Alexander’s father Philip II, Philippi became part of the Roman Empire in BC 167. Anthony and Octavian defeated Brutus and Cassius there BC 42 and it became a Roman Colony. A strong sense of Roman citizenship would have prevailed in this ‘miniature Rome’, a fact that illuminates parts of Acts 16 and Philippians 3:20 especially, But our citizenship is in heaven, etc. The idea that we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, parallels the unrealised Philippian hope of a visit from the emperor.

Paul writes about a decade after he had first gone to the city on his first foray into Europe, along with Silas and Luke on his second missionary journey. The city had been responsive. Lydia’s conversion is recorded in Acts 16, as is the conversion of the gaoler and his family. They had become some of the first members of the church. The church had supported Paul financially in his travels and mission, particularly when he was fairly near to them in Macedonia and Greece. Now that they had heard of his troubles in Jerusalem and subsequent transfer to Rome, they had once again contributed to his needs. They sent this by the hand of Epaphroditus. After reaching Rome he had been taken seriously ill, and was at the point of death. Paul ascribed his recovery to prayer. God had been merciful in sparing him the sorrow of losing this friend and fellow-labourer. The church had heard of his illness and was concerned about him, so Paul now sends him back with this letter, to assured them that he had discharged his task in relaying the gift to the apostle.

The letter was probably written toward the end of Paul’s two years imprisoned in Rome. Some commentators say it was written before the other prison letters to Asia, as the style of the language is more like that used by Paul in the letters written during his travels. However, we have to allow for some time to elapse after his imprisonment started for the news to travel to Philippi, and for the church there to have sent Epaphroditus to him. Paul mentions his reputation among the Praetorian Guard (1:13) and the entry of the gospel into Caesar’s household (4:22), both of which would have taken a while to happen. All this seems to indicate a date toward the close of his imprisonment, perhaps in the latter part of AD 61.

There does not seem to have been any particular heresy or error to deal with. The only problem directly addressed is that of the two women, Euodia and Syntyche (4:2), who had a disagreement and needed to be urged to unity. Paul does speak of a Judaising tendency in Chapter 3, but this could be seen as a potential rather than an actual threat, and Paul was simply guarding against its entry into the church

The gospel

Some have described the letter as a ‘Thank you’ note, which in some ways it was. One of the main themes of the letter is the gospel, which Paul mentions nine times. He speaks of fellowship in the gospel (1:5), the confirmation of the gospel (1:7), the progress of the gospel (1:9), the defence of the gospel (1:16), being worthy of the gospel (1:27), striving for the faith of the gospel (1:27), service in the gospel (2:22), labour in the gospel (4:3) and the beginning of the gospel (4:13). He does not give any definition of the gospel in the letter. It was a term that was well understood by the church. He uses the term as expressing a body of faith, a message, and the work of preaching it. He does speak eloquently of the humbling and death of Christ in Chapter 2, and of seeking Christ’s righteousness in Chapter 3, so the basic elements of the gospel are covered in the letter.

Joy

Another theme, or really a characteristic note in the letter, as we have said, is that of joy. Paul’s outward circumstances were anything but joyful: he was in prison and could soon face death, as he makes clear in Chapter 1. However, he is thankful for every memory of the Philippians, and even when Christ was preached from wrong motives, thinking to cause him distress, he could rejoice that Christ was proclaimed. He urges his readers to rejoice in the Lord, commit everything to God in prayer, and dwell upon what is good.

Outline

1. Greetings and Introduction 1:1-11

Opening greetings 1:1,2

Thanksgiving and prayer 1:3-11

2. Paul’s Personal Circumstances 1:12-26

Advancing the gospel 1:12-18a

Life in Christ, a life of joy 1:18b-26

3. Exhortation to Worthy Conduct 1:27-2:18

Encouragement to Worthy Living 1:27-30

Christ Our Example 2:1-11

A great deal of controversy has raged around the precise meaning of kenosis - the statement that Christ emptied Himself (2:7) - some have taken it to mean that he even emptied himself of his deity when he came to earth as man. However, we see from Colossians that this was not so. The fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in him. It can only mean that he divested himself of the outward manifestation of his glory and deity, while at the same time remaining fully God. This is one of the outstanding New Testament passages on the incarnation of Christ, even though its prime intention is not really to teach Christological doctrine, but rather to exhort humility: it shows how doctrine and practice are inextricably linked.

The Object of Worthy Living 2:12-18

4. Commendation of Fellow Workers 2:19-30

5. Warning Against Legalism and Antinomianism 3:1-4:1

Warning against Judaisers 3:1-4a

Paul’s Testimony 3:4b-11

Pressing on and up 3:12-4:1

6. Closing Counsels and Greetings 4:2-23

Unity 4:2, 3

Joy 4:4-7

Thought 4:8, 9

Thanksgiving 4:10-20

Greeting 4:21-23

This article originally appeared in Grace Magazine

Reading the New Testament Ephesians

Comprehensive, clear, practical and winsome, Ephesians was John Calvin’s favourite letter. One theologian called it ‘the greatest … maturest … most relevant’ of Paul’s letters and ‘pure music’. Many have highly praised it. ‘The divinest composition of man’; ‘the grand canyon of Scripture’; ‘queen of the epistles’; ‘the crown of Paul’s writings’ are just some of the phrases used. Dr Lloyd-Jones spent many months expounding it on Sunday mornings at Westminster Chapel. His younger contemporary John Stott described the letter as ‘a marvellously concise, yet comprehensive summary of the good news and its implications’ that nobody can read ‘without being moved to wonder and worship, and challenged to consistency of life.’

Prison letters

It was probably written while Paul was under house arrest at Rome in 60 and 61 AD and, with Philemon, Colossians and Philippians, is one of four New Testament ‘prison epistles’. Some opt for Caesarea in the years 56, 57 AD but the traditional view is that they were written from Rome. Paul makes references in these letters not only to his chains and being a prisoner (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1, 6:20) but also speaks of Caesar’s household and the Praetorian Guard in Philippians, suggesting he was at Rome. The daily sight of Roman soldiers no doubt informs the famous verses about spiritual armour in Ephesians 6.

The letter to Philemon arose out of the specific circumstances of Onesimus. As a letter was being taken from Rome to Asia Minor, it was a good opportunity for Paul to send other letters. Ephesians and Colossians were written at the same time and carried by Tychicus, who accompanied Onesimus back home. Ephesians 6:21 (like Colossians 4:7) says that Tychicus would give the churches further information about Paul and his circumstances. Other men with Paul at this time are Aristarchus, Epaphras, Luke, Demas, Jesus Justus and Mark, now back with Paul. Ephesus was capital of the Roman Province of Asia and we read about the beginnings of the church there in Acts 19, 20. Another brief letter to the Ephesians is in Revelation 2:1-7.

Circular

By this time Paul had founded many churches in differing cities and cultures. The theme of the church is prominent in Ephesians. In this letter we find the word church being used of the universal body of believers, rather than just individual local groups. Perhaps looking back on his labours had prompted Paul to think further about the nature of the new body that had come into being.

It is possible that the letter was written not only to Ephesus but was a circular letter for all the churches in the area. Some ancient manuscript copies omit the words at Ephesus in 1:1. There are different theories to explain this omission. For instance, was the letter to be read in a number of churches, the reader inserting the church’s name at the appropriate point. Paul does refer in Colossians to a letter he had sent to Laodicea, which he says should be read to the Colossians and that the letter to the Colossians should be read at Laodicea. This Laodicean letter could have been what we call Ephesians. It seems then that such exchanges of letters took place as soon as they were written, not just when the New Testament canon had been drawn up.

Themes

Like Romans, Ephesians gives comprehensive teaching on salvation, but in a different manner and style. It is ‘a mini-course in theology centred on the church’. Paul had already spent two years and three months teaching at Ephesus, and the church there had received the services of Apollos, and of Priscilla and Aquila. It was a well-taught church but he continues to lead them further into Christian doctrine.

Paul’s main theme is the church, a single body composed of both Jews and Gentiles without distinction, with standards of its own and engaged in a spiritual battle. There are other themes. One writer discovered 27 distinct doctrines here. God’s sovereign purpose dominates the first half as Paul elaborates the plan of God in redemption, He chose us ... he predestined us (1:4, 5) his will (1:9,11). He raised Christ (1:20), he has raised us (2:4-6); we are his workmanship (2:10). In the second half of the letter the way of life of the believer in response to this divine initiative is emphasised. We are urged to walk worthy of our calling (4:1), to be imitators of God (5:1) and to put aside our former way of life (4:22-24, 5:8). Another recurring theme and phrase is in the heavenlies, which describes the sphere of our blessings and activities (1:3,10,20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12). This refers to a spiritual rather than a geographical or physical locality. The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is also prominent in the letter. He is the seal (1:13), means of access to God the Father (2:18), source of revealed truth (3:5), source of power (3:16), bond of our unity (4:3-4), One whom we are to avoid grieving (4:30), stimulus to our joy (5:18) and our strength and defence in spiritual conflict (6:17).

Outline

The letter’s theme is the church and its glory. We can divide its six chapters into nine parts. The first six (Chapters 1-3) are doctrinal. The other three (Chapters 4-6) give practical application.

1. Introduction 1:1, 2 

2. The Establishment of the Church 1:3-14

By the Father 1:3-6

In the Son 1:6-12

Through the Spirit 1:13, 14

3. Prayer for the Church 1:15-23

Paul prays that his readers would know

The hope of God’s calling

The riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints

The greatness of his Power

4. The Creation of the Church 2:1-10

He speaks of The material: children of wrath

The means: by grace

The purpose: good works

5. The Scope of the Church 2:11-22 The Union of Jew and Gentile in Christ

6. The Calling of the Church 3:1-21

To Reveal the Wisdom of God 3:1-13

To reveal the Fullness of God (a Prayer) 3:14-21

7. The Behaviour of the Church 4:1-6:9

Its Ministry:

Diversity in Unity 4:1-16

Its Moral Standards 4:17-5:14

Its Behaviour Toward the World 5:15-21

Its Internal Relationships 5:22-6:9

8. The Spiritual Conflict 6:10-20

Our Enemy and our Strength and Defence

9. Conclusion 6:21-24

The God of Order

The Bible reveals God’s many wonderful attributes. It speaks of his love, his power, his eternity. In 1 Corinthians 14:33 Paul tells us that God is not a God of confusion but of peace. This comes out, for example, in what the Bible says of creation. Chaos becomes order. In the Trinity, although the three persons are equal, there is definite order in the Godhead. All around us there is evidence of a marvellous orderliness from God. That is why even in a Jackson Pollock painting some order may be discerned!

In 1 Corinthians 14:40 Paul draws a practical conclusion from this fact. In meetings for worship, everything should be done in a fitting, dignified, decent way. The application is not limited to meetings. It applies to the whole of life. All the great advances in science and civilisation have come in the train of organisation and order. Of course, great things are sometimes discovered by accident, but it is the methodical, orderly person who sees their importance.

This is an appropriate thought for the beginning of a new year. It is true that there is something slightly artificial about marking a new year but it is a fact that God made this world to orbit the Sun every 365 ¼ days. He gave it a moon that takes 28 days to orbit. He makes the earth revolve on its axis every 24 hours. These are not accidents. The stars were given to mark the passing seasons. Further by direct command God has ordained that there should be seven days in one week and that one day should be different to the other six and kept special in his honour. Part of the indignity of drunkenness, serious illness and sometimes old age is befuddlement as to the passage of time. All this leads us to stress certain important practical truths which should always be remembered.

1. Take note of the passing years. It is right and Christian to mark the change from 1995 to 1996. It is true that it is not exactly 1996 years since the Lord’s coming nor is there a command from God to keep track of how much time has elapsed since his coming. It is surely laudable, however, to write 1996 AD (not 1996 CE as some would have it). Better still The year of God’s grace 1996. We affirm that history is linear not circular, finite not infinite.

2. Take note of the passing months. Under the Law, the Israelites were encouraged not only to count the years (Jubilee, etc.) but months were also marked by new moon festivals and other seasonal feasts. We are no longer under such laws but it is good to see each new month as a mark of God’s favour and a fresh opportunity to serve him.

3. Remember the Lord’s Day. Again, although believers are not obliged to keep Old Testament Sabbaths, all orthodox Christians recognise the need to keep one day in seven special. We may disagree on details but we all recognise that the Lord’s Day is a special day to be kept, as far as we can, separate to God. It is sad to see many Christians today failing to make progress, largely because they fail to take advantage of this means of grace.

4. Live one day at a time. In Psalm 90 Moses prays that the Lord will teach us to number our days aright. Some people today live such chaotic lives they can hardly distinguish one day from another. Night and day merge in a single stream. Genesis 1 teaches us that there is a distinction between day and night. This is best observed by sleeping at night and working for God’s glory by day. That is not the regular privilege of some who may read this. We will all experience sleepless nights at some stage in life. However, let us not forget the norm. Further, take one day at a time and leave the next to worry about itself. Fill each day not with idle day dreaming but with living for the Lord. Daniel was a busy man but three times in the day were marked off for prayer to the Lord. The psalmist prayed seven times a day! Let us at least begin with prayer and the Word. The Jews divided their day into three watches of four hours; sunrise, the heat of the day and the cool of the day. We think more of morning, afternoon and evening. Organise each day carefully and use each part to God’s glory.

One period where a lot of time can be wasted for some is between 4 pm and 7 pm which may not fit firmly into afternoon or evening. Watch out! Plan ahead yet be flexible. Study the way our Lord conducted himself.

In conclusion, let me mention some more general principles.

• Be alert to the providence of God.
• Look to the Lord for guidance.
• Get your priorities right.
• Do not fall under the tyranny of the urgent.
• Be like Mary not like Martha and make the most of every opportunity.

Ecclesiastes 8:5,6 informs us that everything has its proper procedure. This is true of everything from painting a door, doing the laundry or shaving your face right through to preparing and preaching a sermon, comforting the bereaved and praying to God. Much time and effort will be saved when we learn and practice such procedures.

Finally, do not forget to do all you do in a dignified and beautiful way. Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe on his desert island not only kept a careful note of the date but also dressed for dinner. This was not eccentricity but an awareness of the God of peace and order. May we be aware of him too throughout this coming year.

Christmas Convictions

(This article was published in the December 2012 edition of Grace Magazine)

Christmas Convictions

Gary Brady

No not the results of the government's latest drink driving offensive but a look at one man's personal convictions about celebrating Christmas

I am sometimes involved in interviews at a theological college. We ask most of the questions but at the end they can ask what they want. I remember an occasion when one student asked about celebrating Christmas and Easter. He had come to the conviction this is something he did not want to be involved in and knowing that not all Christians take the same view he wanted to flag up his viewpoint. We assured him it would be no problem.

He is not alone in his convictions. I know of a minister with similar convictions who regularly goes on holiday at this time of year knowing that most of the church take a different approach to the season. The late Professor John Murray of Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, apparently used to really enjoy having the place to himself each December 25, which was for him an ordinary working day.

At the other extreme are Christians who keep Christmas as enthusiastically as anyone. Some will have a crib in their front room, pipe endless Christmas carols through the house and send cards with nativity scenes and texts. Some even talk of celebrating Christ's birthday and the idea of not being in church on Christmas day of all days makes them rather nervous.

What about you? Did you tut a little when you saw that the magazine theme was a Christmas one? Or were you pleased that the subject has been raised again? Whatever your reaction you need to hold firm convictions on this vexed subject but you need to hold them with grace, recognising that not all will hold the same convictions as you do.

What I want to do here is to set out my own convictions so that if you are undecided on the issue it may help you to come to firm convictions, which we all need, and if you are decided you will have a good opportunity to test your convictions and consider whether there might be need for change.

Conviction 1 The New Testament does not require believers to keep any particular festival

Talking about Jewish customs in Colossians 2:16 Paul says do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. In Romans 14 he says (6, 7a) One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord.

Obviously the Lord's Day is to be kept special as it is part of the moral law but with everything else, it is up to the individual. If you wish to celebrate Passover or Israeli independence or your birthday or Christmas or (to a limited extent) Ramadan for that matter, you are free to do so.

Conviction 2 Christmas or the midwinter festival as some want us to call it is a pagan festival

It is certainly possible that Jesus was born on December 25 or thereabouts but the truth is that we do not know, we cannot know and we do not need to know if that is so. It is true that large numbers of people celebrate his birthday at this time of the year but that is undeniably tied into the pre-Christian traditions that existed in communities in the northern hemisphere long before they heard the gospel.

Wherever Christians have gone, they have attempted to transform pagan customs into something more Christian. There is some evidence, for example, that Boniface the sixth century missionary to the Germans tried to stop pagan tree worship but still encouraged the custom of cutting down a fir tree and bringing it into the house in winter.

We may feel that pagan customs are better abandoned rather than adapted but the fact is that year by year we are confronted by pagan traditions, often with but increasingly without a Christian veneer, and we need to decide how to react. To do so we must try not to confuse what is allowable for a Christian to do with what it is necessary for him to do. It is allowable for a Christian to put a tree in his house and decorate it or eat plum pudding or wear a paper hat and blow a party puffer. It is allowable for him to celebrate Christ's birth with songs and readings and sermons any day of the year. None of these things are necessary for him to do.

Conviction 3 Christmas or the midwinter festival is a good idea for many

If you live in the northern hemisphere, winter is long and dreary. Splitting it up with a celebration in the middle makes good sense psychologically. If at the same time lots of people want to say it is a time to celebrate Christ's birth then rather than complaining about it, take advantage of the opportunity to talk about his birth, his life and his death too and how to come to him.

Having said that it is a pagan festival, if we are going to celebrate it then we must nevertheless be careful to celebrate it in a Christian way. Can we justify the amount we are spending albeit on other members of the family? Is slumping in front of the TV for more than a few hours a good idea? What about all that food and drink – is it right to so indulge? Are we just being swept along with it all and not thinking about how to glorify God? These are the sorts of questions to ask.

More positively, many will want to go further and not simply seek to shun the commercialised and pagan Christmas that is so common but really celebrate the fact of our Saviour's birth. When he saw Christmas trees Luther would famously speak about how Jesus the Light of the World has come into this dark world. That fact beats anything the world has to offer.

Conviction 4 No celebration should be allowed to unduly interfere with the Lord's Day

I do not know how you celebrate Christmas Day. For many people it includes a number of things that they would not normally do on the Lord's Day. It is important not to let anything interfere with keeping the Lord's Day, as far as possible and so when Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, as it will this year, it is wise for those who mark it to think ahead and consider how best they can handle possible conflicts. For many of us, it will be wisest if, this year at least, we do many of the things that we normally do on December 25 the day before or the day after.