Jim Parker
Member
Bible 101 Class One
Introduction to the Bible Lesson 1C
Another Biblical literary convention is the Genealogy. In ancient near eastern literature, stories are normally introduced by a genealogy and movements from one stage of the narrative to the next are marked by a genealogy. A good examples are found at the opening of the Gospel of Matthew with the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Jesus.
For an OT genealogy, Genesis 1:1-2:3 could be considered the Genealogy of creation with the story of creation beginning in earnest at Gen 2:4.
Another form of genealogy is found in the “begettings.” A transition from one story to the next is regularly marked by the statement of the begetting of the next generation. So, after Adam and Eve are cast out of paradise, chapter 4 begins with the begetting of Cain and Able. ( Gen 4:1 -2) Following Abel’s murder, the next story is introduced with the birth of Cain’s son Enoch.
4. In the New Testament, there are two primary types of literature; Gospels and Letters. A Gospel is the story of Jesus’ ministry leading up to His passion, death, resurrection and assentation. That is the most important part of the Gospel because it is the purpose for which Jesus was born.
The gospel material preceding the details of His passion reflect the elements of Jesus’ ministry that each evangelist desired to emphasize.
Matthew emphasizes the ways in which Jesus fulfills the OT prophecies that spoke of the Messiah.
Mark emphasizes Jesus’ power and authority.
Luke emphasizes the action of the Holy Spirit.
John emphasizes the deity of Jesus. All the Gospels display His mighty works of healing, casting out demons, and even raising the dead but only John is so very explicit about Jesus being God incarnate. The very first line of John’s gospel states that Jesus is the one God just as the Father is the One God.
And to these four Gospels, I add the Acts of the Apostles as a kind of “Gospel of Luke part 2.”
Acts relates the story of the spread of the gospel, and the kingdom of God on earth, from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and the Gentiles to the “ends of the earth” or, at least, the capital of the world which, to that part of the world, was Rome.
The letters were written before the Gospels were written. They follow the standard literary convention of an opening in which the writer identifies himself and the addressees. An opening blessing follows that heading.
The letters were written to the churches primarily to address specific issues at a given church. They contain; instruction in righteous behavior, doctrine and encouragement, requests, correction of bad behavior and refutation of bad teaching.
Romans: This letter is primarily a presentation of the doctrine which Paul teaches everywhere. It is kind of a self-introduction of Paul and his doctrine and his intention to come and visit with the Church in Rome on his way to Spain.
1 and 2 Corinthians: These letters are sent to the Corinthian church to chasten them for the divisions that they have allowed to arise within the congregation. It also contains Paul’s correction of their actions by which they allow a man who is having sexual relations with his stepmother to continue in communion with them and of those who are going to pagan courts to sue one another rather than going to the leaders of the church.
Galatians: This letter was written to the Galatian churches. It is a rebuke because they have accepted the teaching that, in order to be saved, Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses. This was the false teaching of “Judaizers” who taught that Gentiles must become Jews and believe in Christ to be saved.
Ephesians: This letter contains doctrine concerning the work of the Trinity in salvation, the blessings of Christ to the church; our proper response to God’s grace; and God’s strength for spiritual warfare.
Philippians: The major theme of this letter is that salvation is a dynamic, ongoing experience that is not merely personal, but shared among believers. Paul urged the Philippians toward continued unity, humility, selfless generosity, and joy in Christ.
Notice what seems to be a contradiction between; “work out your own salvation” and the very next phrase; “it is God who works in you both to will and to do”.
Since God does not contradict Himself and is not confused, both must be 100% accurate. So, how do we join these two apparently opposite ideas? By the concept of cooperation. God gives us the power and will to do His will and we must take action to bring about the results He has empowered us to achieve. It reminds me of God telling the Israelites to go into Canaan and take it. They had to actually go and take it even though God provided them with the power to do so.
Paul also warned the church about interference from self-serving evangelists, persecution from the unbelieving world, and antagonism from heretics particularly those who taught that a Christian must be circumcised and keep the Law.
Colossians: The issue addressed by Paul is the teachings of early Gnosticism which certain people were adapting to Christianity and teaching.
The Gnostic teachings which were being wrongly adapted to Christianity were, generally:
- There is a duality between Spirit and Matter.
- God is pure spirit and good in contrast to material lacking spirit and being evil.
- From God (AKA: the “Monad”, the perfect “One”) there are emanations called “Aeons.”
- From each level of emanation came lower levels of emanations until they get to man.
- Some men have a “Spark of Divinity” in them and can be saved.
- Others have no spark of divinity and cannot be saved.
- Pure matter, at the other end of the spectrum, cannot be saved.
- The way to salvation is through secret knowledge.
- Through the practice of the secret teachings, a person’s soul (his “real” self) may be released from the prison of the material body and exist eternally as a purely spiritual being.
- The totality of that which is spiritual, which is the essence of the Monad (of divinity) is the referred to as “Fullness.” (Greek: “Pleroma”)
If it sounds like “New Age” or Scientology”, essentially, it is. The devil doesn’t change tactics that work and this tactic of offering “secret knowledge” appeals to the pride of the human being and it still works to sidetrack people onto the road to hell in every generation.
Paul’s response is that both body and soul are saved. The body is not a “prison” of the soul; it is the image and likeness of God as demonstrated by Christ.
and:
Everything that God is, that is what Jesus is and you are saved, body and soul, by being “in Him”
Introduction to the Bible Lesson 1C
Another Biblical literary convention is the Genealogy. In ancient near eastern literature, stories are normally introduced by a genealogy and movements from one stage of the narrative to the next are marked by a genealogy. A good examples are found at the opening of the Gospel of Matthew with the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Jesus.
For an OT genealogy, Genesis 1:1-2:3 could be considered the Genealogy of creation with the story of creation beginning in earnest at Gen 2:4.
Another form of genealogy is found in the “begettings.” A transition from one story to the next is regularly marked by the statement of the begetting of the next generation. So, after Adam and Eve are cast out of paradise, chapter 4 begins with the begetting of Cain and Able. ( Gen 4:1 -2) Following Abel’s murder, the next story is introduced with the birth of Cain’s son Enoch.
4. In the New Testament, there are two primary types of literature; Gospels and Letters. A Gospel is the story of Jesus’ ministry leading up to His passion, death, resurrection and assentation. That is the most important part of the Gospel because it is the purpose for which Jesus was born.
The gospel material preceding the details of His passion reflect the elements of Jesus’ ministry that each evangelist desired to emphasize.
Matthew emphasizes the ways in which Jesus fulfills the OT prophecies that spoke of the Messiah.
Mark emphasizes Jesus’ power and authority.
Luke emphasizes the action of the Holy Spirit.
John emphasizes the deity of Jesus. All the Gospels display His mighty works of healing, casting out demons, and even raising the dead but only John is so very explicit about Jesus being God incarnate. The very first line of John’s gospel states that Jesus is the one God just as the Father is the One God.
And to these four Gospels, I add the Acts of the Apostles as a kind of “Gospel of Luke part 2.”
Acts relates the story of the spread of the gospel, and the kingdom of God on earth, from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and the Gentiles to the “ends of the earth” or, at least, the capital of the world which, to that part of the world, was Rome.
The letters were written before the Gospels were written. They follow the standard literary convention of an opening in which the writer identifies himself and the addressees. An opening blessing follows that heading.
The letters were written to the churches primarily to address specific issues at a given church. They contain; instruction in righteous behavior, doctrine and encouragement, requests, correction of bad behavior and refutation of bad teaching.
Romans: This letter is primarily a presentation of the doctrine which Paul teaches everywhere. It is kind of a self-introduction of Paul and his doctrine and his intention to come and visit with the Church in Rome on his way to Spain.
1 and 2 Corinthians: These letters are sent to the Corinthian church to chasten them for the divisions that they have allowed to arise within the congregation. It also contains Paul’s correction of their actions by which they allow a man who is having sexual relations with his stepmother to continue in communion with them and of those who are going to pagan courts to sue one another rather than going to the leaders of the church.
Galatians: This letter was written to the Galatian churches. It is a rebuke because they have accepted the teaching that, in order to be saved, Gentiles must be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses. This was the false teaching of “Judaizers” who taught that Gentiles must become Jews and believe in Christ to be saved.
Ephesians: This letter contains doctrine concerning the work of the Trinity in salvation, the blessings of Christ to the church; our proper response to God’s grace; and God’s strength for spiritual warfare.
Philippians: The major theme of this letter is that salvation is a dynamic, ongoing experience that is not merely personal, but shared among believers. Paul urged the Philippians toward continued unity, humility, selfless generosity, and joy in Christ.
Phl 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed,
not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Notice what seems to be a contradiction between; “work out your own salvation” and the very next phrase; “it is God who works in you both to will and to do”.
Since God does not contradict Himself and is not confused, both must be 100% accurate. So, how do we join these two apparently opposite ideas? By the concept of cooperation. God gives us the power and will to do His will and we must take action to bring about the results He has empowered us to achieve. It reminds me of God telling the Israelites to go into Canaan and take it. They had to actually go and take it even though God provided them with the power to do so.
Paul also warned the church about interference from self-serving evangelists, persecution from the unbelieving world, and antagonism from heretics particularly those who taught that a Christian must be circumcised and keep the Law.
Colossians: The issue addressed by Paul is the teachings of early Gnosticism which certain people were adapting to Christianity and teaching.
The Gnostic teachings which were being wrongly adapted to Christianity were, generally:
- There is a duality between Spirit and Matter.
- God is pure spirit and good in contrast to material lacking spirit and being evil.
- From God (AKA: the “Monad”, the perfect “One”) there are emanations called “Aeons.”
- From each level of emanation came lower levels of emanations until they get to man.
- Some men have a “Spark of Divinity” in them and can be saved.
- Others have no spark of divinity and cannot be saved.
- Pure matter, at the other end of the spectrum, cannot be saved.
- The way to salvation is through secret knowledge.
- Through the practice of the secret teachings, a person’s soul (his “real” self) may be released from the prison of the material body and exist eternally as a purely spiritual being.
- The totality of that which is spiritual, which is the essence of the Monad (of divinity) is the referred to as “Fullness.” (Greek: “Pleroma”)
If it sounds like “New Age” or Scientology”, essentially, it is. The devil doesn’t change tactics that work and this tactic of offering “secret knowledge” appeals to the pride of the human being and it still works to sidetrack people onto the road to hell in every generation.
Paul’s response is that both body and soul are saved. The body is not a “prison” of the soul; it is the image and likeness of God as demonstrated by Christ.
Col 1:17-20 And He (Jesus Christ) is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
(Jesus IS the “Monad.”)
And He is the head of the body, the church,
Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things He may have the preeminence.
(The material body is united to Christ)
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself,
by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven,
having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Christ, who has a material body, is also the “fullness” of deity and He has redeemed all of material creation, both material and spiritual. These teachings would be in direct conflict with Gnosticism. This is because the Bible says that everything that God created was good, and nothing He created was evil.(Jesus IS the “Monad.”)
And He is the head of the body, the church,
Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things He may have the preeminence.
(The material body is united to Christ)
For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself,
by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven,
having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Gen 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.
and:
Col 2:8-10 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit,
according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world,
(These are the attempts of man to understand God by our own efforts and intellect.)
and not according to Christ.
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world,
(These are the attempts of man to understand God by our own efforts and intellect.)
and not according to Christ.
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
Everything that God is, that is what Jesus is and you are saved, body and soul, by being “in Him”
