Tag Archives: New Testament

Arts, Bible, Christianity, Culture, History

Christ is all you need

Rome, c. AD 68

(Hebrews 1–13)

AN unsigned letter, from an unspecified address, urging Jewish Christians to endure hardship and not to compromise Christ by reverting to Hebrew traditions has been received here. Among the candidates as author, who says he was not an eyewitness of Christ, are Barnabas, Paul’s former associate, and Apollos, one of Paul’s converts. ‘The letter to the Hebrews’ describes in considerable detail the difference between the work of Christ as High Priest and the ministry of Jewish priests. Its readers, who may belong to an isolated house church or who share a common background such as the priesthood, are taught Christian truth with Hebrew imagery.

The author is aware of their sufferings (10:32–34), although whether these refer to persecution in Jerusalem or more recent events under Nero in Rome is unclear. They are encouraged to persevere by recalling the greater sufferings of Christ (12:3–4). He is superior to angels, to Moses and to the traditional priesthood, he claims. Christ’s divinity is stated, but the letter focuses on his humanity.

Christ’s sacrifice for sin remains effective for ever, he asserts, whereas ‘it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins’ (10:4). As a result of Christ’s death, a new covenant with God has been enacted which supersedes all previous covenants.

The letter contains numerous warnings against drifting from God (2:1), falling into unbelief (3:12, 6:4–6), isolationism and habitual sin (10:25–27), bitterness, immorality, and greed (chs 12–13). But it is also peppered with encouragements. God can be approached confidently because Christ understands human weakness (4:14–16), giving hope as secure as a ship’s anchor (7–19) and an assurance that God will keep his word (10:36).

Even if persecution seems hard, it can be seen as God’s discipline of love (12:4–11). A summary of the endurance of the saints of the past includes such unlikely characters as the prostitute Rahab and Samson, the womaniser, as well as Moses, Abraham and David. The author says they remained faithful even though they knew less of God’s purposes than his readers do now.

Standard
Arts, Christianity, Culture

One shall tell another

NEW TESTAMENT

– A narrative on John: 1:35-51

THE “success” of evangelistic campaigns in which people are invited to a meeting to hear an address explaining how to become a Christian, depends largely on “Operation Andrew” – the personal prayer and witness of Christians before the meeting. Lasting effects generally come from this “personal evangelism on a large scale” more than from the much parodied “mass evangelism”.

Jesus’ first disciples doubled in number because Andrew and Philip told others that Jesus was worth listening to. Once in his presence, Peter and Nathanael were dealt with according to their individual personalities.

Peter received a new identity and opportunity of service, important for one who was a blunderer. (It is stressed at the end of the Gospel, too.) Nathanael was sceptical, secure in a comfortable life. (“Under the fig tree” was a common Jewish expression for well-being.) He needed to know that Jesus was a caring and secure guide. The insight confirmed that he was.

The witnesses were different from the people they brought, too. Quiet and sensitive Andrew brought the brash Peter to Jesus. Philip seems even more cautious; when some Greeks wanted to see Jesus, he asked Andrew to go with him to tell Jesus (12:20-22)! A person does not need to be “upfront” to be a useful servant of God.

Nathanael is probably to be identified with the Bartholomew of the other Gospels. Bartholomew is a patronymic (“son of . . . “) so he would have had another name. In the Synoptic Gospels, Bartholomew is always closely associated with Philip. Nothing is known of either of them after the death of Jesus.

Standard
Arts, Christianity, Culture

New Testament: Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians

OVERVIEW

MASS EVANGELISTS who jet into a city, conduct a campaign, and jet out again, are often accused of leaving their “converts” high and dry, with no on-going support.

Paul, on his visit to Thessalonica, may not have intended to do this but in the end had little option. He was there for just three weeks before opposition forced him to make a hasty exit.

His new converts had no trained pastors to teach and support them. They had no New Testament to learn from, and no Christian books to read. They had no established church traditions to latch onto. They didn’t even have a telephone over which to get quick advice from the apostle.

Yet they not only survived but grew spiritually in double quick time. They became examples for others to follow. The letters to the Thessalonians provide today’s Christians with important encouragement: when God begins to work in someone’s life, he can continue it even if no human support is available.

That does not excuse any lack of pastoral follow-up. Paul was anxious to provide it: the letters are one means he used; visits from his associate Timothy were another.

Despite their growth in numbers and vitality, like any other fledgling church they had their problems. Not surprisingly, they had to endure ongoing opposition which raised doubts about Paul and his motives in some minds.

Others, captivated by the thought that Christ had promised to return, assumed that he was coming soon and packed in their jobs to wait for him. They present us with one of the first examples of the trend repeated later by “millennium cults”. Beliefs about Christ’s return often excite as much passion now as they did then.

Thessalonians provides some simple guidelines for today. Unfortunately, because they are simple and incomplete, they have been the source of as much speculation in the centuries since Paul wrote them as was the apostle’s original verbal teaching to the church. What followed in Paul’s letters, however, was a need to return to the original simplicity.

GUIDELINES FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING

– A narrative on 1 Thessalonians 4:1-10; 5:14-24

THIS is a brief manual for Christian living. It is incomplete because Paul has already given it verbally (4:11) and here he is stressing only what the Thessalonians need to give further attention to. Which is what most people need to give attention to.

On the subject of personal conduct he warns against unbridled lust and encourages marital faithfulness (4:3-8). The former was common and the latter rare in his first readers’ society.

Perhaps some church members were still struggling and failing. Being different is not easy and new habits take time to learn. There is none of the righteous indignation here which he unleashes against the Corinthians. Instead, he stresses the social dimension of immorality. It destroys relationships within the church.

As history repeats itself and people come to Christ from non-Christian lifestyles, his firm but non-judgmental approach sets a pastorally sensitive example.

Social conduct seems to be his chief concern. Brotherly love exists and he encourages it further (4:9). He describes what it looks like in 5:14: patient, kind, supportive and encouraging.

As for spiritual conduct, Christ, not circumstance, is to dominate Christians’ thoughts and feelings (5:16-18). The Thessalonians faced potentially depressing battles with their opponents, yet even they were to rejoice and give thanks. Christ is bigger than our problems.

They are also encouraged to keep the charismatic balance. The gifts of the Spirit are not to be despised, but neither are they to be received and exercised uncritically (5:19).

Standard