Discussion Board 4

Discuss the occasion and purpose for the writing of Galatians.  Who were the opponents of Paul in Galatia?  What was the nature of the opponents’ doctrine, and how did Paul respond to it?

In the regard to the book of Galatians, the use of the term Galatia in the 1^st century could refer to the ethnic group or a place in provincial sense and thus the focus should be beyond the common notion of who it the letter was written to. Any arising confusion may relate to the fact that the only during the days of the early church, only the northern part of the territory was left[1].  As the third century was closing, the southern part has been detached so that the only area remaining was the northern section. Galatia has traditionally been associated with the northern area.  There may be strong evidence to suggest that Paul was writing to the South Galatia since Paul mention cities within this region and two men from that place were assisting Paul in delivery of offerings to Jerusalem, the high risk of false doctrine in the area[2]. Barnabas is also mentioned in this case who was not with Paul as he moved further north[3]. In case a South Galatians location is the right place, it means that the writing of this piece was probably after the first missionary of the Apostle and even before the Jerusalem Council. This may suggest Antioch as the origin but most probably Jerusalem[4].

 Paul and Barnabas evangelical work in Galatia was through preaching in synagogues until the dissenting of the Jews, at which point their efforts turn to the Gentiles. After the apostles left, the Galatians’ Church was infiltrated by some people who undermined the missionary work by suggesting that dependence on the Torah would bring Salvation[5].  The aim of Galatians was to respond to the problem of Christian-Jewish missionaries who were intent on correcting the Gospel preached by Paul and completing the converts through their full integration into the Abraham heirs by circumcision and being under the law.  Paul’s opponents were supporting a doctrine that needed believers to submit to circumcision as a form of religious obligation so as to be merited in the sight of God[6]. In Galatians 4:9-10, Paul suggests that those opposing him required the believers to follow the religious traditions of Jews so as to obtain merit.  Basically, the opponents of Paul taught that justification in some way required believers to follow the Torah. Paul considered these views as being a total different Gospel.

In his response, Paul incorporates continuity with discontinuity while responding to his dissenters. His argument is based on the perception that the eschatological content of the Old Testament focuses on the risen Christ and brings in a new status of creation that integrates all Christians into God’s Israel Galatians 1:4; 3:1; 13-14; 4:4-5; 6:12-16.   Through trying the identity of a Christian to Abraham and through speaking of the fulfillment of the law, the Apostle shows the underlying continuity that he traces to the plan of God’s redemption[7].  The discontinuous argument by the Apostle suggests that the emphasis of the Mosaic covenant on law was just a provisional phase in soteriology development. By establishing an argument that links the History of the Jews to Messiah and at the same time emphasizing the development of the Messianic salvation, Paul is able to construct his argument that leads both Gentiles and the Jews to Jesus.

Discuss the occasion and purpose for the writing of 1 & 2 Thessalonians.  Who were the opponents of Paul in Thessalonica?  What was the nature of the opponents’ teaching, and how did Paul respond to it?

During Paul’s days, Thessalonica was an autonomous community that had significant number of the Jews as residents and thus it warranted a synagogue. Paul was on a journey to his second missionary work in Troas, when he was shown a vision by God that involves a Macedonian man saying “come and help us”[8].  The mission work to this place involved spending one night in prison for helping a girl with an evil spirit, after which Paul and Silas had to leave Philippi and then went to Thessalonica. While there, he reasoned with people present in synagogue for 3 Sabbaths and God-fearing Greeks and some Jews responded to his message, which angered the unbelieving Jews. The unbelievers stirred up an opposition against Paul in Jason’s house where he had been staying with friends[9]. After Paul left the area due to the uprising, Timothy reported on the conditions of Thessalonians church and this led to Paul’s writing of the first letter. After receiving back news regarding the growth and faith of the church, the apostle wrote the second letter. A large part of the letters touched on the issue of coming of Christ after some false teachings emerged about the day of the Lord[10].

Moreover, Paul felt the need to set straight any misunderstanding about his motives for leaving Thessalonica in a hurry. He also hoped to clarify the need to hold firm to the Christian’s faith ethical standards and provide console the believers within the Church who had lost relatives and friends through death[11].   The two letters had similar purpose but put more emphasis on the persecution topic and suffering with then the right eschatological context.   The opponents of Paul were most likely spiritual enthusiasts, Judaizers or some Jews.  The defense of the apostle in these letters could also have risen out of his unfounded fear that the church had poor thoughts about him.  The false teachers in the first century were likely the opponents that Paul tried to disassociate from.  It is also likely that Paul did not know the specific nature of those people opposing his teachings[12]. 

Nonetheless, the persecution was great and basically, it tried to undermine the credibility of Paul teachings by classifying him with other dishonest teachers and thus aimed at derail the message so that it did not hamper their influence[13].  Hence, his persecution could have led to his writing, by putting such suffering into the right context. He encouraged the believes to reflect on past persecution and realize that it was not at all in vain , and recognize the fact that his suffering was proof of genuine faith.  He was reminding them to look forward to later life, where eternal perspective and peace were assured. It was also important for him to remind them that they were never alone since they would always get support from fellow believers and God and that eventually they would be vindicated.  The accusations against pay were seen as a proclamation of Jesus as a rival emperor[14].  When added to the fact that Pail left Thessalonians in a hurry could have led to the accusation that he had tricked the new Christians, a subject that the apostle confronts boldly. In the two letters, Paul mentions every basic doctrine in Christianity.

Bibliography

Bruce, F. F. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1977

Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2009.

Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

[1] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003

[2] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003

[3] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003

[4] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003

[5] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2009.

[6] Bruce, F. F. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1977

[7] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2009.

[8] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2009.

[9] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2009.

[10] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2009.

[11] Bruce, F. F. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1977

[12] Bruce, F. F. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1977

[13] Bruce, F. F. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1977

[14] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

Reasons to believe in God

Background

Primarily, theism is not just the mere faith in an omnipresent or supernatural being. Tales, traditional rituals stormy weather, animals, statues, and fairy tales exemplified the latter. A more straightforward name for these is superstition. Moreover, superstitions have no foundational basis at all. Theism refers to the belief in the existence of a God: a god with a capital g for that matter; unlike the shaky belief in a supernatural being. Theism, in my perspective, is the belief in a God with a capital G and not a deity. Theism is less standard as compared to the belief in supernatural beings. It has its history embedded in Christian and Muslim traditions. The two religions have Abrahamic backgrounds and are the primary religions of the world. The commencement of Theism is the Bible, the book of Genesis. The author elaborates how the universe came into existence. According to this book, Gods is not just a celestial object, for instance, the sun or the moon but he is the ultimate creator of each and everything on earth. He is powerful, omnipresent, all knowing, and perfect in every way. In fact, the manner in which the bible views God answers most of the questions people ask about the universe and its origin. The main difference that I would like to emphasize is that a deity can be a supernatural being or just another object, unlike Theism. This point is vital for this essay to materialize and drive its point home.

Introduction

 The concept of creation, specifically, the origin of life and the universe, is beyond human understanding. Scientists have developed theories trying to examine or explain the origin of life and the universe, but their opinions have not answered all the questions about the world. The controversial issues on the origin of life and its purpose are thorny issues debated for ages. It is a fact that the world is beyond human comprehension. Furthermore, stars, planets asteroid and the other heavenly bodies have an accurate arrangement. They have existed for millions and millions of years. The stars and planets form galaxies, which consequently form milky ways. The sun, the closest star, is a giant fireball emitting light and heat without exhaustion. Thus, the organization of the universe together with other planets that revolve around the stars at a comfortable distance controlled by unknown hand hence the idea of god behind all the organization. To add onto the organization of the universe, the brain's design is unique. It has the ability of controlling movements of muscles, process information, make decisions, and sense danger. Above all, it isolates humans from the rest of the animals and organism, which rely entirely on instincts wired through birth. To elaborate further, the brain gives humans the ability to think and create things. This essay will critically analyze and look into evidence and arguments that show the existence of God. Therefore, it will favor theism. It will also dwell on the reasons why faith in God is vital.

 Evidence of the existence of God

 Cosmological arguments

 The existence of the earth points to a creative designer. The complex nature of the planet proves the existence of a God. The earth is one of the nine planets that revolve around the sun. Furthermore, earth is the only inhabited planet. Unlike the rest, which are either too cold or too hot for any living conditions to come into existence or prosper. Starting with the size, it has the perfect size, which awards it with a corresponding appropriate amount of gravity. Gravity holds in place vital contents of the earth (Maritain & Watkin, 2005). The force of gravity holds together oxygen, waterbodies, and humans from escaping into space. If gravity was too high humans could die from the atmospheric pressure pressing down on them, they could not survive. Secondly, if the size of the earth were too small, it would lack an atmosphere just like mercury hence the air mixture would have less oxygen. The earth is the third planet from the sun. The distance protects the earth from extreme heat emitted by the sun. Although the temperatures within the surface may vary from as low as negative thirty degrees and rise to +120 degrees, the distance still buffers the earth from radiation heat that could have burnt humans to death (Maritain & Watkin, 2005). In addition to this distance, the earth revolves around the sun at a comfortable speed. If the rate would slightly increase or decrease, the heat and cold would not be uniformly disperse  on the surface of earth hence some areas of the earth would be extremely hot and others extremely cold. In short, the earth is at the right distance from the sun, appropriate atmospheric pressure and the right composition that supports and brings forth life (Maritain & Watkin, 2005).According to Thomas Aquinas, ‘For those with faith, no evidence is necessary; for those without it, no evidence will suffice “Aquinas tries  to gives a clear statement on theism. Solid faith in God is a fundamental foundation for theism (Velde ,p 45).  With faith, everything falls into place. Aquinas goes further to point out that, ‘Now it is clear that the truth of God cannot be relative to any particular standpoint or perspective. ‘This implies that the existence of God is not founded on reasonable evidence that one comes up with. Only faith is an assurance of God (Velde, p 2).

The second evidence of God's existence is water. It is a colorless, odorless substance without form and taste. Hydrogen and oxygen combine to form water (Ashton, & Westcott, 2006). No organism can survive without the vital element. Funny enough, microorganisms and plants consist of 70% water. That is a strange fact and coincidence at the same time. The characteristics of water support and maintain life on earth. It does not readily boil, and on the other end, it does not promptly freeze into ice. The range within the boiling point and the freezing point gives it an opportunity to exist in its most useful form that is, liquid, or fluid. In its liquid state, water has many uses such as irrigation; recreational purposes and. Water steadily maintains the body temperature of humans at 98.6 degrees while the surrounding temperatures change with time and seasons. Secondly, water can dissolve anything. This fact implies that different ingredients and chemicals move from one place to another in the body of living organisms without altering the constitution of materials transported. Thirdly, water has a surface tension (Ashton, & Westcott, 2006). Surface tension is a thin layer found on top of the water, which gives it its cohesiveness hence minerals and other vital chemicals needed for growth can move through tiny vessels within the living organisms. Surface tension gives water the ability to run against the force of gravity thus it can move above the ground, for instance, within tree trunks. The anomalous freezing of water allows it to freeze from top to bottom and in so doing, allows life to exist during the winter period. Water moves through the earth as it changes states from liquid to solid. For instance, rainfall forms through processes such as evaporation and condensation (Ashton, & Westcott, 2006). Hence, the existence of God appears through fundamental natural phenomena such as water.

 Teleological argument

 Apart from the earth and water, the human brain is high tech than any modern day technology tool. Humans are the only beings created with the ability to think and process numerous information. The brain has the capacity to solve simple to complex challenges. It is an organ of great wonder. It is hard to believe that it came by chance or through evolution. To illustrate the power of a brain, look at the colors, objects and pressure one can feel at the same time. The brain interprets all these things. The brain processes emotions, memories, remember dreams, and can control thoughts. Above all, it can make decisions when the body is in danger. To elaborate further, it can initiate involuntary actions by releasing chemicals, which in turn cause muscle contraction and expansion hence causing an automatic movement. For instance, when a needle pricks an individual's finger, the finger withdraws automatically from the needle hence, the kneejerk reaction. The existence of such a perfect organ within a man is enough proof of the existence of God (Maritain & Watkin, 2005).

 Lastly, the universe is another good reason to believe in God. The human brain cannot fully understand the underlying forces that made the world or the universe come into existence. It is beyond science and logical deductions. Steven Weinberg suggested that an explosion caused by gases bore the universe. Nevertheless, an explosion cannot be orderly or result in an operational system. Explosions cause disasters. The world is a well-organized system with planets, stars and millions and millions of other features not yet known by man. Therefore, again natural phenomena reveal the existence of God. God provides an elaborate explanation on every mystery humans imagine of. He is the invisible hand that moves things around (Moser, 2009).

 Reasons why the belief in God is essential to humans

 There is a sharp contrast between communities that have faith in God and societies, which have faith in themselves or put faith in other things. Without faith in God, then humanity is not any different from a coconut tree or amoeba bacteria. The confidence in God puts things into a correct perspective rather than give rational reasons and arguments. Belief in God improves makes humans more valuable. Theories and concepts such as natural selection pair humans with animals. Furthermore, the theory claims that humans exist for survival only thus rendering laws, morals, and ethics of humans useless or without a benefit. Human are not just beings that survived evolution. Persons who do not believe in God are limited to their senses only, as faith in God can give more purpose to life hence upgrading the lives of people. In fact, people who believe in God live their lives differently and more responsibly, creating peace in the world (Maritain & Watkin, 2005).

Some Arguments against theism

In spite of the vast knowledge that points to the existence of God, Some individuals do not believe in God. People prefer to live carefree lifestyles, away from the prying eyes of a god who will want to dictate the lifestyles that they will live. Although such life has never been fruitful. Most people who do not believe in God claim that, ‘if there is a god, why does evil exist in the world? ‘Also, the atheists maintain that God cannot exist in a world full of evil such as murder, rape, and war. They usually attach their argument on the nature of God. They forget that they also have a small role to play in ensuring the world is a better place. Secondly, they tend to concentrate on the effects of religion as a pointer to their unbelief in God. Religious people are not perfect yet; they claim to believe in a perfect God. For instance, Muslims religion has given rise to terrorist groups. Social effects of a religion cannot form a justification or grounds to dispute the existence of God. In the same fact, for instance, the theory of natural selection is not baseless, just because of its effects, yet, it has biological evidence to back it up (Moser, 2009). Thirdly, atheists claim that science is examinable, tested, and proven, unlike the belief in God. They cling to rational knowledge and insights to define God who is limitless. Lastly, atheist belief that only the big bang theory caused life although it was an accident. Atheism relies on science and evidence from various scientific field yet, science does not provide an answer to everything on earth .Science is limited to research and human ability. In addition, science is not that accurate to give answers to god even if they stumbled upon (Moser, 2009). Human beings are insatiable beings. Nothing can satisfy their hearts fully. Wealth, money sex and other types of materialism .Some argue that there is more to life than the material things of earth some  find it in Godmother in their spouses while others have never settled on the a fully

 Conclusion 

In summary, basic things on earth portray the existence of God. From water to the order of the universe, proof the existence of God. The earth is at a comfortable distance from the sun hence harboring conditions necessary to support life. In fact, the earth contains perfect and unique substances such as water that support life. It is important to note that earth is the only planet with water. The design of the brain allows it process numerous information at a fast rate. The order within the universe also reveals the existence of a God. Atheist claim that if God really existed, evil would not be in the world. According to them, God should stop all the unfair things that happen on earth. In addition, atheist relies on science and proven scientific data any that cannot be passed through scientific knowledge does not exist to them. They seem not to grasp that if science could prove the existence of God; he would not be God anymore rather than a concept vulnerable and open to manipulation by mankind.

References 

Maritain, J., & Watkin, E. I. (2005). An introduction to philosophy. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield. 

Ashton, J. F., & Westacott, M. (2006). The big argument: does God exist: Twenty-four scholars explore how science, archaeology, and philosophy have not disproved God. Green Forest, AR: Master Books. 

Moser, P. K. (2009). The evidence for God: Religious knowledge reexamined. Cambridge: Cambridge University

Velde, R. A. (2006). Aquinas on God: The 'divine science' of the "Summa theologiae". Aldershot, England: Ashgate.

Thesis statement

The books of Romans and Galatians compliments Paul’s preaching about the law, where he asserts that salvation is achieved through justification and faith in Christ but not through obeying the law; the law is good and not evil and the only way to meet its standards is through Christ’s righteousness.  

Bibliography

Martin, Brice L. Christ and the Law in Paul. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2001.

In this book, the author argues that the differences Paul had with Jewish perception of the law can be attributed to his basic point that salvation in terms life and righteousness can only be obtained from Christ.  The author perceives that the fallen nature of man presents a dilemma. Humans are obligated to obey the law but cannot do it, which leads to sin and finally death. However, the empowerment of the Holy Spirit enables them to obey the law, not as a means of getting saved but as a result of it.

La Grange Du Toit, Philip. "Paul's radicalisation of law-obedience in Romans 2: the plight of someone under the law." In Die Skriflig, 1 2016.

The article thoroughly explores the relationship between Paul’s view of fulfilling the law relative to Roman 2 justification teachings and Romans 3:21-35 righteousness by faith.  The paper also considers the present approaches to Romans chapter 2 and then Paul’s teachings on doing the Law as interpreted as being part of salvation requirements and justification before the coming of Christ.  The authors conclude that it is impossible to the entire law and that overall depravity of everybody as an indication of old era when people were under the law. The new era involves anticipating solutions through faith and justification in Christ.

Hübner, Hans. Law in Paul's Thought: A Contribution to the Development of Pauline Theology. London: T. & T. Clark, 2004.

In this text, the author highlights the clear conflict with the view of law by Paul. The author looks into whether this distinction should be explored in terms of Paul’s justification theology development.  The book also looks into Romans and Galatians in regard to what each of them contributes towards the debate on Law, righteousness and salvation.  The authors also draw the comparisons and differences between Romans and Galatians in regard to Paul’s discussion about the significance of the law.

Hastings, Adrian, Alistair Mason, and Hugh Pyper. The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000

The author of the book embraces the perceptions of Protestants, Catholic, Orthodox thinkers, liberals, radicals and even conservatives to conclude that current Christianity is not univocal or Monolithic.  He looks into the existing great diverse opinions regarding the religion.  From page 523, the discussion delves into Paul’s controversy with the Jews as indicated in the books of Romans and Galatians, given the apostles protests against his converts subjecting themselves to Law. The issue of law has diverse understanding among the aforementioned groups.

Wakefield, Andrew Hollis. Where to Live: The Hermeneutical Significance of Paul's Citations from Scripture in Galatians 3:1-14. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2003.

The author focuses on the book of Galatians to deduce Paul’s use of the scripture while teaching about the law. The review of this issue leads to the conclusion that Paul rejected the law as a means of salvation and living among Christians.

Wendel, Susan J., and David M. Miller. Torah Ethics and Early Christian Identity. 2016.

The book involves scholar’s exploration of how early Christians related to Mosaic Law and how the Torah was used as reference point on ethical living among believers. From page 207, the book looks into Paul’s view of law in Romans and Galatians. 

Discussion Board Forum 2

Describe Paul’s background.  Discuss the issues in determining a chronology of Paul’s life.  Be sure to list any data that can be used for this purpose.  How important is the book of Acts in this procedure?  Offer a brief overview of Paul’s life and missionary activities

Paul was born an Israelite in Tarsus, part of Cilicia located in SE Asia Minor.  Even though Paul's origin is a Jewish family with full citizen rights in Roman Empire, the fact that his family was a strict adherer of Jewish culture would have provided him with little chance to adapt to Tarsus culture while young.  His background was, therefore, largely influenced by the Jewish culture and religion[1].    The book of Acts 22.3 indicates that Paul underwent education in Gamaliel's School and his attitude towards Christians before his conversion was largely distinct from that of his mentor's attitude.  It is not likely that Paul would have agreed with his mentor's attitude towards Christ followers, which is shown in Acts5: 38. In various cases, Paul indicates that his initial contact with the Church was when he was a prosecutor.  Paul's case seemed clear-cut after the crucifixion of Jesus as a crucified Messiah greatly contradicted Jew's idea of Messiah[2]. During the persecution, many disciples were driven out of Judea and Paul's crusading zeal was informed by the notion that a high priest had the right to bring back fugitives to Jerusalem[3].  This led him to Damascus where he would meet his conversion.  The conversion on the way to Damascus was a great determinant of Christian's history since it is where his commissioning begun.  That he was Hebrew of Hebrew and still a Roman citizen was an important aspect that indicated Paul's ability to confidently speak to confidently speak with Greeks and Jews -Acts 22.28[4]. 

The issues relating to Paul's life helps in determining the Chronology in dating the various events even though.  His birth in Tarsus, schooling in Greco-Roman and his privileged citizenship occurred after around A.D 10[5].  The Jerusalem upbringing and rabbinic education by Gamaliel also help in this chronology Acts 22:3, 26:4.  Another important issue is his conversion which can be dated around the time Stephen was Stoned, A.D 34, Chapter 7 and 8 of Acts. Another aspect is Paul's life in Syria after fleeing persecution by Jews, Acts 9:30 and the silent years, probably AD 37-46 before Barnabas recalled him to Antioch, Acts 11:25; 12:25[6].  Also, the mission to Gentiles involves three tours beginning with the end at Antioch.  The first includes Missionary tour to Cyprus, A.D 46 and Jerusalem Conference around A.D 48-49, Acts 12, 15.  The second tour involves the Macedonia province, around A.D 50, Achaia province, Corinth, ending at around A.D 52, Acts 15:36–18:22.  The other tour was to Ephesians, A.D. 53-55 and back to Jerusalem A.D .57 and then Greece, Acts 18:23–21:16.  The final factor is Paul's Captivity including Caesarea Captivity, Voyage, and shipwreck, Roman imprisonment at around A.D 60-62 A.D and Martyrdom, around A.D 57-59, Acts 21 -28[7].  These details serve to show the importance of the book of Acts in that through it a fairly logical chronology of the life of the apostle can be constructed.  The book reinforces the perception of Paul that is portrayed in the epistles. Paul's life was largely influenced by the Jewish education as a Pharisee in the earlier days but this was to change drastically after his encounter with Christ on his way to Damascus. The conversion of Paul involved his being commissioned as to preach to the Gentiles on whom most of his epistles focus.

Discuss the materials and methods used to produce letters in the first century.  Define the words “pseudonymity” and “pseudepigraphy.”  What was the purpose for pseudonymous writings?  Were any of the NT writings authored pseudonymously?  Give a defense of your answer.

 In the first century, the writing of extended letters became very common, with some of these letters following a similar method of salutations first and then a normal structure.  The writing process required the input of a scribe. The materials used for writing in the first century included papyrus and engraving of text in stones or even metals[8]. Wood was also a useful writing material on which short text could be written. The writing of papyrus was the major material used in the period even the process was expensive because of the cost involved in making them[9]. Most of the letters written by in the New Testament sought the services of scribes, and the papyrus writing materials were important tools for them[10].   The method mostly used involved the writing of a draft from another person's dictation and then the text could be copied carefully from tablets onto a sheet of papyrus. The letters by Paul were mostly written this way, where he would dictate to a scribe who would then copy the writings on longer lasting materials.  The writing of the letters required the scribed to be skilled and such scribed were referred to as amanuensis.  The relationship between the scribe and the author determined the liberty of the amanuensis with the verbiage of the writings[11].  It was therefore, common for various scribes to add some influence to their writings. This aspect can explain the various differences that appear among the different Greek-style employed in Pauline letters. These letters followed a logical structure so that they are occasional and written with particular people in mind at particular places. The letters by Paul were major written on papyrus materials[12].

Related to the methods of letter writing and specifically the scripture include two concepts; the pseudonymity and pseudepigraphy. These aspects refer to the practice of ascribing some written works to another person apart from the real author.  Pseudonymity means that a work has been falsely named while pseudepigraphy means that such work has been falsely attributed.  The use of these practices was done for various reasons including hiding the true identity of an author, making the work more clear, for malicious purpose or for establishment and thus gain wider reading[13].  Most of the New Testament writings have been related to pseudonymous writers, whereby they used famous names so that to achieve the aims of deemed vital by a writer.  Part of the New Testament books that have been treated in this manner includes Pastoral Epistles, Ephesians, 1 and 2 Peter and even James. In case of 1 Peter, the book is doubtlessly a pseudonym[14]. The readers of the letter would recognize it for what the book was, as a literary device that is acceptable and harmless that was employed by a person with great concern for its content in relation to the Christian message other than to assert his own authority.  The writers would in this case, view the letters in same way as the Mathew and Hebrews where authorship remains anonymous[15]. The authors build on the teaching they have inherited and then relate them to their present times.

References

Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2005. 331-390

Still, Todd D. and Bruce W. Longenecker. Thinking through Paul: a survey of his life, letters, and theology. Zondervan, 2014.

Lea, T. D. "The early Christian view of pseudepigraphic writings." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 27 (1984): 65-75.

[1] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[2] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[3] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[4] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2005. 331-390

[5] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[6] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[7] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[8] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2005. 331-390

[9] Still, Todd D. and Bruce W. Longenecker. Thinking through Paul: a survey of his life, letters, and theology. Zondervan, 2014.

[10] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2005. 331-390

[11] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2005. 331-390

[12] Still, Todd D. and Bruce W. Longenecker. Thinking through Paul: a survey of his life, letters, and theology. Zondervan, 2014

[13] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2005. 331-390

[14] Lea, T. D. "The early Christian view of pseudepigraphic writings." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 27 (1984): 65-75.

[15] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2005. 331-390

Compare and contrast some of the elements of Paul’s theology with the information found in the four Gospels.  How are their contents similar or different?  What areas of incidental contact are in your opinion most interesting?  Give a summary of one element of contact and how it can be applied to Christians today.

After conversion, Paul became one of the most influential apostles in the early church but his message was not learn for the earthly ministry of Jesus.  While the focus of the four gospels Jesus ministry mostly to the Jews, Paul’s ministry was majorly to the Gentiles which saw him travel far and wide in the colonies of the Roman Empire preaching Christ and growing the churches. The book of Acts shows a man who had initially purposed to annihilate the church but after being apprehended by Jesus he turned around and championed for the same cause he was trying to exterminate[1].  In his letters, Paul spoke largely with certainty a theology focused on Jesus and expressed an authority from his apostolic calling. He focuses on training he underwent through after directly encountering Christ where he received the revelation that offered a great insight from the Jerusalem based apostles some time after the conversion. Galatians 1:12.

A major theological element common to Pauline theology and the four gospels is the work of the Holy Spirit in the development of the church.  In the Paul’s letters, he speaks highly of Christ direct revelation to him and part his teachings focused on the need to depend on the Holy Spirit in development of discipleship and Christian Character[2].  In the book of Roman, he presents the real implications of Christ’s message in believers’ lives and a look at the Sermon on the Mount indicates the extent to which Paul understood the teachings of Jesus Christ, his Master[3]. The theology presented by the apostle was founded on the fact that Christ was born, he died and rose again after which he sat at God’s right hand to indicate His assumption of the Throne.  However, in the four Gospels, Jesus had not yet assumed the heavenly throne.  His theology stems from his understanding of the revelation and from the various prophesies in the Old Testament. His meeting at Jerusalem with the apostles gives him a historic and eyewitness account of the gospel[4].   The teaching of Paul about the life of Jesus and his teachings is in line with the other teachings that can be found in other books of the New Testament and specifically in the four Gospels. At times, Paul has to insist to other believers that the message he is preaching is based on the same facts as the teachings of other apostles[5].  James and Peter agree with him after his visit to Jerusalem.

According to Paul, was Christ the “goal” or the “end” of the law?  Be sure to offer reasons for your answer.  Briefly discuss the various interpretations Bruce offers for the statement that “Christ is the end of the law.”  How is this statement understood in the various traditions?  Which understanding do you think is best explanation?  Why?

Paul’s initial perception of Christ was as a strong threat to his religion then, Judaism, and the reason for persecuting the church.  The conversion brought forth a drastic different view of the message of cross of Christ who had been foretold and declared in the scriptures as a mighty and powerful heavenly king. Yet Paul theology speaks of humble Christ and meet, sacrificial savior, elements which are also highlighted in the four gospels. The apostle had a personal understanding of Christ and his teachings.  The theology by Paul also focuses on the ministry of Jesus on earth and his accomplishment through death and resurrection that were the foundation of the Church. This is similar to the gospel by Apostle John. John’s Gospel places its focus on the ministry of Jesus especially in Jerusalem when He periodically visited the city[6].

“Christ as the end of the law” is a profound theological expression in Romans 10.4, written by Paul.  Interpretation if this phrase requires  a person to first understand the terms end and law in the context of Paul’s teachings.  There have been for definitions of law defended by academia within the context of Paul’s writings that comprises of a law’s system, Old Testament reference, legalism and Mosaic Law reference[7]. Most of these scholars lean towards the definition of law as being close Mosaic Law.  The definition of the term end is likely to mean a goal, result or termination. If the word end would be defined s termination, Paul suggestion of the meaning would be strictly transient. This means that the relevance of Mosaic Law was terminated by coming of Christ[8]. In this case, the Mosaic Law would no longer be used to establish a person’s own righteousness. Otherwise, if the goal was the right definition of the term end, then Paul assertion would involve an interrelationship between Christ and law so that it by some means teleological lead to Messiah[9]. While not completely abandoning the teleological aspect, various reasons can show the basically that end refers to termination.   The term’s temporal definition can have predominant meaning in the New Testament, and the context in which Romans 10-34 is written shows that the apostle was trying to disassociate Christ from the law and refuting Jews attempt to use the law as the basis of their righteousness[10]. Moreover, the apostle also validates the Christ- law relationship as being discontinuous in nature Romans 3:20, 10:5-8. In regard to the phrase “Christ is the end of the law”, Bruce’s initial assertions focus on Rabbi Leo Baeck claim that the cultural influence by Paul facilitated an idea of “a doctrine of three Epochs”, that involved the assumption that the culmination of the law was in Messiah even though this argument is not conclusive[11].

 The suggestion is that the term “end” refers to both the termination and the goal.  He views the goal of the law as being a transitory to lead people to Christ Galatians 3:24.  The emphasis by Bruce relates to the continuity between Christ and law, where he closely relates the reason of the law with its termination[12]. The author arrives at a conclusive suggestion that God’s righteousness is not obtained through obedience to the law but by having faith in Jesus Christ. Bruce’s interpretation stems from the Reformed and Lutheran traditions, with the latter suggesting three elements of the law.  These includes:  the purpose of the law was to dissuade malicious behavior an aspect not found in gospel; it encouraged repentance but the preaching by Paul emphasized on freedom but not using the law in this manner; the view of Lutheran was that the law was a guide to the church but he cautions the use of law to govern the church[13].  Under reformed tradition, Bruce refers to Calvin where he claims that even though obedience to the law does to lead to salvation; people are always under some rules in real life[14]. In my view, he idea of discontinuity in understanding of the phrase in that the law and Christ are disjoined and Christ being the “end” but not the goal seems quite logical. This is because the notion of continued connection between the law and Christ increases the chances of human self-reliance on his or her effort for salvation.

References

Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

Still, Todd D., and Bruce W. Longenecker. Thinking through Paul: a survey of his life, letters, and theology. Zondervan, 2014.

Moo, Douglas J. The letter of James. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[1] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[2] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[3] Still, Todd D., and Bruce W. Longenecker. Thinking through Paul: a survey of his life, letters, and theology. Zondervan, 2014

[4] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000

[5] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000

[6] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000

[7] Moo, Douglas J. The letter of James. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[8] Moo, Douglas J. The letter of James. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[9] Moo, Douglas J. The letter of James. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[10] Moo, Douglas J. The letter of James. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[11] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[12] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[13] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

[14] Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. Paul: Apostle of the heart set free. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000.

Discussion Board Forum 1

Give the evidence to support Luke as author of Acts.  How could Luke become aware of privileged information such as found in Acts 23:25–30, 25:14–22, and 26:30–32?  How important are the" we" passages in Acts to determining authorship?

There is enough internal and external evidence to show that Luke was the author of The Acts of the Apostle. The external evidence can be found in the books written by Paul the Apostle mainly 2 Timothy, Colossians, and Philemon.  The other external evidence involves the traditions of the early church, and these have been supported in the past by individuals such as Jerome, Irenaeus, and Alexandra. The earliest copies the Gospel written by Luke – Kata Loukan – serve as very interesting evidence to support the authorship of Luke[1].  The internal evidence can be found in the Bible also serves to proof that Luke is the author of Acts.  The language and tone used in writing the book is an important aspect of this evidence especially in the "we sections" which connotes that Luke was in companion of other apostles[2]. The "we-section" can be partly understood to mean that Luke was a close companion of Apostle Paul since the author of the book uses the "we" to refer to the witness and work of Paul and himself, Acts 16:10[3].  Possibly a major compelling evidence involves the demonstration of order and linguistics that have been highlighted in the book by previous studies.  In one of the study, 400 medial terms occurring in Acts were compared with the vocabulary common to the Greek physicians and the findings surprisingly associated a lot of this linguistic to a particular physician.  Among the apostles who regularly accompanied Paul in his missions, only Luke can surely be identified as a doctor. 

Moreover, there is a systematic approach to Luke's historicity and focus on details in Acts, which indicates that the author had a rich scientific background.  In fact, the introduction to both the books of Acts and Apostle shows that the person who authored them had a good background of education, with a vast knowledge of Old Testament and aware of the nature of 1st-century society[4]. There is an alignment of the two books in this sense.   In the book of Philemon 24, Paul appears to be in the company of Luke and as the only companion in 2 Timothy 4: 11. The book of Colossians 4: 14 indicate that Paul is in the company of the beloved physician[5].  These passages may offer support for a change to the first person from the third person plurals in the book of Acts and thereby prove that Luke was the author of the text. Also, Acts 23-26 can be seen as either as ether verbal or written correspondence between officials in Romanian Government and this begs the question as to how the writer could have been allowed to such a privileged access to confidential information. The characters in these verses are Felix, King Agrippa, Festers and Claudius Lysias.  As per Luke 1:4, the physician admits that he carried out investigations from other sources. It is possible that potential sources for this Gospel include the letter alluded to in Acts 23, involving a discussion with Apostle Paul.  Finally, referring to Theodor Mommsen, a legal historian from Rome can also relate the authorship of Acts to Luke[6]. He highlights that the account by Luke about the trial of Paul before Festus and Felix shows the penal procedure at the time[7].  It seems that Luke went a long way to get information from credible sources so that it the account can be accurate including while documenting information in privileged places.  The authorship of the book presents a practical lesson to Christians, in that they should endeavor to provide accurate information. They should follow Luke's way of learning and present information especially if it relates to the interpretation of messages from God. Such information should be enough to influence the Church currently and in future.

Provide an overview of Paul's story of his conversion as found in Acts 9:1–19, 22:3–16, and 26:4–23.  Are the differences in these accounts normal variations found when someone retells an important event, or are they clear indicators of a fabrication?  Give evidence for your view.  How can Paul's story of his conversion be used as a model for Christians today?

A converted person can clearly relate to the story of Paul's conversion in Acts Acts 9:1–1 9, 22:3–16, and 26:8–9.  The book of Acts presents Paul initially as Saul, and he is referred as by the former name for the first time in chapter 13.9[8].  The experience of Paul after Christ's revelation follows a familiar pattern that can be found in the entire Bible.  For instance, in the Gospels, a common pattern can be observed that includes Jesus death that results to lost hope among the disciples, He gives a sign as his identity and disciples can now recognize Him[9].  Paul's was on horseback, traveling to Damascus and the Lord suddenly appears before him and Jesus' brilliance glory knocks him to the ground. After Paul asks who the Lord was, Jesus tells him that he was the One from Nazareth that Paul was prosecuting. Jesus tells Paul that it was hard for him to kick against the goads. In response, Paul asks what Jesus willed for him to do[10]. The Lord tells him to Damascus City and where was to wait until he is instructed on what to do. For three days Paul could not see and did not eat or take any drink. In a vision, Ananias is told by Jesus to seek for Saul of Tarsus in Judas house but he was fearful since he had heard of the persecution meted on the Church by Paul. Jesus assures Ananias that Saul had been chosen by God as a vessel to preach to the Gentiles. After finding Paul, Ananias lays his hands on Paul at which point he gets back his sight. He is then baptized[11].

 In acts 9, Luke writes in third person a description of the conversion of Saul to Paul and how his ministry started and a focus on the growing church.  Acts 22 includes Paul's description of his own account of conversion and the interaction with the Lord and is speaking to Jews. He is justifying the ministry given to him and how the encounter with the Lord changed him from an elect Pharisee.  In chapter 26, he is justifying his calling to preach to the Gentiles about salvation through Jesus[12]. The variations in these accounts arise from the fact that Paul and Luke are addressing different audiences but the message is similar, only adjusted to suit their particular audiences[13]. The conversion is not a fabrication.  The account serves as a model of teaching modern Christians that they should their personal testimonies can have an impact on other people's lives. While some accounts may be intriguing and others surprising, Christians should allow the Holy Spirit to be their guide while addressing their audience.

Bibliography

John A, Battle, Life and Epistle of Paul; Chapter 2 .The Book of Acts . Accessed March 2018: http://wrs.edu/Materials_for_Web_Site/Courses/Paul/Chapter_2--Book_Acts.pdf

Hobart, William K. The medical language of St. Luke. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2004.

Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2009.

Jimmy W. Dukes, “Introduction to Acts,” Theological Educator, no. 42 ( 1990): 51

Joseph, A. Fitzmyer, and Bibelwissenschaftler Jesuit. The Acts of the Apostles: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Doubleday, 1998.

Henri-Irénée, Marrou. "AN Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament (The Sarum Lectures, 1960-1961), 1963." Revue des Études Anciennes 65, no. 3 (1963): 450-451.

Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

Bible, King James Version, and King James Version. "BibleGateway. com." Accessed July 10 (2014).

[1] John A, Battle, Life and Epistle of Paul; Chapter 2 .The Book of Acts . Accessed March 2018: http://wrs.edu/Materials_for_Web_Site/Courses/Paul/Chapter_2--Book_Acts.pdf

[2] Hobart, William K. The medical language of St. Luke. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2004.

[3] Hobart, William K. The medical language of St. Luke. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2004.

[4] Carson, Donald A., and Douglas J. Moo. An introduction to the New Testament. Zondervan, 2009.

[5] Joseph, A. Fitzmyer, and Bibelwissenschaftler Jesuit. The Acts of the Apostles: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Doubleday, 1998.

[6] Henri-Irénée, Marrou. "AN Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament (The Sarum Lectures, 1960-1961), 1963." Revue des Études Anciennes 65, no. 3 (1963): 450-451.

[7] Henri-Irénée, Marrou. "AN Sherwin-White, Roman Society and Roman Law in the New Testament (The Sarum Lectures, 1960-1961), 1963." Revue des Études Anciennes 65, no. 3 (1963): 450-451.

[8] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

[9] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

[10] Bible, King James Version, and King James Version. "BibleGateway. com." Accessed July 10 (2014).

[11] Bible, King James Version, and King James Version. "BibleGateway. com." Accessed July 10 (2014).

[12] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

[13] Lea, Thomas. The New Testament: its background and message. B&H Publishing Group, 2003.

Week 3 Discussion

There is an increased rate at which issues relating to Christianity are being publicized. However, all that is publicized about Christianity is neither positive nor negative. As a result of this Christianity publicity, a challenge has been developed. The current generation is living with the wrong perceptions of Christianity.

One of the major stereotypes linked to Christian’s states that Christianity is all about living by a list of rules. This has been wrongly perceived over the past generations and is still been experienced even up to date. Contrary to what most people believe, a Christian life does not revolve around an exhaustive list of rules (Speegle, 2014). It is also stereotyped that Christians are judgmental. This is a generalization but not the actual truth. It is true that some of the Christians regard themselves morally highly than others. According to the scriptures, this is not a teaching taught in the bible (Speegle, 2014).

Many people are being turned off by the perception of Christianity following just an individual’s opinion. Most people form opinions based on an individual who claims to be of a Christian faith. These stereotypes are maintained for a generation. This is because the information that supports these stereotypes are better remembered than the information that differs with them. These stereotypes are difficult to change since they are essential to people. They form a central and significant part of people’s day to day lives within the culture. Therefore, this encourages people to think and treat all Christians in the same measure. This is a real threat to Christians are they are judged wrongly based on a generalization which may negatively influence their way of living.

References

Speegle, T. (2014). 3 Common Christian Stereotypes. Retrieved from: http://www.tylerspeegle.com/3-christian-stereotypes/

Oral Presentation

 Introduction

Attention

Early Christian believers were greatly persecuted by the Roman authorities an experience that had a big impact in developing their faith and spreading the gospel. Amidst their persecutions and sufferings, the believers scattered everywhere and spread Christ message in these places.

Need

Many Christians today struggle to find the true reason for the difficult circumstances they experience such as illnesses, hunger, death and job loss. Some are tempted to belief that there is no such as reason or even lose faith and see the life as just a cosmetic accident.  But God’s word tells that we should overcome such situations and be glad that God’s purpose is being accomplished in us.

Textual Idea

Philippians 1:12-18: Being positive amidst difficult circumstances

Sermon idea

 God’s gospel will advance through the lives of his people irrespective of circumstances. The mission field involves negative circumstances that Christians should learn to overcome, rejoice in and encourage others facing similar situations.

Interrogative

 How should Christians react to difficult circumstances and allow Christ’s gospel to advances regardless of their trials?

Transition

This text provides various lessons on how Christians should respond to difficult circumstances;

• Overcoming difficult circumstances and allow God’s message to advance through them
• Always rejoicing even amidst such situations
• Strengthening others though one’s experience

Body

Division 1 statement

The mission field is very different from what we plan or expect and God’s plan for Evangelism is quite different to the plan of His missionaries and may seem insensible to them.

Explanation

 Paul’s expectations and plan was very different from what he encountered as a preacher to the Gentiles.  He is spends more a lot of time in prison but through his confinement, Christ’s gospel was still advancing.   Paul’s imprisonment and perseverance encourages many of his brethren to continue preaching the gospel even more.

Illustration

In 2002, Martin Burnham, an American missionary in Philippians was killed in a botched attempt to rescue him from kidnappers.  The death was devastated to his family especially the children and his wife, who was windowed at 40. One cannot help but ask why the family was undergoing such suffering while Martin had gone to preach good news to these people.

Argumentation

In Verse 12 of the text Paul just mentions about what happened to it without much details but focus in what his imprison has brought about in preaching the gospel. He sees his situation as an opportunity for God’s word to advance.

Application

While Christians may have questions on why Martin had to be killed while taking good news to Philippians, Paul did not focus on his tribulations but sought to assure the church that his chain progressed the gospel.  Amidst our suffering, we should focus on what God can accomplish through our suffering in relation to advancement of his gospel.

Division statement 2

The basic idea of overcoming difficult circumstances can be seen in the response Paul gives to Philippians concerning his situation where he disregards his chains and the false preachers because regardless of these, Christ gospel was advancing.

Explanation

The brethrens at Philippians were aware that the apostle was not in a good situation since he imprisoned.  The response Paul gave was meant to inform them about situation but he did not dwell on it.  His perseverance amidst the suffering advanced the message among the guards and even his brethren gained more courage to preach the gospel. 

Illustration

 A Life Magazine’s 1956 edition run a story of young people who had been killed in Eastern Ecuador by the Aucus tribe to whom they were taking the good news.  During that time nobody understood what such waste of life could possibly bring about.  Years later, many people have been converted because of the work God did through these individuals.

Argumentation

In verse 14 of the text, Paul attributes to his perseverance of the chains as the reason his brethren have become confident in preaching the word. Verse 13, the guards came to know that Paul was chained for the sake of Christ.

Application

Despite the sufferings that we have to endure in the missionary work, we should focus on what God can accomplish His work through the difficult circumstances. The reason for our suffering may seem insensible but many people can be converted on account of our effort.

Division statement 3

 After looking at all things happening due to his chains, Paul praised God and rejoiced.

Explanation

Too much time passed and months turned into years as Paul trial was constantly postponed and thus his languish in chains continued.  Yet while still in confinement, Paul learnt to rejoice in his suffering and take pleasure

Illustration

There is a common joke involving four men seated on a train. One man boasted that he could tell the occupations of people only through observation. After agreeing to try him, he correctly pointed out a banker due to his demeanor and briefcase, a painter due to the ink’s smell and stained hands but he incorrectly guessed the last person hard been fairly quiet and pale. The man protested and attributed his appearance to sickness. It has long been assumed that Christians should appear pale as if they were in a funeral.  

Argumentation

Paul rejoiced that the message was advancing and had no reason for appearing distressed due to his suffering.

Application

  We should always rejoice regardless of the circumstances, knowing that God’s purpose is working through us.  That way, we can strengthen others.

VOICE OF FREEDOM

CHAPTER 9

PARAGRAPH 1: She doubted that they are Christians since they go against the will of God. A good Christian treats people with kindness and dignity. She was treated as a slave, and her working conditions in the factory were poor.  According to her, they were intimidated into silence by their masters, and they were poorly treated and oppressed.  She questioned the sincerity of the Christian beliefs of the factory owners because they never cared about the well-being and intellects of the people and never did they treat them with kindness. Slaves were forced to work in return to get food to eat (p.167). The factory owners forced the people to work even on the Sabbath day, and if they do not obey the rules they will lose their job.

PARAGRAPH 2:  The roles of women who moved to the west were changed entirely. They were forced by their masters to work the same jobs as a men. During this time, the men suffered together with their women and children (p.171). She complained of living without a house during the winter season. In the story there is a woman who talked about asking to be helped with steamship and her wish was not granted.   She said she could not imagine being a mother of two young children staying in the cold wilderness waiting for transportation that never arrived. They experienced severe situations while in the west, and the women were left behind with severe problems.

PARAGRAPH 3:  She complained about her being frontier because she used to carry her young infants throughout the journey. In the wilderness, she could not sleep because she feared that they might be attacked by wild beasts (p.172). She said that women and children had to deal with killer diseases such as seasickness and the roads were terrible, and they were obligated to wait for several days for a boat. She complained about cooking their meals outside the house since there was no fire in their home and there was great wind which would blow their clothes on fire. Mrs. Noble liked Michigan because it had better location compared to New York.

PARAGRAPH 4: He meant that people feel empty in their lives, and they want to fill it with wealthy and possession forgetting that these things are not the key to success, and they may end up damaging more than they may help.  To him, simple life is the key to happiness. He meant that people have no free time to enjoy lives. Each day people are always working hard like machine in order to get daily bread and expensive things which are unaffordable.  They have no free time to enjoy life, and they lived in fear, and they lacked confidence in them and that they work hard for expensive things they cannot afford. The lives of people are cheapened by the desire to succeed and gain wealthy quickly (p.179).  He stated that meeting the basic needs is easy and simple to get. People are not contented with what they have, and in the pursuit of wanting to become rich they end up being miserable. This will cause depression and self-doubt.  For instance, he spends only $28 to build his house while other fellow men spend $ 800 to build their house (p.182).  According to him, these men will take approximately 15 years to repay the money. 

Work Cited

Chapter 9:  voice of freedom N.D. Pp. (165-182)

Preaching for

Faith   

Bibliography

McDill, Wayne. 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching. Nashville, Tenn: B & H Publishing Group, 2006.

[1] McDill,[1] Wayne. 12 Essential Skills for Great Preaching. Nashville, Tenn: B & H Publishing Group, 2006. Pg.165

[2] Ibid, 165

[3] Ibid, 166

[4] Ibid, 168

[5] Ibid, 168

[6] Ibid,169

[7] Ibid,169

[8] Ibid,170

[9] Ibid,172

[10] Ibid,173

 The Janissaries

Introduction

            The Janissaries were two organizations formed by the sultan who was the leader of Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman leaders recruited their military troops from the prisoners and slaves. Janissaries were civil servants, and they mainly worked in military institutions, and they were the main corps in the Ottoman Empire. The Janissaries were not allowed to marry until they retire from their duty and they stayed together within the country cities. When they defeated the Balkans, they took some of the Balkans people and made them slaves of the sultan. The slaves from Balkans on arrival to Ottoman Empire were converted to the Muslim religion, and they were to obey sultan and the Muslim faith. Also, the Empire got its slaves by capturing their enemies and forcing them to become slaves.

            The most successful troops were promoted to work in the palace-military, and later they were trained and positioned in the ruling organizations[1]. The other remaining soldiers were trained on military education, and the more afterward join the army of the Janissary.  These troops offered good services, were well disciplined, and they were highly respected in Europe. Ottoman Empire was known in the history to be the greatest since it ruled many countries.  It benefited the world with the culture, politics, war, and science. Thus its fall did not go unnoticed through the history. Sultanate was known to be most potent in the Europe, where the sultan would choose his successor from his sons.  Sultanate Empire started becoming weak during the time of Suleyman the Magnificent. Suleyman was not concerned with the affairs of his country[2].

             The two successor of the Suleyman were killed since Suleyman claimed they were against his leadership. Selim II was chosen to become the next sultan, and he had no experience in ruling the country, and therefore he did not govern the country well.  After the rule of Selim II, the sultanate continued to collapse since the brothers of sultanate were retained in the Harem, and they had no experience in ruling the country. Another reason that leads to the decline of the Ottoman Empire is that the sultan used the old-fashioned method of training the troops in issues of governing the country. Due to this their fighting methods became out-dated and they were no longer the mightier corps[3]. They were changes in the power balance and that created division in the Janissaries, and they kept quarrelling and fighting over new lands.  During the World War 1, the empire was destroyed which was caused by the Empire failing to industrialize.

            In conclusion, the Ottoman Empire was the greatest in the history, and it failed due to external and internal factors.  It was known for its best and most excellent leaders who brought significant changes during their ruling period.  Different religions and cultures were accepted in the empire, it had well-structured and established laws which motivated people to move and stay in their country. The empire experienced corruption, poor leadership, economic difficulties and it faced rebellion from the people

REFERENCES

Akgündüz, Ahmed, and Said Öztürk. 2011. Ottoman history: misperceptions and truths. Rotterdam: IUR Press.

Palmer, Alan Warwick. 2011. The decline and fall of the Ottoman Empire. London: Faber. http://www.myilibrary.com?id=779539.

[1] Akgündüz, Ahmed, and Said Öztürk. 2011. Ottoman history: misperceptions and truths. Rotterdam: IUR Press.

[2] Palmer, Alan Warwick. 2011. The decline and fall of the Ottoman Empire. London: Faber. http://www.myilibrary.com?id=779539.

[3] Akgündüz, Ahmed, and Said Öztürk. 2011. Ottoman history: misperceptions and truths. Rotterdam: IUR Press.

SCENES AND STORIES WORKSHEET

The theological message in this passage involves motives in the ministry, and the progress of the ministry amidst persecution. When one is reading the passage, they get to realize the Philippians were greatly concerned about the situation of Paul as a prisoner, concerns that Paul is trying to ease. He is likely to be executed and yet he remains upbeat for the Philippians’ sake and he wants them to know that rather than preventing the progress of the gospel, his confinement is advancing it.  It’s a reminder that many times in Christianity’s history, difficulties arising from persecution turned out to be opportunities for major preaching of the gospel.  Paul is trying to point out that his situation has been an encouragement to many of his brothers and sisters in Christ, since they become fearless and courageous in preaching the God’s Word after observing Paul’s perseverance. After seeing Paul’s resolution to endure these trials and God’s grace upon him in the situations, the zeal for the ministry is increased. Buoyed by the example Paul was setting, they become bolder and stronger in taking the message to the world.  The issue of motives comes in, where Paul is concerned that some people have taken advantage of his absence to advance their own status and interests in the church.  These people are unlike Paul who has a special calling and unique abilities and through the grace of God, he used them to advance the gospel. These ministers seem to be envious of the work accomplished by Paul without understanding that no one can claim the ownership of any success in the ministry. It is sad that jealousy and rivalry among Christian ministers and preachers has been present throughout the history of Christianity. However, Paul is not worried by their action because either way Christ is being preached.

Figurative language

It was clear across the entire Palace that Paul was in chain for the sake of Christ. In other words, Paul was not imprisoned because of his mistakes, but because he was preaching the gospel of Christ. It means that Paul is standing in place of Christ in prison.

Descriptive

The reason for preaching Christ for some ministers were rivalry and envy, self ambition with an aim of making the situation worse for Paul while in prison. However, others were preaching out of good will.

Concrete

Concrete language is perceived through a person senses. Because of Paul’s chains, majority of his brothers and sisters in Christ gained confidence in the Lord so they were more daring to proclaim the word without any fear. The chains holding Paul served to strengthen them to continue with preaching.

Senate

It does not matter that some ministers were preaching out of self-interest but the  basic things is that whether out of love or self-ambition , Christ is preached and this was reason why Paul was rejoicing.

Specific

Some preachers preached the gospel driven by goodwill and love while others preached for self interests driven by self-ambition , with no sincerity and hoped that by so doing , Paul’s troubles in prison would worsen.

3

Paul wrote the passage in prison and at a time when he was being persecuted. At the Philippians’ church there was great uncertainty about the safety of Paul and he saw it necessary to comfort them with this passage.

Paul is the main character in the passage and the others include the Philippians believers and other ministers who took over after Paul left. The other Character is God and the reason why Paul is in prison.

Relationships

Paul’s relationship with Christ followers at Philippines is cordial which is seen by their concern for his well-being at the prison.  Some preachers have followed his teachings, and are preaching out of goodwill and love. Others have are envious and jealous of Paul and hope that his condition at prison would be worse.

Motives

In the passage we see different motives for preaching the gospel. Some ministers are driven by love and goodwill to preach about the gospel of Christ while others are driven jealous and self-ambitious hoping that they would make Paul to remain in prison.

Divine involvement

Paul’s imprisonment would have de-motivated his brothers and sisters, but God used the situation to increase their zeal for preaching the word.

Surprises

Those preaching to fulfill their won interest thought that Paul influence on the church of Philippines would wane , but did not realize that Christ was also being preached thorough their self-ambitions.

In the midst of concerns that his imprisonment would derail the preaching of the gospel, Paul assured the church that this indeed motivated believers to preach more. While some were preaching out of self-interest, it was important to know that either way the Christ was being preached. The believers would continue with their search for the true ministers.  Regardless of his confinement and dishonest preachers it was important to continue with preaching out of love and goodwill. The spreading of the gospel would continue even amid the prevailing challenges.

Anybody inside Rome who happened to know about Paul’s imprisonment probably came to learn that the reason was the propagation of Christianity. He probably been arrested and taken in prison in Rome waiting for a verdict on his fate to be given.