Second Thessalonians: The ABCs

Authorship, Background, and Contents  Authorship Second Thessalonians claims to be written by the apostle Paul, but it is sometimes grouped among the “disputed” letters; that is, its genuineness as a letter of the apostle is doubted, on the basis of internal evidence. “External evidence” refers to the historical data, such as quotations by other early …

First Thessalonians: The ABCs

Authorship, Background, and Contents    Authorship   The letter begins with “Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you” (1:1). Paul occasionally associates others’ names with his own in addressing his letters (2 Thessalonians, Philippians), but the true author …

The Epistle to the Hebrews: The ABCs

Authorship, Background, and Contents     Authorship   The Epistle to the Hebrews begins with a formal opening like that of a speaker who has already been introduced and therefore does not identify himself. Even after hundreds of years of scholarly inquiry, the authorship of Hebrews remains unknown. Some have asserted Hebrews shares similarities with …

Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians: The ABCs

Authorship, Background, and Contents of Ephesians     Authorship   Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians has long been considered the epitome of his teaching, a virtual summary of Christian doctrine. Well-loved Bible teacher J. Vernon McGee called it “the Mount Whitney of the High Sierras of all Scripture.” The epistle has nourished, taught, and encouraged believers …

What Was the Colossian Heresy?

For centuries Bible students have tried to identify the particular form of false teaching opposed by Paul in Colossians. In reality, no one knows. The apostle does not name names or explain particulars, since they would have been well-known to the original recipients of the letter, and his greater concern was teaching the correcting truth. …

Paul’s Letter to the Galatians: The ABCs

Authorship, Background, and Contents of Galatians    Authorship   Paul’s authorship of Galatians has never seriously been questioned. It is quoted or alluded to in 1 Peter. References occur in many of the earliest Christian texts, including the Epistle of Barnabas, 1 Clement, and the Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians; also in the writings …

The Gospel of John: The ABCs

Authorship, Background, and Contents of Johns Gospel   Authorship   Though the names traditionally assigned to the four gospels go back to earliest Christian times — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — it is true that none of the four actually names its author. We have accepted the identities of the authors on other grounds, …

Paul’s Letter To The Colossians: The ABC’s Authorship, Background, & Contents

Authorship  The letter opens with “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae” (1:1-2). In the early Christian centuries, there were no controversies over the authorship or authenticity of this letter. Questions about Paul’s authorship only arose for …

How To Read The Bible For Yourself

The Bible is the best-selling book of all time, and yet it remains unread by many who own it.   There are people who are intimidated by the Bible, fearing that the Scriptures can only be accurately understood by theologians and religious professionals. Others have tried to read some portions of the Bible, but quickly …