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 …

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 …

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, …