New Testament: Key Insights and Teachings
How God Used the Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans
- Hebrews: Through their religion
- Greeks: Through their language
- Romans: Through their social and political organization
The Four Main Groups of the New Testament
- Historical Literature: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts
- Letters from Paul: Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
- Letters for All: Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2 & 3 John
- Prophetic Literature: Revelation
How Matthew, Mark, and Luke Portray Christ
- Matthew: Pictures Christ as the King of the Jews
- Mark: Presents Christ as the Servant of the Lord
- Luke: Depicts Christ as the Son of Man
What is the Septuagint?
The Septuagint is the translation of the Old Testament by a group of seventy Bible scholars.
What Does “Synoptic Gospels” Mean?
This refers to the first three Gospels. “Synoptic” means “seeing together.”
Purpose of Each of the Synoptic Gospels
- Matthew: Wanted the Jews to see Jesus as the promised Messiah and King
- Mark: Wanted the Romans to see Jesus as the Servant of God
- Luke: Showed the Greek Gentiles that Jesus was the perfect Man, the one for whom they all searched
Three Signs in John That Involved Healing
- Healing of the officer’s son: Shows Jesus’ power over distance
- Man at the pool: Shows Jesus’ power over time
- Blind man: Shows Jesus’ power over physical handicaps
Purpose of John’s Gospel
He wanted his readers to believe in Jesus.
Most Important Verse in Acts and Its Outline
Acts 1:8: It outlines the future of Jesus’ followers, stating that their ministry would begin after the coming of the Holy Spirit, who would empower them, and describing where they would work.
Luke’s Four Purposes for Writing Acts
- To give a history of the Church
- To give teachings
- To defend Christianity
- To tell about Peter and Paul
Paul’s Strategy for Preaching
- To Jews: He used the Old Testament Scriptures
- To Gentiles: He began his message by describing something around them
Relationship of Acts to the Rest of the New Testament
The book of Acts is like a bridge; it takes us from the time of Christ on earth to the rest of the New Testament. Acts also shows us the Holy Spirit at work in the early Church.
Main Topic of Romans
Salvation and redemption.
Ways Believers Express Their Redemption
- By completely dedicating themselves to the Lord
- By humbly serving others
- By having good relationships with others
Three Reasons Paul Gave the Galatians
- His Gospel was from God
- The Gospel is not a new thing
- The Gospel works in personal experience
Why Did Paul Write 1 Corinthians?
To solve the problems in the Corinthian Church.
General Purpose for 2 Corinthians
To defend his ministry and apostolic calling.
Theme of Ephesians
The Church as the body of Christ.
Main Thought of Philippians
Unity.
Similarities Between Colossians and Ephesians
- Themes: Colossians emphasizes Christ as the head of the Church, while Ephesians emphasizes the Church as the body of Christ
- Everyday living: They both teach about the “old man” and the “new man”
- Family members: They both discuss the responsibilities of family members
Purpose of Philemon
To teach about forgiveness and restoration by substitution.
Theme and Purpose of 1 Thessalonians
Theme: The return of the Lord. Purpose: To comfort and encourage the troubled Thessalonians.
Two Ways Paul Encouraged the Thessalonians
- He recalled how he had also been treated badly in their city
- He told them that such things are part of God’s purpose for true believers
Three Things Paul Wrote Concerning the Return of Christ
(Also in 2 Thessalonians)
- Certain things must happen, including people turning away from true religion and the coming of the Antichrist
- Believers should be alert and determined to stand firm in faith
- God is in control
Things That Will Happen Before the Day of Judgment
- People will turn away from true religion
- The coming of the Antichrist
- The one who is stopping or hindering evil will be taken away
Reasons 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus Were Written
- 1 Timothy: Was written to emphasize teachings on prayer, organization, and administration
- 2 Timothy: Was written to give Timothy instructions
- Titus: Was written to teach sound doctrine
Seven Pictures Paul Used in 2 Timothy and Their Meanings
- As a son: He is to be strong and active
- As a soldier: Suffer hardship and please his officer
- As a farmer: He should work hard and be the first to get some food from what he plants
- As a workman: To not be ashamed
- As a servant: (Incomplete in the original text)