History of the Pauline Epistles Term Paper

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Apostles chronicles the events that transpired after Jesus' death and resurrection. It describes the creation of the ministry of the apostles to spread the word of Jesus to the gentiles as well as the Jews and introduces the 'character' of the Apostle Paul in the history of Christianity.

and 2 Thessalonians

Paul, raised Jewish and a former persecutor of Christians, sets out the mission of his ministry to the gentiles and defines the word of God to the new Christian community.

Corinthians

Paul is concerned about the reversion to pagan ways in Corinth and the immorality of its residents. He sets forth the doctrine of Christian love, as opposed to physical love.

Romans

Paul describes Jesus as a vehicle of salvation in this letter to the mixed community of Jews and gentiles of Rome. Jesus' sacrifice has enabled the redemption of sinful humanity, as distinct from Mosaic Law in the past.

Galatians

One of the most notable controversies in early Christianity was if gentile Christians had to adopt Jewish practices such as circumcision and the laws of kashrut. Paul says this is not necessary as Christians no longer need the law to keep them moral now that Jesus has sacrificed himself to save humanity.

Philippians

Paul wrote this letter after being jailed and imprisoned. He was likely contemplating his own death and thus devotes the letter (which is retrospective in tone) to defining the nature of his ministry.

Ephesians

Ephesians transmits practical advice to the early Christian church. It outlines how worship should transpire, including the role of women.

Pastoral Epistles: 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus

These epistles are called 'pastoral' because they specifically address issues relating to church governance and how bishops and deacons specifically should minister to their congregations and show them the way of truth. It stresses the need for church leaders to set a good example in terms of how they live.

Answer on each essay question:

Q1. Explain the occasion (circumstances under which) Paul wrote the following letters and how the specific circumstances impact the message of the letter: 1 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, Romans, Galatians, and Philippians.

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Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians during the early days of the Church and his ministry to the gentiles when the teachings of Jesus were just beginning to be established. 1 Corinthians and Romans were addressed to specific communities which he felt were falling from the path of Christ and adopting sinful ways. Galatians was used to define the relationship of Christianity to the Judaism that spawned it and to define the specific duties of gentile Christians. Philippians was written towards the end of Paul's life, when he was contemplating his legacy and the end of his ministry in light of his likely future martyrdom.

Q2. Why does Paul have such a harsh tone in his letter to the Galatians? What evidence does the letter give that he is upset?

Paul had extremely specific ideas about the nature and meaning of Jesus' crucifixion. In his mind, Jesus' sacrifice was so important because it created a new way of justifying all humanity through the spirit, versus Mosaic Law. Paul sees the attempt of gentiles to keep Mosaic Law as a reversion to an inferior relationship of humanity to the divine: "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?" (Galatians 3: 1-4). Jesus has created another covenant with all of humanity, not just Jews, and it is the heart that is spiritually circumcised, not the inferior, physical body.

Q3. Using specific examples, describe the role of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts.

Although Jesus is no longer physically on the earth, the Holy Spirit, another component of the trinity, exemplifies the force of God continuing to act on earth. In Acts, Saul is struck….....

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