1 Corinthians 9, 10 & 11

Paul is discussing the practice of eating meat that had been offered to idols. When animals were sacrificed as an offering, part of the meat was given back to the worshipper to hold a feast.

During this point in history people truly believed in demons. These spirits were intermediate between the gods and men. Greeks believed that demons were in every stream, every tree, every mountain. For the Jew there were the shedim. Evil spirits who haunted empty houses, who lurked in the crumbs on the floor, the oil in the vessels, the water that they drank.

Paul apparently believed in these demons. He believed that idol worshipping brought man not into contact with a god, but with these malignant demons.

1 Corinthians 7 & 8

Paul is sometimes criticized for his beliefs on marriage and on the role of women. At times it appears as if Paul belittles marriage and suggest that it should be avoided all together.

There is much debate about Paul's marital status. We know that he was not married at the time he wrote this letter to the Corinthians. ("Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.") But there is an argument to be made that he had been married at one time, although the bible does not directly say anything about his previous marital status.

Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin and it was required that members be married. The belief was that married men were more merciful. (Paul himself says that he voted against Christians in Act 26:10). Paul was also a Jewish Rabbi and orthodox Jewish belief at the time would have required marriage. It would have been very unlikely that a devout and orthodox Jew as Paul was would have remained unmarried.

So what happened to Paul's wife? Again the bible doesn't say. It's possible that she had died, and that Paul chose to remain a widow. Another possibility is that she left him. Sometimes families didn't take well to the new ideas of Christianity. Paul did say that he gave up all things for the sake of Christ.

1 Corinthians 4, 5 & 6

It's believed that Paul wrote at least 4 letters to the church in Corinth. These letters were written on sheets of payrus and it wasn't until 90 AD that they were all collected together. Some biblical scholars believe that part of Paul's letters to the Corinthians got thrown together when they were copied.

In 1 Cornithian 5:9 Paul refers to a previous letter he wrote this church. Some scholars believe that this letter was lost. Others believe that parts of it are contained in 2 Cornithian 6: 13-& 7:2. Remember that originally there were no chapters and verses just Paul's writings grouped together.

Then in 2 Cornithian 7:8 Paul refers to a previous "severe" letter that he wrote to this church. Once again some scholars believe it is lost while others believe it to be 2 Corinthias 10-13.

Paul can also be hard to understand. His sentence structure can be difficult, and sometimes his grammar breaks down. It might be easier to read these letters with a good bible commentary (the Cliff Notes of the bible world) or to read a modern interpretation of these words like the Message Bible. (which is a modern paraphrase).

1 Corinthians 1, 2 & 3

During the time Paul was writing this letter there was a bumper crop of false Messiahs. Many of them tricked people into accepting them by the promise of wonders and miracles. In 45 AD a man called Theudas persuaded thousands of people to abandon their homes and follow him to the river Jordan. He promised that at his command the Jordan would divide and he would lead them across.

In 54 AD an Egyptian man arrived in Jerusalem who claimed to be a prophet. He persuaded thousands of people to follow him to the Mount of Olives by promising that at his command the walls of Jerusalem would fall down.

The Jews expected big signs. In Jesus they found someone who was meek and lowly, one who avoided the spectacular, one who served and one who ended up on death row and the cross. It seemed an impossible picture of the Chosen One of God.

1 Corinthians

Corinth was an important city in ancient Greece notorious for it's immorality. Greek plays of the day normally depicted Corinthians as drunk and unruly. There was even a Greek word for their behavior- korinthiazomai or "acting like a Corinthian." High above the city stood the temple of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Thousand of priestesses, who acted as sacred prostitutes, came down every night and plied their trade in the streets of Corinth.

At the time Paul writes this letter, the church at Corinth was in serious trouble. Paul had just received disturbing letters from two members. The first was a report from the household of Chloe that detailed the divisions and immorality in the young church. The second was a set of questions raised by a group that included Stephanas, Fortunatus and Archaicus about things like marriage and Christian liberty. Paul attempts to answer both of these letters and to provide additional Christian instruction.

Paul had left the Corinthian church under the leadership of Aquila and Priscilla in the spring of 53 A.D. It seems that the young Corinthian church had failed to protect itself from the decadent culture of the city, and that the immaturity of the Corinthians had given way to sectarian divisions. Members were dragging into court to sue each other rather than settling their disputes within the church.

Romans 14, 15 & 16

Paul asks conflicting groups within the church to be united. It seems that there were differing points of view on things like observing the sabbath. The Jews had a jungle of regulations and prohibitions surrounded the sabbath. Paul didn't want to eliminate the observation of the rituals of the Sabbath, but he felt that the Lord should be worshiped more than the day set aside to worship Him.

In his call for unity, Paul points out that however different the practices, the aim was the same- serving God. He also believed that men shouldn't make practices simply because other people did them. But rather he should do them because he has thought them out and reached the conclusion that at least for him they were the right thing to do.

Romans 11, 12 & 13

The Old Testament prophet Elijah became depressed after coming to the conclusion that he was the only one left who was still loyal to God. God tells him that he was not alone, and that in fact that there were still seven thousand faithful people in Israel who had not bowed to the local pagan god Baal. From this story, in 1 Kings, the Jews began to think of a Jewish 'remnant.'

Various Old Testament prophets began to see that there was never a time when the whole nation of Israel was loyal to God. But there would always be a remnant within the nation that would remain faithful and that would not compromise their faith.

Amos described God sifting men like corn in a sieve until only the good remained. Micah had a vision of God gathering the remnant of Israel. Zephaniah had the same vision. Jeremiah saw the scattered remnant being gathered together. Ezekiel was convinced that a man could not be saved by either a national or an inherited righteousness but only by an individual relationship with God.

Romans 9 & 10

Paul attempts to explain the difference between the Jewish way of thinking and the believes of the new Church in these complicated and difficult chapters. The Jews were God's chosen people. They had had a unique place in God's purposes and yet when God's son had come into the world they rejected Him.

Paul says some hard things to the Jews in these chapters. The whole passage from Romans 9-11 is basically a condemnation of the Jewish attitude towards religion. Jewish religion was based on meticulous observation of the Law. Jews believed that obedience earned men credit with God. The new Church believed that because of the death of Jesus that man no longer was faced with the task of satisfying God's justice; he only had to accept God's love.

One important thing to remember is that not all the Jews rejected Jesus. Some accepted His teaching and believed in Him. All of the first followers of Jesus were Jews.

Romans 6,7 & 8

Paul used language and pictures that most everyone in his day would have understood. Some of his imagery might seem strange to us but it wasn't at the time he was writing.

Baptism in Paul's day was a little different from what it commonly is today.

Baptism in the early church was by total immersion and that practice lends itself to symbolism to which sprinkling does not. When a person descended into the water and the water closed over his head, it was like being buried. When he emerged from the water, it was like rising from the grave. Baptism was symbolically dying and rising again. The person died to the old life of sin and rose to new life of God's grace.

Baptism was an intimate confession of faith that would dramatically change the persons life. This decision would affect their family relationships and that often meant literally beginning life all over again.

Romans 4 & 5

Paul says that the way to God is not through membership in any nation, and not through any rule which requires a mark upon the body. (ie circumcision) But by the faith which takes God at His word and makes everything dependent, not on man's achievement, but solely upon God's grace.

The basic thought of the Jews was that a man had to earn God's favour. The new Christian church believed solely on God's grace. God's grace is the love that God freely gives to us. We don't do anything to earn it.

Romans 1, 2 & 3

Jews and Gentiles didn't like each other. Jews regarded themselves as God's chosen people. Strict Jews believed that God had no use for Gentiles.

The Gentiles also had it in for the Jews. They generally regarded Jews as barbarous and superstitious. They made fun of their avoidance of pork. They regarded the observation of the Sabbath as pure laziness. They were infuriated that the Jews seemed to receive extra privileges from the Roman government. They didn't have to testify in a Roman court on the Sabbath, were allowed to have their own courts and live according to their own laws, and were not required to serve in the Roman army (probably because Jewish soldiers would not serve on the Sabbath and that would have made it impossible for them to have carried out military duties).

At a time when Jews believed that God would judge the Gentiles with one measure and the Jews with another, Paul is attempting to create unity within the church.

Romans

Paul wrote this letter to a vibrant church in the city of Rome sometime around 57 A.D. Paul's letters to young churches normally addressed a particular issue or occasion. But Romans is different. It offers a more general view of Paul's theology and provides a systematic outline of the essentials of the Christian faith.

Paul had for many years dreamed of preaching in Rome. This letter served as a kind of introduction to prepare the church for his anticipated visit. It gave them instruction in the faith and an overall 'syllabus' of Paul's teaching. We also know that this church included both Jews and Gentiles and that Paul wrote to give them instruction and encouragement that would help them live in harmony.

As was the custom of the time, Paul dictated this letter to a secretary named Tertius. He probably didn't sit at a desk polishing his carefully crafted words. Rather Paul would have poured out his heart in a torrent of words with Tertius racing to record them.

Acts 27 & 28

Paul begins his last journey headed for Rome on a corn ship. Navigational practices at the time considered it questionable to begin sailing after September and nearly impossible by November. The ships sets sail sometime in the first half of October (and we know this because of the reference to the Jewish Day of Atonement). The ship would have had a hard time navigating in dark and cloudy weather.

Paul, who may have been the most experienced traveller on board the ship, suggested that they winter at a small town called Fair Havens. But the contractor who may have been anxious to reach a port where he could sell his goods doesn't care for that idea. The centurion, who had the last say, probably wasn't anxious to spend the winter in a dinky little town with nothing to do. So they venture forward.

They encounter storms. And corn ships by their design were difficult to maneuver in storms. So Paul and the crew run a ground.

Acts 25 & 26

Paul uses every legitimate ploy in his defense. To the Jews he spoke Hebrew (or Aramaic), to the Romans he spoke Greek. He claimed his Jewish background where appropriate and used his Roman citizenship when it was advantageous. A fact that frequently frustrated his adversaries.

What did it mean to be a Roman citizen?

Rome was the reigning power of the day. Being a citizen of the Roman empire carried certain rights, responsibilities, and status. A citizen paid Roman property taxes, and had the right to vote in Rome. In return a Roman citizen was guaranteed a fair trial and was protected against some forms of harsh punishment. For instance a Roman citizen could not be executed without a trial and couldn't be crucified except by order of the emperor. A citizen could even appeal to Caesar in order to be tried in Rome.

Acts 23 & 24

Things were getting tough for Paul. His case is brought before two notorious men.

First there's Ananias who has a reputation for being a glutton, thief and a robber. When he sees that Paul has some attitude he orders that he be struck, which was a violation of the Mosaic Law. (basically anyone who hit an Israelite-strikes the glory of God). Paul strikes back verbally by calling him a white washed wall. It was an ancient custom to white wash tombs so that Israelites wouldn't accidental touch a dead body making themselves ceremonially unclean. Paul obviously knew that Ananias was the high priest. But he retorts with essentially "I never knew a man could act like you and still be a high priest of Israel."

Paul was next brought before the Roman governor Felix. Felix started life as a slave. His brother, Pallas was a favorite of Nero. Pallas had used his influence to have Felix freed and then appointed governor. In fact he was the first slave in history to become a governor of a Roman province. Felix had been married three times. His third and current wife was Drusilla, the daughter of Herod Agrippa the First. Felix was completely unscrupulous and capable of hiring thugs to murder his closest supports.

Acts 21 & 22

The temple consisted of three separate courts.

• The innermost court was the Court of Israel where Jewish men could offer their sacrifices. Only consecrated priest actually entered the temple building itself, and only the high priest could enter the inner sanctuary of the Most Holy Place- and then only once a year on the Day of Atonement.
• The second court was the Court of the Women where Jewish families could gather for prayer and worship.
• The outer court was the Court of the Gentiles, open to anyone who wanted to worship God. If any Gentile went beyond the barrier into the second court, he or she would be put to death. The Roman authorities, out of respect for the Jewish religion, authorized the death sentence for this trespass even for their own Roman citizens.

Acts 19 & 20

Early Christians gathered together for a meal as part of their worship. It was sometimes the only good meal a poor slave would receive all week. These feast happened at night after the day's work was done so that everyone could be a part of the gathering. There they ate together and cared for one another. Immediately after they the meal they celebrated the Lord's Supper. Just as Christ had done with His Disciples.


This explains a lot about the case of Eutychus. Known forever through history as the guy who fell asleep and fell out of a window in front of Paul. He had probably put in a hard day of physical labor, and then ate a good meal. The room most likely would have been hot and dark. So Eutychus sits by the window to maybe catch a cool breeze. And it all makes him a little sleepy. He's leaning against the window. There isn't any glass in the window and soon he drops right out of the window. It creates quite a commotion, until Paul tells the crowd that he's ok.


All of us who have sat through dry long winded sermons can relate. But Paul probably wasn't delivering a lecture. The style of the day would have been more of discussion format. So Eutychus probably wasn't just bored.


This little snippet gives us a glimpse of what an early Christian service would have been like and more importantly what it might have felt like. Simply put it probably felt a lot like 'family.'

Acts 17 & 18

Young rabbis were expected to have a trade and support themselves. Paul was a tent maker. He was from a region that was known for having herds of goats whose fleece was especially useful in making tents and curtains. So it's possible that he might have been involved in that trade as well. The Greek word for tent maker also describes leather workers. What is clear is that he was a skilled craftsmen.

Paul was also a Roman citizen and that gave him some special rights. For instance it was against the law to whip a Roman citizen or deny him due process.

In 49 A.D. the Roman emperor Claudius expelled all the Jews from Rome due to riots that were ignited by a group of zealous Jews. These insurrectionist were advocating revolution against Rome and were opposing the installation of a new king. Paul's accusers were trying to paint him in the same light saying he was a revolutionary who was plotting to overthrow the government.

Acts 14, 15 & 16

Paul and Barnabas faced new challenges as they begin to preach in the outskirts of the Roman empire. Many of these people would have been heathens with no Jewish background for Paul to reference. So he begins with nature and the God who created the world.

There was an ancient legend in Lystra that once Zeus and Hermes had come to earth disguised as mortals seeking lodging. After being turned away from a thousand homes, they found refuge in the humble cottage of an elderly couple. In appreciation for the couple's hospitality, the gods transformed the cottage into a beautiful temple with a golden roof and marble columns. All of the houses of the people who had turned them away were destroyed.

When Paul healed the crippled man the people of Lystra thought he was a god and were determined to not make the same mistake again. They thought that Barnabas was Zeus. And since Paul did most of the talking they thought he was Hermes the messenger of the gods.

In the midst of this excitement some Jews arrived. We don't know the exact reason they were in Lystra. But one theory is that they may have been corn merchants. Lystra was known for it's ability to grow corn and it is possible that these Jews may have been in the region to buy corn for the cities of Iconium and Antioch. They were not happy to discover Paul and Barnabas were still preaching and so they created an unruly mob that stones Paul.

Acts 11, 12 & 13

A whole family of Herod's wreck havoc in the New Testament.

• Herod the Great reined from 41 B.C. to 1 B.C. This Herod received the wise men from the east and massacred the male babies. He married ten times.
• Herod Philip the First. First husband of Herodias, the woman responsible for the death of John the Baptist. He was the father of Salome. (Matthew 14:3)
• Herod Antipas. Ruler of Galilee and Peraea. Second husband of Herodias. He signed off on the beheading of John the Baptist. This is the Herod whom Pilate sent Jesus for trial. (Luke 23: 7)
• Archelaus. Ruler of Judaea, Samaria and Idumaea. Bad ruler who was hated by the people. (Matthew 2:22)
• Herod Philip the Second. Founder of Caesarea Philippi. (Luke 3:1)
• Herod Agrippa. (Acts 12)

The Jewish historian Josephus describes how Herod (Agrippa) made a grand entrance at what we might call a peace accord wearing a fancy silver robe. As the sun glinted on the silver the people cried out that 'a god had come upon them.' And that instead of rebuking the crowd, Herod revealed in their adoration. The ultimate in blasphemy. Suddenly a "terrible illness" fell upon him from which he never recovered.