Category: Books of the New Testament

Background The book of John was written by the disciple John, who was an eyewitness to the events of Jesus’ life and one of the three disciples who were in the inner group of Jesus (the other two being James and Peter). John’s gospel states his intention clearly that he wrote it to tell us that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of God. John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. John’s gospel did not include the events of the birth of Jesus or His childhood days. Right from the beginning he tells us that Jesus existed from the beginning of time with God and He was God…

Background While in Ephesus, Paul learned about the problems that arose in the newly formed church in Corinthians and wrote this letter to instruct them on how to deal with these problems. Today, the church continue to face many of these same problems even centuries after Paul wrote this letter. The book of First Corinthians therefore becomes an instructional guide for us on how to deal with them. Jealousy and pride in the area of spiritual gifts 1 Cor 12:16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? Some people in the…

Background Paul wrote his letter to Titus in AD 63 after the apostle’s release from his first Roman imprisonment. Paul accompanied Titus to the island of Crete, where he left Titus there to lead and organize the island’s churches. While salvation by grace through faith and not of good works has been Paul’s emphasis, here in this epistle he put good works in the right perspective for a Christian less he thinks that good works are no longer necessary once a person becomes a Christian. Salvation will result in good works Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness… Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared…

Background When the apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church in Rome, he had not yet been to Rome. However, it is likely the church there would have heard about Paul and his ministry. In this letter to them Paul explained systematically the Christian doctrine. Indeed, the book of Romans is the most systematic and clear representation of Christian doctrine in all the Bible. The gospel has power to save everyone Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. The Bible says that everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s standard. That is why everyone is in need of God’s salvation. Rom 3:22 There…

Background Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians sometime in AD 60–61, around the same time he wrote Colossians and Philemon. It was during this time that Paul sat in Rome undergoing his first Roman imprisonment. The book of Ephesians is about community life in the church and how Christians should conduct themselves in the bigger community. Maintaining unity in the church Eph 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace...31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Conflicts do…

Background The author is widely believed to be James the half-brother of Jesus. James was not a follower of Jesus during the Savior’s time on earth but eventually became an apostle after he had seen Jesus after His resurrection. This book challenges the reader to live the Christian life. As far as James is concerned, a person who professes to be a Christian and yet live an untransformed life may be deceiving himself because genuine faith always produces consistent actions of a transformed life. The Christian life is not without problems James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may…