the Pointe

Luke and Timothy remain in Philippi, overseeing the work beginning there. Paul and Silas travel the Via Egnatia about 100 miles to Thessalonica. The trip today takes a little over three hours to navigate. Paul would have easily taken three to four days to make the journey with over-night stops in Amphipolis and Apollonia. Paul follows his custom and begins speaking to the Jewish crowds at the synagogue. He presented his arguments there for three Sabbaths.

1 Thessalonians 1:8 provides a commentary on his success there. Thessalonica becomes a strategic center for the spread of the gospel into both Macedonia and Greece (Achaia). Paul’s methods and approach to presenting the gospel provides the pointe in Thessalonica.

Reasoning on Common Ground

First Paul reasoned with the Jews based on what they knew and could agree upon. The Jewish faithful looked for the Messiah with an earnest anticipation. Their expectations were for a political and spiritual ruler, one who would serve as a King. He would follow in the shadows of David or Solomon. Paul built his case to the Jews that this Messiah was also required to suffer, die and rise from the dead. The Old Testament Scriptures had spoken of this for centuries.

We are not told the content of Paul’s messages on the three Sabbaths in Thessalonica. If other sermons recorded in Acts are an indicator, the Old Testament Scriptures of Psalm 2:1-7; Psalm 16:8-11; Psalm 110:1; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 52:13-15; Isaiah 53:4-11; and Deuteronomy 21:22-23 may well have formed the heart of Paul’s reasoning.

From the Psalms

The thrust of Psalm 2 is the supremacy of God and His Messiah. If there would be a confrontation between God and people, there is no question about the outcome of such an event. God and His Messiah would stand overwhelmingly victorious. Though humans have not had the audacity to stand face-to-face with God and demand a fight, they have deceived themselves into thinking they can do things behind God’s back. They will rage and plot, but alas such struggle is done in vain.

The Torah.com recognizes the understanding of this Psalm as the core difference between Judaism and Christianity. “A central difference between Judaism and Christianity is the Christian belief in Jesus of Nazareth as both messiah and “the only begotten” son of God. Jews, in contrast, not only deny that Jesus is the messiah, but, more fundamentally, view the very concept of a divine “son of God” as contradicting the core principle of monotheism.”

The Psalms hint that His people will reject Him (Psalm 118:22). The result of the rejection will end in suffering and death, but God will not abandon His Messiah (Psalm 16:8-11). God will exalt Him to sit and reign at the right hand of the Father (Psalm 110:1).

From Isaiah

The 52nd and 53rd Psalms have long been passages which cause conflict between Judaism and Christianity. Do the verses speak about Israel? Do they feature the Messiah? What is the correct interpretation of the Scripture? Although Jewish interpretations see fulfillment in someone other than the Messiah, the New Testament writers identified these passages with the suffering, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. “His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance” (Isaiah 52:14) describes the tortured body from a crucifixion. “Surely,” Isaiah writes, “he had borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4).

In the 53rd chapter, Isaiah connects the suffering with our sins. He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities. Peter quotes part of verse five about the wounds Jesus bore for us. Though soldiers scourged His body with broken bones and metal, they pale in comparison to the devastation of our sins placed on His back.

From the Law

The shadow of impending death has been upon humans since the Garden of Eden. “On the day you eat of this fruit, you will surely die.” Death is a bigger deal than just our bodies ceasing to function. Death means our soul stops having hope, stops having life, and stops experiencing the light of the blessings of God. The Law says, “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree … he is cursed by God” (Deuteronomy 21:22-23 NIV). Can you even imagine what it would mean to experience the curse of God? Jesus endured the curse so you wouldn’t have to.

Find Common Ground

We live in a troubled, confused culture. It is difficult to be consistent to any philosophical belief system. The boundaries around the systems are fluid and intersecting. Many people are seeking identity, searching for relationships, and hoping to find meaning and purpose in life. Apart from faith and Jesus, when you wander into the synagogue courtyards of your life, where is the common ground? “Finding who we are is so difficult today, isn’t it? There are so many choices and possibilities. Let me tell you a foundation of my identity that provides stability and contentment.”

The Pointe in Thessalonica: Jesus is the Messiah

Second, Paul proclaims Jesus.The story of Jesus can be simple or complex. The story of Jesus of Nazareth speaks of His birth, His ministry and His death and resurrection. But is it also the story of how the reigning and exalted Christ intersects with my life. Three times in the book of Acts, Luke records Paul’s conversion testimony. Here is Jesus and here is what He did for me.

This isn’t about “Come to church with me!” This answers “Why do I go to church?” I go to church because of the relationship that I have with Jesus.

Finally, this Jesus who lived historically is the Messiah that Scriptures predicted. A common tool of teaching and reasoning is the logical proof that “this is that.” Peter uses the same method on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). It is the fulfillment placed alongside the prediction. Liberal theologians and humanists try to drive a wedge between the historical Jesus and the Jesus we talk about. If Jesus is just a myth or a legend, the crux of Christianity’s arguments dissolve.

 

Lesson Series This Lesson Mediterranean Moments
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport Thessalonica Mediterranean Moments

“The City of Thessalonica” from the lesson series Grab Your Passport, April 2021

our Scripture

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica

Acts 17:1-9 ESV
NIV

Acts 17:1-9 NIV

 NASB

Acts 17:1-9 NASB

 NLT

Acts 17:1-9 NLT

 MESSAGE

Acts 17:1-9 MESSAGE

 

Other Scripture references:

Acts 27:2

Philippians 4:16

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

2 Timothy 4:10

2 Thessalonians 3:17-18

 

our Lessons

From Philippi Paul and his companions journeyed west-by-south-west along the Egnatian Way through Amphipolis on the Strymon (capital of the first district of Macedonia) and Apollonia and arrived at Thessalonica, about 90 miles from Philippi.

 

The city and port of Thessalonica stood near the earlier city of Therme. The Thermaic Gulf derives its name from the city.  Cassander, then king of Macedonia, founded Thessalonica around 315 BC.  The king named the city after his wife Thessalonica, daughter of Phillip and half-sister to Alexander the Great.  Its original residents were from Therme and about 25 other surrounding villages whom Cassander forcibly relocated to populate the new city which honored his wife.

When the Romans divided Macedonia into four districts in 167 BC Thessalonica became the capital of the second district.  Later Rome made Macedonia a province, Thessalonica became the seat of provincial government.  In 42BC the city enjoyed its status as a free city, governed by its own politarchs.  Interestingly this title appears nowhere in Greek literature apart from Acts 17:6, but it is amply attested in inscriptions belonging to the period for Thessalonica itself and several other Macedonian cities.

thessalonica

Paul’s Arrival in Thessalonica

As was Paul’s custom or tradition, he preached the message of the gospel first to the Jews, wherever he was able to find them.  While in Philippi he had to find them outside the city gates, in Thessalonica a thriving synagogue community was established.  Luke tells us that for three consecutive Sabbaths, Paul reasoned with the congregation that the scriptures found their fulfillment in Jesus.  Given our culture, it may not be easy to picture how a stranger traveling through town would have such access to a presentation in the synagogue service and structure.

Recognized rabbinic travelers like Paul were often asked to read Scripture (which included expounding upon them) in the synagogue service.  On occasion, particularly when a rabbi shared common rabbinical instructors with other synagogue officials, the rabbi might be asked to give the main address.  Paul studied at the feet of Gamaliel, one of the most well-known and well-respected rabbinical instructors of the day. But it is more likely that Paul took a posture in the courts, pulling up his own soap box and proclaiming his message.  With a combination of the Greek philosopher and the Jewish rabbinic teacher, evangelists and their followers often filled the synagogue courts.

The Jewish monotheism was not the only religious influence in Thessalonica. Turning the gaze inland, Thessalonica provided a perfect view above the clouds of the tip of Mount Olympus. Stories of the gods and goddesses thrived in Thessalonica because of the view. Pagan worship of the Egyptian gods Serapis and Isis emerged through travelers from Alexandria.

Thessaloniki Today

Do you have difficulty imagining the places in the New Testament existing today? The disconnect between the past and the present contributes to an almost fictional understanding of the cities of the Bible. Thessalonica is the Anglicized form of the Grecian city Thessaloniki. Today’s population is close to 300,000 – about the size of Greensboro, North Carolina or Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As in Paul’s day, the city resides right on the edge of a gulf, providing a thriving sea port for incoming and outgoing trade and traffic. Located on the great Roman Via Egnatia, Thessaloniki bustled with land travelers as well.

Thessaloniki

Abrupt Departure

Paul’s departure from a city had almost become a tradition as well.  Amidst accusations of treason and religious blasphemy, Paul reluctantly left the new Christians who would require teaching and guidance.  The charges must be set in the context of widespread unrest in Jewish communities throughout the Empire.  Individuals with Messianic hopes were springing up everywhere, trying to rally the Jewish populations into rebelling against governments.  It speaks highly of the maturity of the leadership of the politarchs of Thessalonica that they did not panic when they heard of the serious charges against these preachers.  Their well-worded presentation, along with quick decisive action, took the wind out of the fiery riots.

Let’s apply the lesson to today. How was Paul’s presentation of the gospel and Christianity persecuted on the second journey? How was persecution seen in Thessalonica? What was the source of the persecution?

How is Christianity persecuted today? In the world? In the United States? Has the persecution changed in your lifetime? Have your convictions and beliefs changed because of the persecution? Does persecution alter your ability to share the gospel changed?

Lesson Series This Lesson: The Pointe This Lesson: Mediterranean Moments
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport Mediterranean Moments

“The City of Philippi” from the lesson series Grab Your Passport, April 2021

our Scripture

So, setting sail from Troas, we made a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi,

Acts 16:11-40 ESV
NASB

Acts 16:11-40 NASB

 NIV

Acts 16:11-40 NIV

 NLT

Acts 16:11-40 NLT

 MESSAGE

Acts 16:11-40 MESSAGE

 

Other Scripture references:

(this city should not be confused with Caesarea Philippi)

Acts 20:6

Philippians 1:1

Philippians 4:15

1 Thessalonians 2:2

our Lessons

The first church founded in the West was the church at Philippi (Acts 16:6-15).  Living at a highly favored Roman military colony and a major crossroads on the Egnatian Way, the Philippians were proud and affluent.  It is interesting, but no coincidence, that the first convert to Christianity was a businesswoman who sold purple, the most expensive of dyes, as valuable as gold and used for tribute and international trade.

 

When Paul would later write to the believers in this prosperous community, he neither condemned the wealthy nor attacked profitable commerce.  Rather he emphasized Christ.  And the picture of Christ was not one of His power, glory and lordship (as he would tell the Colossians), but here Christ is clothed in humility, human, vulnerable, accessible.  Jesus lays down his rights, gives up his status and wealth, and takes on a humble position of a servant.

Searching for a Synagogue in Philippi

As Paul traveled to Philippi on the Via Egnatia, there is no mention of him meeting first in the synagogue, which was his custom.  That is because there does not appear to have been a synagogue in the city.  A properly constituted synagogue required a quorum of ten male Jews.  But outside the city walls, by the river Gangites, there was an unofficial place of worship where a number of women … God-fearers and possibly some Jewesses … met on Sabbaths and holy days to recite the appointed synagogue prayers and thanksgivings. It was here that the missionaries wandered one Sabbath morning soon after their arrival in Philippi.

 

The leader of these women was Lydia, a God-fearer from the city of Thyatira in the province of Asia, who was an agent for selling purple dye, for which her native region was famous as early as the days of Homer.  Since there was a Jewish colony in Thyatira, it was probably there that she was introduced to the ways of the Jewish faith.  As she listened to the gospel, she became convinced of its truth and was baptized along with her household.  In the context of Lydia’s prominence in the commerce of the area, household would have extended beyond just family, to include also servants and perhaps business partners.  Circumstantial evidence might well lead to the belief that Lydia was not married.

The Missionary Party Grows

Another important note is contained within the verses of this leg of the missionary journey.  In verse ten Luke indicates that “we sought to go” giving us the first instance in which the author refers to himself as being a part of the missionary party.  There is no mention to his conversion, which either is because of his humility or because he was a believer prior to joining the group. The language of the text implies that the Lord had called Luke as well.  There is no record of missionary work done in Troas by Paul, but there certainly is evidence of the congregation there.  Tradition offers that Luke actually was the founder of the church in that city.

 

The record from Luke of the time at Philippi gives a glimpse into the type of historian that the physician seems to be. Luke is a storyteller. He tells us of Lydia, and of a slave girl, but he spends the majority of his time on an incident. Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown in jail, their feet fastened to the walls in stocks.

The Jailer at Philippi

The historical account of this story could have been developed in several ways. Paul was a natural-born Roman citizen who should not have been beaten or treated in this manner. Citizens expected proper treatment from a city serving as  Roman Colony. More information could have connected the events to the masters of the slave girl.

 

Instead Luke describes the circumstances of the two in jail and simply mentions the jailer. Beginning in verse 25, Luke shows us the story through the eyes of the one we simply call “the Philippian jailer.” The story is well-known to most of us. Roman soldiers guarding prisoners were held totally responsible for their keeping. Should a prisoner escape, the Roman guard would be required to give his life.

Believers Provide Hope

Following an earthquake, the jailer was left with no hope. Convinced his prisoners would have escaped – why wouldn’t they escape – the jailer was about to take his own life. Roman punishment tortured its victims with cruel and prolonged pain. When the jailer realized the prisoners were all accounted for, he cried to Paul and Silas. “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

We spend most of our lives interacting with people who are in some stage of losing hope. While they may not be as eloquent as the jailer, they are asking in their own way, “What can I do to find hope?” They may be seeking answers. They may be pursuing options that look hopeful.

 

It is imperative that we are able to clearly offer the answer. The answer isn’t focused on self-help. An answer cannot be found by attending a church service, though the service can eventually point to the answer. It cannot be found in programs or funding. Therefore, like Paul, we must respond, “Believe in the Lord Jesus.”

 

Lesson Series This Lesson: The Pointe This Lesson: Mediterranean Moments
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport Mediterranean Moments

 

the Pointe

The relationship formed between the Apostle Paul and a group of believers that he nurtures on this leg of his second missionary journey stands in a special and unique partnership (Acts 16:11-40). Paul would later write to them when he was confined to house arrest in Rome awaiting a trial. The words of the letter are so powerful that you probably memorized many of them when you were younger. If you are from my generation, we memorized from the King James Bible.

Philippians 1:6 KJV

Philippians 1:21 KJV

Philippians 2:5-8 KJV

Philippians 2:10-11 KJV

Philippians 3:1 KJV

Philippians 3:15 KJV

Philippians 3:20 KJV

Philippians 4:4 KJV

Philippians 4:8 KJV

Philippians 4:13 KJV

The Pointe in Philippi

At each of our stops, we pause to consider its purpose and the lessons we can learn from the location. The Pointe in Philippi becomes very clear, and takes two avenues.

  • First there is real joy to be found in the depth of unity that can be shared between believers. Paul’s entire epistle to the Philippians leaps off the pages with expressions of love and joy.
  • Second, Paul is content, resting in the fact that he is within the purpose and will of God at this step in his venture.
  • Third, Philippi is but another stop in the journey of Christianity where women play a significant role in the formation and development of the believers.
  • Finally, the consistent witness and behavior of Paul led to the faith and conversion of the Philippian jailer. No doubt, the jailer wondered, “What kind of man would not escape after he had been beaten and thrown into jail?” What kind of loyalty must Paul have to his God?

 

Lesson Series This Lesson Mediterranean Moments: Philippi
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport Philippi Mediterranean Moments
Understanding the Books

The epistle of Paul to the Galatians was the trumpet call for the Reformation. Luther considered it his most important and favorite book. The destination and date of the epistle have been debated for centuries, but the authority and apostolic authorship is rarely questioned. The work served the first century church as an apologetic opposing the Judaizers – Jewish Christian who felt that a person needed to become a Jew first before one could accept Jesus as the Messiah. Today it serves as a rallying cry reminding us that we are saved by grace alone and not by any work that we would attempt to perform.

[su_pullquote align=”right”]Paul explains what constitutes true Christian righteousness. True Christian righteousness is the righteousness of Christ who lives in us. We must look away from our own person. Christ and my conscience must become one, so that I can see nothing else but Christ crucified and raised from the dead for me. If I keep on looking at myself I am gone.

Martin Luther, “Commentary of Galatians“[/su_pullquote]

Who Wrote the Book?

In an article in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, George Findlay wrote, “No breath of suspicion as to the authorship, integrity, or apostolic authority of the Epistle to the Galatians has reached us from ancient times.” J.B. Lightfoot commented in his Galatian commentary, “Its every sentence so completely reflects the life and character of the Apostle of the Gentiles that its genuineness has not been seriously questioned.” The internal evidence for the author is quite strong. Twice the writer calls himself Paul (Galatians 1:1; Galatians 5:2). The book contains several historical references which can all fit into the framework of the book of Acts. The themes of the epistle – the issue of the Gentile Christian keeping the Jewish Law and the authority and genuineness of his apostleship – were the important topics in the Galatian region following Paul’s first missionary journey. Therefore, logic compels the conclusion of Paul’s authorship of the epistle.

To Whom was the Book Written?

The meaning of “Galatia” changed over the years in the ancient world. The term originated when a large group of Gauls from Europe settled into the area known as Asia almost 300 years before the birth of Christ. About the year 232BC the boundaries of their area became fixed and known as the state of Galatia. About 25BC Galatia began to expand under King Amyntas, the last independent ruler of Galatia. In addition to the northern area of Galatia, the territory began to include parts of Phrygia, Pisidia, Lycaonia and Isauria. In 25BC the king bequeathed his kingdom to Rome and it became a Roman province. During the first century after Christ, the term Galatia could refer to the original cultural area which occupied the northern portion of central Asia. It could also refer to the political region which included the expanded areas which became a part of the political Roman province.

Provincial Galatia

In his writings and his partner, Luke’s, writings, Paul always uses the provincial Roman names. Paul was a Roman citizen and proudly identified himself as one. Is it likely that he would speak of Galatia in any other way? He uses the term three times, 1 Corinthians 16:1; Galatians 1:2; and 2 Timothy 4:10. Peter also uses the term and also stresses the political boundaries.

In addition, wouldn’t it be strange for Luke to tell us so much about these churches in southern Galatia (Lystra, Derbe and Iconium, Acts 13:14 – 14:23) and say nothing about the area in the north if an epistle had been written to the believers there? Paul also was drawn to cities of population on his journeys. The larger populations were located toward the south.

If the recipients of the letter lived in the areas of northern or traditional Galatia, Paul’s time there occurred during the second journey rather than the first one. Of course, this radically affects the timing and location of the writing of the letter.

When was Galatians Written?

The dating of the epistle to the Galatians hinges upon an understanding of the recipients. If “Galatia” refers to the area in the northern quadrants of the region, the writing must be sometime during or after the second missionary journey. There was no time for Paul to reach the northern area of Galatia during the first missionary journey. Lightfoot contends that the letter is similar to Romans in content. Lightfoot posits the writing of the letter occuring near Macedonia or Greece during Paul’s third journey. He places the date around AD55 or 56.

Possible Answers

Others see the epistle written to the area of southern Galatia after the first journey and after the council in Jerusalem. The likely place of writing rests somewhere early in the second journey around AD51 or 52. The passion of the subject matter leads some to believe that Paul had visited the churches on the second journey and soon heard they were still struggling with the issues of Jewish legalism. Paul immediately writes a letter correcting them while still on the second journey. Many locate the city as Corinth. Theodor Zahn, the respected theologian and author, would concur with this opinion. To a degree, it is the speculation of William Ramsay as well.

A Reasoned Conclusion

Given the churches are from southern Galatia and combined with the subject matter of the epistle, reason leads to the conclusion the Jerusalem council has not convened. Paul has returned to Antioch and is awaiting the meeting. Peter arrives and Paul corrects his doctrine and behavior. He pens the Galatian letter to challenge and encourage them. This would make Galatians one of Paul’s earliest writings, placing the date at AD48 or 49.

What Messages Resonate in the Book?

The primary issue covered in the book relates to Judaizers. Does a Gentile believer have to become a follower of Judaism before becoming a Christian? This involves circumcision for the men and then keeping the Jewish Law. Paul’s answer explains an understanding of faith. Salvation occurs through grace, not by keeping the Law. Taking the shackles of the Law off the shoulders of the believer results in an incredible freedom from the guilt of sin and the impossibility of keeping the Law. The book also speaks to work of the Spirit in the life of the believers as evidenced through the Fruit produced by the Spirit.

What Do People Say About This Book?

See if these comments from leading Bible teachers helps shape your feelings about the book of Galatians.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. To these I commit my day.

Max Lucado

 

The marks of Jesus are imprisonment, chains, scourgings, blows and stoning in bearing testimony to the Gospel (Galatians 6:17).

John Calvin

 

Use Paul’s words in Galatians as an encouragement to pursue a life of holiness, not in your own strength but in the knowledge of God’s empowering grace in your life.

Chuck Swindoll

 

Galatians is the impregnable citadel, a very Gibraltar, against any attack on the heart of the gospel. This epistle is the grand arsenal which is stocked with the weapons that assure victory in the ceaseless battle for the central truths of the gospel.

R.C.H. Lenski

 

The epistle to the Galatians is especially distinguished among St. Paul’s letters by its unity of purpose. The Galatian apostasy in its double aspect, as a denial of his own authority and a repudiation of the doctrine of grace, is never lost sight of from beginning to end.

J.B. Lightfoot

Mediterranean Moments

At face value, preachers and teachers have long encouraged us to study within the context of a passage of Scripture. The context helps us understand what the Bible intends to teach. Often the teaching about context urges us to consider the verses before and after a passage.

Making these applications are not wrong – but are relatively shallow. You have heard preachers and teachers admonishing you to examine the context of a verse of Scripture. Often we teach context means what comes before and what comes after the passage. It does, but context means so much more. For a more thorough understanding of context, see our helpful article on context.

Mediterranean Context

This section of our studies is called “Mediterranean Moments” to help us understand that context is a picture as big as the Mediterranean Sea and the culture it contains. Context included the historical setting – what was going on in the communities around the Mediterranean at the time the book was written. This is called the immediate context of a passage. This context also includes the literary background of the passage – is the passage a record of history, is it poetry (remember Hebrew poetry is different than American poetry), or is it anyone of a number of other literary conventions?

A second area of context is called it larger, biblical context. This portion of context often involves doctrine and theology. Many passages of Scripture teach us about God and about what is involved in having a relationship with Him. Doctrine falls into a category all itself. It has a jargon – technical talk that is only used and understood by a select group of people. There is nothing wrong with jargon. Most of us have those kind of words in our vocabulary that not everyone else understands. Medical professionals have a jargon. Attorneys have a jargon. There is even a jargon for the members of your family. Christians have a jargon.

Context and You

Finally, the context of the Bible involves you. The meaning of a passage of Scripture is critically tied to how it applies to you today. The context of the Bible involves the culture of the time in which it was written, but it involves the culture today because it speaks to the times today. Paul was unaware of the COVID pandemic when he penned the book of Philippians. If Jesus is the same “yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8), then the context must include how it applies to the COVID crisis. We often call this context “the application of a passage.”

The danger in my writing those words and you reading them is that it seems very subjective. The meaning of the Bible cannot be totally dependent upon what it means to you. The absolute nature of an unchanging God prohibits that. But the context of a passage of the Bible must blend the other three things. To focus only on one of these four critical areas of context and ignore the others does the Bible a disservice.

Take a Moment

The menu on the right lists all of the Mediterranean Moments that have been published on the site. The selection shows the Scripture and the topic that are connected with the article. Browse the articles to better understand the context of the Bible and provide a context for your life.

Below we have featured the most recent edition of “Mediterranean Moments.”

KBS Home

A website’s main page is called its “home page.” A home is a comfortable place – a spot where you have a chance to get to know a little bit about its owner. A home makes you feel trusted and valued. You can pause and talk about the things that are important to you. You can seek advice for the decisions you have to make. A home builds relationships, connections and koinonia. Welcome to Koinonia Bible Studies’ home.

Koinonia is the Greek word for “fellowship.” Christianity at its essence builds koinonia in its relationships. We can have koinonia with the Father through His Son, Jesus. Koinonia develops as we share with each other intimate in depth understanding. Moments together include outbursts of joy; weeping of tears of sorrow; and reaching fervently to meet the needs of each other.

 

Koinonia is a shared relationship with Jesus, but it is more. Koinonia involves a shared system of beliefs. What things do I hold true? What content shapes my life and affects my decisions? Christians believe the content of the Bible to be both true and transforming. When we believe the same things, the bond between us is tightened, strengthened. The Bible calls this holding to “sound doctrine.”

Ministry of Koinonia Bible Studies

KBS Courses - Studies 2021

Each year a series of courses emphasizes and strengthens strong doctrine. The courses for 2021 are listed here. Several of them are already available for members to study. The online courses can be used by an individual, or shared with others in a group setting. You can enroll in an individual course, or you can become a KBS member and share courses with your small group. Take a sneak peak at the new courses that will be offered in 2022 by [popup_anything id=”5759″].

 

Our new study series is called “Royal Psalms: God is King.” As we prepare for the celebration of the birth of the King, let’s think about the reign of the Messiah.  stressful and wearisome. The times have left us worn out. This eight-lesson series looks for the Messiah and His kingdom through a study of Psalm 93 through Psalm 99, known as the Royal Psalms.

 
Royal Psalms
Mediterranean Moments

Looking Deeper

In studying the Scriptures, leaders often refer to the “context” of the passage. “Do not take this verse out of context.”  Mediterranean Moments help you understand the context of a passage – something that involves the overall teaching from the Bible (its broad context), the situation happening around the verses written (its immediate context), and how the teaching fits into the context of your life (its application). Each lesson offers an opportunity to step deeper into God’s Word.

Holding to sound doctrine implies that believers know the truth of Scriptures. Sound doctrine keeps us from bickering between ourselves about what is true. We agree truth is found in Scriptures. That’s crucial in today’s world, isn’t it? Each lesson offers a summary “pointe” to help you focus your thoughts.
Answers to Your Questions about The Scriptures

Understanding Sound Doctrine

The effect of sound doctrine on our life falters when we don’t understand the teachings. “You Asked For It” offers you with an opportunity to ask questions to help you understand. The answers will come as quickly as possible, presenting Scripture, not conjecture.
Introductions & Summaries for Each Book in the Bible A work in progress, “Understanding the Books in the Book,” presents an introductory look at each of the books of the Bible. You will peek at who wrote the book and why it was written. You will get a quick glance of what the book teaches.
Over the years, hundreds of lessons grace the pages of my notebooks. Expect a couple of new topics posted each week.

Starting the Faith Journey

Regarding Christianity and Christ, have you reached a point where you are considering making a decision? Are you a Christian who is helping someone else begin their walk of faith? “Almost Persuaded” presents the good news of the gospel and encourages you to be reconciled with Christ. This section will open up by the end of October 2021.

About Tom May

Want to know more about the author of the website? Learn about Tom, about Koinonia Bible Studies and about how his writing ministry can help your church congregation. Your church leaders need the tools and encouragement to present sound Biblical doctrine. This section will also open up sometime in October 2021.

 

Mediterranean Moments

During the pause for Mediterranean moments in Galatia, consider the task of taking the message of the gospel from culture to culture. How has the church you attend attempted to take the gospel message to a younger generation? Can you identify methods for reaching a more “un-churched” audience? Are you attempting to bring in other cultures into your congregation?

There is a point when you travel by car across the plains of Kansas and into Colorado on Interstate 70 that the city of Denver seems to rise up from the flat lands and, along with the mountains, miraculously appear.  Whether physically or figuratively, the scene makes you stop in your tracks and pause to ponder.  There are still miles of slowly rising “nothing” to traverse before the destination of Denver is within your grasp; and something compels you to turn your head back around and gawk at the multitude of miles from which you have come.

The Steps of Expansion

Think about where we are in the process of Christianity at this moment Paul’s second journey. The Jerusalem Council met to address the concerns raised by Jews who were accepting Jesus as their Messiah. Does a person need to become a Jewish believer first before they can become a Christian?

Paul’s letter to the Galatians addresses the relationship between the gospel and the Law. Estimates for the writing of the book of Galatians range from 48/49 to 57/58 A.D. Using the earlier date, the writing of the letter precedes the Jerusalem Council in A.D. 49/50. Galatians becomes one of Paul’s earliest letters. Paul probably penned the epistle while at Antioch of Syria. Sir William Ramsay dated the letter early, while J. B. Lightfoot dated in the late fifties. If Lightfoot is correct, the letter originates from Corinth on Paul’s third missionary journey. The date approximates the writing of the book of Romans. The earlier date points to the South Galatian Theory; the later date affirms the North Galatian Theory.

In either case, Christianity is defining its place within a Jewish culture. The gospel, as presented by Paul and his friends, is stepping beyond Judaism into a pagan and Gentile environment.

Mediterranean Moments in Galatia to Pause and Reflect

The flavor of the verses in Acts 16:6-10 leave the impression that this was a moment of reflection for Paul and his companions on this journey.  They had retraced the steps of the first missionary journey through the southern region of Galatia – which would have included stops strengthening the churches in Lystra, Derbe and Iconium.  These congregations would one day in the not-too-distant future receive a letter from the apostle, treasured as it was circulated in the region and preserved in our New Testament as the Epistle to the Galatians.  And now, the horizon of literally the known world looms large.  Where do we go from here? Where is God leading? Notice in our passage in Acts how many times God prevents them from moving in one direction and nudges them another. Notice in our passage in Acts how many times God prevents them from moving in one direction and nudges them another.

 

Even as productive and positive as these visits were, Paul’s mind must have also retraced memories of Jewish persecution, of debates lost, of newly formed friendships turned sour and of harrowing, near-death experiences that plagued his steps through the area during the first missionary journey.  That compelling glance backwards:  What can be learned from the steps taken?  Which steps should be replayed?  Which footprints are better erased? The slow turn forward provides even more questions to ponder.  Physically, into what cities of the known world should the gospel be taken?  What routes will make the travel to these cities most productive and safe?  What direction allows for the best stewardship of time, money and human resources?

Helping the Gospel Change Culture

Philosophically and spiritually, the questions are even more biting.  What happens when the gospel spreads from one culture to another?  Is there a way to make the “collision” – the clash of values, perceptions and traditions – more of a melting, without causing damage to the cause of Christ and the spiritual well-being of the believers?  There is no escaping Jesus’ mandate that His followers cross ethnic, national, tribal, linguistic and cultural lines to spread His message of salvation.  The term “nations” (making disciples of all nations – Matt 28:19) is the Greek word “ethne” from which we get the word “ethnic” literally means ethnic groups. Is it possible that someone from a different background might serve the same Lord, but do so in a way that feels uncomfortable to us because of cultural differences, but still be within the realm of sound theology?

 

That explains the pause for Paul and his companions.  And on this journey called “life” – where is your Galatia?

 

This Series This Lesson The Pointe in Galatia
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport Galatia
the Pointe

Paul’s provocative words to the Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20), provide both a summary of Paul’s Old Testament theology and an introduction to the application of truth to the Christian life. Even attempting to understand the political and regional boundaries to determine who comprised the people of Galatia reminds us that the Christian faith always exists and applies within a myriad of cultures.

The Pointe in Galatia

Paul’s words are not merely a theological argument between the concepts of faith or works. Was Jesus Israel’s Messiah, which the Jewish people had been looking for since the time of Abraham or not? What does it mean that God’s Messiah was crucified? Can the Messiah bring rest to God’s people, by leading them into the Promised Land, or does He just add to the rules and regulations of Moses? Is God somehow involved in all of this? How does God intervene and interact in human history?

Most importantly, as we pause on our journey, let us ponder the pointe in Galatia:

  • God has initiated a new covenant

God’s new covenant and world has begun, ushered in through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is not just an addendum to the Law – He is the completion and fulfillment of the Law. Christianity’s position in relationship to Judaism reminds us the the message of Jesus is a message in the milieu of religious confusion. In the Mediterranean culture, Christians must speak to the monotheistic legalism of the Jews and the polytheistic fantasy smorgasbord of Greek mythology. Even in Paul’s day, skeptics were seeing the impossibility of living a perfect life. While myths were fun, they did not provide real answers to life’s problems. Atheism was knocking on the front door.

  • Christianity exists in a context

The nature of the demands and expectations upon the Messiah were also political. Christianity exists within a political culture. Accepting and applying sound doctrine affects behavior. Is loyalty and dedication to Jesus as the Messiah a threat to the demands for complete loyalty to the Caesar? Is there a separation between church and state – and if so, where is the line drawn and by whom? Isn’t this charting new territory for a believer? How does Christianity respond to culture?

  • God intervenes

If Christianity travels its journey in such difficult waters, is God involved in helping navigate the experience? What spurs God to providential involvement? How can we know God’s leading? Are there ways to improve our sensitivity to God’s prompting?

 

Lesson Series This Lesson This Lesson: Mediterranean Moments
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport Galatia Mediterranean Moments

“The Region of Galatia” from the lesson series Grab Your Passport, April 2021

our Scripture

Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia

Acts 16:6-10 ESV
NASB

Acts 16:6-10 NASB

 NIV

Acts 16:6-10 NIV

 NLT

Acts 16:6-10 NLT

 MESSAGE

Acts 16:6-10 MESSAGE

 

Other Scriptural References:

Acts 14:6-8

Acts 14:21

Galatians 1:2

Acts 16:6

Galatians 3:26-29

1 Corinthians 16:1

2 Timothy 3:11

2 Timothy 4:10

1 Peter 1:1

our Lessons

A slight pause in Paul’s journey gives us a moment to rest as well, and to review what Paul has been doing. Paul was in Antioch of Syria when he decided to take a journey to revisit the churches established on his first journey. For reasons that may be tied to incidents that happened in the area (either interactions with the Jews and their leader or health issues), Paul was not convinced John Mark was a good fit for the mission. Barnabas took John Mark and sailed to Cyprus. Paul chose Silas and began to travel on land to the cities of Derbe, Lystra, Iconium and Antioch of Psidia.

These cities lie on the southern edge of a region known as Galatia. The region is mentioned several times in the New Testament and is the destination for one of his epistles. Galatia’s boundaries prove difficult to define. The term “Galatians” is one of the most elusive words in the entire New Testament. The problem comes in how the term Galatia is used in history. It was originally a designation for the area settled by immigration of a large body of Gauls from Europe into Asia, c. 278-277BC. After 232BC their boundaries became rather fixed and their state became known as Galatia.

Rome Changes Things

King Amyntas (36 – 25BC), the last independent ruler of old Galatia, expanded the territory to include parts of Phrygia, Pisidia, Lyconia, and Isauria. As Rome marched through the area, King Amyntas bequeathed his kingdom to Rome to avoid bloodshed. As such the entire region became known as Galatia, the Roman province.

The question is, in what sense did Luke and Paul use the term? To what people did Paul write this epistle? The Scriptures tell us that Paul was in the province of Galatia (southern Galatia) when he visited Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe on his first missionary journey. It is possible that Paul traveled through the northern Galatian regions on the second and third journeys. To which group does Paul write the letter?

 

Where is Galatia?

Scholars lable the latter of these two views “the North Galatian Theory.” This theory finds the earliest support from older commentators (such as J.B. Lightfoot, Conybeare and Howson). According to the Northern Theory, Paul did not visit Galatia proper until his second missionary journey. Following stops within the southern territory of Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium, Paul traveled through the “region of Phrygia and Galatia” mentioned in Acts 16:6. Here he founded churches in the territory of old ethnic Galatia, including the cities of Pessinus, Ancyra, and Tavium. After traveling through this region, he finally arrived at Troas after a long journey. Since Paul did not travel into this area until his second missionary journey (Acts 16), the letter to the Galatian churches requires a later date for writing.

Theories

The former of these two views is called the South Galatian Theory and is the accepted theory since the time of Sir William Ramsay that many modern commentators (Tenny, Ridderbos) have adopted. According to this theory, the letter to the Galatians would have been sent to the churches of the cities founded on Paul’s first missionary journey mentioned in Acts 13 and 14, and this would allow for the earlier date of the letter. These churches were revisited on the second and third missionary journeys (Acts 16:1-6; 18:23).

These churches seemed to always have a special place in Paul’s heart – thus the many stops – and it would not be out of his character to also write a letter to them. From Acts we know the difficulty that these churches faced from the Jewish presence from Judea. The second tour of these southern churches would not have precluded completely a northern swing into the territory of old ethnic Galatia, but there is no mention in Acts 16 of the founding of churches there; Paul just “went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia” (Acts 16:6), northward along the Phrygio-Galatic border to Mysia and Bithynia. Prevented by the Holy Spirit from entering the provinces of Asia and Mysia (Acts 16:6-7), Paul then turned westward to Troas.

What Are the Lessons and How Do We Apply Them?

Two lessons emerge from this brief pause in Paul’s journey. We will look at one lesson here and the other in Mediterranean Moments. Does it matter what a Christian believes? Should the Christian acquiesse to the beliefs of everyone else? Using today’s vernacular, can a Christian be tolerant of other opinions, yet still hold fervently to Biblical truth?

During the journeys, Paul experienced difficulties from Judaizers – people who believed that Christians must first follow the requirements of the Jewish Law (Acts 14:19-20). The content of the book of Galatians addresses these issues in detail, even providing more information on events mentioned in the book of Acts. Evaluating the circumstance, this was another religion’s attempt to merge the two belief systems. We would hear this argument today, “Don’t all religions lead to God? Can’t we take the best from all religions?”

Interestingly, Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church addresses the attempt to somehow blend Christianity and culture. The mixture of those does not work, either.

The teaching of the Judaizers was understandable for the Jews who were coming from a legalistic background.  When we stray from the truth, the teachings of Christianity become weakened. Keeping the Law for salvation makes grace no longer grace. Therefore sound doctrine requires diligence and attention. Correct doctrine produces correct behavior.

So let’s make observations for today. Are there applications into areas of our faith that still become legalistic? What do we do about it? How can we guard against the tendency to become like the Pharisees? How do you answer the question, “Don’t all religions lead to God?”

Lesson Series This Lesson: The Pointe This Lesson: Mediterranean Moments
KBS_2105_Grab_Your_Passport Mediterranean Moments