BOOK OF THE BIBLE_ 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy
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Elizabeth Gonzalez
BOOK OF THE BIBLE:
1 Thessalonians
1. Main Theme of the Book (5 points):
The main theme of the Book of 1 Thessalonians is that Paul rejoiced about the future of
the Church because the Thessalonians kept their faith strong while overcoming persecution.
2. At Least 5 Bullet Points Summarizing the Book (10 points):
●
Paul opens by giving thanks and celebrating the Thessalonians’ faith, their love for others
and their hope in Jesus, despite persecution. He goes on to retell the story of their
conversion, how they used to be idolatrous polytheists. They were living in a culture
where all of life was permeated by institutions and practices that honored the Greek and
Romans Gods. Paul talks about how they turned away from those idols to serve the living
and true God and that they are now waiting for the coming of God’s son from heaven.
●
Paul retells the story of his mission in thessalonica and of the dear friendships he formed
with the people. He uses intimate metaphors to explain how they treated him like their
child and he became like their mother and like their father. He states,” we were happy to
share with you not only the good news from God, but out very selves, because we came
to dearly love you”. Paul reminds the readers that the essence of christian leadership is
not about power and having influence but about healthy relationships and humble, loving
service. He also reminds them that he never asked for money, he simply came to love and
serve them in the name of Jesus
●
Paul reflects on their common persecution just like Jesus was rejected and killed by his
own people, now Paul is persecuted by his fellow Jews and Thessalonians are facing
hostility from their Greek neighbors. Paul draws a strange comfort from knowing that
together, their suffering is a way of participating in the story of Jesus’ own life and death.
Then he shares about the anguish he experienced when he heard of the hardships the
Thessalonians had after he and Silas fled. After sending Timothy to support them and see
how they were doing, he discovered they were strong. They were faithful to Jesus and
full of love for God and their neighbors.
●
Paul prays that God will grow their capacity to love, and he will strengthen their
commitment to holiness as they fix their hope on the return of King Jesus. He opens the
letter’s second movement by challenging them to a life that is consistent with the
teachings of Jesus. This means a serious commitment to holiness and sexual purity, on the
contrary to the promiscuous, sexually destructive culture around them, they are to follow
Jesus’ teaching about experiencing the beauty and the power of sex within the haven of a
committed marriage covenant relationship. Paul states that God takes sexual misbehavior
seriously, since it dishonors and destroys people, their dignity.
●
Despite the night time of human evil around them, they should stay sober and awake as
the light of God’s kingdom dawns on earth as it does in Heaven. Paul ends all of the
Elizabeth Gonzalez
exhortations with a hopeful prayer that God would permeate their lives with his holiness
and he would set them apart to be completely devoted and blameless until the return of
King Jesus.
3. Insight/Question(s) Related to the Book (5 points):
1.
How were the Thessalonians able to treat Paul like their child yet he became a parental
figure at the same time?
2.
Why were Paul’s own people turning against him when he was not doing anything bad?
3.
Why did people turn to violence, instead of understanding that people had different
faiths?
\
Elizabeth Gonzalez
BOOK OF THE BIBLE:
2 Thessalonians
1. Main Theme of the Book (5 points):
The main theme of the book of 2 Thessalonians is about the return of Jesus, and the
importance to keep faith strong and unwavering because that is what helps shape the future of a
believer.
2. At Least 5 Bullet Points Summarizing the Book (10 points):
●
Paul opens with a thanksgiving prayer for the Thessalonians’ continued faithfulness and
love and for their endurance, He has learned that their Greek and Romans, and even the
Jewish neighbors have intensified their persecution of these Christians. There are
religious minorities facing violent oppression and Paul’s worried they might give up on
Jesus if it gets worse. He reminds them that their suffering is associated with Jesus and it
is a way of participating in God’s kingdom.
●
Jeus was inaugurated as King by his suffering on the cross and his followers will show
their victory over the world by imitating Jesus’ non-violence and patient endurance. Paul
also states that this won’t last forever, and when Jesus returns; he will bring his justice to
bear on those that have oppressed them and shed the blood of the innocent. He states that
their punishment is to be banished away from the face of the Lord and from the glory of
His power. Paul does not speculate here on the fate of those who reject Jesus, except to
say that, throughout their lives, they wanted nothing to do with Jesus, and in the end; they
got what they wanted. Relational distance from their creator and their King, and for Paul,
this is the ultimate tragedy.
●
Paul moves on to address a specific issue related to the return of Jesus and the day of the
Lord. An individual in the Thessalonian church community had been spreading wrong
information in Paul’s name stating that God’s final act of justice on human evil, the day
of the lord; it was upon them. It has come and the people had likely been predicting dates
about the end of all things and they were frightening other Christians .
●
Due to the persecution, they were vulnerable to somebody claiming that Jesus had
already returned like a thief in the night, and that they’ve been left behind. They were
worried that the Thessalonians had been abandoned to their suffering, and those talks
made Paul mad. As it was a misrepresentation of his teachings, and the return of Jesus
should never inspire fear but rather hope and confidence. Paul reminds them of
everything he taught them about Jesus’ return back when he was in town
●
Paul reminds them of the example of when he was with them; he didn't ask for their
money, instead he worked a manual labor job so he could provide for himself and so he
could serve the Thessalonians free of charge. He points that this is the ideal: a follower of
Jesus should imitate Jesus’ self-giving love by working hard so they can provide for
themselves and so their lives can be a benefit to other people.
3. Insight/Question(s) Related to the Book (5 points):
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Elizabeth Gonzalez
1.
Why were they using Jesus’ return as a way to form fear into people’s hearts?
2.
Since there will be leaders creating heirs to oppose God, does that mean there will always
be conflict about the teachings of Jesus?
3.
Is Paul mentioning a potential Anti-Christ?
Elizabeth Gonzalez
BOOK OF THE BIBLE:
1 Timothy
1. Main Theme of the Book (5 points):
The main theme of the book of 1 Timothy is to remind future leaders that they must teach
the correct words of Jesus and should not make things up to benefit themselves. The word of
Jesus exists to ensure that every believer lives a sinless and prosperous life but they are forced to
commit sins by listening to corrupt leaders and that is not how the church should be handled.
2. At Least 5 Bullet Points Summarizing the Book (10 points):
●
Paul sends Timothy to Ephesus to confront the leaders who were spreading their strange
teaching. He describes how they were obsessed with speculating about the Torah ,
specifically the early stories and genealogies in the book of Genesis. They had developed
all kinds of weird teachings about food and marriage and sex that weren't consistent with
the teachings of Jesus or the apostles.
●
He addresses very specific problems in this church caused by the false teachers. He called
Timothy to hold regular church prayer gatherings to pray for the governing leaders of
Rome and for peace because peace in the land creates an ideal setting for Jesus’ followers
to keep spreading their message about the God of peace who wants all people to be
saved. The God who sent Jesus as the only mediator to give his life as a ransom for all, in
contrast to the false teachers
●
Paul addresses problems related to men and women, who are being influenced by these
corrupt leaders in Ephesus. Paul first shuts down a group of men who were getting drawn
into angry theological disputes started by the teachers. He states that they should learn
how to pray, then he confronts a group of wealthy women in the church who were
treating the Sunday gathering like a fashion show. They were dressing so upscale that
they would shame most of the people who could not afford such a wardrobe. Some of
those women were also usurping leadership positions in the church, and they were
teaching others the bad theology of the corrupt teachers.
●
Paul corrects their bad theology since they were telling people to stop eating certain kinds
of foods, most likely meat and to stop getting married; which Paul believed was
ridiculous. Paul then moves on to address problems about the church’s care of widows
since they were taking advantage of a very important ministry. They would sign up for
the church’s support but they spend their days sleeping around, spreading gossip and
damaging the church’s reputation in the city.
●
Paul calls Timothy again to confront the corrupt leaders, and Paul exposes their motives
as they male lots of money from accumulating followers and then charging them all high
rates for their teaching. These teachers betrayed Jesus and his message of contentment
and simple living so Paul instructed the wealthy Ephesian Christians to become rich in
good works and generosity and to be people who submit all their resources to King Jesus.
3. Insight/Question(s) Related to the Book (5 points):
Elizabeth Gonzalez
1.
Why was it seen as a bad thing that women were dressing to impress, when they were
taught the wrong ideology from the start?
2.
Did Paul say that they should not teach in the church because of what they were stating or
because they were women?
3.
Why did they not want people to get married?
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Elizabeth Gonzalez
BOOK OF THE BIBLE:
2 Timothy
1. Main Theme of the Book (5 points):
The main theme of the book of 2 Timothy is that it is a reminder that Paul’s very
influential life and mission were marked by persistent challenge, suffering and struggle. By
following Jesus, it involves risk and sacrifice and it means inviting tension and discomfort into
your life. However, during those dark and difficult moments, Jesus’ love and faithfulness can
become the most tangible and real.
2. At Least 5 Bullet Points Summarizing the Book (10 points):
●
Paul begins thanking God for Timothy and his family, specifically for his grandmother
and his mother; Lois and Eunice. They immersed the young Timothy in the story of the
Old Testament scriptures, and they instilled in him a deep faith in the Messiah Jesus. Due
to that firm faith, Paul offers his first challenge to Timothy. He calls him to reject any
temptation to be ashamed of the good news about Jesus or of Paul, who is suffering in
prison for announcing that good news.
●
Paul reminds Timothy that Jesus’ grace is a source of power, which is really important
because following Jesus is not easy. Since it requires everything a believer has but Paul
likens follows Jesus to enrolling as a soldier who is striving to please their commanding
officer. This metaphor involves a person who is committed to something bigger than
themselves and who is willing to sacrifice and endure the challenges to accomplish a
greater goal.
●
Paul tells Timothy to confront the leaders in Ephesus before he comes to Rome since
their teachings are spreading in the ephesian church like a cancer. They have targeted and
corrupted a number of influential women in the church and they are likely the wealthy
women that Paul had to deal with in his first letter to Timothy. However, he does not offer
much detail about the teacher's bad theology since Timothy already knows about it. Paul
does give the readers one hint and he states that the resurrection has already taken place
and they are not sure if the teachers are following a Greek philosophical rejection of the
whole idea of bodily resurrection and they believe it is only about spiritual experience.
●
Paul states they should focus on the core storyline and the message of the scriptures
which meant primarily the Old Testament. Those scriptures are able to give wisdom that
leads to salvation through faith in the Messiah, Jesus. He states that the whole point of the
scriptures is to tell the readers a unified story that leads to Jesus and that has wisdom to
offer the whole world.
●
Paul asks Timothy to come as soon as possible before winter since he does not want to
freeze in his cell. So he will need his heavy coat that he had left behind and also asked
Timothy if he could bring his personal documents that he left in Troas, when he had
gotten arrested. Paul also mentions Alexander, who is a dangerous man that Timothy
should avoid. Since he is most likely the reason why Paul had been arrested.
Elizabeth Gonzalez
3. Insight/Question(s) Related to the Book (5 points):
1.
Why do they keep arresting Paul instead of trying to understand why he is so persistent in
sharing his faith?
2.
Why does Paul compare believers to soldiers?
3.
Did the resurrection of Jesus occur before or after 2 Timothy?