Tag: Book Overviews

Author Colossians was most likely written by a later disciple in the spirit of Paul. Textual analysis of the book shows 34 words not used anywhere else in the New Testament, 28 of which do not appear anywhere in the undisputed letters of Paul. That, along with the absence of typical Paul-terms (like righteousness, to READ MORE

Genre This book is wisdom literature, which gives rules of proper conduct, usually in the form of maxims, pithy insights, and “words to live by.” Wisdom literature attempts to show the way things are and the way things should be. Also of this genre are Job, Ecclesiastes, and the book of Wisdom. The goal of READ MORE

Author Luke was a physician and an artist from Syria. He was highly educated, well-versed in Greco-Roman style. He has the finest Greek writing in the New Testament. He was not an eyewitness to the events but he interviewed eyewitnesses and drew from the oral collections. He was also not very familiar with Palestinian geography READ MORE

Author Paul is the undisputed author of this letter. Date This book was written around 57-58AD. Setting Paul was likely in Corinth, about to make a trip to Jerusalem. His aim was to evangelize into Spain and he needed the community at Rome to provide aid in this. He had accomplished his goal of preaching READ MORE

Author In a sense, this gospel was written by the community that followed the teachings of the disciple John. Some scholars identify this same person as the “Beloved Disciple” mentioned frequently in the gospel. The community likely resided in Ephesus, and there is a long tradition of reverence for the disciple John in that area. READ MORE

Historical Setting Thessalonica was a large and important port city. In Acts 16 Paul gets thrown out of Philippi for preaching and from there he goes to Thessalonica. In Acts 17 Paul preaches at the synagogue there. Some Jews responded; other Jews rejected Paul. There was an uproar and the Christians in the city had READ MORE

Author Most scholars agree that this letter was written much later than the historical Peter. In the ancient world, it was very common for someone to write something “in the name of” someone else. That the early church accepted this letter and attributed it to Peter indicates that the church recognizes the teaching of the READ MORE

The book of Isaiah is actually three “books,” each written during a different time in Israel’s history. Isaiah I: shape up or else; exile is coming chapters 1-39Isaiah II: Book of Consolation, comfort in captivity chapters 40-55; also called Deutero (Second) Isaiah and contains the “suffering servant songs”Isaiah III: going home chapters 56-66; also called READ MORE

Author Paul is the undisputed author of this letter. Date This book was written around 53-54 AD. Historical Setting Corinth was a big city crossroads with lots of ethnicities and religions – a melting pot. There was a high population of freed slaves who came to make their fortune and they were highly independent people. READ MORE

Author There is some historical evidence that Peter is the main source for the gospel according to Mark. In the 2nd century, Justin Martyr made a reference to “Peter’s memoirs,” and he quotes a passage only found in the gospel of Mark. The 3rd century church historian Eusebius mentions a follower of Peter, named Mark, READ MORE