Romans application

Regarding Romans, how do I apply this to myself?

   Dr. Cartledge states, "He wants the Church in that influential city to be well grounded on the fundamentals of the faith." (1)

  Back in the mid 1990's, when I was on a retreat with "Career Fellowship," the incredible singles group at a church in northern Virginia, somebody there was giving away a number of framed Scripture verses for free.  I looked through them all, and one really stood out for me.  It stated, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23 NIV).

   That had been one of twenty Scripture memorization verses from the first singles group I was active with at The Falls Church, named Salt and Light.  Yet I think there on the retreat was truly the first time I completely understood the reason Jesus had to die on the cross.  I realized He had to die in the place of people who otherwise would spiritually die, because spiritual death is the consequence of our sins.

   Of all of the letters of Paul, this is my most treasured verse, because it explains why there needed to be a sacrifice of the "Lamb of God," a Person to die in our place.

Regarding Romans, how do I apply this to my community?

   Back in the summer of 1994, a time when much was happening in my life as I was growing as a young Christian, I was travelling to visit my mom via a bus.  At the bus station, I bought a used paperback for something like a dollar.  The name of the book was How To Be A Christian Without Being Religious by Fritz Ridenour, and it was published in 1967.  Reprinted many times, it is still in print.  Now I had never even heard of the book when I first picked it up.  That author was teaching the book of Romans by putting Paul's letter into the common language of our day in order to be better understood.  As a young Christian I got much out of that book, which I read during my trip, and which I continued to read every day after work on the subway until I completed it.  That book helped me as a young Christian!  Likewise I want to help young Christians today to learn about the basics of Christianity.  Paul's epistle to the Romans is full of the basics from which a person can establish a faith in Christ, and continue to grow.

Hunter Irvine

(1) Samuel A. Cartledge, A Conservative Introduction to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1938), 127.

{The definition of "conservative" in this context means giving the biblical text the upmost of authority, working to interpret the writing as the author intended.}

Romans background

Romans

Author: Paul

Good old Paul always started off his epistles with his name.

Paul used a scribe named Tertius, as revealed in Romans 16:22!

Confirmed by Eusebius in Book 3, Chapter 25, Verse 2, of Ecclesiastical History.

Date: 56 A.D. (Dr. Cartledge) (1)

Language: Greek (Dr. Keener) (2)

Place: Corinth (Professor Tafoya)

Purpose: To tell of the salvation available for Jewish and Gentile people through faith, in the midst of much tension which had mounted between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians due to some varying practices between them, following the return of some Jewish Christians to Rome at least six years after being expelled by Emperor Claudius.

What kind of book?: Epistle, (a letter to a group), regarding a particular occasion.

Reflection: 2 Peter 3:16 states: "[Paul] writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters.  His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction" (NIV).

   I think the sole reason we can know that Paul's letters are Scripture is this affirmation by Peter, the apostle.  Paul was not one of the twelve, and Paul did not see Jesus until after Jesus ascended into heaven.  So extraordinary was Paul's encounter with Christ that I think verification by Peter, who had the opportunity to learn if Paul's ministry was legitimate, was a must.

Hunter Irvine

(1) Samuel A. Cartledge, A Conservative Introduction to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1938).

{The definition of "conservative" in this context means giving the biblical text the upmost of authority, working to interpret the writing as the author intended.}

(2) Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary, New Testament (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1993).

Acts application

Regarding Acts, how do I apply this to myself?

   Acts covers much.  So for this moment, I focus in on one word that stuck out for me as I was thinking about what to write here. (I like it when we do the passage meditations in class!)  The NIV uses the word "awe" in Acts 2:43.  Witnessing to people about the reality of Jesus, what is necessary is that I am living by His love, and that in His love I am in awe of Him for His love.  Jesus, the One who died to save people, did so because He loves people.  May I ever increase in my awe of His love.

Regarding Acts, how do I apply this to my community?

   I will do so right here in a direct manner.  For anyone who happens to be reading my New Testament overview here, I can tell you that I am interested in biblical details, and I am interested in biblical history, because I love Jesus.  The many messages in Acts are important, starting with the critical subject of salvation.  And there is the ascension, repentance, baptism, justice, and the "Church."

   The root of it all is the love of Jesus.  Thus I say to you, whoever you are, that I know Jesus loves you!

Hunter Irvine

Acts background

Acts

Author: Luke

Eusebius identifies Luke as the author in Book 3, Chapter 4, Verse 1 and Verse 6 of Ecclesiastical History.

Date: Dr. Craig Keener's date of the early 70's, for Acts alone, could be correct since it seems likely that there was a gap in time between the writing of the gospel of Luke and Acts. (1)

Language: Greek, literary Greek.

Place: Like the book of Luke, it could have been written when Paul was in prison in Caesarea, yet I think that would have been too early for "Volume 2."

Purpose: Acts 1:8

What kind of book?: Ancient historical narrative.

Reflection: In 1996, when I was still a young Christian, I was in a singles group at The Falls Church (Anglican) in Virginia.  Rev. Bill Haley was our leader, and we were studying Acts.  Bible reading on the subway was a staple for me, and the time came when I read Chapter 10 from Acts.  In that passage, God gave Peter the vision of animals on a sheet which He had made "clean."  I did not get that whole thing.  I remember praying on the subway, telling God that I did not understand.

   A few days later, I was listening to a Christian radio interview with Stan Telchin.  (His book Betrayed is a classic.)  Crazy enough, he talked about how that passage in Scripture had been one of the key passages which helped him to understand the purpose of the Messiah.  I realized I needed to understand the Mosaic Law context, and even the personal Hebrew context, in order to understand the passage.

   As we discussed in our New Testament Survey class once, which I will not forget since I was the one blessed to be able to answer Professor Tafoya's question, Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic Law!

Hunter Irvine

(1) Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary, New Testament, (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 1993.)

John application

Regarding John, how do I apply this to myself?

   Serving once a month for five months in the summer and fall of 2002, I filled in as the worship service leader for a worship service at The Homestead, an independent and assisted living community in Lakewood.  The small group was really nice to me.  I especially remember Elizabeth, who after the first service, was the first one to come in that room, cruising along with her "walker."  Always telling others about me, she would give me huge compliments, which meant the world to me, especially since I was a substitute.

   We sang songs, ("What a Friend We Have in Jesus" was always a must), and then I would preach for about twenty minutes.  One of my favorite sermons was from the book of John, where Jesus and Martha talk after the death of Lazarus.  What Jesus said, in that oriental style, is a main theme of John, which is that a person needs to believe in Him for eternal life.  I believe in Jesus.  Praise be to Him!

Regarding John, how do I apply this to my community?

   Just as John is written in a much different style than Matthew, I am called to tell the Gospel to people in my own unique manners.

Hunter Irvine

John background

John

Author: John

Origen - "What shall we say of him who reclined upon the breast of Jesus, I mean John? who has left one gospel, in which he confesses that he could write so many books that the whole world could not contain them. He also wrote the Apocalypse..." (Book 6, Chapter 25). (1)

Irenaeus - "Afterwards John the disciple of our Lord, the same that lay upon his bosom, also published the gospel, while he was yet at Ephesus in Asia" (Book 5, Chapter 8). (2)

Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch - "About 180 he wrote: 'The Holy Scripture teaches us, and all the inspired writers, one of whom, John says, 'In the beginning was the Word...''" (3)

Date: Many say 90-95. I think a tad earlier.

"The existence of the Gospel is recognized as early as Ignatius and Polycarp, about 110 A.D.  These and others after them use the Gospel..." (4).

Language: Probably Greek

I have found scholars who state that Aramaic could have been the language of the autograph, but most say Greek.  Dr. Merrill Tenney was a dean and professor at Wheaton College in the 1960's, and he was an extraordinary scholar.  What he states concerning John is interesting: "From the Gospel itself certain facts about the author can be educed.  First, he was a Jew who was accustomed to thinking in Aramaic, although the Gospel was written in Greek.  Very few subordinate clauses appear in its text, and not infrequently Hebrew or Aramaic words are inserted and then explained" (5).

Place: Ephesus

Irenaeus - "Afterwards John the disciple of our Lord, the same that lay upon his bosom, also published the gospel, while he was yet at Ephesus in Asia" (Book 5, Chapter 8). (6)

Purpose: To tell the Gospel that people may believe. Jesus said, "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40 NIV).

What kind of book: Ancient oriental biography.

Reflection: The first time I ever read the book of John, I was a bit frustrated by it.  I even thought that sometimes Jesus was avoiding questions posed to Him.  Years later, I read a commentary by Dr. J. Vernon McGee, who explained how the cultural roots of Israel was not Greek, rather "oriental."  Having been educated in a clearly "Greek" manner at Falls Church High School and at Virginia Tech, John seemed elusive to me.  After reading the statement by Dr. McGee, I realized it was due to John's oriental style.  Once I worked to roll with that oriental style, which involves many metaphors, and which involves the need to pick out key points from flowing discourse, I was able to gain the riches from John.

   Now a major theme of John is "Who is Jesus?"  When I did a one and a half year in-depth study of John in 2000 and 2001, I made a list of all the names or titles given to identify Jesus, such as the Bread of Life, or the Good Shepherd.  The list was extensive.  The identity of Jesus is one major theme for John.

Hunter Irvine

(1) Eusebius, Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History: Complete and Unabridged, trans. C.F. Cruse (1955; repr., Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), 215.

(2) Ibid., 164.

(3) Samuel A. Cartledge, A Conservative Introduction to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1938), 182.

{The definition of "conservative" in this context means giving the biblical text the upmost of authority, working to interpret the writing as the author intended.}

(4) Ibid., 182.

(5) Merrill C. Tenney, New Testament Survey (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1961), 186.

(6) Eusebius, Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History: Complete and Unabridged, trans. C.F. Cruse (1955; repr., Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), 164.

Luke application

Regarding Luke, how do I apply this to myself?

   Luke was not an eyewitness of Jesus when Jesus was physically on earth.  Likewise, I have never physically seen Jesus.  I have been baptized by Jesus with the Holy Spirit.  I do know Jesus in my heart.  Thus knowing Jesus requires faith.  Yet it is not abstract faith, rather faith based on the testimony of the writers of Scripture.

Regarding Luke, how do I apply this to my community?

   Luke did not ever physically see Jesus as I said.  Luke wrote a history based on what eyewitnesses had seen.  Jesus said to His disciples after He was resurrected, "You are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24:48 NIV).  Yet even they needed to wait to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.  "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49 NIV).  All disciples of Jesus need the Holy Spirit to be able to witness to the miracles of Jesus, which sometimes are challenging to explain.  The Holy Spirit is who I must rely on to be a witness to people about what Jesus has done in my life.

Hunter Irvine

Scripture Love Blog

Luke background

Luke

Author: Luke

Origen - "And the third, according to Luke, the gospel commended by Paul, which was written for the converts from the Gentiles..." (Book 6, Chapter 25). (1)

Eusebius (himself) - "But Luke, who was born at Antioch, and was by profession a physician..." (Book 3, Chapter 4). (2)

Eusebius goes on to say that Luke wrote "Luke" and "Acts!"

Date: Dr. Samuel Cartledge, Professor of New Testament Literature and Exegesis at Columbia Theological Seminary during the 1930's, tentatively suggests 60 A.D., since He considers that Luke did his research while Paul was in prison for two years in Caesarea.

Language: Greek, literary Greek

Place: Caesarea possibly

Dr. Cartledge states: "While Paul was in prison for two years in Caesarea, Luke had a splendid opportunity of carrying on his research into the history of the life of Jesus and the early Church..." (3)

Purpose: To tell the Gospel.  For example Luke 9:22 records Jesus foretelling that he will be resurrected.  And Luke was obviously determined to give a thorough history of Jesus in this world along with His teachings.

What kind of book?: Ancient historical biography

Reflection: Luke was not an eyewitness of Jesus. What makes Luke an author of Scripture rather than simply a religious historian? The fact that he was a companion of Paul gave him canon authority. The fact that he was a believer in Jesus and inspired by the Holy Spirit truly makes "Luke" Scripture.

And Luke is truly a standout in the entire Bible since he was a Gentile.  Of the 66 books of the Bible, there is only one author who was not Jewish.  That author was Luke, the author of the book of Luke and and the book of Acts.

Hunter Irvine

(1) Eusebius, Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History: Complete and Unabridged, trans. C.F. Cruse (1955; repr., Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), 215.

(2) Ibid., 69.

(3) Samuel A. Cartledge, A Conservative Introduction to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1938), 84.

{The definition of "conservative" in this context means giving the biblical text the upmost of authority, working to interpret the writing as the author intended.}