I Timothy 1:1-11 Today we leave Paul’s “city letters” behind and move on to his “Pastoral Epistles” to Timothy and Titus for the next month or so. Today, I Timothy. First, an intro to this letter – there are two significant items worth noting. First, there is substantial controversy over whether Paul was the author …
Category Archives: RTB 2020 – Epistles
September 14 / Ephesians 6:10-23
Ephesians 6:10-23 But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus … will make everything known to you. (v. 21) This verse, together with Paul’s prisoner comment in verse 20 strongly suggests that Paul wrote Ephesians at the same time that he wrote Colossians and Philemon (see Colossians 4:7-9). I …
September 13 / Ephesians 6:1-9
Ephesians 6:1-9 Sometimes it’s hard to find anything to say with respect to Paul’s writings. I mean, how can you disagree with Children, obey your parents… (v. 1) or Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger… (v. 4)? Still, we might wonder about Paul’s counsel, Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters …
September 12 / Ephesians 5:22-33
Ephesians 5:22-33 Twelve verses today – three to wives, nine to husbands (although some of those husband verses relate to Christ and His church). Maybe more verses to the men because it takes us longer to figure it out. Actually, given the gender roles in the first century Roman/Greek world, Paul would naturally spend more …
September 11 / Ephesians 5:15-21
…be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (vv. 18b-21) Thanks …
September 10 / Ephesians 5:8-14
Ephesians 5:8-14 Walk as children of light … and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. (vv. 8b-10) I’m not quite sure what I want to say about these verses, but they struck me. In one sense, it seems obvious what is pleasing to the Lord – prayer, first and foremost; Bible study …
September 9 / Ephesians 5:1-7
Ephesians 5:1-7 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. (v. 1) This verse jumped out at me when I read it as “dear children” in the NKJV. Something about “dear” seems more personal than “beloved”. That phrase caught my eye as I imagined myself as God’s “dear child”, thinking of our granddaughter, Audra, just …
September 8 / Ephesians 4:25-32
Ephesians 4:25-32 Today’s reading has a number of what are known as “take off, put on” instructions (vv. 25, 28, 29). These verses are so well known by this phrase that just now I typed “take off, put on” into a search engine and today’s verses came up as the first links! (Other later items …
September 7 / Ephesians 4:17-24
Ephesians 4:17-24 Finally, an end to a long weekend’s travels – hopefully I can get back on schedule with posting in the mornings instead of this late night stuff! …that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, … and that you be renewed in the spirit of your …
September 6 / Ephesians 4:7-16
Ephesians 4:7-16 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens… (v. 10) There is controversy over this verse. When Paul writes He who descended…, is He referring to Jesus’ descent into hell, as we read in the Apostles Creed or is he referring to Jesus’ leaving heaven to come …