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Tag: letters

3 Letters from the Apostle John
The world cannot think of John without a picture of a young man next to JESUS who wrote,“God so loved the world…”

Or Christians perhaps recall the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John on Patmos with little consideration of his age or the path of the Apostle leading him to this isolated Greek island.

Three intimate letters to believers
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The A.D. 90's - the END of an era 
— JOHN's Apostolic love and truth for fidelity in the faith. 
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The Elder John writes three letters — along with Jude, the LAST EPISTLES of the New Testament.

Although our focus will be 2 John and 3 John, I will include 1 John in this overview written about the same time.

In order to set the cultural stage of the Church enduring beyond the end of the A.D. first century, consider that the Elder writes his 3 Epistles some sixty years after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

Introduction to an Era not unlike our own:

INTRO – MACARTHUR NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY 1-3 JOHN

quoting Donald W Burdick

Apart from the Judaeo-Christian sphere, the world was religiously inclusivistic. There was always room for a new religion, provided of course that it was not of an exclusive nature. Syncretism[‘s].. characteristic expression was in the combination of various ideas and beliefs from different sources to form new or aberrant religions. This was the age of of the developing mystery religions, the age of the occult, ane age of the proliferation of Gnostic sects.

MACARTHUR Commentary 1-3 John, p.1

Recall from Acts how the young Apostle Jesus loved also preached the Gospel of our risen Lord boldly along with Simon Peter in the Temple. But that was about sixty years ago .

In the year of our Lord 90

(approximately)
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Keep in mind that ALL dates used for comparison to various 1st c. events are approximate, but reveal a chronology of John's life.
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- John’s own Gospel account of the events of JESUS’s incarnate life had already been written and distributed to the churches some five to ten years ago.
- Mark, Matthew and Luke had written and sent out their Gospel’s some thirty years before, back in the 50’s and 60’s.
- Several missionary journeys of the Paul (begun in A.D. 47) along with many others had concluded prior to the Apostle’s death along with Peter in Rome [~ A.D. 66] also some twenty to thirty years before these final epistles of John.
  - Paul had founded this church in Ephesus where John now serves as an Elder.
  - Paul had written to it as well some forty years before, back in the early A.D. 60’s.
Rome had political problems of its own.

In addition to putting down a Jewish revolt in Jerusalem [A.D. 66] and destroying the Temple [A.D. 70], the Caesar’s frequently blamed and banished Christians for their political problems in Rome and other cities of the Empire.

An Apostolic Dogma of John
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The 21st c. Common Era church speaks so little of dogma that I must define it. 
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Dogma – 1. A doctrine or a corpus of doctrines relating to matters such as morality and faith, set forth in an authoritative manner by a religion.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language

This is what I refer to as Apostolic Faith, which includes all Apostolic authority continuing through Scripture to this day.
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Referring to the "we" statements of 1 John, the author speaks on behalf of the Twelve." 

John Stott observes: 
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He does not hesitate to call certain classes of people liars, deceivers or antichrists. .. they either have God or have not, know God or do not, have live or abide in death, walk in darkness or in the light, are children of God or children of the devil.

This dogmatic authority of the writer is seen particularly in his statements and in his commands.

John Stott commentary, quoted by MacArthur, p.4

a culture combining aberrant and mystery religions
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Stick with me on some abridged definitions for your understanding of the A.D. 1st century, (again, not so unlike our 21st century of the Common Era).
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- syncretism –
  - .. fusion of differing systems of belief, as in philosophy or religion, ..the result is heterogeneous – AHD
- aberrant –
  - 3. straying from the right way – AHD
- mystery religions – (What typifies them?)
  - any of various secret cults of the Greco-Roman world that offered to individuals religious experiences not provided by the official public religions.
  - .. initiation in Greece became a matter of personal choice.
  - The mystery religions reached their peak of popularity in the first three centuries a.d. Their origin, however, goes back to the earlier centuries of Greek history.
    
    Source: Britannica
The DANGER of gnostics!

For those of you who really don’t know much about false religions, before we begin John’s three strongly-worded epistles, I need to define this great threat to the Church — gnosticism.

of a person (25 terms) gnostic 1607–
Historical. (With capital initial.) Chiefly plural.

The designation given to certain heretical sects among the early Christians who claimed to…

source: OED

Until fairly recently the term was generally applied collectively to the majority of those 2nd cent. movements which called themselves Christian or borrows heavily from Christian sources, but which were rejected by the main stream of Christian tradition.

more..

.. Gnostic systems which make testing intellectual demands, others which depend on mumbo-jumbo and sleight of hand.

.. high-minded ascetic, and others who are licentious charlatans.

“GNOSTICISM” – Tenney Encyclopedia of the Bible, pub. ZONDERVAN, vol.2, p.736-739

The gnostic doctrine of God

Gnostics borrowed from the anti-christian philosophers:
- ‘that God is so utterly transcendent that He can have no direct contact with the world;
- and can have no contact with God..’
- THEREFORE, they conclude:
- ‘Man is thus a creature of mixed origin, a mixture of incompatibles.
- Christianity is ‘self-condemned:’
..the claim that God became man is impossible, since God and Matter could not mix.

ibid. p.736

God is conceived as remote from all material creation..

If God’s transcendence implies the impossibility of His contact with matter, how could God take a human body —(*that of Christ, whom the gnostics oppose) — still less suffer in one?

ibid. p.737

John’s opposition to developing heresies

Various heresies of the A.D. first century antichrists creeping into the houses of worship in various places led John to write his epistles to the faithful who believed his Gospel of the the Lord Jesus Christ. The Elder’s purpose in writing is to urge the faithful to REJECT false gospels, false philosophies cloaked in christian garments and especially to send away FALSE teachers.

MacArthur continues in his commentary on 1 John 1-4:

He [the Elder John] clearly expected his readers to obey his commands unquestioningly. Only an apostle, known and respected by those whom he addressed, could have written such an authoritative letter and not given his name.

ibid. p.5

John’s first epistle clearly calls on those under his Apostolic authority to apply the test of faith he puts forth and to obey his commands of how to deal with these liars, deceivers and antichrists bringing false faith into the practices of their gatherings and worship.

The Elder’s second and third epistles, the shortest of John’s letters (other than the brief tests revealed to the 7 churches in his apocalypse) addresses certain faithful leaders of the Church more personally with specific individual instructions.

Key Scriptures from Epistles of the Elder

John will reiterate some of his purpose in writing in his second and third Epistles, the focus of our Apostolic look at his last letters. The partial list from 1 John provides a larger context for the Apostle’s last two letters near the end of the A.D. first century.

the First Letter of John the Elder and Apostle of Jesus Christ

Key verses from 1 John
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1 John 1:3-5,9; 2:1,10-11,15,18,26,28-29; 3:5-6,8,18; 4:3-4,10,19; 5:1,13,18-19
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This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1 Letter of John 1:5 ESV

Do you want to know IF someone truly believes that JESUS Christ is the Lord — the only Son of God?

Without introduction, the Elder John writes to the Church in his own Apostolic authority with two tests for the saints of God to know if another has fellowship with God — the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
1. Belief in God
  - .. if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
    
    1 John 1:7 (and in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 5:8)
2. Certainty of Sin
  - If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
    
    1 John 8
  - If we confess our sins, he is faithful..
    
    1 John 9a
If we say we have not sinned, we make him [Jesus Christ] a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:10 ESV

John provides a plumb line to delineate true faith in Christ.

The beloved Apostle makes clear that those who claim falsely to have no sin, ‘lie and do not practice the truth,’ a direct affront on the claim of some that the body can sin while the spirit separately remains pure.

Fellowship

Love and fellowship permeate the Apostle’s larger focus not only in John’s Gospel, but in the 3 Letters from the Elder as well.

κοινωνία – koinōnia is the share which one has in anything, participation; intercourse (between loved ones, but not eros), fellowship (between near friends), intimacy (as that of family members who live lovingly together with each other).

BluueLetteBible.org – Strong’s G2842 – koinōnia *with parenthetical clarity added by RH

What does this mean in relation to God?

Perfect PERSONAL fellowship of the One Triune GOD in the Persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Fellowship between the Father and the Son.

Fellowship between believers and the Holy Spirit.

AND within the Church — the Body of Christ — fellowship of personal relationship in the love of the Light of life, our Lord Jesus Christ.

John, in the authority of Christ, sows the seeds of the Father’s love given in the Person of the Son redeeming us from our sins.

Do not love [agapaō] the world or the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ..the world is passing away along with its desires,

but whoever does the will of God [theos] abides forever.

1 John 2:15,17 ESV

The Apostle urges a fellowship with the loving Person of the Father, not simply an acknowledgment of God, Who IS forever.

Have fellowship with God.. and fellowship with Light.. fellowship AND love [agapaō & phileō]…

Obey God, because of His love for you and His holy ones..

Propitiation of a Personal God
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Propitiation would seem to be a technical theological term unfamiliar to many Common Era Christians. 
The concept is important.. and not so difficult. 
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ἱλασμός – hilasmos –

from a Greek root word found only in John’s first letter

– English translations: propitiation, the sacrifice that atones, atoning sacrifice, expiation, sacrifice to take away

Christ’s love for His Church.

The ‘one Jesus loved’ (the Elder’s own self-identification) instructs believers in how to relate to God as your personal loving God, as John himself had experienced God in Jesus Christ.

Herein is love [agapē],
not that we loved God,
but that he loved us,
and sent his Son
to be the propitiation
for our sins.
1 John 4:10 KJV

What human father would do that?

Is OUR love of God the reason Christ became the propitiation for our sins and the sins of the world? NO!

It is the LOVE — agapē — of our Father in heaven, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father who in His love for us Personally sacrificed Jesus to the Cross for the price of our sins.

Jesus is The Christ!

Therefore, in light of the cultural challenges we introduced as an impetus for the Elder’s epistles, John calls on the Church to identify antichrists among us — that is, heretics and gnostics.
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We will not again address end times today as before.
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7 Epistles of John with the same Revelation

The Elder addresses his beloved saints in Ephesus (and other churches):

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come,

even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

First Epistle of John 2:19-20.22 King James Version
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Now don't go calling any of your questionable 'christian' colleagues, 'antichrists.' 
The Elder explains why some saints will sit under Godly teaching while others listen only for a time they hope to influence the body.. and then leave the church. 
```
‘Do Not Love the World,’ ‘Beware of Antichrists,’ and ‘Remain in Christ,’ read the subheadings for these.

Behold what manner of love..

We recognize this same Apostle once nearest to Jesus as the Elder now embraces his fellow saints with the same concern for their souls as Christ held for His Disciples.

Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are!

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed.

1 John 3:1-2a BSB

‘You know that he [Jesus] appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin,’ John reminds [ESV].

No one who abides in him keeps on sinning..

1 John 3:6a ESV

The Elder then continues in his delineation between the saints of Jesus and antichrists of the devil:

By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil:

whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

1 John 3:10 ESV

the Elder’s foundational exhortation of his epistle

My little children,
let us not love in word, neither in tongue;
but in deed and in truth.
1 letter of John 3:18 KJV

On Denying the Incarnation

This heading from the NIV addresses John’s concern for the saints holding fast to the truth of the Gospel in the recognition of the false teachers of tolerant gnosticism, inclusivist universalism and other antichrists posing as the godly.

Dear friends,

do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God:

Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.

This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

1 John 4:1-3 NIV

John comforts: ‘You, dear children, are from God.. [v.4] and warns:

They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them.

1 John 4:5 NIV

Of course the world entangled in sin will neither accept the Truth of Christ or His Incarnation and return in a final Judgment.

Herein is love.. agapaō

In this is love, not that we have loved God,
but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins...

We love,
because He first loved us.
1 John 4:10,19 LSB

John’s Conclusion to his First Letter

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves those born of Him.

We know that anyone born of God does not keep on sinning; the One who was born of God protects him, and the evil one cannot touch him.

1 John 5:1,19 BSB

That is, proclaims the Elder: Jesus Christ, the Son of Man and Son of God, protects you, beloved saint and holy one of His, from Satan and the anti-christs of this passing world.

Next: the last 2 of 3 letters
April 20, 2026
a Roman Conclusion – Acts of the Apostles
All roads lead to Rome

Who has not heard the expression recalling a time of glory for the Roman Empire of the A.D. first century?

But this second account of the Hellenist physician Luke records that the Gospel is sent out from Jerusalem and then Antioch.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts of the Apostles 1:8 CSB – words of the risen Jesus to His disciples

The apostles and the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.

Acts 11:1 CSB

For a whole year they [Barnabas and Paul] met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.

Acts of the Apostles 11:26 CSB

Paul’s Previous 3 Missionary Journeys
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READ MORE about the timeline of Paul's missions with numerous maps of the Roman world of the A.D. 1st century. 
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ACTS on Mission Paul and other Apostles

An Apostle known by his Letters

Epistle of Paul to the Romans

As did Peter, John, James and others, the Apostle Paul communicates with converts to Christ frequently by letter, in addition to their Apostolic missions to live and worship with these believers for a time.
- AD 49
  - Galatians
- AD 50-51
  - 2 Letters to the Thessalonians
- AD 55-56
  - 2 Letters to the Corinthians
Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians – Featured Series
- AD 57
Two years BEFORE Paul is brought to Rome on spurious charges of the Jews and the Apostle’s appeal to Caesar Nero (as a Roman citizen), Paul writes his masterful theological Epistle to the Romans, instructing his fellow Roman citizens in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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We will read more of the Apostle's personal joy in meeting these Romans shortly. 
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- AD 60-62
  - From Rome (and possibly other cities away from Rome) the Apostle to the Gentiles writes to the church in:
    
    Ephesus, Philppi and Colossae
    
    a letter concerning Philemon
- AD 62-66
  - Paul writes a first pastoral letter to Timothy
  - and also to Titus
- July 19, AD 64 – Caesar Nero burns Rome, blames and persecutes the Christians, Apostle’s under house arrest face execution at Nero’s command
- AD 66-67 – Facing imminent execution (as does the Apostle Paul, now in Rome), Peter writes a second and final pastoral epistle to Timothy to encourage and guide the Church.
Paul brought to Rome

Previously, we left the Apostle having survived a shipwreck in Malta.

The Centurion Julius, the Apostle Paul and now more than 300 men witness the power of God in Christ’s Apostle to the gentiles delayed in a violent storm on his way to Rome.

In these few verses THREE MONTHS PASS.

ACTS of the Apostles 28 – Conclusion

After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Gods as its figurehead.

12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days.

13 From there, after making a circuit along the coast, we reached Rhegium. After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli.

CSB

Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.

Acts 28:14 KJV

140 miles (225 kilometers) southeast of Rome. “Puteoli” literally means “little wells” in reference to the many hydrothermal wells that were in the city, which was well-known as a large port that could accommodate big ships.

In fact, adjacent to Puteoli was Misenum, the Roman naval base that housed the largest naval fleet in the ancient world. Earthquakes have since sunk most of Puteoli under water.

Source: Bibleversestudy.com

And the brothers, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us.

When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

And when we entered Rome,

Paul was allowed to stay by himself,

with the soldier who was guarding him.

Acts 28:16 LSB

Paul Addresses Prominent Jews of Rome

And it happened that after three days Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews,

and when they came together, he began saying to them,

“Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there was no ground for putting me to death. But when the Jews [spoke against me], I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation.

Acts 28:17-19
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Note two points from Paul's self-introduction to the Roman Jews: 
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The Apostle refers to himself as a brother of these Jews, also referring to OUR people, customs and fathers [patrōos].

Paul had identified with the fathers of the faith in defense of the Gospel before:

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia.. instructed .. according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today,

Acts 22:3 excerpt LSB

And hear Paul’s defense in his first Trial Before Felix:

“But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect,

so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.

Acts 24:14 NKJV

Ethnos

The APOSTLE and ROMAN CITIZEN parenthetically adds:

.. not that I had anything of which to accuse my nation.

Acts 28:19b NKJV

Paul has NO extra-judicial accusation against his accusers with whom he identifies by calling them: ‘MY NATION” — ἔθνος – ethnos —
- a multitude [together]
- the human family
- tribe, nation, people group
- Gentiles [OT]
- Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians
Source: BlueLetterBible.org Strong’s G1484 – ethnos

HERE in his defense to the Jews, Paul uses ethnos to describe OTHER Jews including his Jewish accusers in Jerusalem AND those in Rome whom the Apostle has summoned.
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Luke opens Acts of the Apostles telling readers: 
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Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation – G1484 – ethnos – under heaven.

Acts of the Apostles 2:5 LSB

For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
Acts 28:20 KJV

O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night?

מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשִׁיעוֹ
Jeremiah 14:8a -yirmᵊyâ יִרְמְיָהוּ

Understanding you (Paul) for ourselves
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These leading Jews of Rome of course know Scripture and realize that Paul preaches about the Messiah.
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And they said to him,

“We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brothers come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. But we desire to hear from you what you think;

for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.”

Acts 28:21-22 LSB

And when they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers..

and he was explaining to them by solemnly bearing witness about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets,

from morning until evening.

And some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others were not believing.

And when they disagreed with one another, they began leaving after Paul had spoken one word,

Acts 28:23-25a LSB

“The Holy Spirit rightly spoke

through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, saying,
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And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ 

“Make the heart of this people dull,
And their ears heavy,
And shut their eyes;

Lest they see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart,

And return and be healed.” 
```
Isaiah 6:9-10 (quoted by Paul) NKJV

Paul’s final word for the Roman Jews

“Therefore let it be known to you
that the salvation of God
has been sent to the Gentiles,
and they will hear it!”
Acts of the Apostles 28:28 NKJV

And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.

Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him,

preaching the kingdom of God

and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

Acts 28:30-31 NKJV

Thus ends ACTS of the Apostles –

second account of Luke, the physician .

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
December 10, 2025
Letters to the saints of the First Century Church
An Introduction to the Epistles

TalkofJESUS.com would like to introduce you to an overview of some of the letters of the New Testament.
- We have recently finished a SERIES from 1 Corinthians and will soon study three more epistles.
What’s an Epistle?
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Here's a general sense of it from Scripture: 
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So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:

Acts of the Apostles 15:20 KJV

[Soldiers] Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle [from the chief captain of the centurions] to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

Acts 23:26 KJV

ἐπιστολή –

epistolḗ, ep-is-tol-ay’; from G1989; a written message:—”epistle,” letter.
- to send one a message, command
- to write a letter
- to enjoin by letter, to write instructions
BlueLetterBible.org

Historical Context in the Early Church

During the first century AD, written communication held a central role in connecting communities separated by great distances. It was common for Christian leaders to address the fledgling groups of believers through written correspondence, ensuring consistent teaching and doctrinal guidance. These epistles were often circulated among multiple churches (see Colossians 4:16) and copied for preservation and further dissemination.

The Greco-Roman practice of public reading of letters provided an effective way to convey instructions and encourage unity. Such letters were seen as authoritative instructions from established leaders, which enabled early Christians to remain steadfast in their beliefs and practices.

BibleHub.com

The New Testament generally indexes Epistles by the place of its recipients, i.e. Philippians, but occasionally by the name of the letter writer, i.e. James.

Older translations like the King James Version use Epistle or Letter from the same Greek word most translations simply title, ‘Letter.’

How do WE respond after hearing a letter from an Apostle of Jesus Christ to our Church?

Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel

PAUL and Twelve Apostles had been sent into all the world by the risen Lord Jesus Christ to preach the Gospel.

~ A.D. 30 – Beginning with the Twelve Disciples responding to the command of the risen Lord Jesus:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts of the Apostles 1:8 ESV

A diaspora of the Gospel (Good News) of the risen Christ began with more than five-hundred witnesses of Jesus after the crucifixion of Israel’s Messiah.

See: 1 Corinthians 15:6 [context 1 Cor 15:3-8]

It began, as Jesus commanded, in Jerusalem — Simon Peter and John as Christ’s first vocal witnesses in the Temple — the Gospel then spreading throughout Judea and Galilee, and with Philip in Samaria, Gaza and Caesarea.

Followers of The Way of Jesus Christ establish many churches in person and later write to church leaders (elders) to build up the saints of these churches during difficult times of several decades of the first century.

Acts of the Apostles (including some letter writing)

Acts is an account of FIRST-HAND WITNESS written for saints of every era — AS SCRIPTURE AND TRUTH of the GOSPEL of our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST.

When did the Apostles write their LETTERS?
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ALL dates approximate
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- AD 49 – James (half-brother of Jesus) writes a letter sent to several churches
- Paul writes a letter to the near-by churches in Galatia (during his first missionary journey)
- AD 50 – During his second missionary journey, Paul writes a letter to the church in Thessalonica (which he had established), then later a second letter.
- AD 55 – Paul writes a letter to the Corinthians (where the Apostle had established this church during his previous mission) and then will write a second letter to these saints a year later.
A contemporary analogy
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Need a context to our Common Era? 

Taking that the Lord Jesus Christ had been crucified, buried and rose from the grave before ascending into heaven some 25 years ago, WE would be witnessing this HISTORY as if it had occured in about 2000 CE. 

(And much has happened with the church since then..) 
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First Corinthians Featured Series
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TALK OF JESUS .COM LINKS to each Chapter of Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians
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What did Paul write in Second Corinthians?
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a year later...
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Although we will not include 2 Corinthians in our current series of Second (or 3rd) Epistles, TAKE A LOOK at the focus of Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians written in ~ A.D. 56. 
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Key Themes [partial] Endurance through difficulty and Christlike behavior are made possible by the grace of God and are modeled by Paul himself.

The Spirit transforms believers into the image of God, which is seen in Christ.

Christ, as Savior, is also the universal Judge.

ESV Global Study Bible
INTRODUCTION TO
2 CORINTHIANS

Theme: Strength in Christ

But He said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
—
2 Corinthians 12:9
BibleHub .com 2 Corinthians

MORE of the TIMELINE of the Apostolic Epistles

First Century YEARS of continuous Letters (Epistles) to the Church
- AD 57 Paul writes to the Romans
- AD 60-62 While in Rome, writes three Epistles to the churches
  - in Ephesus in Asia,
  - Philippi in Macedonia and
  - Colossae near Laodecia east of Ephesus
  - and a personal plea to Philemon, leader of a house church in or near Colossae concerning his fellow escaped slave Onesimus.
- AD 62-64 After his release from prison in Rome, Paul writes his First pastoral epistle to Timothy, the Apostle’s protege and successor as pastor to the church in Ephesus.
- AD 62-64 The Apostle Paul writes a pastoral Epistle to Titus, between his first and second Roman imprisonments, from either Corinth or Nicopolis.
- AD 64 The Apostle Peter writes his First Epistle to ‘the strangers [or pilgrims] scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, from Rome at the time Nero burns it, referring to it as ‘Babylon.’
- AD 66 – Christians flee Jerusalem rather than join a Jewish revolt against Rome.
  - Some historians estimate the dates of these Epistles and martyrdoms of Peter & Paul earlier around A.D. 64
- AD 66-67 SECOND PASTORAL LETTER OF PAUL TO TIMOTHY
  - (SOON: part of our NEXT Featured SERIES)
- AD 67-68 SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER
  - (SOON: part of our NEXT Featured SERIES)
- AD 60’s Epistle to the Hebrews
AD 70 Rome destroys Jerusalem

Burning of Jerusalem AD70
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Do you need a contemporary compasspoint again? 

It's now been 40 years since AD 30, our pivotal point in HISTORY. 
Think back now forty contempory years to AD 1985. How has YOUR church changed?
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- AD 70’s Epistle of Jude (the younger half-brother of Jesus.)
- AD 85-95 The Apostle John writes his Gospel and THREE EPISTLES
  - (2 John & 3 John included in our NEXT Featured SERIES)
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne,

Epistles for a Common Era church

Once again – a paradigm shift ahead to 2025 of the Common Era.

Our pivotal HISTORY of ACTS of the Apostles and the Gospel began back in the AD 30’s

and the Apostle John writes to the churches in the AD 90’s.

Sixty-some years ago — in the years of our Lord the 1960’s.

Once again, I will ask YOU, my fellow saints of the Lord Jesus Christ:

How do WE respond after hearing a letter from an Apostle of Jesus Christ to our Church?

Even in these last days of the Common Era let us proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a world with a remnant of souls yet to be saved from the wrath to come.

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
October 1, 2025