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The Clarity and Connections of Apostolic Faith
How do WE respond after hearing a letter from an Apostle of Jesus Christ written to our Church?

We are about to take a look at the faith of three Apostles through Epistles they sent to many churches.

But more than that:

The Gospel of Jesus Christ proclaims connections — relationships that matter.

We receive the same love evident through these connections to God and the Apostles, who continue to mean much to 21st century Christians who believe with Apostolic faith.

Apostolic Unity in the Gospels

When someone asks us about our faith, their questions may boil down to a single foundational question:

“Faith in what?”

or perhaps, “faith in whom?”

Let’s begin with what the Lord says about these connections. Jesus actually presents His clarifying question to the Apostles.

And out of all the possibilities of their answers, one stands out in every Gospel.

Peter’s answer to Jesus
- Gospel of Luke
9: And calling the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. And He sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick…

And departing, they were going from village to village, proclaiming the gospel and healing everywhere.

Peter Confesses Jesus Is the Christ

(Mat 16:13–20; Mar 8:27–30 )

.. and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”

.. And He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Luke 9:18b,20a BSB

And Peter answered and said,

“The Christ of God.”
- Gospel of Matthew
And Simon Peter answered and said,

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Mat 16:16 LSB
- Gospel of Mark
And He continued asking them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

Mark 8:29 LSB

Peter provided an answer communited to him by the Holy Spirit of God. And the Apostle John through the same Spirit says the same more fully and in mysterious revealed detail.

Gospel of John

Nearly all of us are familiar with John’s introduction of Jesus in his Gospel:

IN THE BEGINNING was the Word [logos]

(We will come to discover that John refers to JESUS as the Word in the flesh.)

and the Word

was with God [Theos]

[but now, in John 1:1, the Apostle clearly states:]

And the Word was God.

1:1 ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος

John 1:1 LSB – English translation from Greek New Testament

JESUS IS GOD !

The Gospels all record that the twelve Apostles witness God’s power personally MANY TIMES in JESUS.

“I and the Father are [in essence] one,” John records later in his Gospel [John 10:30].

The Apostle’s Gospel of connection to the Living God revealingly becomes even stronger and more forward-facing after Jesus’ resurrection.

We see this first in Peter and John, but with an additional absolute faith in Christ later proclaimed to all the world by the Apostle Paul.

John 20 – Apostolic Authority from God

ἐμφυσάω

emphysáō – John 20:22, where Jesus, after the manner of the Hebrew prophets, expresses by the symbolic act of breathing upon the apostles the communication of the Holy Spirit to them

He breathed on them and *said to them,

“Receive the Holy Spirit.

Gospel of John 20:22b LSB

Christ’s communication from the One God — Father, Son and now the Holy Spirit given — to His Apostles sent into all the world with Gospel Good News!

What is Apostolic Faith?

πίστις – faith, assurance,believe, belief,them that believe, fidelity occurs 244 times in 228 verses in the TR Greek.

conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it
- the conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ
- a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God
- the religious beliefs of Christians
- belief with the predominate idea of trust (or confidence) whether in God or in Christ, springing from faith in the same
- fidelity, faithfulness
- the character of one who can be relied on
Source: Lexicon :: Strong’s G4102 – pistis – faith

This is Apostolic faith,

which finds its roots in the eternal truth that GOD IS — the Person of JESUS IS God — and Christ chose Apostles to continue God’s work of redemption of sinners by proclaiming the Gospel to all mankind.

Who are Apostles?

ACTS on Mission

Tens of Thousands of men, women and children witnessed the Son of God, JESUS, born as a man to a virgin.

Many followed JESUS as DISCIPLES, listening to His teachings and commands. Sometimes Jesus taught thousands. At other times hundreds would follow their Master (Lord) as a Rabbi sent from God. Jesus would teach a houseful of guests or sometimes just one chosen by Him even without witness of the Twelve.

More than five hundred witnessed Jesus AFTER the Lord’s crucifixion and resurrection from the grave (even as several had seen Him raise Lazarus and others).

.. He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles:

Luke 6:13, also Matthew 10 & Mark 3

Disciples followed their itinerant Rabbi from mountainside to village to city over three years, hearing the Messiah Jesus teach true faith. Yet even one of the Twelve had been chosen before time to betray the Lamb of God, our Savior redeeming our sins on a Cross in Jerusalem.

The APOSTLE’S sent out by Jesus were all chosen as witnesses to the Son of Man — an itinerant Teacher who was not of this world, but IS before all time — with God and was God.

Three Apostles nearer to Jesus

And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

And six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain alone by themselves. And He was transfigured before them;

Gospel of Mark 5:37, 9:2, additional references

James, the older brother of John, became the first Apostle martyred for his faith in Jesus just fourteen years into the establishing of the Church. Another would later replace him, as Matthias would replace Judas Iscariot.
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It would be James the half-brother of Jesus who would later lead the church in Jerusalem, writing epistles to followers of The Way and conferring with the Apostles including Peter and John. 
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We witness these three Apostles nearest to Jesus on several occasions, both before and after the Lord’s resurrection.

Many witness the boldness of Simeon Peter and John in the Temple after Jesus is risen. It’s just once instance where Apostles proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the face of imprisonment, persecution and even death.

Σίμων Πέτρος – Simon Peter

So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go?”

Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”

Gospel of John 6:68-69 LSB

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

And I also say to you that you are Peter,
and upon this rock
I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.
Gospel of Matthew 16:17b-18 LSB

a Fisher of Men

Ἰωάννην Βοανηργές – John son of thunder

Jesus called these two brothers and close friends of His inner-circle of Apostles, “sons of thunder,” and more than once James and John had caused a commotion among his disciples.

And they [James and John] said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”

.. And hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John.

Gospel of Mark 10:37,41 LSB

And nearer the time of their journey to Jerusalem for Jesus’ crucifixion:

And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

But He turned and rebuked them..

Luke 9:54-55a LSB

THEN on a hideous hill outside Jerusalem, as Peter and the other Apostles hid distanced from the iniquitous crucifixion of Christ, the youngest of these dared a nearby witness of this most ironic Sacrifice of all time — the Son of God, their friend, hanging and pierced on a cursed Cross.

When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother,

“Woman, behold, your son!”

Then He said to the disciple,

“Behold, your mother!”

From that hour the disciple took her into his home.

Gospel of John 19:26-27 LSB + Witness of the Disciple Jesus loved – youngest of the Twelve

The Lord Jesus entrusted His own mother Mary to the beloved Disciple John, who so often would cling to Him and His every word.

Christ would also restore Peter as the Rock upon which He would build His church.

“Children, have you any fish?”

Jesus’ love and connection to these two Apostles cannot be disputed.

Σαῦλος – Saûlos – Ῥωμαῖος Ταρσέα

After His resurrection the Lord will also embrace an arch-enemy who had not only denied a connection of the Son to God the Father, but even worse had persecuted and killed followers of The Way.
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- Saul, Roman Citizen of Tarsus and Leading Jew of the Pharisees 
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And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

Acts of the Apostles 9:26 NKJV

Παῦλος – Paulos – ἀπόστολος ἐθνῶν
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apostolos ethnos  
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ACTS on Mission

But I say unto you, Love your enemies,

bless them that curse you,

do good to them that hate you,

and pray for them which despitefully use you,

and persecute you..

Gospel of Matthew 5:44 KJV – from Jesus’ sermon on the mount

.. and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen…

‘Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.’

And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Acts of the Apostles 7:58-60 excerpt KJV

Next: Introduction to the letters of Peter

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
October 6, 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
Acts 28 – Malta – Not nearly to Rome
Acts of the Apostles 28:

Once safely ashore, we then learned that the island was called Malta.

Two hundred seventy-six men in the hand of God tossed about in an autumn storm of the Mediterranean Sea survive — some on planks and some on debris from the ship on a remote beach of Malta — far from their destination of Rome.

And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

Acts of the Apostles 28:2 KJV

Melita or Malta history

3 inhabited islands & 18 uninhabited

Ancient Greeks in 700 BC, then the Phoenician traders who were followed by the Romans.

the Phoenicians referred to Mdina as Maleth, which means “shelter”. The Phoenicians were highly civilized people, with many great sailors and traders, who used the Maltese islands as a stop on their trade routes. Carthage (now known as Tunisia) was a city founded by the Phoenicians on the north coast of Africa and the Carthaginians ruled Malta from about 400 BC.

The Carthaginians ruled the Maltese islands for ~250 years, until the Romans seized Malta in 218 BC at the second Punic War. Twisting the island’s Phoenician name, the Romans called Malta “Melita”.

Source: Malta.com/en/

Maltese Barbarians
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βάρβαρος - the barbourous people 
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The KJV contrasts the culture of these resident natives along the shore calling them barbarians simply because like all the rest of the Roman world and an inland city on Malta, they didn’t speak Greek.

As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.

Acts 28:3,5 NLT

And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly:

but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

Acts 28:4,6 KJV

Was it not a miracle that this man among more than 200 men had survived the raging sea?

Acts 28: moving inland on Malta

Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island.
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(Note the Roman name of the man in charge of the island, as Julius had been in charge of Paul's ship wrecked on its shore.)
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He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days.

As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him.

Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed.

As a result we were showered with honors…

Acts of the Apostles 28:7-10a NLT

Safe and Blessed for the Winter

DON’T MISS THIS:

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.

Once the dangers of winter will no longer threaten Paul and his Roman companions and the Centurion Julian finds a new ship for their voyage, God-willing, we will sail on to Rome.

NEXT

In the meantime, we will take a brief overview of ALL of Acts of the Apostles and timely connections of LETTERS written by Paul and other Apostles during these same years.

I pray that you will join us as we continue our journey into all the world with the Gospel.

Roger@TalkofJesus.com

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts of the Apostles 20:24 ESV

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
September 30, 2025