Thank God For The Apostles And Their Epistles

[Stumpmaster]

It is possible that modern New Testament scholars are right about the apostle Paul having written 1 Thessalonians between 49 and 51 AD during his 18-month stay in Corinth whilst on his second missionary journey.

I have not so fond memories of Sunday School lessons that focused on the journeys of Paul and the people he wrote to, but they are only not so fond memories because of the incessant parental pressure and intense religious indoctrination I grew up under.

Our family of six children was raised with Bible reading and prayers every night after the meal, plus monitoring of our personal set daily Bible and devotional readings, and of course, obligatory church attendance with choir singing for the girls and altar serving for the boys.

We also had Bible-in-Schools for an hour during class time once a week so by 10am on Sunday mornings, a 2 hour stint in Sunday School was often an unpleasant ordeal for me, and concentrating on the epistles of the apostles did not appeal to me.

These days, aged 68 years and 8 months, I do enjoy the epistles of the apostles, greatly so, and study them daily as a resource for spiritual life and growth.

1Thessalonians 1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What about these guys? They are a great little ministry team, full of faith and support in those early days after Christ came and went and sent the Holy Spirit to guide them into the truth, encouraging the believers with appreciative words.

1Thessalonians 1:2-7 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, (3) remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, (4) knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. (5) For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. (6) And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, (7) so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.

 

[Keturah]

Yes thank God for All the
Apostles & ALL their epistles.

The 3 gospels of Jesus were written by Apostles as well as other epistles.

We must follow ALL not just those written by Paul & held forth by those whom claim to follow Pauline Theology !

 

[Stumpmaster]

Yes thank God for All the
Apostles & ALL their epistles.

The 3 gospels of Jesus were written by Apostles as well as other epistles.

We must follow ALL not just those written by Paul & held forth by those whom claim to follow Pauline Theology !

Would you call Mark an apostle?

Quote: Author of the Gospel According To Mark

Although there is no direct internal evidence of authorship, it was the unanimous testimony of the early church that this Gospel was written by John Mark ("John, also called Mark," Ac 12:12,25; 15:37). The most important evidence comes from Papias (c. a.d. 140), who quotes an even earlier source as saying: (1) Mark was a close associate of Peter, from whom he received the tradition of the things said and done by the Lord; (2) this tradition did not come to Mark as a finished, sequential account of the life of our Lord, but as the preaching of Peter -- preaching directed to the needs of the early Christian communities; (3) Mark accurately preserved this material. The conclusion drawn from this tradition is that the Gospel of Mark largely consists of the preaching of Peter arranged and shaped by Mark (see note on Ac 10:37).

 

[Keturah]

Would you call Mark an apostle?

Quote: Author of the Gospel According To Mark

Although there is no direct internal evidence of authorship, it was the unanimous testimony of the early church that this Gospel was written by John Mark ("John, also called Mark," Ac 12:12,25; 15:37). The most important evidence comes from Papias (c. a.d. 140), who quotes an even earlier source as saying: (1) Mark was a close associate of Peter, from whom he received the tradition of the things said and done by the Lord; (2) this tradition did not come to Mark as a finished, sequential account of the life of our Lord, but as the preaching of Peter -- preaching directed to the needs of the early Christian communities; (3) Mark accurately preserved this material. The conclusion drawn from this tradition is that the Gospel of Mark largely consists of the preaching of Peter arranged and shaped by Mark (see note on Ac 10:37).

I've never done a deep dive into the person of Mark aka "John 'Mark whom I think was also a traveler of Paul @ times before their dispute. I do recall that it was noted his closeness to Peter & that he possibly was the very young man running from the garden of Gethsemane @ Jesus arrest..

Not an Apostle but as suspected he wrote from Peter's recall. There seems to be different things noted in this gospel maybe bc Peter was an uneducated fisherman.

Assuming this is true, I've looked @ the gospel of mark as possibly a ghost writer for Peter.

Matthew was a tax collector so he had some form of education by accounting & record keeping.

I don't know much of John's history except for his writings which either expresses a well articulated mind or an excellent scribe.

Paul on the other hand was very highly educated & by the best scholars as is exhibited by his indepth epistles & history.

However the point I was making one cannot just focus on Paul's epistles & slough by the other writers of the NT.

Yes I know he was the Apostle to the Gentiles but there is neither Jew nor Greek with the Lord. Scripture is important in context & right division and must harmonize per the whole of IMO.

 

[Stumpmaster]

However the point I was making one cannot just focus on Paul's epistles & slough by the other writers of the NT.

That would be remiss.