The Jewish roots of Christianity

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Bible teaching with an emphasis on Israel, prophecy and the Jewish roots of Christianity

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Episode: “Paul’s Earliest Writings: Galatians and 1 Thessalonians”
Jeff and Sandra examine the writings of Paul.
Series: “In The Footsteps of The Rabbi From Tarsus”
In this twelve-part TV series, Dr. Jeffrey Seif sheds light on the Apostle Paul, his movements, and his message. After examining Paul’s travels throughout the Roman Empire, Jeff analyzes Paul’s divinely inspired letters to early Church congregations, preserved in the New Testament.

Note: A newer version of this series is available.

Caption transcript for In The Footsteps of The Rabbi From Tarsus: “Paul’s Earliest Writings: Galatians and 1 Thessalonians” (7/12)

  • 00:03 WITH DR. JEFFERY SEIF AND SANDRA LEVITT
  • 01:00 A HEARTY SHALOM TO ALL OF YOU.
  • 01:03 JEFFERY SEIF HERE WITH MY FRIEND SANDRA LEVITT.
  • 01:05 SHALOM
  • 01:06 WELCOME BACK.
  • 01:07 WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE PARCHMENTS
  • 01:09 OR THE TEACHINGS OF PAUL THIS WEEK.
  • 01:11 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GALATIANS.
  • 01:12 PROBABLY THE VERY EARLIEST EPISTLE THAT PAUL WOULD HAVE WRITTEN.
  • 01:16 I LOVE GALATIANS.
  • 01:17 IS THERE SOMETHING IN GALATIANS THAT REALLY JUST KIND OF >>YES
  • 01:20 WARRANTS YOUR ATTENTION? >>OH, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED ME.
  • 01:22 WELL THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS.
  • 01:23 I LOVE, OF COURSE GALATIANS FOR ME IS 3:28,
  • 01:33 THAT SOUNDS LIKE GREAT CHURCH LANGUAGE TODAY.
  • 01:35 YESTERDAY, THEMS WERE FIGHTIN' WORDS.
  • 01:38 WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S NOT JEW OR GREEK, RICH OR POOR,
  • 01:41 MALE AND FEMALE? HOLD ON, BECAUSE SOCIETY WAS ALL DIVIDED.
  • 01:44 RIGHT, BUT WE'RE ALL BELIEVERS TODAY
  • 01:46 AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT JUST SO EXCITING TO READ THE WORD OF GOD.
  • 01:49 WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE WORD IS THAT PAUL WAS FEISTY. >>YEAH
  • 01:53 TODAY I THINK TOO MANY MINISTERS HIDE BEHIND THEIR PULPITS,
  • 01:57 RATHER THAN STANDING UP FROM THOSE PULPITS.
  • 01:59 AND HERE IN GALATIANS
  • 02:01 PAUL WEIGHS IN ON THE ISSUES OF THE DAY. >>PAUL DOES THAT.
  • 02:03 WELL AND WE'RE GONNA SEE YOU WEIGH IN AT EPHESUS.
  • 02:06 HERE'S JEFF.
  • 02:23 PAUL ARGUED FORCEFULLY WHEN WORKING IN EPHESUS
  • 02:28 AND HE ARGUED FORCEFULLY WHEN WRITING FROM EPHESUS.
  • 02:32 PAUL HAD A VISION, A MYSTERY THAT WAS REVEALED TO HIM.
  • 02:37 IN FACT THE WORD THAT'S USED FOR THE REVEALING IS APOCALYPSE,
  • 02:40 FOR WHERE WE GET THE WORD REVELATION,
  • 02:42 WELL IT WASN'T SO MUCH A VISION FOR THE END OF TIME AS MUCH AS A VISION FOR THE PRESENT TIME.
  • 02:46 PAUL BELIEVED THAT THROUGH ABRAHAM ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD WILL BE BLESSED.
  • 02:54 AND THAT'S NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM,
  • 02:57 BUT THOSE WHO SPIRITUALLY ENJOIN THEMSELVES TO ABRAHAM THROUGH FAITH.
  • 03:01 PAUL WASN'T HAPPY WHEN HE LEARNED THAT HIS EGALITARIAN VISION OF ALL PEOPLE,
  • 03:08 BEING THE PEOPLE OF GOD, WAS INTERRUPTED.
  • 03:10 PAUL HAD COME TO ASIA TO MINISTER ON HIS FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY
  • 03:15 AND ESTABLISHED A NUMBER OF CHURCHES.
  • 03:17 IN AROUND THE AREA OF GALATIA AND WHEN LEARNED THAT IN THE WAKE OF HIS DEPARTURE
  • 03:21 THAT SOME HAD COME IN AND PREACHED ANOTHER GOSPEL PAUL WAS NOT A HAPPY CAMPER.
  • 03:26 AND SO FROM HERE IN EPHESUS HE MADE HIS UNDERSTANDING KNOWN
  • 03:33 IN WHAT IS ARGUABLY THE FIRST DOCUMENT WRITTEN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
  • 03:39 THE NEW TESTAMENT AS WE HAVE IT BEGINS WITH MATTHEW AND ENDS IN REVELATION.
  • 03:44 BUT ... WASN'T THE FIRST AUTHOR TO PEN TO PAPER.
  • 03:48 PAUL WROTE FIRST AND HE WAS NOT THE LEAST BIT HAPPY.
  • 03:54 AND YOU CAN REALLY FEEL THE TONE AND TENURE OF THE MAN IN GALATIANS CHAPTER 1.
  • 03:59 AND ON HE STARTS OFF, PROFESSIONALLY SO:
  • 04:10 YOU KNOW THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT ADVOCATED THEY HAD BETTER PEDIGREE THAN PAUL
  • 04:13 BECAUSE THEY STUDIED IN JERUSALEM.PAUL DIDN'T.
  • 04:16 PAUL SAID, NO MAN MADE ME AN APOSTLE, FOR GO HIMSELF CALLED ME.
  • 04:20 AND THEN IN VERSE 6, YOU CAN FEEL THE TENSION AS HE ARGUED:
  • 04:32 HE GOES, "MY GOD WHAT'S UP WITH YOU PEOPLE?"
  • 04:34 "YOU'RE LIKE A BUNCH OF BACKSLIDERS."
  • 04:37 IN FACT, HE SAYS AS MUCH.
  • 04:38 IT SEEMS AT ONE LEVEL, SO VERY UNCHARACTERISTIC IN CHAPTER 3, VERSE 1.
  • 04:43 PAUL WILL SAY:
  • 04:51 NOW ISN'T THAT AN INTERESTING WAY TO WRITE A LETTER TO A CHURCH TO SAY LISTEN,
  • 04:53 "WHAT DEVIL PUT ON A SPELL ON YOU?"
  • 04:56 PAUL IS RAMPING UP, HE'S INTENSE IN PART BECAUSE PAUL'S AUTHORIZATION IS UNDERMINED.
  • 05:04 THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT CAME TO THE REGION OF GALATIA, CAME TO THE PEOPLE THAT HE PREACHED TO,
  • 05:09 AND THEY KNOCKED THE LEGS OUT FROM UNDERNEATH HIM SAYING, THAT,
  • 05:12 THAT PAUL DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
  • 05:14 THEY ARGUED THEY HAD A BETTER TELLING OF THE NATURE AND THE STRUCTURE OF CHRISTIAN LIFE.
  • 05:19 AND SO IT IS THEY ADVOCATED THAT THESE NON-JEWISH PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME TO FAITH
  • 05:23 THAT THEY NOW COME TO BE MORE JEWISH IN THEIR PRACTICE.
  • 05:26 PAUL WAS NOT OF THAT PARTICULAR UNDERSTANDING.
  • 05:31 PAUL BELIEVED THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO CAME TO THE MESSIAH OF ISRAEL,
  • 05:36 DIDN'T NEED TO CONFORM TO ALL THE CONVENTIONS OF ISRAEL.
  • 05:40 AND SO IT IS THAT INDIVIDUALS OF NON-JEWISH EXTRACT COULD COME
  • 05:44 AND PARTICIPATE IN THIS BODY LIFE WITHOUT PICKING UP ALL THE ACCOUTREMENTS OF JEWISH CULTURE.
  • 05:50 AND THE REQUIREMENTS AND BIBLICAL LITERATURE FOR JEWS, IN FACT, IN CHAPTER 3, VERSE 26
  • 05:56 HE MAKES A POINT THAT HE'S GONNA MAKE OVER AGAIN IN HIS WRITINGS.
  • 05:59 AND IT'S HIS OWN WAY OF GIVING AN ACCOUNTING FOR CORE VALUE.
  • 06:02 HE SAYS:
  • 06:12 AND THEN IN VERSE 28 HE SAYS WHAT HE'S FAMOUS FOR:
  • 06:31 SEE PAUL HAD A VISION.
  • 06:33 PAUL HIMSELF AS WE KNOW WAS THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES, BUT IF WE THINK FOR A MINUTE,
  • 06:38 THE GENTILES THAT HE SPOKE TO WEREN'T YOUR GARDEN VARIETY, EVERYDAY PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
  • 06:42 PAUL WENT INTO SYNAGOGUES.
  • 06:44 AND IN THE SYNAGOGUES HE MET INDIVIDUALS OF NON-JEWISH EXTRACT
  • 06:47 WHO WERE IMPRESSED BY HIS TEACHINGS WHO FOLLOWED HIM
  • 06:50 AS DID JEWISH PEOPLE LEAVE THE SYNAGOGUES WITH THESE GENTILES
  • 06:54 AND TOGETHER THEY FORMED A NUCLEUS OF NEW CONGREGATIONS.
  • 06:57 PAUL'S GENTILES WERE THEMSELVES HALF-BAKED JEWS,
  • 07:02 INDIVIDUALS WHO LOVE JEWISH PEOPLE, THEY LOVE JEWISH SCRIPTURE,
  • 07:05 AND NOW PAUL HELPED THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THE MESSIAH OF THE JEWS HAVE COME
  • 07:10 AND THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN WHAT IT MEANS TO BE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL
  • 07:14 WITHOUT CONFORMING TO ALL THE CONVENTIONS OF ISRAEL.
  • 07:17 AGAIN THAT WAS RADICAL IN HIS DAY AND TIME.
  • 07:20 PAUL HAD A VISION FOR A WORLD WITHOUT BORDERS.
  • 07:22 YOU KNOW BEHIND ME HERE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WOULD ARGUE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
  • 07:27 THEY'D KINDA HACK IT OUT.
  • 07:29 THEY'D WORK THROUGH ISSUES, THEY'D DEBATE THE PREVAILING PROBLEMS OF THE DAY
  • 07:32 HERE AT THE PARLIAMENT IN EPHESUS.
  • 07:35 WELL HERE FROM EPHESUS AND FROM THIS ANCIENT WORLD,
  • 07:38 PAUL WHO HIMSELF WAS A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD,
  • 07:41 WHO HIMSELF APPRECIATED DIVERSITY
  • 07:44 AND WASN'T HIMSELF GIVEN TO IMPOSING SOME MONOLITH FROM THE CHURCH.
  • 07:48 SOME ONE WAY OF BEING AND ONE WAY OF BEING ONLY.
  • 07:51 THIS PAUL ENVISIONED A BROADER WORLD,
  • 07:53 A CHURCH WITHOUT BORDERS THAT MADE ROOM FOR ALL PEOPLE IN ITS ENVIRONS.
  • 07:58 AND IF YOU'LL LOOK AT GALATIANS EPISTLE,
  • 08:00 THEREIN HE'S ON RECORD CONTENDING BOLDLY FOR BROADER HORIZONS.
  • 08:06 WHAT A MESSAGE.
  • 08:07 RADICAL IN ITS DAY AND TIME
  • 08:09 FROM THE HEART AND THE MIND AND THE INSPIRATION OF PAUL.
  • 08:13 AND WE'LL BE LEARNING MORE ABOUT HIM AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT HIS MOVEMENTS
  • 08:17 AND HIS PARCHMENTS.
  • 08:18 AS WE FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
  • 08:34 I TRUST YOU'RE ENJOYING OUR SERIES ON PAUL.
  • 08:38 I BELIEVE YOU'LL ENJOY THE BOOK, MY NEW BOOK CALLED,
  • 08:41 "IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS."
  • 08:44 HEREIN WE EXAMINE THE MAN'S WORLD
  • 08:47 AND THE WORD THAT HE SHARED IN THAT WORLD.
  • 08:50 AS FAR AS THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN TODAY
  • 08:53 IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES,
  • 08:55 WE HAVE A MONTHLY MAGAZINE,
  • 08:57 WE'RE PLEASED TO SEND TO YOU FOR ASKING.
  • 08:59 1-800-WONDERS IS THE NUMBER.
  • 09:02 AND IF YOU'D CALL IT WE'D GET THIS TO YOU, OUR LEVITT LETTER.
  • 09:06 IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO WITH ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES TO THE BIBLE LANDS.
  • 09:10 PRINCIPALLY ISRAEL, EXCURSIONS IN GREECE, AND ELSEWHERE.
  • 09:13 DO LET US KNOW.
  • 09:14 1-800-WONDERS, THAT'S THE CONNECT NUMBER.
  • 09:17 GIVE US A CALL.
  • 09:23 THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT READING THE BIBLE AND LOOKING AT WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
  • 09:27 ATHENS, CORINTH, EPHESUS,
  • 09:29 JEFF WE HAVE TRAVELED THE WHOLE GAMUT OF THE FOOTSTEPS OF PAUL.
  • 09:33 IT'S JUST BEEN GREAT.
  • 09:34 WELL IT'S GREAT TO LOOK INTO PAUL'S WORLD.
  • 09:37 BUT IT'S GREAT TO LOOK INTO PAUL'S WORD, TOO. >>AMEN.
  • 09:41 AND THE THESSALONICAN CORRESPONDENCE, THAT'S A GO TO TEXT.
  • 09:44 AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND,
  • 09:47 I DON'T THINK I DID.
  • 09:48 PAUL WROTE 13 OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
  • 09:50 13 BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
  • 09:52 THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF WRITING FOR NEW TESTAMENT.
  • 09:55 WELL THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE HAVE. >>RIGHT
  • 09:57 THERE'S ABOUT 6,000 COPIES OF MANUSCRIPTS THAT HAVE COME DOWN.
  • 10:00 OF COURSE THIS IS DUPLICATIONS AND DUPLICATIONS, >>RIGHT
  • 10:02 BUT THE CHURCH COULD ONLY AUTHENTICATE A DOZEN PLUS, BUT THIS GUY WAS GIVEN TO WRITING,
  • 10:07 BECAUSE HE CARED ABOUT PEOPLE,
  • 10:09 LIKE POSTCARDS AND THROUGH LETTERS. >>BUT HE CARED ABOUT PEOPLE
  • 10:10 HE LOVED THEM.
  • 10:10 THAT IS TERRIFIC.
  • 10:11 WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO YOUR TEACHING.
  • 10:13 YOU'RE IN ATHENS NOW.
  • 10:14 WE'RE GONNA GO TO JEFF IN ATHENS.
  • 10:24 HE WAS KNOWN AS THE FASTEST TO THE GREEKS, VULCAN TO THE ROMANS.
  • 10:28 HE WAS THE PATRON GOD OF METAL WORKING.
  • 10:32 SEEMS AT ONE LEVEL TO BE A VERY INTERESTING PATRON TO HAVE,
  • 10:36 BUT THE GREEKS AND THE ROMANS AS WELL,
  • 10:38 WERE VERY INDEBTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF METAL WORKING SKILLS
  • 10:43 AS WERE THE ANCIENTS GENERALLY.
  • 10:45 IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED IN MODERNITY I THINK.
  • 10:47 AND WHY IS THAT?
  • 10:49 WELL, METAL IMPLEMENTS WERE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FARMING.
  • 10:55 WITH THE NET RESULT THAT IT CONTRIBUTED TOWARD WEALTH AND PROSPERITY IN AN EMPIRE.
  • 11:00 IN LIKE MANNER, METAL WORKING WAS USED TO FORGE INSTRUMENTS OF WAR.
  • 11:06 AND THE NET RESULT IS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO FORTIFY AND EXPAND EMPIRE.
  • 11:11 BEYOND THAT OF COURSE METAL WORKING WAS INSTRUMENTAL
  • 11:15 IN THE MANUFACTURE OF TEMPLES LIKE THIS.
  • 11:18 THIS ONE SITTING PROMINENT HERE IN THE ANCIENT CITY OF ATHENS.
  • 11:22 THIS ONE DEDICATED TO THE PATRON GOD OF METAL WORKERS, SILVER SMITHS AND THE LIKE.
  • 11:29 IT REPRESENTS AMONG OTHER THINGS AS WELL,
  • 11:31 THAT MAN IS COMING TO TERMS WITH DEVELOPING MASTERY OVER CREATION.
  • 11:37 YOU MIGHT RECALL IN THE GENSIS NARRATIVE
  • 11:39 THAT HUMANKIND WERE MADE A CUT ABOVE THE REST OF CREATION TO SUPERINTEND THE EARTH.
  • 11:46 AND HERE THIS REFLECTS THE DEVELOPMENTS OF TECHNOLOGIES
  • 11:49 WITH PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO COME TO TERMS WITH PULLING ORE FROM THE EARTH AND SMELTING IT
  • 11:55 AND PUTTING IT IN A FURNACE AND MANUFACTURING NEW THINGS THAT CAN BE USED.
  • 12:00 WELL, SPEAKING OF PUTTING THINGS IN A FURNACE,
  • 12:03 PAUL THOUGHT THAT SOMETHING THAT CAME FROM A FURNACE
  • 12:06 BROUGHT SOMETHING NEW AS WELL THAT COULD BE USED.
  • 12:09 I MIGHT SAY IN THAT REGARD THAT THE VERY SPIKES THAT WERE PUT IN JESUS' HANDS AND FEET
  • 12:15 REPRESENT THE KIND OF TECHNOLOGY HERE, THAT IS TO SAY, WORKING WITH IRON IMPLEMENTS.
  • 12:21 FASHIONING THEM AND USING THEM.
  • 12:23 WELL I DON'T WANNA BE MOROSE HERE BY UNDERSCORING CRUCIFIXION TOO MUCH.
  • 12:27 BUT I DO WANNA SAY THAT, PAUL'S CHURCHES EMERGED OUT OF THE FURNACE OF AFFLICTION.
  • 12:34 THAT THEY WERE MANUFACTURE AMIDST THE TURBULENCE OF TRYING TIMES.
  • 12:38 IN FACT PAUL LEFT ASIA MINOR BECAUSE OF DIFFICULTIES THERE AND HE COMES HERE TO GREECE.
  • 12:45 STARTING 1ST AT PHILIPPI, HUGGING THE COAST, MAKING HIS WAY THROUGH AMPHIPOLIS,
  • 12:51 APOLLONIA, THESSALONICA, AND THEN FINALLY AFTER THESSALONICA
  • 12:55 COMING TO THIS GREAT CITY OF ATHENS.
  • 12:59 IN ACTS CHAPTER 17:1-3, WE'RE INFORMED THAT WHEN HE WAS IN THESSALONICA THAT:
  • 13:13 THAT AS HE DID ALL THIS THERE WERE JEWS AND NON-JEWS ALIKE
  • 13:16 THAT WERE PERSUADED TO HIS WAY OF THINKING.
  • 13:18 NOT ALL WERE, HOWEVER. A RIOT ENSUED AND PAUL HAD TO BE ESCORTED OUT OF THE CITY.
  • 13:23 AND THEN HE MADE HIS WAY HERE TO ATHENS.
  • 13:26 WELL HE GOT TO ATHENS, BUT A GOOD PART OF HIS HEART STILL BELONGED IN THESSALONICA,
  • 13:31 BECAUSE HE KNEW THE BRETHREN WERE SUFFERING THERE.
  • 13:35 AND SO WHAT DOES HE DO?
  • 13:36 HE PUTS PEN TO PAPER TO WRITE THE THESSALONICAN CORRESPONDENCES,
  • 13:39 1ST AND 2ND AND WITH GALATIANS THEN WE HAVE THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF NEW TESTAMENT WRIT.
  • 13:45 IF YOU LOOK AT IT CHRONOLOGICALLY THIS IS THE 1ST.
  • 13:48 AND YOU CAN FEEL HIS AFFECTIONS FOR THE THESSALONICANS.
  • 13:51 HE SAYS IN CHAPTER 3, VERSE 1 OF 1ST THESSALONIANS,
  • 14:01 TIMOTHY WAS SENT TO THEM AND TIMOTHY CAME BACK WITH A WORD FROM THEM.
  • 14:10 TIMOTHY SHARED HOW THEY WERE BEARING UP UNDER THEIR AFFLICTIONS GRACIOUSLY,
  • 14:13 BUT PAUL WAS STILL CONCERNED.
  • 14:27 LUKE SAID THAT A RIOT ENSUED IN THESSALONICA.
  • 14:30 PAUL HAPPILY GOT AWAY, BUT NOT ALL WERE SO FORTUNATE.
  • 14:34 JASON WHO'S ONLY CRIME WAS THAT HE GAVE HIM QUARTER, HE HOUSED HIM.
  • 14:38 HE SAID THAT THEY WENT AND GOT JASON BY THE THROAT AND DRUG HIM BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES.
  • 14:44 COMPLAINING THAT THIS FELLOW GAVE HOUSING TO THIS MAN WHO'S TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN.
  • 14:49 THEY WERE SO DISCONCERTED, THEY WERE SO ANGRY, SO UPSET,
  • 14:55 BECAUSE JEWS AND NON-JEWS ALIKE WERE COMING TO FAITH IN YESHUA.
  • 15:00 PAUL WAS SPIRITED AWAY AND HE MADE HIS WAY HERE TO ATHENS.
  • 15:04 HE WAS HERE ALRIGHT BUT HIS HEART BELONGED ELSEWHERE.
  • 15:07 HE WAS THINKING ABOUT THE ONES THAT HE LOVED.
  • 15:10 AND HE WAS CONCERNED, BECAUSE THOUGH HE GOT OUT OF THE FURNACE OF AFFLICTION,
  • 15:13 HE KNEW THEY WERE STILL THERE.
  • 15:15 SO WHAT DOES HE DO?
  • 15:16 HE WRITES THEM.
  • 15:17 EVER WRITE A LETTER TO SOMEONE YOU LOVE?
  • 15:19 THAT'S WHAT PAUL DID.
  • 15:20 PAUL NEVER THOUGHT HE WAS WRITING THE BIBLE.
  • 15:22 PAUL WAS JUST LOVING SIMPLE AS THAT.
  • 15:25 IN FACT I DOUBT WHEN PAUL PICKED UP PEN TO WRITE HE EVER THOUGHT HE WAS GONNA BE WRITING STUFF
  • 15:31 THAT WOULD MAKE IT'S WAY IN A BOOK THAT WOULD BE GIVEN THE SAME LEVEL OF AUTHORIZATION
  • 15:36 AS THE WRITINGS OF MOSES AND THE PROPHETS AND THE LIKE.
  • 15:39 PAUL IS JUST RESPONDING TO STUFF AND HERE FROM ATHENS,
  • 15:44 HE'S RESPONDING TO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HE LOVED WERE SUFFERING.
  • 15:48 AND THEY WERE SUFFERING IN PART, BECAUSE OF SOMETHING HE INSTIGATED.
  • 15:53 AND WHAT HE INSTIGATED IN PART WAS STIMULATED BY SOMEONE ELSES SUFFERING, JESUS.
  • 15:58 SUFFERING SEEMS TO ME TO BE PART AND PARTIAL OF CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
  • 16:03 PAUL HERE SEEMS TO SAY AS MUCH IN 1ST THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 2, HE SAYS,
  • 16:32 IF I UNDERSTAND PAUL CORRECTLY, THE WAY HE IS ORIENTED TOWARD THESE FOLK.
  • 16:36 HE SAYS, LISTEN GUYS YOU KNOW, AND HE SAYS A FEW TIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW.
  • 16:41 WHAT THEY KNOW IS SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T WANNA HEAR, WE DON'T WANNA KNOW.
  • 16:45 HE SAYS, GUYS LOOK WAKE UP SMELL THE COFFEE, REMEMBER THAT WHEN I WAS PHILIPPI,
  • 16:49 BEFORE I GOT TO YOU, THINGS GOT RATHER UNRAVELED.
  • 16:52 WHEN I CAME TO THESSALONICA THINGS GOT UNRAVELED AND YOU KNOW WHAT, UNRAVELING HAPPENS.
  • 16:58 BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE.
  • 17:01 TODAY THERE'S MANY A PREACHER THAT ADVOCATES,
  • 17:04 "OH, NO YOU EXCEPT JESUS, BABY IT'S ALL GOOD."
  • 17:06 AND WHAT IT IS, IS YOU'RE JUST GONNA PROSPER AND HAVE BOUNDLESS SUCCESS IN LIFE.
  • 17:11 LISTEN, I BELIEVE THAT THE LORD DOES LEAD US ONWARD TOWARD SUCCESS IN LIFE,
  • 17:15 BUT I THINK THE POINT IS GROSSLY OVERSTATED.
  • 17:19 IN THE INTEREST OF TICKLING PEOPLES EARS AND MAKING PROMISES
  • 17:22 THAT THE CHRISTIAN LIFE JUST MEANS ALL THINGS GOOD.
  • 17:25 I BELIEVE THERE ARE THINGS GOOD, BUT I BELIEVE TOO THAT THERE'S TROUBLE IN RIVER CITY.
  • 17:29 I BELIEVE THAT IF GOD HAS A CALL IN OUR LIFE THAT SATAN WILL HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT AGAINST US.
  • 17:35 AND WE MUST NEEDS THEN BEAR UP.
  • 17:38 DEVELOP AN APTITUDE TO RESIST, TO STAND, TO NOT BE BESTED BY DESPAIR, DEPRESSIONS,
  • 17:46 AND EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES,
  • 17:48 TRIALS THAT BESET US AND TRY AND OVERWHELM US.
  • 17:52 WE MUST NEEDS STAND UP, SPEAK UP, AND RISE UP FOR BIBLICAL TRUTH.
  • 17:56 IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PEOPLE ARE TOO DEPRESSED, PUSHED DOWN,
  • 18:00 BUT THERES A TRIUMPHANT GOD WHO LEADS US IN TRIUMPH THROUGH DIFFICULTIES.
  • 18:05 THAT WAS THE RABBI FROM TARSUS' MESSAGE TO THE THESSALONIANS.
  • 18:11 SURE HE SAID THINGS BEYOND THAT, BUT PRINCIPALLY IT WAS DRIVEN BY A LOVE FOR THEM.
  • 18:17 IT WAS DRIVEN BY WANTING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BEAR UP
  • 18:21 AND LET THEM KNOW THAT HELP IS COMING FROM HEAVEN TO DEAL WITH VEXING TROUBLES ON EARTH,
  • 18:27 BECAUSE AT DAYS END WE HAVE A WINNING GOD.
  • 18:43 IT'S GREAT TO OPEN UP GOD'S WORD AND LEARN ABOUT WHAT GOD WOULD HAVE US TO DO AND BE.
  • 18:49 IN LIKE MANNER I BELIEVE, AND I SAY THIS AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING A TAD BIT SELF-SERVING,
  • 18:55 I BELIEVE IT'S GOOD TO TURN ON THE TELEVISION AND ENTER INTO GOD'S WORLD.
  • 19:00 AND THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT IS WE TAKE YOU BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE THE STORY UNFOLDED.
  • 19:05 AND SO, YOU COME WITH US ON A JOURNEY,
  • 19:08 AS WE WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
  • 19:12 AND LIKE TOUR GUIDES, WE TAKE YOU TO THE PLACE WHERE IT ALL HAPPENED.
  • 19:16 OH, BUT I LOVE BEING A TOUR GUIDE.
  • 19:18 I LOVE SEEING PEOPLES LIGHTS COME ON
  • 19:21 WHEN THEY READ THE WORD OF GOD
  • 19:22 AND, OH MY GOODNESS, WE'RE STANDING IN THE PARTHENON,
  • 19:26 ON THE ACROPOLIS, WE'RE STANDING THERE.
  • 19:28 OR WE'RE IN THE AGORA IN ATHENS.
  • 19:30 EVEN IN ISRAEL, I LOVE SHOWING PEOPLE THE BIBLICAL SIGHTS.
  • 19:33 I LOVE IT.
  • 19:34 YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT PREACHERS WOULD DO BETTER
  • 19:37 TO BE TOUR GUIDES THAN LECTURERS.
  • 19:39 THAT IS TAKE INDIVIDUALS TO THE STORY
  • 19:42 AND LET INDIVIDUALS BASK IN THE NARRATIVE.
  • 19:45 THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN WORK THROUGH THAT TO GET INTO PEOPLE'S HEARTS.
  • 19:48 WHY LECTURE IT INTO PEOPLE?
  • 19:49 I DON'T KNOW AND I'VE SEEN PASTORS GO TO GREECE AND ISRAEL,
  • 19:53 THEY'RE LIGHTS COME ON AND THEY ARE SO EXCITED WITH THE WORD.
  • 19:58 THEY CAN'T WAIT TO GET BACK AND PREACH THE WORD.
  • 20:00 IT'S JUST WONDERFUL.
  • 20:00 WE'RE IN GREECE.
  • 20:02 WE HAVE A GUIDE THAT WE'VE HAD FOR PROBABLY 20 YEARS.
  • 20:05 SHE'S GREAT. >>SHE IS, OH >>SHE'S WONDERFUL.
  • 20:07 SO I ALWAYS LIKE TALKING TO HER.
  • 20:10 SHE'S GOT SUCH GREAT INSIGHTS.
  • 20:11 SHE SHOWS US THE SIGHTS.
  • 20:13 SHE SPELLS FOR US, THAT'S THE NICEST PART.
  • 20:15 SHE SPELLS PLACES FOR US.
  • 20:16 SHE'S AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GREEK KNOWLEDGE. >>SHE IS.
  • 20:18 HERE IS GINA.
  • 20:20 WE'RE IN ATHENS.
  • 20:24 GINA WE ARE SITTING ON THE AGORA.
  • 20:26 8 ACRES OF TEMPLES, SHOPS,
  • 20:29 EVERYTHING THE GREEKS WOULD WANT IN THE 1ST CENTURY.
  • 20:33 YES.
  • 20:34 THIS WAS THE REAL HEART OF THE CITY.
  • 20:36 IT WAS THE HEART OF THE CITY
  • 20:38 SINCE THE VERY EARLY ANTIQUITY.
  • 20:40 AND WHEN PAUL CAME HERE IT STILL EXISTED AS A VERY CENTRAL SPOT OF ATHENS.
  • 20:46 WE HAVE A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDINGS,
  • 20:48 WE HAVE A LOT OF TEMPLES WITH PHILOSOPHERS AND ...,
  • 20:54 YOU KNOW PEOPLE THAT GOT INVOLVED IN TRADE BEING HERE ALL THE TIME.
  • 20:59 AND DON'T FORGET WITH THESE WALLS
  • 21:01 THE PLACE WERE SOCRATES 6 CENTURIES AGO
  • 21:04 USE TO COME EVERYDAY ALMOST
  • 21:07 TO MEET HIS FELLOW CITIZENS AND TO TALK ABOUT HIS PHILOSOPHICAL, YOU KNOW, IDEAS.
  • 21:13 IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE LOOKING AT THESE RUINS
  • 21:16 THE MAGNIFICENCE THAT GREECE MUST HAVE BEEN.
  • 21:19 IT WAS THE BE ALL AND THEN END ALL OF THE KNOWN WORLD.
  • 21:23 THE DEMOCRACY COMES FROM GREECE.
  • 21:25 THAT'S VERY TRUE.
  • 21:26 AND DON'T FORGET THAT EVERYTHING WAS FLOURISHING
  • 21:29 IN THE 5TH CENTURY, THAT'S RIGHT, THE GOLDEN AGE.
  • 21:31 THE GOLDEN AGE.
  • 21:32 THE GOLDEN AGE OF PERICLES,
  • 21:34 BECAUSE OF HIS MEN WHO TRIED TO BEAUTIFY THE CITY.
  • 21:38 TO EMBELLISH THE CITY.
  • 21:39 THE ONE WHO HAD ENCOURAGED THE MOST FAMOUS HEARTS
  • 21:42 OF HIS DAYS, SCULPTORS AND PAINTERS AND ARCHITECTS
  • 21:45 IN ORDER TO CREATE THESE MASTERPIECES OUT ON THE ACROPOLIS.
  • 21:49 ALTHOUGH ATHENS WAS AT ITS DECADENCE >>WHEN PAUL CAME HERE. >>RIGHT
  • 21:54 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 1ST CENTURY A.D, WE'RE TALKING THE YEAR 51 A.D
  • 21:59 WHEN HE CAME ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM THESSALONICA
  • 22:02 AND HE HAS NOT BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THE ATHENIANS, NO
  • 22:08 BECAUSE OF ALL THESE PHILOSOPHERS THAT TOTALLY
  • 22:10 REJECTED THE NEW IDEA THE NEW RELIGION
  • 22:14 THAT THE APOSTLE WAS BRINGING WITH HIM,
  • 22:16 THE EPICUREAN PHILOSOPHERS AND THE STOIC PHILOSOPHERS WHO MOCKED AT HIM.
  • 22:21 SO HIS STAY WAS NOT REALLY A VERY SUCCESSFUL ONE.
  • 22:26 AND THAT'S WHY WE KNOW TWO PERSONS WERE CONVERTED. >>RIGHT
  • 22:29 AND OF ALL THESE PEOPLE THEY WERE SUCH FREE THINKERS
  • 22:33 AND SUCH DEEP THINKERS. >>YEAH
  • 22:35 AND YET COULDN'T GRASP THE CONCEPT THAT THERE WAS ONE GOD. >>THAT'S TRUE
  • 22:40 COULD NOT GRASP THAT CONCEPT. >>THAT'S TRUE
  • 22:42 BUT I'M SURE THAT PAUL MUST HAVE WALKED DOWN HERE SEVERAL TIMES IN THE AGORA.
  • 22:47 HE MUST HAVE TALKED TO THE ATHENIANS, THE LOCAL PEOPLE.
  • 22:52 HE MUST HAVE SEEN THE BEMA WHERE THE SPEAKER'S PLATFORM >>THE BEMA.
  • 22:56 MARS HILL, THE ACROPOLIS, RIGHT. >>MARS HILL OF COURSE, YES
  • 22:59 IT REALLY IS AMAZING FOR ME TO BE STANDING HERE.
  • 23:03 I AM, I THINK OUTSIDE, IT IS SO HISTORICAL FOR US >>I CAN IMAGINE.
  • 23:07 THAT WE REALLY NEED TO STOP A MINUTE AND LOOK AND THINK ALL THAT WAS GREECE.
  • 23:12 ALL THAT WAS GREECE.
  • 23:27 ♪(Piano playing with Orchestra)♪
  • 24:19 FAITH IN YESHUA.
  • 24:20 PAUL PREACHED FAITH IN YESHUA,
  • 24:23 NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS.
  • 24:24 NOT WORKS, FAITH IN MESSIAH.
  • 24:27 WHY DO PEOPLE WANNA COMPLICATE THAT?
  • 24:29 IT SEEMS THAT IN THE GALATIANS EPISTLE PEOPLE WEREN'T SATISFIED,
  • 24:34 BUT WE NEED TO ADD ON RULES IN ORDER TO BE COMPLIANT WITH GOD.
  • 24:38 THEY KEEP ADDING RULES.
  • 24:39 IT'S PEOPLE, IT'S WHAT PEOPLE DO, THEY MAKE THINGS HARDER THAN WHAT IT IS.
  • 24:42 THE SALVATION DOCTRINE IS NOT HARD.
  • 24:44 AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, THAT'S A PROBLEM
  • 24:46 THAT'S NOT RESERVED FOR GALATIANS YESTERDAY, >>RIGHT
  • 24:49 IT'S A PROBLEM THAT RAISES ITS HOARY TODAY IN RELIGIOUS CIRCLES.
  • 24:52 YOU'RE TALKING WHAT, 50 A.D, 52 A.D?
  • 24:55 THIS IS NOT A NEW IDEA.
  • 24:57 YEAH 2008 A.D THE SAME TENDENCY IS TO TAKE >>RIGHT
  • 25:01 WHAT'S PRISTINE AND SIMPLE RIGHT AND COMPLICATE IT.
  • 25:05 AND COMPLICATE IT.
  • 25:06 MAKE IT MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE IT.
  • 25:07 YES AND HERE'S WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE.
  • 25:09 WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION.
  • 25:11 YOU NEED TO LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR AND ASK YOURSELF, DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?
  • 25:15 YOU NEED TO TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR LIFE AND ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION,
  • 25:19 "DO YOU LIKE THE WAY YOU'RE LIVING IT OUT?"
  • 25:21 IF YOU'RE DISSATISFIED, IF YOU HAVE PANGS OF CONSCIENCE,
  • 25:24 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT YOU CAN REACH UP TO GOD AND REACH OUT TO THE FUTURE.
  • 25:28 REACH UP TO HIM AND SAY, "FORGIVE ME FOR MY SINS," AND YOU CAN BE BORN ANEW.
  • 25:32 FIND A GOOD BIBLE CHURCH AND HAVE AT IT.
  • 25:35 WHY IS THAT SO HARD?
  • 25:37 I'M NOT SURE.
  • 25:38 IS IT THAT WE GIVE UP CONTROL?
  • 25:40 IS IT A CONTROL THING?
  • 25:41 IS IT A MAN THING?
  • 25:42 IT'S ALL OF THE ABOVE.
  • 25:43 IT'S AN EVIL THING.
  • 25:44 MAN IS BORN NOT GOOD.
  • 25:46 MAN IS BORN EVIL.
  • 25:48 CONTROL'S AN INTERESTING FACTOR TOO, SANDRA.
  • 25:50 IN THE GALATIANS CORRESPONDENCE PARTICULARLY,
  • 25:52 PEOPLE WEREN'T CONTENT WITH PAUL'S SIMPLE PERSPECTIVE.
  • 25:56 THEY CAME IN AND WANTED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE CONVERSATION AND >>IMPOSE A NEW VISION. >>RIGHT.
  • 26:01 WHY?
  • 26:03 WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE FAITH IN MESSIAH, YESHUA?
  • 26:06 THAT'S IT.
  • 26:07 IT'S NOT HARD. >>I AGREE 100%.
  • 26:09 I SAY LET'S STRIP IT ALL BACK AND GO BACK TO THE FOUNDATIONS.
  • 26:12 AND HERE'S WHAT RUBS PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY, I BELIEVE.
  • 26:15 IF ONE WANTS TO GO BACK TO THE FOUNDATIONS OF BIBLICAL TEACHING,
  • 26:19 THEN THEY GO BACK TO THE JEWISH FOUNDATIONS. >>AMEN
  • 26:23 AND NOT ALL ARE GIVEN TO SEEING THAT,
  • 26:26 BUT SEE IT WE DO AS WE CONSIDER OUR RABBI FROM TARSUS.
  • 26:29 AND ON WE GO.
  • 26:31 NEXT WEEK WE GO ON TO SEE SOME MORE PARCHMENTS NEXT WEEK.
  • 26:33 AND AS YOU GO.
  • 26:35 SHA 'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM.
  • 26:36 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.

Episodes in this series

  1. First Steps Toward Christ
  2. First “Official” Ministry Journey
  3. Apostolic Ordination and Subsequent Missionary Journey
  4. Second and Third Missionary Journeys
  5. Arrest and Appeal to Rome for Trial
  6. Roman Imprisonment, Release, Travels, and Death
  7. Paul’s Earliest Writings: Galatians and 1 Thessalonians
  8. Follow-up to the Thessalonians, and 1 Corinthians
  9. Reconciliation with the Corinthians, and Roman Correspondence
  10. Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians
  11. Letters to the Philippians and Timothy
  12. Final Steps and Farewell Letters to Titus and Timothy

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