Search Results

The baptism of Jesus, and how it relates to you. Previous Matthew List Next Matthew 3:13-17 The baptism of Jesus, and how it relates to you. Image by Kaleb Tapp, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti March 15, 2024 Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus is baptized by John What happens in this passage? What do you think is the most significant word or statement or detail in this account, and why? William Barclay notes that the Jews had never seen baptism as being for Jews, but only for non-Jewish proselytes joining the Jewish faith. In their mind, baptism was for sinners, not the for the Chosen People. When John came baptizing and Jews submitted to his baptism, they were recognizing in a new way their own sin and their need for God to do something about it (Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 1 , pp. 52-53.) Matthew is the only Gospel to include John protesting that Jesus should not be baptized. What is Jesus’s response? What is “righteousness,” and what does it mean to fulfill all righteousness? To live a “righteous” life is to live a life totally in accordance with the will of God. To “fulfill all righteousness” suggests that God wanted Jesus to do this. Why do you think Jesus chose to be baptized (or that the Father wanted Jesus to be baptized) when Jesus was not in need of repentance? One of the reasons Jesus might have done this was to demonstrate his identification with humanity. By accepting baptism, Jesus was identifying himself with sinful humans, counting himself as being one of us, which he will do in an extraordinary way on the Cross. In what ways does a willingness to be baptized show an attitude of humility? As the Son of God, Jesus was greater than John; but here he was placing himself in a position of submission to John (see Matthew 1:11). This act of placing himself in the inferior position is one of the early examples of what I call Jesus’s downside-up approach to life – he cares about the people in what society considers to be inferior positions. Here, he even takes the lesser position for himself, as he will do at other times in his ministry. He was constantly serving those who should be serving him, and making that the norm for Christian living. Matthew is establishing from the beginning that Jesus is the Messiah, but a particular kind of Messiah. How does Jesus’s decision to be baptized reflect the kind of Messiah he is? There is a really important point here about John. It says he “consented” (3:15, NRSV). What is the importance of our consent in doing the work of God and fulfilling all righteousness? Why do you think God speaks from the heavens at this moment? God rarely manifests himself with an audible voice. Why here? In Mark 1:11, the voice says, “ You are ” my beloved son. In Matthew 3:17, the voice says, “ This is ” my beloved son.” One version of the statement is directed toward Jesus and the other is directed toward the onlookers. Does that difference bring out different nuances about what is going on here? What do God’s words tell us about Jesus? The proclamation from heaven about Jesus harkens back to two Old Testament passages. Psalm 2 is about the anointing of the king but points to the Messiah. Verse 2 refers to the Lord and his “anointed.” The word “Christ” is the Greek word for “anointed one,” and “Messiah” is the Hebrew word for “anointed one,” so we look at Psalm 2 as speaking about the Messiah. In verse 7, God says, “You are my son; / today I have begotten you” (Psalm 2:7, NRSV), words that echo in God’s words when Jesus is baptized. Similarly, Isaiah 42:1 begins the description of the Suffering Servant that culminates in the great prophecies of Isaiah 53 that point to Jesus’s crucifixion. In 42:1, God says, “Here is my servant whom I uphold, / my chosen one with whom I am pleased” (Isaiah 42:1, NABRE), again using words that echo in Jesus’s baptism. God seeded the Old Testament with prophecies that pointed to Jesus and then confirmed them as Jesus began his ministry. Baptism is accepted by most Christian denominations as a sacrament instituted by Christ. How does what happens to Christians in baptism parallel what happens in this story about Jesus’s baptism? Notice the similarities in these brief summaries from two different Christian traditions: The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible says: “The water, Spirit, and divine voice signify the effects of baptism whereby the soul is cleansed (Acts 22:16), the grace of the Holy Spirit is imparted (3:11; 1 Cor. 12:13), and the recipient is adopted as a beloved child of God (3:17; Gal. 3:26-27; Catechism of the Catholic Church 537)” ( Ignatius Catholic Study Bible , Matthew 3:15 fn., p. 12). Evangelical Presbyterian theologian Vern Poythress writes: “So the features depicted in Jesus’s baptism by John come to apply through Jesus to us. We are cleansed from sin by the washing with Jesus’s blood, signified by the water of baptism. Heaven is opened to us through Jesus, giving us communion with God the Father (Heb 10:19–20). We receive the Holy Spirit, who descends on us when we have faith in Christ (Rom 8:9–10). We hear the voice of God the Father, who calls us sons in union with Christ the Son (Rom 8:14–17; Gal 4:4–7), and who is pleased with us on account of his being pleased with his eternal Son (Eph 1:4–10)” (Vern Poythress, “The Baptism of Jesus,” The Gospel Coalition , https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-baptism-of-jesus/ ). What does the baptism of Jesus say to you about your own life? How does the Trinity show up here, and why is that significant? It took Christians hundreds of years to work out exactly how to speak accurately about the Trinity, but they did not make up the concept – it shows up here at the very beginning of Jesus’s ministry as the Father speaks about the Son while the Holy Spirit hovers over it all in the form of a dove. Not are not the same as Jesus, but you too are a beloved son or daughter of God. If God proclaimed something about you, what would he want you or others to know about you? Take a step back and consider this: When Christians are baptized, they are making a public profession that they belong to God the Father (or their parents make that profession on their behalf, in the case of infant baptism). They are embracing what Jesus has already done for them, and looking forward to what God will continue to do in them by the power of the Holy Spirit. If you have been baptized, how are you embracing and living up to what you professed (or what was professed for you on your behalf) when you were baptized? If you have been baptized, how are you embracing the indwelling of the Holy Spirit received in your baptism? Is there more you might consider doing to respond to the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life? If you have not been baptized, is this something you should consider? If so, who could you talk to about it? Bibliography See Matthew - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/matthew/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Matthew List Next

We explore how to apply the Bible to our everyday lives today, with Bible Study resources for individual and small group study, including background and questions. Bible Study New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians Philemon Other Studies Hope Jubilee Year 2025 Mary Leading a Study Old Testament (I hope to get to the Old Testament, but the New Testament is my first priority.) Why use Faith Explored Bible Studies? Faith Explored Bible Studies provide study materials that equip individuals and small groups so that they can study the Bible confidently and apply it to their lives in practical ways. Each study includes: Thought-provoking questions that challenge us to apply the Word of God to our lives today. Just enough background and commentary to guide us through the passages that might be confusing. Thoughtful reflections that encourage us to take Jesus seriously and live our lives fully for Him. Our studies are not scholarly tomes filled with dry academic analysis (although we provide analysis), and our studies are not simply devotional (although we provide reflections that encourage faith). What makes Faith Explored different and potentially life-changing is that we offer a wide variety of questions on every passage that lead people to grapple with the text: What does it really say? What does it mean? And how can we apply it in our lives today? Our goal is useful knowledge and spiritual transformation . Why study the Bible? The Word of God is "living and active" (Hebrew 4:12) When we read the Bible, the word of God comes alive in our hearts. It is not a dead letter from the past, but God’s timeless message for us today. When we study the Bible, God does amazing things in us. He comforts, encourages, teaches, challenges, and empowers us. The Word of God fills us with the love of our Father and Creator, transforms us to live like Jesus, and opens our hearts to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Word of God is “a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105) God’s Word shows us the way to live in this world. We face so many challenges in our desire to live lives that honor God. The Word of God shines a light that illuminates the way. It shows us how to deal with the challenges in our lives, how to think like Jesus, and how to be a follower of Jesus in every aspect of our lives. If you want to learn more about what God is saying to us and how to apply God’s Word to our lives today, pick a book of the Bible and dive in! Leading a Small-Group Bible Study We have leadership training materials with a variety of tips and techniques for leaders. These materials can help leaders guide a small-group Bible Study in a way that helps the group explore the Bible deeply and function well together. See our small group leadership training materials here: Leading a Small-Group Bible Study . Image at top and Bible Study group image both provided by Wix.

Subscribing to Faith Explored is free and lets you receive an email notification when new posts are added that can help you apply the Bible to your everyday life. Thank You for Subscribing! We appreciate you! As a subscriber you will receive email notifications when we post new articles, which can help you grow in your faith! If you haven't already become a member, join here to post comments: Become a member Check Out Our Blog Posts What Would You Like to Do Now? Explore a Bible study to grow in your faith: Matthew Philemon John Hope 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians Mary Read an article on how to apply the Bible to everyday life: How to Deal with Difficult People When a coworker, teammate, church member, student, or family member is not doing the right thing, what should we do? It is tempting to respond with anger. This expert on human relationships offers a different approach that is more effective in dealing with difficult people. Take a look at what to do – and what not to do. Can an Awe-Inspiring Rocket Launch Bring Glory to God? Last week’s SpaceX rocket launch was awe-inspiring because engineers and scientists spent years using their gifts and talents to achieve an amazing goal. When we use the curiosity, creativity, and intellect that God placed in us at our creation, to do good, it is awesome and can bring glory to God, even if that is not our intention. What is the Light We are Called to Shine? The song “This Little Light of Mine” comes from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:13-16), where Jesus tells us to let our light shine. But what is the “light” we are called to shine? Jesus’s answer might surprise you. The 3 Temptations We All Face We face 3 common temptations: to fill our wants inappropriately, to seek inordinate attention, and to pursue power at the cost of integrity. They lure our public figures. How do you respond when they entice you? Birthright Citizenship Protects Every American, Not Just Newcomers Among the unseen implications of the attempt to abolish birthright citizenship is this: Even natural-born citizens would be at risk. Here's how abolishing birthright citizenship would hurt natural-born citizens. Are We Afraid of Black American History? Does it traumatize you to hear the truths of Black American history? Are they too dangerous? Do we have to hide from them in fear? Or can we handle the truth in the stories of our nation’s history? A Martin Luther King Day reflection. Image at top  Mateus Campos Felipe, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Oher images provided by Wix.

We welcome everyone as we explore how to apply the Bible to our lives today, with resources for individual and group study developed over 40 years of church service. Welcome to Faith Explored! What is Faith Explored? Faith Explored is a virtual community for people interested in exploring how to apply God’s Word to our lives today. Our mission is to help each person understand God’s Word and put it into action in their lives. To achieve this goal, we seek to help people: increase their understanding of the Bible ; explore how we can apply God’s Word to our lives today; embrace the adventure of living our lives for God, in our unique individual lives and in communion with others; and identify concrete ways we can work for justice and change the world as we are inspired, transformed, and empowered by Jesus. We welcome people of all faiths in this exploration. We believe that everyone can benefit from studying how the Bible applies to our lives. While our approach is decidedly Christian (and Catholics, evangelicals, and Pentecostals can all be comfortable here), we believe that we can learn from others even as they may learn from us. How Faith Explored got started Faith Explored grew out of Tom Faletti’s quest to bring to a wider audience what he has developed in more than 40 years of small-group Bible Study. When we meet in small groups for Bible Study, we seek to provide a place where people can increase their understanding of the Bible, learn how to put their faith into action through the application of God’s Word, and experience Christian community. While Faith Explored is a virtual network rather than an in-person faith group, we hope Faith Explored will also promote understanding of God's Word, foster spiritual growth, and provide a supportive community for people interested in exploring their faith. Who is Tom Faletti? I am a native of California. In 1976, I investigated the evidence that Jesus rose from the dead and therefore was not just a great man, concluded that Jesus is God, and gave my life to Him. I entered into a personal relationship with God and promised to serve Him the rest of my life. Having been raised a Catholic, I remained in my church and started working to expand understanding of the Scriptures to anyone who was open. I also led programs with evangelical Christians and people in the charismatic renewal, and learned how to present the truth of God’s Word in ways that can help people of all backgrounds grow in faith. That is why, even though I remain deeply involved in my local Catholic parish, Faith Explored should be a comfortable place for people from any denomination. I graduated from Stanford University and earned a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. I also earned a Graduate Certificate in Catholic Theology from St. Joseph’s College of Maine. My work life included 3 years of service as the youth minister in the parish church I grew up in; 24 years of service on Capitol Hill, where I worked to expand access to health and nutrition programs and improve the lives of everyday people; and 13 years as an award-winning high school teacher. I have been a committed follower of Jesus since 1976; a Bible Study leader for more than 40 years; and an advocate for truth with a passion for justice all my life. I live in Washington, DC, with my wife (and best friend) Sonia. We have been happily married for 45 years and have 3 adult children. My life is guided by a commitment to faith, family, kindness, respect, truth, and a wholehearted response to the call issued to every person that “You Can Change Your World!” Image at top by Mohamed Nohassi, and image of cross by Tabea, both provided by Unsplash via WIx. Image of small group provided by Wix.

Paul continues to guide the young church at Thessalonica with wisdom that is still relevant to local churches and the whole Church today. Previous 2 Thess. List Next Introduction to 2 Thessalonians Paul continues to guide the young church at Thessalonica with wisdom that is still relevant to local churches and the whole Church today. Detail of an image by Lucia Macedo provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti March 10, 2025 Introduction A NOTE BEFORE WE BEGIN This study material can be very enriching either for small-group Bible Study or for personal study and growth. We will occasionally offer instructions that would be useful for a small-group study. Introductions for a Small-Group Bible Study If you are studying as a group, it is important to build community, beginning with ensuring that everyone knows everyone else’s name. If you are either (a) starting a new year, or (b) have several new members, begin with introductions. One way to do this would be to ask everyone in the group to answer these questions: Share with the group your name, your connection to the Church or the parish or this group, and why you are interested in studying the Bible with other people. When have you received a letter (or perhaps an email) that was especially important in your life? What was it about? This is a study of Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians. See the Introduction to 1 Thessalonians for the primary background information for this letter. Introduction to 2 Thessalonians After Paul wrote his first letter to the Thessalonians (known as 1 Thessalonians), something went wrong. We don’t know precisely what problem arose, but in 2 Thessalonians, Paul warns the Thessalonians (in 2 Thess. 2:2) not to become alarmed by a letter allegedly sent from him, claiming that the day of the Lord “is at hand” (NABRE) or “is already here” (NRSV) – i.e., that the Second Coming has already begun. (“The day of the Lord” was the term used in prophetic books of the Old Testament – Daniel, Isaiah, Joel, and others – for the miraculous time when God would bring victory for the Jews. Christians re-interpreted it as the day when Christ would return in power and glory.) Paul suggests in 1 Corinthians 16:21 and Galatians 6:11 that he ordinarily dictates his letters and someone else does the actual writing (the formal term for that person is an “amanuensis”). At the end of this letter (2 Thess. 3:17), Paul implies that he always signs his letters in a way that is distinctive and identifiable. He is suggesting that a forgery written in his name could be detected because it would be missing Paul’s genuine signature. It is also possible that Paul’s own words in his first letter were a source of the Thessalonians’ confusion. In 1 Thessalonians, he described the Lord’s coming as a sudden event, and they may have interpreted “sudden” to mean that it was imminent and they might have missed it. Most scholars believe this letter was written by Paul shortly after 1 Thessalonians, in which case it was probably written around AD 50 from Corinth. However, other possibilities have been suggested: Some say that it was written before 1 Thessalonians; some say it was written to some other church; and some suggest that it was written decades later by someone else using Paul’s name (which would be highly ironic given its claim that Paul’s authentic signature offers clear evidence that the letter was written by him). In this letter, Paul wants to clear up confusion about the Second Coming of Christ. He also wants to reinforce and expand on his teaching about the kind of orderly life that Christians should live. When has something you have said been misrepresented? What did you do about it? Do you have distinctive ways of writing or of using the signature block at the end of your emails, or distinctive ways of beginning or ending your emails or texts, that people might use as a guide to deciding whether a message is actually from you? How important to you are those signs of your individuality, and why? How is your individuality important in the body of Christ and in the kingdom of God? Take a step back and consider this: Paul is eager to guide the young church at Thessalonica – to support them in their faith, thank them for the love they show for one another, and encourage them in their endurance in the face of persecution. Paul has great concern for the church at Thessalonica. How do you demonstrate a concern for your own local church? In what ways do you support your fellow church members in their faith, participate in and bolster their love for one another, and encourage those who are facing difficulties? Bibliography See 2 Thessalonians - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/2-thessalonians/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous 2 Thess. List Next

God loves us with an incomprehensibly immense love. But he doesn’t force us to accept it. People can choose to live in the darkness without him. Previous Next John List John 3:16-21 God loves us with an incomprehensibly immense love. But he doesn’t force us to accept it. People can choose to live in the darkness without him. Statue of Jesus Christ, in the chapel at the Jesuit residence at Georgetown University, Washington, DC. Photo by Tom Faletti, 13 Apr. 2024. Tom Faletti December 30, 2025 Read John 3:16 God so loved the world that he sent his only Son In Jesus’s time, Greek writing did not use quotation marks. Therefore, translators must make a judgment about whether verses 16-21 are quoting Jesus or are John’s commentary on what Jesus said in the previous verses. Modern Bibles are divided on the matter. In the following questions, I will refer to those words as coming from John (i.e., no quotation marks), because it sounds like what the early Christians might have said in interpreting what Jesus did for them. If Jesus spoke the words in John 3:16-21, his listeners would have had little understanding of what he was saying. However, if you think these are Jesus’s words, please substitute “Jesus” for “John” in the following questions. In your own words, what does verse 16 say? The word “love” appears more than 50 times in John’s Gospel. The first instance is here in verse 16. Why is love a particularly important part of the message of John 3:16? What does it mean to say that God “loved” the world? John sometimes uses the word “world” to mean people who reject Jesus, but here he means all of creation and all of the human beings God created. If God loves the whole world, how should that effect how we treat others? What does “believe in him” mean? What does “eternal life” mean to you? How is eternal life “eternal” both in the type of life it is and in how long it lasts? Which word or phrase in verse 16 is especially meaningful to you, and why? Many Christians use John 3:16 as a shorthand summary of the entire gospel or good news of Jesus. If you were going to summarize the gospel – the central message of your faith – in a sentence or two, how would you say it? If you are in a small group, write out your answers and then share them with each other. If meeting online, paste your answer in the chat. In what ways is this verse an encouragement to you? Read John 3:17-21 God did not send Jesus to condemn the world, but some choose to live in darkness What does verse 17 say? Many people have a highly developed concept of God as a God of judgment. How might verses 16-17 help balance our image of God? The Greek word that is translated as “condemned” can also mean “judged.” Verse 18, with its reference to being “already” condemned, could be misinterpreted to suggest that people don’t have a choice. That is not what John is saying. This verse must be interpreted in the light (pun intended) of verses 19-21, where John indicates that people choose to live in light or darkness. What does this tell us about people’s final judgement or ultimate status with God? People have a choice to believe or not. Some people embrace the light and live with Christ. But some people reject the light. They have judged or “condemned” themselves by their own choice to reject the light of Christ. In verses 18 and 19, John identifies two pieces of evidence that indicate that someone has chosen to walk in darkness: they do not believe (verse 18), and their work is evil (verse 19). What are some examples of evil acts you see in our world today that appear to come from the darkness? Now look at the other option. Based on verses 18-19, what is the evidence that indicates that a person is walking in the light? Verse 18 gives us the first piece of evidence that we are walking in the light: that you believe in Jesus. And believing is not just a matter of saying that you believe: for John, believing means that you are putting into action what you claim you believe. John gives us a second piece of evidence in verse 19: that your deeds are not evil. What do verses 18-19 tell you about yourself? In verse 20, what reason does John give for why people prefer to avoid the light? Do you think it is true that there are people who resist the light of Christ because they don’t want to give up the things they are doing that are inconsistent with being born from above? Explain. Although each of us may have made a clear decision at some point to be born from above and live in the light of Christ, we are not perfect. Are there ways that we might not want to give up things that don’t belong in the light? Are there ways that we try to hang out in the shadows, so that the aspects of ourselves that are not Christlike might not be noticed? How so? This passage draws a bright line. In John’s view, there are only two options: to choose to be in the light or to choose to be in the darkness. But sometimes we fail; sometimes we sin. John makes it clear in other places that Jesus forgives us when we sin. How can that promise of forgiveness encourage you to live more fully in the light of Christ? How does this passage challenge you in your faith, in your thought life, in your words, or in your actions? Take a step back and consider this: John’s language is so black and white (light vs. darkness) that many Christians wonder how God at the end of our lives, will deal with the fact that even when we have chosen to believe in him we still sin. The various Christian traditions have different answers to this question. Here are some examples: The Catholic Church teaches that when people die, they go through a final purification called “Purgatory” in order to achieve the holiness necessary to enter heaven (Catechism of the Catholic Church, pars. 1030-1031 ). Protestant churches see it differently. For example, Calvin taught that every person is predestined by God for eternal life or eternal condemnation. He affirmed that those destined for heaven continue to sin in their earthly lives, but he argued that God purifies them immediately at death, with no purgatorial process. In some Protestant traditions, there is a belief that, for people who have committed their lives to Christ, God no longer sees their sins but only the saving work of Christ. St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 that on the Day of Judgment, the work of each person will come to light. He speaks symbolically of our deeds being like gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, and says that our work will be tested by fire. For some people, he says, their work will be burned up and the person “will be saved, but only as through fire” (1 Cor. 3:15). This suggests that there is a process by which God purifies us when we die so that we can enter into eternal life with him purged of our sinfulness. God knows that believers will not be perfect, and he purifies them as he brings them into eternal life with him. Knowing that God loved the world so much that he sent his only Son to live and die for us, how do you think God deals with the fact that, because even believers sin, when we die we are not likely to be fully without sin? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

Paul sends Onesimus to Philemon with a letter. Previous Philemon List Next Introduction Paul sends Onesimus to Philemon with a letter. Paul and Onesimus. “A Letter to Philemon.” VideoBible.com . Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/vb-philemon/ . Tom Faletti October 4, 2025 Introduction The apostle Paul wrote this brief letter to Philemon, asking him to treat kindly a man they both knew. The introductory notes are brief, so they are included in the study of the first part of the letter, which can be found here: Philemon 1-7 . Click Philemon 1-7 to see the Introduction and continue with the study. Bibliography See Philemon - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/philemon/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Philemon List Next

Become a member of Faith Explored to comment on posts, and subscribe to be informed when new posts are added, to help you apply God's Word to your everyday life. Become a Member of the Faith Explored Community Already a member? Click here to see what's next! Join Faith Explored and Join the Conversation! The most important first step is to subscribe so that you will receive email notification of new posts. But if you also become a member , you can comment on our blog posts and ask questions. You can become a member, and subscribe at the same time if you want, by c licking the blue button here (it's free). Become a Member If you subscribe , Faith Explored can help you grow in your faith by sending you email notices when we post new articles. If you become a member , you can also comment on posts and asks questions, which can help you help others grow in their faith. To subscribe and become a member, click the blue button above. To subscribe only, fill out the form below. Image at top and other images provided by Wix.

The person Paul is writing to, Philemon, is an example of the kind of encouraging partner everyone might like to have, and Paul is an example of giving thanks and praise. How can we be like them? Previous Philemon List Next Philemon 1-7 The person Paul is writing to, Philemon, is an example of the kind of encouraging partner everyone might like to have, and Paul is an example of giving thanks and praise. How can we be like them? Image by Luis Georg Müller, provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti October 5, 2025 Introduction Paul’s letter to Philemon is the shortest of Paul’s letters that were included in the canon. It is so short that it was not separated into chapters, and therefore we only designate the verses – so Philemon 7 is the 7 th verse (and a very good one). In the New Testament, it is located after all the other letters attributed to Paul, so it is after Titus and before Hebrews, which was not written by Paul. Philemon is pronounced fih-LEE-muhn, with the accent on the second syllable. Who is the letter to and from? Paul wrote this letter to a man named Philemon. Philemon is believed to have lived in Colossae because of the language in Colossians 4:7-9, although some look at Colossians 4:16-17 and wonder if it is the letter to the Laodiceans, which otherwise has been lost to time. Colossae was in southwest Asia Minor, now southwest Turkey (Türkiye), and Laodicea was nearby. Ephesus was 100-120 miles west, on the coast of the Aegean Sea. The subject of the letter is a man named Onesimus (in standard English, pronounced oh-NEH-sih-muhs). Paul wants Philemon to treat Onesimus kindly. Date and place of writing Paul says in the letter that he is writing from prison. The traditional and most widely accepted view is that Paul is writing from house arrest in Rome, which would place the letter around AD 61-63 (according to Fitzmyer and others; some scholars count the years slightly differently and say 60-62). Traditionally, scholars have believed that Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians were written during the same imprisonment and they are called the “captivity” letters. Some scholars prefer to see the letter as having been written during Paul’s two-year imprisonment in Caesarea, before he was sent to Rome, which would mean around AD 58-60 (or 57-59). A newer view is that Paul is in prison in Ephesus and writing around AD 56-57. We do not have any explicit evidence that Paul was ever in prison in Ephesus. However, Paul says he was imprisoned multiple times (2 Cor. 11:23), and neither Paul nor Luke in the Acts of the Apostles describes any of those imprisonments. He could have been jailed in Ephesus at some point (he stayed there for 2 years). Paul’s statement in Philemon 22 that Philemon should prepare a guest room for him to come for a visit if he is released makes more sense if he is writing from Ephesus, 100-120 miles away, than if he is writing from Rome, a distance of 1,312 miles by land and sea (Witherington, p. 530). Witherington ( PDF ) and White ( PDF ) provide competing, both very thoughtful, arguments against and in favor of the view that Paul’s captivity was in Ephesus. Read Philemon 1-7 . What is the tone of the letter, so far? What do you think the relationship is between Paul and Philemon? Read Philemon 8-11 . Paul finally turns to the subject of his letter, a man named Onesimus. How does the tone of the letter shift at this point? Read Philemon 10-25 . What is Onesimus’s social status? How has Onesimus changed? What does verse 14 tell us about Philemon? Verse 14 tells us that Philemon has the power and authority to decide what happens to Onesimus. He must have at least a little bit of wealth to be able to afford a slave, but many people “owned” slaves at that time in the Roman Empire. What does verse 19 tell us about Philemon? Verse 19 tells us that Philemon owes his life to Paul, presumably meaning he owes his faith in Christ to Paul – i.e., Paul converted him. What does verse 22 tell us about Philemon? Verse 22 tells us that Philemon’s house is big enough for the local church to meet there and has at least one spare room that could be made available for Paul to stay there as a guest. So, again, he is reasonably wealthy. Looking at all of the things Paul says about Philemon, how would you describe Philemon? What is Paul asking Philemon to do? Why does he think Philemon might be willing to do it? We are going to look at the details of what Paul writes, and then we will take a step back and look at the broader issue of slavery in the Roman Empire and how Paul handles that issue. Let’s dive into the details of what Paul writes: Philemon 1-3 Greetings How does Paul describe himself? In the first verse of Ephesians and of Colossians, Paul describes himself as an “apostle,” In Philippians, he describes himself as a “slave of Christ Jesus.” How does he describe himself in the first verse of this letter, and how is this difference significant? In verse 2, “your” is singular – the house the church meets in belongs to one of them. Scholars think the most likely interpretation is that Apphia is Philemon’s wife and Archippus is his son; but some think these are leading people in the church community. Similarly, the general belief is that the house the church meets in belongs to Philemon, who is a leader of the Christian community there, and that Onesimus is owned by Philemon; but some scholars think the house they meet in is owned by Archippus. Paul has already established a standard way of greeting the people he writes to: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 3). We see the exact same wording in Ephesians and Philippians, almost identical wording in 1 Thessalonians, and abbreviated versions of it in other letters. In verse 3, Paul uses the Greek word “grace” ( charis ). This is a New Testament/Christian concept for the unearned favor we receive from God. For that concept, Paul uses a word familiar in the Greek world that described the unearned favor or blessing a person might receive, for example, from a wealthy person. Paul also uses the Greek word for “peace,” which would call to mind the standard Hebrew greeting of shalom that expressed the desire for wholeness and well-being in all of one’s relationships. How do the two words “grace” and “peace” in Paul’s greeting capture well what we might wish for people we care about? Paul describes each of these three people – Philemon, Apphia, and Archippus – in very positive terms using just a few words. What is important to him about them? What can we learn from Paul’s example in the way he acknowledges the good he sees in other people? Philemon 4-7 Paul is thankful for Philemon In verses 4, 5, 6, and 7, the word “you” is singular each time. Paul is talking specifically to Philemon, not to the family as a whole. Let’s look some more at what kind of person Philemon is. In verse 2, Paul calls him “our co-worker.” What do you think “our co-worker” means? What does Paul say about Philemon in verses 5-6? Verse 5: Paul is thankful for Philemon’s faith in the Lord Jesus and his love for Jesus and his fellow Christians. Verse 6: Paul says that Philemon shares a “partnership” in the faith. In verse 5, Paul praises Philemon’s faith and love. Ignatius of Antioch, writing 50 years later, said that “faith and love in Christ Jesus . . . are the beginning and the end of life. For the beginning is faith, and the end is love” ( Ignatius of Antioch ). How do faith and love encompass the Christian life? In verse 6, what do you think Paul means when he refers to Philemon’s “partnership in the faith”? In what ways are we called to be co-workers or partners in the work God is doing through his people? What does Paul say about Philemon in verse 7? He says that Philemon encourages others in a way that refreshes the hearts of the believers. What do you think Paul means when he says Philemon refreshes the hearts of others? Some possible answers are: Philemon is hospitable or generous towards others in a way that helps them feel encouraged, renewed, and loved. Note: The Greek word Paul uses that is translated as “heart” is actually the word for “bowels” – the inner parts of us. To a Hebrew mind that is the seat of the emotions or place of one’s “innermost self” ( New American Bible, revised edition , Phile. 7, fn.). The translators wisely substitute the word “heart” because that is where people in our time locate our deepest self. In what ways are we called to refresh the hearts of our fellow believers, and how can we do that effectively? Some possible answers are: Be there for others, which means we need to be connected to them (for example, part of the church community with them). Talk with others and listen well. Be positive and encouraging. Practice being aware of other people’s needs. Avoid seeming to be telling people what to do as though we know better than them how they should live their lives (otherwise, they will not feel encouraged and refreshed). How important is it to be plugged into a local church in order to be a co-worker and refresh others? What seem to be Paul’s criteria for evaluating a person, and how do his criteria compare with the criteria our culture uses to measure a person’s worth? Looking at the example Philemon has set by how he has lived his life, what do you see in Philemon that you might be able to manifest more fully in your life? Take a step back and consider this: We have gotten through 7 verses of Paul’s letter to Philemon, and Paul hasn’t even begun to broach the main subject of his letter: Onesimus. We could cynically say that he is just buttering up Philemon so that he can win him over. Or we could say that this just shows how important it is to Paul to maintain a strong relationship with his friend. Or we could say that this is what effective Christians always do: praise other people and express appreciation for them whenever they can, in order to encourage them in their walk with the Lord. What does Paul’s expansive praise say to you about your own way of interacting with other people? Are there any suggestions here for your own relationships? Bibliography See Philemon - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/philemon/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Philemon List Next

Continue in faith, love, and endurance despite persecution, so that the Lord may be glorified in you. Previous 2 Thess. List Next 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 Continue in faith, love, and endurance despite persecution, so that the Lord may be glorified in you. Image by Olivia Snow provided by Unsplash via Wix. Tom Faletti March 10, 2025 2 Thess. 1:1-12 Paul begins with the traditional letter format (to, from, thanks, and a prayer) Verses 1-2 Paul begins with words that are very similar to what he wrote at the beginning of his earlier letter. Does anything stand out to you as different in this beginning? Or is there anything that strikes you as especially deserving of repetition here? Explain. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul wishes them “grace and peace,” but does not name the source of that grace and peace. Here, in verse 2, where does he say the grace and peace come from? How do you experience “grace” from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ? How do you experience “peace” from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ? Verses 3-4 In verses 3-4, Paul praises the Thessalonians for their faith, their love for one another, and their endurance in the face of persecution and affliction. He also praised them for these traits in the first letter he wrote to them. What is the value of praising people for the good things they are doing? Are there some people you could encourage by praising them for the good they are doing? How might your life be different if you cultivated a habit of praising others? What would you need to do to be such a person? Verses 5-10 In verse 5, what does Paul say about their persecution? Their steadfastness in the face of persecution is a sign that they are worthy of eternal life in the kingdom of God. In verse 6, what does Paul say will happen eventually to those who are afflicting the Thessalonian Christians? How does the idea that people who mistreat others will someday face God’s judgment make you feel? Is the idea that evil will someday face judgment important for our theology? How does Paul’s statement in verse 7 that those who have been persecuted will find “rest” (NABRE) or “relief” (NRSV) make you feel? Note: The reference to “fire” in verse 8 is standard apocalyptic language of Paul’s time and not necessarily meant to be taken literally. The primary and most haunting pain of rejecting God is not physical but instead lies in having freely chosen to live forever outside of God’s presence, separated from him, as Paul indicates in verse 9. In verse 8, Paul identifies what is worthy of judgment in the people who have persecuted the Thessalonians. He does not just criticize their specific wrongful actions; he diagnoses what is going on in them spiritually. What are the two things about them that he finds worthy of God’s judgment? They do not know/acknowledge God and they do not obey the gospel. So, they do not recognize God’s authority or place in their life and they do not obey God’s teachings about how to live. Paul finds them deficient with regard to both their missing relationship with God (they do not know/acknowledge him) and their missing actions (they do not obey the gospel). How are both of those elements – knowing and doing – important in the Christian life? In verse 9, Paul says that those who have rejected God will experience the ultimate penalty: they will be “separated from the presence of the Lord.” In what ways is this a particularly fitting description of what we call “hell”? Notice that this chief feature of hell – separation from God – is something they already chose while they were on earth: they chose to live a life that was not in communion with God. Why would they want anything different in eternity? How does this passage support the idea that God doesn’t choose to send people to hell; they freely choose it for themselves by rejecting him? Verses 11-12 In verse 11, what two things does Paul pray for the Thessalonians? Paul prays that God will make them worthy of God’s calling and fulfill every good “purpose” (NABRE) or “resolve” (NRSV) and every “effort” (NABRE) or “work” (NRSV) of their faith. In verse 11, Paul prays that God will make them “worthy of his calling.” How might you evaluate whether you are living a life that is worthy of God’s calling? Also in verse 11, Paul prays that God will bring to fulfillment every good “purpose” (NABRE) or “resolve” (NRSV) and every “effort” (NABRE) or “work” (NRSV) of faith. In other words, may God fulfill both their good intentions and the actions they take because of their faith. How can we try to make sure both our intentions and our actions are consistent with our faith? Who is someone for whom you could pray this prayer, that God will fulfill their good purposes and efforts of faith? What are they trying to do with the help of God that you could support in prayer? In verse 12, Paul indicates that, because of God’s grace, the name of the Lord Jesus can be glorified in us, and we can be glorified in him. What does it look like when Jesus is glorified in us, and how can that happen? How can we be glorified in Christ? What does that mean or look like? What are you doing, or what might God be calling you do to, that could bring glory to him? Take a step back and consider this: William Barclay offers a beautiful image, and a challenge, in response to verse 12. He writes: “A teacher’s glory lies in the scholars he produces; a parent’s in the children he rears not only for living but for life; a master’s in his disciples; and to us is given the tremendous privilege and responsibility that Christ’s glory can lie in us. We may bring discredit or we may bring glory to the Master whose we are and whom we seek to serve. Can any privilege or responsibility be greater than that?” (Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians , pp. 210-211). Jesus frequently uses the word “joy” to characterize his attitude when we do good. In Matthew 25:21, Jesus tells us that the master says to the servant who uses well the gifts he was given, “Come, share your master’s joy” (Matt. 25:21, NABRE) or “enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:21, NRSV). In Luke 15:3-6, he says that the shepherd (an image of Jesus Christ) rejoices and invites others to rejoice with him when he finds the lost sheep. In Luke 15:7-10, he says there is joy or rejoicing in the presence of the angels when a sinner repents. In John 15:11 and John 17:13, he says that he wants his joy to be in us. Jesus is a person of joy. When we fulfill God’s purposes in our lives, the joy is not only ours; it is also his. When we glorify the Lord by serving him effectively, it gives joy to our Lord. How might it recast or even transform how you approach the details as well as the major actions of your life if you were to remember consistently that your faithful efforts to serve Jesus give him joy? How can you live in that joy even when God has not yet fulfilled "every good purpose and every effort of faith” in your life (2 Thess. 1:11)? Bibliography See 2 Thessalonians - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/2-thessalonians/bibliography . Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous 2 Thess. List Next

The Gospel of John shows us Jesus Christ, who is both God and man and Son of the Father. It provides spiritual insights that go beyond what the other Gospels have, so that we can believe and have life. Previous Next John List Introduction to John The Gospel of John shows us Jesus Christ, who is both God and man and Son of the Father. It provides spiritual insights that go beyond what the other Gospels have, so that we can believe and have life. Image provided by Wix. Tom Faletti October 31, 2025 Introduction: Background Regarding the Gospel of John (This background information is a synthesis of the scholarship presented in many sources, including the following: Brown, Introduction , pp. 362-376; Brown, The Community , pp. 22-24, 166-182; Bruce, pp. 1-12; Flanagan, pp. 101-104, 119-121; Perkins, pp. 942-950; Sloyan, pp. 8-28; Ignatius Catholic Study Bible , pp. 157-158; Ellis, pp. 1230-1231; and New American Bible, revised edition , New Testament, pp. 142-144.) Why was the Gospel of John written? The Gospel of John tells us why it was written: John wants us to believe and have life: At the end of chapter 20, John says that he could have written many more things about Jesus. “But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31, NRSV). Around AD 324, Eusebius, the bishop of Caesarea, tried to summarize everything he could find about the origins of the Gospels. In his Ecclesial History , he quotes from a document written by an earlier bishop, Clement of Alexandria (AD 150-215), that we no longer have: John tells about events before John the Baptist was arrested that are not in the other Gospels: Clement said that John wrote his Gospel partly because the first 3 Gospels did not tell about the beginning of Jesus’s ministry but only covered the final year of Jesus’s ministry after John the Baptist was arrested (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book III , Chapter 24, pars. 7-8). Eusebius reports: “John accordingly, in his Gospel, records the deeds of Christ which were performed before the Baptist was cast into prison, but the other three evangelists mention the events which happened after that time” (par. 12). John wrote a “spiritual gospel”: Eusebius writes: “But, last of all, John, perceiving that the external facts had been made plain in the Gospel, being urged by his friends, and inspired by the Spirit, composed a spiritual Gospel. This is the account of Clement.” (Eusebius, Book VI , Chapter 14, pars. 6-7) This suggests that John is going beyond the external, physical, material facts and exploring the meaning of what Jesus did He is exploring on a deeper level than the other Gospels, not just providing strictly what Jesus said and did. We might call this the “theological” Gospel, because it focuses on the symbolic nature of Jesus’s life and the metaphors that help us understand the true nature of Jesus. We can see this in the ways John talks about Jesus being the light, the way, the truth, the life, the resurrection, the good shepherd, etc. How important are metaphors like the light, the way, the truth, the life, etc. in understanding who Jesus is? How do you think this Gospel might help you believe in Jesus and have life? Who is the author? We are not sure of the identity of the author of the Gospel of John. None of the Gospel authors put their name on their Gospel. The titles that say they are “according to Matthew,” “according to Mark,” etc., were added early on and are not part of the original documents. There are two puzzles regarding the authorship of the Gospel of John: John’s Gospel never refers to “John,” but it does talk about “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” who scholars call the “Beloved Disciple.” Was this Beloved Disciple the same as John the apostle, or someone else? John the apostle and his brother James were the sons of Zebedee. This Gospel never refers to James or John by name, and it only refers to the sons of Zebedee once: in an epilogue (chapter 21) not written by the author of the rest of the book. Many scholars believe that the Beloved Disciple was the apostle John, the son of Zebedee. A smaller number of scholars think it was Lazarus or Thomas. A significant group of scholars think it was another disciple not named in the other Gospels: an eyewitness who was there through it all but was not one of the “Twelve” and only rose to prominence later. The simplest conclusion is that “the one whom Jesus loved” is the apostle John, the son of Zebedee. The Beloved Disciple appears in many places where we might expect John the apostle. He reclines at Jesus’s side at the last Supper (13:21-26). He is treated as a leader (20:1-2). He is at the foot of the cross and took Mary into his house (19:25-27). And he is the disciple who it is suggested would not be martyred as Peter was (21:17-24). These are all things that fit John the Apostle. So concluding that it was John the apostle requires the fewest additional assumptions, even though many scholars prefer the idea that it was an unknown eyewitness. Who wrote the Gospel of John? Was it the eyewitness Beloved Disciple/John the apostle, or was it another person from John’s community drawing on John’s oral accounts? Irenaeus, writing around AD 180, says: “John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia” ( Irenaeus , par. 1). Eusebius, reporting what Clement had written, says that “the apostle John . . . gave in his Gospel an account of the period which had been omitted by the earlier evangelists” (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book III , Chapter 24, par. 11). The belief that John the apostle provided the Gospel of John has a long history, and it is likely that he was the source of the eyewitness testimony (unless the scholars who think the Beloved Disciple was another, anonymous disciple are right). But that may not tell us who actually put pen to papyrus (or parchment). Several other facts complicate the question of who wrote the Gospel of John: Chapter 21 of John’s Gospel is clearly an epilogue added by someone else. Chapter 20 has a clear ending in verses 30-31. Chapter 21 tells several stories, including the story of the conversation about whether Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved would be martyred. It tells us that the story came from the beloved disciple, and “we know that his testimony is true” (21:24). The use of the word “we” indicates that some or all of chapter 21 was added by a group. Scholars talk a lot about the “Johannine community” – the community of which John was a central member in Ephesus. There was another John – John the “presbyter” or “elder” – who was also a highly respected member of the community at Ephesus. Some scholars, going all the way back to the time of Eusebius, have thought that John the Elder wrote the Book of Revelation; some also think he wrote, or at least compiled the final version of, the Gospel of John. All of the Gospels were developed through a process as they transitioned from oral stories to written accounts that compiled those stories. None of the Gospels appeared from out of nowhere. The stories were first told orally. Then, someone wrote them down. It appears that the 4 Gospels have material that was gathered from a variety of sources – probably mostly oral sources, though there also may have been written documents that were partial Gospels or collections of sayings or stories. So even if John the Apostle was the primary source for this material, it might have gone through stages, including possibly more than one written stage, before it arrived at the final version we have. Many scholars today think that the Gospel of John was the work of several people in the Johannine community. They think there was an original “John” who was an eyewitness; that there was an “evangelist” who first wrote a Gospel that built on what the original eyewitness reported; and that a redactor put it into its final form. Some think that there was a version written in Aramaic before the first version in Greek, but others find no evidence for that. We will call the author “John,” but whether it was John the apostle or an unnamed disciple whom Jesus loved doesn’t chang the outcome. What matters is that at its root, it came from an eyewitness, and the result – the Gospel we have today – was inspired by God. Where did the author of the Gospel of John get his material? The original source was an eyewitness. The Gospel shows great familiarity with Palestinian geography (for example, Solomon’s portico in the Temple area; the pavement called Gabbatha where Pilate decided Jesus’s fate; that there were 2 towns called Bethany; the pool of Siloam, which was only rediscovered in 2005; the pool of Bethesda with its 5 porticos, rediscovered in the 1800s; etc.); the details of Jesus’s trial and crucifixion (that 4 soldiers gambled for Jesus’s robe; the blood and water that poured from his side; the weight of the myrrhs and aloes used to anoint his body; etc.), and many other details (that the boy with the loaves and fishes had barley loaves; that they had rowed 3 or 4 miles before Jesus came walking to them on the water; that Judas objected that the perfumed oil used to anoint Jesus’s feet could have been sold for 300 days’ wages; quotes of statements made by Thomas; etc.). This original eyewitness had a unique perspective, separate from the other Gospel authors. Most of the material in the Gospel of John is different from what is in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) – not contradictory (except in one significant place), just different. There is some overlap with Mark, but that could just relate to the fact that different eyewitnesses saw the same events. Some of the material in the Gospel of John appears to come from the reflection of the Johannine community and not necessarily all from the mouth of Jesus while he walked the Earth. That would be consistent with the idea that John’s is a “spiritual gospel” that presents more of an interpretation or analysis of who Jesus is, not just what he did and said. The Johannine community appears to have placed a strong emphasis on the role of the Holy Spirit (the Paraclete), so some of the material may not have come directly from Jesus but from later revelations the Johannine community received that they believed were revealed to them by Jesus through the Holy Spirit. So, for example, in John 3:16-21, did Jesus say, “For God so loved the world that he sent his only son,” or is that an explanation by John? The Greek of that time did not use quotation marks, so we don’t know whether it is a quote or an explanation. But maybe it doesn’t matter, because either way, we believe it is part of the inspired Word of God. To what extent does it matter to you whether the Gospel of John was written by John the apostle or another eyewitness? To what extent does it matter to you whether the final version reflects a process of editing and refinement by other writers in the Christian community, or not? Do these questions affect whether the result that we have today is the Word of God? Explain. When was the Gospel written? Most scholars think the Gospel of John was written in the AD 90s, but a small case could be made that it was written before AD 70. John does not offer many textual clues for when it was written. Scholars think Matthew was written after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70 in part because Matthew’s Gospel makes some statements that sound like the author knew that it had happened. John does not give us that kind of clue. There is one spot where John uses a phrase that could indicate that it was written before AD 70. John 5:2 says, “Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool....” It would be odd for John to use the word “is” if he knew that the city had been destroyed and the pool was no longer there. However, the Gospel could merely be relating the story as it would have been told orally and handed down for decades, so a single “is” is not much evidence to base a conclusion on. John presents what is called a “high Christology” – a high view of Jesus’s identity as God. Many scholars believe that it took time for the understanding to develop that Jesus was not just the Messiah/Christ but God in the flesh. That argues for a later date. The latest it could have been written was the early 100s. For a while, some scholars argued that John’ Gospel wasn’t written until as late as 150 or later. That idea was shot down when a fragment of papyrus was discovered in Egypt that contains a few verses from chapter 18 of John’s Gospel and that is considered to be dated between 100 and 150. Since it would have taken some time for that copy of the Gospel to have reached Africa, John was probably published no later than the early 100s ( Ignatius Catholic Study Bible , p. 157; Bruce, pp. 6-7). On a separate note, people sometimes wonder whether the Gospels might have been doctored or rewritten over the centuries by people or factions who had agendas of one kind or another – for example, after the time of Constantine when Christianity became the state religion. The facts don’t support such a theory: We have a papyrus dating from the end of the 2 nd century (the late 100s, only 100 years after the Gospel of John was probably written) that contains most of the first 14 chapters of John’s Gospel and parts of the rest. Another papyrus from the end of the 2nd century contains most of Luke and the first half of John. We also have a papyrus from the early 3 rd century (100 years before Constantine made Christianity the religion of the Roman Empire) that contains portions of all 4 Gospels and Acts of the Apostles (Bruce, pp. 6-7). The Gospels we have today are not hugely different from what the Church had in the 2 nd and early 3 rd centuries. Where was the Gospel written? There is widespread agreement that the Gospel of John was written in Ephesus. There is a large amount of evidence that John lived in Ephesus for much of his later life, with Jesus’s mother Mary. What do we know about John’s audience and community? Many scholars have written whole books presenting their theories about the Johannine community. These scholars try to read between the lines of John’s Gospel and compare it to what we know or think we might know about what was going on the Church at that time, to extrapolate what we might conclude about John’s community. The most important points are these: Many scholars think that John’s Gospel was written mainly for Jews and Jewish Christians, though not all agree. Although it does not quote the Old Testament as frequently as other Gospels, John’s Gospel would be nearly unintelligible to people who lack an understanding of Jewish traditions and concepts. For example, this is the Gospel with all the “I am” statements that echo God’s name for himself in the Old Testament. Non-Jews would tend to miss the import of those statements. John also focuses on Jesus’s attendance at Jewish feast days in Jerusalem, without bothering to explain them. John’s community appears to have faced intense opposition from Jews who did not believe in Jesus. Those Jews kicked Jewish Christians out of the synagogues. When John speaks negatively of “the Jews,” modern people tend to wonder why, since John was a Jew. He is talking about the leaders of the non-Christian Jews who persecuted Christians. It might be like a White person speaking negatively about “the Whites” who persecuted Black people in the South for 100 years after the Civil War. He doesn’t mean all Jews, just those who rejected Jesus and mistreated Christians. Many scholars think John’s community may have included Samaritans who converted to Christianity. They reach this conclusion because of John’s inclusion of the story of the Samaritan woman and the conversion of her town in John 4 and the lack of any negative references to Samaritans in his Gospel (Matthew and Luke each have one or more negative references to Samaritans). The idea would be that John originally gathered converts in Palestine, Samaritan converts joined him, and they all eventually moved to Ephesus because of Jewish opposition in Palestine. If indeed John’s community included Samaritans, that could have precipitated even more Jewish persecution since there was a longstanding hatred of Samaritans in the Jewish community. John’s community may have had a special emphasis on the Holy Spirit. John’s Gospel has much more material on the Holy Spirit than the other Gospels do. John’s community may have had frequent theological disagreements with other Christians and may eventually have had a split inside their own community. Scholars think the Johannine community was critical of what scholars call “crypto-Christians” – Jewish Christians who downplayed their Christian faith in order to remain in the synagogues. They see hints in his Gospel that he may have had disagreements with Christians who did not share his high Christology or who did not place such a high emphasis on the ongoing role of the Holy Spirit. And the New Testament letter 1 John, which might have been written as few as 10 years after the Gospel of John, indicates that the Johannine community eventually faced a serious internal disagreement that led to a painful split in which some Christians in the community left. In what ways do you think the experiences and difficulties the early Church faced might have shaped what the Gospels writers decided to include or not bother to include in their Gospels? Themes in the Gospel of John The Gospel of John is marked by a series of 7 “signs” – wondrous deeds Jesus does that demonstrate his authority – beginning with his turning water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana (2:1-11). The first chapter of John provides a first mention of many themes that will recur later in the Gospel. These themes include: Jesus is the Son of God the Father. Jesus is one with the Father and existed before he was born as a human. Jesus reveals the Father. Some people do not know the Father because they refuse to accept Jesus. Jesus’s followers are children of God. Jesus brings life. Jesus brings light. Jesus brings the truth. Many people and events provide testify that Jesus is who he says he is. John develops additional themes as the Gospel progresses , include these: There is a Third Person of the Triune God, the Spirit, who will be with Jesus’s followers when Jesus returns to heaven. Jesus is the Bread of Life. Jesus will be “lifted up” to bring people to himself. God loves the world and shows his love in Jesus’s sacrifice of himself. Jesus’s disciples are called to follow him, obey him, and love one another. Which of these themes of John’s Gospel intrigue you the most, and why? What do you hope to learn by studying John’s Gospel? What questions do you hope to have answered as you study? If you could ask John one question, what would you ask, and why? How do you think he would respond? Take a step back and consider this: Atheists criticize belief in the Gospels because they have such different perspectives, which they call contradictions. If God inspired them all, how could the authors have such different versions of the story? The differences do not trouble me. In fact, if the Gospels were all perfectly aligned, I would be more skeptical. If every book told the story in exactly the same way, it would make me wonder if some person or group doctored or coordinated all the writings. I can’t imagine that a genuine set of Scriptures could be any other way than our Scriptures are: different in tiny details because of the humanness of the human authors and how they obtained and crafted their material. The only way the accounts could be entirely identical and still genuine is if God turned the original authors into robots taking dictation from him, and that would go directly against what it means to be a human made in the image of God with freedom, a unique personality, unique experiences, and unique ways of telling what we know to be the truth. Not everyone has such confidence in God: to believe that he could work through humans to develop a collection of books and letters that are inspired by him and have sacred and eternal value even though they were written by human authors working with their various perspectives and limitations. But that is why we say God is the author of the sacred Scriptures even as humans were the authors of the various books. God, in his awesomeness, honored human freedom even as he guided the result. What does the fact that God used such different people to produce the 4 Gospels tell you about God’s confidence in working through human beings to achieve his purposes? How can that give you greater confidence that God can work through you? Bibliography See John - Bibliography at https://www.faithexplored.com/john/bibliography . Copyright © 2026, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous John List Next

If God doesn't care about us, we are in a pretty precarious position. Previous Next Table of Contents Does God Care? If God doesn't care about us, we are in a pretty precarious position. Tom Faletti (to be continued) Copyright © 2025, Tom Faletti (Faith Explored, www.faithexplored.com ). This material may be reproduced in whole or in part without alteration, for nonprofit use, provided such reproductions are not sold and include this copyright notice or a similar acknowledgement that includes a reference to Faith Explored and www.faithexplored.com. See www.faithexplored.com for more materials like this. Previous Table of Contents Next