New Testament Letters
How do we read the New Testament letters, also known as the epistles? The letters are small books written by apostles to early Christians all over the Roman world. These books are seen as accessible and practical—but are we missing the point when we ignore their context and literary form?
In this live episode, Tim and Jon interact with an audience in Dallas, Texas for the launch of a new series on how to read the New Testament letters. Letters make up much of the New Testament, and knowing how to view and interpret them is essential for seeing the story of Jesus woven through the New Testament.
How do the New Testament letters fit with the rest of the biblical story? In this second part of a live recording in Dallas, Texas, Tim and Jon talk about how the apostles saw themselves as fulfilling God’s promise to bring blessing to all nations and how this perspective transforms the way we read the letters.
The New Testament letters all share a core conviction that shapes how the apostles taught followers of Jesus to live in the first century. Listen in as Tim and Jon discuss the focus of the New Testament letters and how they help us live wisely today.
Paul wrote his letters in the shadow of Rome. His words stood in stark contrast to Roman rule and its honor-shame culture. Join Tim and Jon in exploring the cultural context of the New Testament letters and the questions we should consider when reading these texts.
The New Testament letters were written to address specific situations among specific groups of people. In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss how to discern situational context, what to do when information is missing, and how context helps us apply the wisdom of the letters today.
Learn how to wisely read the New Testament letters by asking key questions about Paul’s context, a practice called mirror reading that can help us read and apply these letters to our lives responsibly.
Do we have to follow all the commands in the New Testament? Did Paul know his words were inspired? And why doesn’t the Bible condemn slavery? Tim and Jon respond to these questions and more in this week’s Question and Response episode.
Writing a letter in Paul’s day wasn’t as simple as grabbing a pen and paper and placing the finished letter in a mailbox. In this episode, Tim and Jon explore the world of 1st century letter writing, including “cosenders,” letter drafts, the cost of production, and delivery. Listen in on this fascinating conversation.
The New Testament letters can be difficult to follow, but the right tools can help us unpack their rich meaning. In this episode, Tim and Jon look at 1st-century letter templates, Greco-Roman rhetoric, and argument tracing.
This week, we finish our How to Read the Bible podcast series with one final Q+R episode where we answer questions like, “How do we know Paul’s letters are authentic?” and “Are morning devotionals still okay?” Tune in to hear your questions answered!