Outline Studies in the New Testament for Bible Teachers Part 20

PART ONE

The history of this period of eighteen years, as contained in the book of Acts, is limited to the labors of St. Paul, who was pre-eminently the apostle to the Gentiles (2 Tim. 1. 11).

I. Let us draw the =map of the lands= embraced in the later journeys of the apostle Paul.

1. _The Lands_: 1.) Asia Minor. 2.) Thrace. 3.) Macedonia. 4.) Greece or Achaia. 5.) Italy. 6.) Africa, not visited by Paul. 7.) Palestine or Judea. 8.) Syria.

2. _The Localities._ 1.) Jerusalem. 2.) Antioch. 3.) Ephesus. 4.) Troas.

5.) Philippi. 6.) Thessalonica. 7.) Berea. 8.) Athens. 9.) Corinth. 10.) Rome.

II. =Paul's Second Missionary Journey.= The gospel in Europe (A. D.

51-53). Notice:

1. _His companions_: the quarrel with Barnabas and separation (Acts 15.

36-39). Barnabas at this point drops out of the record. Silas, Timothy, and later Luke, accompany Paul (Acts 15. 40; 16. 1; 16. 10). Luke's profession, perhaps therein helping the apostle (Col. 4. 14).

2. _Asia Minor revisited._ Note and locate the provinces through which they pa.s.sed, starting from Antioch: 1.) Cilicia (Acts 15. 41). 2.) Lycaonia (Acts 16. 1, 3.) Probably Pisidia (Acts 16. 4). 4.) Galatia.

5.) Phrygia (Acts 16. 6). Through Mysia to Troas (Acts 16. 8). Locate these provinces on the map.

3. _The Gospel in Europe._ Note the events which led to the voyage across the aegean Sea (Acts 16. 9). Trace the route on the map--from what city? to what city? The three cities in Macedonia (Acts 16. 12; 17. 1; 17. 10). The two cities in Greece (Acts 17. 15; 18. 1). Note the long stay in Corinth (Acts 18. 11); the largest city in Greece and the commercial metropolis, at that time far more important than Athens.

Review and locate the five cities in Europe thus far visited, P. T. B.

A. C., and recall the peculiar events at each place.

4. _The two Epistles to the Thessalonians_ were written while Paul was at Corinth, perhaps 52 and 53 A. D. These are the earliest extant writings of Paul, and the earliest books of the New Testament. Two subjects are presented in both letters: 1.) General precepts concerning _Christian character_. 2.) The _second coming of Christ_.

5. _A visit to Ephesus_, the chief city of Asia Minor (Acts 18. 18, 19).

Notice what would be the direct route from Corinth. Paul's stay at this time was short, but with promise of a speedy return.

6. _Return to Antioch._ The route, from Ephesus to Caesarea, thence to the mother church at Jerusalem; thence 250 miles either by land via Damascus, or by water via Caesarea (Acts 18. 22). The great result of the second missionary journey was the planting of the gospel in Europe. The churches founded were composed of both Jews and Gentiles, with the latter largely in the majority.

Blackboard Outline

PART ONE

I. =Map.= 1. Lands. 1.) A. M. 2.) Th. 3.) Mac. 4.) Gre. 5.) It.

6.) Af. 7.) Pal. 8.) Syr.

2. =Pla.= 1.) Jer. 2.) Ant. 3.) Eph. 4.) Tro. 5.) Phi.

6.) Thes. 7.) Ber. 8.) Ath. 9.) Cor.

II. =Pau. Sec. Miss. Jour.= 1. Comp. S. T. L.

2. _As. Min. Rev._ 1.) Cil. 2.) Ly. 3.) Pi. 4.) Gal. 5.) Ph.

6.) My. T.

3. _Gos. in Eur._ Tro. Phil. Thess. Ber. Ath. Cor.

4. _Ep. Thess._ 1.) Chr. Char. 2.) Chr. sec. com.

5. _Vis. Eph._ 6. _Ret. Ant._ Result-Gosp. Eur.

Review Questions. Part One

What lands in Asia are named with this lesson on the map? What lands in Europe? What localities in Palestine and Syria? Localities in Asia Minor?

Localities in Europe? Who were Paul's companions on his second missionary journey? What places of his earlier journey were revisited at this time? What new places did he visit in Asia Minor? What event called Paul to go to Europe? In what city in Europe did Paul first preach the gospel? How was his work in that city interrupted? What other places in Macedonia did he visit? In which of these places did he find the people "more n.o.ble"? What cities in Greece did he visit? In which city did he stay for a long time, and for what reason? What letters were written during this journey?

From what place was each written? What was the subject or purpose of each epistle? What large city in Asia Minor was the last one visited on this journey? At what places did Paul stop on his return journey? Where did his journey end? What was the great result of this journey?

PART TWO

II. =Paul's Third Missionary Journey= (A. D. 54-58). His companions are named in Acts 19. 22. The latter seems to have been a man of importance from Corinth (Rom. 16. 23). We trace the journey, starting, as both the former journeys, from Antioch:

1. _From Antioch to Ephesus_ (Acts 18. 23). He went through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting churches already founded. Some think that this indicates a fourth visit to Lycaonia and Pisidia, as those lands were loosely regarded as belonging to Galatia; but this is not certain.

2. _Three years in Ephesus._ (Acts 19. 1-20.) In this metropolis of Asia Minor Paul made a stay longer than in any other place during his ministry. As results, churches arose in all that region: Colossae (Col.

2. 2; 2. 1), Hierapolis (Col. 4. 13), and "the seven churches of Asia"

(Rev. 1. 11).

3. _Macedonia and Greece revisited._ We can tell what places he would visit in this journey through former fields, although they are not named--the four or five cities wherein he had already planted churches: Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea (Athens?), Corinth. One of his errands on this journey, not mentioned in Acts, is frequently referred to in the epistles of this period, his _collection for the poor Christians in Judea_. See Rom. 15. 26, 27. 1 Cor. 16. 1-3. 2 Cor. 9. 1-4. Probably the care of these funds was one reason for the large number of disciples accompanying Paul on his return journey (Acts 20. 4).

4. _Epistles of this Period._ These were the following:

1.) _First Corinthians_, written from Ephesus, perhaps about 57 A. D. Its occasion (1 Cor. 1. 11, 12). Its purpose, to set forth a true church-life.

2.) _Second Corinthians_ (57 A. D.), probably written from Macedonia. (2 Cor. 7. 5; 8. 1); its purpose, mainly a defense of Paul's apostolic authority.

3.) _Galatians_, also probably from Macedonia (57 A.

D). Its occasion, the influence of Judaizing teachers on Paul's churches in Galatia (Gal. 1. 6, 7).

"Galatia" may refer to the regions in Lycaonia and Pisidia (according to Ramsay); but most expositors refer it to Galatia Proper, north of those provinces.

The theme of this book is "Salvation by faith _only_."

4.) _Romans_ was written from Corinth perhaps in 58 A.

D. See Rom. 16. 1, a reference to the seaport of Corinth. Its subject is "Justification by Faith."

Notice how important were the writings of this period.

5. _The return journey_ (Acts 20. 6-21, 17). Note the route and places, which should be traced on the map. 1.) Philippi (Acts 20. 6). 2.) Troas (Acts 20. 6-13). What took place at Troas? 3.) Voyage to Miletus (Acts 20. 14, 15). 4.) At Miletus, a touching address (Acts 20. 17-38). 5.) Voyage to Tyre (Acts 21. 1-6). 6.) Ptolemais (Acts 21. 7). 7.) Caesarea (Acts 21. 8-15.) A remarkable meeting. 8.) Jerusalem (Acts 21. 17).

Paul's errand to Jerusalem was to present the contribution of the Gentile churches; seeking to reconcile them with the mother church in Jerusalem, which was exceedingly bigoted in its zeal for the law (Acts 21. 20, 21).

6. =Paul's arrest and imprisonment= (Acts 21. 27-34). Our purpose is not to narrate the personal life of St. Paul but to show the development of the Christian church, therefore we do not enter into the details of his experience. He was arrested in Jerusalem, and placed in the castle of Antonia for his protection (Acts 21. 24); subsequently taken to Caesarea (Acts 23. 25-35). Here he remained in prison two years (Acts 24. 27).

During this time Paul was placed on trial at least four times: 1.) Before the Jewish council of the Sanhedrim. (Acts 23. 1-10.) 2.) Before the Roman governor or procurator Felix. (Acts 24:. 1-22.) 3.) Before Festus, the successor of Felix. (Acts 25. 1-12.) 4.) Before Agrippa, the ethnarch of the Bashan district, called by courtesy "King Agrippa."

(Acts 26. 1-32.)

Blackboard Outline

PART TWO

III. =Pau. Thir. Miss. Jour.= (54-58). Comp. Tim. Eras.

1. _Ant. to Eph._ Gal. Phr.