BL1 1-3. Film Screening/Synopsis (Mandarin/Cantonese)

Watch the video for this lesson, and preview the review section first to grasp the key points of the video.

True or False: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

1. Paul's letters are generally divided into two parts: the first part contains religious doctrines, and the second part contains teachings for daily life, balancing theory and practice.

2. Paul's letters were mostly written by others, and Paul, who provided the content, is not considered the author.

3. Paul's letters laid a rigorous foundation for Christian doctrine.

4. Paul's letters are all academic papers and have no relation to the actual situation of the church at that time.

5. Two thousand years later, our thoughts and ideas are not much different from those of the time of the Bible.

II. Format and Writing Characteristics of Letters

1. The format of letters in the first century

Similar to a modern note: author, recipient, greeting, main content, closing remarks and blessings.

2. Paul added his own personal touches to the letter format used at the time.

(1) When introducing yourself, emphasize God’s calling and sending (1 Corinthians 1:1).

(2) Greet the recipient and offer appreciation and intercessory prayer (Philippians 1:3).

(3) The main content is divided into two parts: doctrine and life teaching.

(4) Concluding Blessings: Recommend the messenger or nominate an individual to offer greetings (West 4 7-8).

3. When studying Paul's letters, do not overlook the greetings and blessings.

(1) Paul’s greetings are carefully arranged to introduce his faith position (Romans 1:1-4).

(2) Paul’s concluding blessing is an urgent and heartfelt admonition (1 Corinthians 16:22).

4. Letters were sometimes written on behalf of the secretary, but the content still belonged to the author.

(1) Paul’s letters show that it was normal for someone to write on his behalf (Romans 16:22).

(2) The authenticity of the letter was confirmed by Paul’s own handwritten greeting (1 Corinthians 16:21; 2 Thessalonians 3:17).

5. Letters can be sent jointly by multiple people.

(1) Paul wrote letters to Sotheney and Timothy separately (1 Corinthians 1:1; Philippians 1:1).

(2) Paul wrote letters with many people, reflecting his concern for one another (Galatians 6:2).

III. Purpose of the Letter

1. Helping non-Jewish believers establish a foundation of faith

(1) Gentile believers have no Jewish traditional background, and letters help them to know God's revelation.

(2) The letters ensured that the gospel could be delivered accurately and helped believers in various places to build the foundation of their faith (1 Corinthians 1:22-23).

(3) Paul was harassed by the Jews and could not stay in various places for long (see Acts 17:10), so he needed to use letters to give more comprehensive teaching.

2. Respond to the church's situation and resolve difficulties and controversies.

(1) The letters were written for believers to analyze their problems and disputes (Galatians 1:6).

(2) The letters reflect Paul’s dialogue with believers, teaching and comforting them (Colossians 4:12-13), showing that God is both reasonable and compassionate.

IV. The Challenge of Understanding Letters

1. The church is still growing.

At that time, the church was still in its developmental stage, and the collection of letters was incomplete (1 Corinthians 5:9).

2. Cultural and ideological gap

(1) Our understanding of the early church today is mainly based on the Book of Acts.

(2) Use information technology, transportation networks and archaeological data to understand the truth that God revealed to us through Paul.

3. Theological Criticism

(1) Understand that some scholars choose to study the Bible from a skeptical perspective.

(2) It is important to understand the background of the time so that the letters are recognized as the canonical scripture.

4. Difficulty in daily life applications

(1) Paul’s discussions were made in response to the circumstances, such as eating the flesh of idols, women preaching, and the issue of covering one’s head.

(2) In modern life, we should look at the principles, not just the meaning of the words.