The process for recognizing the 27 books of the New Testament began in the first centuries of the Christian church. Very early, the New Testament books were recognized as inspired by God. Clement of Rome mentioned at least eight New Testament books by 95 AD, and Polycarp, a disciple of John, acknowledged 15 books of […]
Persecution and death were dramatic parts of the lives of the first Christians. It’s difficult to imagine these awful acts of torture, imprisonment, and death, but the fact is these things really happened. Scripture is an accurate account of real places, where real events happened to real people. Eleven of the 12 apostles, and many […]
The second-to-last book of the New Testament, right before Revelation, is called Jude. The author is identified as Jude, a brother of James and half-brother of Jesus. The Book of Jude was intended to equip Christians for the untold challenges of living in what the author refers to as the “last times.” Jude encourages Christians […]
Paul sent his letter to the Colossians between 58 and 62 AD. The church in Colossae was struggling with its understanding about Jesus Christ, so Paul delivered a comprehensive teaching on his identity. In one verse, Paul said: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him […]
In addition to his Gospel and the Book of Revelation, John wrote three epistles that are included in the New Testament known simply as 1st John, 2nd John, and 3rd John. These short letters were written in Ephesus before John was banished to Patmos. In the Gospels, John was described as “the disciple whom Jesus […]
The Book of Revelation is considered the last book in the New Testament. It is filled with metaphors and mysteries related to future events. The imagery and predictions in Revelation are pretty wild – so, scholars have a wide variety of theories on what they really mean, and when they will be fulfilled. Within the […]
During the Roman period, Patmos was known as part of the Sporades islands, a group of remote islands used for exiling (banishing) people that were somehow considered threats to the Roman Empire. While some of the islands were simple prison colonies, Patmos had a bit more going on, including a harbor, a town, a gymnasium, […]
In 66 AD, Nero ordered an attack on Judea and its surrounding territories to quell a variety of rebellions. He sent his trusted general Vespasian and an army of 60,000 to handle the job. The Romans were successful in taking Galilee and sections of Judea, but the walled city of Jerusalem held out. Nero died […]
Prior to his death in Rome, Paul worked tirelessly to establish Christian churches throughout Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece. Along the way, he was joined by a number of courageous, loyal, and even scholarly helpers. Apollos A man named Apollos, a member of the large Jewish community in Alexandria, Egypt, ended up teaching the Gospel […]
Following his release at the end of his two-year imprisonment in Rome, Paul had a brief period of freedom where he continued to preach, teach, and encourage the churches around the Mediterranean region. Between 62 and 65 AD, Paul seems to have brought the Gospel to Spain, which was his stated intention a few years […]