Pauline TheologyPauline Theology

South Florida Bible College & Seminary

© John Stevenson, 2009

1 Timothy2 Timothy

Titus

1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians

EphesiansPhilippiansColossiansPhilemon

Romans1 Corinthians2 Corinthians

Galatians

Pastoral Epistles

Prophetic Epistles

Prison EpistlesFoundational

Epistles

Christ & the congregation

Christ & second coming

Christ & the church

Christ & the cross

EcclesiologicalEschatologicalChristologicalSoteriological

What is eschatology?What is eschatology?

What did the eschatology What did the eschatology of the Old Testament look of the Old Testament look

like?like?

Old Old CovenantCovenant

New New CovenantCovenant

MosesMoses A Prophet A Prophet like Moseslike Moses

Old Old CovenantCovenant

New New CovenantCovenant

God comes God comes into His into His TempleTemple

God will God will come come

suddenly to suddenly to His TempleHis Temple

What additions did Jesus What additions did Jesus make to that Eschatology?make to that Eschatology?

Destroy Destroy this this

Temple Temple and I will and I will raise it up raise it up in three in three

daysdays

““Truly I say to Truly I say to you, not one you, not one

stone here will stone here will be left upon be left upon

another, which another, which will not be torn will not be torn

down.” down.” (Matthew 24:2)(Matthew 24:2)

““This gospel of This gospel of the kingdom the kingdom

shall be shall be preached in preached in the whole the whole world as a world as a

testimony to all testimony to all the nations, the nations, and then the and then the

end will come” end will come” (Matthew (Matthew

24:14)24:14)

“…“…the the abomination of abomination of

desolation desolation which was which was spoken of spoken of

through Daniel through Daniel the prophet, the prophet,

standing in the standing in the holy place” holy place” (Matthew (Matthew

24:15)24:15)

Son of Son of Man Man

lifted uplifted up

• Elect gathered

• World judged

• Eternal kingdom

Gospel Gospel to be to be

preached preached to the to the

nationsnations

Son ofSon ofManMan

Son ofSon ofManMan

What additions did the What additions did the book of Acts make to that book of Acts make to that

Eschatology?Eschatology?

Acts 3:19-21 Acts 3:19-21 Therefore repent and return,

so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.

Jesus Jesus dead dead

buried buried risen risen

ascendedascended

• World will be judged

• Eternal kingdom

“…“…until the until the period of period of

restoration restoration of all of all

things”things”

Son ofSon ofManMan

Son ofSon ofManMan

What additions did Paul What additions did Paul make to that Eschatology?make to that Eschatology?

The First Epistle The First Epistle to the to the

Thessalonians Thessalonians

An Encouraging Expectancy

• God’s choice of you (1:2-5).• Your imitation of Christ (1:6-8)• Your turning to God (1:9-10)

A shared salvation history

Chapter 1

A shared salvation history

Chapter 1

Paul’s ministry in

Thessalonica

Chapters 2-3

1 Thessalonians 2:9. For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

A shared salvation history

Chapter 1

Paul’s ministry in

Thessalonica

Chapters 2-3

1 Thessalonians 3:1-2. Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,

• The principle stated (4:1)

• Sexual purity (4:3-8)• Responsible work (4:9-

12).• A Promise of Comfort in

the face of Death (4:13-18).

A shared salvation history

Chapter 1

Paul’s ministry in

Thessalonica

Chapters 2-3

Exhortation to walk in a

worthy manner

Chapter 4

Matthew 24Matthew 24They will see the Son of man coming... (24:30).

1 Thessalonians 41 Thessalonians 4For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven...

(4:16).

He will send forth His angels with a great

trumpet (24:31).

With the trumpet of God... (4:16).

And they will gather together His elect from

the four winds... (24:31).

We who are alive shall be caught up together...

(4:16).

…coming on the CLOUDS of the sky...

(24:30).

We... shall be caught up together with them in

CLOUDS (4:17).

A shared salvation history

• Living in light of the Day of the Lord (5:1-11).• Attitudes toward Christians workers (5:12-13).• Closing instructions (5:14-28).

Chapter 1

Paul’s ministry in

Thessalonica

Chapters 2-3

Exhortation to walk in a

worthy manner

Chapter 4

Living in light of Christ’s return

Chapter 5

What God has done in our lives

How we are to live as a result of what God has

done

The Second The Second Epistle to the Epistle to the

Thessalonians Thessalonians

Facing the Flame

A Promise of Relief to those under present Persecution

• The persevering faith and love of the Thessalonian church (1:2-4).

• A promise of affliction to those who are afflicting (1:5-8)

• Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians (1:9-10)

Chapter 1

A Promise of Relief to those under present Persecution

• A Dangerous Deception (2:1-2).• The Man of Sin (2:3-12)

Chapter 1

A Warning of troubles that must precede the day

of the Lord

Chapter 2

First…• The apostasy• The Man of sin

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

Day of the Lord

Day of the Lord

First…• The apostasy• The Man of sin

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7

6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he may be revealed.

7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.

Day of the Lord

Day of the Lord

8 And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.

First…• The apostasy• The Man of sin

2 Thessalonians 2:8-10

Day of the Lord

Day of the Lord

11 And for this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they might believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.

First…• The apostasy• The Man of sin

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Day of the Lord

Day of the Lord

Identity of the “Man of Sin”• Roman Emperor Caligula

– Ordered a statue of himself placed in the temple in Jerusalem

• Roman General Titus– Destroyed the temple in Jerusalem

• Roman Emperor Trajan– Built a pagan temple on the site of the temple

• Roman Catholic Church– Pope is said to be the Vicar of Christ

• Future fulfillment?

A Promise of Relief to those under present Persecution

• A Dangerous Deception (2:1-2).• The Man of Sin (2:3-12)

Chapter 1

A Warning of troubles that must precede the day

of the Lord

Chapter 2

• Thanksgiving for God’s gracious choice (2:13-17)

A Promise of Relief to those under present Persecution

Chapter 1

A Warning of troubles that must precede the day

of the Lord

Chapter 2

A Call to Staying

Steadfast in Christ

Chapter 3

What we are to believe regarding the future

How we are to live in the present