托马斯  康斯塔布尔博士

2017 版

导论

历史背景

传统上，学者都认为耶稣的同母异父的弟弟犹大（太十三 55, 可六 3 ）是这书信的作者。他也是第一世纪耶路撒冷教会领袖雅各的弟弟（犹1，徒十五13）。虽然近年来也有学者质疑这说法，但他们却不能证实这是错误的。¹ 按此而言，犹大（希腊文是 Judas , 希伯来文是 Judah ，意即赞美）是一名犹太的基督徒，他和雅各同样是一名希腊化的加利利犹太人，用高雅的希腊文写成这书信。故此我们可以预期，犹大引用希伯来经文而非如其他新约作者引用七十士译本。

耶稣按肉身的兄弟，在耶稣在世传道的日子并不信祂（约七 5 ）。我们也可以假设犹大也和雅各一样，在耶稣复活后才信的（林前十五7）² 。耶稣的兄弟和其他人在耶路撒冷聚集在一起，一起祷告等待圣灵的降临（徒一14）。耶路撒冷教会的人都熟悉他们（林前九5）。

因犹大经常引用旧约经文，我们相信这封信是写给一群熟悉旧约圣经的犹太人。这书信的内容对所有基督徒都是真确的，对犹太基督徒尤甚。因此，很多学者都相信这书信原本的收信人是一群犹太的基督徒。

「... 从信的内容来看，这不是一封给所有基督徒的大公书信，该以当地一群特定的信徒作为写作对象...」³

「关于谁是犹大书的收信人，按我们能够收集到的少许资料，相信生活在外邦的犹太基督徒群体是主要的收信人，但却不是唯一的收信人。」⁴

由于犹大是耶稣的弟弟，他可能活到第二世纪，这封书信的写作日期很难断定。公元66-70年犹太人叛乱之后，犹大若仍然生存，他可能在耶路撒冷或巴勒斯坦地以外生活。按书中有关假师傅和使徒的经文来看（第3-5节和17节），这可能是五旬节圣灵降临数年后的教会情况。犹大书和彼得书信都有很多近似的地方，因此估计犹大书和彼得书信是同期的作品，⁵ 但这是没有确据的估计而已。比较可信是犹大在公元67-80年期间写成犹大书，那时他或许居住在巴勒斯坦以外的地方。⁶

虽然我们无法确定犹大书的写作日期和历史背景，但却没有影响这书的信息或价值。

「犹大书比彼得后书有更属实的明证。」⁷

写作特色

很多学者都认为犹大书其实是一篇「书信形式的讲章」。⁸ 假如犹大是站在他的读者面前传递这信息，这必然是一篇讲章。因他不能面对面给他的读者宣讲他的信息，所以他把信息以书信形式写出来。新约中使用书信形式的讲章还有雅各书、希伯来书和约翰壹书。

结构

好些研读犹大书的学生留意到，犹大书的基本写作结构是交错结构（ chiastic structure ，或称扇形结构）；他们可能找到不同的交错结构。⁹

写作目的

「贯穿这卷书的信息：提防叛教者。」¹⁰

「新约中只有少数书卷比犹大书对我们这世代有更多要说的话。」¹¹

这封书信似是针对早期的诺斯底主义。

「在这里有多个发展为后期诺斯底主义的元素：崇尚知识作为从道德伦理中解放的藉口；高傲地对待『落后无知』的教会领袖；对天使学感兴趣、分党、纵欲。」¹²

大纲

I. 引言 1-2 节

II. 写信目的 3-4 节

III. 防避假师傅的警告 5-16 节

甲. 过去的错谬 5-7 节

1. 以色列人的例子 第5节

2. 天使的例子 第6节

3. 异教徒的例子 第7节

乙. 现在的错谬 8-16 节

1. 错谬的本质 8-9 节

2. 错谬的严重性 10-13 节

3. 错谬的后果 14-16 节

IV. 劝勉信徒坚守信仰 17-23 节

甲. 提醒信徒要记念使徒的警告 17-19 节

乙. 给信徒正面的劝勉 20-23 节

V. 结语 24-25 节

信息

犹大书的教导：我们必须忠于我们的信仰。这是从正面来说，可是，犹大所强调的，大部份是负面的，他警告离开从前一次交付圣徒的真道的危险（第3节）。犹大书的主题是叛教 – 离开真道。叛教并非论述救恩，而是顺服。基督徒离开信仰，可以和非基督徒般容易。有些年青的基督徒在专上学院或大学时期离开信仰后，可能永不回转。

「叛教」这词在基督教圈子时有所闻，意即离开信仰，并非指在某时刻的失脚（例如彼得在基督受审期间不认主）。叛教包含否认信仰的主要教义；「倒退」一般指道德或灵性热忱下滑，或许包含离开圣经的主要教导；「属肉体」指跟随感观肉欲，或许离开信仰。

犹大先为叛教下定义（第 4 节）。我相信第四节经文含明显递进，道出叛教的发展，从不敬虔到纵欲，最终否认信仰。「不敬虔」的人拒绝神的权威在他之上，他可以是信徒或非信徒，欠缺对神的崇敬，包括自决（按个人深思熟虑的意愿而行）。坎伯·摩根把叛教定义为「蓄意不敬虔」。¹³

下决定后，变节者以不敬虔作行为基础，出现离开神的表征。他纵欲，行为经常出现不羁，过度追求肉体的满足而不羞愧。叛逆从自决发展到道德领域。

接着，他用理性合理化自己的行为，说服自己所行是正确的，使充满罪疚感的良心禁声。结果，他找到方法说服自己颠倒是非，致使他否认神的道，认为神错了，而叛教者的话却「没有问题」；神说对的，他说「错」。他从自决，转为道德上的偏离，继而心智上偏离。这三方面都偏离了尽心、尽性、尽力爱神。

叛教者的出现意味教会出现了异端，其根源是个人生命中有某些范畴拒绝交给神。很多人都留意到叛教者从道德上的失脚，演变为不遵守教义，这是叛教者的特征。

随后，犹大说明叛教的本质和后果（第5-11节），他列举三个组别和三个人物作为例子。

组别#1：犹大使用以色列人在加低斯叛逆神的旨意，说明自决是叛教的根源（第五节），这事件导致叛教者提早死亡。叛逆的那一代不能进应许之地，他们在旷野漂流，最终死在旷野。

组别#2：不守本位的天使，显示道德上的叛逆（第六节）。他们叛逆的行为显示他们打从心底叛逆神，结果是永远拘禁。

组别#3：所多玛和蛾摩拉的叛逆性质是拒绝神给当地居民法律（第七节）。这些不敬虔的人以行动说出他们的生活方式是对的，而神是错的，这是理性上的谬误。叛逆的结果是面对终极审判。所多玛人起初瞎了，继而被杀。

个人#1：犹大使用「该隐」的例子描绘叛逆。该隐蓄意不顺服神给他的旨意（节11节），他是一个自以为义的人。

个人#2：犹大使用「巴兰」的例子描绘叛逆。巴兰向巴勒建议，引诱以色列人和摩押人行淫（节11节）。巴兰是一名极其贪婪的人。

个人#3：犹大使用可拉的例子描绘叛逆。可拉企图颠倒是非（节11节），并且十分自负。

总括来说：自义、贪心和自负显示叛教的不同阶段：自决、道德和理智。犹大在第12节和第13节还指出了叛教和叛教者的其他特质。犹大不愿意我们分辩不出离开真道的状况。

了解叛教者带来的祸害后，犹大给读者甚么劝勉呢？ 他给予一个一般命令和一些特别诫命。

让我们先看看那一般命令（第3节）。「竭力为真道争辩」意即小心翼翼和坚决地作出努力。从接着的特别诫命，我们可学习该怎样做。

让我们先看看第20-23节的特别诫命：守这些诫命包括3件事：首先，「造就我们自己」（20节上）。这是恒常服从神而来的灵命成长，应对叛教者的自决问题。第二，「在圣灵里祷告」（20节下），即求神帮助，应对叛教者的道德问题。

第三，「仰望」未来（21-22节），这需要清楚地聚焦终极的存有。应对叛教者的理智问题。当我们存着盼望，我们会作出正确的抉择，例如：为将来而非眼前的事物而活。若是这样，我们常在神的爱中。

对犹大来说，「竭力为真道争辩」最佳的表达方法，是个人对神忠信至死不渝，作信实的模范。他脑海中未有护教或基督教证据，当然有为此竭尽全力的人。

应用方面，让我提出两个问题并作出回答。

第一：我们要争辩的「真道」是甚么？ 那是「一次交付圣徒的真道」，即神在圣经里的特别启示，真道的中心是耶稣基督，是神给教会的大使命（太二十八19-20）。

第二：为「真道」作甚么争辩？ 人必须自愿服在神的权柄下，行事为人与祂的旨意和谐，坚信祂的启示与人的理性并无冲突。这是给每个基督徒的呼召。

纵使现今世代叛教的不少，保持对神信实是可行的。犹大书帮助我们忠于神。既然犹大给信徒写这封警告信，即基督徒作出叛教行为是可能发生的。¹⁴愿主对我们每个人说：「做得好，我又良善、又忠心的仆人。」¹⁵

注释

I. 引言 1-2 节

犹大在信的开端首先介绍自己，也祝愿读者在神的祝福里，预备他们接受这封信的信息。

第1节              「这卷为叛教作定义的书卷，所使用的名字让我们联想到世上最恶名昭彰、无出其右的叛徒。」¹⁶

这卷书的作者「犹大」，谦卑地表达他的身份。他大可以自称为耶稣的弟弟，但他却选择以他和基督的属灵关系（如雅一1），自称作基督的「仆人」（希腊文 doulos ），直译是奴隶的意思。

「作者自称是雅各的弟兄，这称呼是独一的。新约圣经中并没有其他作者使用家庭关系来介绍自己。」¹⁷

「也许犹大并非教会领袖，他的名字不单不曾在使徒行传中被提及，也没有在别的新约书卷中出现；因此他以在耶路撒冷教会当领袖的雅各来介绍自己，也是很自然的事。」¹⁸

犹大使用了三个不同的身份来称呼他的读者，他是最早使用三重身份组合的作者，成了这封书信的特色，也表现出犹大的思想精密完备。他的称呼包含过去圣灵给圣徒的呼召（第3节）、现在在父神的爱中（「在父神里蒙爱」，参第21节）和圣子从现在直到永远的保守（「为耶稣基督保守的人」，参第14，21节）。

「对神的呼召、爱和保守的认识，为身处叛教滋扰的信徒带来保证和平安。」

「犹大对收信人的每一个称呼，都遥指信中的内容：被召暗指『同得救恩』（第3节）；神的爱则在第21节提及；为基督保守的人则暗示『仰望我们主耶稣基督的怜悯，直到永生。』（第21，24节）。」¹⁹

「保守」是这书的钥字，原文总共出现了五次（第1节，第6节两次，第13节和第21节，和合本分别译作保守、守、拘留和存留）。

「 虽然犹大坚持人的合作对成全恩典工作很重要，但他没有一刻忘记 从灵性角度来说 ，我们的救恩是领受得来的！ 」²⁰

第2节               按我们犯罪的情况，我们需要神的「恩典」。我们被那难以察觉的引诱围绕着，它给我们不停的刺激，我们极需要神所赐的「平安」；我们需要神的「爱」给我们保守和勉励去打那属灵的争战。犹大书的读者十分需要这些帮助去面对假教师的影响，他接着便讨论这些影响。

「这些并不是自自然然地拥有的基督徒美德，而是神的礼物。作者祈求这些美德厚厚地赐予收信人。虽然是礼物，神的打造和赐予，转化成人的品格。」²¹

II. 写信目的 3-4 节

犹大解释他写信的目的，用以带出信的内容，让读者明白这课题的迫切性。

第3节               很多追随圣灵引领的牧者，与犹大有「同感」：谈论救恩和一些正面的事情是一件乐事；不过也有一些情况迫使我们提出一些警告。这些信息因涉及一些负面的事情而使人不悦，不过神的子民应为这些警告而感恩。

「罪恶促使好的法律规条出现，因此引致危险的错误，也给予正确防卫真理的机会。」²²

交付圣徒的信仰是神的特殊启示，已包含在圣经和使徒传扬的道（加一 23 ，提前四 1 ）；犹大的读者需要努力持守这信仰，犹如争取冠军的运动员辛勤练习去战胜挑战者（提前六 12 ，提后四 7-8 ，彼后一 5 ）。

「翻译作『竭力』的希腊文（ epagonizesthai ）是一个复合不定式的字，这个字在新约圣经中只在这里出现了一次。这个字的动词形式 (agonizomai) 可解作「疼痛难忍」。这动词通常用于摔跤比赛中努力挣扎去克服对手。它也普遍地在冲突，竞赛，辩论，或诉讼等情况被使用，指一个人要耗尽一切精力去争取胜利。」²³

这个复合动词所表达的图画，是一个人表明立场来捍卫和保留对手想要抢走的东西。²⁴

「不消说，这些努力挣扎的性质是合乎道德和具说服力的。信徒被禁止使用武力：当彼得企图拔出刀来去保护耶稣时，耶稣在忧伤中谴责彼得，并叫他收刀入销；并表明祂的追随者不可为祂动刀枪。」²⁵

「犹大写这封信有两个重点：他希望收信人不会因假师傅的误导而走上歧途。他祷告祈求他们竭力持守当初交付给他们的真道。」²⁶

「信仰在世上的最后争辩并不是言语上的争辩，而是以生命来演绎信仰。」²⁷

「虚假的自由主义和假人道的软弱，同样是错误的。」²⁸

「在犹大时期，叛教只如手掌大小的一片云，但今天却像龙卷风席卷全球。」²⁹

这节使用「一次交付」来强调这信仰的规范性和不可改变的性质。

第4节               这节的「有些人」和第三节的「圣徒」成为对比。这些人是「偷着」进到教会（如彼前二1所描述）。约翰则说很多「反基督的人」「从我们中间出去」（约壹二18-19）；犹大却说「有些人」「偷着进来」。

「翻译作『偷着进来』的希腊文“ pareisedusan ”... 含有秘密地，悄悄地，巧妙地将一些毒素渗透入某个社群或情况中。」³⁰

「... 这不单是一些外来的信条被带进教会，使教会感到困扰，而是异端入侵教会，将他们的教义带进来。」 ³¹

「他们能够偷进来（犹第四节，另参加二4）是因为第一世纪的讲道者周游不同的地方讲道（徒十三15，约贰7-11节、十二宗徒训诲录 11.1-12; 13.1-7 ），当中也有些是群体中兴起的领袖，他们却将异教的教训静悄悄地带进教会（彼后二1，徒二十29-30，罗十六 17-18）。」³²

「犹大书发人深省的地方是他继续争辩，由于偷偷走进来的使会众腐败，并蔓延至终极审判。但他清楚表达他们没有被捕，但经历不同的阶段直至那日。」³³

这些人有如麦子中的稗子（参太十三24-25, 38-39）。

「犹大的敌对者是一群来到教会的宣教师，他们既有号召力、又充满魅力，但他们其实是反律法主义者。虽然他们自认是耶稣基督的追随者，但他们却拒绝所有的道德权威，无论是摩西律法（第8-10节）或基督亲自的教导（第4节、第8节）... 」

「拒绝道德权威的同时，他们纵欲，特别是与『性』相关的不端行为（第6-8节，第10节）。他们故意蔑视犹太人的道德标准，遵从异教的放任行为。」³⁴

引文的作者使用 “ charismatics” 这个英文字时，是使用这字的一般含意：充满魅力和影响力，并不代表这些假师传相信圣灵的恩赐。

可能神早已知道这些敌对者的罪行、他们「早已」被「定罪」，只等将来才刑罚他们。另一观点指有别的作者已为叛教发出警告。³⁵ 原文 ”Prographo” 这字的意思是「预先写下」。

「定罪」是肯定他们所犯的罪的刑罚在前面等待他们。（太七15，可十三22，徒二十29-30 ，彼后第 2 章）

「『不敬虔』（ 希腊文 asebeis ）可说是这书的重点（参第15节和第 18节），就如以诺书一般。」³⁶

当日犹大书的收信人能够透过两类特别的活动，看到这些不虔诚的人的本性。他们利用摩西律法给予人的自由（神的恩）作为纵欲、放荡的机会（反律法主义），这正是诺斯底派的罪行。在这节和这书的其他部份，都是受他们影响的明证。³⁷ 不过亦有人不同意这推论而有所争辩。³⁸

其次，他们歪曲圣经启示的真理，这证明他们否认神和耶稣基督（约壹二 22-23，多一16）。按希腊文的文法结构，这节的「主宰」可以指神、也可以指耶稣基督。³⁹ 不过， 亦有很多学者认为犹大在这里指基督同时拥有这两个身份。⁴⁰

「虽然他们自称是耶稣基督的追随者，犹大却说因他们拒绝基督对道德的要求，他们其实是拒绝基督作他们的主、也否定基督的权柄。」⁴¹

「因教会实际上拥护和包庇令人厌恶的不道德行为，这个国家（美国）的危险不断增加。」⁴²

伴随着教义的偏差，他们时常为伦理和道德的罪恶辩护。

III. 防避假师傅的警告 5-16 节

「新约中并没有其他书卷好像这简短的犹大书，强烈谴责放荡的人和变节者。」⁴³

甲 . 过去的错谬5 -7 节

犹大使用了三个过往失败的例子来警告读者离开真道的危险。圣洁的神公开审判作恶者并不是崭新的事情。

「为何这书信不按时序排列事件？ 事出必有因，我们相信这排列方式是教导我们叛教的起因和结局。」⁴⁴

1. 以色列人的例子第5节

在有礼貌的引言后（见彼后一12），犹大提醒读者他跟着所说的，是不争的事实。读者已知这些事例，因为神将一切的事透过圣经「一次交付圣徒」（第3节，参约壹二20-21）。

「讲道的设计并非在每篇讲章教导我们新的事物，而是『提醒我们』，好使我们把忘记了的事情再次记起。」⁴⁵

神从埃及地拯救以色列人，使他们从为奴之地得自由，但他们却不愿意继续相信神的应许、不信祂的大能（参民十四11，申一32）。神给他们的审判是让那「不信的一代」在旷野倒毙，没有将变节者带到应许之地。因为犹大将假师传和那些被拯救离开埃及，却在旷野倒毙的以色列人作比较，所以说假师传中也有一些是基督徒，是合理的结论。他们同样没有持守所信的道，他们背弃神、叛逆神，神也会审判他们。

「以旷野的以色列人作暗喻，那些故意违反神的道而走上歧途的假师傅，明显是正统的基督徒。」⁴⁶

也有释经家相信，犹大在这一节指那些从来没有相信耶和华的以色列人。⁴⁷

其实，犹大的重点是要指出这些假师傅的行为，而不在于他们是否信徒。不管他们曾否得救，不信的结果总导致一些破坏。神肯定「摧毁」这些不信的人；如他们并未得救，将会永远被毁灭。

「犹大坚信我们的救主同时也是毁灭者。」⁴⁸

2. 天使的例子第6节

有一群「天使」放弃了在神身边服事的恩宠（「不守本位」），他们离弃神（「离开自己的住处」），招致神的忿怒。有释经家相信犹大这里是暗指创世记六1-4的事件（参太二十二30）⁴⁹。不过也有学者相信犹大指有些天使叛逆神，而最终撒旦被驱逐离开天堂。我个人认为第二个诠释较为合理。

「有些人抱怨圣经没有清晰和有系统地提供魔鬼堕落的资料，例如：原因、方式、时间、角色。但这些资料和我们没有关连，既无须轻轻带过，不提则更好。若圣灵为满足我们的好奇心而提供历史上的空白片段，是无效果的。」⁵⁰

伪经以诺壹书描述了这场叛乱，因此有学者猜测犹大是引用这书。⁵¹ 不过也有学者说犹大只是认定这书的内容。⁵² 不管是那一个论点， 使用其他典籍作为参巧资料并不是不常有的（参徒十七28等）。虽然犹大引用以诺壹书，但他此举不应被看为以诺壹书因而自动成为神的启示。

犹大所说的叛逆「天使」，现正受捆绑（拘留在黑暗里），等待神的「审判」（参彼后二4），这可能是撒旦党羽以外的其他堕落天使，因撒旦的党羽 – 鬼，在现今世上还享有相当自由度。

「虽使用『永远』来形容拘留，其实只是暂时拘留（这些天使），等待最后审判。」⁵³

犹大这例子说明了他那时代的变节者，他们放弃了服事神和荣耀神的优越地位和祝福，他们不守本位，因此被神严惩。与人不同，这些堕落天使未蒙拣选，不论好的或坏的天使，都「不能得救」，坏的天使肯定是「堕落的」，受到永远的惩罚。也许这里指神本意叫那些变节者得救，但他们却并未得着救恩，犹如前文所述的以色列人，虽然神希望他们成为属祂的子民。

「假如那些超越的受造物尚且受刑罚，更何况是犯罪的人呢！ 」⁵⁴

3. 异教徒的例子 第7 节

这个例子表明神刑罚（「永火」）那些不道德和犯奸淫的人，可是犹大时代的假师傅却认为行这些事是他们的自由。犹大的例子：神命令用「火」烧毁平原上那两个城市，火是神刑罚的工具；同样地，那些无视神旨意的假师傅也会受永火的刑罚（参启二十15）。⁵⁵ 在这里，犹大似是暗指那些假师傅并不是得救的信徒。

这里的每一个例子都突显假师傅的不同错谬。这是唇徒（或许是真信徒）所犯的叛逆罪行。若部份假师傅是信徒，那「永火」所指的必有别于「地狱」，因信徒不会下地狱。假师傅高傲地离开了本来所拥有的超越地位，还参与异教徒的不道德行为。

「不管是谁、也不论在甚么情况下犯罪，污秽和叛逆都是令人发指的，都会受到神的责罚。」⁵⁶

「当我们检视这些过去的例子，我们会发现它们并不是按时序列出来... 为甚么不按时序列出各个例子呢？ 我们相信作者是要让我们认识叛教的起点在那里、它的发展和带来的结果。叛教的起点是不信，不信引致叛逆神。我们不难预测不受约束带来不忠的后果。在我们的世代，这些事情岂不也是这样发生 – 不信、叛逆神、反抗他揭示的真理、不道德的行为、无法无天... 现今世代，我们也能寻见这些步骤。」⁵⁷

它们也能在记载在的旧约的以色列人历史中找到。

乙 . 现在的错谬8-16节

犹大透过阐述他那个时代假师傅的错谬，给予他的读者更加强烈的警告。犹大的写作特色是先引用旧约的同类事件（第5-7, 11节）、先知的预言（第14-15, 17-18节），然后诠释假师傅应验了它们（第 8-10, 12-13,16和19节）。

「根据过往叛逆神的人的命运（第 5-7 节），犹大转而直接攻击那些正在冲击教会的叛徒。」⁵⁸

1. 错谬的本质 8-9节

第8节               犹大在这里使用他刚说明的三个错谬来指责假师傅。它们是：欲望（第7节），叛逆（第5节）和不敬（第6节）。「作梦」很可能是指以下三个毛病：「污秽身体」、「轻慢主治」和「毁谤在尊位的」；也可能意味犹大指假师傅声称他们得到梦或启示来合理化自己的错谬。（参西二18）也许他们幻想自己拥有如神所拥有的权柄，在实权者之上的权柄。

「他们那扭曲的观点和不受约束的行为，使他们活在自己的幻想中，用虚幻来取代神的真理与公义的真实世界。」⁵⁹

「今天，我们从教会的内部见证了毁坏 – 内在的问题。」⁶⁰

第9节               假师傅的放肆与米迦勒处理撒旦的争议时所表现的顺服和敬虔，成了一个极大的对比。

「米迦勒似乎是位份最高的天使。」⁶¹

米迦勒和魔鬼周旋时一点也不轻率、不高傲，回答时也没有渺视或粗暴。那么，那些假师傅岂不应更加顺服神、尊敬神吗？

「他们使用优秀天使的语言；米迦勒也不会使用粗鄙的。」⁶²

「假师傅和米迦勒的对比，重点并不是米迦勒不会对魔鬼无礼，也不是教导我们面对魔鬼时，要保持礼貌。这里的重点是米迦勒面对魔鬼的指控时，他并不以自己的权柄去反驳，纵使魔鬼恶意中伤他，因他明白自己并不是法官，便不使用自己的能力来驳回魔鬼的指控。米迦勒清楚知道只有主才是法官，他可以做的是请求主去审判撒旦的诽谤。这里的教导：人并非自主订定道德标准的权威，没有人可以为自己定下法则。」⁶³

因魔鬼比我们强多了，与他直接驳斥或争辩是危险的。

犹大引用被视为摩西所写的伪经，只以此为历史事件。

「不论作者的资料是从那里得来的，圣灵能使他从中抽取出真实正确的资料。」⁶⁴

2. 错谬的严重性 10-13节

第 10 节 假师傅选择了拒绝神的旨意。因此在这节「毁谤他们所不知道的」，很可能是指神的旨意（参林前二 7-16）。

「犹大和他的哥哥雅各一样，在这短短的书信中多次谴责和言语相关的罪行。」⁶⁵

假师傅只知满足自己的私欲，私欲最终将他们摧毁。

「他们像野兽一般让本能主导他们的生活；他们拥抱世界的价值观念；他们的信条是依从肉体的需要。他们失去了一切属灵的触觉和洞察力，属灵的事对他们没有意义。对他们来说，唯一真实的、唯一的标准就是人类的本能与需要。」⁶⁶

「犹大在这里将这两个问题连接在一起来说明一个真理：如果一个人持续地对属灵的事视而不见、对神的呼召听而不闻，并且以自己所定的准则来决定甚么是至善，最终他们会完全接收不到他们所唾弃了的呼召， 他们回到他们曾经因为寻找自由而离开的肉欲漩涡中。」⁶⁷

「这等禽兽的结局是慢性自杀（有时并不缓慢）。」⁶⁸

第11节               「他们有祸了」，这咒诅是他们的厄运（参赛五8-23，哈二6-20，太二十三 13-29；林前九16等），与祝福相反。

「叛教者遭厄运的结局，与信徒得到荣耀同样真确。」⁶⁹

该隐选择了不敬虔、追随肉欲、暴力、贪婪和亵渎的道路，导致神的审判。他骄傲地认为可以透过自己所作的工和神建立关系；结果他成了一个充满仇恨的杀人凶手。

「... 这里是作出比较：该隐罪恶的根源是自私和嫉妒。」⁷⁰

巴兰的错谬是与神的敌人妥协，并且教唆以色列人犯罪和行淫（民三十一16；彼后二15-16；启二14）。他教米甸人和以色列人私通，并引诱他们拜偶像（民三十一16）。巴兰的「方法」是使用自己的属灵恩赐谋利；他的「错谬」是误以为自己能逃罪。假师傅也放弃神的真理，他们向拜偶像与不道德的行为妥协。他们将会像巴兰在神的审判下灭亡（民三十一8）。

「巴兰代表两种情况：（甲）贪婪的人 – 为了钱财随时预备好犯罪。（乙）邪恶的人 – 教唆他人犯罪；这是最严重的罪行。犹大在这里宣告他那个时代邪恶的人，为利离开真道，并且教唆他人犯罪。」⁷¹

「巴兰是贪婪宗教领袖的人办，带领神的子民走歪路和行淫。」⁷²

「驱使人走巴兰的路的事物很多，它们包括追求金钱、卓越、名誉、赞赏或权力。」⁷³

「可拉的叛逆」是背叛神和神所指派的领袖 – 摩西和亚伦（民十六1-35）。同样地，假师傅叛逆神、也叛逆了神指派的领袖（使徒）。最终可拉被消灭了！

巴克莱指出异端诺斯底派其中一个派别「拜蛇教」（Orphites），奉该隐、巴兰和可拉为旧约的大英雄。⁷⁴ 巴克莱认为犹大是针对诺斯底派。

这三个比喻，每一个都指出不信的不同导向。

「该隐的例子是假信仰。他代表那些假敬虔，气焰嚣张和恶毒的变节者；巴兰代表贪婪的不信者，也表征变节者的贪婪、颠覆性和引诱人犯罪的特性；可拉则代表叛逆，为了争取权力而结党和煽动暴乱。」⁷⁵

「该隐的背叛，是不愿服在神赐救恩的权柄下，他拒绝神要求他的血祭；巴兰不愿服在神将人分别出来的权柄，他为了利益而滥用神给他的恩赐，并诱使以色列民和其他种族混杂；可拉在事奉神上叛逆神，他否定摩西是神所委任的领袖， 并且企图篡夺摩西的权柄。」⁷⁶

第12节               犹大在这节中，使用了五个大自然的例子来强调假师傅谬误的严重性（第12-13节）。

第一个例子：如果一条船在航行时，不慎遇上了「隐藏」在水面下的珊瑚「礁」，它可以把这条船底部撕下。同样地，假师傅也可以透过道德败坏，使一间教会沉沦、毁坏，使其他人在「道德伦理上触礁」。经文显示这些假师傅是信徒，最起码是唇徒，因为他们参与爱筵。爱筵是初期教会敬拜时信徒的亲密相交，不仅一起聚餐，当中还有擘饼的仪式（参林前十一17-22）。这节『只知餧养自己』突显变节者的自我中心（参结三十四2, 8；赛五十六11；约十12-13）。

「犹大似乎意味这些人坚持参加爱筵，并非表达他们的爱心，而是为了满足自己的口腹。」⁷⁷

第二个例子：像「没有雨」的云。假师傅将注意力集中在自己身上，并且答允带来更新，但那只是一场表演，是没有实质的空言（参箴二十五14）。在巴勒斯坦，夏天的云常常使湿度增高，令酷热更难抵受。

「他们（叛教者）在讲座公开演说和讲道，他们懂得怎样使经文听起来很属灵，而其义与神的旨意完全不同。」⁷⁸

「跟随这样的人，会被诱离真道和纯正操守而误入歧途。」⁷⁹

第三个例子：农夫经常将不结果子的树拔出来。这比喻假师傅没有结出属灵的果子、也没有能力结出属灵的果子，他们是死而又死（参诗五十二5；箴二22；耶一10；约十五1-6）。从另一个角度来看，死而又死可以指他们是透彻地死去。⁸⁰ 第三个观点是他们不单在外表上、 而实际上他们也是没有生命的。⁸¹ 第四个观点是他们现在死在罪中，而终局是永死。⁸²

旧约使用「连根拔起」的树表示神的审判（参诗五十二5；箴二22；耶一 10）。翻译作「秋」的希腊文是指深秋。犹大使用这个字表达他相信他和他的读者处于末世，距离主再来的日子不远。这是新约作者十分普遍的观点（参罗十三11；彼前四7；提前四1；约壹二18）。在深秋，树叶尽落，枝头的果实也少。⁸³

「这些人并没有重生的确据。」⁸⁴

假师傅（1）像「礁石」具破坏性；（2）像使人不悦的「云」；（3）像不结果子的「树」。

第13节               第四个例子：「海浪」的「泡沫」将秽物、碎片和废料（残骸，垃圾）冲到岸上。假师傅所到之处，他们散播不道德（「自己可耻的」）和混杂的思想（参赛五十七20），同样显而易见。这比喻强调「... 这些人躁动和不羁的本性。」⁸⁵

第五个例子：天空中有一些「星」，它们的移动有别于其它的星体。我们现在把这些「流星」和其他星分野。同样地，假师傅的行为与那些明亮的星并不和谐。翻译作星的那一个希腊文（planetes），直译是流荡。很久以前观星家已观察到它们划过天际，它们的移动有别于恒星∕行星，我们现在将这些星体识别出来。同样地假教师的行为如流星，他们偏离轨道，引人走入歧途。

一个关于「流荡的星」不太有说服力的诠释指流星在天际闪过，但迅间便在黑暗中消逝。⁸⁶ 「黑暗」远离光源，表示在信徒群体中的不信者所受的永远惩罚（ 「永远存留」）。

（4）假师傅如「海浪」亵渎，也（5）如「流荡的星」不可靠，引人入歧途。

3. 错谬的后果 14-16节

第14-15节               犹大引用次经以诺壹书，这是圣经中唯一的一次称以诺是一位先知；也是唯一在洪水前时期被认定的先知。虽然以诺壹书并非神所默示写成，但祂却引领犹大引用该书。⁸⁷ 圣灵也曾经带领保罗引用异教哲学家的话（参徒十七28）。这是末日审判的预言（参马太福音二十四30；帖后一7-10），这是关於主再来最早的预言。主再来时，如果假师傅当中的不信者还活着，他们将是审判的对象。

犹大引用「亚当的七世孙以诺」似乎是支持创世记第五章的家谱已将每代都列了出来（即一个没有间断的家谱）。不过亦有评论指犹大并没有特别含意，只是按照圣经的记载写这书，他们相信摩西并没有将每一代都记录下来，代与代之间还有没提及的后代。纵使圣经的其他家谱出现跳代记录，然而，仔细阅读创世记第五章的家谱，摩西没有省略了几代的余地。另一个解释如下：

「... 解决这问题的方案是：这被称为预言的，实际上只是引用了以诺壹书的多个篇章；犹大极可能从以诺壹书六十8援引『 亚当的七世孙以诺 』而不是引用创世记第五章的家谱，犹大的引句完全出于以诺壹书。虽然以诺壹书的预言并非典范，但这预言却能在圣经中找到好些平衡的记载和支持，例如：马太福音二十五31-46。」⁸⁸

「拥有某种敬虔外貌的人，也会出现不虔诚的行为。若出于一颗不敬虔、不悔改的心，那便是不敬虔的行为了。」⁸⁹

「在伊甸园的撒旦和在客西马尼的犹大，他们都用温婉的说话来掩饰他们的不敬虔行为。」⁹⁰

第16节               正如刚才所引述以诺所说关于「不敬虔」的人的「言」「行」，犹大在这一节作进一步评论，假师傅爱发牢骚，在犹大时期的假师傅抱怨神。

「那些和神断绝了的人，他们倾向抱怨所有的事情。」⁹¹

他们追求感观刺激和利益（参4，8，10-11节 ）。他们声称有神的真理而持高傲态度，但他们却遗背使徒所传的（参但十一36）。他们并且谄媚人以谋取私利。（参雅二1-13）。

「敬畏神的人并不惧怕人，而无视神的人却以人来取代神的位置。这是追随者行善或作恶的主要根源。」⁹²

IV 劝勉信徒坚守信仰17-23节

犹大向他的读者讲论假师傅的败坏后，他正面地劝勉读者尽管他们面对危险，也要持守信仰。

「强烈谴责叛教者后，犹大在这几节给信徒充满慈爱的教导，劝勉信徒在叛逆纷扰的处境中，忠于所信的。」⁹³

甲. 提醒信徒要记念使徒的警告17-19节

第17-18节「忘记圣经里神的教导和警告，是灵性败坏的主因。

「请记着：这是犹大的第一个命令。在总结部份，它和随后的命令组成一组。」⁹⁴

这一节的「使徒」，明显是指十二使徒加上保罗，而不是耶稣差派传扬福音的信徒群体（参太二十八19-20）。虽然新约的作者也有将后者称为「使徒」（参罗十六7; 林后八23），不过在这里，「使徒」是指较少的那群体，他们建立教会，将信仰「一次交付圣徒」（参第3节），犹大劝勉信徒要持守这信仰。按功能而言，也是指使徒（按字义是被差派者）。

犹大（第18节）引用使徒的话作为结语，而不是以使徒的话作参考。它与彼得后书三3模式相同，也该是结语。难以断定犹大是不是引用彼后三3，但许多保守的学者认为彼得后书的成书日期在犹大书之后。⁹⁵

「末世」指教会时代和苦难历史时期的终结。在「末世」之后，神会直接统治人类，首先是千禧年，接着是新天新地的降临（参提前四1；提后三1等）。这和耶稣基督再来统治世界相关。

至于「好讥诮的人」的讥诮对象，似乎神早已启示了祂的旨意（参诗三十五 16; 箴十四 6; 十九 25 等）。

「这些人... 不停尝试以新的不敬虔形式去取得快感。」⁹⁶

第19节               假师傅的教导使信徒分裂成两大类别：坚守使徒的教导和离开信仰的人。虽然假师傅宣称自己才是那真正属灵的，但实际上是属世的，他们所传的也是不信者的观点。不信的人，没有圣灵内住心里；而那些变节者，也「没有」让「圣灵」改变生命。

「那拒绝圣灵的，他们 沦落、与动物无异，他们不单本身是不道德的，还将混乱带进教会。」⁹⁷

乙. 给信徒正面的劝勉20-23节

第2 节              犹大在这节中使用「却要」作对比；要将他的读者和假师傅作区分。因我们是圣灵的殿，被敌人恶意攻击，我们需要在灵性上「建立自己」，使自己信心「坚强」。（参林前三9-17，弗二20，彼后三18）

「信徒面对这些问题的最佳方法，是增强他们的属灵免疫力。」⁹⁸

以下是犹大给信徒的命令。第一个是基本命令，而在第20节下和第21节，他阐述如何做到这一点。

「『造就』（epoikodomountes）」原文是一个复合动词，用来描绘一座建筑物在根基上建造起来；在这里比喻成长像把一座建筑物竖立起来；作者使用现在式来表达，指建立一个强壮和稳定的基督徒品格是一个持续的过程。」⁹⁹

「我深信神赐给我们 66 卷书，祂并非叫我们只读自己喜欢的篇章如约翰福音第三章或第十四章，而是把 66 卷全部阅读。」¹⁰⁰

「... 人们可以在短短几个小时，将多年的建设毁于一旦。不过一个建设者，比一个毁灭者更有成就感。」¹⁰¹

「至圣的真道」是那「一次交付信徒的真道」（第3节）；这是基督徒信仰的根基。

第二：真正的信徒不会没有圣灵（第19节）。我们有圣灵，并且在圣灵里祷告。我们祈求神的帮助，使我们的祷告和圣灵的旨意和谐。（弗六18，罗八26-27，林前十二3，加书四6）。换句话说，「在祂的影响下」祷告。¹⁰² 神是我们最大的帮助，透过祷告，我们稳妥地得到神的帮助。

「灵性的成长和我们随时随地祷告息息相关。」¹⁰³

第21节               第三：我们要「保持」自己在「神的爱」里（第1，6，13节；参约十五9；罗五5；罗八39）。假如我们离开了神的旨意和神的道，我们便在自己和神之间筑起壁垒，阻碍神的爱倾注到我们里。我们要「恒常」在「基督的爱」里（约十五9-10；约壹二28）。

「信徒其中一个最大的保障是意识到神的爱。」¹⁰⁴

第四：我们要牢记「永生」的应许，并盼望这应许的实现（约壹三2；罗八 29），这体现了主耶稣基督给信徒最大的「恩慈」。

「... 欢欣是神赐恩的明证。」¹⁰⁵

换句话说，犹大告诫他的读者：只须稍后片时，持守信仰、不要忘记我们的盼望。

「信徒的生命有三个方向：向内是品格的建立（第20节）、向上是与神相交（第20-21节）、向前是期待终极的荣耀成就（第21节）。」¹⁰⁶

「这是一幅包含基督徒『信、望、爱』的图画。（林前十三13），『在圣灵里祷告』使这幅图画更丰富。而这里也细心刻画出圣灵，圣父，耶稣基督是三位一体的神。」¹⁰⁷

第22节               第五：犹大劝勉他的读者要温柔地帮助（「怜悯」）那些为信仰而挣扎和被假师傅绊倒的信徒。犹大所指的是那些真心寻道，但无法分辨真理和谬误的人，他们对所信的产生动摇。¹⁰⁸ 我们不应放弃这些弟兄姊妹，我们应该怜悯他们，帮助他们归回正道。

第23节               第六：对于那些已经受到神管教的信徒，神任由他们降服假师傅。犹大要求信徒在神的责罚降临前，将他们从错误中救出来（参摩四11；亚三2）。圣经中，「火」表征神的审判。在这里，犹大看到神的审判临到那些犯罪的、随从假师傅的信徒。¹⁰⁹ 犹大也看到审判临到不信的人。¹¹⁰

至于那些完全被异端俘虏的人，我们应同情他们，而不是无情地谴责他们。不过我们要心存「惧怕」，不是惧怕和他们接触而受感染，而是惧怕因为认同他们的谬误，使神不悦和受管教。我们应尽量避免和这些人有任何接触，以免沾染了他们腐败的言论和行动（参林前五9-11；帖后三14-15）。「衣服」比喻那沾染了属肉体的行为，例如：个人的习惯和处事方式、言语和择友等。圣经经常使用「衣服」来比喻那些别人能看见的外在行为。

「犹大对假师傅的批评明显是严厉的，但他并没有命令我们和这些麻烦制造者对质（只是避免接触），也没有命令我们为管教他们而作出计划。他只表明这些人会受神的审判。」¹¹¹

巴斯德有一个很好的指引：

「尽管我们因叛教者的错谬而争辩，我们要爱他们；纵使我们反对他们的工作，谴责他们所使用的方式，我们要爱他们。必须将他们的人与他们的错谬分开处理，虽然很困难，但基督的爱在我们心里，祂给我们智慧的言语。」¹¹²

V. 结语24-25节

犹大用一首赞美诗来结束他这一封很短的信。当中包括了为收信人祷告。他希望收信人清楚知道神能保守他们，纵使在叛教者的威胁下，仍然能够持守信仰。

「结束这封信的赞美诗（第24-25节），是举世公认在圣经中最完美的一首。它的重点是信徒在叛教者的威胁下仍然信心坚固，也为这书带来一个美妙的结束。」¹¹³

「它把作者从那使他烦扰的属世冲突中抽身，到了永恒的、充满权能和荣耀的神的宝座前。」¹¹⁴

第24节               我们的信心在于神的大能，祂「保守」我们的安全和信心（「... 叫你们无瑕无疵、欢欢喜喜站住他荣耀之前...」）。「祂能拯救到底（希七25）、祂能坚固信心（参罗十六25）、祂能搭救（希二18）、祂征服万物（腓三21）–  祂有能力保守。」¹¹⁵

那翻译作「失脚」的希腊文含绊倒的意思，不单失去平衡，还跌下。「无瑕无疵」(希腊文amomos) 并不意味没有犯罪；这个字的意思是没有充份理由被控诉（参西一22；彼后三14；启十四5）。当义人犯了罪，他认罪悔改，离弃他所犯的罪。这是一幅站在耶稣基督审判桌前的图画。¹¹⁶ 不论按教义或道德而言， 这节并非神无条件应许保守所有信徒都不失脚（参第21节）。¹¹⁷

第25节               犹大在这里遥遥呼应假师傅扭曲神和耶稣基督的真理（第4节）。「荣耀」是神所发的光辉；「威严」表达祂的至高无上；「能力」表达神的绝对能力；「权柄」表达神是自主的神。这些都是神永恒（「从万古以前，并现今，直到永永远远」）的属性。神是那永不变改的神，我们亦应忠心到底。

「犹大如此清晰地表达了他对基督的永恒和在万有以先便存在的信念，实在无出其右。」¹¹⁸

「犹大...，一名心被烦扰的牧者，他急切要唤醒他的群体，觉醒在他们中间的威胁。犹大所用尖锐的言词，是古代地中海宗教界常见的修辞手法，不过这不能完全解释犹大如此热切的因由。对于犹大和初期教会大部份信徒来说，信耶稣是一件关乎生与死的事情。任何人或任何事威胁信仰生活，诚然是致死的敌人。」¹¹⁹

一位真正的基督徒会否认他曾认信赐他永生神的儿子耶稣基督吗？ 这样的事情在今天的教会里经常发生，有些基督徒改信不认基督的信仰，如伊斯兰教、世上其它主要宗教或异端。有些年青信徒被他们所尊敬的教授说服，认为他们曾信的并不真确。

有人会说：没有真基督徒会否认他们对神的儿子耶稣的信；那否认的，从始至终未曾真正相信，这等人可能从未成为真正的基督徒，最多只是唇徒。可是，经文并未否定真基督徒可能被假师傅蛊惑，而改变他们对基督耶稣的认信。因此，否认信心的真基督徒不会失去救恩，人因信基督而得救，神宣告那人为义，赐圣灵印记，并应许他们和祂的爱永不分离（参约十28；罗八31-39 等）。这是蒙耶稣基督保守（第1节），已重生（约三1-21）的，永不能「未重生」。我们得救非因自己的善行，同样地，不会因我们所做的错事而失落救恩，尽管这不是神为祂的儿女所定下的旨意。

犹大可以明确地指这信是写给那群未得救的变节者，可是他没有这样做。他写信给基督徒，警告所有人，包括基督徒和非基督徒。因此，这书信十分重要。

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¹ See Donald A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, pp. 690-92.

² See J.B. Mayor, “the General Epistle of Jude”, in The Expositor’s Greek Testament, 5:226-29.

³ Richard L. Bauckham, Jude, 2 Peter, p. 3.

⁴ Ibid., p. 16.

⁵ For discussion of the relationship of 2 Peter and Jude, see D. Edmond Hiebert, Second Peter and Jude, pp. 196-200; and Charles Bigg, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude, pp. 216-24.

⁶ See Donald Guthrie, New Testament Introduction, 3:229-33.

⁷ Hiebert, p. 185. See pp. 185-92 for evidence of Jude’s authenticity.

⁸ E.G., Bauckham, p.3. See Bigg, pp. 305-10, for references to Jude in the writings of the early church.

⁹ See Jason Johnston, “The Multichiastic Structure of Jude and its Contribution to the Purpose of the Epistle” (Th.M. thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary, 2008).

¹⁰ Edward C. Pentecost, “Jude,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, p. 918.

¹¹ The Nelson Study Bible, p. 2156

¹² Michael Green, The Second Epistle General of Peter and the General Epistle of Jude, p. 39. Cf. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, 6:184.

¹³ G Campbell Morgan, An Exposition of the Whole Bible, p. 532.

¹⁴ See Herbert W. bateman IV, “Rebellion and God’s Judgment in the Book of Jude”, Bibliotheca Sacra 170:680 (October-December 2013):453-77.

¹⁵ Adapted from G. Campbell Morgan, Living Messages of the Books of the Bible, 2:2:195-208.

¹⁶ S. Maxwell Coder, Jude: The Acts of the Apostates, p. 7.

¹⁷ Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 192.

¹⁸ Paul A. Cedar, James, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, p. 244.

¹⁹ Pentecost, p. 919.

²⁰ R. Duane Thompson, “Jude,” in The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, 6:389.

²¹ J. W. C. Wand, The General Epistles of St. Peter and St. Jude, p. 196.

²² Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, p.1967.

²³ D. Edmond Hiebert, “An Exposition of Jude 3-4,” Bibliotheca Sacra 142:566 (April-June 1985):144.

²⁴ G. F. C. Fronmüller, “The Epistle General of Jude,” in Lange’s Commentary on the Holy Scriptures,12:5:13.

²⁵ Guy N. Woods, A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles of Peter, John, and Jude, p. 385.

²⁶ Cedar, p. 250.

²⁷ G. Campbell Morgan, Living Messages of the Books of the Bible, 2:2:203.

²⁸ Nathaniel M. Williams, “Commentary on the Epistle of Jude,” in An American Commentary on the New Testament, 7:8.

²⁹ J. Vernon McGee, “The General Epistle of Jude”, in An American Commentary on the New Testament, 7:8

³⁰ William Barclay, The Letters of John and Jude, p. 211.

³¹ E. M. Sidebottom, James, Jude, 2 Peter, p. 83. Cf. Pentecost, p. 920.

³² Buist M. Fanning, “A Theology of Peter and Jude,” in A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, p. 468.

³³ J.N. Darby, Synopsis of the Books of the Bible, 5:555.

³⁴ Bauckham, p. 11.

³⁵ McGee, 5:852.

³⁶ Mayor, 5:256

³⁷ Green, p. 162.

³⁸ E.g., Michael Desjardins, “The Portrayal of the Dissidents in 2 Peter and Jude: Does It Tell Us More About the ‘Godly’ Than the ‘Ungodly’?” Journal for the Study of the New Testament 30 (June 1987):93-95.

³⁹ See J. N. D. Kelly, A Commentary on the Epistles of Peter and Jude, p. 252; J. B. Mayor, “The General Epistle of Jude,” in The Expositor’s Greek Testament, 5:257; and Henry Alford, The Greek Testament, 4:531.

⁴⁰ E.g., Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 226; George Lawrence Lawlor, Translation and Exposition of the Epistle of Jude, p. 60, footnote 57; and Bigg, p. 327.

⁴¹ Bauckham, p. 41.

⁴² McGee, 5:854

⁴³ Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 185.

⁴⁴ Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible, 4:179.

⁴⁵ Henry, p. 1968.

⁴⁶ Green, p. 164.

⁴⁷ E.g., Edwin Blum, “Jude,” in Hebrews-Revelation, vol. 12 of The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, p. 389.

⁴⁸ Sidebottom, p. 85.

⁴⁹ See Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, 2:551-52, for refutation of this view.

⁵⁰ John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1:14:15.

⁵¹ E.g., International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, s.v. “Jude, the Epistle of,” by William G. Moorehead, 3:1771).

⁵² E.g., Lenski, pp. 610-12, 650-52.

⁵³ Mayor, 5:260.

⁵⁴ Ronald A. Ward, The Epistles of John and Jude: A Study Manual, p. 81.

⁵⁵ See James E. Allman, “Suffering in the Non-Pauline Epistles”, in Why, O God?  Suffering and Disability in the Bible and Church, p. 205.

⁵⁶ Alfred Plummer, “The General Epistles of St. James and St. Jude,” in An Exposition of the Bible, 6:655.

⁵⁷ Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible, 4:179-80. See also Richard Lenski, The Interpretation of the Epistles of St. Peter, St. John and St. Jude, p. 616; Morgan, 2:2:198.

⁵⁸ Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 241.

⁵⁹ Ibid., p. 243.

⁶⁰ McGee, 5:860.

⁶¹ John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p. 246.

⁶² Plummer, 6:656.

⁶³ Bauckham, p. 61.

⁶⁴ Lenski, p. 641. See Bauckham, pp. 65-76, for an extended excursus on the background and source of verse 9.

⁶⁵ Richard Wolff, A Commentary on the Epistle of Jude, pp. 91-92. Cf. vv. 8, 10, 11, 15, 16.

⁶⁶ Barclay, p. 222.

⁶⁷ Green, p. 171.

⁶⁸ Williams, 7:14.

⁶⁹ Coder, p. 72.

⁷⁰ Alford, 4:536

⁷¹ Barclay, p. 225.

⁷² Blum, p. 392. Cf. Charles H. Savelle, “Canonical and Extracanonical Portraits of Balaam,” Bibliotheca Sacra 166:664 (October-December 2009):387-404.

⁷³ McGee, 5:863.

⁷⁴ Barclay, p. 192.

⁷⁵ Lawlor, p. 83. Italics added for clarification.

⁷⁶ Wiersbe, 2:555. Italics his.

⁷⁷ D. Edmond Hiebert, “An Exposition of Jude 12-16,” Bibliotheca Sacra 142:567 (July-September 1985):240-41.

⁷⁸ McGee,5:864

⁷⁹ Hiebert, p. 242.

⁸⁰ The Twentieth Century New Testament.

⁸¹ Alford, 4:537.

⁸² Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 261.

⁸³ Kelly, p. 272.

⁸⁴ Williams, 7:16.

⁸⁵ Hiebert, “An Exposition . . . 12-16,” p. 243.

⁸⁶ See Kelly, p. 274, for a refutation of this view.

⁸⁷ Cf. Fanning, p. 465; Bauckham, p. 96.

⁸⁸ David H. Wallace, “Jude,” in The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 1489.

⁸⁹ Wolff, p. 113.

⁹⁰ Williams, 7:18.

⁹¹ Hiebert, “An Exposition . . . 12-16,” p. 247.

⁹² Mayor, 5:272.

⁹³ Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 273.

⁹⁴ Green, p. 180.

⁹⁵ See my discussion of this subject in my notes on 2 Peter.

⁹⁶ D. Edmond Hiebert, “An Exposition of Jude 17-23,” Bibliotheca Sacra 142:568 (October-December 1985):358.

⁹⁷ S. D. F. Salmond, “Jude,” in The Pulpit Commentary, p. 14.

⁹⁸ A. Duane Litfin, “A Biblical Strategy for Confronting the Cults,” Bibliotheca Sacra 135:539 (July- September 1978):235. Cf. 1 Pet. 1:5-7.

⁹⁹ Hiebert, “An Exposition . . . 17-23,” p. 360. Cf. Phil. 2:12.

¹⁰⁰ McGee, 5:871.

¹⁰¹ Cedar, p. 258.

¹⁰² Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, p.1521.

¹⁰³ Hiebert, “An Exposition . . . 17-23,” p. 361.

¹⁰⁴ Plummer, 6:662.

¹⁰⁵ Pentecost, p. 923.

¹⁰⁶ Hiebert, “An Exposition . . . 17-23,” p. 362.

¹⁰⁷ Idem, Second Peter . . ., p. 286.

¹⁰⁸ David DeGraaf, “Some Doubts about Doubt: The New Testament Use of Diakrino,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 48:8 (December 2005):742-43.

¹⁰⁹ Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 290; Lawlor, p. 127. Cf. John 15:6; 1 Cor. 3:15.

¹¹⁰ Coder, p. 116. Cf. Rev. 20:15.

¹¹¹ The Neslon…, p.2156.

¹¹² J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book, 6:316.

¹¹³ Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 204.

¹¹⁴ Bo Reicke, The Epistles of James, Peter, and Jude, p. 217.

¹¹⁵ William MacDonald, II Peter and Jude: The Christian and Apostasy, p. 92.

¹¹⁶ Hiebert, Second Peter . . ., p. 295.

¹¹⁷ See Robert N. Wilkin, “He Is Able to Keep You From Stumbling! Jude 24,” Grace Evangelical Society News 9:1 (January-February 1994):2-3.

¹¹⁸ Bigg, p. 344.

¹¹⁹ Donald Senior, “The Letters of Jude and Second Peter,” The Bible Today 25:4 (July 1987):211.

A. Introduction

In his sermon, “Why Christ Had To Die,” author and pastor Stuart Briscoe says:

Many years ago when the children were small, we went for a little drive in the lovely English countryside, and there was some fresh snow. I saw a lovely field with not a single blemish on the virgin snow. I stopped the car, and I vaulted over the gate, and I ran around in a great big circle striding as wide as I could. Then I came back to the kids, and I said, “Now, children, I want you to follow in my footsteps. So I want you to run around that circle in the snow, and I want you to put your feet where your father put his feet.

Well, David tried and couldn’t quite make it. Judy, our over achiever, was certain she would make it; she couldn’t make it. Pete, the little kid took a great run at it, put his foot in my first footprint and then strode out as far as he could and fell on his face. His mother picked him up as he cried.

She said to me, “What are you trying to do?”

I said, “I’m trying to get a sermon illustration.”

I said, “Pete, come here.” I picked up little Peter and put his left foot on my foot, and I put his right foot on my foot. I said, “Okay, Pete, let’s go.” I began to stride one big stride at a time with my hands under his armpits and his feet lightly on mine.

Well, who was doing it? In a sense he was doing it because I was doing it. In a sense there was a commitment of the little boy to the big dad, and some of the properties of the big dad were working through the little boy.

In exactly the same way, in our powerlessness we can’t stride as wide as we should. We don’t’ walk the way we should. We don’t hit the target the way we ought. It isn’t that at every point we are as bad as we could be. It’s just that at no point are we as good as we should be. Something’s got to be done.⁴⁷

Well God has done that something. Because of our fallen nature we are unable to meet the demands of the law; we are unable to stride the distance set out by our Father. So like the little boy who placed his feet on his father’s, we too are making the grade because Christ himself is holding us up by virtue of our union with him. Through our union with him, we are freed from our sinful passions and permanently oriented toward righteousness. This does not mean that we will never sin, but it does mean that the Christian’s true heart, no matter how great the struggle (in the “now-not-yet”), will always be toward God and righteousness.

Again, God has brought us into union with his Son Jesus Christ, so that just as he died to sin and rose from the dead, we too might die to sin and live for righteousness; we too can now meet the standard demanded by the Father’s holiness. This union with Christ is the grace to which Paul refers in 6:1-14. It is completely incongruous to Paul that we should be united to Christ himself and then continue in sin. This is Paul’s point in Romans 6:1-14.

B. Translation of Passage in NET

6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increase? 6:2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 6:3 Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in new life. 6:5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection. 6:6 We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 6:7 (For someone who has died has been freed from sin.) 6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 6:9 We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he is never going to die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 6:10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 6:11 So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 6:12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires, 6:13 and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness. 6:14 For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace.

C. Full Exegetical Outline

Idea: The reason Christians should not present themselves to sin, but rather to God, is because they have been united with Christ in his death to sin and in his resurrection to new life; they are not under law, but under grace. 

I. Christians should not continue in sin because they have been united with Christ in his death through baptism and are therefore also united with him in his resurrection to new life  (6:1-10).

A. Should Christians remain in sin so that grace may increase? No. Christians have died to sin and can no longer live in it (6:1-2).

1. Should Christians remain in sin so that grace may increase (6:1)?

2. No. Christians have died to sin and can no longer live in it (6:2).

B. Christians were baptized into the death of Christ and have therefore died to sin with him and have been raised to walk in new life (6:3-5).

1. Christians have been baptized into the death of Christ (6:3).

2. Christians have been buried with Christ through baptism into death (6:4a)

3. Christians have been raised with Christ that they might walk in new life (6:4b).

4. Christians have been united with Christ in his death and also similarly in his resurrection (6:5).

C. The Christian’s old man was crucified with Christ with the result that the body of sin need not dominate him/her any longer (6:6-7).

1. The old man was crucified with Christ so that it might no longer dominate us with the result that we remain enslaved to sin (6:6)

2. Death releases us from sin (6:7).

D. Christ, being unable to die again, has mastery over death and now lives permanently to God (6:8-10).

1. Christians have died with Christ (6:8a)

2. Christians live with Christ (6:8b)

3. Christ was raised from the dead (6:9a)

4. Christ will never die again (6:9b)

5. Death no longer has mastery over Christ (6:9c)

6. Christ died to sin once for all (6:10a)

7. Christ now lives to God (6:10b)

II. Christians should consider themselves dead to sin and alive to God, offering their bodies to him and not to sin, for sin shall not be their master because they are not under law, but under grace (6:11-14).

A. Christians should consider themselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus, presenting themselves not to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but to God as instruments of righteousness (6:11-13).

1. Christians should consider themselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus (6:11).

2. Christians should not let sin reign in their mortal bodies so that they obey its desires (6:12).

3. Christians should present their bodies to God for righteousness and not to sin for unrighteousness (6:13).

B. Sin will have not mastery over Christians because they are not under law, but under grace (6:14).

1. Sin will have no mastery over Christians (6:14a).

2. Christians are not under law (6:14b).

3. Christians are under grace (6:14c).

D. Simple Point and Homiletical Outline

Idea: If God’s grace increases as my sin increases, why not just continue to sin?

I. Understand That You’re Dead To Sin and Now Have Life in Christ (6:1-10)

A. The Question (6:1-2)

B. Our Baptism with Christ (6:3-4)

C. Our Union with Christ (6:5)

D. Our Old Man Crucified (6:6-7)

E. Christ’s Death—The Paradigm (6:8-10)

II. Present Yourself to God (6:11-14)

A. Consider Yourself Dead to Sin/Alive to God (6:11)

B. Offer Yourself To God and not to Sin (6:12-13)

C. Sin Will Not Have Mastery Over You (6:14)

E. Exposition Proper

Justification and sanctification are two different realities, but they must never be separated and isolated one from the other. If they become totally separated, the logical end is license. If they become merged together, a “works” oriented salvation results.

Paul is moving from freedom from the penalty of sin, (1:18-5:21) to freedom from the power of sin (6:1ff). He has explained “the righteous by faith” in 1:18-5:21, now he is moving on to explain “shall live” and fill out the meaning of the Habakkuk quotation in 1:17—the theme verse of the entire letter. If the cross was sufficient to deliver from the penalty of sin, here it is sufficient to deliver from the power of sin.

6:1 Paul says, “What shall we say then? Are we to remain (ἐπιμένωμεν, epimenōmen) in sin (i.e., a lifestyle characterized by sin) so that grace may increase? En route to developing his argument concerning the gospel, Paul has thus far been in the habit of asking questions in order to prevent misunderstanding. Such is the case here (cf. also 3:1, 5, 9, 27, 4:1; 6:1, 15; 7:7). This particular question is related to the statement in 5:20 where Paul argued that “where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more.” Someone may be tempted to think, having just read 5:20, that since grace increased where sin increased, why not just continue to sin? Correct premise, wrong inference! Grace does indeed increase where sin increases, but this in no way leads to the inference that we should just continue to sin! Paul heads this off at the pass! Compare 1:18 in this light. In short, the question of 6:1 is rhetorical. It involves that which is morally right and should be obvious to any believer. Its transparent nature obvious, Paul nonetheless gives a clear answer in 6:2.

6:2 Should we continue to sin, even though grace increases? In answer to this, Paul says, emphatically and without qualification: “Absolutely not” (μὴ γένοιτο, mē genoito)! Let there be no mistake about it, Paul’s gospel is not one of cheap grace that leads to license. He asks, “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” The Christian has experienced a definitive break with the realm and power of sin through dying to it at the point of conversion (cf. 5:3-4ff). How can we live under its sway and render service to it when we, in fact, have died to it? 

6:3-4 But how did that death to sin take place? Paul gives the answer here in v. 3. Beginning his sentence with do you not know (ἀγνοεῖτε, agnoeite), he implies that his readers probably know something of this teaching regarding baptism and union with Christ, but perhaps not exactly as he had taught it.

The phrases baptized into Christ (ἐβαπτίσθημεν εἰς Χριστὸν  ᾿Ιησοῦν, ebaptisthēmen eis Christon Iēsoun) and baptized into his death (εἰς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ ἐβαπτίσθημεν, eis ton thanaton ebaptisthēmen) have been variously interpreted, especially the preposition eis (“into”).  It seems best, however, in light of v. 4 to take the preposition as meaning “baptized into union with Christ” and baptized into union with his death.” The reason is as follows: verse 4 begins with “therefore” indicating that it is drawing a conclusion from v. 3. The conclusion, however, is that we have been buried “with him.” The “with him” language implies union with Christ in v. 3.

The means by which we are buried with Christ in his death is through baptism (διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος, dia tou baptismatos). It must be stated up front that it is highly unlikely that Paul is talking about spiritual baptism (such as we might have in 1 Cor 12:13). Water baptism seems to be his point.

Now some commentators read this passage and argue that either water baptism by itself saves a person (sacramentalism; ex opere operato) or that baptism is at least required in order to be saved. Both of these explanations, even though they make good sense of the preposition “through,” must be rejected. First, Paul has argued at length to this point in Romans that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from any works, whether they be religious works in general or the performance of religious rites, such as circumcision (3:20-22, 28; 4:2-8, 9-12).

Second, baptism is not the main point of this paragraph nor is a baptismal theology being developed. Indeed, Paul is not focusing on the nature of baptism, but rather on our death and resurrection with Christ.

But why, then, choose water baptism? The reason Paul chose water baptism is because in the early church it had become a sure sign that a person was a Christian. It was equated with the salvation process so closely that in many cases it came to stand for the reality of personal salvation itself (Acts 2:38; 1 Pet 3:21). Thus it presupposed faith for its meaning and true faith always led to a person being baptized. We do the same thing today. In certain Protestant denominations if a person is asked how they became a Christian he/she may answer that they “walked the isle” on such and such a date. Well, we all know that “walking the isle” never saved anyone, yet the experience is often so closely associated with the time when a person initially trusts in Christ that the sign can stand for the reality.

The goal (cf. ἵνα, hina) of our union with Christ in his death, which occurred when we were baptized (i.e., “baptism” as a metonymy for salvation) is that just as (ὥσπερ, hōsper) Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, that is, through the power of the living God, so we too may walk in new life (ἐν καινότητι ζωῆς περιπατήσωμεν, en kainotēti zōēs peripatēsōmen). The resurrection of Christ as an eschatological reality ushered in a new era of salvation, and all those connected to him in his death and resurrection enter into this new life—a “new covenant” life inaugurated and characterized by the indwelling Spirit (cf. 7:6).

6:5 In v. 5 Paul further explains (γάρ, gar) how it is that we can walk in new life. We do so because of the ongoing effects of our participation in the death of Christ and our current participation in the resurrection of Christ. The future tense, “we will certainly also be united,” refers not to the eschatological future (cf. John 5:28-29), but rather to the future with respect to the logic of the process of salvation. First, we are reckoned dead with Christ, then we are reckoned to participate in Christ’s resurrection. The whole tenor of the passage argues for present participation in the resurrection of Christ as the means by which we might walk in new life (cf. v. 4 and the “for” beginning v. 5). While the ultimate goal of the resurrection will be culminated in the future, it is, nonetheless, a present reality for the believer.

What does Paul mean by the terms united (σύμφυτοι, sumphutoi) and likeness (ὁμοιώματι, homoiōmati)? The term “united” is used in many different contexts, including horticultural—a nuance which works well here, especially with the thought of dying, rising, and “new life” (cf. John 12:24). The believer has been grafted into the death and resurrection of Christ and draws spiritual life from that connection (cf. John 15:1-11).

The term “likeness” could imply that believers were united with Christ in something like his death, but not really his death. This is not a necessary conclusion from the term (cf. Phil 2:7) and strains the clear meaning of 6:3. The focus in vv. 3-4 is on our initial union with Christ at baptism. The past tense (aorist) verbs indicate this. The focus in v. 5 is on the ongoing effects of this union. This is made clear through the use of the perfect tense, we have become (γεγόναμεν, gegonamen). Thus Paul is now stressing present realities still in motion as a result of that initial union. Likeness, then, refers to certain “attributes” or “qualities that characterize” Christ’s death. Thus, insofar as his death was a death to sin (6:10), so also our lives are characterized by this likeness, i.e., death to sin.

6:6 In v. 6 Paul takes up and elaborates further on the thought of v. 5. When he says we know (τοῦτο γινώσκοντες, touto ginōskontes) he does not mean we know “by personal experience.” What we know is what Paul says next, namely, that our old man was crucified with Christ. This is something we believe by faith. It is not available to the five senses.

But what does Paul mean by our old man (ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος, ho palaios hēmon anthrōpos)? Some understand the phrase to refer to parts of a person. If you’re a Christian, the other part is the “new man” (Eph 2:15; 4:22, 24; Col. 3:9-11).

The “old man” language refers to who we were in our totality apart from Christ and in Adam, apart from the new era of grace and in the old era of sin, death, and judgment. It refers to the sphere of our existence before our union with Christ in the new era. Thus it refers to two different humanities with two different heads: Adam and Christ.⁴⁸ It is both individualistic and corporate in focus. The individualistic focus can be seen in the fact that “the old man” was crucified with Christ. Also, the fact that Paul refers to “he (someone) who has died is freed from sin” (v.7) stresses the individualistic conception of “the old man.” But there is also a corporate focus in the expression “old man-new man.” In Ephesians 2:15 Paul refers to the new man as the sphere of existence of Jew and Gentile (Gal 3:28).

The expression, “body of sin” does not refer to sin as some entity, per se, but rather, as Paul points out in vv. 12-14, to my physical body as an instrument for the expression of sin. Assumed in this idea is a view of the entire man as existing completely within the realm of sin’s dominion. Our old man was crucified so that the body of sin would no longer dominate (καταργηθῇ, katargēsthē) us. The verb dominate is an excellent translation of the Greek katargēsthē, for while the crucifixion was definitive, the old age continues on and may attempt to bring us under its sway if allowed. We were crucified, it was not crucified. The ultimate goal of the crucifixion of our old man was so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin (τοῦ μηκέτι δουλεύειν ἡμᾶς τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, tou mēketi douleuein hēmas tē hamartia). 

6:7 In v. 7 Paul clearly demonstrates—perhaps through a well known truth—why the crucifixion of our old man enables us to remain free of slavery to sin. This is so because the person who has died has been freed from sin (δεδικαίωται ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, dedikaiōtai apo tēs hamartias). Death to sin entails the idea of freedom from it. The term “freed” (dedikaiōtai) could be translated “justified,” but in collocation with the preposition apo, and in a context where justification is not the issue, but progressive sanctification, “freed” is better.

6:8-10 The point of vv. 8-9 is this: if we have died with Christ we will certainly live with him since he died to death once and for all, it can, therefore, never hold sway over him again and subsequently he lives to God.

What does Paul mean when he says, “we…will live” with him (v. 8)? Is he thinking about our present experience as Christians, or is he thinking about the future? This is essentially the same question we faced in v. 5. Some scholars argue that the future tense points to the time of the eschatological future when in resurrected bodies we will be with the Lord. As it stands, this is not the best answer.

Others argue that while Paul uses the future tense, he is describing present realities. This view has much more to commend it. First, the theme of the paragraph as announced in vv. 1-2 concerns questions about living in sin in the present. Second, it is noted that in v. 2, where Paul is clearly referring to our present existence, that the future “will live” is used. Third, the focus in vv. 3-4 is on the present reality of our walk in light of our baptism into Christ’s death. Thus it parallels v. 8. Fourth, the verb “will live with him” in v. 8 seems to parallel “has been freed” in v. 7. If the former (v.7) is a present reality, why not the latter? Fifth, Christ’s resurrection life is a present reality for Paul (vv. 4, 5, 9, 10). Since, then, we are said to “live with him” (note the sun [“with”] prefix on suzēsomen), the living must take place in our present experience as Christians. Sixth, we have been “buried with Christ,” we have been “united with Christ,” and our old man has been “crucified with Christ.” It is likely, since these refer to past events with present implications, that when Paul uses another sun verb, namely, suzēsomen, that he is referring to a past event with present implications, i.e., our enjoyment of resurrection life from the moment of conversion. Seventh, the imperatives of vv. 12-14, especially presenting ourselves to God alive, imply current participation with Christ in his resurrection (cf. the “so you too” in v. 11). This is further confirmed by the “in Christ” language of v. 11. Eighth, Paul clearly taught elsewhere present union with the Lord in his resurrection life (cf. Eph 2:5-6).⁴⁹

Thus there is good support for this second view. But, there are still problems. Perhaps the biggest objection is the use of “we believe” in v. 8. This seems to imply “hope” for a reality not yet in existence. Overall, then, it may be better to see Paul focusing on the present with a view to the future. In other words, both realities seem to be intended. It would appear, however, as was the case in 5:5, it was the present experience of salvation and the Spirit that led to the conclusion that hope does not disappoint. So also here. It is the present experience of Christ’s resurrection life that strengthens one in the belief that a future consummation is coming.

6:11 In connecting the thoughts of v. 10 with those of v. 11 Paul uses the conjunction so…too (οὕτως, houtōs). It appears that the death Christ died (v. 10) is both the model we are to follow as well as the ground or cause of our “considering ourselves” dead to sin. In other words, we are to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in terms of following Christ’s example and we are able to consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God since Christ, as our head, already died to sin and lives to God. The latter is based on the forensic connections between Christ and those related to him in 5:12-21.

The imperative consider (λογίζεσθε, logizesthe) means to “count something as true” or to “regard something as a certain way” (14:14). In this case the believer is exhorted to count himself dead to the power of sin and alive to God. Paul raised the question at the beginning of this paragraph, namely, “Are we to remain in sin so that grace may increase?” He answered it definitively in v. 2 with “Absolutely not!” But, in v. 2 he did not tell us how to remain free from the grip of sin. Here in v. 11 he does so. He says, in effect, “we remain free from sin by considering ourselves dead to it and alive to God.”

Two things need to be said about the idea of “considering,” or “reckoning” as some translations render it. First, the term has been used earlier on several occasions, the most pertinent being 3:28 and its occurrences in chapter 4. God “counted” Abraham’s faith as righteousness. He “reckons” or “considers” our faith as righteousness and now we must “consider ourselves,” in light of the work which God has done for us in our new head, Jesus Christ, dead to sin and alive to God. This requires faith. The implication is that the same way in which a person is justified, i.e., by faith, is the same way that a person is sanctified, i.e., by faith. 

The second comment is that the imperative “consider” is in the present tense which in this case involves an ongoing commitment to consider oneself dead to sin and alive to God. It is based on the indicative reality that we have already died with Christ and have been raised with him as our new head (6:3-5). This is something God did to us. We do not create this reality by obeying the command, but we do participate in it through considering ourselves appropriately. When we consider ourselves dead to the power, purposes, and impulses of sin, we participate in Christ’s death to sin and so become increasingly delivered from its downward pull (cf. 3:23).

At the same time as we consider ourselves dead to sin, we are to consider ourselves alive to God (ζῶντας δὲ τῷ θεῷ, zōntas de tō theō). “Alive to God” is not so much an ethical idea, though it certainly involves that (6:12-14). It is more foundationally a relational and spiritual reality. Whereas God was once unknown to the believer, he is now known and has become the object of his/her affections. These opposite “reckonings”—dead to sin, alive to God—exist for the believer in Christ (ἐν Χριστῷ  ᾿Ιησοῦ, en Christou Iēsou). God considered us “with Christ” when he died, was buried, and was raised. The forensic language is reminiscent of 5:12 where we were said to have participated in the sin of Adam. In any case, the present sphere in which we live out Christ’s death and resurrection (by considering it our own) is referred to as “in Christ.” The age of resurrection life and power has broken into the old age dominated by sin, judgment and condemnation. Death in Adam has given way to “life in Christ,” not only legally, but also practically, spiritually and ethically. Paul will spell this last point out in greater detail in the verses (and chapters) that follow.

6:12-13 Since Paul knows it is true that we are in fact dead to sin and alive to God, he therefore (οὐν, oun) advances the imperative that we are no longer to let sin reign in our mortal body (, mh oun basileuetw Je Jamartia en tw qnhtw Jumwn swmati). The apostle pictures sin here as a ruling master that must not be allowed to mount the throne and “call the shots,” as it were. He is a defeated king and must be kept down. If this is not done, he will assume a position of authority from which he will demand that we carry out his sinful desires and urges.

The sphere in which this defeated monarch will “live out” his sinful schemes, if allowed, is through our physical, mortal bodies. Therefore the sure way to ensure that this does not become a dominant reality is to freely and willingly present (, paristanete) our hands, head, and heart, to the Lord himself to be used in righteous causes and not to sin to be used for its ends, namely, unrighteousness.

6:14 Verse 14 rounds out the paragraph and gives the answer (which follows from vv. 2-11) to the initial question posed in v. 1. The for (γάρ, gar) which begins the verse links it closely with the preceding verses and indeed the question of the passage as a whole: “Should the Christian under grace continue to sin?” Answer: “No, because we were placed under grace in order that sin may no longer reign over us.”

While the overall sense of 6:14 in its context is clear, the two principle clauses which comprise the verse have given rise to many different interpretations, some of which have very little, if any, merit. What does Paul mean when he says, sin will have no mastery over you (ἁμαρτία γὰρ ὑμῶν οὐ κυριεύσει, hamartia gar humōn ou kurieusei)? Some commentators have argued, as a result of this passage, that the Christian will not sin, ever. But this is to miss the entire thrust of the question which began this paragraph (v. 1) and to seriously minimize the imperatives of vv. 12-13. Further, it suggests a theology not only foreign to Paul, but to the entire New Testament (cf. the Corinthian correspondence; Gal 5:16ff; cf. 1 John 1:9; 1 Peter 2:11-12).

Some scholars have suggested that the future tense “will have no mastery” functions as an imperative or command. They argue that Paul is commanding the Romans Christians not to allow sin to control them any longer. While the future tense can function in this way (i.e., to give what amounts to a command), and the immediate context in vv. 12-13 is hortatory in nature, it is still unlikely that this is Paul’s meaning here. If this were the case, one would expect a “therefore” (οὖν, oun) to begin v. 14 not a “for” (γάρ, gar). Paul is giving the reason Christians should not sin, not another command.

The best way to understand “will not have mastery” is in reference to the power of sin not dominating our present experience—an experience characterized as in between the time of the inauguration of salvation and the consummation of salvation (8:18). Therefore, it is at once a word of explanation, which posits the ultimate basis for our deliverance from sin, and a word of encouragement in the form of a promise.

The reason the promise is certain is because the Christian is no longer under the administration of the law (i.e., in Adam), but under grace (i.e., in Christ). That is, the fact that our old man has been crucified and Christians now live in union with Christ is referred to as a state of grace. The term law (νόμος, nomos), though without the article, refers to the Mosaic law as a whole, an administration.

F. Contribution of Passage to Systematic Theology

This passage contributes greatly to our understanding of sanctification and the object grounds upon which it proceeds, the relationship of our growth to the cross work of Christ and our responsibility in the matter.

Paul teaches that we do not need to sin and that indeed we ought not to sin because we have died to it through the death of Christ and our union with him. Also, in the same way, we are united with him in his resurrection and for that reason we can walk in newness of life—a life of love for God, expressed in keeping his commands (Rom 13:8-10) and a love for others expressed in civil obedience, encouragement, patience, and unity (Rom 12:1-15:13).

Thus, at the heart of progressive sanctification, that is, growth in holiness and Christlikeness, stands the cross work of Christ and its application to the believer who is reckoned by God to have participated in it. The responsibility of the believer is first off to reckon that they are indeed dead to sin and alive to God and then, in keeping with this, to present themselves to him and not sin as their new master. We would do well to think long and hard on the book of Romans before we run off into gimmicks to attempt to grow in the Christian life.

---

⁴⁷ Stuart Briscoe, “Why Christ Had To Die,” Preaching Today 163, no. 4.

⁴⁸ Douglas Moo, Romans 1-8, The Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary, ed. Kenneth Barker (Chicago: Moody, 1991), 391.

⁴⁹ One should note the presence of the sun verbs in Ephesians 2:5-6 and the similarity between the ideas there and here in Romans 6. The vision in Ephesians 2:5-6 goes a step beyond Romans (though it may be inferred from it), however, when it pictures Christians seated with Christ in the heavenly realms.

Home bible studies (small groups) have quickly become one of the primary ways in which Christians find a great combination of fellowship and study of the Christian life during the week. They are a vital solution to most churches’ desire to create balance in their church life. The developers of The Theology Program have intentionally adapted the material in all seven courses to be used in such an environment. Whatever the make-up of your small group, TTP will add a much needed element of intellectual challenge through stimulating discussions that are both practical and penetrating.

Using TTP for small groups is easy...

 

 

How to start using TTP for your Small Group

Step One: Acquiring the needed material & equipment

Purchase a course leader’s guide, course set of DVDs, and the number of Student Theology Notebooks for the course of study. As our progression of courses suggests, it is highly recommended that you start with Introduction to Theology and then move on from there.

You will need a way of projecting or viewing the DVD teaching sessions. In a home setting you may be able to view the class through your DVD player hooked up to your TV. If the group is a little larger or it is difficult to provide good viewing for all the students, then you may consider using a projector system with a larger projection screen. This may be more practical in a church setting where this type of equipment may be more readily available and preferred for best viewing capability.

Step Two: Appointing a leader

Appoint a gifted leader who can be in charge of the administration of the program. This may be you! This leader is responsible for setting up the times and dates of meeting for the small group. As well, this leader will facilitate the discussion time, keeping the discussion on track. While he or she does not necessarily have to be one who is gifted in teaching, they must be ever mindful of the topics of discussion and ready to firmly guide the discussion in a fruitful manner. It is suggested that this leader have someone else who will co-lead with him or her. This will take some of the pressure off the individual leader and help to delegate some of the responsibilities on a week to week basis.

Step Three: Setting group requirements

There should not be more than 12 people invited to join the TTP small group. All people need to commit to all ten lessons of the course. If someone misses a meeting for some reason, they should commit watching the missed lesson on DVD or online at bible.org. This is vitally important since each lesson builds off the previous lessons and people can get lost very easily if they have missed any session(s).

The total time of the individual sessions should last no less than 2 hours each. The individual DVD lessons lasts about an hour and 15 minutes then there is 45 minutes to an hour of discussion time. This does not include time for dinner or fellowship before or after the TTP small group session. Some may want to have a short time for fellowship and dinner before the DVD begins. This would extend the entire small group time to a minimum of 3 hours. If time is an issue, you may want to watch the DVD session while eating dinner. Group obligations and requirements will differ. It is not suggested, however, that you extend the meeting to half a session each night. This would then extend the TTP small group to 20 weeks, which would be cumbersome. But, flexibility is often the key and the TTP small group can be successful even when these types of adjustments are necessary.

Step Four: Preparing to lead

Although not required, it is highly suggested that the leader(s) view all ten sessions of the course beforehand so that he or she understands the philosophy of the program and knows what to expect in the coming weeks. This will greatly help when facilitating discussion. At a bare minimum, the leader(s) should view the individual class session before the small group meets.

In the TTP Leader’s Notebook, there is a PowerPoint presentation of the entire course. The leader(s) can view each individual class presentation on PowerPoint in edit mode (the default mode of PowerPoint when it opens) while viewing the classes on DVD. In edit mode, there will be the leader’s notes in the notes section just below each slide. This is not necessarily needed for the small group leader(s) since there is a printed version of the PowerPoint slides included in the TTP Leader’s Notebook. Have your notebook open before you as you preview the course before your small group meets. Take note of the presentation notes and illustrations provided. You can use the extra space on the printouts to make additional notes that come to mind as you view the course. These notes can be used to help make the study more relevant to your context.

Step Five: Leading the discussion

After your small group has completed you are to discuss the “Group Discussion Questions” provided at the end of each lesson in the Student Theology Notebook. There are a couple of important things to keep in mind about these discussion questions. First, these were not created for people to do by themselves, but in community. In other words, the questions are not an assignment for people to complete sometime during the week and bring back completed, but questions that are only to be done in discussion in the community that has been brought together. This emphasizes the TTP value of doing theology in community, not in individualist isolation. Second, you should not expect to get through all the questions each session. These questions were created to stimulate theological discussion. Often times they are simply there to create discussion about one or two themes hitting them from many different angles. Therefore, the leader(s) should not be so concerned about getting through every question, but that the “spirit of the questions” are creating the desired interaction. This is why it is important that the leader(s) read through the individual questions before the small group meeting and highlight those which they think will be the most relevant to their people. You may only get through two or three of the questions—this is fine, so long as fruitful discussion pertaining to the subjects of the lesson are being discussed.

General Principles for TTP small group leaders:

Keep discussion on track!

Many times people will want to talk about every theological issue that they hold dearly or have had questions about during lesson that are not directly related to the topic. For example, someone may want to discuss the issue of predestination during the session on the Reformed tradition of the church in Introduction to Theology. This, however, as interesting and generally relevant as it is, would not be the place to discuss this issue. It will be covered in Soteriology. As well, someone may want to discuss the issue of the canon of Scripture (what books belong in the Bible) during the session on the Roman Catholic view of the Church in Ecclesiology and Eschatology. Again, as relevant as this is, it has already been covered in Bibliology and Hermeneutics. These off topic theological side-bars can eat of the 45 minutes of discussion in no time at all. And since each lesson is dependent upon the previous lesson, this could quickly become a problem.

Don’t pressure yourself to think you have to have all the answers. As is clear from the DVD teaching session, Michael and Rhome and the entire history of the Church has not been able to answer many theological questions with assurance, and neither can or should you. In other words, you are not necessarily there to answer the questions, but to engage in the discussion.

 

May God be with you in your pursuit of Him and may your group reflect the glory of His Son who loves you and gave Himself up for you.

Introduction

As previously mentioned, the New Testament falls into three categories based on their literary makeup—the historical, the epistolary, and the prophetical. The four Gospels make up about 46 percent and the book of Acts raises this to 60 percent. This means 60 percent of the New Testament is directly historical tracing the roots and historical development of Christianity. Christianity is based on historical facts. This is inherent in the very nature of the gospel. Christianity is the message of the gospel and what is a gospel? It is good news, information derived from the witness of others. It is history, the testimony of historical facts. “The gospel is news that something has happened—something that puts a different face upon life. What that something is is told us in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It is the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”¹⁰ Following this four-fold account, Acts gives the historical account of the extension of the gospel message from Jerusalem, into Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth, into the Gentile world. It begins:

1:1 I wrote the former account (the Gospel of Luke), Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach 1:2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after he had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 1:3 After his suffering he had also presented himself alive to these apostles by many convincing proofs. He was seen by them over a forty-day period and spoke about matters concerning the kingdom of God.

1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.

Luke is volume one and Acts is volume two of Dr. Luke’s treatise about the historical life and ministry of the Savior as begun by the Lord Jesus. This was continued by the Savior through the Holy Spirit working in the life of His apostles following Christ’s ascension into heaven. Acts thus provides the historical outline of the apostles’ ministry in the life of the early church. This becomes crucial to our understanding of much of what we have in the epistles, which were historical letters written to living people in historical places. The New Testament, then, is a historical book of the Good News of the living God at work in human history, not just in the past, but in the living present and the future in light of the promises of God.

The Synoptic Gospels

Before beginning a survey of each of the Gospels, it might be well to say a bit about the use of the term, The Synoptic Gospels. Though each Gospel has its distinct emphasis and purpose, the first three are sometimes referred to as the Synoptic Gospels because they “see together,” that is, they have the same point of view with regard to the life of Christ, agreeing in subject matter and order. Further, they also present the life of Christ in a way that complements the picture given in the Gospel of John. The following show a number of areas that are common to each of the first three Gospels:

• The announcement of the Messiah by John the Baptist (Matt. 3, Mark 1, and Luke 3).
• The baptism of Jesus (Matt. 3, Mark 1, and Luke 3).
• The temptation of Jesus (Matt. 4, Mark 1, and Luke 4).
• The teaching and miracles of Jesus (The major portion of each Gospel).
• The transfiguration of Jesus (Matt. 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9).
• The trial, death, and burial of Jesus (Matt. 26-27, Mark 14-15, Luke 22-23).
• The resurrection of Jesus (Matt. 28, Mark 16, Luke 24).

The Purpose and Distinctive Focus of the Four Gospels

16:13 When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 16:14 They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 16:15 He said to them, “And who do you say that I am?” 16:16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:14 gives the four stock answers or schools of thought for a large number of people in Jesus’ day. Only a few at first, a believing remnant, recognized Him for who He really was, the Son of God. Thus, under the inspiration of the Spirit, the Gospel writers set about to reveal just who Jesus really was as to His person and work. In a four-fold way, each with their own distinctive focus, but in accounts that are complementary, the four Gospels answer the questions posed by the Lord to the disciples. They declare just exactly who Jesus is. They show Him to be the Messiah of Old Testament expectation, the Servant of the Lord, the Son of Man, the Son of God, and the one who is the Savior of the World. The Gospels give us God’s portrait of the person and work of Christ with four distinct pictures.

In Sidlow Baxter’s Explore the Book, he calls our attention to the interesting similarity between the vision in Ezekiel 1:10 and the Gospels, though he does not suggest the four living creatures were a type of the Gospels. He writes:

Most of us, perhaps, are familiar with the parallel which has often been noted between the four Gospels and the four “living creatures” in the opening vision of the prophet Ezekiel. The four “living creatures,” or cherubim, are thus described in Ezekiel 1:10: “As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.” The lion symbolizes supreme strength, kingship; the man, highest intelligence; the ox, lowly service; the eagle, heavenliness, mystery, Divinity.

In Matthew we see the Messiah-King (the lion).
In Mark we see Jehovah’s Servant (the ox).
In Luke we see the Son of Man (the man).
In John we see the Son of God (the eagle).

It needs all four aspects to give the full truth. As Sovereign He comes to reign and rule. As Servant He comes to serve and suffer. As Son of man He comes to share and sympathise. As Son of God He comes to reveal and redeem. Wonderful fourfold blending—sovereignty and humility; humanity and deity!¹¹

Matthew addresses his Gospel primarily to the Jews to convince them that Jesus of Nazareth is their Messiah, the King of the Jews. With the genealogy of Jesus, Matthew also uses ten fulfillment quotations by which he seeks to show that this Jesus, though rejected and crucified, is the long-awaited Messiah of the Old Testament (Matt. 1:23; 2:15; 2:18; 2:23; 4:15; 8:15; 12:18-21; 13:35; 21:5; 27:9-10). But though rejected by the nation as a whole and crucified, the King left an empty tomb.

Mark seems to be addressed to the Romans, a people of action but of few words, and presents Jesus as the Servant of the Lord who came “to give His life a ransom for many.” In keeping with this, Mark, the shortest of the Gospels, is vivid, active or lively, and presents a very clear eyewitness account, especially of the last week of Jesus’ life on earth. “A full 37 percent of this Gospel is devoted to the events of His last and most important week.”¹²

Luke, the doctor historian, presents Jesus as the perfect Son of Man who came “to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Luke strongly stresses the true humanity of Christ while also declaring His deity. Some believe that Luke particularly had the Greeks in mind because of their keen interest in human philosophy.

John immediately (1:1-2) focuses the reader on the deity of Christ by presenting Jesus as the eternal Son of God who gives eternal and abundant life to all who would receive Him by believing in Him (John 1:12; 3:16-18, 36; 10:10). Though written to all mankind, John’s Gospel is especially written to the church. Five chapters record the farewell discourses of Jesus to His disciples to comfort them just a few hours before His death. In addition, seven miraculous signs of Jesus are set forth to demonstrate that Jesus is the Savior and to encourage people everywhere to believe in Him that they might have life (John 20:30-31).

Matthew

Author and Title:

Each of the Gospels receives its name from the human author who wrote it. Though this first Gospel, as with each of the Gospels, never names its author, the universal testimony of the early church is that the apostle Matthew wrote it, and our earliest textual witnesses attribute it to him by giving it the title, “According to Matthew” (Kata Matthaion). Matthew, who was one of the original disciples of Jesus, was a Jew writing to Jews about the One who was their own Messiah. His original name was Levi, the son of Alphaeus. Matthew worked as a publican collecting taxes in Palestine for the Romans until he was called by the Lord to follow Him (Matt. 9:9, 10; Mark 2:14-15). His quick response may suggest his heart had already been stirred by the ministry of Jesus.

At an early date this gospel was given the title Kata Matthaion, “According to Matthew.” As this title suggests, other gospel accounts were known at that time (the word gospel was added later) …¹³

Date: A.D. 50s or 60s

Suggestions for the dating of Matthew range from A.D. 40 to A.D. 140, but “the fact that the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 is viewed as an event yet future (24:2) seems to require an earlier date. Some feel that this was the first of the Gospels to be written (about A.D. 50), while others think it was not the first and that it was written in the 60s.”¹⁴

Theme and Purpose:

As evident in the questions Jesus asked His disciples in 16:14f., Matthew wrote to Jews to answer their questions about Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus had plainly declared that He was their Messiah. Was He really the Old Testament Messiah predicted by the prophets? If so, why did the religious leaders fail to receive Him and why didn’t He establish the promised kingdom? Will it ever be established, and if so, when? Thus, Matthew is addressed primarily to a Jewish audience to show them that this Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. This is seen in Jesus’ genealogy (1:1-17); the visit of the Magi (2:1-12); His entry into Jerusalem (21:5); the judgment of the nations (25:31-46); the often mentioning of the “kingdom of heaven” as is common with the other Gospels, and in the Old Testament fulfillment quotations mentioned previously.

Key Words or Concept:

Jesus, the Messiah, the King of the Jews.

Key Verses:

• 1:20-23. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” 22 Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 23 “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”
• 16:15-19. He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
• 28:18-20. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Key Chapters:

• Chapter 1 is key in that it introduces the genealogy and birth of Jesus as son of David, son of Abraham, and as one born by the miraculous work of the Spirit, with Joseph being the legal father by adoption, but not the physical father.
• Chapter 12 is key because in this chapter we see the turning point when the religious leaders formally reject Jesus as their Messiah by attributing His miraculous power to Satan. At this point Jesus began to speak in parables to hide truth from the unresponsive. From this point on more time is given to His disciples.

Christ as Seen in Matthew:

As previously stressed, Matthew’s goal is to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah of Old Testament expectation. He is the son of Abraham and David. Thus He is the King who comes offering the kingdom. The phrase “the king of heaven” occurs some thirty-two times in this Gospel. Further, to show that this Jesus fulfills expectations of the Old Testament, ten times he specifically stresses that what happened in the life of Jesus fulfills the Old Testament. Further, he uses more Old Testament quotations and allusions than any other book of the New Testament, some 130 times.

Outline:

Matthew naturally falls into nine discernible sections:

I.	The Person and Presentation of the King (1:1-4:25)
II.	The Proclamation or Preaching of the King (5:1-7:29)
III.	The Power of the King (8:1-11:1)
IV.	The Program and Progressive Rejection of the King (11:2-16:12)
V.	The Pedagogy and Preparation of the King’s Disciples (16:13-20:28)
VI.	The Presentation of the King (20:29-23:39)
VII.	The Predictions or Prophecies of the King (24:1-25:46)
VIII.	The Passion or Rejection of the King (26:1-27:66)
IX.	The Proof of the King (28:1-20)

Mark

Author and Title:

Mark’s Gospel is actually anonymous since it does not name its author. The Greek title, Kata Markon, “According to Mark” was added later by a scribe sometime before A.D. 125, but there is strong and clear evidence (external and internal) that Mark was its author. “The unanimous testimony of the early church fathers is that Mark, an associate of the apostle Peter, was the author.”¹⁵ In A.D. 112, Papias cited Mark as “the interpreter of Peter.” Dunnett points out, “A comparison of Peter’s sermon in Acts 10:36-43 with Mark’s Gospel shows the former to be an outline of the life of Jesus which Mark has given in much greater detail.”¹⁶

Though Mark was not one of the original disciples of Christ, he was the son of Mary, a woman of wealth and position in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12), a companion of Peter (1 Pet. 5:13), and the cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10). These associations, especially his association with Peter who was evidently Mark’s source of information, gave apostolic authority to Mark’s Gospel. Since Peter spoke of him as “Mark, my son,” (1 Pet. 5:13), Peter may have been the one who led Mark to Christ.

In addition, he was also a close associate of Paul. Ryrie writes:

He had the rare privilege of accompanying Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey but failed to stay with them through the entire trip. Because of this, Paul refused to take him on the second journey, so he went with Barnabas to Cyprus (Acts 15:38-40). About a dozen years later he was again with Paul (Col. 4:10; Philem. 24), and just before Paul’s execution he was sent for by the apostle (2 Tim. 4:11). His biography proves that one failure in life does not mean the end of usefulness.¹⁷

Date: A.D. 50s or 60s

The dating of Mark is somewhat difficult, though many scholars believe this Gospel was the first of the four Gospels. Unless one rejects the element of predictive prophecy, 13:2 clearly shows that Mark was written before A.D. 70 and the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. Ryrie points out:

In fact, if Acts must be dated about A.D. 61, and if Luke, the companion volume, preceded it, then Mark must be even earlier, since Luke apparently used Mark in writing his gospel. This points to a date in the 50s for Mark. However, many scholars believe that Mark was not written until after Peter died; i.e., after 67 but before 70.¹⁸

Theme and Purpose:

The theme of Mark is ‘Christ the Servant.’ This thrust is brought in 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life a ransom for many.” A careful reading of Mark shows how the two themes of this verse, service and sacrifice, are unfolded by Mark. Mark is addressed primarily to the Roman or Gentile reader. As a result, the genealogy of Jesus is omitted along with the Sermon on the Mount and the condemnations by the religious leaders receive less attention. Also, since Mark presents Jesus as the Worker, the Servant of the Lord, the book focuses on the activity of Christ as a faithful Servant effectively going about His work. This focus seems evident by Mark’s style as seen in his use of the Greek euqus, “immediately, at once,” or “then, so then,” which occurs some 42 times in this Gospel. Its meaning varies from the sense of immediacy as in 1:10, to that of logical order (“in due course, then”; cf. 1:21 [“when”]; 11:3 [“shortly”]).¹⁹ Another illustration of this active focus is Mark’s prominent use of the historic present to describe a past event, which was evidently done for vividness.

Key Word:

Servant, Servant of the Lord.

Key Verses:

• 8:34-37. Then Jesus called the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and the gospel will save it. What advantage is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? What can a person give in exchange for his soul?”
• 10:43-45. “But it is not this way among you. But whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Key Chapters:

• Chapter 8 forms a key chapter in Mark, much like chapter 12 in Matthew, because here there is a change in both the content and course of the ministry of Jesus. The pivotal event that brings about the change is the confession of Peter, “You are the Christ (the Messiah)” (8:29). This is followed immediately by a warning that they should tell no one, the revelation of His death, the call to discipleship, and the transfiguration.

That faith-inspired response triggers a new phase in both the content and the course of Jesus’ ministry. Until this point He has sought to validate His claims as Messiah. But now He begins to fortify His men for His forthcoming suffering and death at the hands of the religious leaders. Jesus’ steps begin to take Him daily closer to Jerusalem—the place where the Perfect Servant will demonstrate the full extent of His servanthood.²⁰

Christ as Seen in Mark:

Of course, Mark’s contribution especially centers on presenting the Savior as the Sacrificing Servant who gives His life obediently for the ransom of many. The focus is clearly on His ministry to the physical and spiritual needs of others always putting them before His own needs. This emphasis on the Savior’s servant activity is seen in the following:

Only eighteen out of Christ’s seventy parables are found in Mark—some of these are only one sentence in length—but he lists over half of Christ’s thirty-five miracles, the highest proportion in the Gospels.²¹

Outline:

With the theme of the book being that of Christ the Servant. The key verse, 10:45, provides the key for two natural divisions of the Gospel: the Servant’s service (1:1-10:52) and the Servant’s sacrifice (11:1-16:20). We can divide this into five simple sections:

I.	The Preparation of the Servant for Service (1:1-13)
II.	The Preaching of the Servant in Galilee (1:14-9:50)
III.	The Preaching of the Servant in Perea (10:1-52)
IV.	The Passion of the Servant in Jerusalem (11:1-15:47)
V.	The Prosperity of the Servant in Resurrection (16:1-20)

Luke

Author and Title:

Both Luke and Acts, which are addressed to Theophilus as a two-volume work, are attributed to Luke, and while Luke is nowhere named as the author of either, a great deal of evidence points to Luke, “the beloved physician” (Col. 4:14) as the author of both books. Significantly, these two books make up about 28 percent of the Greek New Testament. The only places where we find his name in the New Testament are Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; and Philemon 24. It is also believed that Luke referred to himself in the “we” sections of Acts (16:10-17; 20:5-21:18; 27:1-28:16). These “we” sections of Acts show that the author was a close associate and traveling companion of Paul. Since all but two of Paul’s associates are named in the third person, the list can be narrowed to Titus and Luke.

By process of elimination, Paul’s “dear friend Luke, the doctor” (Col 4:14), and “fellow worker” (Phm 24) becomes the most likely candidate. His authorship is supported by the uniform testimony of early Christian writings (e.g., the Muratorian Canon, A.D. 170, and the works of Irenaeus, c. 180).²²

It seems evident from Colossians 4:10-14 that Luke was a Gentile for there Paul differentiates him from the Jews. Here the apostle states that, of his fellow-workers, Aristarchus, Mark, and Justus were the only ones who were Jews. This suggest that Epaphras, Luke, and Demas, also mentioned in these verses, were Gentiles, not Jews. “Luke’s obvious skill with the Greek language and his phrase “their own language” in Acts 1:19 also imply that he was not Jewish.”²³

We know nothing about his early life or conversion except that he was not an eyewitness of the life of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:2). Though a physician by profession, he was primarily an evangelist, writing this gospel and the book of Acts and accompanying Paul in missionary work … He was with Paul at the time of the apostle’s martyrdom (2 Tim. 4:11), but of his later life we have no certain facts.²⁴

Date: A.D. 60

Two commonly suggested periods for dating the Gospel of Luke are: (1) A.D. 59-63, and (2) the 70s or the 80s, but the conclusion of Acts shows us that Paul was in Rome, and since Luke is the former treatise, written before Acts (Acts 1:1), the Gospel of Luke must have been written in the earlier period, around A.D. 60. However, suggesting that Luke’s Gospel received its final form in Greece and not in Rome, some have suggested A.D. 70.

Theme and Purpose:

The purpose of Luke is clearly stated in the prologue of his Gospel.

1:1-4 Now many have undertaken to compile an account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 1:2 like the accounts passed on to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning. 1:3 So it seemed good to me as well, because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 1:4 so that you may have certainty regarding the things you were taught.

Several things need to be noticed regarding his approach to presenting the gospel:

Luke states that his own work was stimulated by the work of others (1:1), that he consulted eyewitnesses (1:2), and that he sifted and arranged the information (1:3) under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to instruct Theophilus in the historical reliability of the faith (1:4). This is a carefully researched and documented writing.²⁵

As a Gentile, Luke must have felt responsible to write his two-volume account of the life of Christ so it would be available to Gentile readers. This seems evident from the fact that Luke “translates Aramaic terms with Greek words and explains Jewish customs and geography to make his Gospel more intelligible to his original Greek readership.”²⁶

Luke, written by the “the beloved physician,” is the most comprehensive and longest of the Gospels. It presents the Savior as the Son of Man, the Perfect Man who came to seek and save the lost (19:10). In Matthew we see Jesus as Son of David, Israel’s King; in Mark we see Him as the Lord’s Servant, serving others; in Luke we see Him as the Son of Man, meeting man’s needs, a perfect man among men, chosen from men, tested among men, and supremely qualified to be the Savior and High Priest. In Matthew we see groupings of significant events, in Mark we see the snapshots of significant events, but in Luke we see more details of these events by the physician/historian.

His perfect human nature as the Son of Man, yet also Son of God, is brought out by the following:

1. His physical birth with his genealogy traced all the way back to Adam (3:38) (Matthew goes back only to Abraham).

2. His mental development is stressed in 2:40-52.

3. His moral and spiritual perfection is also stressed as evidenced at His baptism by the voice of the Father from heaven and by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

So in Jesus we have One who is perfect manhood—physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Key Word:

Jesus, the Son of Man.

Key Verses:

• 1:1-4 Now many have undertaken to compile an account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 1:2 like the accounts passed on to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning. 1:3 So it seemed good to me as well, because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 1:4 so that you may have certainty regarding the things you were taught.
• 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

Key Chapters:

Chapter 15. In view of the theme stressed in 19:10, the emphasis on ‘seeking’ in the three parables of chapter 15 (the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son) makes this a key chapter in Luke’s Gospel.

Christ as Seen in Luke:

The humanity and compassion of Jesus are repeatedly stressed in Luke’s Gospel. Luke gives the most complete account of Christ’s ancestry, birth, and development. He is the ideal Son of Man who identified with the sorrow and plight of sinful man in order to carry our sorrows and offer us the priceless gift of salvation. Jesus alone fulfills the Greek ideal of human perfection.²⁷

Outline:

I.	The Prologue: The Method and Purpose of Writing (1:1-4)
II.	The Identification of the Son of Man with Men (1:1-4:13)
III.	The Ministry of the Son of Man to Men (4:14-9:50)
IV.	The Rejection of the Son of Man by Men (9:51-19:44)
V.	The Suffering of the Son of Man for Men (19:45-23:56)
VI.	The Authentication (by resurrection) of the Son of Man Before Men (24:1-53)

John

Author and Title:

From early in the second century, church tradition has attributed the fourth Gospel to John the apostle, son of Zebedee and brother of James. Jesus named John and James, “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17). Salome, his mother, served Jesus in Galilee and was present at His crucifixion (Mark 15:40-41). He was not only close to Jesus as one of the Twelve, but he is usually identified as “the beloved disciple” (13:23; 18:15, 16; 19:26-27), was one of the inner circle and one of three Christ took with Him to the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1). He was also closely associated with Peter. After the ascension of Christ, John became one whom Paul identified as the “pillars” of the church (Gal. 2:9).

In the strict sense of the term, the fourth Gospel is anonymous. No name of its author is given in the text. This is not surprising because a gospel differs in literary form from an epistle (letter). The letters of Paul each begin with his name, which was the normal custom of letter writers in the ancient world. None of the human authors of the four Gospels identified himself by name. But that does not mean one cannot know who the authors were. An author may indirectly reveal himself within the writing, or his work may be well known in tradition as coming from him.

Internal evidence supplies the following chain of connections regarding the author of the Fourth Gospel. (1) In John 21:24 the word “them” refers to the whole Gospel, not to just the last chapter. (2) “The disciple” in 21:24 was “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (21:7). (3) From 21:7 it is certain that the disciple whom Jesus loved was one of seven persons mentioned in 21:2 (Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the two sons of Zebedee, and two unnamed disciples). (4) “The disciple whom Jesus loved” was seated next to the Lord at the Last Supper, and Peter motioned to him (13:23-24). (5) He must have been one of the Twelve since only they were with the Lord at the Last Supper (cf. Mark 14:17; Luke 22:14). (6) In the Gospel, John was closely related to Peter and thus appears to be one of the inner three (cf. John 20:2-10; Mark 5:37-38; 9:2-3; 14:33). Since James, John’s brother, died in the year A.D. 44, he was not the author (Acts 12:2). (7) “The other disciple” (John 18:15-16) seems to refer to the “disciple whom Jesus loved” since he is called this in 20:2. (8) The “disciple whom Jesus loved” was at the cross (19:26), and 19:35 seems to refer to him. (9) The author’s claim, “We have seen His glory” (1:14), was the claim of someone who was an eyewitness (cf. 1 John 1:1-4).

Putting all of these facts together makes a good case for the author of the Fourth Gospel having been John, one of the sons of a fisherman named Zebedee.²⁸

Date: A.D. 85-90

Some critics have sought to place the dating of John well into the second century (about A.D. 150), but a number of factors have proven this false.

Archeological finds supporting the authenticity of the text of John (e.g., John 4:11; 5:2-3), word studies (e.g., synchrontai, 4:9), manuscript discoveries (e.g., P⁵²), and the Dead Sea Scrolls have given powerful support to an early dating for John. So it is common today to find nonconservative scholars arguing for a date as early as A.D. 45-66. An early date is possible. But this Gospel has been known in the church as the “Fourth” one, and the early church fathers believed that it was written when John was an old man. Therefore a date between 85 and 95 is best. John 21:18, 23 require the passing of some time, with Peter becoming old and John outliving him.²⁹

Theme and Purpose:

Probably more than any other book of the Bible, John clearly states the theme and purpose of his Gospel. Significantly, this statement of purpose follows Thomas’ encounter with the resurrected Savior. If you recall, Thomas had doubted the reality of the resurrection (John 20:24-25). Immediately after this the Lord appeared to the disciples and addressed Thomas with these words, “Put your finger here, and examine my hands. Extend your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe.” Thomas then declared, “My Lord and my God!” The Lord then said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are the people who have not seen and yet have believed.” It is following this exchange and the focus on the need of believing in Jesus that John gives us the theme and statement of purpose:

20:30 Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples that are not recorded in this book. 20:31 But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

In keeping with this statement of purpose, John selected seven sign-miracles to reveal the person and mission of Christ that it might bring people to believe in Jesus as Savior. The term used of these miracles is shmeion, “a sign, a distinguishing mark,” and then “a sign consisting of a miracle, a wonder, something contrary to nature.” John always refers to Jesus’ miracles by this term because shmeion emphasized the significance of the action rather than the miracle (see, e.g., 4:54; 6:14; 9:16; 11:47). These signs revealed Jesus’ glory (see 1:14; cf. Isa 35:1-2; Joel 3:18; Am 9:13). These seven signs consisted of the following: (1) the turning of water into wine (2:1-11); (2) the cure of the nobleman’s son (4:46-54); (3) the cure of the paralytic (5:1-18); (4) the feeding of the multitude (6:6-13); (5) the walking on the water (6:16-21); (6) the giving of sight to the blind (9:1-7); and (7) the raising of Lazarus (11:1-45).

John’s special theme and purpose is also easily discerned by the distinctive nature of his Gospel when compared to Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

When one compares the Gospel of John with the other three Gospels, he is struck by the distinctiveness of John’s presentation. John does not include Jesus’ genealogy, birth, baptism, temptation, casting out of demons, parables, transfiguration, instituting of the Lord’s Supper, His agony in Gethsemane, or His Ascension. John’s presentation of Jesus stresses His ministry in Jerusalem, the feasts of the Jewish nation, Jesus’ contacts with individuals in private conversations (e.g., chaps. 3-4; 18:28-19:16), and His ministry to His disciples (chaps. 13-17). The major body of the Gospel is contained in a “Book of Signs” (2:1-12:50) which embraces seven miracles or “signs” which proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. This “Book of Signs” also contains great discourses of Jesus which explain and proclaim the significance of the signs. For example, following the feeding of the 5,000 (6:1-15), Jesus revealed Himself as the Bread of Life which the heavenly Father gives for the life of the world (6:25-35). Another notable and exclusive feature of the Fourth Gospel is the series of “I am” statements that were made by Jesus (cf. 6:35; 8:12; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5).

The distinctiveness of this Gospel must be kept in perspective. The Gospels were not intended as biographies. Each Gospel writer selected from a much larger pool of information the material which would serve his purpose. It has been estimated that if all the words from the lips of Jesus cited in Matthew, Mark, and Luke were read aloud, the amount of time taken would be only about three hours …³⁰

Key Words:

The key concept in John is Jesus, the Son of God, the one who is the Logos, the very revelation of God (John 1:1, 14, 18). But there are a number of other key words in the presentation of Christ like truth, light, darkness, word, knowledge, believe, abide, love, world, witness, and judgment. The verb believe (Greek, pisteuw) occurs 98 times in this Gospel. The noun, “faith” (Greek, pistis) does not occur.

Key Verses:

• 1:11-13. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not receive him. But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children—children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God.
• 1:14. Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.
• 3:16. For this is the way God loved the world: he gave his one and only Son that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
• 20:30-31. Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples that are not recorded in this book. But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Key Chapters:

• It is difficult to choose a key chapter in John’s Gospel, but surely the Lord’s conversation with Nicodemus in chapter 3 rates as one of the key chapters. John 3:16 is perhaps quoted more than any other verse in the Bible. Also important in this chapter are the words of the Savior regarding the need to be born again or from above (see 3:3-6).
• Other key chapters are John 4, the encounter with the woman at the well, the discourses with the disciples preparing them for His absence, John 13-16, and the Lord’s prayer to the Father in John 17.

Christ as Seen in John:

While the deity of Christ is a prominent theme in the Bible in many places, there is no book that presents a more powerful case for the deity of Jesus as the incarnate Son of God than does this Gospel. The fact is that one who is identified as “The man called Jesus” (9:11) is also called “God, the One and Only” (1:18 NIV), “Christ, the Son of the Living God” (6:69 KJV) or “the Holy One of God” (6:69 NIV, NASB, NET).

This declaration of the deity of Jesus Christ is further developed by seven “I AM” statements made by Jesus and recorded in John’s Gospel. These seven statements are: I am the bread of life (6:35), I am the light of the world (8:12), I am the gate (10:7, 9), I am the good shepherd (10:11, 14), I am the resurrection and the life (11:25), I am the way, the truth, and the life (14:6), I am the true vine (15:1, 5).

Another distinctive of John’s Gospel, again focusing on the person of Christ, are the five witnesses that witness to Jesus as the Son of God. In John 5:31f., Jesus is responding to the arguments of His opponents. They were claiming that His witness was without other witnesses to corroborate His testimony, but Jesus shows that is not true and proceeds to remind them that there are other witnesses to the validity of His claims: there is His Father (vv. 32, 37), there is John the Baptist (v. 33), His miracles (v. 36), the Scriptures (v. 39), and Moses (v. 46). Later, in 8:14 He declares that His witness is indeed true.

… On certain occasions, Jesus equates Himself with the Old Testament “I AM,” or Yahweh (see 4:25-26; 8:24, 28, 58; 13:19; 18:5-6, 8). Some of the most crucial affirmations of His deity are found here (1:1; 8:58; 10:30; 14:9; 20:28).³¹

Outline:

I. The Prologue: The Incarnation of the Son of God (1:1-18)

A. The Deity of Christ (1:1-2)

B. The Preincarnate Work of Christ (1:3-5)

C. The Forerunner of Christ (1:6-8)

D. The Rejection of Christ (1:9-11)

E. The Acceptance of Christ (1:12-13)

F. The Incarnation of Christ (1:14-18)

II. The Presentation of the Son of God (1:19-4:54)

A. By John the Baptist (1:19-34)

B. To John’s Disciples (1:35-51)

C. At the Wedding in Cana (2:1-11)

D. At the Temple in Jerusalem (2:12-25)

E. To Nicodemus (3:1-21)

F. By John the Baptist (3:22-36)

G. To the Samaritan Woman (4:1-42)

H. To an Official of Capernaum (4:43-54)

III. The Opposition to the Son of God (5:1-12:50)

A. At the Feast in Jerusalem (5:1-47)

B. During the Time of the Passover in Galilee (6:1-71)

C. At the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem (7:1-10:21)

D. At the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem (10:22-42)

E. At Bethany (11:1-12:11)

F. At Jerusalem (12:12-50)

IV. The Instruction by the Son of God (13:1-16:33)

A. Concerning Forgiveness (13:1-20)

B. Concerning His Betrayal (13:21-30)

C. Concerning His Departure (13:31-38)

D. Concerning Heaven (14:1-14)

E. Concerning the Holy Spirit (14:15-26)

F. Concerning Peace (14:27-31)

G. Concerning Fruitfulness (15:1-17)

H. Concerning the World (15:18-16:6)

I. Concerning the Holy Spirit (16:7-15)

J. Concerning His Return (16:16-33)

V. The Intercession of the Son of God (17:1-26)

VI. The Crucifixion of the Son of God (18:1-19:42)

VII. The Resurrection of the Son of God (20:1-31)

A. The Empty Tomb (20:1-9)

B. The Appearances of the Risen Lord (20:10-31)

VIII. The Epilogue: The Appearance by the Lake (21:1-25)

A. The Appearance to the Seven Disciples (21:1-14)

B. The Words to Peter (21:15-23)

C. The Conclusion of the Gospel (21:24-25)

Acts

Author and Title:

Although the author is unnamed in Acts, the evidence leads to the conclusion that the author was Luke. As previously mentioned, Acts is the second volume of a two-part treatise written by Luke, the physician, to Theophilus about “all that Jesus began to do and teach.” In support of Luke as the author, Ryrie writes:

That the author of Acts was a companion of Paul is clear from the passages in the book in which “we” and “us” are used (16:10-17; 20:5-21:18; 27:1-28:16). These sections themselves eliminate known companions of Paul other than Luke, and Colossians 4:14 and Philemon 24 point affirmatively to Luke, who was a physician. The frequent use of medical terms also substantiates this conclusion (1:3; 3:7ff.; 9:18, 33; 13:11; 28:1-10). Luke answered the Macedonian call with Paul, was in charge of the work at Philippi for about six years, and later was with Paul in Rome during the time of Paul’s house arrest. It was probably during this last period that the book was written. If it were written later it would be very difficult to explain the absence of mentioning such momentous events as the burning of Rome, the martyrdom of Paul, or the destruction of Jerusalem.³²

Regarding the title, all available Greek manuscripts designate it by the title Praxeis, “Acts,” or by the title, “The Acts of the Apostles.” Just how or why it received this title is uncertain. Actually, “The Acts of the Apostles” is perhaps not the most accurate title since it does not contain the acts of all the apostles. Only Peter and Paul are really emphasized, though the promise of the coming of the Spirit was made to all the apostles in Acts 1:2-8 who were then to go into all the world preaching the gospel in the power of the Spirit (however, see 4:32). Many have felt that the book would be more accurately titled, “The Acts of the Holy Spirit” since it describes the spread of Christianity from the time of the coming of the Spirit in Acts 2 as promised in Acts 1:8.

Date: A.D. 61

The issues regarding the dating of the book are summarized by Stanley Toussaint as follows:

The writing of Acts must have taken place before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Certainly an event of such magnitude would not have been ignored. This is especially true in light of one of the basic themes of the book: God’s turning to the Gentiles from the Jews because of the Jews’ rejection of Jesus Christ.

Luke scarcely would have omitted an account of Paul’s death, traditionally dated from A.D. 66-68, if it had occurred before he wrote Acts.

Nor did Luke mention the Neronian persecutions which began after the great fire of Rome in A.D. 64.

Furthermore, a defense of Christianity before Nero by using the Book of Acts to appeal to what lower officials had ruled regarding Paul would have had little point at the time of the Neronian antagonism. At that time Nero was so intent on destroying the church, the defense set forth in Acts would have had little effect in dissuading him.

The date usually accepted by conservative scholars for the writing of Acts is around A.D. 60-62. Accordingly the place of writing would be Rome or possibly both Caesarea and Rome. At the time of writing, Paul’s release was either imminent or had just taken place.³³

Theme and Purpose:

The book of Acts stands out as unique among the New Testament books for it alone provides a bridge for the other books of the New Testament. As Luke’s second treatise, Acts continues what Jesus “began to do and to teach” (1:1) as recorded in the Gospels. It begins with Christ’s Ascension and continues to the period of the New Testament Epistles. In it we have the continuation of the ministry of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit at work in the apostles who went forth preaching and establishing the church, the body of Christ. Acts is the historical link between the Gospels and the Epistles.

Not only does it make this bridge for us, but it provides an account of the life of Paul and gives us the historical occasion for his letters. In the process, Acts recounts the first 30 years of the life of the church.

After summarizing various views on the purpose of Acts, Toussaint writes:

The purpose of the Book of Acts may be stated as follows: To explain with the Gospel of Luke the orderly and sovereignly directed progress of the kingdom message from Jews to Gentiles, and from Jerusalem to Rome. In Luke’s Gospel the question is answered, “If Christianity has its roots in the Old Testament and in Judaism, how did it become a worldwide religion?” The Book of Acts continues in the vein of the Gospel of Luke to answer the same problem.³⁴

Acts 1:8 expresses the theme of Acts—the indwelling Holy Spirit empowering God’s people to be the Savior’s witnesses both in Jerusalem (home base), and in all Judea and Samaria (the immediate and surrounding areas), and even to the remotest part of the earth (the world).

Key Word:

• The key concept for Acts would be the growth of the Church in all the world.
• Two key words are “witness” or “witnesses,” and “the Holy Spirit.”

Key Verses:

• 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.”
• 2:42-47 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayers. 2:43 Reverential awe came on everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. 2:44 All who believed were together and held everything in common, 2:45 and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need. 2:46 Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, 2:47 praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved.

Key Chapters:

• Since the accomplishment of the church’s global mission of worldwide outreach is dependent on the coming of the Holy Spirit, chapter 2 is naturally the key chapter. This chapter records the fulfillment of 1:8 on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came and began His ministry of baptizing believers into Christ’s body, the church (cf. 1:5; 11:15-16 with 1 Cor. 12:13), began indwelling all believers and empowering them to be witnesses of the Savior.

Key People:

Key people include: Peter, Stephen, Philip, James, Barnabas and Paul.

Christ as Seen in Acts:

The resurrected Savior is the central theme of the sermons and defenses in Acts. The Old Testament Scriptures, the historical resurrection, the apostolic testimony, and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit all bear witness that Jesus is both Lord and Christ (see Peter’s sermons in 2:22-36; 10:34-43). “To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins” (10:43). “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (4:12).³⁵

Outline:

Acts can be naturally outlined around Acts 1:8, the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth.³⁶

I. The Witness in Jerusalem (1:1-6:7)

A. The Expectation of the Chosen (1:1-2:47) Progress report no. 1: “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (2:47).

B. The Expansion of the Church in Jerusalem (3:1-6:7) Progress report no. 2: “So the Word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly” (6:7).

II. The Witness in all Judea and Samaria (6:8-9:31)

A. The Martyrdom of Stephen (6:8-8:1a)

1. The Arrest of Stephen (6:8-7:1)

2. The Address of Stephen (7:2-53)

3. The Attack on Stephen (7:54-8:1a)

B. The Ministry of Philip (8:1b-40)

C. The Message of Saul (9:1-19a)

D. The Conflicts of Saul (9:19b-31) Progress report no. 3: “Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria … was strengthened; and [it was] encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord” (9:31).

III. The Witness to the Extremity of the Earth (9:32-28:31)

A. The Extension of the Church to Antioch (9:32-12:24) Progress report no. 4: “But the Word of God continued to increase and spread” (12:24).

B. The Extension of the Church in Asia Minor (12:25-16:5) Progress report no. 5: “So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers” (16:5).

C. The Extension of the Church in the Aegean Area (16:6-19:20) Progress report no. 6: “In this way the Word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power” (19:20).

D. The Extension of the Church to Rome (19:21-28:31) Progress report no. 7: “Paul … welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (28:30-31).

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10 Machen, p. 17.

11 J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore The Book, A Basic and Broadly Interpretative Course of Bible Study From Genesis to Revelation, Vol. 5, Inter-Testament and the Gospels, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1960, p. 120.

12 Bruce Wilkinson and Kenneth Boa, Talk Thru The Bible, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 1983, p. 305.

13 Wilkinson/Boa, p. 308.

14 Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition, Moody, p. 1509.

15 John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck, editors, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Victor Books, Wheaton, 1983,1985, electronic media.

16 Walter M. Dunnett, Professor of New Testament, Moody Bible Institute, New Testament Survey, Evangelical Teacher Training Association, Wheaton, 1967, p. 17.

17 Ryrie, p. 1574.

18 Ryrie, p. 1574.

19 Walvoord/Zuck, electronic media.

20 Wilkinson/Boa, p. 320.

21 Wilkinson/Boa, p. 321.

22 The NIV Study Bible Notes, Zondervan NIV Bible Library, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, 1985, electronic edition.

23 Wilkinson/Boa, p. 327.

24 Ryrie, p. 1614.

25 Ryrie, p. 1614.

26 Wilkinson/Boa, p. 328.

27 Wilkinson/Boa, p. 328.

28 Walvoord/Zuck, electronic media.

29 Walvoord/Zuck, electronic media.

30 Walvoord/Zuck, electronic media.

31 Wilkinson/Boa, p. 338.

32 Ryrie, p. 1724.

33 Walvoord/Zuck, electronic media.

34 Walvoord/Zuck, electronic media.

35 Wilkinson/Boa, p. 353.

36 The outline used here follows that of Dr. Stanley in the Bible Knowledge Commentary, edited by Walvoord and Zuck, electronic media.