The author of Colossians purports to be Paul, but scholars are divided (roughly 50/50) as to whether this is the case or not. In this class we take a look at the material in question and compare it to Paul’s other letters.

We track everything on a Colossians Scorecard and then talk about what we think and how, therefore, we should approach Colossians.​

Ephesians is a lot like Colossians, but more extreme. Even fewer scholars think Ephesians was written by Paul. You’ll see why. The author tends to start from something Paul might have said but then blasts it upwards into a great, big, cosmic vision of kingship and domination.

 

This, perhaps more than any other book, may have planted the seeds of Imperialism in Christianity.

We track everything on our Ephesians Scorecard.​

We finish up Ephesians and move on to 2 Thessalonians. We’re spiraling downward in terms of Pauline authenticity. 

 

2 Thessalonians takes a very different view of the End Times than that taught by Paul. Paul saw the coming of Christ as imminent--any minute now, don’t make plans, don’t get married, etc. But the writer of 2 Thessalonians says a “man of lawlessness” will be unleashed upon the earth and will set himself up as “God” before Jesus even shows up. Yikes!

1&2 Timothy and Titus are called “The Pastoral Epistles,” and it’s easy to see from the writing style that they are all written by the same person. We’ll look at how the content of the epistles dovetail (or don’t) with Paul’s travels as related in his authentic letters and in Acts. 

 

We examine some of the things the author says about himself and ask ourselves if this is something Paul would say about himself. Then we take a birds-eye view of the author’s diatribes against false teachers. The author paints an alarming picture of their effect on the Christian communities.

 

If the author wasn’t Paul, was he himself a “false teacher”?

We track everything on our 

Pastoral Epistles Scorecard.​

We wrap up the series by looking at what the author of the Pastoral Epistles has to say about Church governance and household governance.

 

We give some thought to both the roots and the fruits of these teachings.

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You'll need your Pastoral Epistles Scorecard.