Teaching Outline for Class on Paul the Apostle

Title: The Life and Teaching of Paul of Tarsus

Place: New Song Church. Covina, California.

Description:

This is a class designed as a basic introduction to the life and thought of Paul the Apostle. It is expected that there will be between ten and twenty people involved in the course. Although this is a general overview, it will be somewhat expected that each person have some previous experience with the New Testament, and a general understanding of basic Christian doctrine and vocabulary. This is not meant as an outreach or evangelistic course, but rather one which will help and assist those who are already Christians to grow in their maturity. However, it will be also expected that within the course there will be believers at very different stages of their journey, and the course will be designed to, hopefully, assist and develop each individual at every level. There will also be a great deal of flexibility within each topic and discussion, especially in the first few sessions as I seek to gauge the needs and levels of the group as a whole. This class is designed for adults, although certainly high-schoolers or junior-highers who are serious about learning are most welcome.

This class is designed to address a tendency in the Church to view Paul as holy, but not really as a person, and his writings as inspired, but not really understood as letters to real people in a real time. The goal is to show Paul as a real human, and to place his writings and life in a real context. In doing this I hope to assist each participant in looking at the New Testament writings in a new, deeper way, seeing these writings as more than simply religious texts but as real documents relating to real life in the time they were written and in our own. With this as well, I hope to show how to read and understand Paul’s thought in a whole manner, rather than the tendency to build theology on isolated verses and paragraphs. I also want to give each participant an understanding of the tools and methods for engaging the text on their own in a way which translates into continued growth in understanding Paul and in their Christian journey as a whole outside of this class setting.

Outcomes:

Cognitive – It is desired that those who take this course will have a basic understanding of the life and thought of Paul the Apostle. This includes an understanding of who he was as a person, the basic framework of his life and ministry, a general understanding of his positions on a variety of Christian thought and doctrine, and a basic understanding of the individuality, differences, and similarities of Paul’s letters.

Affective – It is hoped that each participant will take this basic understanding, and be motivated to continue to study more in depth the life of Paul, to seek out in his writings the wisdom that he offers, and become excited and prepared to better read and understand the bulk of the New Testament.

Behavioral – I would like to give each participant the tools and basic knowledge to be encouraged and excited about enhancing their personal study, learning how to interpret the thought of Paul, and receive great depth from their own personal study of the Pauline epistles. It is the goal that this class will be both informational and motivational to spur each person to really seek out Paul’s thought on their own time in a greater way both in the time spent studying and in the depth received from the study.

Existential – It is my desire that this course would encourage each person to study and know Paul more, and in doing so gain a better grasp on his thought, not only in a conceptual way, but in a way which impacts each aspect of their life, that they may become stronger in their wisdom and depth of insight. I would like to introduce Paul, and in doing so hopefully spur people further on their own journey so that they to can someday finish the race, and receive the prize.

Time Outline:

Because of the nature of this class it would simply be impossible to adequately cover the needed material in less than fifteen once a week sessions. Ideally, however, there would not be a set time frame, with the expectation that this is a continuing course. The purpose of this is to allow each session to be both presented in an organized fashion, and to allow for active participation in each topic and idea. While, this class would eventually finish covering the appropriate material, it would be more effective if there was not a set end, allowing the material and participants to guide the time structure. It is my thought that while in many cases having a set commitment is effective, material such as Paul is foundational enough so as to fully exploit the flexible aspects of a church setting, which includes not having a quarter or semester system. However, the this class will be broken into approximately fifteen topics, each organized so as to contain about one class session of material.

The fifteen “sessions” are:

I. Preliminaries: The Church before Paul and Paul before the Church.

II. The Call/Conversion of Paul and his first Christian experiences

III. The First Missionary Journey.

IV. The letter to the Galatians

V. The Council at Jerusalem

VI. Second Missionary Journey

VII. The Letters to the Thessalonians

VIII. The Third Missionary Journey

IX. The Letters to the Corinthians

X. The Letter to the Romans

XI. The Trial of Paul and his journey to Rome

XII. The Letter to the Ephesians

XIII. The Letter to the Colossians, Philippians, and to Philemon

XIV. The Pastorals

XV. Post-Acts traditions, the influence and effect of Paul on the early church, and a general overview of his life and activity.

Materials and Equipment needed:

Required text for participants: New Testament

Recommended texts for participants:

Robert Banks, Paul’s Idea of Community.

F.F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s, 1991.

Gordon Fee, Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996.

Gerald Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, and Daniel G. Reid, Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. Downers Grove: IVP, 1993.

For discussion and illustration:

Appropriate archaeological, cultural, and religious photos, items, slides, overheads, articles, texts, etc. for each topic under consideration so as to help fill out the world and time of Paul.

Very big map of the region so as to keep in mind the geography, topology, etc. of the world of Paul and his movements about it.

Two videos: A.D., Stuart Cooper, dir. Gospel Communications International, adapted from the

Proctor and Gamble Productions mini-series, 1983.

Peter and Paul, Robert Day, dir. With Anthony Hopkins and Robert Foxworth.

Universal Studios, 1981.

Introduction:

We all know who Paul of Tarsus is. Most of us have read through his writings, have analyzed and maybe even memorized some of his thoughts. But do we really know him? Do we know what made him tick, what motivated him, what helped him to endure joys and sorrows? Though we think we are familiar with him, can we say that we truly understand his world? What was the great city of Corinth like? What was it like to live in the Roman Empire during the first century? What must it have been like to meet people who saw the resurrected Lord, and to indeed have a unique appearance of one’s own? What did Paul do during his two years in Ephesus? Or the thirteen years he spent after his experience on the Damascus road? While we have his writings, do we know his world, how he thought, what he ate, his pattern of life? If we do not, can we say we can understand what he is writing? Can we adequately feel the force and power of his convictions if we do not know his own personal story? Paul lived in a world vitally different from this one. What we take for granted did not even exist in thought during the time of Paul. Yet, his was a world of eloquence, of polished rhetoric, of moral and ethical analysis which we have still much to learn and recover. And above all else it was a time of the Spirit, a time when the Apostles not only saw the resurrected Christ, but were taught by him, a time when the dead were raised, the sick were healed, and the power of the Spirit was greatly manifested.

In Paul, however, we do not read of this, but rather of coming to know Christ, of growing in him, of making progress towards a goal, of finishing a race. What does this mean? That is the goal of this class, to show the life and thought of Paul of Tarsus who taught not only with his letters but with his life, whose thought remains foundational to who we are as Christians and what our goals and aspirations should be. For to Paul, “to live is Christ, and to die is gain”, and he showed us and taught us how to say this for ourselves. This is a class of exploration, seeking to find in Paul wisdom and insight into the Christian life, so that someday we to may finish the race, and receive the prize which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. Be warned, however, once you get to know Paul, understand his passion, and identify with his thoughts you will never be the same again.

Experiences Planned and Content to be included:

Each session will be broken into a variety of learning experiences, discussions, lectures, illustrations, etc. so as to provide both the necessary content and seek to engage each participant with the material. A major aspect of this course is to urge each person to think historically, that is to see Paul as a real person, in a real environment, writing to and speaking with real people, with real issues at hand. To help lay this out, each topic and idea will consist of a fair bit of outside sources, pictures, and other information so as to fill out the world we are discussing. I will seek to paint a picture of the general history of the era and locales throughout in order to create as broad a picture as possible of the world in which Paul and the early church lived. It is vital that those who attend have a picture of the world of Paul in their heads at each point, so that they can better relate to and understand the reality of what is being discussed.

The two films which I have chosen will be used to provide visual stimulation on various topics and events, so as to provoke discussion and/or illustrate the situation, as well as to adjust the flow of the sessions. Likewise, each major topic will have some kind of corresponding discussion or other activity which draws and provokes the participants to engage the material on their own rather than simply providing a passive learning environment. It will also be encouraged for each person to have read the requisite material and be ready and free to ask their own questions and stimulate more discussion. While I expect to have a framework from which to work, I would thoroughly enjoy following and working with the needs, thoughts, questions, challenges which arise during the course of the class, and will actively encourage this throughout.

Outline of Content:

I. Session 1

A. The Church Before Paul

Text: Acts 1-12

1. Christ’s post-resurrection ministry and ascension: Acts 1:3-11

Video clip from A.D., showing some interactions and giving of Great Commission.

2. Pentecost: Acts 2

3. Stephen: Acts 6:1-7:60

4. Philip: Acts 8:4-40

5. Peter: Acts 1:14-5:42; 9:32-11:18

6. James, the brother of Jesus - Acts 15, passage from Josephus

Discussion: What does the earliest Church look like? What are the emphases and strengths? Describe the community? Come up with one word or phrase which would sum up the earliest Christian community? (Desired answer would have something to do with the Spirit).

B. Paul, the Man

1. The Roman; Acts 22:22-30

2. The Jew and Pharisee: Philippians 3:4b-6

3. The Persecutor of the Church of God

a. Acts 7:54-8:3

b. Acts 22:3-5

Various clips will be shown as well briefly showing Paul in his pre-Christian state and activities.

II. Session Two:

A. The Call/Conversion of Paul

Texts: Acts 9:1-19; 22:1-21; 26:12-18.

Overview of the events, video clip of the Damascus Road experience, discussion of the reason for the differing accounts in different settings.

Discussion: Was Paul called or converted? Can we relate to his experience or was it something unique? How is this similar or different than how God has called others in the Bible or throughout history (including you)?

B. Paul’s First Christian Experiences

Text: Acts: 9:19b-31; Galatians 1:11-2:10

Emphasis on Paul’s self-image and calling, the years spent in relative obscurity and somewhat hidden from our view, and a further discussion on how Paul was called/converted and the immediate results (fairly mixed – success in preaching but not trusted by Christians and persecuted by Jews).

What was Paul doing from the time he was converted until we next hear about him in Acts 13?

Does God’s call/blessing result in unmitigated success?

III. Session Three:

The First Missionary Journey:

1. The sending (Antioch): Acts:13:1-3

2. Cyprus: 13:4-12

3. Pisidian Antioch: 13:13-52

4. Iconium: 14:1-7

5. Lystra and Derbe: 14:8-20

6. The return

Brief appropriate video clips will be shown.

This will be a class driven session, with the participants broken up into six groups (if possible, if there are less than 12 people in the class there will be only four groups, one for each city) each spending time focusing on one of these six points and presenting to the class their findings – I will seek to provide some basic material on each locale for each group. They will focus on and present:

a. The geographical location.

b. A very brief overview of the city.

c. A discussion of the events and response in each passage.

d. A discussion of the preached message.

Group 1 will provide an overview of Antioch, and discuss how Paul and Barnabas were sent out, and what this early church looked like.

Group 6 will cap the discussion with a look at their journey home, an overview of the journey as a whole, and the results and response of the church.

IV. Session Four:

A. The Letter to the Galatians

1. When: North and South theories,

2. Why? The occasion for writing: Law vs. Grace, the effect of the Judaizers.

3. Structure

a. Greeting and statement of problem: Galatians 1:1-10.

b. Defense of authority: 1:11-2:10

c. Justification by Faith: 3:1-4:31

d. Application of Faith; 5:1-6:10

e. Conclusion and personal greetings: 6:11-18

B. Discussion

What is the place and role of culture/tradition in our faith? Where do we draw the lines? How do we distinguish the essentials from the preferences?

V. Session Five

The Council at Jerusalem: Acts 15

A. Why: Law vs. Grace, the role and place of the Gentiles

B. The Players:

1. Paul

2. The Judaizers

3. The Church at Jerusalem

4. Peter

5. James

C. The Council

1. Paul’s activities and thoughts: Acts 15:2-4.

2. The accusation and response of the Judaizers: Acts 15:1, 5.

3. Peter’s Speech (with reference to Cornelius)

4. The speech and pronouncement of James

D. The Letter to the Gentiles

1. Content

2. Meaning

E. Importance and significance of the Council

Video clips of the council will be shown.

It may be interesting to split the class into two groups, have them put together arguments for both sides, hold a debate and make this into a bit of an interesting production.

Discussion: What are the essentials to the faith? What are modern cultural/traditional equivalents to the Judaizers and the Jewish law? What is our role and duties not only to God, but to fellow believers? What is the basis of the argument in accepting Gentiles?

(with a spurring to focus on the work of the Spirit in shaping what the Church is to become)

IV. Session Six

The Second Missionary Journey

A. Paul’s break with Barnabus: Acts 15:36-41

B. Timothy: 16:1-5

C. The Man from Macedonia: Acts 16:6-10 (contrast and compare with the

motivation and call on the first journey).

D. Philippi: 16:11-40

E. Thessalonica: 17:1-9

F. Berea: 17:10-15.

G. Athens: 17:16-34

H. Corinth: 18:1-17

I. Back Home: 18:18-22

Show longer video clip of Paul’s speech before the Areopogus.

Break into five groups to cover the cities in the same manner as in session 3.

VII. Session Seven

The Letters to the Thessalonians

A. Basic overview of time, place, and occasion for writing

B. The City and Church of Thessalonica

C. General overview (with outside examples) of Greek letter structure during the

First Century.

D. Structure

1. Introduction: I Thessalonians 1:1

2. Thanksgiving: 1:2-10

3. The Coming of the Lord: 4:13-5:11

4. Conclusions and exhortations: 5:12-28

E. Let’s try it again: II Thessalonians

1. Introduction and prayer: 1:1-12

2. The Coming of the Lord and the Man of Lawlessness: 2:1-12

3. Exhortation to Stand: 2:13-17.

4. Request for prayer and command to not sit around: 3:1-14

5. Final thoughts: 3:16-18

F. Pauline Eschatology

Discussion: What would Paul say about the recent proliferation of end-times books, Y2K prophecies, etc.? Describe Paul’s understanding of the Second Coming? How does he see our present situation? (this will lead into a discussion and elaboration of the “already/not yet” view of Christianity).

VIII. Session Eight

The Third Missionary Journey

A. Apollos: Acts 18:24-28

B. Ephesus

1. The arrival: 19:1-22

2. The riot: 19:23-41

C. Macedonia and Greece: 20:1-6

D. Troas: 20:7-12

E. Continued travels: 20:13-38

Show video clip of Paul in Ephesus

Discussion relating to the filling of the Spirit (more than one way?), spiritual warfare (what happened with the sons of Sceva?), and non-spiritual warfare (Paul interrupted the cash flow of the merchants).

Discussion about Paul’s missionary activity. What did Paul’s missionary model look like? He did not simply make quick journeys, but tended to stay around and establish churches and raise up local leaders before moving on, staying in contact with the church for the rest of his life.

IX. Session Nine

The Letters to the Corinthians

A. The City of Corinth

B. The Church at Corinth

C. Paul’s correspondence: The Four letters.

D. Overview of I Corinthians

1. Brief Outline of content

2. Divisions and problems in the Church

3. Specific issues addressed

4. Discussion Issue: The Lord’s Supper – I Cor 11:17-34

a. Background – Jewish and Greek

b. Significance in Paul

c. Major views and interpretations

5. Discussion Issue: Spiritual Gifts

a. The Church as a body

b. The importance of unity

c. What are the vital aspects of a church? What should characterize the local body? What are the dangers, temptations, or errors we should actively look out for? How would Paul respond to New Song church? To you as a believer?

E. II Corinthians

1. Brief Outline of Content

2. Paul’s view of the Christian life, his ministry, future things, and heaven (very much tied together)

X. Session Ten

The Letter to the Romans

A. The Church at Rome

1. Origins

2. Jews and Gentiles (the removal of the Jews from the city)

3. Jews vs. Gentiles

4. Paul’s motive for the letter

5. General issues (time, place of writing, etc.)

This topic will be by nature somewhat more theological in nature, and I will not seek to skip over the thoughts and terms because of the vital and foundational qualities which are discussed. I hope, however, that this will not be a straight lecture situation, but rather that each topic will in itself engender active discussion as we go with each topic becoming a source for expansion and focus, and my own teaching will be characterized by a strong passion and excitement for the material so as to generate passion from the class. My goal is to create an atmosphere where people become well-informed and even excited and involved with this material.

B. Unrighteousness

1. Unrighteousness of Gentiles: Romans 1:18-32

2. Unrighteousness of Jews: 2:1-3:8

3. Unrighteousness of all: 3:9-20

C. Justification through Faith in Christ: 3:21-5:21

D. Sanctification: 6-8

E. Israel: 9-11

F. “Therefore…”: Righteousness lived: 12-15

G. Personal Greetings: 16

XI. Session Eleven

Paul arrested and in Prison

A. The Arrest: Acts 21:27-39

B. Before the Sanhedrin: 22:30-23:11

C. The plot to kill Paul: 22:12-35

D. Before Felix: 24:1-27

E. Festus and Agrippa: 25:1-32

F. On to Rome

1. setting sail: 27:1-12

2. storm and shipwreck: 27:13-44

G. Rome: 28:11-31

Video clips of assorted scenes shown to give a picture of the events.

Discussion: Why did this all happen? What did Paul do to cause all these problems? How do we see the hand of God in this? What is Paul’s response? How should we view hardship?

XII. Session Twelve

The Letter to the Ephesians

A. Authorship issues, date of writing, to who was it addressed, etc. (A brief discussion of the more technical aspects of Biblical criticism and interpretation).

B. The City of Ephesus

C. Content

1. Opening and Thanksgiving: Ephesians 1

2. Overview of Paul’s view of the Christian life: 2:1-5:21

3. Specific relationships – Paul’s view of societal roles, functions and relationships: 5:22-33

4. With all this in mind and practice, “finally”, the Armor of God: 6:10-18

5. Closing: 6:19-23

Discussion about Paul’s view of spirituality and the role and purpose of the Church. How does the idea of husband and wife correspond to the church? Eph. 5:22ff.

XIII. Session Thirteen

A. The Letter to the Colossians

1. Date and place of writing

2. General outline of letter

3. The Colossian Heresy

a. ceremonialism

b. asceticism

c. angel worship

d. deprecation of Christ

e. secret knowledge (gnosis)

Through each point I will seek to elicit example of how these same points are

illustrated in the modern church, as well as to seek to discover if there is an “American

Heresy” which Paul would address. Having spent a lot of time on Paul, this is an opportunity to see how well each participant understands his general thought and gives them an opportunity to apply 2000 year old thinking to a modern, applicable situation. Maybe a brief task would be to write to the American Church a letter from a Pauline perspective.

B. Philemon

Why do we even have Philemon? What is the point and reason to be included in

such a sacred book?

C. Philippians

1. The City of Philippi

2. Content

a. thanksgiving: Philippians 1:2-26

b. exhortations: 1:27-2:18

c. Timothy and Epaphroditus: 2:19-30

d. warnings: 3:1-4:1

e. conclusion: 4:2-23

What does Paul mean when he says “To live is Christ and to die is gain”? Can we say this? I will seek to show a new way of reading that pushes the reader to not only seek to understand the content but learn how to identify with it and come to “own it” as their own, in short, contemplative reading of Paul.

XIV. Week Fourteen

The Pastorals

A. I Timothy

1. General Introduction

2. Who was Timothy? Acts 16:3; 17:14-15; 18:5; 19:22; 20:1-6

3. Content

a. false teachers: I Timothy 1:5-9

b. administration of the church: 2-3

c. dealing with different groups in the church: 5:1-6:2

d. miscellaneous matters: 6:3-19

f. conclusion: 6:20-21.

Discussion: What should the criteria be for elders, pastors, other leaders in our church today?

What is the role of women within the church? (I will seek to lead towards understanding Paul by looking at his entire ministry and thought rather than by interpreting single verses and creating a theology based on an interpretation).

B. Titus

1. Crete

2. Content

a. elders: Titus 1:5-9

b. false teachers: 1:10-16

c. teaching sound doctrine: 2:1-3:11

d. final comments and instructions: 3:12-15

C. II Timothy

1. Paul’s situation: 1:8-18

2. Advice to Timothy: 2:1-26

3. The last days: 3:1-9

4. Charge to Timothy: 3:10-4:5

5. The final thoughts, remarks, and greetings of Paul of Tarsus: 4:6-22

XV. Session Fifteen

A. Post-Acts activities? Did Paul get to Spain

B. The Martyrdom of Paul: tradition and early Church writings

C. Overview of Paul

1. The Man

2. The Apostle