New Testament Subjects and Backgrounds
FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT RECOVERY VERSION (WITNESS LEE)
MATTHEW: The Gospel of the Kingdom—Proving That Christ Is the King-Savior
Author: Matthew, also called Levi, formerly a tax collector, later an apostle (9:9; Luke 5:27), as indicated by the omitted reference to him as the host of the reception in 9:10 and by the special mentioning of him as the tax collector in 10:3.
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 37-40, shortly after the Lord’s resurrection (28:15) and prior to the destruction of the temple (24:2).
Place of Writing: Probably the land of Judea.
Recipients: The Jews in general, as indicated by the absence of explanations about Jewish customs and festivals (15:2, c.f. Mark 7:2-3; Matt. 26:17, c.f. Mark 14:12).
MARK: The Gospel of the God—Proving That Jesus Christ Is the Slave-Savior
Author: Mark; see details in note 11 in ch. 1.
Time of Writing: The words spoken in 13:2 seem to indicate that this book was written before the destruction of the holy temple. Perhaps it was written between A.D. 67 and 70, after the death of the apostle Paul.
Place of Writing: Perhaps Rome; see 2 Timothy 4:11.
Recipients: Frequent explanations of Jewish names, customs, and festivals in this book (3:17; 5:41; 7:3, 11; 14:12; 15:42) prove that it was written to the Gentiles, specifically the Romans.
LUKE: The Gospel of the Forgiveness of Sins—Proving That Jesus Christ Is the Man-Savior
Author: Luke; see note 31 in ch. 1.
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 60, before Acts was written (Acts 1:1).
Place of Writing: Probably Caesarea, when Paul was imprisoned there (c.f. Acts 23:33; 24:27; 27:1).
Recipient: Theophilus (1:3); see note 32 in ch. 1.
JOHN: The Gospel of Life—Proving That Jesus Christ Is God the Savior Coming as Life to Propagate Himself
Author: The apostle John (21:20, 24), son of Zebedee (Matt. 10:2), whose brother was James and whose mother was Salome (Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 90.
Place of Writing: Perhaps Ephesus.
Recipients: All believers, both in Judea and throughout the Gentile lands, as indicated by the translations offered by John in 1:38; 5:2; and 19:13).
ACTS: The Propagation of the Resurrected Christ in His Ascension, by the Spirit, through the Disciples, for the Producing of the Churches—The Kingdom of God
Author: Luke; see note 31 in Luke 1.
Time of Writing: A.D. 67 or 68, after the Gospel of Luke was written (1:1).
Place of Writing: Perhaps Rome (cf. Philem. 24:2; 2 Tim. 4:11).
Recipient: Theophilus (1:1); see note 32 in Luke 1.
ROMANS: The Gospel of God—To Make Sinners Sons of God to Constitute the Body of Christ, Which Is Expressed as the Local Churches
Author: The apostle Paul (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 60, on Paul’s third ministry journey.
Place of Writing: Corinth (Rom. 15:25-32; Acts 19:21; 20:1-3).
Recipients: The saints in Rome (1:7).
1 CORINTHIANS: Christ and His Cross as the Solution to All Problems in the Church
Author: The apostle Paul (1:1; 9:1-2), twenty-five years after he was called (Acts 9:3-6, 15-16) and fourteen years after he was sent to the Gentiles (Acts 13:1-4, 8).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 59, near the end of Paul’s three-year stay in Ephesus (Acts 20:31; 1 Cor. 16:3-8, 19).
Place of Writing: Ephesus (Acts 19:21-22; 1 Cor. 16:3-8, 19).
Recipients: The saints—the church—in Corinth and all who call upon the name f our Lord Jesus Christ in every place (1:2).
2 CORINTHIANS: The New Covenant Ministry and Its Ministers
Author: The apostle Paul (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 60, before the Epistle to the Romans was written; see notes 11 and 31 in Acts 20.
Place of Writing: Macedonia (2:13 and note 2; 7:5-6; 8:1; 9:2, 4).
Recipients: The church of God in Corinth, with all the saints in the whole of Achaia (1:1).
GALATIANS: Christ Replacing the Law and Being versus Religion and Tradition
Author: The apostle Paul (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 54, during Paul’s second ministry journey, after traveling through Galatia and arriving in Corinth (Acts 18:1, 11).
Place of Writing: Corinth, while Paul was there for a year and a half (Acts 18:1-11).
Recipients: The churches in Galatia (1:2).
EPHESIANS: The Church—The Mystery of Christ, the Body of Christ as the Fullness of Christ, Becoming the Fullness of God
Author: The apostle Paul (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 64.
Place of Writing: Rome, where Paul was imprisoned (3:1; 4:1; 6:20; Acts 28:30).
Recipients: The saints in Ephesus (1:1).
PHILIPPIANS: Experiencing Christ—Taking Christ as Our Living, Pattern, Goal, Power, and Secret
Author: Paul, with Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 64, perhaps after Ephesians was written (cf. 1:25; 2:24).
Place of Writing: Rome, where Paul was imprisoned (1:13; Acts 28:30).
Recipients: The saints in Philippi, with the overseers and deacons (1:1).
COLOSSIANS: Christ—The All-inclusive One, Having the First Place in All Things as the Mystery and Embodiment of God, as the Head and Constituent of the Church, as the Allotted Portion, Life, Constituent, and Hope of the Saints, and as the Body of All Positive Things
Author: Paul the apostle with Timothy the brother (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 64, when the Epistle to Philemon was written (4:9; Philem. 10-12).
Place of Writing: Rome ,where Paul was imprisoned (4:3, 10, 18).
Recipients: The saints in Colossae (1:2).
1 THESSALONIANS: A Holy Life for the Church Life—Serving the Living God, Conducting Ourselves in a Holy Manner, and Waiting for the Lord's Coming
Author: Paul with Silvanus and Timothy (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 54, during Paul’s second ministry journey, while he remained in Corinth (1:1; 3:6; Acts 18:1, 5).
Place of Writing: Corinth; see verses in the previous item.
Recipient: The church of the Thessalonians (1:1).
2 THESSALONIANS: Encouragement and Correction concerning the Holy Life for the Church Life
Author: Paul with Silvanus and Timothy (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 54, as with the first Epistle (1:1).
Place of Writing: Corinth.
Recipient: The Church Of The Thessalonians (1:1).
1 TIMOTHY: God's Economy concerning the Church
Author: The apostle Paul (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 65, after Paul’s first Roman imprisonment.
Place of Writing: Probably Macedonia (1:3).
Recipient: Timothy (1:2).
2 TIMOTHY: Inoculation against the Decline of the Church
Author: The apostle Paul (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 67, during Paul’s second imprisonment, near the time of his martyrdom (4:6).
Place of Writing: A Roman prison (1:16-17).
Recipient: Timothy (1:2).
TITUS: The Maintenance of Order in the Church
Author: The apostle Paul (1:1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 65, after Paul’s first Roman imprisonment, when he had passed through Crete and arrived in Nicopolis (1:5; 3:12).
Place of Writing: Nicopolis; see verse in the previous item.
Recipient: Titus (1:4).
PHILEMOn: An Illustration of the Believers’ Equal Status in the New Man
Author: Paul the apostle with Timothy the brother (v. 1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 64, shortly before Paul was released from his first Roman imprisonment (vv. 9, 22).
Place of Writing: A Roman prison; see verses in the previous item.
Recipient: Tapphia, Archippus, and the church, which was in their house (vv. 1-2).
HEBREWS: Christ Being Superior to Judaism and Everything Related to It, and the New Covenant Which He Consummated Being Better than the Old Covenant
Author: Apparently the apostle Paul, who alone was qualified to write the deep, high, and rich content of this book. The mention of Timothy and the tone of the fellowship also point to Paul as the author (see also note 1 in 1:1).
Time of Writing: Perhaps A.D. 67, after Paul’s release from his first Roman imprisonment, while he was in Miletus (2 Tim. 4:20).
Place of Writing: Perhaps Miletus (see verse in the previous item). The mention of “those from Italy” in 13:24 indicates that the book as not written in Rome.
Recipients: The Hebrew believers, as indicated by the book’s content.
JAMES: Practical Christian Perfection
Author: James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ; the Lord’s flesh brother (1:1; Matt. 13:55).
Time of Writing: Perhaps around A.D. 50, prior to the decline of the church, which is never alluded to in this book.
Place of Writing: Probably Jerusalem, from which James apparently never departed.
Recipients: The twelve tribes in dispersion (see 1:2 and notes 3 and 4).
1 PETER: The Christian Life under the Government of God
Author: Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ (1:1).
Time of Writing: Probably around A.D. 64, prior to the martyrdom of Paul (see note 133 in ch.5).
Place of Writing: Babylon on the Euphrates (see note 132 in ch. 5).
Recipients: The Jewish believers sojourning in the Gentile world (see 1:1 and note 5).
2 PETER: The Divine Provision and the Divine Government
Author: Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ (1:1).
Time of Writing: Probably around A.D. 69, after Paul’s martyrdom (cf. 3:15-16) and before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, as indicated by the allusions to the decline of the church; close to the time of Peter’s martyrdom (1:14).
Place of Writing: Perhaps Rome, where the tradition in church history places Peter’s martyrdom.
Recipients: The Jewish believers in dispersion in the Gentile world (see 1:1 and note 3).
1 JOHN: The Fellowship of the Divine Life
Author: John, the author of the Gospel of John, as indicated by this book’s comparable style and tone.
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 90-95, after John’s return from exile on Patmos, according to church history and the content of this book.
Place of Writing: Ephesus, where, according to church history, John ministered in his last days.
Recipients: The believers in general, who have the eternal life of God by believing into the Son of God (5:11-13).
2 JOHN: Prohibition against Participation in Heresy
Author: John the elder (1:1).
Time of Writing: After the first epistle was written; see introduction to 1 John.
Place of Writing: Ephesus, where, according to church history, John was an elder.
Recipients: A chosen lady and her children; see v.1 and note 2.
3 JOHN: Encouragement to the Fellow Workers in the Truth
Author: John the elder (1:1).
Time of Writing: After the second Epistle was written; see introductions to 1 and 2 John.
Place of Writing: The sane as the second Epistle; see introduction to 2 John.
Recipients: Gaius (v. 1 and note 2).
JUDE: Contending for the Faith
Author: Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a flesh brother of James (the author of the Epistle of James) and of the Lord (v. 1 and note 1).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 69, before the destruction of Jerusalem and around the same time as the writing of 2 Peter, as indicated by the allusions to the decline of the church similar to those found in 2 Pet. 2.
Place of Writing: Jerusalem or Judea, though this is difficult to establish with certainty.
Recipients: The Jewish believers, as indicated by the book’s Jewish tone.
REVELATION: Christ as the Center of God's Administration according to God's Eternal Economy
Author: The apostle John (1:1, 9).
Time of Writing: Approximately A.D. 90, while John was in exile on the island of Patmos.
Place of Writing: The island of Patmos (1:9).
Recipients: The seven churches in
Outlines of the New Testament
ABBREVIATED OUTLINES FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT RECOVERY VERSION (WITNESS LEE)
MATHEW
I.The King’s antecedents and status (1:1—2:23)
A.His genealogy and office—called Christ (1:1-17)
B.His origin and name—born a God-man, named Jesus, called Emmanuel by men (1:18-25)
C.His youth and growth—called a Nazarene (2:1-23)
II.The King’s Anointing (3:1—4:11)
A.Recommended (3:1-12)
B.Anointed (3:13-17)
C.Tested (4:1-11)
III.The King’s Ministry (4:12—11:30)
A.The beginning of the ministry (4:12-25)
B.The decree of the kingdom’s constitution (5:1—7:29)
C.The continuation of the ministry (8:1—9:34)
D.The enlargement of the ministry (9:35—11:1)
E.The King’s poise and attitude toward every situation (11:2-30)
IV.The King’s being rejected (12:1—27:66)
A.The establishment of rejection (12:1-50)
B.The unveiling of the kingdom’s mysteries (13:1-52)
C.The increase of rejection (13:53—16:12)
D.The path of rejection (16:13—23:39)
E.The prophecy of the kingdom (24:1—25:46)
F.The completion of rejection (26:1—27:66)
V.The King’s victory (28:1-20)
A.Resurrected (28:1-15)
B.Reigning (28:16-20)
MARK
I.The beginning of the gospel and the initiation of the Slave-Savior (1:1-13)
A.The beginning of the gospel—by the ministry of the forerunner (1:1-8)
B.The initiation of the Slave-Savior (1:9-13)
II.The ministry of the Slave-Savior for the spreading of the gospel (1:14—10:52)
A.The contents of the gospel service (1:14-45)
B.The ways of carrying out the gospel service (2:1—3:6)
C.Auxiliary acts of the gospel service (3:7-35)
D.Parables of the kingdom of God (4:1-34)
E.The move of the gospel service (4:35—10:52)
III.The preparation of the Slave-Savior for His redemptive service (11:1—14:42)
A.Entering into Jerusalem and lodging in Bethany (11:1-11)
B.Cursing the fig tree and cleansing the temple (11:12-26)
C.Being tested and examined (11:27—12:44)
D.Preparing the disciples for His death (13:1—14:42)
IV.The death and resurrection of the Slave-Savior for the accomplishing of God’s redemption (14:43—16:18)
A.His death (14:43—15:47)
B.His resurrection (16:1-18)
V.The ascension of the Slave-Savior for His exaltation (16:19)
VI.The Slave-Savior’s universal spreading of the gospel through His disciples (16:20)
LUKE
I.Introduction (1:1-4)
II.The preparation of the Man-Savior in His humanity with His divinity (1:5—4:13)
A.His forerunner’s conception (1:5-25)
B.His conception (1:26-56)
C.His forerunner’s birth and youth (1:57-80)
D.His birth (2:1-20)
E.His youth (2:21-52)
F.His inauguration (3:1—4:13)
III.The ministry of the Man-Savior in His human virtues with His divine attributes (4:14—19:27)
A.Galilee (4:14—9:50)
B.From Galilee to Jerusalem (9:51—19:27)
IV.The Man-Savior’s presentation of Himself to death for redemption (19:28—22:46)
A.Entering into Jerusalem triumphantly (19:28-40)
B.Lamenting over Jerusalem (19:41-44)
C.Cleansing the temple and teaching in it (19:45-48)
D.Passing through the final examinations (20:1—21:4)
E.Preparing the disciples for His death (21:5—22:46)
V.The death of the Man-Savior (22:47—23:56)
A.Arrested (22:47-65)
(Denied by Peter (22:54b-62)
B.Judged (22:66—23:25)
C.Crucified (23:26-49)
D.Buried (23:50-56)
VI.The resurrection of the Man-Savior (24:1-49)
A.Discovered by the women (24:1-11)
B.Investigated and confirmed by Peter (24:12)
C.Appearing to two disciples (24:13-35)
D.Appearing to the apostles and those with them and commissioning them (24:36-49)
VII.The ascension of the Man-Savior (24:50-53)
JOHN
I.The eternal Word incarnated coming to bring God into man (1:1—13:38)
A.Introduction to life and building (1:1-51)
B.Life’s principle and life’s purpose (2:1-22)
C.Life meeting the need of man’s every case (2:23—11:57)
D.Life’s issue and multiplication (12:1-50)
E.Life’s washing in love to maintain fellowship (13:1-38)
II.Jesus crucified and Christ resurrected going to prepare the way to bring man into God, and as the Spirit coming to abide and live in the believers for the building of God’s habitation (14:1—21:25)
A.Life’s indwelling—for the building of God’s habitation (14:1—16:33)
B.Life’s prayer (17:1-26)
C.Life’s process through death and resurrection for multiplication (18:1—20:13, 17)
D.Life in resurrection (20:14—21:25)
ACTS
I.Introduction—the will of God to rescue us out of the evil religious age (1:1-5)
II.The revelation of the apostle’s gospel (1:6—4:31)
A.God’s Son versus man’s religion (1:6—2:10)
B.Christ replacing the law (2:11-21)
C.The Spirit by faith in Christ versus the flesh by works of law (3:1—4:31)
III.The walk of God’s children (5:1—6:17)
A.Not entangled by the yoke of slavery under law (5:1)
B.Not separated from Christ (5:2-12)
C.Not indulging the flesh but serving through love (5:13-15)
D.Walking by the Spirit, not by the flesh (5:16-26)
E.Restoring the fallen one in a spirit of meekness (6:1)
F.Completely fulfilling the law of Christ (6:2-6)
G.Sowing not unto the flesh but unto the Spirit (6:7-10)
H.Having been crucified to the religious world to live a new creation (6:11-16)
I.Bearing the brands of Jesus (6:17)
IV.Conclusion—the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ being with our spirit (6:18)
ROMANS
I. Introduction (1:1-2)
II.The blessings and position received by the church in Christ (1:3—3:21)
A.God’s blessings to the church (1:3-14)
B.The apostle’s prayer for the church regarding revelation (1:15-23)
C.The producing and building of the church (2:1-22)
D.The stewardship of the grace and the revelation of the mystery concerning the church (3:1-13)
E.The apostle’s prayer for the church regarding experience (3:14-19)
F.The apostle’s praise to God for His glory in the church and in Christ (3:20-21)
III.The living and responsibility needed for the church in the Holy Spirit (4:1—6:20)
A.The living and responsibility needed in the Body of Christ (4:1-16)
B.The living needed in the daily walk (4:17—5:21)
C.The living needed in ethical relationships (5:22—6:9)
D.The warfare required for dealing with the spiritual enemy (6:10-20)
IV.Conclusion (6:21-24)
A.Recommendation (6:21-22)
B.Blessing (6:23-24)
1 CORINTHIANS
I.Introduction (1:1-2)
II.Living Christ to magnify Him (1:3-30)
A.Fellowship for the furtherance of the gospel (1:3-18)
B.Magnifying Christ by living Him (1:19-26)
C.Striving along with the gospel with one soul (1:27-30)
III.Taking Christ as the pattern and holding Him forth (2:1-30)
A.Joined in soul, thinking the one thing (2:1-4)
B.Taking Christ as the pattern (2:5-11)
C.Working out our salvation to hold forth Christ (2:12-16)
D.A drink offering upon the sacrifice of faith (2:17-18)
E.The apostle’s concern for the believers (2:19-30)
IV.Pursuing Christ to gain Him (3:1-21)
A.Serving by the Spirit and not trusting in the flesh (3:1-6)
B.Counting all things loss on account of Christ (3:7-11)
C.Gaining Christ by pursuing Him (3:12-16)
D.Awaiting Christ for the transfiguration of the body (3:17-21)
V.Having Christ as the secret of sufficiency (4:1-20)
A.Thinking the same thing and rejoicing in the Lord (4:1-4)
B.Excellent characteristics in living (4:5-9)
C.The believers’ fellowship with the apostle and the apostle’s secret of sufficiency (4:10-20)
VI.Conclusion (4:21-23)
2 CORINTHIANS
I.Introduction (1:1-8)
A.The apostle’s greeting (1:1-2)
B.The apostle’s thanksgiving (1:3-8)
II.The preeminent and all-inclusive One, the centrality and universality of God (1:9—3:11)
A.The portion of the saints (1:9-14)
B.The image of God and the Firstborn both in creation and in resurrection (1:15-23)
C.The mystery of God’s economy (1:24-29)
D.The mystery of God (2:1-7)
E.The body of all the shadows (2:8-23)
F.The life of the saints (3:1-4)
G.The constituents of the new man (3:5-11)
III.A living in union with Christ (3:12—4:6)
A.The arbitrating peace of Christ (3:12-15)
B.The indwelling word of Christ (3:16-17)
C.The expression of Christ in ethical relationships (3:18—4:1)
D.Praying with perseverance and walking in wisdom (4:2-6)
IV.Conclusion (4:7-18)
A.The apostle’s fellowship (4:7-17)
B.The apostle’s greeting (4:18)
GALATIANS
I. Introduction—the will of God to rescue us out of the evil religious age (1:1-5)
II.The revelation of the apostle’s gospel (1:6—4:31)
A.God’s Son versus man’s religion (1:6—2:10)
B.Christ replacing the law (2:11-21)
C.The Spirit by faith in Christ versus the flesh by works of law (3:1—4:31)
III.The walk of God’s children (5:1—6:17)
A.Not entangled by the yoke of slavery under law (5:1)
B.Not separated from Christ (5:2-12)
C.Not indulging the flesh but serving through love (5:13-15)
D.Walking by the Spirit, not by the flesh (5:16-26)
E.Restoring the fallen one in a spirit of meekness (6:1)
F.Completely fulfilling the law of Christ (6:2-6)
G.Sowing not unto the flesh but unto the Spirit (6:7-10)
H.Having been crucified to the religious world to live a new creation (6:11-16)
I.Bearing the brands of Jesus (6:17)
IV.Conclusion—the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ being with our spirit (6:18)
EPHESIANS
I. Introduction (1:1-2)
II.The blessings and position received by the church in Christ (1:3—3:21)
A.God’s blessings to the church (1:3-14)
B.The apostle’s prayer for the church regarding revelation (1:15-23)
C.The producing and building of the church (2:1-22)
D.The stewardship of the grace and the revelation of the mystery concerning the church (3:1-13)
E.The apostle’s prayer for the church regarding experience (3:14-19)
F.The apostle’s praise to God for His glory in the church and in Christ (3:20-21)
III.The living and responsibility needed for the church in the Holy Spirit (4:1—6:20)
A.The living and responsibility needed in the Body of Christ (4:1-16)
B.The living needed in the daily walk (4:17—5:21)
C.The living needed in ethical relationships (5:22—6:9)
D.The warfare required for dealing with the spiritual enemy (6:10-20)
IV.Conclusion (6:21-24)
A.Recommendation (6:21-22)
B.Blessing (6:23-24)
PHILIPPIANS
I.Introduction (1:1-2)
II.Living Christ to magnify Him (1:3-30)
A.Fellowship for the furtherance of the gospel (1:3-18)
B.Magnifying Christ by living Him (1:19-26)
C.Striving along with the gospel with one soul (1:27-30)
III.Taking Christ as the pattern and holding Him forth (2:1-30)
A.Joined in soul, thinking the one thing (2:1-4)
B.Taking Christ as the pattern (2:5-11)
C.Working out our salvation to hold forth Christ (2:12-16)
D.A drink offering upon the sacrifice of faith (2:17-18)
E.The apostle’s concern for the believers (2:19-30)
IV.Pursuing Christ to gain Him (3:1-21)
A.Serving by the Spirit and not trusting in the flesh (3:1-6)
B.Counting all things loss on account of Christ (3:7-11)
C.Gaining Christ by pursuing Him (3:12-16)
D.Awaiting Christ for the transfiguration of the body (3:17-21)
V.Having Christ as the secret of sufficiency (4:1-20)
A.Thinking the same thing and rejoicing in the Lord (4:1-4)
B.Excellent characteristics in living (4:5-9)
C.The believers’ fellowship with the apostle and the apostle’s secret of sufficiency (4:10-20)
VI.Conclusion (4:21-23)
COLOSSIANS
I.Introduction (1:1-8)
A.The apostle’s greeting (1:1-2)
B.The apostle’s thanksgiving (1:3-8)
II.The preeminent and all-inclusive One, the centrality and universality of God (1:9—3:11)
A.The portion of the saints (1:9-14)
B.The image of God and the Firstborn both in creation and in resurrection (1:15-23)
C.The mystery of God’s economy (1:24-29)
D.The mystery of God (2:1-7)
E.The body of all the shadows (2:8-23)
F.The life of the saints (3:1-4)
G.The constituents of the new man (3:5-11)
III.A living in union with Christ (3:12—4:6)
A.The arbitrating peace of Christ (3:12-15)
B.The indwelling word of Christ (3:16-17)
C.The expression of Christ in ethical relationships (3:18—4:1)
D.Praying with perseverance and walking in wisdom (4:2-6)
IV.Conclusion (4:7-18)
A.The apostle’s fellowship (4:7-17)
B.The apostle’s greeting (4:18)
1st THESSALONIANS
I.Introduction (1:1)
II.The content—a holy life for the church (1:2—5:24)
A.Its structure (1:2-3)
B.Its origination (1:4-10)
C.Its fostering (2:1-20)
D.Its establishing (3:1-13)
E.Its exhortation (4:1-12)
F.Its hope (4:13-18)
G.Its watchfulness and soberness (5:1-11)
H.Its cooperation (5:12-24)
III.Conclusion (5:25-28)
2nd THESSALONIANS
I.Introduction (1:1)
II.The content—encouragement and correction concerning the holy life for the church (1:3—3:15)
A.Encouragement—a life worthy of the kingdom of God (1:3-12)
B.Correction—the misconception concerning the day of the Lord’s coming (2:1-12)
C.Further encouragement (2:13—3:5)
D.Correction concerning those walking disorderly (3:6-15)
III.Conclusion (3:16-18)
1st TIMOTHY
I.Introduction (1:1-2)
II.God’s economy versus different teachings (1:3-17)
III.Faith and a good conscience needed for the keeping of the faith (1:18-20)
IV.Prayer for man’s salvation (2:1-7)
V.The normal life in the church (2:8-15)
VI.Overseers and deacons for the church’s administration (3:1-13)
VII.The function of the church—the house of the living God and the pillar and base of the truth (3:14-16)
VIII.The prediction of the decline of the church (4:1-5)
IX.A good minister of Christ (4:6-16)
X.Concerning the saints of different ages (6:1-16)
XI.Concerning the elders (5:17-25)
XII.Concerning slaves and money lovers (6:1-10)
XIII.A man of God (6:11-21a)
XIV.Conclusion (6:21b)
2nd TIMOTHY
I.Introduction (1:1-2)
II.The divine provisions for the inoculation—a pure conscience, unfeigned faith, the divine gift, a strong spirit, eternal grace, incorruptible life, the healthy word, and the indwelling Spirit (1:3-14)
III.The basic factor of the decline—forsaking the apostle and his ministry (1:15-18)
IV.The inoculator—a teacher, a soldier, a contender, a farmer, and a workman (2:1-15)
V.The spreading of the decline—like that of gangrene (2:16-26)
VI.The worsening of the decline—becoming grievous times of deceiving (3:1-13)
VII.The antidote of the inoculation—the divine word (3:14-17)
VIII.The incentive to the inoculator—the coming reward (4:1-8)
IX.The issue of the decline—loving the present age and doing many evils (4:9-18)
X.Conclusion (4:19-22)
TITUS
I.Introduction (1:1-4)
II.Establishing the authority in the church (1:5-9)
III.Dealing with the influence of Judaism and Gnosticism (1:10-16)
IV.Bringing the saints of different ages into an orderly life (2:1-8)
V.Charging the slaves to behave well in the social system of slavery (2:9-15)
VI.Charging the saints to keep a good relationship with the government (3:1-8)
VII.Dealing with a factious one (3:9-11)
VIII.Conclusion (3:12-15)
PHILEMON
I.Introduction (vv. 1-3)
II.A slave reborn to be a brother (vv. 4-16)
III.A brother recommended for the new man’s acceptance (vv. 17-22)
IV.Conclusion (vv. 23-25)
HEBREWS
I. Introduction—the will of God to rescue us out of the evil religious age (1:1-5)
II.The revelation of the apostle’s gospel (1:6—4:31)
A.God’s Son versus man’s religion (1:6—2:10)
B.Christ replacing the law (2:11-21)
C.The Spirit by faith in Christ versus the flesh by works of law (3:1—4:31)
III.The walk of God’s children (5:1—6:17)
A.Not entangled by the yoke of slavery under law (5:1)
B.Not separated from Christ (5:2-12)
C.Not indulging the flesh but serving through love (5:13-15)
D.Walking by the Spirit, not by the flesh (5:16-26)
E.Restoring the fallen one in a spirit of meekness (6:1)
F.Completely fulfilling the law of Christ (6:2-6)
G.Sowing not unto the flesh but unto the Spirit (6:7-10)
H.Having been crucified to the religious world to live a new creation (6:11-16)
I.Bearing the brands of Jesus (6:17)
IV.Conclusion—the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ being with our spirit (6:18)
JAMES
I.Introduction—to the twelve tribes in dispersion (1:1)
II.Practical virtues of Christian perfection (1:2—5:20)
A.Enduring trials by faith (1:2-12)
B.Resisting temptation As God-born ones (1:13-18)
C.Living a God-fearing life by the implanted word according to the perfect law of freedom (1:19-27)
D.Having no respect of persons among the brothers (2:1-13)
E.Being justified by works in relations with the believers (2:14-26)
F.Bridling the tongue (3:1-12)
G.Behaving in wisdom (3:13-18)
H.Dealing with pleasures, the world, and the devil (4:1-10)
I.Not speaking against the brothers (4:11-12)
J.Confiding not in self-will but in the Lord (4:13-17)
(Warning to the rich—5:1-6)
K.Awaiting the Lord’s coming with long-suffering (5:7-11)
L.Speaking honestly without swearing (5:12)
M.Healthy practices in the church life (5:13-20)
1st PETER
I.Introduction—to the sojourning believers under the operation of the Triune God (1:1-2)
II.The full salvation of the Triune God and its issues (1:3-25)
A.The Father’s regeneration—unto a living hope, an inheritance kept in the heavens and ready to be revealed at the last time (1:3-9)
B.The Spirit’s application—through the prophets’ prophesying and the apostles’ preaching (1:10-12)
C.Christ’s redemption—unto a holy life by the holy nature and unto brotherly love through purification by the sanctifying truth, based on regeneration by the incorruptible seed through the living word of God (1:13-25)
III.Growth in life and its results (2:1-10)
A.Growing by feeding on the milk of the word unto full salvation (2:1-3)
B.Transformed unto the building up of a spiritual house for God’s dwelling, a holy priesthood for God’s service (2:4-8)
C.To tell out the virtues of the calling One (2:9-10)
IV.The Christian life and its sufferings (2:11—4:19)
A.A life in an excellent manner toward all men in all concerns (2:11—3:13)
B.Suffering for righteousness by the will of God as Christ did (3:14-22)
C.Arming themselves with the mind of Christ for suffering (4:1-6)
D.As good stewards of the varied grace of God (4:7-11)
E.Rejoicing in sharing the sufferings of Christ (4:12-19)
V.The elders’ shepherding and its reward (5:1-4)
A.The shepherding patterns (5:1-3)
B.The Chief Shepherd’s reward (5:4)
VI.The mighty hand of God and its goal (5:5-11)
A.Humbled under God’s mighty hand (5:5-9)
B.Perfected and grounded by the God of all grace (5:10-11)
VII.Conclusion (5:12-14)
A.The testimony of the true grace of God (5:12)
B.Greetings (5:13-14)
2nd PETER
I.Introduction—to the believers, who have been allotted equally precious faith (1:1-2)
II.The divine provision (1:3-21)
A.The impartation of the divine power (1:3-11)
B.The shining of the divine truth (1:12-21)
III.The divine government (2:1—3:16)
A.God’s judgment on the false teachers (2:1-3)
B.God’s judgment on both angels and men (2:4-9)
C.The evils of the false teachers and their punishment under God’s judgment (2:10-22)
D.God’s judgment on the heretical mockers (3:1-9)
E.God’s judgment on the heavens an the earth (3:10-12)
F.God’s judgment of the new heavens and the new earth filled with God’s righteousness (3:13)
G.Preparation for the coming judgment (3:14-16)
IV.Conclusion—be on guard and grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord (3:17-18)
1st JOHN
I.The fellowship of the divine life (1:1—2:11)
A.the manifestation of the divine life (1:1-2)
B.The divine fellowship (1:3-4)
C.The condition of the divine fellowship (1:5—2:11)
II.The teaching of the divine anointing (2:12-27)
A.Concerning the Divine Trinity according to the growth in life (2:12-19)
B.For the abiding in the Triune God (2:20-27)
III.The virtues of the divine birth (2:28—5:21)
A.To practice the divine righteousness (2:28—3:10a)
B.To practice the divine love (3:10b—5:3)
C.To overcome the world, death, sin, the devil, and idols (5:4-21)
2nd JOHN
I.Introduction (vv. 1-3)
A.Loving in truthfulness for the truth (vv. 1-2)
B.Grace, mercy, and peace in truth and love (v. 3)
II.The walk in truth and love (vv. 4-6)
A.In truth (v. 4)
B.In love (vv. 5-6)
III.Not participating in heresy (vv. 7-11)
A.The heretics (vv. 7-9)
B.Not sharing in the heretical works (vv. 10-11)
IV.Conclusion (vv. 12-13)
A.The hope for closer fellowship for more joy (v. 12)
B.Greeting in the endearing care (v. 13)
3rd JOHN
I.Introduction (vv. 1-4)
A.Loving in truthfulness (v. 1)
B.Prospering in all things and in health (v. 2)
C.Walking in the truth (vv. 3-4)
II.Hospitality to the traveling workers (vv. 5-8)
A.Given faithfully, in love, and in a manner worthy of God (vv. 5-6)
B.By the fellow workers in the truth (vv. 7-8)
III.Imitation not of the evil but of the good (vv. 9-12)
A.The self-exalting and domineering Diotrephes—an evil pattern (vv. 9-11)
B.The well-reported Demetrius—a good example (v. 12)
IV.Conclusion (vv. 13-14)
A.The hope for closer fellowship (vv. 13-14a)
B.Mutual greetings (v. 14b)
JUDE
I.Introduction—to those called, beloved, and kept (vv. 1-2)
II.Contending for the faith (v. 3)
III.Heresies of the apostates (v. 4)
IV.Historical examples of the Lord’s judgment upon apostacy (vv. 5-7)
V.The evils of the apostates and their punishment under the Lord’s judgment (vv. 8-19)
VI.Charges to the believers (vv. 20-23)
A.To build up themselves upon the most holy faith and the live in the Triune God (vv. 20-21)
B.To care for others with mercy in fear (vv. 22-23)
VII.Conclusion—praise to Him who is able to guard and set the believers before His glory (vv. 24-25)
REVELATION
I.Introduction—the revelation of Christ and the testimony of Jesus (1:1-8)
II.“The things which you have seen” (1:9-20)
A.Seven golden lampstands—the shining churches
B.The Son of Man—the living Christ
C.Seven stars—the bright messengers of the churches
III.“The things which are”—the seven local churches (2:1—3:22)
A.The church in Ephesus—the church at the close of the initial stage (2:1-7)
B.The church in Smyrna—the church under persecution (2:8-l1)
C.The church in Pergamos—the church married to the world (2:12-17)
D.The church in Thyatira—the church in apostasy (2:18-29)
E.The church in Sardis—the church in reformation (3: 1-6)
F.The church in Philadelphia—the church in recovery (3:7-13)
G.The church in Laodicea—the church in degradation (3:14-22)
IV.“The things which are about to take place” (4:1—22:5)
A.The first section, giving a general view of the things to come, from Christ’s ascension to eternity future (4:1—11:19)
B.The second section, giving details of the important things and the crucial matters covered in the first section (12:1—22:5)
C.Conclusion—the Lord’s last warning and the apostle’s last prayer (22:6-21)
For detailed outlines see here: Outlines of the Bible
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