Paul’s Teachings Essay

1. Essay on the Epistle to the Galatians The New Testament Book Epistle to the Galatians is ascribed by the Catholic Church to St. Paul but now believed to be written by early Christian missionary Paul of Tarsus to the early Christian communities in Galatia, then a Roman province. It was an intensely personal letter wherein Paul primarily tackled the circumcision issue during those early days of Christianity. The issue of circumcising Gentile converts, considered to be culturally offensive to Romans, was then being hotly debated. In the Epistle, Paul cautions against the introduction of Jewish practices, such as circumcision, into the community of Christians. The circumcision debate written in Galatians was important for St. Paul because he wanted to point out to the Gentiles that the prescriptions that regulated the day-to-day lives of the Jews under the Law of Moses are meant to lead men to salvation through Christ. Some Galatian converts or Judaizers at that time insisted that observance of the Law, including circumcision, abstinence and certain ritual purifications, was prerequisite to being good or perfect Christians. During the Old Testament, circumcision served as a man’s public pledge to the complete observance of Mosaic Law. In Paul’s argument against circumcision, he mentions Old Testament figures such as Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Sarah and Hagar in order to explain and illustrate â€Å"what it means to follow God’s advice† ( 4:21, Galatians). Using the story of the birth of Isaac and Ishmael, Paul stresses that Christians should genuinely believe and follow all of God’s advise, not only religious traditions but more so, following the examples of Christ. In addressing the circumcision issue in the Epistle, Paul thereby explains that by itself, the Mosaic Law had no power to save because salvation needs individual faith and the grace of Jesus. 2. Essay on the Books of Timothy I, Timothy II and Titus The New Testament Books First Epistle to Timothy, Second Epistle to Timothy and Epistle to Titus are three Pastoral Epistles attributed to St. Paul but now believed to be from Paul of Tarsus. They are collectively termed as the Pastoral Epistles chiefly because the letters are addressed to pastors or heads of the early Church regarding proper handling of the ministry. Together, the Epistles instruct the Bishop Timothy and the Christian worker Titus on the general principles regarding community order and faith. Specifically, the greater part of the Timothy I is devoted to instructions on the proper ordering of Christian community life for it to function smoothly. It also admonishes Timothy on the duties of the bishops and deacons in terms of preaching, praying in public and care for the Church members. Timothy II, on the other stresses the faithful dispensing of the responsibilities by church leaders and provides encouragement to the Bishop. The Pastoral Epistles talk of the proper conduct of both men and women; proper behavior when inside the Church; respect for old and young people; treatment of elderly and rules for the enrollment of widows and other prescriptions for good and Christian behavior. They also talk of how to remain steadfast in faith by rejecting false teachings and safeguarding the truths in the Church. Such is a suggestion of the pressures against and the corresponding struggles to strengthen the faith within the community. The administrative activities, especially as found in Timothy I tell us that the early Church then was already, or at least beginning to be, structured and orderly and made up of united members. This is seen, for one, in the discussion on the selection of church leaders. These three Epistles definitely communicate to us the difficulties of the early Church. The part in Timothy II wherein Paul exhorted the Bishop to be patient in the face of persecution is best illustrates the serious problems they encountered. The recommendations in the Timothy I and Titus regarding the kind of character needed for the leaders of the Church suggest the earnest efforts to build and fortify what we know now to be a heavily challenged Church back then. In gist, Timothy I and II and Titus portray the picture of the Christian community during the incipient period of the Church. The Books show that times were hard but that the early Christians, herein guided by Paul, mustered their faith and effort for the ministry.