by Jonn Claybaugh | Nov 7, 2023 |
James 1 “Pure Religion” This is the James who was the half-brother of Jesus; being the son of Joseph and Mary (see Matthew 13:55). He was converted after the death of Jesus (see John 7:2-5; Acts 1:14; 1 Corinthians 15:7; Galatians 2:9). The date of this epistle is...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Oct 24, 2023 |
Hebrews 1 The Father and the Son The epistle of Hebrews is a treasure, in which we find Paul at his theological best—bearing powerful witness of the divinity of Jesus Christ (look for special names and titles of Christ), of the priesthood of God, and of other great...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Oct 10, 2023 |
1 Thessalonians 1-3 Missionaries and Their Converts Thessalonica is in northern Greece. This epistle is thought to be the earliest-written of Paul’s New Testament epistles, having been written in about 50 A.D. from Athens (or perhaps Corinth). Again, Paul begins with...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Sep 26, 2023 |
Ephesians 1-2 Chosen Before the Foundation of the World Ephesus is on the west coast of Turkey, and its ruins are considered one of the largest and most treasured archaeological sites in the world. Paul wrote this epistle to church members there—being mostly gentile...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Sep 12, 2023 |
2 Corinthians 8-9 Giving to Those in Need In 8:1-5 Paul is telling the Saints in Corinth about the generous charitable giving of the church members in Macedonia (the northern part of Greece; see also 2 Corinthians 11:9). This was in spite of the Macedonians’ enduring...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Aug 29, 2023 |
1 Corinthians 14 More on Spiritual Gifts Read verses 1-3, 6-9, 12, 19, 40, looking for additional teachings and counsel from Paul in relation to the gifts of the Spirit and our behavior and interactions with others. Which of these verses stand out most for you, and...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Aug 15, 2023 |
1 Corinthians 1 “We Preach Christ” Corinth (in modern-day Greece) was known as a wicked place in Paul’s day, yet during his second missionary journey he had great success there, bringing many into the church (he had previously been rejected in Athens, about 40 miles...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Aug 1, 2023 |
Romans Introduction Paul’s “epistle” to the members of the church in Rome is the first of his fourteen epistles in the King James Bible. His epistles are ordered according to length, from the longest to the shortest (with the exception of Hebrews, which is last...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Jul 18, 2023 |
Acts 16 Paul’s Second Missionary Journey Paul’s second missionary journey began about 15 to 20 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, lasted about three years, and is recounted in Acts 15:36, 40-41; Acts 16-17; and Acts 18:1-22: Verses 1-3 Paul chose...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Jul 4, 2023 |
Acts 6 Additional Leadership In Acts 6:1 we are introduced to a new challenge in the church: Grecian church members (former gentiles) murmured against the Hebrew church members (converts from Judaism) because widows were being “neglected in the daily ministration” of...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Oct 31, 2023 |
Hebrews 7-8 “A More Excellent Ministry” Chapters 7-10 form a wonderful treatise regarding the Savior Jesus Christ and the higher priesthood and law. Note the following regarding chapters 7-8: What significant things did Paul teach about Melchizedek, in Hebrews 7:1-2,...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Oct 17, 2023 |
1 Timothy 1 “No Other Doctrine” Apostasy was becoming more widespread and Paul was fulfilling his apostolic role in ministering to and strengthening church members. This epistle was written in about 65 A.D., between Paul’s first and second Roman imprisonments....
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Oct 3, 2023 |
Philippians 1 “To Speak the Word without Fear” Philippi is in northeast Greece, and was the first branch of the church in Europe. The epistle was written in about 60 A.D., from prison in Rome. One Bible commentary says that Paul’s epistle to the Philippians is “the...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Sep 19, 2023 |
Galatians 1 “So Soon Removed” Why do some who join the LDS Church later turn away? How do you maintain your own faith and obedience? How can you help those who struggle spiritually? Paul wrote this epistle to church members in Galatia (in today’s middle Turkey) in...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Sep 5, 2023 |
2 Corinthians 1-2 “Comforted of God” This epistle was written by Paul in about 58 AD, about a year after writing 1 Corinthians and near the end of his third missionary journey. In the first verse Paul includes Timothy as sending his greetings and perhaps as a...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Aug 22, 2023 |
1 Corinthians 8 “God, the Father” The more we learn about Paul’s world, the more we see ourselves in it. For example, in what ways could you apply verses 1-2 to circumstances in our day? Paul’s teachings in verse 5 are confirmed true by this statement from the Prophet...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Aug 8, 2023 |
Romans 7-8 Old versus New In Ether 12:11 we read, “Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way.” It is clear throughout Paul’s epistles that the transition from the law of Moses (which many were not...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Jul 25, 2023 |
Acts 22 Paul Before an Angry Mob In Acts 21:27-40, the Apostle Paul was taken from the temple by the Jews, beaten, rescued by Roman officials, arrested, and then allowed to speak to the multitude of people who were clamoring for his death: Read Paul’s opening...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Jul 11, 2023 |
Acts 10 Taking the Gospel to the Gentiles Throughout Acts 10-15, look for the many gifts of the Spirit that were bestowed upon the leaders and other members of the Lord’s church, including His compensatory blessings upon them, as they suffered opposition. It has been...
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by Jonn Claybaugh | Jun 27, 2023 |
The Book of Acts An Introduction The full name of this book is “The Acts of the Apostles,” and it is notable that Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has suggested his own title: “The Acts of the Resurrected Christ Working through the Holy Spirit in the Lives and Ministries of...
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