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himself). The others are thought to have been written by others on behalf of this dynamic apostle. x
Letters written by Paul himself: Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1
Thessalonians, and Philemon.
Letters considered “Deutero-Pauline” (probably written by Paul’s followers after his death)
are Ephesians, Colossians, and 2 Thessalonians; 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus are “TritoPauline” (probably written by members of the Pauline school a generation after his death).
Timeline:
Galatians (AD 47)
1 and 2 Thessalonians (AD 49—51)
1 and 2 Corinthians and Romans (AD 52—56)
Ephesians, Philemon, Colossians, and Philippians (AD 60—62, during Paul’s first Roman
imprisonment)
1 Timothy and Titus (AD 62)
2 Timothy (AD 63—64, during Paul’s second Roman imprisonment)
As we consider Paul’s “newness”—and by extension, the being-made-new that each of us
experiences when we follow Jesus—we might find ourselves wondering how this utter
transformation happens. Look again at Acts 9:15. God told Ananias that Paul “is a chosen
instrument of mine” (version?). When I look at this verse in the Interlinear/Concordance section
of the BLB, I see that instrument (σκεος skeûos, pronounced skyoo'-os) also means “vessel.” Like
the white geometric vase on my desk, which is filled with beautiful flowers, a vessel contains
something. Is filled with something. God hand-selected this vessel (Paul) that once contained
judgement and pharisaical law, removed his spiritual blindness and made him new…and now the
vessel is filled with the Holy Spirit. And we know from Galatians that as we are filled with the
Holy Spirit, we pour out the fruits of the Spirit—which is the very character of God.
What fruits of the Spirit might you expect to see emerge in Paul’s writings? (Hint: See Galatians
5:22-23.)
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The book of Philippians gives us a vivid picture of the fruit of the Spirit, as Paul writes to his
Philippian friends about living aligned with the good news of Jesus: love, not legalism; unity, not
discord; authentic faith, not counterfeit religion.
When Paul’s eye sight returned, he saw the world with new eyes because he truly was a new
creation. Gentiles (non-Jews) that he once despised and looked down on became his friends. The
body of Christ (the early church) that he once persecuted became his family. Nothing was ever the
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