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I. Paul's Quest of a New Mission Field.-II. His Vision at
Troas.-III His Work at Philippi.-IV. The Founding of
the Church at Thessalonica.-V. Paul's Work at Bercea.-
VI. The Results of His Work in Macedonia.

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§ CLX. PAUL'S INTERPRETATION OF JESUS' SAVING WORK.... 179

Romans 11, 5-25, 26-13, 39-12, 20-31, 413-17b, 51-11, 8, 1133-36.

I. Date and Aim of Paul's Epistle to the Romans.-II. Its
Structure.-III. Paul's Estimate of the Jewish Law.-IV.
The Influences which Shaped His Conception of Jesus.-
V. His Doctrine of Salvation through Faith in Christ.

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§ CLXIII. THE AMBASSADOR IN BONDS....

Acts 241-2514, 23, 261-4, 22-2816, 30, 31.

I. Paul's Imprisonment under Felix.-II. The Date of the
Procuratorships of Felix and Festus.-III. Paul's Reasons
for Appealing to Cæsar.-IV. The Story of His Shipwreck.
-V. His Journey to Rome.-VI. The End of the Race.

§ CLXIV. THE LAST LETTERS OF THE AGED PRISONER..

Philemon, Col. 11-8, 24-29, 21-3, 6-12, 31, 2, 9-23, 47-9, 16, 18, Eph. 11-5,

211-18, 44-6, 11-16, 31, 32, 51, 2, 610-24, Phil. 11-14, 19-26, 44-20

I. Paul's Last Letters.-II. The Occasion of His Letter to
Philemon.-III. The Purpose and Thought of His Epistle
to the Colossians.-IV. The Identity of the So-called "Epis-
tle to the Ephesians."-V. Paul's Love-Letter to the Phi-
lippians.-VI. His Contributions to Christianity.

I. The Literary Form of the Epistle to the Hebrews.-

II. Its Authorship and History.-III. The Aim of the Ser-
mon in Hebrews.-IV. Its Theme and the Development of
Its Thought.-V. Its Charm and Power.

§ CLXVII. THE VISIONS OF THE ULTIMATE VICTORY OF CHRIS-

TIANITY IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION.....

Rev. 11-8, 10, 11a, 21a-58, 7-13, 18, 19, 25, 31-4, 7, 8, 10, 14-16, 19-22, 41-6,

8b, 568, 11-14, 79, 10, 13, 14-17, 146-13, 1911-16, 19-21a, 2011-15, 211-5, 22-27,
221-5, 10-17,

I. The Aim of the Book of Revelation.-II. Its Theme and
Literary Character.-III. Its Authorship and Date.—IV.
Its Contents and Sources.-V. Its Interpretation.

I. The Literary Form of the Epistle of James.-II. Its Aim.
-III. Its Authorship and Date.-IV. Its Contributions to
Developing Christianity.-V. Its Democracy.

MAP AND CHART

THE MAIN HIGHWAYS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE SCENES

OF PAUL'S WORK...

CHRONOLOGY OF THE APOSTOLIC AGE.........

..Frontispiece

To face page 21

INTRODUCTION

THE RECORDS AND BACKGROUND OF THE APOSTOLIC AGE

I

THE RECORDS OF THE WORK AND TEACHINGS OF THE APOSTLES

I. The Significance of the Apostolic Age. The Apostolic Age began with the death of Jesus in 29 or 30 A.D. and ended about the close of the first Christian century. This brief three-quarters of a century is significant primarily because it represented the practical application, the testing, and the crystallizing of the principles of faith and life which Jesus had set forth. Christianity then came into close contact and competition with many rival religions, such as the Roman emperorworship, Greek Cynicism, Epicureanism, Stoicism, Judaism, many Egyptian and oriental cults, and, above all, with the popular mysteryreligions. In this infinitely complex environment Christianity ceased to be based on certain simple principles proclaimed by Jesus and illustrated by his life and acts; it gradually developed an elaborate system of doctrines, rules, and institutions. This period marked the beginning of that creed-making era which culminated in 325 A.D. in the formulation and acceptance by the Western Church of the Nicene Creed. It also witnessed the spread of Christianity from the little community at Jerusalem to Rome and to the widest bounds of the Roman Empire. It saw the growth of a chain of Christian churches reaching from Babylon in the East to Spain in the West and from the Black Sea in the North to the heart of Africa in the South.

The vital questions presented by the period are historical and doctrinal. How far was the faith of Christianity based on the teachings of Jesus? How far did it come from the active mind of Paul? How far was it a composite of Jewish, Greek, and oriental ideas? Fortu

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