羅馬的婚制

Ancient Greco-Roman marriage was strictly monogamous. Wives often enjoyed greater financial independence, and society encouraged widows and divorced wives to remarry. Widows could inherit their husbands’ estates, meaning some poor widows remained poor, while rich widows became very wealthy. Some women who married multiple times even accumulated vast fortunes and were sought after by many […]

《歌羅西書》背景

Colossae was a small town in ancient Phrygia, located on the Lycus River in southeastern Asia Minor, within modern-day Turkey. It was not a large town, and neighboring Laodicea and Hierapolis (Colossians 4:13) were more significant. Paul, in his three missionary journeys, focused his efforts on populous cities and never visited Colossae (Colossians 2:1); instead, […]

《腓立比書》背景

Philippi is located in northern Greece, within the Roman province of Macedonia. It was a Roman colony and the first stop in Europe during Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 16:12). Lydia was among the first believers baptized there (Acts 16:14-15). When Paul left, a church had likely already been established in Philippi (Acts 16:40), comprising […]

訓蒙師傅

[Galatians 3:23-24] “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.” In Greek and Roman households, a specialized “guardian” (paedagogus) was a slave tasked with supervising […]

《加拉太書》背景

During their first missionary journey in 48-49 AD, Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel to Jews and Gentiles in cities in southern Galatia, including Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:14), Iconium (Acts 14:1), Lystra (Acts 14:6), and Derbe (Acts 14:20), and established churches there (Acts 14:23). Paul and Silas strengthened these churches during their second missionary journey […]

馬吉安

Marcion (circa 110–160 AD) was an early Christian theologian, also transliterated as Markion or Marcianus. He was born in Sinope, Pontus, on the Black Sea coast. His father was a bishop. Marcion arrived in Rome around 140 AD. Initially, Marcion joined the Roman church and was very enthusiastic about its charitable work, donating a large […]

推基古

Tychicus was an incredibly important coworker and long-time assistant to Paul, who often entrusted him with significant tasks and relied heavily on him. Tychicus was from Asia, and his name means “fortunate.” He was fortunate to follow Paul, learning to serve the Lord. In Tychicus, we can see Paul’s reflection; their loyalty to the Lord, […]

今世、來世和末世

[Ephesians 1:21] “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” The contrast between “this age” and “the age to come” was very common in Jewish rabbinic teaching. Together, they represented the entirety of existence. […]

帖撒羅尼迦

Thessalonica is located in northern Greece and was the capital and largest city of the Roman province of Macedonia, with a population of approximately 1 million. Thessalonica was situated at the intersection of two vital Roman trade routes: the Via Egnatia, which connected Italy to Eastern Europe, and the waterway from the Danube River to […]

《帖撒羅尼迦前後書》背景

The church in Thessalonica was the second church Paul established in Europe during his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1). Paul and Silas debated in the Jewish synagogue in Thessalonica for only three Sabbaths (Acts 17:2) before they were forced to leave by the Jews (Acts 17:10). Although their time preaching was not long, some Jews, […]