Resources: Letter to the Philippians

Geography

Map of ancient Greece (from biblestudy.org):

 

Access the Catechism online here


Saintly Commentaries and Letters

St. Polycarp's Letter to the Philippians  (St. Polycarp was a disciple of the Apostle John)

St. John Chrysostum's Homilies on Philippians

St. Thomas Aquinas' verse-by-verse commentary on Philippians
 

Overview on the Epistle

Online
Steve Ray's introduction to Philippians (.doc)

Catholic Encyclopedia (1908 edition) article: Epistle to the Philippians

Audio

Dancing while listening is optional

Taylor Marshall wrote a book called The Catholic Perspective on Paul.  He also did a series of podcasts based on the material in the book (also available on the Apple Podcast app); I highly recommend both. 


Bishop Barron gave a series of 3 homilies on St. Paul in 2004: "St. Paul the Apostle", "Being in Christ", and "Paul's Basic Message".  Also available as podcasts.

St. Paul Center's series of audio lessons, "Lessons from the Early Church" (requires creating a free account), doesn't directly relate to St. Paul but examines the first few centuries of the Church. 

VIDEO SERIES!!

A 2015 Steubenvillve Applied Biblical Studies conference on Philippians.  Each of these talks are about an hour each.

Scott Hahn: "Epistle of Joy, Apostle of Joy: Overview of Philippians" 

Michael Barber, "Philippians 1, 'To Live is Christ'"

Brant Pitre, Philippians 2

Edward Sri, “Philippians 3: The Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ Jesus”

 

John Bergsma, "Philippians 4: How to Have Joy, Advice from an Apostle"

Resources: Letter to the Ephesians

Geography
Map of ancient cities in Asia Minor, which is present-day Turkey (from biblestudy.org):

Access the Catechism online here

St. Ignatius of Antioch's Letter to the Ephesians (around 108 A.D.)
He lived 35-108 A.D. and succeeded St. Peter as bishop of Antioch, and was a disciple of St. John the Apostle.  He composed this letter while on the way to Rome to be martyred.


Overviews on the Epistles

Online

Steve Ray's introduction to Ephesians (.doc)

Catholic Encyclopedia (1908 edition) article on the Epistle to the Ephesians

St. Thomas Aquinas' verse-by-verse commentary on Ephesians (table of contents page)

Audio

Dancing while listening is optional

Taylor Marshall wrote a book called The Catholic Perspective on Paul.  He also did a series of podcasts based on the material in the book (also available on the Apple Podcast app); I highly recommend both. 
 
Al Kresta ("Kresta in the Afternoon" show on Catholic radio) hosts Scripture professor Dr. Peter Williamson on "Where do I start with Ephesians?"

Bishop Barron gave a series of 3 homilies on St. Paul in 2004: "St. Paul the Apostle", "Being in Christ", and "Paul's Basic Message".  Also available as podcasts.

St. Paul Center's series of audio lessons, "Lessons from the Early Church" (requires creating a free account)

Video

Jeff Cavins (co-author of the Great Adventure Bible Study) discussing Ephesians:

Curtis Mitch (co-author of the Ignatius Study Bible commentary), "The Four Marks of the Church in Ephesians"

Scott Hahn (the other co-author of the Ignatius Study Bible commentary) (and a ton of other stuff), on "A Plan for the Fullness of Time: An Overview of Ephesians"

Resources: Letter to the Romans

Sunday's main topics

Access the Catechism online here

1) How can we know God?  Faith, reason, science, religion, etc.

-St. Thomas Aquinas' five proofs for the existence of God, from the Summa Theologica
-St. John Paul II's encyclical Fides et Ratio
-Vatican II's Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum
-Fr. Robert Spitzer's Magis Center website with tons of resources on the interaction of science and faith
-Talks from Lighthouse Catholic Media by Fr. Spitzer (really, really good)


Overviews on the Epistles

Online
Steve Ray's introduction to Romans (PDF)

Catholic Encyclopedia (1908 edition) articles: "Epistle to the Romans" and "Epistle to the Galatians"

Audio

Dancing while listening is optional

The St. Paul Center has a free, 9-episode course on the Book of Romans, presented by Scott Hahn, John Bergsma, and Brant Pitre.  Highly recommended for an in-depth study!

Taylor Marshall wrote a book called The Catholic Perspective on Paul.  He also did a series of podcasts based on the material in the book (also available on the Apple Podcast app); I highly recommend both. 

Al Kresta ("Kresta in the Afternoon" show on Catholic radio) hosts Scripture professor Dr. Peter Williamson on "Where do I start with Romans?", part 1 and part 2.

Bishop Barron gave a series of 3 homilies on St. Paul in 2004: "St. Paul the Apostle", "Being in Christ", and "Paul's Basic Message".  Also available as podcasts.

St. Paul Center's series of audio lessons, "Lessons from the Early Church" (requires creating a free account)

Apologetic Questions

Call no man "father"?  St. Paul calls Abraham "father" seven times in Romans 4.  Here's an article from Catholic Answers on the issue.

 


Does the Book of Romans support Martin Luther's claim that we're saved by faith alone (sola fide)?  Here's a 5 minute video from the Catholic Answers Live radio show, with Jimmy Akin answering the question.

What exactly does St. Paul mean by the phrase "works of the law" mentioned in Rom 3:28 and Galatians?  Here's an old YouTube clip with Scott Hahn explaining the phrase in just less than 5 minutes.

On St. Paul's Writing Style in the Epistles

I found this to be very helpful in understanding St. Paul's sometimes complicated writing style.  This is from The Navarre Bible commentary on Romans & Galatians (pg. 54-55).


"...[the epistles of Paul] have all the features of real correspondence; one realizes immediately that these are not letters written with a literary purpose, nor are they intellectual reflections cast in letter form (quite a common practice in all languages), nor elaborations of some earlier text.  They have all the immediacy of things said or dictated on the spot.  St. Paul links ideas by association, he goes back a number of times over things he has already spoken about and keeps repeating ideas which he sees as very important; he develops his arguments slowly, moving in concentric circles; sometimes he rises suddenly to dizzying heights, pursuing an insight; on other occasions he writes straight from the heart and the tone is warm and passionate; he sometimes uses irony, reproach and even cutting words if he feels that is what his readers need. 

Paul's style does not follow any fixed method; but there is a basic order to it.  In each letter there are one or more core themes, to which the Apostle keeps returning, and these lead him on to other ideas which seem to be incidental.  This explains why we sometimes find unfinished sentences: the writer's thought has gone off on a tangent and does not come back, but it is easy to see what he is saying: in fact, these unfinished sentences have a poetry and strength and vitality of their own.

Still, these epistles largely do keep to the general structure of a traditional letter.  Paul begins with a greeting, which is not a stereotyped form of words but a vibrant, supernatural recollection.  He gives a little news about himself and sends his best wishes--for peace, grace and divine assistance.  He then moves on to deal with the matter(s) he wants to expound.  He reminds his readers of their duty, in all situations, to be charitable, and, always using new imagery, he paints an attractive picture of what the Christian life involves--how magnificent it is, and how demanding it is also.  He ends the letter renewing his good wishes and greetings, and praising God."

Resources: First and Second Corinthians

Sections from the Catechism on Sunday's main topics

Access the Catechism online here

On the Church: #748-975
On the Cross & Resurrection: #595-658
On the Eucharist: #1322-1419

Overviews on the Epistles

Steve Ray on the background 1 Corinthians, the city of Corinth, and what Paul walked into and on 2 Corinthians (both links open up a Word document)

Catholic Encyclopedia (1908 edition) article, "Epistles to the Corinthians"

FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) has a free PDF Bible Study of 1 Corinthians

Catholic News Agency's Introduction to the Bible series, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians

Catholic Answers on both letters to the Corinthians

Audio/Podcasts

On an episode of "The Coming Home Network", former Lutheran pastor (now Catholic priest) Fr. Leonard Klein discusses 1 Corinthians and how it describes the sacramental life of the Church.

Al Kresta ("Kresta in the Afternoon" show on Catholic radio) hosts Scripture professor Dr. Mary Healy on "Where do I start with 1st Corinthians?" and Scripture professor Dr. Peter Williamson on "Where do I start with 2nd Corinthians?"

Bishop Barron gave a series of 3 homilies on St. Paul in 2004: "St. Paul the Apostle", "Being in Christ", and "Paul's Basic Message".  Also available as podcasts.

St. Paul Center's series of audio lessons, "Lessons from the Early Church" (requires creating a free account)

Apologetic Questions

Catholic Answers Q&A: Does 2 Cor 5:8 disprove Purgatory? 

Both letters to the Corinthians include some passages that Mormons misinterpret on the afterlife, 1 Cor 15:40-41 and 2 Cor 12:1-4.  Here is a two-part series from the Catholic Answers magazine archives on the issues with Mormonism, part 1 and part 2.


Commentaries and Sources

St. John Chrysostum's commentary on...
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians

Pope St. Clement I's Epistle to the Corinthians, written toward the latter part of the 1st century A.D.  According to some of the early Church Fathers, St. Clement was ordained by St. Peter himself and was the one mentioned in Phil 4:3... "Yes, and I ask thee, who shares the yoke so loyally, to take part with them; they have worked for the gospel at my side, as much as Clement and those other fellow laborers of mine, whose names are recorded in the book of life."  He was the fourth pope, and is mentioned in Eucharistic Prayer 2.

St. Thomas Aquinas' commentary on 1 Corinthians

Maps of St. Paul's Missionary Journeys

All images from Bible Mapper.


First missionary journey



Second missionary journey



Third missionary journey