After telling his disciples that they should love one another, Jesus began preparing them in John 15:18-16:11 to be hated by the world. Even so, he sent them out to be witnesses for him, but not on their own. He also promised to send the Holy Spirit to be the witness who would convince the world about the truth of the gospel.
One of the most difficult parables to interpret is in Luke 16:1-17, which relates the underhanded dealings of a dishonest manager who got fired...
Having defended himself from the devil’s temptations, Jesus went on the offensive as the one anointed to deliver people from sin and oppression.
In his opening thanksgiving and prayer, Paul focused on our three most important days.