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Friday Apr 19, 2024
Friday Apr 19, 2024
Friday, 19 April 2024
So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.
The Greek closely reads, “And having boarded a ship of Adramyttium, intending to sail unto among the regions of Asia, we headed out. Aristarchus, a Macedonian, being with us” (CG).
Chapter 27 began with a note concerning the anticipated departure of Paul, prisoners, and a centurion named Julius to Rome on a ship. That now continues with, “And having boarded a ship of Adramyttium.”
The word translated as “boarded” is epibainó. It is now used for the sixth and last time. It comes from two words meaning “upon” and “step.” Thus, it means “to step upon.” However, for simplicity and clarity, “having boarded” gives the proper sense.
Saying it is a ship of Adramyttium could mean either a ship originally built there or a ship that found its home harbor there. It is probably the latter. The ship was sailing on trade and was now returning to its home port which happened to be on the way to Rome.
Adramyttium was a town on the coast of Mysia, opposite the island of Lesbos. It was on the Roman road which went from Assos and Troas to the cities of Pergamos, Ephesus, and Miletus. At the time, it was apparently a considerably important city.
With that noted, Luke continues the narrative, saying, “intending to sail unto among the regions of Asia, we headed out.” This is referring to the course of the ship as it set out, not the intent of Julius and those with him. Their intent was to get to Rome. However, the ship was a ship of business.
Rome would pay for the passage of Julius and the prisoners, but the ship would follow its own set course. If one were to hitchhike on the highway and a big rig stopped, the driver might say, Climb aboard! I’ll get you to Tupelo, but we’ll be making several out-of-the-way stops as we travel. This is the idea of Luke’s words now.
Verse 6 will note the change in ships for the continued journey to Rome. Transferring from one ship to another was common and it was seen in Paul’s earlier travels. This is no different than taking several buses, trains, or planes today in order to get to a final destination. Understanding this, it next says, “Aristarchus, a Macedonian, being with us.”
Aristarchus is now mentioned again. He had come to Jerusalem with Paul as was seen in Acts 20:4. It can be inferred that he had stayed with Paul, just like Luke did, for the entire time that he was in Caesarea. He is probably going to head back to his home in Thessalonica now, but it is also possible that he wanted to continue on with Paul in all of his travels.
Either way, he will end up in Rome because of what lies ahead. Concerning this guy, there is speculation about his status with Paul at other times. In Colossians 4:10, he is called Paul’s “fellow prisoner.” That seems obvious on the surface, but in Romans 16:7, Paul calls Andronicus and Junia “my countrymen and my fellow prisoners.”
However, Paul wasn’t in prison when he wrote Romans. Further, in Philemon 1:23, 24, he calls Epaphras his “fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus,” but he doesn't say this about Aristarchus who is also named.
For this reason, there is speculation as to what Paul is referring to, whether it is being a prisoner either at that time or at some other time and being noted as a badge of honor, or of some other implied meaning in the word “prisoner.”
No matter the intent, Luke is careful to mention Aristarchus as a part of those who traveled with himself, Paul, and any others despite him not being mentioned again in the book of Acts.
Life application: The idea that is being conveyed in the verse is that Rome is the ultimate destination of those heading out. However, they already know that the ship they are on will only go so far. As it goes, there may be stops along the way. Eventually, they will have to find another ship and continue on towards Rome, repeating this until they finally arrive.
For the Christian, we are on a journey. Our ultimate destination is decided, but we cannot get there directly at this time. However, each day that passes and each place we find ourselves brings us that much closer to our place of rest.
Let us suppose that each point along that trip has bearing on the quality of our time in our ultimate destination. If we fritter away our stops along the way, we will reduce the gain we might receive. If we live by faith and act according to that faith at each stop, we will increase the gain that comes to us when we finally arrive.
Is sightseeing really so important at each stop? Is marking out temporary pleasure what we want? Or is what we will receive at our ultimate destination our target with each passing day? Remembering that the good we receive is something that also pleases the Lord, let us use our time and location each moment of our days with our eyes directed to Jesus and our thoughts always considering Him. May it be so, to the glory of God who sent His Son into the world to bring us safely home to Himself.
Lord God, help us to evaluate the time and place we find ourselves from day to day from a heavenly perspective. May we be faithful to do what is right, honoring You, and worthy of reward with each step we take on each new day. Help us to look at this life from a heavenly perspective. May it be so, to Your glory. Amen.
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
Wednesday, 27 March 2024
“And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. Acts 26:11
The words are not well translated. A more literal translation is, “And in all the synagogues, often punishing them, I – compelling to blaspheme. And exceedingly, being maniacal against them, I – pursuing – also until to the out cities” (CG).
In the previous verse, Paul explained some of the things he did contrary to the name of Jesus, including shutting His followers up in prison, etc. He now says, “And in all the synagogues.”
These words show that his trip to Damascus in Acts 9 was not unique. Outside of Jerusalem, he also went to other areas. Saying, “in all the synagogues” indicates that he probably went throughout Judea, Samaria, and the area of Galilee.
Wherever someone was reported as proclaiming Christ, he would head out on a mission to stop them. Upon seizing them, it next says, “often punishing them, I – compelling to blaspheme.”
The word translated as punishing, timóreó, is used here for the second and last time. Its first use was in Acts 22:5 where Paul described the same events when he defended himself before the large crown in Jerusalem. HELPS Word Studies notes that the word signifies “to act as a guardian with the authority to mete out punishment.” Therefore, Paul felt he was exacting atonement against his perceived foes.
His words about compelling his adversaries to blaspheme are certainly intended not against “God” as he understood Him, but against the Messiah, Jesus, as he misunderstood Him. It could have included making people swear that they renounced the notion that He was the Messiah, denying being a follower of the Lord, agreeing that Jesus was only an imposter, etc.
What Paul now calls blaspheming was at the time of his actions a service offered to God. Thus, he could claim as he did to Timothy that he acted in unbelief (1 Timothy 1:13). As far as his success in compelling them, it cannot be determined if he ever was ever able to make them blaspheme. The verb is in the imperfect tense. Thus, it indicates a continued action or an incomplete action. Therefore, it cannot be said that he had any success at all from this verse. Rather, as Charles Ellicott paraphrases these words, “I went on trying to compel them.”
From there, he next says, “And exceedingly, being maniacal against them.”
Here, he uses a word found only this one time in Scripture, emmainomai, translated as “being maniacal.” HELPS Word Studies says, “‘behave as a maniac’ – properly, locked in the frenzy of rage (fury), ... Here Paul describes his pre-conversion behavior as deranged (acting completely irrational).”
This is a description then of his emotional state which he refers to elsewhere as zeal (Galatians 1:14, Phil 3:6, etc.). Paul was like a possessed or deranged man. He was obsessed with his duty of stamping out what he perceived as the cult of the Nazarene. His words of Romans 10:1-4 which speak of his people, Israel, marvelously reflect how he was –
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
He was zealous for God, even exceedingly so. But his zeal was completely misdirected. Therefore, he next says, “I – pursuing – also until to the out cities.”
This shows that he now understood his actions to not have been proper. The word translated as “pursuing” is a negative one. His words show that as he had actually persecuted others, what was happening to him by the Jewish leaders must therefore also be considered persecution. Their actions toward him were misguided.
Life application: Paul was so single-minded in his determination to tell others about Jesus that he even went to the out cities to find and persecute His followers. When he had his conversion, he did the exact opposite, but in the same way. He went to the out cities and passionately spoke of the goodness of God in Christ.
He relentlessly redirected his energies to sharing the good news wherever he went. What is it that we do when we travel outside of our own town? Vacation time should not be a time for ignoring conversations about Jesus. Instead, we should be just as passionate about telling the people we meet about Him as we are when we are in our own towns.
Let us not erect barriers to where we will share the gospel and where we will take a break from doing so. Rather, may our zeal well up in us at all times. One reason Paul was chosen was because Jesus knew he would be passionate at all times about his duties as an apostle.
In all honesty, He asks nothing less of us today. But He allows us to make our own minds up about how important our duties are to us. Let us stand worthy of our calling and be about the business of sharing this life-changing good news!
Lord God Almighty, our actions reflect who we are and where our priorities lie. May we consider this and act responsibly with the days You have entrusted to us. May we be found pleasing in Your eyes on the day we stand before You. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.
Monday Apr 08, 2024
Monday Apr 08, 2024
Monday, 8 April 2024
“that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” Acts 26:23
The words of Paul are very difficult to express literally. They read, “that passable, the Christ. That first from dead – resurrection – He is come to preach light to both our people and the Gentiles” (CG).
Paul had just noted that what he said was nothing other than those things that the prophets and Moses said would come. With that, he next says, “that passable, the Christ.”
The word to describe Christ is an adjective found only here in Scripture, pathétos. It signifies one destined to suffer. In other words, he was passible. Thayer’s says he was endued with the capacity of suffering, capable of feeling.
Paul clearly asserted in the previous verse that each of the points of doctrine that he was to convey to his hearers was to be found in the very Scriptures that Agrippa himself would be aware of.
That the Christ would suffer is found in numerous passages in the psalms, Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah, etc. These things are often specifically stated. In type and in picture, they can be found throughout the writings of Moses and all the way throughout the rest of the Old Testament.
That the Christ was liable to suffer was something that was ignored by the Jews. They had only focused on His acts of conquest, triumph, and power. They looked at the Messiah as one that would fulfill all of the promises concerning restoration of the land to them, leading the nations, and so forth.
What they missed is that these very things are actually found through His suffering. First and foremost, His power is, in fact, shown forth in His weakness. This portion of His coming was to handle the sin problem in man. Only after that is taken care of can man be restored to God.
Having a nation of people whose sins are not atoned for to lead the nations would make no sense. But the Jews misunderstood this and thought that it was Moses and the sacrificial system that dealt with these things, being sufficient to make them acceptable to God. But those things only anticipated Christ’s more perfect work.
After His suffering, Paul next focuses on the resurrection. In both type and in explicit references, the Messiah is shown to not only suffer, but to rise. As he says, “That first from dead – resurrection.”
Paul’s words are succinct and precise. If the Messiah was to suffer and die an atoning death for the people, and yet He was also to rule forever as the Leader of the people, then either there is an absolute and irreconcilable disconnect between the two thoughts, or the Messiah would first die and then be raised to rule. This is seen in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Greek translation of Isaiah 53:11 – From the labor of His soul He shall see light.
The Masoretic Text, the Vulgate, and the Targums omit this section of the passage, but it is surely original. In type, the resurrection is seen in the lives of Isaac, Joseph, Benjamin, etc.
It should be noted that Christ was not the first to come back to life. Both Elijah and Elisha raised children. The widow’s son was raised by Jesus and then later Lazarus was as well. However, Jesus was the first who was resurrected to eternal life. The others were merely raised to restored life. According to Leviticus 18:5, His sinless perfection demanded that He must rise.
Paul next notes that it was out of Christ’s resurrection that “He is come to preach light to both our people and the Gentiles.”
The words are rather difficult to express in English and translations vary widely. However, the verbs, being present tense, are well expressed with the words “He is come to preach.”
It is the resurrection which brings light to those who sit in the shadow of death. All mankind knows that death awaits. It is a dark and futile life. It is an existence with no hope. However, with the coming of Christ, a new Light has dawned. Eternal life is promised to those who trust in Him, both Jew and Gentile.
As for the words “our people,” it simply says “people,” but the word “our” is implied in the word used, especially because Paul is speaking directly to Agrippa.
Life application: The timeline of Daniel 9 says that a certain number of years would pass and then, with seven years left in the given timeline, the Messiah would be cut off. The meaning is that He would die.
If the Messiah died, and there are seven more years to go before the restoration promised by God for Israel under the Messiah would take place, then it means, by default, that the Messiah must resurrect. There is no way around this. The Messiah cannot reign if He were to remain dead!
Therefore, there must be a reason why He would die. That reason is the key theological point to be found in Scripture. Sin. Sin must be dealt with first and foremost before restoration with God can come about. The law was introduced to demonstrate this. Only in the fulfillment of the law can man stand in a right relationship with God.
Without that, only darkness exists. But in the fulfillment of the law, the light is made manifest. As all people already bear Adam’s sin, then no person could fulfill the law and be right with God because Adam’s sin predates the law. Therefore, Christ came in sinless perfection. He then fulfilled the law. He now offers His sinless perfection to any who will simply believe. This is the Light which has come into the world. Believe that God has done it! Jesus has prevailed!
Lord God, thank You for the giving of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. How grateful we are to You for the promise and surety of total restoration and eternal life because of what You have done through Him. Praises to You, O God! Amen.
Saturday Mar 16, 2024
Saturday Mar 16, 2024
Saturday, 16 March 2024
“For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.” Acts 25:27
In the previous verse, Festus noted that he had nothing certain to write to Caesar concerning Paul. Hence, he was looking for something to write based on the examination. With that, he next says, “For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.”
Paul’s appeal to Rome placed Festus in a most embarrassing position. How could he send him to Rome without submitting a reason for sending him? Paul was tried by him, and yet he still found no way to specify any charges with which to justify elevating the matter to Caesar.
But Paul is the one who had appealed to Rome for his protection which was based on Festus’s suggestion to have him taken to Jerusalem for inquiry. As Jerusalem had no authority over him, and especially because they had failed to make any valid case against him, there was a vacuum left because of a person who had appealed to a higher authority while at the same time, there was nothing with which to justify such an appeal.
For this reason, Festus’s words that it was “unreasonable to send” Paul as a prisoner to Rome are perfectly stated. Not only was it unreasonable, but it was also quite possibly career-ending for him. And yet, Paul had to be sent based on the decision of the trial.
Life application: It would make no sense for Festus to send Paul to Rome as a prisoner without charges laid against him. He would arrive in chains with a guard next to him, they would ask, “What has this person done?” When the guard says, “I don’t know, they didn’t give me a reason,” it would cause a giant stir.
If you “send” the message of Jesus out to others, saying you are His bondservant, people may say, “Why are you telling me this? What authority over you does a dead guy have?” How are you going to explain Jesus’ authority to them?
It may seem like a silly proposition, but it is exactly why Peter says –
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15
Their response may be, “You claim to have a hope, you state that Jesus is your Lord, and you are His bondservant, and yet, you cannot explain why? What kind of hope is that!”
It is up to us to not only know these things are true but also how to explain to others that they are so. It can be hard at first. People ask unexpected questions that you may not be able to answer. You might feel silly when you cannot reply properly. But that is ok. The next time, you will be prepared for that answer. Another unusual question may arise, but don’t worry! Eventually, you will have an answer to every question that comes your way.
We all have to start somewhere, so don’t be afraid to start! Tell others about your hope. Unless they hear, they cannot also share in it.
Glorious Lord God, give us the inner desire to get the saving message of Jesus out to others. Help us not to be timid or reticent. Instead, may we be willing and ready. There are people who need to hear this word. May we be a part of sharing it. Yes, Lord, help us in this noble endeavor. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.
Monday Mar 04, 2024
Monday Mar 04, 2024
Monday, 4 March 2024
“about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him. Acts 25:15
In the previous verse, Festus laid Paul’s case before Agrippa the king, noting that Paul had been left by Felix. He continues the thought now, saying, “about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me.”
The words of the verse are rather clear. The entire body of the leaders of the Jews, both chief priests and elders, had a united voice against Paul. Even if they couldn’t agree on sound theology, such as their arguments concerning the resurrection of the dead, they could all agree that Paul was an enemy of their way of life. He was telling the Gentiles that they were on the same level with God as the Jews if they were in Christ.
Further, anyone not in Christ stood condemned before God. To them, this was intolerable, and it was worthy of being excommunicated from the temple and the nation. And more, in their eyes, it was worthy of death. Therefore, Festus next says, “when I was in Jerusalem.”
As Festus had just become governor, and as he had made one trip to Jerusalem, what was presented to him must have been of the highest importance to the Jews. It wasn’t like the topic was something that could wait until they had established a good working relationship.
Rather, right from the moment of his being introduced to them, they brought the issue of Paul up as an absolutely important diplomatic matter. And the issue was that they were “asking for a judgment against him.”
The Greek word is dike. It speaks of a judicial hearing, an execution of a sentence, punishment, justice, etc. It is only found elsewhere in Acts 28:4, 2 Thessalonians 1:9, and Jude 1:7. Some older texts actually have a stronger word in the Greek, katadikazo, a word implying “condemnation.”
Either way, the Jews were intent on getting their hands on Paul, and they did this through the pretext of a trial leading to judgment. However, their true intentions were to have him killed during the passage to or from Jerusalem.
Life application: The Jews wanted Paul dead. Extrabiblical writings reveal that Paul and most of the apostles were eventually martyred for their faith. The fact is, however, that we are all going to die. And that could happen at any moment.
We have no control over stopping that aspect of our existence. However, we can control what we do while we are alive. Each of us must work out our own salvation. This doesn’t mean working out getting saved or remaining saved. Rather, it means working out what we will do with the salvation we received based on faith in Jesus.
The older one gets, the more he realizes how short this life really is. A young person will look at old people and think, “Wow, they are really old.” An old person will look at a young person and think, “It was only moments ago when I was like that.” Because of this, we should consider our days and be willing to use them wisely, to the glory of God.
This is especially so because of what was already noted. We have no idea when our day of death will come. Therefore, let us be about the business of the Lord while we can. It should not be our attitude to say, “I will start living for the Lord tomorrow!” Rather, we should say, “I will live for the Lord today!”
Demonstrate the wisdom that the Bible proclaims and live out your days, starting right now, for the sake of the Lord. Each moment is a new moment to dedicate to Him. May it be so in our lives!
Lord God Almighty, help us to be wise and discerning about the lives we lead. May we forget what is past, put what we cannot change behind us, and go forward with a new and right attitude from moment to moment, honoring You and bringing glory to You all our days. Amen.
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Thursday, 8 February 2024
“Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, Acts 24:17
More literally, the Greek reads, “And through many years, I arrived to bring alms to my nation, and offerings” (CG).
Paul just said to Felix that he always strove to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. In support of both of those thoughts, he next says, “And through many years.”
Rather than saying, “And after many years,” he uses the word “through.” Paul expresses his thoughts as if he is on a journey through time, much of it being separated from Jerusalem and the religious life and offerings that are continuously conducted there.
As for the duration away, it had only been about four or five years at this time. His last visit was in Acts 18:22. His use of many is to be taken in light of the “many years” of verse 10. If he was asked what “many years” was, he could say “four,” and it would then be a note of approval towards the comment he made about Felix’s service.
Now, to fill those years apart from Israel, he says, “I arrived to bring alms to my nation.” His note concerning the “alms” is otherwise not mentioned in Acts, and yet it appears prominently in his epistles, such as Romans 15:25, 1 Corinthians 16:1-4, and 2 Corinthians 8:1-4. Along with the alms, he adds “and offerings.”
The “offerings” (or sacrifices) were those prescribed by the law when one would come for a feast day celebration and those associated with vows as well. As can be seen, he says the alms are for the nation, but the offerings being set apart in the sentence were for his personal relationship with the Lord. Also, as noted in the NKJV translation, they and other translations lump these together as “alms and offerings to my nation.” However, this is not the intent of Paul’s words.
As for the word “nation,” he uses the term ethnos. It most properly indicates “people joined by practicing similar customs or common culture” (HELPS Word Studies). He uses this word rather than identifying them with a more commonly used word for “people.” It is a hint of courtesy towards Felix by avoiding a term that could be interpreted as a note of superiority over the Gentiles.
Life application: Paul carefully divided his words, as noted above, to indicate two separate acts that have a different purpose. His alms were something he was doing for his nation and people. The offerings were those things that were intended to keep him on a personally sound footing within the religious sphere of life that connected him to the Lord.
Obviously, being in Christ meant that he had immediate access to God through Jesus the Mediator. But for the sake of propriety, he continued conducting his religious life while in the land of Israel as an observant Jew. There is no contradiction here. Today, there are messianic Jews in Israel who observe the Sabbath even though Christ Jesus is their true rest (Hebrews 4:3).
It is culturally appropriate that they conduct themselves in a manner that keeps them in the favor of their nation while also understanding that they are free from all such observances because of Christ. This is not a hypocritical approach to worshipping God. Rather, it is a respectful way of doing so.
If a Pentecostal were to attend a Presbyterian church, it would be wholly inappropriate for him to get up and start yelling in the false gibberish that he yells out when in his own church. If that is how Pentecostals want to conduct their relationship with the Lord, they need to do it in their own church.
Be sure to use tact when you attend services with other Christians or when you are visiting other countries. See what they do first and then conduct yourself accordingly. This is right and proper. We, as Christians, worship in spirit and in truth in our hearts and minds. What we do externally should be courteous and with proper decorum in the particular setting we find ourselves.
O God, there are innumerable ways to worship You while still staying within the boundaries of our faith in Christ. Some like organ music, while some like a band. Some worship on the beach, while others do so in ancient buildings. Wherever we are, may our conduct be appropriate to the setting in which we find ourselves. May our worship be to Your glory and for the mutual benefit of those around us. Amen.
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Thursday, 22 February 2024
But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. Acts 25:4
A more literal rendering would be, “Therefore, indeed, Festus answered, Paul is kept in Caesarea, and he himself is about in quickness to go out” (CG).
In the previous verse, the leaders’ plot to have Paul ambushed on a journey to Jerusalem was noted by Luke. This was based upon their asking Festus to have him brought up to Jerusalem. However, Luke next records, “Therefore, indeed, Festus answered.”
The final decision on such a matter was up to the Roman authority. As Festus was the new governor at Caesarea, what he decided would settle the matter. At this time, rather than accommodate the Jews, it says, “Paul is kept in Caesarea, and he himself is about in quickness to go out.”
The intent of Festus is debated. Luke uses a present tense verb, “is kept.” Some, such as the NKJV, interpret this in the sense that Paul “should be kept at Caesarea” because he was a Roman. It was a matter which Rome had to judge, and, therefore, Caesarea was the place where Paul belonged.
Others interpret this as simply being a matter of fact, thus, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon” (NIV). In this, it is believed that it was just more expedient for them to come to Caesarea and have them attend a trial there.
It seems unlikely that Felix would have ignored informing Festus about Paul’s situation and the attempt to kill him. Thus, the first option may be correct. This also seems more likely because the Jews have asked the favor of having him brought to Jerusalem.
Further, as Festus was in Jerusalem, it would have been rather irresponsible of him to not have talked to those in the Roman garrison. During their talk, the subject of Paul’s imprisonment would have been a matter of importance. Therefore, it seems that, at least for the time being, he was aware of possible trickery on their part. Verse 9 may dispute this, though, as Festus is said to want to do the Jews a favor.
Another option is that Festus, being the new governor, simply wanted to establish the precedent that he was in charge, and by not caving to the demands of the Jews at such an early date, he was demonstrating this authority. Therefore, he would only yield to their requests when it suited his purposes.
Life application: As noted above, the verb used by Luke is present tense, “is kept.” Despite this, there are variations in translation: is being held, was at, was being kept, should be kept, to be kept, is to be kept, etc.
Such changes, though possibly correct, do not accurately identify what the Greek actually says. The job of translators is to translate. Unless the preface to a Bible notes that they take liberties with their translations, identifying what type of liberties they take, it is not really appropriate to insert guesses, biases, presuppositions, and so forth.
These things will often not make a great deal of difference, but at times, a pastor or preacher will argue over a single word from the version he is using to establish a doctrine, only for it to be incorrectly translated in the first place.
Therefore, as a student of the Bible, the more time you spend checking things out, the better off you will be in what you believe. Be prepared to defend what Scripture says, but if you are going to do so, it is best for you to be properly prepared.
Today, with internet access available wherever you go, you can easily check what the preacher or teacher is saying right while you are listening to him. We live in a time of great blessing concerning the ability to access information. Let us not ignore it!
Lord God, how blessed we are. We can carry a little device with us that has more information available on it than entire libraries. We no longer need shelves full of books to access important information about Your word. Help us to wisely use the technology You have favored us with at this time in history. May we be responsible with what we have available! Amen.
Sunday Jan 28, 2024
Sunday Jan 28, 2024
Sunday, 28 January 2024
“He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law. Acts 24:6
In the previous verse, Tertullus began to list the accusations against Paul, saying he was a plague, a creator of dissension of the Jews throughout the empire, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He continues now, saying, “He even tried to profane the temple.”
This accusation is modified from that of Acts 21:28, where he was actually accused of defiling the temple by bringing uncircumcised Greeks into it. Tertullus leaves this out because Felix himself would have been uncircumcised, and this would then have become a possible point of stumbling in his case if, by offending Felix, he would lose his favor. Continuing, he says, “and we seized him.”
He is speaking on behalf of his clients who represented the Jews as their leaders (we). However, he is not telling the whole story. Paul was seized, but it was in a violent way, not in an orderly fashion. Rather, the account said –
“And all the city was disturbed; and the people ran together, seized Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the doors were shut. 31 Now as they were seeking to kill him, news came to the commander of the garrison that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.” Acts 21:30, 31
Despite not giving the full and accurate details, Tertullus simply moves on, saying, “and wanted to judge him according to our law.”
This is only true as they intended to kill him. Though their law may have allowed this, Roman law didn’t. Therefore, he glosses over the situation and the conduct of the unruly mob in order to make it look like they had been wronged by not being allowed time for a trial to be held.
As for the word translated as “profane” in this verse, bebéloó, it is an interesting word. It comes from another word, bélos, meaning a step or a threshold. The idea is that Paul is accused of stepping beyond the bounds of that which was proper, as in overstepping the threshold of the sacred place.
Life application: There are people in the world who teach that Paul was actually a heretic, and that the Bible argues against his doctrine. They supposedly use Scripture to come to this conclusion. However, in order to teach this heretical doctrine, 2 Peter is dismissed as a false epistle. They must do this because Peter clearly teaches that Paul’s writings are inspired (2 Peter 3:15).
In order to make this claim, it is stated that the epistle was never considered canon and was falsely introduced later. There is nothing to actually substantiate this. Determining its canonicity came about in the same manner as the other books of the New Testament.
To hold to this doctrine, one must not consider the epistles of Paul as inspired. Further, the book of Acts is not to be held to as inspired. Rather, it is subjectively torn apart, and those who hold this view choose which parts are valid and which are not.
Why would anyone hold such an incredibly stupid view of Scripture? The reason is that Paul teaches grace apart from any works of the law. He teaches that the law is fulfilled and obsolete. These Judaizers cannot let go of their own personal importance before God. And so, they diminish grace and boast in their own supposed holiness.
They set themselves as the standard of God’s acceptance of humanity, and they determine what part of God’s word is acceptable or not. In other words, they hold to themselves as being the gods of acceptability.
But this is what the Bible presents of people from the very beginning of time. Adam wanted to be like God. Ever since then, man has chosen to determine what is right and good, as if he is the standard to which God must acquiesce. Unless we are willing to admit that we are fallen, cannot save ourselves, and that we are wholly at the mercy of an offended God, we will never see the need for a Savior who has done all the work necessary to reconcile us to God.
Be aware of the innumerable false teachings that exist in the world. Any teaching that says we must “do” in order to be saved or to keep being saved is to be rejected. Christ has done! What we need to do is to believe, accepting by faith that He has done it. Thank God for Jesus Christ our Lord who has prevailed for His people!
Lord God Almighty, today we come before You to praise You. All glory, majesty, and honor belong to You alone. We receive Your offering of Jesus by faith, and we praise You, now and forever, for what You have done. Hallelujah and Amen.
Saturday Apr 06, 2024
Saturday Apr 06, 2024
Saturday, 6 April 2024
“For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. Acts 26:21
A more literal translation is, “Because of these, the Jews, me – having seized – being in the temple, endeavored to kill” (CG).
To understand what Paul says in this verse, reviewing the previous two verses will help –
“Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.” Remembering that, Paul next says, “Because of these.”
Because of Paul’s obedience to the heavenly vision by declaring to the Jews and then to the Gentiles that they should repent (meaning reconsider), turn to God, and do works befitting their reconsideration, he says, “the Jews, me – having seized.”
The truth is that the other apostles were still in Jerusalem and were telling the Jews throughout Israel to do the same things. However, they were not under the same scrutiny or threat that Paul was. Rather, the main brunt of the Jews’ animosity towards him was his going to the Gentiles. That is perfectly evidenced in his speech in Acts 22 –
“Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’22 And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, ‘Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!’” Acts 22:21, 22
As with so many Jews to this day, there is a hatred of the notion that anyone but them is right with God. It is almost as if they feel God owes them salvation because of who they are. Paul understood that this was not at all the case. Everyone needs Jesus, and without Him, no person can be saved. As for the Jews having seized him, he continues, saying, “being in the temple.”
That was specifically noted in Acts 21. He was there to announce the expiration of his days of purification when he was to make an offering. While there, he was accused by the Jews who crying out –
“Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, the law, and this place; and furthermore he also brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.” Acts 21:28
It was at that time that Paul notes that it was him they “endeavored to kill.” That is specifically recorded in Acts 21:36 where they were crying out “Away with him.” The meaning is that they wanted the world to be rid of him. Only the intervention of the Roman guards saved Paul from being beaten to death or torn to pieces by the rabid crowd.
In these words, is a verb found nowhere else in Scripture, peiraomai, meaning to try, attempt, endeavor, etc. It is from the noun peira, an attempt, trial, experiment, etc. It was because of the attempt of the Jews to kill Paul, something they had no legal right to do, that the Roman soldiers acted.
There are two distinct supposed sins that Paul was guilty of in the minds of the Jews. It is these that led to their desire to kill him. One was that he preached to the Gentiles. How dare he attempt to elevate them to the same level as the sacred people Israel!
The second and more direct issue was that he preached Jesus. They could not come to allow themselves to believe that a Nazarene who wasn’t a great and mighty defender of their cause was the Messiah. They had rejected Him, and they wanted nothing more to do with him.
As noted, however, the other apostles were still in Jerusalem and were living out their lives. Paul visited them while in Jerusalem. However, they were tolerated, though probably mocked by those who rejected Jesus. They may have taken abuse in other ways, but nothing is written concerning the utter opposition to their message that is said have come against Paul.
As for the Greek verb translated as “kill” in this verse, it is diacheirizomai. It is only used two times in the New Testament. The other time is in Acts 5:30 when describing the killing of Jesus. It is not without coincidence that these are the only two uses of this word. They killed Him and they wanted to kill His messenger.
Life application: The message of Jesus is one that offends. It has offended the Jews for two thousand years. It has offended kings, governors, presidents, and other world leaders. It has offended religious leaders from innumerable other religions. It offends those who are morally offensive in their being. And so forth. They killed Jesus, they tried to kill Paul, they have killed faithful believers all along, and now, once Christian nations are becoming increasingly hostile to the message of Jesus.
Because of this, it is not unlikely that if a bad actor gets enough power, he and those under his authority will try to kill their own citizens who hold fast to their faith in Christ Jesus. Think of it! The only possible way that man can be reconciled to God is not only rejected by many, but it is the reason for the killing of those who cling to Him.
Stand fast in your faith as so many have in the past. Don’t let the woes of this life weaken or shake the precious treasure of faith that you possess. Jesus will be there waiting for you if you are called to make the ultimate sacrifice for your faith.
Lord God, what an increasingly trying and difficult world we live in for believers. Help us to remain faithful to our faith in You. May we be willing to take whatever trials come our way with grace and acceptance. May we not waffle in or walk away from our faith. Help us in this, O God. Amen.
Saturday Apr 20, 2024
Saturday Apr 20, 2024
Saturday, 20 April 2024
And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care. Acts 27:3
A literal rendering of the Greek is, “And another day, we brought down at Sidon. And Julius, having treated Paul philanthropically, permitted him, having gone to his friends, to receive care” (CG).
Luke is in the process of describing the ongoing voyage from Caesarea to Rome. He continues that now with, “And another.”
The meaning is “another day.” Luke is highlighting what occurred on this particular day, which was like any other, except upon arrival, there will be friends of Paul at this location. Luke next says, “we brought down at Sidon.”
After this day of sailing, which was about 70 miles, it says they “brought down” at Sidon. The word is katagó. It comes from two other words, kata (down) and ago, (to lead or bring). It gives the idea of bringing the ship down from the deep water of the high seas to the land. It is used in Luke 5:11 concerning the Lake of Gennesaret.
The seas, even in the smaller body of water like the Sea of Galilee, are considered elevated above the shores where they meet the land. At this stop in Sidon, it says, “And Julius, having treated Paul philanthropically.”
The word is found only here in the New Testament, philanthrópós. It literally means in a man-loving way, thus humanely. Vincent’s Word Studies notes the fault in the KJV translation, which says "courteously" rather than kindly – “Courteous, from court, expresses rather polish of manners than real kindness.”
In other words, this wasn't an act of polished manners on Julius’ part. Instead, it was a true act of humanity. Luke notes it as such with this special word. The regard by Luke for Julius is evident in the term used. The philanthropic way in which he dealt with Paul is next stated. He “permitted him, having gone to his friends, to receive care.”
Julius was under no obligation to allow his charge to be allowed this. In fact, if Paul took off, he would be in serious trouble. It is obvious that this was not the result of an exchange of money or some other such thing. The use of the word philanthrópós excludes such a notion. Rather, Paul probably said, “I have really good friends here.” Julius responded by allowing him to visit them.
Finally, one other unique word is used in these words. It is translated as “care.” It is the noun epimeleia. The Pulpit Commentary notes that it is a word “frequent in Xenophon and other classical writers ... It is in very common use among medical writers for the care and attention required by the sick. It is very probable that St. Paul was suffering from his long confinement at Caesarea, and that the [epimeleia] here mentioned has reference to his invalid state. This explains Julius’ humane concern for Paul.”
Life application: Luke is recording details of the interactions between Paul and Julius as they arise. As he continues, he will simply be called “the centurion.” However, Luke has specifically given his name to set the tone for the narrative. He is one who faithfully considered his duties, and yet, he will be seen to truly care for his charge, Paul.
If someone were to detail your interactions with others, how would the record reflect who you are? Are you faithful in doing your daily duties, honestly giving your employer a fair trade for the pay he gives you? If you are responsible for others, would the record show that you had concern for them or were you a jerk towards them?
Even if nobody is detailing your life for a book, the Lord is aware of your treatment of others. This is noted even under the law –
“You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates. 15 Each day you shall give him his wages, and not let the sun go down on it, for he is poor and has set his heart on it; lest he cry out against you to the Lord, and it be sin to you.” Deuteronomy 24:14, 15
What we can infer from this is that the Lord is not only displeased with an uncaring or mean demeanor, but the opposite must be pleasing to Him. Each thing we do, each interaction we are involved in, reveals to the Lord our heart and intentions. Be careful to watch your life and conduct. The Lord surely is doing so.
Lord God, help us in our times of interaction with others. May we be careful to treat them courteously and with respect. It is often the case that we let the trials and troubles of life get in the way of how we deal with others. So, Lord, be with us and keep us from being gruff, unfriendly, uncaring, and so forth. Help us to be good and faithful to those we interact with. Amen.
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Thursday Mar 28, 2024
Thursday, 28 March 2024
“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, Acts 26:12
The Greek more properly reads, “In which also, traveling to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests” (CG).
The words of this verse give additional information to what Paul just said. He noted that he was pursuing believers in Christ, even to the out-cities. He now says, “In which also.”
In other words, he is explaining one time in which he was engaged in going to a city outside of Israel proper. In this case, he was “traveling to Damascus.”
Damascus is north and east of Canaan. By highway from Jerusalem today, it is 197-miles that takes approximately 4 ¾ hours to drive. The account he will speak of is recorded in Acts 9. In this excursion, he went “with authority and commission from the chief priests.”
The word translated as “commission,” epitropé, is found only here in the New Testament. It indicates designated authority, meaning full power to make a decision. What he decided was to be considered final.
Again, though he is giving a narrative of the past, he is also showing quite clearly that the actions of the chief priests were (and thus continue to be) wrong. He had their permission to do what he was doing, even if it was not legally appropriate according to Roman law.
Life application: Legal does not make right. Paul may have been given the legal right by his chief priests to take a certain action, but it does not mean that what he was doing was right by another standard that also existed.
Likewise, just because something is legal, like abortion, it does not mean that it is morally justifiable. But this is the claim of those who support the procedure. However, if you ask the same person if it is ok to have slaves, he will cry out, “Of course not!”
But having slaves was legal in the past. Therefore, according to their standard, having slaves was fully justifiable. From a biblical standpoint, slavery is far more tolerable than abortion, and yet one can see how those who are opposed to biblical morality will turn the world upside down to overthrow God’s better way of conducting the affairs of life.
Be sure to contemplate the moral arguments set before you from a biblical perspective. When you do, you will see that some things you thought were acceptable because some governmental authority said so are actually not acceptable by the greater standard set forth by God.
Lord God, we need to evaluate the world from Your perspective, and then we need to make our moral judgments based on Your perfect standards. But if we don’t know Your word, how can we do this? Help us to want to know Your word more and more. Give us a hunger for it, pursuing its perfect design for our lives all of our days. Amen.
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024
Tuesday Feb 20, 2024
Tuesday, 20 February 2024
Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, Acts 25:2
Chapter 25 began with Festus coming to the province and then ascending to Jerusalem after three days. Now, while in Jerusalem, it says, “Then the high priest.”
Some manuscripts have the plural “priests,” while others have the singular “priest.” Either is possible because any previous high priest would still bear the title of high priest. By this time, the high priest was a person named Ismael, the son of Fabi (Josephus, Antiq., book 20, chapter 8, section 8). Along with him, it next notes, “and the chief men of the Jews.”
The word is prótos. It signifies the foremost, principle, etc. Further, it is this in time, place, order, or importance. In this case, it is referring to people. Being plural, it thus speaks of the principal men of the city. Of this gathered group, Luke next notes that they “informed him against Paul.”
After two full years of time, they were still stewing over Paul. They simply couldn’t move on from his words. Unlike the other apostles who apparently lived and moved freely among the people, Paul actively went forth to the Gentiles, evangelizing them and telling them that there were no cultural distinctions in Christ.
In other words, Paul clearly and unambiguously reveals in his words that Gentiles are just as favored by God as Jews. There is no distinction, even if there are differences (e.g., Jew/Gentile, Russian/Japanese, Black/Caucasian, etc.).
Yes, there are differences in all people and in all people groups, but there is no distinction in Christ. The Jews could not accept this. Therefore, they sat in Jerusalem stewing like meat in a pot, angrily awaiting the day that they could be rid of such a heretic. Therefore, when Festus showed up, they plotted in their minds, “and they petitioned him.”
The word translated as “petitioned” is in the imperfect tense, and so it indicates that they not only petitioned him but continued to petition him. The entire time he was there, they kept bringing the issue of Paul up to them. It shows that they were truly possessed by the situation and simply couldn’t let it go.
One can imagine them going to bed each night, lying on their beds, and tossing and turning at the nerve of this man who said they were just like the Gentiles. But this is how it is in Christ. Thus, they rejected not only Paul’s message but also the One Paul proclaimed.
Life application: To this day, there is an almost idolatrous reverence by some in the church to Jewish teachers. They are fawned over, regardless of what they teach or preach. Many of these teachers reinsert law observance, such as telling their followers not to eat pork, to observe the Sabbath, and so forth.
And yet, because these people are Jewish, they are held in special esteem. This is a bad approach to one’s theology. It doesn’t matter if someone has a doctorate, if he speaks fluent Hebrew or Greek, or if he has expensive, flashy clothes. The only thing that should matter to people in the church is adherence to and right application of God’s word.
Anything less should not be tolerated. Be careful to not get caught up in fallacious thinking. Evaluate leaders based on the word. In doing this, you will avoid many pitfalls and many false teachers who are out there, trying to steal you away from a right relationship with Jesus.
Lord God Almighty, help us to be sound in our thoughts about those who minister to us. May our hearts be directed to You. If anyone fails to proclaim Your grace apart from law observance, help us to identify this error and get away from it. You alone have done all that is needed to restore us in the giving of Jesus. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.