BIBLE IN TEN

Acts 26:15

Sunday, 31 March 2024
 
“So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Acts 26:15
 
In the previous verse, Paul relayed that in his encounter with Jesus, the Lord had asked him why he was persecuting Him. He then said that it was hard to kick against goads. With that, Paul next says, “So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’”
 
Paul wasn’t grasping the situation. There was a light brighter than the sun gleaming all around him and those with him. From there the voice of someone speaking. This Person, who was obviously not overwhelmed by the light as Paul and the others had been, asked him a direct question, the answer to which should have been obvious.
 
But certainly because of cognitive dissonance, he could not get himself to accept the obvious. And so, he must have tried to think of every possible option other than it being Jesus whom he was persecuting. While his mind certainly raced with wonder about who it was that he had been persecuting, the response came with Jesus’ answer, “And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’”
 
The content of these words, when compared to Acts 22:8, reveals a few differences, but the major one between the two is that in 22:8, it said, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.” Here, the words, “... of Nazareth” are left off.
 
The probable reason is because the jurisdiction of Herod’s reign included Nazareth. That is known from Luke 23:7. Paul probably withheld this detail from the conversation to keep from offending Herod, especially before an entire council who could then snicker at the situation.
 
The incredible thing for Paul is that he had been on his way to continue his attack against Jesus’ followers, but now he was being addressed by the very Person he was working to eradicate from the minds of the people. Jesus was no longer a dead false preacher to him. Instead, He had suddenly become the risen Lord. The thought must have been terrifying.
 
Life application: When we gather as congregants of a church, we are doing so because there is a church, a body of people who belong to the Lord. Our gathering implies that we have a reason to do so, which is to remember, celebrate, worship, and learn about the One we are gathering together for.
 
Jesus isn’t just a thought or a concept that should keep us living rightly. Rather, He is the One who prevailed over death. He is the Lord God. Our time in church meetings shouldn’t be a time of simply learning how to live properly by getting away from wrong living. Our time should be a heartfelt appreciation for what God has done for us in the giving of Christ.
 
Remember this. Don’t let your thoughts about Jesus get misdirected from the fact that He is ever present with you. In Him you live and move and have your being because He is God. Let your life be a continuous stream of conscious understanding that He is with you. He is there in the trials and in the good times. He is as close to you in intimacy as you allow Him to be. Consider this and live in intimate fellowship with Him from moment to moment.
 
Lord God, may You be the Lord of our lives at all times. You are there when we gather as a church, but You are also there when we are alone on a walk. There is never a time You are not with us. Help us to remember this and to always have faith that You are with us. In this, may we live our lives accordingly and to Your glory. Amen.

Acts 26:14

Saturday, 30 March 2024
 
“And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ Acts 26:14
 
In the previous verse, Paul told the king about the light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that was shining around him and those with him. He continues next with, “And when we all had fallen to the ground.”
 
Again, Paul gives a bit more detail than in the past. He says that not only he fell to the ground, but those with him did as well. This was not stated by Luke in Acts 9, and Paul left it out of his words to those of Israel gathered before him in Acts 22.
 
Apparently, the light was so overwhelming that they were simply stunned by it to the point of bringing them to the ground. From there, he next says, “I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language.”
 
Paul specifically identifies the voice as being in Hebrew. This was unnecessary in Acts 9 and Acts 22. However, Paul is addressing a room filled with various people, all of whom would have spoken Greek, along with any other language they knew. Therefore, Paul continues with the words spoken to him, saying, “‘Saul, Saul.”
 
The spelling of the name of Saul in both Acts 9 and Acts 22 indicated a Hebrew, not a Greek, address. The Hebrew is SAOUL, the Greek is SAULOS. There was no need for him to tell the audience this in Acts 22 as they were Jews who listened to the account.
 
However, it may be that he specifically addresses the council with the words “in the Hebrew language” to let the non-Hebrews know that it was the Jewish Lord who spoke to him, thus definitively identifying to them that the Messiah is, in fact, Jewish.
 
Further, this is one of the many proofs that the NT was written not in Aramaic or Hebrew, but in Greek. If not, then this, and each other such instance, is a non-scriptural addition. In this case, it is the spelling of the name that indicates this to us. Of the words spoken by the voice to him, he next says, “why are you persecuting Me?”
 
Again, as in the past, the voice asks, “Why are you persecuting Me?” In fact, Paul had persecuted Christians. Therefore, an attack against the body is an attack against the head. Paul’s efforts were only hurting himself as the voice then tells him with the words, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
 
Rather, the Greek is less specific, saying, “Hard for you to kick against goads.” It is an exact repeat of Acts 9:5, and it is how a Hebrew would speak, normally using less definitive wording than a Greek to express the same thought. Of kicking against the goads, the scholars at Cambridge describe that action – 
 
“The figure is from an ox, being driven on in his work. When restive or lazy, the driver pricks him, and in ignorance of the consequences, he kicks back, and so gets another wound. The words would imply that God had been guiding Saul towards the true light for some time before, and that this zeal for persecution was a resistance of the divine urging. It is not unusual for men who are moved to break away from old traditions at such times, by outward acts, to manifest even more zeal than before for their old opinions, as if in fear lest they should be thought to be falling away. This may have been Saul’s case, his kicking against the goads.”
 
According to Vincent's Word Studies, this metaphor concerning the goads is not found in Hebrew writing, but it was common among Greek and Roman writings.
 
Life application: As noted above, the words of Paul in this verse, as recorded by Luke, clearly indicate that the New Testament was first penned in Greek. Paul conveyed his name in Hebrew in the past, but he does so in Greek now for the benefit of the hearer. From there Luke clearly expresses the Greek form, something unnecessary in the previous accounts of this event.
 
Instances like this are found throughout the New Testament as well –
 
“‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’” Matthew 1:23
 
“Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, ‘Talitha, cumi,’ which is translated, ‘Little girl, I say to you, arise.’” Mark 5:41
 
Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. John 5:2
 
And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Revelation 16:16
 
These are just a few examples. If the words were not originally penned in Greek, but rather in Hebrew (or Aramaic), such explanations would not be necessary. And more, their inclusion now would mean that the words are not inspired.
 
This is important because we can see the transfer of the redemptive message away from only Israel to the entire world. But this was initiated long before the writing of the gospels when the Greek translation of the Old Testament was made. That is what is most commonly cited in the New Testament.
 
God was preparing the world for the message of the Messiah to go out in the most common language of the day, Greek. From there, it would then be translated into other languages. Some alphabets, such as the Cyrillic, were actually developed for the purpose of bringing Scripture to the people of the world.
 
Because of the work of Christian ministries, the Cyrillic alphabet is now used from Mongolia and Russia even to Ukraine and Serbia, along with many other nations. To this day, new written alphabets are being developed by people groups that do not have a written alphabet. This is being done to share the good news about Jesus.
 
From the Hebrew and Aramaic of the Old Testament to the Greek of the New, the whole world is being given this wonderful treasure we call the Holy Bible in their own languages. Thanks be to God for those who are going forth to make this possible!
 
Lord God Almighty, we lift up the missionaries who are sharing the good news of Jesus around the world. Give them wisdom and fortitude to continue on. May Your hand guide them and bless them each step of the way. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Acts 26:13

Friday, 29 March 2024
 
“at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. Acts 26:13
 
A bit more precisely, the Greek reads, “Mid-day on the road, O king, I saw from heaven – beyond the brightness of the sun – a light having shone around me, and those journeying with me” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Paul noted that he was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. Now, he continues his words stating, “Mid-day on the road, O king.”
 
In Acts 22:6, Paul uses the term peri mesēmbrian, “about midday.” However, he now says hēmeras mesēs, or “day mid.” They mean essentially the same thing, but it shows that he was not peculiar about the specifics of time. It also shows that this is not simply a faked narrative where the author went back and copied what he had already said.
 
Instead, Luke is detailing Paul’s words which are focused less on the specific timing than on the event itself. He next says, “I saw from heaven.”
 
The light is from above. It wasn’t the sun itself, and it wasn’t something shining the reflection of the sun. Rather, its source is separate from and greater than that of the sun. Understanding this, he next says, “beyond the brightness of the sun.”
 
The words that what he saw was brighter than the sun are unique to this verse. The light was beyond anything in the heavens. The redeemed are said to shine magnificently in Daniel 12:3 and in Matthew 13:43. As this is so, how much more magnificently does the Lord shine in His exaltation.
 
As this glorious radiance exceeded even that of the sun in brilliancy, and because it was from heaven, Paul would have been completely overwhelmed in the splendor of the light, something he avows is the case, saying, “a light having shone around me, and those journeying with me.”
 
The light literally encompassed the men as they traveled. Imagine what their thoughts must have been at this time! Paul’s generality concerning the time of day is not where his detail is centered. Rather, he was giving those gathered an account that was focused on the magnificence of Christ.
 
Life application: It is not uncommon for people to take Paul’s words from the various times he tells about this divine visitation and look for a contradiction in what he is saying. They do this in order to diminish the power of Scripture in the eyes of those they are trying to deceive.
 
Some do it to dismiss Christianity altogether while some do it to call into question Paul’s apostleship. When looking at individual translations, it is possible to come up with apparent contradictions in Paul’s words. However, in the Greek, and in properly translated versions, those supposed contradictions are removed.
 
This is also the case with other parts of Scripture. For example, people will argue over Isaiah 7:14 which uses a word that does not necessarily mean “virgin” and then call into question the citation of that as “virgin” in the New Testament.
 
All of a sudden, it appears that Matthew has made an error. But Matthew is not citing the Hebrew text of Isaiah. Rather, he cites the Greek translation, the Septuagint, which predates the coming of Christ by hundreds of years and which was translated by Greek speaking Jews.
 
They knew that Jesus would be born of a virgin. That is why they chose a Greek word that means “virgin.” So, you can see how deceivers, knowing full well that these things are so, will still try to trip people up and ruin their faith.
 
This is why it is important to study such things. In closely evaluating Scripture, you will see that God is carefully instructing His people in the details of the greatest story ever told. Above all else, the Bible is focused on the Person and work of Jesus Christ.
 
Be confident in this. God has given us a sure and reliable word. Trust that it is so!
 
Lord God, help us in our times of doubt or weakness to be strong in our faith. May we be about the business of being grounded in Your word and in a right application of it in our daily lives. Yes, help us in this, O God. Amen.
 

Acts 26:12

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.

Acts 26:11

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.
 

Acts 26:10

Tuesday, 26 March 2024
 
“This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Acts 26:10
 
A bit more literally, the Greek reads, “Which also I did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I – I confined – in prisons, having received the authority from the chief priests, and they, being taken up, a vote I cast down against” (CG).
 
In the previous verse, Paul acknowledged that he thought he must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Now, to explain what he meant, he says, “Which also I did in Jerusalem.”
 
Paul first specifically notes Jerusalem, certainly with the intent that it be known that his working against the name of Jesus wasn’t just done in some far away corner. Rather, it was right in the center of the city of the Jews who now accused him.
 
In the same place where the apostles were gathered after the crucifixion of Jesus, and where they claimed He rose again and ascended to heaven, Paul actively worked out his misguided zeal against His followers. He acknowledges this, saying, “and many of the saints I – I confined – in prisons.”
 
The plural “prisons” is an indirect way of indicating that not only did he work against them in Jerusalem proper, but in various other places as well. And more, his words are emphatic, “I – I confined – in prisons.” He personally did this and therefore that would be known as well. And further, he explains that his authority was from the very seat of power that now stood against him, saying, “having received the authority from the chief priests.”
 
The very people who were now persecuting him for his faith in Jesus and his witness among the Gentiles were the same people who granted him the authority to arrest the followers of the One he now proclaimed as God’s Messiah.
 
After this, he says something that has caused confusion, and which has led many to assume that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. He says, “and they, being taken up, a vote I cast down against.”
 
Charles Ellicott says, “The words show that St. Paul, though a ‘young man’ (see Note on Acts 7:58), must have been a member either of the Sanhedrin itself or of some tribunal with delegated authority.”
 
However, this is not necessarily so. On the words, “I cast down against,” Vincent's Word Studies notes, “Lit., laid down my vote. ... Some suppose that Paul here refers to casting his vote as a member of the Sanhedrim; in which case he must have been married and the father of a family. But there is no reason for believing this (compare 1 Corinthians 7:7, 1 Corinthians 7:8); and the phrase may be taken as expressing merely moral assent and approval.”
 
Barnes concurs with this by saying, “Paul was not one of the council, nor, that we read of, in any office or place to judge any person; besides, the Jews are thought to have had no power of life and death; and that St. Stephen was slain rather in a popular tumult, than legally: but Paul may be said to do this, by carrying the suffrages or sentence to the Roman man president, or any others, to get it executed (for so the words will bear); and howsoever, by his approving, rejoicing at, and delighting in their condemnation, (which was indeed giving his voice, as much as he could, against them), this was verified.”
 
The word he uses, katapheró, is. used for the fourth and last time. All its uses have been in Acts (20:9 (x2), 25:7, and 26:10). It is a compound word coming from kata, meaning down, against, down from, by way of, etc., and pheró, to carry, bear, bring, conduct, etc. The exact intent of Paul’s words must be guessed at, but it is unlikely that it was the casting down of an actual vote, especially for death.
 
The Jews did not have the authority to put anyone to death. Therefore, at best, it would be a petition to ask Rome to execute them. But it is more likely that it was an assent that the people who were being judged should be found guilty and remain in prison or excluded from the assembly of the Jews.
 
The word translated as vote is first used here, pséphos. It simply means a pebble or stone. It will be seen twice again, in Revelation 2:17 where it is translated as “stone.” Paul may have actually cast down a stone or this may be a metaphor meaning giving assent, such as a nod or a “yes” vote on something. As this is the only time it is used this way in Scripture, there is not a lot to go on to be dogmatic concerning his intent.
 
Whatever the intent was, however, it was understandable to his audience, and it certainly was stated with the overall meaning of his being in opposition to the followers of the One he was now aligned with.
 
Life application: One can see the zeal that Paul had for persecuting the people of the Lord with his emphatic words “many of the saints I – I confined – in prisons.” Now that he was converted, he spent the same exceptionally directed energy in a new way wholly concentrated toward the cause of Christ.
 
So does this reflect your current state? What were you most excited about or geared toward before you came to Jesus? Have you taken even a portion of that energy and redirected it toward the cause of Christ? If not, why not consider that in the future? The Lord of all, Jesus, took on human flesh and came among those He created. He revealed the glory of the Lord to the world, and yet we, His creatures, crucified Him.
 
He allowed this to happen so that we could be made spotless and acceptable to God once again. If He had not done this for us, there would only be condemnation and destruction ahead for us. And yet, are our lives so unchanged even after this? How can that be? Let us consider what God has done and redirect our energies to glorifying Jesus. May our lives and actions be responsibly geared towards the cause of Christ all our days.
 
Yes Lord God! We praise You and thank You for what You have done for us. Help us to live out our lives in a manner that demonstrates true appreciation for what You have done in and through the giving of Jesus. We owe You our all in all. Help us to acknowledge this with lives that are dedicated to You for all of our days. Amen.
 

Acts 26:9

Monday, 25 March 2024
 
“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Acts 26:9
 
Paul had just asked those gathered to hear him why it should be thought incredible that God raises the dead. Now, he will speak of how he once was opposed to the message of Jesus being the Messiah. This will then lead to why he was converted in his thinking. Therefore, he begins this new line of thought with, “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.”
 
Paul’s words demonstrate empathy towards those who persecute him, be it the Jews in Jerusalem or his audience here. The word “indeed” shows us this. It is something that any person who once didn't believe can do as well, such as, “Indeed, I used to think Christians were nuts, but then I met Christ and realized that I was wrong.”
 
The “many things” that he refers to here are those recorded before his conversion in Acts. He also alludes to them in passages such as Galatians 1:13 and 1 Timothy 1:13. The statement by Paul, though, clearly shows that he now identified with the One he once worked against.
 
He will explain this further as he continues, but by saying that he once thought it necessary to work against the name of Jesus of Nazareth it means that he now no longer felt that way. Thus, he ties himself directly to the sect known as the Nazarenes, whose faith was in Jesus of Nazareth. This is the last time that Nazareth, or any form of the word tied to it, is found in the Bible.
 
Life application: Paul is giving a testimony of who he once was in order to help those listening to better understand who he now is. By following this approach, we can eliminate a lot of the baggage that people may carry with them.
 
People may have had a bad experience with Christians. Or they may have heard that Christians believe fairy tales, and so forth. By stating how you once perceived Christians or Christianity, you allow them to immediately start considering their own state in related matters. When they see that you are just an ordinary person like them and that you once felt just as they do, they will be more willing to stand and listen.
 
For example, if a person is an alcoholic and there is a reformed alcoholic with you, he will have a better opportunity to empathize with the alcoholic and then explain the freedom found in Jesus. So let him do the evangelizing.
 
If a person was brought up in a cult like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, someone who is well-schooled in what they believe can chime in and begin a reasonable dialog that others may not be able to carry out. Empathy and identification are a strong means of helping break down barriers. So, do your best to find out where the commonality between you and a person lies and then use that as you talk to them about Jesus.
 
Heavenly Father, may our lives be used to glorify You. Even the things that were a part of our old lives can be used for a positive end if we can fit them into conversations with others that will build up their confidence in who they can become in Christ. So, help us to wisely use our own past lives and experiences to help others move towards faith in You. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Acts 26:8

Sunday, 24 March 2024
 
“Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead? Acts 26:8
 
A more literal, even if a bit clunky, translation would be, “Why judge by you incredible if God raises the dead?”
 
Paul had just said to Agrippa the reason why he was being accused by the Jews, meaning his hope in the resurrection. With that, he next says to all at the hearing, “Why judge by you incredible if God raises the dead?”
 
Some versions make this a supposition rather than a statement of fact, such as, “that God should raise the dead.” But this isn’t correct. Paul is not asking it as if it were possible. He is stating it as an accomplished deed.
 
The “you” in this verse is plural. He is now not only speaking to Agrippa but to all of the people there. Agrippa was a Jew and his Scriptures testified to the fact that God could do it. Paul now says that He has done it. If Christ were not raised from the dead, then Paul would not be on trial for spreading the gospel. Instead, he would still be waiting for the Messiah to come.
 
Those gathered to hear Paul simply needed to believe the content of his words. When we witness to others about Christ, we may put such a question forward as a supposition, but before we are done, we will put it forth as a statement of fact. It would be pointless to tell somebody that it was merely possible to raise someone from the dead. Rather, our testimony is only complete when we avow that it has happened.
 
To substantiate his claim, he will next give his own personal testimony.
 
Life application: Life is filled with possibilities. When debating an issue, someone may raise a possibility. A debate about creation or evolution, for example, may raise the possibility of the gap theory of creation in order to then justify a long-term creation, even opening the possibility of evolution.
 
And yet, unless such a theory is based in reality, it doesn’t make it true. But people have been so conditioned to the supposed science of an old earth for the past several hundred years, that the default belief is in a world that is billions of years old. To believe otherwise is to ignore the supposed specialists who know what they are talking about.
 
However, the Bible makes certain claims that are wholly incompatible with this notion. So, there is a dilemma that seemingly needs to be resolved. Enter the gap theory. Billions of years of time are shoved into the narrative between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. From there, an entire narrative is developed to show how all those fossils showed up in our geologic record.
 
This is convenient and it then hopefully keeps theologians from looking stupid in the eyes of mainstream science. But the gap theory is unsupportable by the Bible. Moreover, it is a theory that is totally unnecessary if the evidence for a short-term creation is considered.
 
We don’t need man’s inserted narrative in Scripture to accommodate unproven science. What we should be doing is testing Scripture that is verifiable and then saying to ourselves, “I will trust God’s word and evaluate the difficult parts as they are written, comparing what we can know from what is stated in Scripture.”
 
In doing this, we are not immediately dismissing either the evidence or Scripture. We are seeing if the two are compatible. Therefore, if you struggle with a short-term creation, but want to trust what Scripture says, read what evidence is presented by short-term creationists. See if their discoveries suitably explain what is presented. If they do, then the problem rests with the generally accepted science of an old earth.
 
Be willing to check things out, but don’t accept man’s inserts into Scripture that are not at all supportable by either the written Hebrew or in a comparison with the rest of Scripture.
 
Lord God, help us to rationally consider what is presented in Your word. May we be willing to take the time and effort to review those things that are difficult for us to understand and to learn from those who have spent their lives in pursuit of the knowledge that will help us to figure out where the truth of a matter lies concerning whatever issue we are struggling with. Amen.

Acts 26:7

Saturday, 23 March 2024
 
“To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Acts 26:7
 
In the previous verse, Paul said, “And now, upon a hope, the [promise] unto the fathers – a promise having been made by God – I have stood, being judged.” He now continues with that thought, beginning with, “To this promise our twelve tribes”
 
The word promise is inserted. It is the hope Paul spoke of, which is the promise made by God and to which the twelve tribes of the Jews were directed. Before going on, it is of note that Paul’s words reflect one of several times in the New Testament which confirm, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there are NO LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL.
 
There are those of Israel who were lost, but of the tribes, there is no void. Paul, speaking many, many hundreds of years after the exile of Israel by Sennacherib, king of Assyria, notes the twelve tribes as existing and earnestly serving God. Members of almost all of the tribes are mentioned in Scripture after that exile, even in the New Testament. If there is one person left of a tribe, the tribe remains.
 
The word Paul uses that is translated as “twelve tribes” is found only once in Scripture, dódekaphulon. It comes from dódeka, twelve, and phulé, tribe. The other times the twelve tribes are mentioned, a variation using the word dódeka is used. Of these twelve tribes, Paul next says they were “earnestly serving God night and day.”
 
It is to the promise of the previous verse that these twelve tribes spent their time in this manner. The fact that this service was even conducted throughout the night is found in several places of Scripture, but Psalm 134 gives a clear enough witness to that fact –
 
“Behold, bless the Lord,All you servants of the Lord,Who by night stand in the house of the Lord!2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,And bless the Lord.3 The Lord who made heaven and earthBless you from Zion!” Psalm 134
 
The word translated as “earnestly” is en ektenei. It is only found here in the New Testament. It indicates “in intensity.” This intense “serving” refers to the religious aspects of the Jewish nation, meaning the special worship that is derived from their Scriptures.
 
They conducted the required sacrifices, they observed the holy days, they participated in the pilgrim feasts, etc. The conduct of their lives was centered on this service and the purpose of it was that they had a “hope to attain” the promise through it.
 
The word translated as “attain” indicates arriving at a goal, a final end. Therefore, the promise must be more than just the resurrection, but what accompanies the resurrection. A resurrection to live forever in a white box would be an eternity of boredom. A resurrection to live forever on this earth in the state we are in would be an eternity of frustration. But a resurrection that allows man to behold the fullness of His infinite Creator as He ceaselessly reveals Himself to His creatures would be a resurrection of eternal wonder.
 
That is what the faithful of Israel looked forward to with intensity, and that is the promise that the twelve tribes hoped to attain. And Paul includes himself and his trial in that hope. As he says, “For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.”
 
Paul has inextricably tied the charges against him by the Jews to the very thing that the twelve tribes hoped for. He has avowed that Christ is risen from the dead, and therefore, His hope in Christ cannot be sedition if it is true. Rather than sedition, it is submission to the fulfillment of the promise. Being accused by the Jews is then an implicit slap in the face of his accusers. They have failed to realize the very thing that the nation had hoped and striven for.
 
Life application: When asked what their religion is, people around the world will normally respond in whatever manner they were raised in. Some will say, “I am a Muslim.” Others, “I am a Buddhist.” Still others, “I am a Christian.”
 
However, when asked what that means, many of them will have no idea. They were born into a culture that is directed by a particular religion and so that is what they claim. They may know some of the basic rites of the religion, along with some of the cultural things that they do along with their religion, but they really have no idea what their claim of Islam, Buddhism, or Christianity actually teaches.
 
But there is a simple fact to remember which is that a person who has not received Christ is not a Christian. His claim is merely a cultural or family identification. A Christian is a follower of Christ. That comes from knowing who He is and what He has done, accepting the premise through belief, and being sealed with the Holy Spirit as a promise that God has saved him.
 
When you go out to evangelize, and you ask the question, “What do you believe about God?” if you are given the answer, “Oh, I’m a Christian,” you might want to ask more questions just to be sure. Many people raised as “Christians” have no idea what it means to be a Christian. Don’t assume. Instead, give the simple gospel and ask if they believe that. It can make an eternity of difference in that person’s life.
 
Lord God, may we never assume that just because someone claims to be a Christian he actually is. Help us to remember to be clear and precise about what You have done. People need Jesus, not a title that was bestowed upon them at birth. Help us to remember this as we speak to others. Amen.

Acts 26:6

Friday, 22 March 2024
 
“And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. Acts 26:6
 
A literal rendering of the Greek is, “And now, upon a hope, the [promise] unto the fathers – a promise having been made by God – I have stood, being judged” (CG).
 
Paul’s previous words to Agrippa were about his conduct before the Lord, having lived according to the strictest sect of Judaism, being a Pharisee. Having said that, he now says that the very hope of the Pharisee is the reason for his present state. He indicates this with the words, “And now, upon a hope.”
 
Paul says ep elpidi, “upon a hope.” It gives the sense of, “upon the basis of a hope.” There is no definite article before “hope” in the Greek. It is a noun, not a verb, which will be qualified as he continues. Hence, it is “a hope.” In other words, this was not the only hope the fathers possessed, but it was certainly the key hope. It was the hope called out in Acts 23:6 and which will again be explicitly stated in verse 26:8. It is the hope of the resurrection.
 
This is a hope that the Pharisees possessed. The Sadducees did not (Acts 23:8), and so it explains why he singled out his life as a Pharisee in his explanation of his past. With that stated, he next explains the hope he is referring to, saying, “the [promise] unto the fathers.”
 
The Greek anticipates the word promise. Literally, it says “the unto the fathers.” It defines what the hope he is referring to is. It is something given to the fathers. Some texts here include the word “our,” saying “our fathers.” As the hope was originally given to Adam in Genesis 3:15, it would ultimately include everyone in attendance. If Paul is only speaking to the Jews, then it would be referring to others only in a particular line.
 
The latter, although it is what Paul will more fully explain in the coming verse, seems unlikely for several reasons. First, the hope was – in fact – given to Adam. It was not specifically stated later to Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. As such, Paul’s words, “our fathers,” would have to then be referring to those who received the law. At that time, the specific promise was given –
 
“You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live by them: I am the Lord.” Leviticus 18:5
 
Secondly, the promise of the resurrection remained a hope for non-Hebrew people even at the time of Job –
 
“For I know that my Redeemer lives,And He shall stand at last on the earth;26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,That in my flesh I shall see God,27 Whom I shall see for myself,And my eyes shall behold, and not another.How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27
 
In Job 1 and 2, he and those with this hope were called “sons of God,” meaning that they were accepted by God because of their faith. A counterargument to this will be stated later. Despite the inclusion of the word “our” in some manuscripts, the thought is understandable enough. As for this hope Paul is referring to, which is based upon the promise, Paul next says it is “a promise having been made by God.”
 
God spoke of the coming Messiah in Genesis 3. It can be inferred that Adam understood that what he had lost (meaning life) would be restored to him from the naming of his wife Eve. The Hebrew name is Khavah, Life. Adam demonstrated faith in the restoration of life by naming her Eve. With that, God covered them with skins of animals, thus making a picture of what God would do in Christ. Adam accepted the promise as did others after him, even as late as Job there were people who accepted it.
 
However, the world eventually forgot the knowledge of the true God to the point where he again intervened in human affairs by calling Moses and giving Israel the law through him. The words of Leviticus 18:5 were a sure promise to the people, “Do this and you will live.” However, the history of Israel showed that nobody could do the things of the law.
 
Generations came and generations departed in death. Eventually, God spoke through Habakkuk to clarify the matter –
 
“Behold the proud,His soul is not upright in him;But the just shall live by his faith.” Habakkuk 2:4
 
God was telling Israel that they could not meet the demands of the law. This was, from the very start, evidenced in the fact that they were given the Day of Atonement. It was a day set aside for the forgiveness of sins. Everyone had to observe it, meaning that everyone needed that atonement. And it was a day based solely on faith that God was forgiving them.
 
Law observance without faith leads to pride. However, faith alone is what brought forgiveness of sin. Paul understood this. And so, the hope was actually more than simply the resurrection. Rather, the hope of the resurrection is ultimately based on the messianic promise of a coming Redeemer. Most people believe they are going to heaven. However, without the coming of the Messiah, that could not happen. Only in the coming of Jesus is the hope truly realized.
 
Paul knew this and he placed himself completely at the mercy of God in Christ. It is for this promise that he next says, “I have stood, being judged.”
 
The verb is a perfect participle. He stood being judged, and he continued to stand being judged. He would not waver in his convictions, even after two years in chains. Nor would he ever waiver in them. His hope of the resurrection was based on his faith that Jesus is the resurrection, as He Himself stated. Responding to Martha’s words at the grave of Lazarus, He said –
 
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” John 11:25
 
Paul stood as an accused man for speaking of this hope. He was being judged for his stand. He would not waiver in his stand, even if it meant death. Where do you stand?
 
Life application: Earlier, it was noted that a counterargument to who “the fathers” is referring to would be given. Job was cited to show that the resurrection was his hope. However, Paul says this in Ephesians 2 –
 
“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:11-13
 
Paul says that the Gentiles were without hope. And this is true. With the introduction of the law, the hope of God in Christ was narrowed down to this group of people. Those outside of it were excluded from the promise.
 
This was not God being arbitrary and unfair. Rather, the world had sufficiently turned from Him that without His intervention once again into the stream of human existence, there would have been no knowledge of Him left at all. This is evident based on His words to Abraham about the turning of the Amorites in Genesis 15:16.
 
They were a people group like any other. Eventually, like all peoples, they turned from God so far that they needed to be eliminated. All other countries have followed this pattern. Israel was given grace when they were given the law. That may sound contradictory, but without that happening, they, too, would have faced God’s hand of wrath.
 
As noted above, the law provides mercy through the Day of Atonement. Thus, even if it is law, it came by God’s grace. The intent of the time of the law was to lead Israel (and, indeed, the whole world) to the understanding of the need for Jesus. Paul explains that in detail in Galatians.
 
In the next verse, Paul will note that the twelve tribes of the Jews earnestly served God because of this promise. However, that does not mean that it was only given to them. Rather, it is probable that they had simply become the focus of it as it led to the coming Messiah.
 
Therefore, whether Paul was ultimately referring to Adam and those like him, or only the fathers who received the law, the same truth exists: The just shall live by faith. Adam did, Enoch did, Job did, and Abraham did as well. Such was the case with David and Samson. And such was the case with Paul. The Jews who accused him are excluded from the promise because they failed to seek out God through His provision of Jesus.
 
Don’t be like them! It is time for you to decide where you will hang your hat. Will you cling to the law and try to make God happy through your own effort, or will you trust in Jesus, who has done it all, so that you can stand justified before God based on faith in Him? Choose wisely.
 
Lord God, how grateful we are to You for our Lord and Savior, Jesus. We put all our hope, trust, and faith in Him! Hallelujah and Amen.
 

Acts 26:5

Thursday, 21 March 2024
 
“They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. Acts 26:5
 
The words are more literally rendered, “Knowing me firstly, if they willed to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I live a Pharisee” (CG).
 
Paul just referred to his life in Jerusalem, even from his youth, stating that the Jews were aware of it. Now, to explain what he was like, he tells the king, “Knowing me firstly.” The word translated as “firstly” is an adverb signifying “from above.” It refers to a point before, as in the beginning or of old.
 
We often tend to think of time or events as horizontally occurring, but this view looks at them vertically. Hence, if heaven is above, things started there and came down to where we are now. We still use this terminology at times when we say something like, “We need to accomplish this task, starting from the top town.”
 
As for Paul’s words, this statement is one that must be true. This is because it could be easily verified by Agrippa. To lie about something like this would only harm his case, which, to this point, had nothing standing against it. It would be foolish in the extreme to make such a claim if it were untrue. Paul is indicating that the Jews were fully aware of his conduct, even from the first “if they willed to testify.”
 
In these words, there is a strong note in his favor. It is obvious they would not be willing to do so because they knew that their testimony would only bolster his case. But the truth of the matter, according to Paul, is “that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I live a Pharisee.”
 
The word translated as “strictest” is akribestatos. It is the superlative and most accurate of all. It is only found here in the New Testament, and it is closely associated with the noun akribeia which is found in Acts 22:3 where Paul said, “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.”
 
Another word that is introduced into the New Testament is found here as well, thréskeia, or religion. It refers to the reverence or worship of gods. Thus, it speaks of ritual acts, worship, religion, etc. Paul’s religion was Judaism, but he practiced it as a Pharisee.
 
Albert Barnes notes two pertinent points about this verse:
 
(1) As he had lived during the early period of his life without crime; as his principles had been settled by the instruction of the most able of their teachers, it was to be presumed that his subsequent life had been of a similar character.
(2) as he, at that period of his life, evinced the utmost zeal for the laws and customs of his country, it was to be presumed that he would not be found opposing or reviling them at any subsequent period. From the strictness and conscientiousness of his past life, he supposed that Agrippa might argue favorably respecting his subsequent conduct. A virtuous and religious course in early life is usually a sure pledge of virtue and integrity in subsequent years. 
 
Life application: Paul made claims about his past conduct and religion in a court trial. If we mentally try to remember that our time after being saved is a period of time that will be judged, because it will be, then we can remind ourselves of the importance of being honest.
 
It is not uncommon to read or hear about accounts of pastors who have lied about their past achievements, such as being a fighter jet pilot or a Navy SEAL. These are things that can be verified. If they are not true, it is sure to make the news, simply because that is the kind of thing the news loves to focus on.
 
There are all kinds of other things we may claim that never really happened. Each one of these must be burned away at the judgment seat of Christ. As this is so, why would we want to continue to promote such falsehoods, engage in unholy activities, unjustly treat others, and so forth? This is why it is good to keep reminding ourselves of our position in Christ and what that means.
 
We all fail in various ways, but we don’t need to habitually do so. Keep your eyes on Jesus and remember His cross. Be willing to walk in a manner that will honor Him and testify faithfully to what He has done.
 
O God, may our lives and actions be wholly dedicated to You throughout our days. Give us the wisdom to think about what lies ahead when we must stand before You. Help us to be circumspect in our living and focused on what is right and appropriate. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Acts 26:4

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
 
“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. Acts 26:4
 
More literally, it says, “Therefore, indeed, the manner of my life from youth, having been from the beginning in my nation, in Jerusalem, all the Jews know” (CG).
 
Paul had just asked for Agrippa to patiently hear him as he gave his defense, knowing that Agrippa was an expert in all customs and questions concerning the Jews. With that having been stated, he next says, “Therefore, indeed, the manner of my life from youth.”
 
The word translated as “manner of life” is biósis. It is a noun derived from the verb bioó, to live. It is only found here in the New Testament. We use the term “bio” in the same way today: life; biological, biography, etc. In using this word, he then further defines his manner of life with the words “having been from the beginning.”
 
There are articles in the Greek of this verse that are not normally translated into English. Each word he has spoken so far has been intended to give a more precise statement concerning his upbringing. For example, someone might say, “I was a surfer, a surfer from my youth, even for as long as I can remember.”
 
This is Paul’s way of establishing the surety of the life he lived in the eyes of Agrippa. Therefore, any changes to this will be all the more remarkable. In other words, when he gets to the explanation of his conversion, it will indicate a sudden, abrupt change in a person who was very focused in one direction his whole life.
 
Most people would tend to follow the same precise pattern unless there was a marked occurrence that subsequently changed their lives. To further bolster this deeply ingrained image of who he was, he then continues with “in my nation, in Jerusalem.”
 
He continues making a poignant statement concerning his state, now adding the special location which would only refine that state into who he eventually would become. Once again, it would be like saying, “I was a surfer, a surfer from my youth, even for as long as I can remember. It was in Hawaii, on the North Shore, at Waimea Bay.”
 
Paul will speak of his life in this early capacity elsewhere, such as in Galatians 1:14 and Philippians 3:5-6. His words to Agrippa are carefully stated to ensure the king is aware of exactly who Paul was as he grew. Thus, the change in him will be all the more remarkable when it is presented. Understanding that, he then finishes the thought with, “all the Jews know.”
 
It is a confirmatory statement that his words are truthful and can easily be verified. Saying, “all the Jews” doesn’t mean the entire nation of Jews. Instead, it is a phrase limited in its meaning and which refers to the leaders of the nation. Similar terminology is used in Mark 7:3; John 2:20, 3:25, 5:15; etc.; and in 1 Thessalonians 2:14.
 
Life application: Paul was set on a course of life that was unlikely to change. However, the Lord stepped in and revealed Himself to Paul. From that time on, the direction of his steps was completely different. He made a complete break from his old ways and set his eyes solely on Jesus.
 
Although we haven’t seen Jesus personally, as believers, we have met Him through His word. If we believe He has saved us, then why would we be any different than Paul in our attitude? Was the change in Paul any different than the change in us? He was lost, and then he was saved. We were lost, and then we were saved.
 
Do we really need a visual appearance of Jesus to spur us on to do great things? If so, why? What was lacking in our conversion? And if not, are we pursuing Jesus with all of who we are? If not, why are we not doing so?
 
None of us should say, “My conversion wasn’t that special and so my walk doesn’t need to be so great.” You are an individual, only you received your conversion, and only you can use your personal conversion and your new life for the glory of God. Therefore, use it! Bring God glory with every step you take. Have faith in all you do. And be grateful from moment to moment that you were saved by the precious blood of Jesus.
 
Lord God, may we be willing to work out our salvation with our eyes fixed and focused on Jesus. Help each one of us to do our utmost with the salvation You have granted us because of Your great love, grace, and tender mercy. May we strive to do great things in return for what You have done for each of us. Amen.