BIBLE IN TEN

Acts 14:20

Tuesday, 21 February 2023
 
However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. Acts 14:20
 
Note: The NKJV does not accurately translate the verbs, so the sense of action is lost. It should read, “However, the disciples having surrounded him, having arisen he entered into the city. And on the morrow, he departed with Barnabas to Derbe” (CG). This will be used to evaluate the verse.
 
The previous verse told of the Jews from Antioch and Iconium coming to Lystra. They got the crowd to side against Paul and they stoned him and dragged him out of the city, supposing he was dead. Now, Luke continues with, “However.”
 
Despite having been stoned, something that would be considered a curse in Israel, the disciples decided to go out to Paul, maybe planning to have a funeral and bury him. Once there, it says, “the disciples having surrounded him.”
 
It is of note that Barnabas is not mentioned at this time. Because of the nature of the situation, he was probably secreted away in the house of one of the disciples.
 
As for their surrounding him, this seems to indicate just what was supposed. They probably went forth from the city to pray over his dead body and then give him a decent burial. It was a kind gesture demonstrating that they really were converted and cared about the one who had brought them the message of life found in Christ. And yet, despite their certain grief, Luke continues with, “having arisen he entered into the city.”
 
The lack of detail from Luke surely indicates that Paul was not dead. He may have been knocked out, but Luke seems to purposefully shy away from any supernatural explanation for Paul’s ability to stand. Nothing is said of the disciples praying over him, helping him stand, praising God for a miracle, or any other such thing Luke is normally so meticulous to include.
 
If anything, the miracle is in the fact that Paul hadn’t died, that he didn’t need help up, that he could walk into the city, etc. It was as if the rocks that came at him were entirely ineffective in bringing harm upon him. Nothing is said of broken teeth, lumpy bumps on his head, sore muscles, or the like.
 
It is such a rare thing for Luke to overlook details like this that it causes the mind to wonder what type of force field was set up to protect him. Whatever happened, Paul obviously was fine and was able to sleep soundly in the very city whose occupants had just stoned him hours before. With that noted, the narrative continues with, “And on the morrow, he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”
 
Because of the fickle nature of the people, the animosity stirred up by the Jews, and the resulting lack of evangelistic opportunities at that time, heading out of the city seemed to be the prudent thing to do. It will not be long, however, before they return to Lystra.
 
As for the name Derbe, its meaning is not known. This is the second of three times the city is mentioned. The last will be in Acts 16:1.
 
Life application: What occurred with Paul was obviously not unexpected. If it was, he and Barnabas would probably have said, “This is getting a bit too rough, let’s head back home.” Instead, they seem to accept that the opposition, even to the point of a stoning, was part of what was to be expected. And more, they saw it as being worth the cost.
 
To this day, missionaries suffer such calamities in their mission fields. It may be as a direct result of their teaching, or it may be that they are in an area so poor or wild that they are targets simply for the goods they have carried with them. And yet, they press on with their work, considering all such things as loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ their Lord. They are willing to suffer the loss of all things, counting them as rubbish, for the mere chance to bring others to Christ as well.
 
Such people are to be commended, treated well when they are on home visit, and prayed for as they continue their work sharing the most important news ever published.
 
Lord God, thank You for our missionaries who have gone forth to share the word of Christ with a world that is still living in darkness. Bless their efforts, and may their lives be used for Your glory. Through life or death, they are Yours, so be with them and give them resolve in their hearts and comfort in their minds. Amen.
 

Acts 14:19

Monday, 20 February 2023
 
Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. Acts 14:19
 
In the previous verse, it was seen that the apostles could scarcely restrain the crowds from sacrificing to them, even after appealing to them concerning who God is and who they were in relation to Him. With that noted, the truly fickle nature of the minds of the people is now revealed. Luke begins with, “Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there.”
 
The meaning of “Antioch” is “Antioch of Pisidia” where they had recently departed. It appears that these Jews had learned that the apostles had left their areas and gone on to Lystra. These people had made a trip there in an attempt to bring the apostle’s message into disrepute. To do this, they had made a journey of about 130 miles for this purpose.
 
It is rather astonishing to consider, but it is not uncommon. Great pains are commonly taken to destroy the truth of the gospel as is found in Scripture. With the arrival of these Jews noted, it next says, “and having persuaded the multitudes.”
 
Think of the effectiveness of the lie! Think of the fickleness of the people’s minds! In just the previous verse, the apostles were scarcely able to convince this same multitude that they were not gods, and they were not to be sacrificed to. Now, the false words of the Jews have convinced this same crowd of their own false message.
 
With that, Luke next records, “they stoned Paul.” Rather, it is an aorist participle, “having stoned Paul.” This action leads to the next. The people were brought to such a frenzy in their thinking by these Jews that they completely rejected the words of the apostles and decided to stone their supposed messenger god Hermes of verse 14:12.
 
It should be noted that not all of the people were involved in this. As was previously seen, Timothy was from this area. And more, Paul and Silas will return to this area in Acts 16 to visit “the brethren,” demonstrating that there were other converts there as well.
 
As for the events now, having stoned Paul, they “dragged him out of the city.” The event now became a point of “boasting” by Paul as is noted in 2 Corinthians 11 –
 
“Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep.” 2 Corinthians 11:22-25
 
Paul wasn’t boasting in this, but he was making a point about what he had suffered for the gospel, not being inferior to those who would attempt to destroy his gospel message. As for those in Lystra, they dragged Paul out of the city, “supposing him to be dead.”
 
Dragging him outside of the city was a way of saying, “This man does not deserve a burial, nor will we allow his corpse to rot in our gates, thus infecting and smelling up our city.” It was an expedient way of disposing of a malefactor. He would be left to rot and be eaten by the beasts dwelling outside the city walls.
 
As for Paul, there is no reason to assume that he died and was restored to life. The word “supposing” combined with the words of the next verse shows that they simply made an incorrect incorrupt assumption. If Paul had died, Luke would have carefully chronicled this as he does elsewhere. Rather, he was stoned, and the people assumed they had finished him off without carefully checking. Such an event is not uncommon and many people who were supposed dead have continued to live on.
 
Life application: The Jews of Antioch and Iconium traveled a long way to destroy the message of the apostles. This may seem unlikely or even improbable, but it is not so. Throughout the history of the church, there have been people who have gone across continents and even over the sea to destroy the gospel message.
 
This continues today. For every teacher of the true gospel, there are people who will follow in their footsteps bringing along a false message. Missionaries will go to the deepest jungles of the Philippines, risking their lives to tell about the freedom that is in Christ. Following closely on their heels are the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons. They see where a fellowship has been established, and they immediately jump in and supposedly “correct” the thinking of these people.
 
The importance of having the word, properly teaching the word, and having people continue reading and sharing the word cannot be understated. Satan is using real people with twisted messages to destroy whatever hope he can in humanity. The freedom of the grace found in Christ and His gospel will be quickly converted into bondage, works, and legalism unless those who share the message do their part to warn those they evangelize.
 
Be sure to tell people that you talk to that they need to get into the word. Offer to help them understand it. Be ready to give of yourself to protect the purity of the gospel.
 
Lord God, what a precious message You have given to us. The gospel is a door into eternal fellowship with You. And yet, there are those who would exchange this freedom and restoration with bondage and legalism. Some will even deny the glory of Jesus in order to bring people into a cult of lies. May we be willing to defend the truth of the word and of our Lord Jesus who is revealed in it. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.
 

Acts 14:18

Sunday, 19 February 2023
 
And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them. Acts 14:18
 
The apostles have made their appeal to the multitudes before them at Lystra. They have told them about the nature of God and how He has left a witness of Himself in the created order. Despite their appeals, it next says, “And with these sayings.”
 
Rather, the Greek reads, “And these things saying.” The word “saying” is a present participle verb, not a noun. They were speaking to the people, and even while they continued to appeal to them to be reasonable in their thinking, “they could scarcely restrain the multitudes.”
 
One can imagine the scene. Someone thought these were the gods having come down among them. And so, they prepare a sacrifice. Even while the apostles are appealing from reason for them to not do this, the crowds remain unreasonable, totally caught up in their vain imaginations. The thought can be summed up in the idea of being in a darkened state, without knowledge, and then acting on a false view of how things really are.
 
Because they were in this state, and because they were unwilling to believe the words of the apostles, they could scarcely be restrained “from sacrificing to them.”
 
The crowds had become so deluded in their own thinking that they were willing to ignore the words of the supposed “gods” that they were about to sacrifice to. Though that thinking is wholly illogical, it is as common among readers of the Bible as it could be.
 
Life application: The attitude of the people, as noted above, was based on either a lack of information, thus acting on a faulty understanding of what was occurring, or it stemmed from a sort of cognitive dissonance where the people simply went ahead with what they believed, even though they had been clearly shown that it was the wrong avenue to pursue.
 
To understand these two possibilities, one can use any faulty view of a particular matter. For simplicity’s sake, we can use King James Onlyism to explain what is wrong. King James Onlyism is the misplaced belief that the King James Version of the Bible is the only inspired and authorized version.
 
Using this to look at the two possibilities, the first can be corrected by gaining the knowledge necessary to correct one’s thinking. Suppose someone is told, “You should only read the King James Version. It is inspired by God and all other versions came as an attempt to lead people away from God.” As stupid as that sounds, it is what is commonly taught in this cult.
 
A person could say, “Ok, I have been told this. Now I will check it out to see if it is true.” In checking it out logically and methodically, he finds out that the KJV is riddled with translational errors so that it contains contradictions, incorrect theological presentations, and so forth. The matter has been investigated and found to be false.
 
The second possibility, that of cognitive dissonance, is actually harder to resolve. A person is told that the King James Version is the only Bible that should be read. He simply trusts what he is told and allows this thinking to become the predominant thought in his mind from week to week. Eventually, he deceives himself into believing this lie that he has never checked out. Finally, he is presented with a list of errors found in the King James Version, including those of Acts 14:18. (There are at least four translational errors in this one verse in the original KJV. The NKJV cleared up two of them.)
 
In being presented with the error and shown from the original Greek where the error lies, the man’s mind mentally denies what he sees and it conjures up an excuse to suit his thinking, “Well then, the original Greek is wrong. I know God inspired the KJV, and so the text from which it is derived is obviously in error.” As crazy as that sounds, this is the view of those who are in this cult. They deny the reasonable and go forward in their state of delusion.
 
This is what occurred right before the eyes of Barnabas and Paul. They had provided the truth and the people had failed to check it out with what is logical and reasonable. But more, when they were presented with evidence, from the source of the events that had transpired (meaning the healing of the crippled man through the word of the apostles), they simply continued to believe what their own minds had conjured up.
 
The Bible is showing us, in its own pages, that we are to think. We are to use logic and reason because God is both logical and reasonable. He has endowed these traits in us, and He expects us to use them along with our faith to make a right determination about who He is, what He has done, and what He continues to do in the world around us.
 
Be aware of how your mind works and be aware of how your own thoughts can deceive you if you are unwilling to accept that it may be wrong. This is an important lesson from Acts 14 that you should consider.
 
Lord God, help us to think clearly and reasonably in how we approach You, Your word, and our interpretation of the world around us. We are to be people of faith, but we are not to be people of blind faith. You have revealed Yourself to us through Scripture, so our walk is to be in Your revealed light, not helplessly groping around to find our next step. Thank You for Your word. Now help us to consider it properly, all the days of our lives. Amen.
 

Acts 14:17

Saturday, 18 February 2023
 
“Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” Acts 14:17
 
The apostles are in the process of telling the Gentiles at Lystra about God, the Creator. In the previous verse, they said “who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.” With that, the words continue, saying, “Nevertheless.”
 
Despite not having God’s revelation of the Law of Moses nor being selected as His covenant people to bring in the Messiah, “He did not leave Himself without witness.”
 
The Law of Moses, the utterances of the prophets, the use of the Urim and Thummim, and so forth are known as special revelation. God specifically revealed Himself or His intentions through these things. What was revealed in these ways would not have been attained any other way. However, despite not having these things, God still did reveal Himself to the Gentiles in a general way. This general revelation witnesses to the workings of God, testifying to His nature and to the fact that man is accountable to acknowledge Him and seek after Him.
 
Paul writes of this in Romans 1. It is something that man understands, and yet he suppresses that knowledge, thus bringing wrath upon himself –
 
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:18-20
 
The apostles, appealing to this precept, next explain some of the ways that man can generally understand God and what He must be like, even if in a limited sense, saying, “in that He did good.”
 
Rather, the verb is a present participle, “doing good.” It isn’t that He did good and then it ended, but it is ongoing even to this day. Within the creation, we know that there is goodness, David testified to this in the 19th Psalm by noting that what God has done in creation for the benefit of man is something that reveals God’s glory –
 
“The heavens declare the glory of God;And the firmament shows His handiwork.2 Day unto day utters speech,And night unto night reveals knowledge.3 There is no speech nor languageWhere their voice is not heard.4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,And their words to the end of the world.” Psalm 19:1-4
 
This goodness that David writes about is next explicitly explained by the apostles, saying that He “gave us rain from heaven.”
 
Again, the verb is a present participle, and the noun is plural, “giving us rains from heaven.” The words are intended to wake the people up to the state of things. It’s not, “Rain came 47 years ago, and we had crops and fruit trees to sustain us.” It is, “The rains come each year at the set time. The calendar returns to the time when the rains were here before and they are here again. The cycle of life is predictable, and what happens provides just what we need to again have what we had before.”
 
This cycle of life gives evidence of order and harmony. It also gives evidence that God is attending to the needs of His creatures. He has set things in order, and they continuously provide for man’s needs. As such, these rains bring about “fruitful seasons.”
 
Man exists because God created a world where man can exist. The house was prepared, and then the guests were invited in. Within this world, however, is more than simple sustenance. God could have created a single type of food that would sustain man. Although this would have been acceptable to keep him going, it wouldn’t have had the excitement that comes through the stimulating of taste buds.
 
But God has sent the rains to moisten the land, and then from the land have come an incomprehensible number of delightful things to satisfy man’s tastes and yearnings. From the king of all fruit, the durian, to the harvests of the field such as barley, spelt, lentils, and wheat. There is corn, there are potatoes, and there are taro plants.
 
As one travels throughout the world, different plants are seen – various fruits, various vegetables, and various grains. The world is filled with tastes that excite, delight, and satisfy. All of this gives witness to the wisdom and goodness of God on man’s behalf. This is all the more evident because the tastebuds of man can process these many tastes, identifying them and allowing man to rejoice over them. As the apostles note, saying “filling our hearts with food and gladness.”
 
It is reminiscent of the 104th Psalm, and it could be those words that were on the minds of the apostles –
 
“He sends the springs into the valleys;They flow among the hills.11 They give drink to every beast of the field;The wild donkeys quench their thirst.12 By them the birds of the heavens have their home;They sing among the branches.13 He waters the hills from His upper chambers;The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,And vegetation for the service of man,That he may bring forth food from the earth,15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man,Oil to make his face shine,And bread which strengthens man’s heart.” Psalm 104:10-15
 
Instead of appealing to the law and the prophets (special revelation) as was done while evangelizing the Jews, the apostles appeal to the created order (general revelation) to evangelize the Gentiles. But the result is the same. Both lead to the need for a Messiah in the lives of man. It is this Christ who has been the focus of their words to lead them to a right understanding of God.
 
Life application: As David noted in the psalm, the creation testifies to the glory of God. But one might say, “But my son got stung by a scorpion and died. How can God who is supposedly good make something that is harmful and bad?”
 
The question fails to understand the entirety of the biblical narrative. It was not God who brought these things about, but man. What has happened is a result of man’s turning from God and the entrance of sin into the world. The supposed “bad” that occurred is simply the lack of a good thing. Man was in Eden. All was good at that time. Only after man disobeyed came the curse upon the land, including thorns and thistles, bee stings and shark bites, killing and adultery, and so forth. This was not the original intent for man. These have come as a result of our failing to rightly fellowship with God.
 
But God promised that these things would not be permanent. He would send the Messiah to restore all things to perfection. Isaiah prophesies of a time on earth when things will be glorious for man for a thousand years. But beyond that, Revelation goes further and reveals the details of eternal glory for the redeemed of mankind.
 
Restoration is ahead, and it is available to those who accept God’s offering of pardon and renewal that has come in the giving of Jesus Christ for the sin of man. With sin dealt with, and only after it has been fully dealt with in the redemptive process, can man experience the fullness of what God promises for His people. Everything is working toward that time.
 
We, however, must live through these difficult and trying times. But God is with us in them, and He will get us through them. Trust in this and be thankful to God who has provided the remedy to restore us to idyllic perfection someday. Be patient and wait for it. It will be worth it!
 
O God, how grateful we are for the promise of restoration that lies ahead for Your redeemed. And yet, we know that we have the sealing of the Spirit now that guarantees our future redemption. Thank You that we have this sure and firm hope. Thank You, above all, for Jesus Christ who has made this possible. Amen!

Acts 14:16

Friday, 17 February 2023
 
“who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Acts 14:16
 
In the previous verse, Paul and Barnabas spoke against those who were preparing to sacrifice to them, attempting to correct their faulty thinking by saying there is one God, the living God, who made all things. With that, they continue speaking of Him, saying, “who in bygone generations.”
 
The meaning is that up until this point in time, God had set forth parameters by which something had been the case, but which would no longer be the case. With the introduction of the gospel, a new order and direction had come into play. What was the case before is next explained, saying, “allowed all nations.”
 
There is an article before the word translated as “nations.” But more, it should say, “the Gentiles,” as it is translated often elsewhere, such as Matthew 6:32 –
 
“For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”
 
The reason it should be translated this way is that the words of the apostles do not include Israel. Rather it is a general statement concerning all of the nations outside of Israel. That is seen in the next words where it says, “to walk in their own ways.”
 
God allowed the nations to conduct their own affairs under the dispensation of government while Israel was set under different parameters, meaning the dispensation of the law. They were not allowed to walk in their own ways –
 
“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess.” Deuteronomy 30:15-18
 
Verses such as this in Deuteronomy set forth the parameters for the conduct of Israel. However, and more directly to the matter that is being relayed to those at Lystra, the Lord’s words to the people of Israel through Ezekiel clearly and unambiguously set Israel apart from how the Lord conducted His affairs with the Gentiles –
 
“What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’” Ezekiel 20:32
 
In God’s previous dealings with humanity, there was a complete contrast between how He dealt with the nations and how He dealt with Israel. It is true that God judged the nations for their wicked conduct bringing them to an end as He saw fit, but they were not imputed sin without law. This is explained by Paul in Romans 2:12 where he notes that “as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law.”
 
The law was given to Israel. It was not given to any nation under the heavens except Israel. Thus, Israel’s judgment would be greater because of the imputation of sin that came from being under law. With that understood, the apostles will continue to appeal to the crowd, making their defense concerning the nature of God in relation to the people of the world.
 
Life application: The thoughts that are being explained to these Gentiles by the apostles are quite clear when properly translated and considered. The law, rather than giving freedom from sin, only increases sin. It is true that the nations without the law would perish apart from the law, but the guilt of Israel was far greater than the other nations because they had the law and still did not obediently follow the Lord –
 
“If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, 59 then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. 60 Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. 61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed. 62 You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God. 63 And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess.” Deuteronomy 28:58-63
 
This was the burden laid upon Israel. They were to be an object lesson to the world that all people, Jews and Gentiles, needed something greater than law. What we all need is grace. That is the grace that comes through the giving of Jesus Christ.
 
Wanting to go back under the law is as nutty as putting square tires on a bicycle. It is contrary to the smooth and even path set forth by God in Christ. Don’t be nutty! Trust in God’s grace, live by God’s grace, and be set in your mind that you will find that alone sufficient to bring you back to Him. Nothing else will do.
 
Lord God, help us to rightly contemplate what You have done in the sending of Jesus. He has accomplished everything necessary to bring us to a right standing before You. What more could we add to that? Help us to trust that Your grace is sufficient and to rest our souls in what You have done through Him. Yes, Lord God, thank You for the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.  

Acts 14:15

Thursday, 16 February 2023
 
and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, Acts 14:15
 
Barnabas and Paul were thoroughly distressed at the events taking place in Lystra. Therefore, they tore their clothes and leaped into the multitude, crying out “and saying, ‘Men, why are you doing these things?’”
 
It is most likely that the apostles speak their words in the Greek. They had certainly been preaching in Greek, but when the people were so astonished at the miracle they saw, they began speaking in their own language. Barnabas and Paul now attempt to bring them back to their senses by speaking in Greek.
 
By asking a question rather than making a statement, the effect is even more pronounced. A question asks the mind of the hearer to stop and think. From there, a response is expected. By speaking in Greek, it will beg for a response in Greek. This should begin to quell the excitement of the crowd while the minds adjust to the question and the answer that is provided.
 
From there, they next say, “We also are men.” In other words, and quite obviously, “We are not gods.” However, the people had assumed that the gods had come down among them in the form of men, and so to further dispel that thinking, the words continue with, “with the same nature as you.”
 
The word is homoiopathés. It is found only here and in James 5:17. It is a compound word coming from homoios, meaning resembling, equal to, etc., and from paschó, signifying to feel heavy emotion, especially suffering. Together, they give the sense of one who is like in nature and able to go through the same experiences with the same results occurring that would come about in another. The use in James provides the sense of the word –
 
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” James 5:17, 18
 
In telling the people this, they are adamantly stating that they are not gods, nor could they be gods. They are simply men like any other men. They have come from another area, not heaven. With that, they continue, saying, “and preach to you.”
 
Here, they use the word euaggelizó. It is the announcement of the good news. Anyone can come and preach anything on a street corner, but the apostles have come to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. It is He who has come down from heaven, not they. They are simply His sent ones telling others of what has transpired. And more, they tell the people “that you should turn.”
 
The word means just that. They are on one path, and they are to turn from it. It is not a literal, physical turning, but a figurative one. Their lives are headed in the wrong direction and the apostles have come to redirect them. And what is it that they are to turn from, that is next proclaimed with the words, “from these useless things.”
 
The obvious meaning is what they were doing right then and there. They were in the process of worshipping the created rather than the Creator. They were inventing a religious expression from their own minds and preparing to bow down to the objects of their invention. They had taken myths from the past concerning the Greek gods and brought them alive in their own minds in the physical manifestation of Barnabas and Paul. But these two apostles were telling them that this was wrong and that they were to turn from that “to the living God.”
 
This is an expression that goes back to Deuteronomy 5 where Moses reminded the people of the events at Sinai –
 
“Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, then we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27 You go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us all that the Lord our God says to you, and we will hear and do it.” Deuteronomy 5:25-27
 
This term, the living God, continues to be seen throughout the Old Testament and is brought into the New with the proclamation of Peter that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).  The words of the apostles are intended to direct the minds of these people to this living God and then explain how He came in the flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ. Those in Thessalonica heard this message and they got it. Paul referred to this when he wrote his first epistle to them. His words mirror what they are trying to teach those at Lystra now –
 
“For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10
 
With this understood, the apostles next state that it is this living God “who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.” This sums up the creation and it dispels the Greek notion of there being many gods, each having power over one part of the creation or another.
 
For example, they had Uranus, the personification of heaven. Zeus was the king of heaven and earth and of the Olympian gods. Gaia was the personification of the earth. Poseidon was the god of the sea and of water generally. He is also the god of earthquakes and horses. But there was also Pontus, the personification of the sea and the oldest Greek divinity of the waters. These and numerous other gods were supposedly running the show in the various levels of creation and how it is manifested.
 
On the other hand, the apostles proclaim one true and living God, asking the people to turn from their pagan ways to a full and mature understanding of who He is and of what He has done in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
 
Life application: Though we traditionally don’t ascribe deity in the way that those of Lystra did, there are groups of people who worship various gods in the world today. There are those who do believe in Gaia or the god of the sun or other gods. But there are also temptations to deify people, such as politicians even in our own hearts. We need to not ascribe the all-powerful workings of God to a man. Rather, we elect people to serve over us and to direct us for a temporary time in a fallen world.
 
We also create gods of money, sex, friendships, or even ease and convenience to relieve the course of our lives. We must be careful to never place anything or anyone to the level of devotion or worship. We should not let things of this creation consume our thoughts or our time in an unhealthy manner. Rather, let us always focus on Jesus, direct our hearts and minds to Him, and serve the living God by honoring the Son. This is what is right and proper. In this, we will have pursued the right and good path that God has set before us.
 
Lord God, help us to conduct our lives in a manner that exalts You at all times. May we never find our hope or life’s purpose in something that is a part of the created order itself. Instead, may our hopes, our desires, and our constant attention be directed to You alone. Only You can truly satisfy our every need. And so, help us to look to You always. Amen.
 

Acts 14:14

Wednesday, 15 February 2023
 
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out Acts 14:14
 
In the previous verse, the priest of Zeus brought oxen and garlands to the gate of the city intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. In response to this come Luke’s next words, saying, “But when the apostles.” There is this sudden realization that whatever had been occurring around them was not at all what they had thought.
 
The people were crying out in the local language and the apostles probably thought they were excited about the gospel message. But now, seeing what is taking place, they have come to the realization that their thinking was entirely incorrect. Instead of calling out for Jesus, the multitudes were crying out for a sacrifice to their “gods” who had come among them. In response to this, the words continue with, “Barnabas and Paul.”
 
Here, Barnabas is placed first in the account. Paul was speaking and Barnabas was probably more closely paying attention to the events around them. When the realization of what had begun to transpire came to their minds, he probably shouted something out to Paul and started their actions in motion. This is speculation, but it fits with the word order of Luke. Together, when they “heard this, they tore their clothes.”
 
The word “tore” is an aorist participle. It says, “having torn.” They first did this and then their actions continued. It was an open display to catch the people’s attention, and it is a sign of the greatest distress and even anguish. The first time it is mentioned in Scripture is when the brothers of Joseph had sold him off to the Midianite traders to be taken down to Egypt. Reuben was unaware of it –
 
“Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. 30 And he returned to his brothers and said, ‘The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?’” Genesis 37:29, 30
 
So great of a mark of distress is this that the high priest of Israel was forbidden to ever do it, for any reason –
 
“He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes.” Leviticus 21:10
 
The reason for this prohibition is that he was distinguished by the office of high priest. This was elsewhere explicitly noted in the mentioning of the anointing oil that was poured on him. He alone was allowed to wear the garments of the high priest. These two things in particular distinguished him as Israel’s high priest.
 
As seen, first and foremost he was commanded not to uncover his head. Specifically, this meant that he was not to allow his hair to be loosed, meaning be unkempt. This was a sign of mourning, and he was never to demonstrate such an attitude. He was, above all, to always be holy to the Lord.
 
Further, he was not to tear his clothes. To do so, as noted above, was an indication of distress or anguish. As the intercessor between the Lord and the people, his conduct in one of these ways would give either a sense of utter despair to the people, or that he was impugning the Lord’s fairness, justice, or ability to control any given situation. It is ironic that this primary command to the high priest of Israel was openly disobeyed in the presence of the incarnate Lord (Jesus) who gave the command –
 
“And the high priest arose and said to Him, ‘Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?’ 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, ‘I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!’64 Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, ‘He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66 What do you think?’” Matthew 26:62-66
 
Jesus was placed under oath by the high priest. Because of the position of the high priest, He was bound by the Law of Moses, which He gave to Israel, to tell the truth. He did, and therefore He remained without guilt in the matter. And yet, the high priest was guilty of violating a precept of the very law that he said Jesus was guilty of violating. There is a lot of irony that runs through the Bible that is truly amazing when put such things are put in their proper light.
 
With this background concerning the tearing of garments, one can see what a great display of grief is occurring with Barnabas and Paul tearing theirs. Whether those in Lystra understood the significance of the act or not could be debated, but a “god” would never have done such a thing. So even if the act was cultural and isolated from understanding its full significance, it would still have been comprehended on some level. After this, it says they “ran in among the multitude, crying out.”
 
The word translated as “ran in” is eispédaó. It literally means “to leap in,” or “to spring in.” they were probably standing on something to elevate them. This would allow them to speak to the people while being seen. In their horror at the scene, and after having openly torn their garments, they jumped into the crowd crying out. What they were crying out will be seen in the next verse.
 
As a side note, some translations of the word eispédaó rather use the prefix ex instead of eis. Thus, it would say they sprang out into the crowd. If your translation says this, make a mental note of the difference, but the overall intent remains the same because the word is followed in the Greek in either text with the word eis. And so, they either sprang in, into the crowd, or they sprang out, into the crowd.
 
Life application: Making note of the unusual things that occur in the Bible, like the tearing of garments, can be a great exercise in discovering other truths that are recorded there. As noted above, the high priest of Israel violated the very law that he was charged with while charging Jesus with violating the law. Jesus could have called him out on this, but He silently took His trial and the resulting punishments without protest.
 
This shows us the nature of the love of God for the people of the world. The highest official in Israel, and the one who was to mediate between God and the people, was guilty of violating the very law that he was charged with overseeing and mediating. This is true with every high priest who ever lived under the law. How imperfectly the Law of Moses could satisfy the appeasement of God who is infinitely holy!
 
And yet, despite these things, even the high priest was given grace each year on the Day of Atonement. And the Day of Atonement was given as an anticipation of the coming of Christ. All the symbolism of the sacrifices of the law looked to His coming. And there He stood, being judged by the very people who were given the charge of that law.
 
Now think of yourself. You were also to be condemned because of the sin in you. And yet, Jesus took all that you have done wrong upon Himself, if you will just believe. God asks you to acknowledge your sins, admit that you cannot save yourself, and place your trust in Him. In this, you will be justified from all things that the law could never justify a person from. Be pleased to commit your eternal soul to God through Jesus. You will prevail because He has prevailed!
 
Lord God, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord who has done all things for us to be reconciled to You. Yes, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 

Acts 14:13

Tuesday, 14 February 2023
 
Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. Acts 14:13
 
In the previous verse, those at Iconium had proclaimed that Barnabas was Zeus and Paul was Hermes. Having been designated gods by the masses, it now says, “Then the priest of Zeus.”
 
In other words, this is the man who was designated to mediate between the people and their god. He would consult the supposed deity, offer sacrifices to him, lead the form of worship necessary to supposedly appease him, and so on. For those who worshipped Zeus, this would be the most important person in their Zeus-directed spiritual lives. Of him, it next says, “whose temple was in front of their city.”
 
This is more of an explanation of the Greek than a translation. Also, the tense of the verb is incorrect. Rather, it simply says, “that, being before their city.” Taken together, the two clauses would then read, “Then the priest of Zeus, that, being before the city.” It surely means that the temple itself, or an idol in the image of Zeus, was there before the city and it is where he ministered to Zeus. It is probably a temple though based on the next words, saying that he “brought oxen and garlands to the gates.”
 
Rather, the verb is an aorist participle, “having brought oxen and garlands to the gate.” He had arrived with his objects of ceremonial worship and sacrifice and was ready to use them in honor of these supposed “gods” who had come among them.
 
As can be seen, if the priest had oxen and garlands, it is likely he had charge of an entire complex dedicated to Zeus, including the necessary altars, lavers, a spot for keeping the instruments of worship, animals, and so forth. Now, believing that his god had come down among them, he is bringing garlands to adorn them and oxen to butcher to them. That is seen in the words that he was “intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.”
 
The order of the words by the NKJV gives the sense that he intended to sacrifice and was bringing the multitudes along for the ride. Rather, the Greek more closely reads, “with the crowds was desiring to sacrifice.”
 
In other words, it wasn’t just the priest who wanted to sacrifice while the crowds watched. It is the crowds who proclaimed Paul and Barnabas gods. It is they who obviously ran to the priest outside the city to tell him the news. It is they who now, along with the priest, were in a frenzy to sacrifice to these men. The same crowd who had heard the gospel had forgotten that good news and conjured up another idea in their minds about what had taken place.
 
Life application: What has occurred at Iconium is not that unusual. People can easily get crossed thoughts in their heads about the message of Jesus. This can happen directly as it did with Paul and Barnabas where a person starts attending a church because a preacher’s message convicted them. In their minds, they then substitute the message about Jesus with the one who gave the message. The preacher becomes the object of their worship in some fashion.
 
This can also happen when someone knows that the Bible can change lives, having seen it in others. They then substitute what the Bible says with the King James Bible itself. The book becomes the object of their idolatry. This may sound laughable, but there is an entire cult built around the King James Version of the Bible. The same is true with the Greek Septuagint, the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Scriptures, and so on.
 
To them, the writings as a text, not what the writings say, take the preeminent spot in the lives of the people. This is true with denominations, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Roman Catholic Church, the Mormons, and so forth. There is an idolatrous fixation on the communicating body rather than on the One who is supposed to be proclaimed out of the sacred writings.
 
Remember the simple words of Scripture and keep them in your mind always, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). He is to be the Source of our lives, worship, prayer, attention, and hopes. In all things and at all times let us honor God through the honoring of Jesus Christ our Lord. To the glory of God above all else, let us do this.
 
Heavenly Father, forgive us for diverting our eyes from Jesus. We look to the left and to the right in an innumerable number of ways, missing the target when we do. Instead, help us always to fix our eyes on Him. May our hearts be directed toward Him, and may our souls be filled with You because of what You have done through Him. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Acts 14:12

Monday, 13 February 2023
 
And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Acts 14:12
 
In the previous verse, those in Lystra who had seen the miraculous healing of the crippled man had raised their voices and exclaimed that the gods had come down to them in the likeness of men. With that remembered, it now says, “And Barnabas they called Zeus.”
 
The verb is imperfect and more rightly says, “And they were calling Barnabas Zeus.” They proclaimed him Zeus and kept telling everyone that came around that he was Zeus. The name translated as Zeus is found only here and in the next verse, Dzis (vs. 12) and Dzios (vs. 13). Strong’s defines the name as, “Zeus, the Greek god of the sky in all its manifestations, corresponding to the Roman Jupiter and to the leading god of the native Lycaonians.”
 
Along with this name for Barnabas, it next says, “and Paul, Hermes.” This name, Hermés, is found only here and in Romans 16:14 when referring to one of the congregants by that name.  Strong’s defines the name as, “Hermes, the messenger and herald of the Greek gods, or rather the corresponding Lycaonian deity.” The name may come from the verb ereó, to speak or say. He would correspond to the Roman god Mercury. This name is applied to Paul “because he was the chief speaker.”
 
It is clear that Paul was the main orator. As this is so, these people probably thought that he spoke on behalf of Zeus as a herald might call out a proclamation while the royal figure who issued the proclamation stood by.
 
Those in Lystra were set in their minds that the gods had truly come among them. Giving them names only helped establish this supposed truth in their minds. 
 
Life application: Simple logic can nail down that there is only one God. It can also tell us that this one God has a plurality within Himself. A monadic “god” would have no ability to reach out beyond himself. These things can be deduced by simply thinking through what are known as the First Principles. Take time to consider them.
 
They are not intended to be a tool for evangelism. The gospel is that tool. God has made the gospel extremely simple, and we will only taint the message by adding superfluities. However, it is good to be able to explain complicated matters to those who ask. And so, make yourself aware of these First Principles, consider them, and be ready to defend what is logical and orderly because God is the author of logic and everything He does is purposeful and with order.
 
The First Principles as outlined by Dr. Norman Geisler are as follows:
 
‎1. Being Is (B is) = The Principle of Existence2. Being Is Being (B is B) = The Principle of Identity3. Being Is Not Nonbeing (B is Not Non-B) = The Principle of Noncontradiction4. Either Being or Nonbeing (Either B or Non-B) = The Principle of the Excluded Middle5. Nonbeing Cannot Cause Being (Non-B>B) = The Principle of Causality6. Contingent Being Cannot Cause Contingent Being (Bc>Bc) = The Principle of Contingency (or Dependency)7. Only Necessary Being Can Cause a Contingent Being (Bn --->Bc) = The Positive Principle of Modality8. Necessary Being Cannot Cause A Necessary Being (Bn>Bn) = The Negative Principle of Modality9. Every Contingent Being Is Caused by a Necessary Being (Bn--->Bc) = The Principle of Existential Causality10. Necessary Being Exists (Bn Exists) = Principle of Existential Necessity11. Contingent Being Exists (Bc Exists) = Principle of Existential Contingency12. Necessary Being Is Similar to Contingent Being(s) It Causes (Bn ---similar --->Bc) = Principle of Analogy
Doctor Geisler’s First Principles are either undeniable or they are reducible to the undeniable. Hence, any attempt to deny them will validate them. This is evident from an analysis of them –
 
‎1. Being Is (B is) = The Principle of Existence
To say “There is no being” is self-refuting. One must exist in order to make the claim.
Being Is Being (B is B) = The Principle of Identity
To say “Being isn’t being” is self-refuting. One must be a being in order to make a claim about not being a being.
Being Is Not Nonbeing (B is Not Non-B) = The Principle of Noncontradiction
If being exists (see Principle #1), then it cannot be non-being. The principle is self-evident and undeniable.
Either Being or Nonbeing (Either B or Non-B) = The Principle of the Excluded MiddleEither I exist (asking the question means I do) and thus I am being, or I do not exist. If I am being, then I am not non-being. The principle is self-evident and undeniable; there is no wiggle room.
 
Nonbeing Cannot Cause Being (Non-B>B) = The Principle of Causality
Something cannot come from nothing (and we cannot have an infinite regress in matter or being). This is proven by Einstein in his Theory of General Relativity). The principle is undeniable.
Contingent Being Cannot Cause Contingent Being (Bc>Bc) = The Principle of Contingency (or Dependency)
This would lead to an infinite regress of causes which is disproved by Relativity – Time, Space, and Matter came into existence simultaneously and are dependent upon each other. The principle is undeniable.
Only Necessary Being Can Cause a Contingent Being (Bn --->Bc) = The Positive Principle of Modality
A being that cannot Not exist must, therefore, exist if contingent beings exist. The principle is reducible to the undeniable.
Necessary Being Cannot Cause A Necessary Being (Bn>Bn) = The Negative Principle of ModalityThe principle is undeniable. Only one Necessary Being can exist. Any being which exists apart from a Necessary Being is contingent and could Not exist. It is self-evident.
 
Every Contingent Being Is Caused by a Necessary Being (Bn--->Bc) = The Principle of Existential Causality
The fact that there are contingent beings (I think, therefore I am, and I am not necessary) necessitates a Necessary Being. We exist, therefore a Being that cannot Not exist must exist. The principle is undeniable in and of itself.
Necessary Being Exists (Bn Exists) = Principle of Existential Necessity
Contingent beings exist (see next principle); therefore, a Necessary Being must exist. The principle is reducible to the undeniable.
Contingent Being Exists (Bc Exists) = Principle of Existential Contingency
The principle is undeniable. To say “I (a contingent being) don’t exist” is self-refuting. I do exist (Principle 1), which is self-evident.
Necessary Being Is Similar to Contingent Being(s) It Causes (Bn ---similar --->Bc) = Principle of Analogy
Nothing can exist which doesn’t reflect the nature of the Necessary Being. To state something doesn’t is self-refuting. The principle is undeniable.
 
Based on these 12 First Principles “belief in God” is “rationally justifiable.” Further, “belief in God is rationally required.” To not believe in God, then, is both irrational and illogical. Unless these principles, which are undeniable, can be logically denied (please do so if you can!), then there are no “reasons to think that belief in God is not rational.”
 
Further, there are no “reasons to think [that] belief in God is not required.” In other words, belief in God is both rational and required. The reciprocal must then be true. To deny God is both irrational and illogical. It is a form of arrogance that is revealed in one who cannot face the logical, orderly, and harmonious universe in which we live, and which is clearly guided by an unseen hand. After all, ex nihlo nihil fit – out of nothing, nothing. There must have been a Being (who is God) who has brought all things into existence.
However, to bring this to the simplest and most basic of human levels for those who simply want to argue against what is self-evident, all we need to do is look at the reaction of anyone – be it a fully developed believer in “God,” or a self-purported atheist – who faces a major disaster in his life. Let us go with the death of a child. When the child is run over in front of the parent, whether in a Hollywood movie or in real life, the very first reaction from any of them is inevitably and invariably to cry out “O GOD!” 
 
The Necessary Being of these great thinkers of the past has infused even the most depraved soul with a purposed knowledge of Himself deep in the recesses of their minds. Though we can actively shut Him out most of the time, when we face our most primal moments, we turn back to Him for an answer to the horror which we have faced, thus demonstrating that we do, in fact, find Him both rational and required in a world of confusion and chaos.
 
Lord God, help us to think rationally about You and what You have done. Our emotions should not be a basis for our faith in You, but a result of it. They should also not drive our theology, but they should result from it, exclaiming, “How great You are, O God, for what You have done for us. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Acts 14:11

Sunday, 12 February 2023
 
Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Acts 14:11
 
The wording of the NKJV does not give the proper sense of the verse. It should more closely read, “And the crowds, having seen what Paul did, lifted up their voice, Lycaonially, saying, ‘The gods, having become like men, came down unto us’” (CG). This will be used to evaluate the verse.
 
In response to Paul’s authoritative words for the cripple at Lystra to stand up straight and walk, the man did just that. With that, the crowds were obviously amazed. As such, Luke records their reaction, saying, “And the crowds, having seen what Paul did.”
 
Paul was preaching the gospel to a crowd of indeterminate size. However, when people preach, there will be different levels of attention being paid by those in the area. Some may listen intently, some may be curious and listen while fiddling around with their children, and some may just be passing by without paying much attention. Therefore, the actual crowd in the area could have been larger than those closely heeding Paul’s words.
 
However, with Paul stopping his preaching, calling out to a cripple to be healed, and the cripple suddenly being healed, everyone would stop and observe what was going on. This is especially so because the healed crippled walked and continued walking, as the verb indicated. While doing so, every eye would be on him as he stepped and rejoiced, probably lifting up his voice with each step. In response to this amazing sight, the crowd followed suit, as Luke next notes, saying that they “lifted up their voice, Lycaonially.”
 
The word translated here as Lycaonially is an adverb. To get the closest sense, this word was coined for the commentary. The point is that Paul was surely speaking in Greek. That can be inferred from the change to the native dialect. As they started shouting in their own language, it revealed a couple things.
 
First, it is natural when suddenly amazed or stupefied for someone to return to his natural, default language. This is something seen anywhere one travels. It is how spies were identified during WWII. Those suspected of spying were tested in various ways, including suddenly surprising them to see if they reacted in their native language.
 
Second, it made it more likely that those who didn’t speak Greek would be able to hear and understand the magnificence of what they had to say, thus increasing the state of arousal of all in the area.
 
For these, and whatever other reasons, it is evident that neither Paul nor Barnabas spoke in the Lycaonian tongue. This can be deduced from the delay in their petitions coming up in verse 14. As such, it explains what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 14:18, where he says, “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.”
 
The tongues Paul refers to were not supernaturally given for him to evangelize wherever he went. Rather, he would normally speak the lingua franca of the empire, Greek. The tongues he refers to in 1 Corinthians are the many languages and dialects that he had learned throughout his life. As for the ongoing narrative, Luke next continues, noting that the people were “saying, ‘The gods.’”
 
Those of the crowds around them had either not heard Paul’s speech or they had not paid attention to it. They were caught up in the belief that there were many gods instead of the one God that Paul proclaimed. Because of this, and because of the miracle that had occurred which they assumed had been accomplished by Paul personally, they thought he and Barnabas must be a couple of those many gods, saying, “having become like men.”
 
The notion of gods assuming the form of man was not an uncommon theme in Greek writings, and it is found in many cultures of the world. Even today, the Japanese believe that their emperor is of divine descent. At the end of WWII, Hirohito had to give up his claim to divinity, but this does not mean that his line is not still considered divine.
 
And more, there are people who follow supposed gods around the world elsewhere today. For example, Kumari, or Kumari Devi, is supposedly the Living Goddess. This is a tradition of worshipping a particular virgin as a manifestation of the divine female energy (Shakti) in Dharmic religious customs. Others claim to be the Messiah, the Mahdi, or other divine manifestations of a god. This has been the case throughout human history. As for those in Lystra, they believed that Paul and Barnabas were gods who, as they said, “came down unto us.”
 
This is another aspect of the divine that is almost universally understood. The gods are above, and those on the earth are below. The symbolism itself permeates Scripture. There is the heavenly, which is above, and there is the earthly below. The gods coming down, then, is a part of the universal conscience of man going all the way back to the Garden of Eden where the Lord was in the garden with Adam and Eve. It is a state that is anticipated to be restored someday –
 
“And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’” Revelation 21:3
 
This is what those in Lystra believed had happened with the coming of Paul and Barnabas. They assumed that the divine gods had come among them, having missed the intent of the apostles’ words that proclaimed the One true God. Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed Christ and they were His sent ones to bring them out of pagan darkness and into His light.
 
Life application: The account of Paul and Barnabas here in Acts 14 gives a clear indication that the tongues (meaning languages) he speaks of in 1 Corinthians 14 are not supernatural gobbledygook supposedly spoken by charismatics today. These are false tongues intended to bring glory to self and inclusion in a body that is unsound in its theology.
 
Their utterings are not “divinely inspired,” nor are they “the tongues of angels.” They are nonsensical gibberish that distract from the beauty of what God has done in the giving of Jesus for all nations, tribes, and tongues of the world. True tongues will always be a known language. At the time of the apostles, some were given divine utterances as a validation of the coming of the Spirit.
 
With the completion of the Bible, these are no longer necessary. The record has been given, the details confirm the word, and we now must learn the language of those we intend to evangelize. Nothing else will do. If you want to know the biblical languages, get to work and study. If you want to be a missionary in a foreign land, you will need to learn the language of the land you go to. Again, nothing else will do.
 
Lord God, there is a world full of people who need Jesus. Give us the desire and the ability to get the word out to them in a manner so they can understand that He is the answer to our deepest needs. May we be willing to expend ourselves to further this wonderful gospel message while there is time to do so. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Acts 14:10

Saturday, 11 February 2023
 
said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. Acts 14:10
 
In the previous verse, it noted that Paul was observing the cripple as he spoke. As he did, he saw that he had faith to be saved. With that noted, Luke now records that he “said with a loud voice.”
 
This wasn’t just Paul stopping what he was doing and quietly walking over to the cripple and helping him up. There is no hint of physical contact as occurred with the cripple in Acts 3 –
 
“Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.’ 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” Acts 3:6, 7
 
Rather, Paul spoke the words of faith, “Stand up straight on your feet!” These were words of faith by Paul because he had to possess the faith necessary to proclaim them, being certain that the impulse within him was truly of the Spirit. In his exclamation, a new word to Scripture is introduced, orthos. It signifies straight as in upright. A different word eythos means straight horizontally.
 
The word will be seen only one more time, in Hebrews 12:13 where it will be used in a moral sense, referring to “straight paths.” The sense is “paths of moral uprightness.” As for the word itself, one can see the etymological root of our modern words such as orthopedic, orthodontist, etc. Paul commands the man to go from his position of being crippled to being fully healed. With that, the narrative records the joyous words, “And he leaped and walked.”
 
Rather, the second verb is imperfect. He leaped up and was walking. There is the idea of continuance in the words. One can see the high level of excitement as he walked around on legs that had never done so before. It was an entirely new experience for him, and he soaked it in with each new step he took.
 
Life application: In the healing of this man, there is a hint of the doctrine of justification which occurs when one is saved, meaning by faith through grace. The man had faith to be saved, as the previous verse indicated. He was not vertically “straight” but was helpless and incapable of saving himself.
 
However, through faith in the message of Jesus, he was made morally straight. The sin, meaning the moral cause of his helpless state, was removed. At that moment, he was made straight, meaning morally upright. As noted above, the word is used that way in Hebrews 12 –
 
“Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight [orthos] paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:12, 13
 
At this time, the man was completely straightened out. Nothing was lacking in his ability to move about freely using feet that had never been used before. But more, the healing wasn’t just for a moment. Rather, with the use of the imperfect verb, the action continued. As nothing is recorded elsewhere to suggest that this man later went back to his former state, the imperfect nature of the action continues in our minds to this day.
 
In type, he is a person who has gone from being completely bound by sin (total depravity) to one who is completely free from sin (morally upright). This is the power of Christ in a person who has accepted the gospel.
 
Christ’s purification isn’t just something that partly cures. Rather, the scope of His healing is total. As this is so, we have yet another picture of eternal salvation. The man’s sin debt is paid for, he is brought to a state of restoration before God, and henceforth, he is no longer imputed sin (2 Corinthians 5:19). As this is so, the effect is total, it is continuous, and it is permanent.
 
If you have called on Jesus, believing the gospel, this man’s healing is a picture of what happened in your life. The depraved state has been replaced with one of moral purity. As this is so in how God sees you, there are a few things you can do:
 
Be assured that God’s perfect work is complete in you. Your salvation was secured, and it remains forever secured. BE CONFIDENT!
Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16) that God has saved you and perfectly healed you as you await the day of Christ’s coming for you. REJOICE!
Live in a manner worthy of your salvation. As you are deemed morally upright, live in a morally upright manner. WALK THE STRAIGHT PATH!
Tell others about the healing and the cleansing power of Christ in your life.  You were a cripple from birth and now you are whole. TELL!
 
Do these things, and your life will be way more content than it would otherwise be. You are the redeemed of the Lord. Show it henceforth!
 
Lord God, we were broken and useless. And yet, through simple faith in Your gospel, we were saved, healed, and made whole. We can walk in liberty from this day forward. Help us never to return to the law which only brings a curse, help us to be confident in our salvation, and help us to walk morally right before You each day. And, Lord, help us to open our mouths and tell others about what You have done. Thank You for Jesus who has brought about such a marvelous change in our lives! Amen.
 

Acts 14:9

Friday, 10 February 2023
 
This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, Acts 14:9
 
The verbs of the verse are not well translated. The verse should read, “This man heard Paul speaking, who having looked intently at him and having seen that he has faith to be saved” (CG). This will be used for the commentary.
 
The previous verse said that “in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting.” He was noted as a cripple from birth who had never walked. With that, the narrative continues, saying, “This man heard Paul speaking.”
 
The tense of the word translated as “heard” varies in manuscripts. Some have it as an aorist verb, some as an imperfect verb, and so on. Either way, the crippled man listened to Paul as he was speaking, probably on several separate occasions. Paul noticed this, probably realizing that the man was truly and attentively focused on what was being said. In response to the heartfelt focus toward what he was saying, it next says of Paul, “who having looked intently at him.”
 
Just because the man was a cripple, Paul did not neglect focusing on him. Rather, it probably captured his attention even more, realizing that the man was truly convicted in his heart at what he had been hearing. Because of this, Paul returned a fixed and focused attention on him as he sat there. With his eyes having so alighted upon him, it next says, “and having seen that he has faith.”
 
The words here must be taken in the context of what has been said. Before this man was introduced in the previous verse, it said, “And they were preaching the gospel there.” Paul and Barnabas were not carrying out a healing ministry. Rather, they were preaching the gospel concerning Jesus. This is key to understanding what the man’s thoughts must have been.
 
Paul was speaking about the salvation that comes through the finished work of Christ, he could tell that the man understood his words and accepted them as truth. This is faith. That faith then led to him believing the message in his heart. This can be deduced from the words “that he has faith.”
 
Faith and belief are not the same thing in the Bible. Concerning the difference, HELPS Word Studies provides these words –
 
“Faith (4102/pistis) involves belief but it goes beyond human believing because it involves the personal revelation (inworking) of God. Faith is always God's work. Our believing has eternal meaning when it becomes ‘faith-believing’ by the transforming grace of God.
 
Reflection: Demons believe (and shudder) . . . but they do not have (experience) faith!”
 
The account of this man tells us that he had faith. But it is faith in what? Some commentaries cite similar examples in the gospels, such as –
 
“For she said to herself, ‘If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.’ 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, ‘Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was made well from that hour.” Matthew 9:21, 22
 
“And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith let it be to you.’” Matthew 9:28, 29
 
These and other similar accounts clearly indicate that the people anticipated healing. This is because this was an expected indicator of the ministry of the Messiah. The idea of being saved from sin was not what they were thinking of. Rather, they were considering physical restoration whether they were considering the issue of sin or not.
 
On the other hand, Paul and Barnabas are proclaiming the gospel which focused first and foremost on the issue of sin, from which man needed healing. As such, commentaries and translations need to consider this when presenting the final words of the verse, which say that he had faith “to be saved.”
 
The Greek word is sózó. It can mean saved, heal, preserve, rescue, make whole, etc. The context will determine what the meaning is. For example, in the account of Matthew 9:21, 22 above, the woman was clearly anticipating physical healing. On the other hand, the word is used in Matthew 27:42 where it twice says, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.”
 
In that, it is not speaking of healing, but of saving one’s physical life. The scribes and elders may have been thinking of Lazarus or another person who was saved from physical death, and yet, there Jesus hung supposedly unable to save himself. In Acts 2:21, Peter spoke to Israel at Pentecost and said –
 
“And it shall come to passThat whoever calls on the name of the LordShall be saved.”
 
Peter then went on to explain that those words from the prophet Joel were anticipating salvation from sin and the saving of one’s soul. It is this, not physical healing, that Paul and Barnabas were proclaiming, meaning the gospel. Hence, rather than having faith to be healed, the translation should say the man had faith “to be saved.”
 
What happens afterward in his physical healing is only a bonus to the salvation from sin that he experienced. This is quite different from what occurred with the man in Acts 3. Peter and John spoke to the man but never mentioned anything about the gospel or cleansing from sin. That may have occurred later, but it was not a part of what Luke recorded. Rather, the healing was first and foremost a physical one.
 
To understand the difference more fully, go back and read the Acts 3:16 commentary. In short, in Acts 3, it was not the man’s faith, but “the faith” which is found in Jesus Christ. One might say, “The church is established upon the faith found in (as the basis of) the name of Jesus.”
 
In the account now in Acts 14, it is the man’s faith in the gospel, leading to belief, that has saved him from sin. In his commentary on these words concerning this crippled man, Albert Barnes says –
 
“He had heard Paul, and perhaps the apostle had dwelt particularly on the miracles with which the gospel had been attested. The miracles performed also in Iconium had doubtless also been heard of in Lystra.”
 
There is nothing in the account to substantiate this. The only thing said is that these men preached the gospel. This man heard, believed, and the door to salvation was opened to him. As a witness to this, the events that will follow are then recorded. The physical healing is only a sign of the more perfect spiritual healing that has occurred.
 
Life application: When talking to others about Jesus, in noticing their amount of attention based on how their eyes are fixed or their other facial responses, one can then adjust his words, directing them accordingly.
 
This is what Paul did. He was speaking out the gospel, he noticed a man’s facial expressions, and he realized that the man had faith in what was being said. With that, he more fully directed his attention to that man.
 
Be attentive to such things. If you are not having an effect with your words, redirect them. There is one gospel, but there are many ways to present it. Keep working with your presentation to bring about understanding in your audience. Salvation might be just a few words away for those who are listening.
 
Lord God, thank You that You have offered us Jesus Christ as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. And more, You have given us the choice to believe or disbelieve. Your greatness is displayed in this. You do not force Yourself upon Your people but appeal to them, asking us to reason with You and do what is right. Thank You for this. Amen.