17 | November | 2020 | stevelampman.com

THE BOOK OF ACTS
THE RECORD OF GOD,
THE HOLY SPIRIT,
IN REGENERATION

FOREWORD
Jesus, God the Son, promised His followers (His disciples) before He offered Himself up as the sacrifice for the atonement for man’s sin, that He would, after His departure into heaven, send the Holy Spirit. We find this recorded in the Gospel of John.

John 14.16-21: 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever; 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”

Several aspects of this promise concerning the Holy Spirit are to be found in this passage.

(1) He would abide with the follower of Jesus forever. (2) He would indwell them. (3) He would comfort them. (4) He would convince the follower (beyond a shadow of doubt) that Jesus and the Father were one, and that they were one with them. (5) He would manifest Jesus to the follower.

Jesus also said of the Holy Spirit that He would testify of Him.

John 15.26-27: 26“When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. 27And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

He told them of the threefold work of the Holy Spirit concerning lost mankind.

John 16.7-11: 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

In John 16.13-15, He also prophesied that the Holy Spirit would accomplish the following in them:

13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

After His resurrection and just before His ascension into heaven, He promised His disciples the following:

“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Lk. 24.49).

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1.8).

Although the book of Acts has as its heading “The Acts of the Apostles” which it truly is, more so, it is the “Activity of the Holy Spirit” as He regenerates many to newness of spiritual life.

Our study will have two intents. First, to encourage the believer, but also we pray that it will lead many into a relationship with the Lord. Some of the information will be old to the believer, but it may be new to he or she who is searching.

This work is offered by Steve & Nancy Lampman
e.mail stevelampman@comcast.net
Members of: Summit Baptist Bible Church, Clarks Summit, PA e.mail www.summitbaptist.org
CHAPTER 1
THE UNFOLDING ACCORDING TO LUKE

Luke is called “the beloved Physician” by Paul in his letter to the Colossians (Col. 4.14.) He is the writer of the Gospel that bears his name and the book of Acts. In both works he is writing to one called Theophilus. We are given an insight into his knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ from his first work (the Gospel according to Luke) as he writes:

1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught (Luke 1:1-4).

From the above passage we learn that Luke does not claim to have had first-hand knowledge about Jesus, the Christ, but gained his knowledge from eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word (vs. 2). He does assert in verse 3 that his understanding was perfect (complete).

Luke’s purpose in writing the Gospel was to confirm the faith of Theophilus; that his faith in Christ rested on historical fact. His purpose in writing the book of Acts was to continue on in that confirmation and to assure Theophilus that he (Luke) was an eyewitness to many of the things that the Holy Spirit was accomplishing in the name of Jesus, the Christ.

Luke begins his second letter,

1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1.1-5).

Who was this Jesus to whom Luke referred in these verses? We go to one of Luke’s contemporaries, the apostle John, and read,

John 1.1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was God. John 1.2 He was with God in the beginning. He existed with God at creation. John in essence is stating that He had no beginning.

John1.3: Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. He was the creator of all things. 1.14: And the Word was made flesh, and He dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. He became human. Jesus did not have a human father. In human terms He was the offspring of God and Mary. In God’s language, God took upon Himself human flesh. John 1.4: In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. In Him was the life of God. Spiritual life. 1.5 The light shines in the darkness. His life revealed the very nature of God to humanity. According to verse 29, He was the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Jesus was God’s substituted sacrifice for the payment of sin. According to John 12.32 Jesus said of Himself, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” He knew He was to be crucified.

Knowing that He was to die, what did He plan for? According to another of Luke’s contemporaries, Matthew, we read,

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matt. 16.18). He made provision that even though He would die and ascend to heaven after His resurrection, His Church would be founded and flourish.

In assuring its vitality He chose certain ones that would carry on His ministry after His ascension into heaven:

Matthew 10.2 states, 2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Acts 1.21-22: 21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” In that Judas wasn’t a true believer and in that he was the betrayer of the innocent blood, one was needed to replace him. From verse 26 of this chapter, we learn Matthias was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot.

Acts 2: And now the promise fulfilled; the coming of the Holy Spirit. 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Those disciples, whom Jesus had commanded to wait in Jerusalem until His promise was fulfilled, were now to experience the power of God in their lives.
As they waited, not knowing exactly what was to happen there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sat upon each of them. These cloven tongues appearing like fire were supernatural indicators of God’s divine presence upon them. This was affirmed in what followed, each one of them began speaking in other tongues. Speaking in other tongues (other languages) wasn’t for their benefit alone. More importantly, it was for dispensing the good news (the Gospel) concerning Jesus the Christ:

5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Other tongues. Tongues, plural. Seventeen different languages are listed above, and yet each one heard the Word of God in his own language.

Thus, the tongues (the ability to speak in languages unknown to the speaker) mentioned here were for communicating the Word of God.

Question! Is the Holy Spirit given to indwell and empower believers today?

Answer: We find from Acts 10.34-48 that the Gentiles were also to receive the Holy Spirit.

34Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. 39“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47“Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

We find from Acts 19.1-7 that several years (perhaps twenty), after the beginning of the Church (Acts 2), twelve men of Ephesus received the Holy Spirit.

1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. 4Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7There were about twelve men in all.

We read in 1 Corinthians 12.12-13 that all believers have been baptized into the body of Jesus Christ (the Church).

12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

It is evident from the above passages that every believer is given the Holy Spirit to indwell, to empower (equip) each believer to at least understand God’s Word (the Bible) and to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. Beyond these two basic empowerments, Ephesians 4.7-11 tells us that God equips believers with various gifts in order that the body (the Church) may function properly. Not everyone is equipped in the same way, but all are equipped.

7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” 9(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers;

Considering every believer is given the Holy Spirit, perhaps this would be a good time for each one of us to pause and ask a question, “What evidence do I have that the Holy Spirit resides within me?”

The Scriptures confirm that each person who is born again is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. So the question, “What evidence do I have that the Holy Spirit resides in me?” could also be asked, “What evidence do I have in my life that assures me that I have been born again?” Romans 8.14-16 tells us emphatically that the best proof of whether or not we are children of God (have been born again) is our walk.

14…because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Verse 14 qualifies whether we have a relationship with God or not. If we are led by the Holy Spirit, we are His (God’s) children. Earlier in this chapter, in verses 5-10, the following stated:

5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. 9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.

Those of us who believe that we have the Holy Spirit and believe that we are sons or daughters of God should consider, as a test, what it is that motivates us. Is it our desire to satisfy the sinful nature, or do we have a desire to please and glorify God? The apostle Paul, writing to the Galatians, distinguished between those who seek to serve the flesh and those who are led by the Holy Spirit.

“19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5.19-24).

Each of us then, in consideration of our having the Holy Spirit (having been born again), should consider whether or not we seek to glorify God or seek to satisfy the appetites of the flesh. The test of, “Do I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me? Am I a child of God?” should not be in how I feel, but in my actions, motives, and thoughts.

CHAPTER 2
PETER TESTIFIES IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

As we return to the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2.1-13), we remind ourselves that the Jews that gathered at Jerusalem were devout men out of every nation under heaven who heard the testimony of the disciples (approximately one hundred twenty – Acts 1.15), concerning Jesus Christ in their own language. Thousands had gathered at Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Pentecost. No doubt the city was in a buzz over what had happened during the last fifty or so days concerning the execution and burial of Jesus, the son of Joseph and Mary. Those who were gathered in the square, all of a sudden, began hearing approximately one hundred twenty Galilean Jews speaking in languages other than their given tongue, and each one of the gathered heard them in their own language.

6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?

There were at least seventeen different languages and/or dialects represented in the square that day, and yet everyone heard the message of God in his own language. God, the Holy Spirit, was on the move. Verses 12 and 13 tell us of two different reactions, 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” God had a purpose for what had just occurred, and Peter is prompted by the Holy Spirit to speak up. We read from verses 14-36:

14Then Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” 22“Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25David said about him:
‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand 35until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ 36Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

According to verses 37-47, Peter’s message, delivered in the power of the Holy Spirit, resulted in the following:

37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

What happened on that day was truly a miracle. It was supernatural in at least three aspects.

(1) The 120 or so disciples spoke in
languages other than their given
tongues.
(2) Each of the people heard them
in their own language.

Today we send people to schools for many months, if not years, to learn languages other than their own before sending them on missions to peoples of other languages.
(3) About three thousand souls were
brought out of spiritual darkness to a
saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Jews who came to believe in Jesus Christ as their savior were steeped in Judaism, and were very religious. We might compare them with the many of our day who trust in religion. The Jews were very religious, trusting in the Law, which to their understanding, meant that they had to earn salvation by keeping the Law of Moses.

The miracle of that particular day of Pentecost was the conversion of the three thousand souls; their conversion had to have been wrought by God. John 3.3 and 3.5 tell us that a man must be born again before he can see (understand anything about) the Kingdom of God. And, that this is accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit as He brings one out of spiritual darkness into spiritual light, changing the heart of stone to a heart of flesh, bringing one to repentance, and creating in said one a desire to know and fellowship with God the Father and God the Son.

“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3.3).

5“I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (Jn. 3.5-8)

This was true of those who heard the disciples on that day, and it is true of you and me. In order for them to have understood and for us to understand, according to John 3.3 and 5, one must first be born again.

The Peter that delivered this message (Acts 2.14-36) is the same Peter that had denied the Lord three times the morning of His arrest. The man who fled in fear, now boldly stands before some of the very ones who had shouted for Jesus to be crucified – quite a change. Several factors were involved in this change. (1) Peter had seen and spent time with the risen Lord. (2) He now was sure that Jesus was in fact the Messiah. (3) He now knows for sure that this life is not the end of things, but because of Jesus’ resurrection, He knows that what Jesus said about eternal life was true. (4) The Holy Spirit now indwelt him, empowering him to accomplish that which Jesus had called him to do: to be a witness of the fact that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah and man’s redeemer.

Peter referred to Jesus as “Lord” and “Christ” in verse 36. By Lord, he meant that Jesus is ruler over all creation. By “Christ” he meant that Jesus was God’s anointed, the Savior of mankind.

Peter began his explanation of what had just occurred by refuting the claim of many of the crowd that the disciples were in a drunken state and were babbling. He asserted that what had just occurred was the fulfillment of a prophecy of Joel (cf. Joel 2.28-32), concerning the last days.

It would seem from the text that Peter assuredly believed that what had just occurred, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and of their speaking in other languages, was a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. He evidently believed they were in the last days even though Jesus had told His disciples, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority” (Acts 1.7).

It is clear from Joel’s prophecy that many other things will occur during the last days that did not occur on that Pentecost. Commentators have explained that what occurred on that Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the “last days” spoken of by the prophet Joel, and that all things that will occur during the stated “last days” were not intended to all occur in a short period of time, but was begun here and will end years later. Some have determined that the last days began when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples on that Pentecost. Others believe the last days have a shorter duration and will commence just before the second coming of Christ when all of Israel will believe. Whichever is the correct understanding, or if per chance there is another understanding, it was part of the process that caused great boldness and urgency in Peter. Boldness because Peter believed he was living the fulfillment of prophecy, and urgency because he wanted to deliver the message God had given him to as many people as possible and as quickly as possible, because he believed in the Lord’s eminent return.

Perhaps this is what God wants of each generation: boldness and urgency in the proclaiming of the Gospel, fully believing that nothing else really matters and that Christ the Lord could return any day.

Acts 2.22 “Men of Israel, listen to this: Peter’s message was directed to the people of Israel. It wouldn’t be until Acts chapter 10 when the Word (the Gospel) would be delivered to the Gentiles that this, of course, was by the design of God the Father and by direction of the Holy Spirit. Continuing, Peter said; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

One of the great things about the claim of Scripture is the attestation of the miracles He did. They were and are confirmation of His deity. While in prison (before John the Baptist was executed), he sent two of his followers to ask Jesus if He was the one who was to come, in fact, the Messiah. In answer to that question, Jesus sent these two men back to John with the following answer:

5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor (Matt.11.5).

Who else could restore sight, heal the lame and the deaf, cleanse the leper, and raise the dead by command? Only Jesus (or those empowered by Him) could. Our assurance of His deity lies in part to the miracles (signs) He did among the Jews (and at times among the Gentiles) during His first advent.

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Acts 2.23).

What boldness! Peter faced those who were indirectly responsible for the Lord’s murder with their crime. Oh, the assuredness that God confirmed in Peter by the Holy Spirit. The wonderful thing about this is that the same Holy Spirit who empowered and encouraged Peter is still active today, doing the same thing in those whom He regenerates. To those, He imparts newness of spiritual life.

Acts 2.24 states, “But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”

Verses 25-31 tell us that Peter reminded them that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. He recalls to them what their revered king, David, had said prophetically concerning Jesus:

25David said about him: I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. 29Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. Peter explained that David’s testimony was not about himself. David was still in the tomb. His (David’s) testimony concerned Jesus Christ. Peter concludes his address by saying:

32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “The Lord said to my Lord ‘Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’ 36Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2.32-36).

The Impact of Peter’s Message (Acts 2.37-47)

22“Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” 25David said about him: “I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.”

29Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.

33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ 36“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

We note in verses 37-41 the work of the Holy Spirit in convincing them of the truth of Peter’s message. We also must note that not only did the Holy Spirit convince them, but also convicted and then converted those whom God called.

We read in 1 Corinthians 2.14 that “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

John 3.3 and 3.5-8 tell us 3no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. 5 “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

Acts 2.41 states, “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”

As we shall find from chapter 4.1-2, not everyone who heard Peter’s message (and a second message he delivered) believed. That is, not everyone was convinced, convicted and converted; only those whom, according to 2.39, were called. Please note first 2.39 and then 4.1-3:

Acts 2.39: The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Acts 4.1-2: 1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. These leaders would not believe.

We have to ask ourselves, “Why didn’t everyone believe? Why didn’t everyone repent of their sins and turn to Christ after hearing Peter’s message?” It can only be because God did not call every one of them in that specific call which translates into believing. God cannot fail, and if He calls, the one He calls will come. Romans 8.28-30 affirms this:

28“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

Please note that in verses 28 and 29, God calls those He predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. Verse 30 states that those He called, He also justified, and those He justified, He also glorified. This is all written in the past tense, meaning that each one God calls, He justifies and glorifies, losing none. We shall consider this in greater depth later, but for now it is enough to say that the Holy Spirit is doing in Acts 2 what Jesus promised His disciples in Matthew 16; He would build His church. In Acts 2 we find the Holy Spirit working a miracle in the lives of those Jews who were gathered as He added them to the church, the miracle of bringing man out of spiritual darkness into spiritual light, convincing man that Jesus was and is, in fact, the anointed of God, the Christ. Beyond convincing, He worked the act of repentance in their hearts. Beyond convincing, beyond repentance, they were moved to trust in Jesus, the Christ. That is, they were committing their very lives to Him.

Three questions may come to mind. (1) Was there a time when I did not know that Jesus the Christ was in fact, God the Son? (2) Was there a time when I did not know that He was and is the only means of my salvation and God’s propitiation for my sins?

I must answer yes to both questions, so now I ask, (3) Why do I now believe these things? It certainly was not because of my own spiritual intellect, as I was spiritually dead toward God. It was because, as Paul wrote in Ephesians 2.1-10, even when dead toward God He quickened me (made me alive once again spiritually). Oh, thank you, Father for your marvelous grace!

CHAPTER 3
GOD’S ATTENTION-GETTER

1One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.11While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.

If this were to happen today, it surely would save on the doctor bills. But, there was more of a reason for this than the healing of the man. Remember, Jesus had said (Matt.16.18) that He was going to build His church. And, we read in Matthew 28.19-20 where He had told the eleven apostles to 19go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

In commissioning them (Acts 1.8), Jesus said that they would “receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

It is important for us to realize that Jesus was not just sending them out in their own strength. If we look once again at the passage of Matthew 28, we find in verse 18 that Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given me.” And in His commissioning of them in Acts 1.8, they would “receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them” to accomplish His / their mission.

As we come to the text of Acts 3.1-11, we find this power on display. Not as if it were some circus act or movie stunt, but as an affirmation that Peter and John were indwelt with the power (authority) of God. We find from verse 11 the impact it had on those who knew the man who had been healed. While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.

The healing of the lame man brought about the intended opportunity for Peter’s second address to the Jews of that area.

PETER’S SECOND TESTIMONY

12When Peter saw this, he said to them: Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see. 17Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. 19Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22For Moses said, The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people. 24Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. 25And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed’ 26When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways (Acts 3.12-26).

As we move forward into Acts 4, we find the priests, the captain of the temple, the Sadducees, their rulers and elders, scribes, 6Annas, the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest set against Peter and John (more directly, against Jesus, He who had claimed to be the Messiah).

CHAPTER 4
OPPOSITION ARISES

Acts 4.1-22: 1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. 5The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. 12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

The Sadducees were one of several sects existing among the people of Israel during this time. There were also the Pharisees, and the Essenes. The Pharisees and the Sadducees were the two sects who most strongly stood against Jesus, the Christ.

The Pharisees (also known as Separatists) sought to keep alive reverence for the law among the descendants of the Jews who returned from the Babylonian captivity. This movement degenerated into the Pharisaism of self-righteousness. In their zeal of the law, humanism (traditions and philosophizing of men) crept in, and they had lost the correct sense of sin and righteousness. The Pharisees withstood Jesus and all that were aligned with Him from a humanistic view of Judaism.

The Sadducees denied the existence of angels or other spirits and all miracles, especially the resurrection of the body. They were the religious rationalists of the time (Mk. 12.18-23; Acts 23.8), and were strongly entrenched in the Sanhedrin, and priesthood (Acts 4.1-2; 5.17). They held to no affirmative doctrine, but were strong deniers of the supernatural. Being entrenched in the Sanhedrin (the political governing body of the Jews) they apposed Jesus and His followers from a political/social philosophy. Thus when Peter and John began “teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead” they quickly aligned themselves with the “priests and the captain of the temple” in an attempt to stop them from preaching that which they did not believe and strongly opposed. They decided the following: 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name” (vs. 17). We find from verses 3 and 7 that by arrest and questioning, they tried to intimidate them, and from verses 15-18 we find that the questioning accelerated to threatening.

3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

We have to remember, however, that Peter and John were changed men. They were no longer the “wayward followers” of Christ, but were now committed apostles, indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

Because of what they had personally witnessed (Having been with the resurrected Lord for approximately forty days after His resurrection and before He ascended into heaven), and because of the power of God (the Holy Spirit) now indwelling them, they boldly spoke forth the Word of God.

8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is “the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. 12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4.8-12).

After the further intimidation and threatening of verses 15-18, we find Peter and John boldly proclaiming: “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (vv.19-20). In trying to intimidate and threaten Peter and John, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees themselves were intimidated by Peter and John and the people who had witnessed the healing of the lame man.

21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. 23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. 27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.’” 31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Verses 23-24 inform us that having suffered jail and having been threatened by the Jewish religious leaders to not speak about Jesus, the one they (the Jewish religious leaders) had caused to be executed, Peter and John were emboldened. Instead of cowering, they went back to their own company and reported the healing of the lame man, their imprisonment and of their being threatened by the Jewish council.

23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.”

Verses 25-27: They to whom this report was given, began praising God, referring to Him as absolute ruler (thou are God). They praised Him as the creator of all things and were therefore acknowledging that He was superior to all creatures, even of those who were now opposing His truth. The Holy Spirit led them to recall Psalm 2 where King David had prophesied concerning Jesus the Christ: “1Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 2The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.”

In actuality, the Psalmist points forward to the time when Christ will come to set up His kingdom and when the kings and rulers will seek to thwart that purpose. But these early Christians realized that the situation they were facing may have been that prophesied time.

The opposition was the same. The Romans and the Jews had leagued together against God’s holy Servant, Jesus. Herod represented the Jews, and Pilate acted on behalf of the Gentiles. We find an interesting statement in verse 28: They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

God had determined beforehand that the Jews and Gentiles would work in tandem to bring about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. They, the rulers of both the Jewish nation and the Gentiles, wanted Jesus put to death for various reasons (authority, power, money), but God meant it for the good of mankind. Jesus was to die in payment for the sins of those who were to be saved. God knew beforehand that humanity would rise up against His anointed, the Lord Jesus Christ, and used this in bringing about His crucifixion.

Verses 29-30: These Christians, having heard Peter and John’s report, and, recalling the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit had descended, and the miracle that followed (the speaking in other languages and of thousands being converted to Christianity), now ask that they also will be embolden to proclaim the Gospel, the good news about God’s salvation through Christ. Holy Spirit-led Christians were being added to the cause.

29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.

They (these early Christians) asked three things: (1) that the Lord would consider the threatening of those people who were to stand opposed to their proclaiming of the Gospel; (2) that He (God) would strengthen them, giving them courage; (3) that He would work signs and wonders (miracles) in the lives of those to whom they would witness.

This should give us (we the Christians of today) the courage and confidence to be His faithful witnesses. There is no reason to fear, as God does behold the threatening of people who oppose Him today. He is fully aware of what we face, He is with us, and He strengthens us. He gives us confidence and courage. And He is working in the hearts of those whom He is saving. He is working the miracle of conversion in their hearts. The same Holy Spirit who filled the followers of Jesus during that first century fills each one of us, when we, as they, are surrendered to Him. The purpose of that filling is the same today as it was then, to glorify God the Father and God the Son. In our day He may or may not affirm the power of Jesus to each one He saves by bringing physical healing as He did the lame man, but He does, in every case, prove that power by a changed life.

We find from verses 32-37 that indeed, changed hearts brings about changed lives.

32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

CHAPTER 5
SERIOUS BUSINESS

1Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. 12The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

From verses 32-37 of chapter 4 we read of the Holy Spirit knitting together the hearts and minds of those early Christians. They were of one mind and one soul. These folks weren’t selfishly holding on to things they owned but gladly were sharing with one another as the need arose. In those verses we read of Barnabas who sold a piece of land and had brought the proceeds to the apostles for the benefit of those in need.

Ananias and Sapphira, a man and his wife, who, even though they were Christians (the text would not lead us to believe otherwise), were dishonest in their conduct. They sold a piece of property, but unlike Barnabas, held back part of the money gained by its sale and gave only a part of it to the apostles for distribution. There may have been several reasons of why they sold the property but in context of what was happening around them (in the early Church) it seems they wanted to be recognized, by at least the apostles if not the Church in general, as being as devoted to Jesus and one another as were Barnabas and their fellow Christians. There is nothing in the text that required them to sell the property, nor according to the text were they required to give all the proceeds to the apostles for distribution. The motives of Barnabas and the others of the church were love, generosity, and the well-being of others, but it appears they, Ananias and his wife, were motivated by pride and greed. As we consider what resulted from their actions, we must remember that what was happening in those early days of the Church was foundational to its health and vitality. Jesus, the cornerstone of the church, was not going to allow deceit, greed and/or pride to erode its integrity. Consider what followed the collusion of Ananias and Sapphira:

3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

Verses 11-16 tell of the impact this discipline had on the church and also on those who were watching it.

11Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.12The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

So clear was the sense of God’s presence and power that men did not lightly associate with the believers or make light professions of faith. Those who were added to the church (vs. 14) fully recognized the power of God working in and through Peter and the apostles. By being numbered with the believers, those who were being added to the church fully realized the cost. By becoming a follower of Jesus (by becoming Christians) they were cut off from the benefits of Judaism, as they now were considered infidels. Yet God was at work saving souls and bringing them into the fellowship.

CHAPTER 6
GROWTH NECESSITATES ORDER

Verses 1-7: 1In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” 5This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Satan is the great enemy of the church and if he cannot destroy it by attacks from without, he will seek to cause dissension and overthrow it from within. This is illustrated in the above passage. In the early church it was customary to make daily disbursements to the widows of the church who had no other means of support.

Some of the believers who had been Greek-speaking Jews complained because their widows were not receiving the same treatment as the widows of the Hebrew-speaking Jews. The twelve apostles realized that with the increasing growth of the Church this problem could escalate from a minor problem to a major problem, causing division. In order to head off such a situation; it was decided to search out and appoint “seven men who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.” They themselves (the apostles) thought it was not good to forsake the time needed for prayer and the administration of the Word. Although these men are not designated deacons, it is not unreasonable to think of them as such. In the expression, “serve tables” (vs. 2), the word “serve” is the verb form of the noun from which we get the English word “deacon,” so their function literally was to “deacon” tables. The seven men chosen were to be: (1) of good reputation (un-reproachable); (2) full of the Holy Spirit (spiritual); and (3) full of wisdom (practical). The apostle Paul expands on the qualification of a deacon in his first letter to Timothy.

1 Timothy 3.8-13: 8Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. 11In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. 12A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

By these instructions to Timothy, we find that the office “deacon” was not to be taken lightly. The world of our day says of the Christian, “thou hypocrite” thus it behooves us to be diligent in our walk, certainly for those who are in leadership, as they are the most noticed.

STEPHEN

Moving ahead in the chapter, we read of the deacon, Stephen: “8Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, 10but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. 11Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, ‘We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.’ 12So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin (Acts 6. 8-15).

13They produced false witnesses, who testified, ‘This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.’15All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.”

In Acts 6.8, the narrative centers on one of the deacons, Stephen, who was mightily used by God in performing miracles and in preaching the Word. He is the first man other than an apostle who is said to have performed miracles in the book of Acts. God has a plan and a timetable for the Church, and in its early stages, He empowered certain men, such as Stephen, for its affirmation and establishment.

We read in 1 Corinthians 1.22 that “the Jews required a sign.” All through their history, God gave them signs in affirmation of His will for them. Eventually, they, as the Gentiles, will step out in faith, but in these early years of the church God deemed it best to continue giving them signs. Remember, at this time the outreach was only to the Jews. It would be the converted Jew who would take the Gospel to the Gentile world.

Acts 6.9 shows how opposition to Stephen’s powerful ministry arose from the synagogue. A synagogue was a place where Jews gathered together on the Sabbath for instruction in the law and were named according to the people who met there. In our text “the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)—Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia” (vs. 8).
The Freedmen (Libertines) were perhaps Jews who had been freed from slavery by the Romans. The Cyrenians came from Cyrene, a city in Africa, some of whose Jews had apparently settled in Jerusalem. The Alexandrian Jews had come from the seaport of Egypt by that name. The others mentioned (from Cilicia and of Asia) came from a providence of three territories of Asia Minor. Apparently communities of Jews from all of these places had synagogues in or near Jerusalem. It is of importance to draw attention to these folks, as we shall find from chapter 9.

Acts 6.10-14: These zealous Jews proved no match for Stephen as they disputed with him. The words which he spoke and the power with which he spoke to them were irresistible. In a desperate move to silence him, they secretly induced false witnesses to accuse Stephen of blasphemy against Moses and God. He soon was standing before the Sanhedrin, charged with speaking against the temple and the law.

They falsely quoted him as saying that Jesus would destroy the temple and change the whole system of worship and governing which Moses had delivered to Israel.

Acts 6.15: The Sanhedrin heard the charges, but as they looked at Stephen, they saw not the face of a demon, but a face of purity and holiness. They saw a life fully surrendered to the Lord, determined to proclaim the Truth, and more concerned with what was pleasing and acceptable to God than with what was acceptable to them. They saw something of the glory of Christ reflected in the radiance of his face. As we look back to verse 7 of this chapter we read, so the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Even many of the priests came to believe in Jesus as their savior through the testimony of Stephen.

CHAPTER 7
STEPHEN’S TESTIMONY

1Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 2And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee. 4Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 5And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. 6And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. 7And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. 8And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs (Acts 7.1-8).

Stephen must have known that his life was at stake. He could have saved himself if he would have renounced Jesus, but he would not do that. He instead takes them back to their beginnings as a nation and is very methodical as he lays their history before them, including their lineage down through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the twelve patriarchs. He then recalls to them how they, a family of seventy souls (the twelve patriarchs, their wives and children), came to be in Egypt as God preserved them through a terrible famine that had spread throughout the land of Egypt and Canaan.

9“Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 10and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace. 11“Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our fathers could not find food. 12When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit. 13On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. 14After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. 15Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died. 16Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money (Acts 7.1-8).

William McDonald writes in The Believer’s Bible Commentary: Surely Stephen’s accusers must have felt the sharp arrows of conviction as they heard Stephen review the steps of Joseph’s career, then remembered what they had done to Jesus of Nazareth: (End of quote).

Stephen moves on and recalls another deliverer, Moses.

17“As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased. 18Then another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt. 19He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die. 20“At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father’s house. 21When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. 22Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. 23“When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. 24He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 26The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’ 27“But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? 28Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.
30“After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord’s voice: 32‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. 33“Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’

35“This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36He led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert.

37“This is that Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will send you a prophet like me from your own people.’ 38He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us. 39“But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. 40They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’ 41That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and held a celebration in honor of what their hands had made. 42But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: “‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the desert, O house of Israel? 43You have lifted up the shrine of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship.
Therefore I will send you into exile’ beyond Babylon. 44“Our forefathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the desert. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. 45Having received the tabernacle, our fathers under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David, 46who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47But it was Solomon who built the house for him. 48“However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says: 49“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? 50 Has not my hand made all these things?’ (Acts 7.17-49).

Stephen wasn’t just reciting their history for the sake of reciting history he was laying the foundation for the following comparison:

Acts 7.51-53: 51“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him—53you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it.” His accusers made the connection, but what did they do?

Acts 7.57-60: 57At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

By this testimony, Stephen sealed his death. He, however, was completely under the control (full of) the Holy Spirit and was not slack in proclaiming the truth about Jesus. Being allowed to see Jesus standing on the right hand of God the Father, he boldly proclaims what he sees, and then as he is about to die, shouts, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” What an impact this must have had on those who were in the act of killing him. We know from chapter 9 the impact it had on Saul, who would later, himself, become an apostle.

SAUL

Concerning Saul we read from 8.1:“And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.”

In the Greek (the language in which the New Testament was written), “consenting” means the following: “feel gratified with, allow, assent, be pleased and/or have pleasure.” Saul was being faithful to his religion. He was in sin, of course, and was in spiritual darkness (as we all are until the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit is granted us). Nevertheless, he took great delight in persecuting the church. In his letter to the Galatians, he said of himself, “13For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers” (Gal. 1.13-14). What a tumult must have been going on in his soul as he watched Stephen being stoned to death! He was defending his faith, his faith in the law, gladly watching one he considered a breaker of that law being put to death, and yet, he knew that Stephen had done nothing worthy of death. Nevertheless, according to verse 3 of chapter 8, Saul began to destroy the Church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

Stephen, however, (chapter 6, vs. 8), was a man full of God’s grace and power, and did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. And in verses 10 and 11 of that same chapter, we read: 11but they (the Jewish council) could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. 11Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.”
Not much is known of Stephen’s background, whether he had much of an education, or whether or not previous to his becoming a Christian he had any authority or standing in the community. Those around him, however, both of the Christian community and the Jews (including the members of the Sanhedrin), certainly took notice of the demeanor in which he conducted himself since becoming a Christian. His life, as much as his message, was bringing conviction to all those with whom he came in contact, especially his accusers. We know this was true in Saul’s life, as in Acts 9 we read,

1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.

Saul, having heard that the young Rabbi (Jesus) had been put to death and was buried, was determined to put an end to this upstart religion that threatened his own (Judaism). But the followers of this Rabbi were declaring that, in fact, Jesus had arisen from the dead. Stephen’s testimony was certainly to this point. Even though he (Saul) did not believe these assertions, the seed had been planted; hence the struggle. The crushing blow came when, on his way to Damascus, the Lord Jesus Himself appeared to him and said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9.5). In other words, it was difficult for Saul to fight against those things (the truth about Jesus) that kept goading him. Oh, that our lives (as Stephen’s) would be such that as people watch us and/or listen to us, they would come under a conviction so strong they to would turn to Jesus.

CHAPTER 8
PERSECUTION RESULTS IN WIDESPREAD EVANGELISM

1And Saul was there, giving approval to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. 4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

Saul, with unbounded energy, continues to harass the church, dragging his hapless victims from their homes and committing them to prison. If only he could forget Stephen—such poise—such unshakable conviction—the face of an angel! He must drown out the memory, and he seeks to do so by stepping up his attacks on Stephen’s fellow believers.

A new era begins with the words, “At that time.” Stephen’s death seemed to trigger a widespread assault against the Church. Believers were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

The Lord had instructed His followers to begin their witness in Jerusalem, but then to reach out to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Up to this time, their witness had been confined entirely to Jerusalem. Perhaps they had been timid about branching out, but now, because of persecution, they scattered to those other areas. The apostles themselves, however, remained in the city. From the human standpoint, it was a dark day for the believers. The life of a member of their fellowship had been laid down. They themselves were being chased like criminals. But from the divine standpoint, it was not dark at all. A grain of wheat (the Word) had been planted in the ground (in the hearts of many), and much fruit would inevitably result. The winds of affliction were scattering the seeds of the Gospel to distant places. Who could have estimated the extent of the harvest?

The dispersal of the Christians did not silence their testimony. Everywhere they went they carried the good news of salvation. Thus, the primitive Church begins to fulfill its commission as it obeys the Lord’s example and commands. The Church went out as Christ had gone out (Jn. 20.21; cf. Acts 8.1-4). It sold its goods and gave to the poor (Lk. 12.33; 18.22; cf. Acts 2.45; 4.34). It considered not that their fathers, mothers, families, and lands be preeminent in their lives, but went everywhere preaching the Word, no matter the cost (Matt. 10.37; c.f. Acts 8.1-4).

It made disciples and taught them to work and obey (Matt. 28.18, 19; c.f. 1 Thess. 1.6). It took up its cross and followed Christ (Acts 4.1 1 Thess. 2). It rejoiced in tribulation and persecution (Matt. 5.11, 12; c.f. Acts 16; 1 Thess. 1.6-8). It left the dead to bury their dead and went and preached the Gospel (Luke 9:59, 60). It shook the dust from its feet and moved on when men refused to hear (Luke 9.5; cf. Acts 13.51). And it healed, exorcised demons, raised the dead, and bore lasting fruit (Mark 16.18; Acts 3-16). We now read of one such individual:

Acts 8.5-13: 5 Then Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.

9Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” 11They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

Philip, one of those who had been chosen to the office of “deacon ” of chapter 6, headed north to the city of Samaria where he not only proclaimed Christ, but performed many miracles. Unclean spirits were driven out, and the paralyzed and lame were healed. The people gave heed to the Gospel and, as might be expected, great joy resulted.

Acts 8.14-25: 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” 24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” 25When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel in many Samaritan villages.

Concerning Simon, it seems that he had not truly been born again. He was a professor, but not a possessor. Those who teach salvation by baptism are faced with a dilemma. Simon had been baptized, but he was still in his sins. This reminds us of what Jesus said concerning those who only professed to be Christians. Matthew 7.21-23 states, 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

This, of course, should cause us to take stock of ourselves. What are my motivations? Do I seek to please self, or do I seek to glorify God in my life? For those who may only be professors of faith and not possessors there is still time, one must cast himself or herself on the mercy of God, calling out for forgiveness and trust Jesus for deliverance and salvation.

Before following Philip toward Gaza, we should address the receiving of the Holy Spirit by those of Samaria who had already been added to the Church.

14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8.14-17).

One might wonder why the difference in the sequence of receiving the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, those who were added to the Church first repented, were baptized, and then received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2.37-38):

In The Bible Knowledge Commentary, John Walvoord gives three possible reasons:

(1) Peter and John’s prayer for bestowing
the Holy Spirit in the presence of the
Samaritans and then the laying on of
their hands was to confirm Philip’s
ministry among the Samaritans.
(2) It was a confirmation to the other
apostles who were still in Jerusalem
that the Holy Spirit was indeed the gift
of God to people other than the
Jewish nation.
(3) And perhaps the most important aspect
of God’s withholding the Spirit till
apostolic representatives came from
the Jerusalem church was to prevent
schism.

Because of the natural propensity of
division between Jews and the
Samaritans it was essential for Peter
and John to welcome the Samaritan
believers officially into the Church.

William McDonald writes in his work, The Believer’s Bible Commentary, “There was a real danger that the church in Jerusalem might retain ideas of Jewish superiority, and that they might continue the attitude of having no dealings with the Samaritans. To avoid the possibility of division (one Jewish church and one Samaritan), God sent the apostles to lay hands on the Samaritans in order for them to receive the Holy Spirit. This would express full fellowship between them as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. This was a confirmation that they were all members of one body, all one in Christ Jesus. Of one thing we can be sure: they were all saved in the same way—by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only way of salvation (John 14.6).”

PHILIP AND THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH

Returning to the ministry of Philip, we find him journeying from Samaria toward Gaza (Acts 8.26-40).

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:

{He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.}

34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the Gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

This man (the eunuch) had apparently become a convert to Judaism, since he had been to Jerusalem to worship and was now returning home. Judaism, however, would not and could not save him (make him spiritually right with God) it was his schoolmaster. He had to be brought to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is no different with us. Our religion will not save us; only faith in God the Son can accomplish that.

Do we see God’s hand in his salvation? Certainly, first we find that the Holy Spirit had directed Philip to take the specific route that would bring him into his presence. Secondly, the timing was exact. Philip had left Samaria, and the eunuch Jerusalem at such time as would cause their paths to cross. Thirdly, the Holy Spirit had caused the eunuch to be reading Isaiah 53.7-8:

7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

This was the exact place from which a comparison could be made between the sacrificial lamb of Judaism and the sacrificial Lamb of Christianity. And fourth, we find the presence of water, which, of course, was necessary for the eunuch to identify himself in that way with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, his redeemer. Water in the desert, hmmm!

This should cause us to stop and think of our own salvation. It did not come about by our (my) own choice, but by the active direction of God. Each person’s coming to Christ may be somewhat different, but each one’s coming is not because of heritage (of blood) nor because of human decision (the will of the flesh, self) nor of a father’s will for his child (the will of man), but by the will of God (Jn. 1.13).

The Holy Spirit caused Philip to intercede for the eunuch, explaining to him the gift of God. Salvation was to be his through the shed blood of God’s Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit opened the eunuch’s understanding in order that he could receive the truth of that which he was reading. Immediate conversion followed. He was born from above (Jn. 3.3-8). The proof of his understanding and of his newness of spiritual life is seen in the fact that he immediately wanted to be identified with his savior. Those of his entourage (caravan) would understand by his baptism that now he was a follower of the Lord Jesus and that he believed in Him for his salvation. What a testimony!

Question: What was it that prepared the eunuch’s heart in order that he might receive the truth about Jesus the Christ?

(1) Sometime in his past he had become a
convert to Judaism. The Holy Spirit
had convinced him that the God of the
Jews was the only true God.
(2) The Holy Spirit had created in him a
hunger to know more about “God,”
evidenced by the fact that he was
reading from the book of Isaiah.
(3) His religion was not passive as we
find him returning from Jerusalem
where he had gone to worship.
(4) It was not by chance that he was
(at the time of Philip’s arrival)
reading from Isaiah 53.7-12:

{7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. 9He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.10 Yet it was the LORD’S will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. 11After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death},

We can be confident that it was not by chance that he was reading this passage at that time, because the whole situation had been arranged by God. Remember, Philip had been called out of Samaria and sent into Gaza by direction of the Holy Spirit for the explicit purpose of witnessing to this man. In reflection, as we turn to our own salvation experience, we must realize that we are, in fact, Christians because God was at work in our lives in order to bring us to Himself. We are not Christians by chance. This was certainly true in the lives of the Ephesians believers; consider their conversion (Eph. 2.1-13):

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)—12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

We, like them, were dead toward God in trespasses and sins. We walked according to the course of the world. We lived to fulfill the lust of our flesh and our alienated minds. But God, quickened (regenerated) us when we were in this dead state. We were without Christ, but now we are His. And we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Thank you, Lord!

CHAPTER 9
THE CALLING OF SAUL/PAUL

Acts 9.1-22: 1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13“Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and 19after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

Saul, (Paul) recounting his conversion in a letter to the Galatians, wrote:

13For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles (Gal.1.13-16).

Many people refer to Saul’s (Paul’s) calling as a religious conversion and in fact, Paul, himself, says such in verse 13 above. He adds, however, in verse 15, “He (God) set me apart from birth and called me by his grace.”

By the time Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians, he realized that long before he had done anything, good or bad, he had been chosen (separated from his mother’s womb and called by God’s grace). As we consider this, we are reminded of Jesus calling his disciples. He says in John 15.16a: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit.”

God is in the business of calling people out of spiritual darkness, creating in them new spiritual life. John refers to this in his Gospel as “being born again” that is, being reborn spiritually. We have before quoted Ephesians 2.1-8 in our study where it is emphatically stated that all people (represented by the Ephesians) are spiritually dead toward God, in need of a spiritual regeneration (rebirth), and so it was with Saul (Paul).

Before God created the world, He had chosen Saul (Paul) to be His representative to the Gentiles. It wasn’t by chance that he was of pure Jewish decent, or of the tribe of Benjamin (Phil. 3.5), giving him a knowledge of the true God – or that he was a Pharisee, giving him a deep understanding of the law. And it was not mere coincidence that he was taught at the feet of Gamaliel, the leading teacher of Hebrew laws and customs or that he was advanced to leadership in Judaism above his fellows.

God brought about and used all these things in his life to bring him to Himself. Our story (history) may be different than that of Saul (Paul), yet our coming to God is by no means less significant, for if we are His, we are first called out of spiritual darkness, convinced and convicted of our sin, and brought to a point of repentance and then commitment.

From a heavenly perspective, Saul was called and confirmed in the councils of God before His creative acts, but it was now time from the human perspective to bring his salvation about.

Many of the things that had occurred in the life of Saul (Paul) before his calling, had God’s intended effect, but the stoning of Stephen and his words of “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” may have been that which overwhelmed him. Isn’t it the same with us? None of us just all of a sudden committed ourselves to Jesus.

There were things that occurred in our lives over the years, people we met or observed, various testimonials, various trials and/or tribulations, that brought us to a point of (1) believing that Jesus was in fact God, in the flesh; (2) that He was given by God as our propitiation; that He paid the penalty of our sin; (3) that because of His sacrifice, we are acceptable to God, and our sins are forgiven.

It was now time for Saul to be confronted by Jesus “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” We learn from the story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16.19-31) that the rich man’s family would not be convinced of the truth of God even if they were to be confronted by someone whom had arisen from the dead. From John 3.1-8, we learn that a person must be reborn spiritually before he or she can understand (see) the kingdom of God. And from 1 Corinthians 2.14, we learn the reason why one must be “born again” to be able to understand the truth about God. “The natural man does receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” So it was with Saul. On his way to Damascus to arrest the Christians of that city, he himself was arrested by the realization of the truth about Jesus and of what he was doing. He was persecuting not only the followers of Jesus, but Jesus Himself. And so it is with us. There came a time in our lives (for we who have been born again, spiritually regenerated) when we were confronted with our sin, realizing that our sin was against the Holy God, and that because of sin, we were alienated from God and lost. Our only hope was in God’s mercy and that Jesus was He who could bring us to God.

It is not that Saul immediately understood everything about God. “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” But nonetheless, rebirth came to him on that road. Again, so it is with us. When we are “born again,” we don’t become theological giants, but we do understand that we are, sinners, lost, and on our way to eternal damnation. God gives us spiritual eyes (spiritual understanding) that we may see ourselves as we really are, and of our need for His mercy.

We note from the account of Saul’s conversion that God didn’t just save him and then let him flounder. God had a purpose for him, and he has a purpose for us. It was not only that God loved Saul, and it isn’t only that God loves us. He had a purpose for Saul, and He has a purpose for us. Again, concerning Saul, we read: “Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”

God’s purpose for each of us, including Saul, is that we glorify Him. Ephesians 2:10 states that “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

No matter who we are, where we come from, our education, our social status, or our age, God’s purpose for us is that we glorify Him. We read from 1 Peter 1.3-23:

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

13Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

17Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. 18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.
22Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. 23For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. This was God’s purpose for Saul, and it is His purpose for us.

ANANIAS

There is another person we should consider before we move ahead in chapter 9: Ananias! There is not much written about him, but a lot is said about him. Paul, recounting his conversion as he testified to the multitude after his arrest at Jerusalem (Acts 21.14-22.1-16), said of him in 22.12: “A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.”

We find from Acts 9.10-18 that Ananias was not much different from you and me. Even though, according to Acts 22.12-13, he was a devout man according to the law, still he was fearful of what might happen to him if he were to be obedient to the Lord. Isn’t it the same with us? Nonetheless, he was obedient, and as a result, Saul became Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. There are several things we should learn from Ananias:

First, even though fearful, he was obedient. He certainly feared arrest and imprisonment, if not worse. In our day, occasionally read of some missionary who, being obedient to their call, has suffered arrest, beatings, imprisonment, and yes, some, even death. But what about you and me here in our own country where we have supposed freedom of religion? Do we testify of God’s grace to those around us, or do we shy away because of fear of humiliation and/or rejection? Even though Ananias had every reason to fear what Saul might have intended his “reverential fear” of God was perhaps greater. We are commanded in 1 Peter 3.15” 15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect:

Second, Paul testifies in Acts 22.12-13 that Ananias was a very devout man according to the law. He was very sincere in faithfulness to the Lord. While he did not have the New Testament writings as we do, still he was faithful to the Scriptures he did have. From Acts 9.10-18 we gather that when the Lord called, he responded immediately. He recognized the Lord for who He is. This, of course, implies that he had a relationship with the Lord. One has to wonder how our relationship with the Lord would measure up to that of Ananias.

Third, Ananias spoke only of that which the Lord had directed him. He did not go into all the political or sociological jargon of the day. He spoke of that which he had received of the Lord. While God does not speak to us today as He did to Ananias, He speaks to us through His Word. Second Timothy 2.15 says that we are to: “Study to show thy (ourselves) approved unto God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Ananias was the faithful conduit through which God’s message was delivered to Saul/Paul.

As we consider our own salvation, we recall that someone spoke to us concerning the grace of God. It may have been a preacher, an evangelist, or a lay person, such as Ananias. God, speaking through Isaiah, said: “My word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isa. 55.11).

And He says through the writer of Hebrews, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4.12).

The fourth thing we learn about Ananias is his humility. Nothing is said about him in the text after verse 17 (Acts 9.17) where it states; “Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul,’ the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Paul does say of him in the passage quoted above (Acts 22.12-13) that Ananias was highly respected by all the Jews living there. Ananias’s life, after his own rebirth (conversion), might be summed up in the Lord’s words of Matthew 5.3-16.

3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9Blessed are the peace-makers, for they will be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 13You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Ananias was blessed in that he was faithful to the Lord. Because of the work God had done in his life, he was humble (poor in Spirit); he mourned his sin, was meek, hungered and thirsted after God’s righteousness, was merciful, was pure in heart, was a peacemaker, and was willing to suffer persecution. As a result of these things in his life (things brought about by God), God used him in the conversion of Saul. This should be the testimony of our lives. God uses folks like Ananias (and you and me) in the salvation of others. What a blessing it must have been for Ananias, to see Saul brought to the truth of the Gospel and converted! What a blessing for us today to see lives changed and to know that we have had a part in that changed life. Of course, we are to give all glory to God because “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2.10).

RETURNING TO PAUL’S CONVERSION

As we return to Paul’s conversion, we should consider those things that had occurred in his life, things that were presently occurring, and, those things that would occur as he matured in the faith.

(1) He had been chosen (elected) to
salvation in eternity past (Gal. 1.15).
(2) He had been called by God’s grace
(unmerited favor) [Gal. 1.15].
(3) He was regenerated (made
spiritually alive)
(John 3.3, 5; Eph 2.1-5).
(4) He had been granted the faith, the
gift of God that makes it possible to
believe (Eph.2.8; Heb.12.2).
(5) He was converted, which wrought in
him a positive change from spiritual
death to spiritual life
(Rom 6.11; Eph.4.24; Col. 3.10).
(6) He was made just (right with God)
(Rom. 4.2; 5.16, 18).
(7) He was adopted (placed) into the family of God (Rom. 8.15; Gal. 4.5; Eph. 1.5).
(8) He was sanctified (set apart from
the world into the kingdom of God) (Jn. 17.17; Acts 20.32, Acts 26.18; 1 Cor.1.2, 6.11; Heb. 10.10).
(9) He was being, throughout his life, conformed (maturing) to the image of Christ (Rom. 8.29, 12.2).
(10) He had the gift of perseverance
(Eph. 6.11-17).
(11) By the grace of God, he was able to
die to self (Rom. 6.6; Gal. 2.20, 5.24).
(12) Upon physical death, he was to be
glorified (Rom. 8.30; Phil. 1.21-23).

The remainder of the chapter affirms the above things in his life. He leaves the old life behind and journeys on the path God had set before him.

Acts 9.17-31 states, 17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and 19after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

20At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ. 23After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.
26When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

Saul (Paul) was forever a changed man. A spiritually born again man. Before progressing further, perhaps it would be good for each of us to consider our own salvation. The apostle Peter wrote concerning salvation: “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.” (2 Pet. 1.10), and the Lord Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 7.21-27) said:
21Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

WHAT ABOUT YOU AND ME?

Each of us should pause and ask ourselves, “Is there evidence in my life that I am truly a child of God? Am I truly spiritually born again?” It is imperative that one is a child of God, as, Jesus also said in Matthew 25.41:“Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”: The apostle John wrote that one can know for sure whether on not he or she is a child of God, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5.13).

As we consider those things he referred to, in the above verse, we gain an insight into our own spirituality. He wrote of four things that may assure us of our salvation, or lack thereof.
The first evidence of whether we have truly been born again is how we deal with sin. Knowing that, at times, a “born of the Father one, a Christian” would sin, he wrote that even as Christians, we will sin. He emphatically states such in verses 1.8 and 9: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

When one sins (which one will, regretfully), he or she need not fear the loss of salvation. On the contrary; evidence of the surety of salvation is in the truth of the recognition of said sin and a desire of its confession and cleansing. The world does not see sin as sin against the Holy God. The world calls sin by other names always excusing it. John goes on to say in 2.1-2: 1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

When the non-Christian sins, he or she has no advocate or propitiation (has no way of being made right) with the Father as does the Christian. Even though the Christian may sin, Christ’s blood makes him or her judicially right with God the Father. That was the purpose of the sacrifice; Jesus stands before the Father as an advocate and as the propitiation for the Christian. He cannot fail in His advocacy, and God will never forsake the propitiation found in His blood. The first assurance of one’s salvation is the recognition of sin and the confession of it. The components of confession, are, first of all, agreeing with God about it, and secondly the recognition of the need of forgiveness.

The second evidence is: 3We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did (2.3-6). Knowing Him implies; having an intimate relationship with Jesus (with God the Son). If we truly know Him we will want to and will obey Him. With any intimate relation-ship, there exists the desire to please.

The third evidence is: 7Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him. 12 I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father (2.7-13).

Godly love for one another according to 1 Corinthians 13.1-8 goes beyond mere feeling, but is translated into action on behalf of the one loved.

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. Godly generated love is not passive but is a motivation to action putting the need of another first above ones own desires, or even, needs.

The fourth evidence is found in 2.15-17: 15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

The proof of our having a true relationship with God is found in John’s four evidences given above. If there has been a change in one’s life, there is a change. While perfection (true maturity) has not yet been gained, we find ourselves recognizing and dealing with sin; we will want to and will obey His commandments; we will love one another; and we will not love (be bound to) the things of the world. Kind of heavy, huh? But, it is important. If we have been changed as was Saul, there will have been a change in our lives.

Saul, the changed man

Acts 9.17-31: 17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and 19after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.23After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, 24but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

26When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. 28So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him. 30When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.31Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.

There were several dramatic changes in Saul’s life. First, he was baptized (vs. 18). This was not a baptism in the tradition of the Jews (ceremonial cleansing). Nor was it the baptism in the manner in which John the Baptist had been baptizing people, preparing them for the coming Messiah, but Saul (Paul) was identifying himself with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the one he had just recently been persecuting. He was not sprinkled (as many are today), but was submerged under the water. What a testimony! Here was the hater of Christianity saying to the world that he was identifying himself with the one whom had been murdered, of whom the grave could not keep, and whom, by the power of God had been resurrected to newness of life.

Second, he immediately sought out the fellowship of other Christians with other followers of Jesus Christ (vs. 19).

Third, he went to the synagogues and preached Jesus. Going into the lion’s den (so to speak), he boldly spoke about the one his brethren had murdered, pro-claiming Him as the Son of God, thus, God.

Fourth, he increased in strength (knowledge and assurance) and confounded the Jews in discussion, debate, and argument showing that Jesus was truly Christ (God’s anointed) and that his message came from Him.

Paul would, later in his ministry, write two letters to the Corinthian believers and in the second he wrote of the many things he had suffered from the time of his calling until the then, present:

24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches (2 Cor. 11.24-28). Paul wasn’t bragging; he was just stating the facts to them as he addressed a problem they had with boasting.

The reason for referring to this record is to emphasize just how much of a change God had wrought in the heart and life of Paul. Many today claim to be a Christian, yet live their lives as before they claimed conversion. This was not the case with Paul. There was a dramatic change in his life. He truly was born again. One might ask, “What brought about this dramatic change?” The answer, of course, is “the Holy Spirit.” At the “last supper” (Jn. 14.16-20) Jesus promised His disciples that He would give His Spirit, to be with them, and to be in them.

“16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

As we have already read, Paul was given the Holy Spirit in Acts 9.17:

17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

We shall leave Paul for a time now and will read of what the Holy Spirit is accomplishing in and through Peter.

Acts 9.32-35: 32As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. 34“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

We find in these verses the power (authority) invested in the apostles and certain other disciples. Concerning the apostles we read from Matthew 10.5-8:

5These twelve (apostles) Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

From parallel passages (Mk. 6.7-30 and Lk. 9.1-6) we learn that the apostles were successful in that which Jesus had commanded. From Acts 8. 6 and 7 we read that Philip by the power of God brought healing to many and cast out demons from others. From Acts chapter 14 we read that God performed many “signs and wonders” through Paul and Barnabas. The purpose of this authority was to affirm that these men spoke for God and that their message was to be believed. As a result many came to faith in Jesus Christ. We read next that by that same power Peter was able to raise one from the dead.

Acts 9:36-43: 36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. 37About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 39Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.40Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 43Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

Many today claim this authority, but it is questionable whether or not said authority is genuine. We don’t see masses coming to God because of the supposed miracle. God is still God, healing may still be accomplished by Him as He works through various ones, but if said healing is authentic, conversion of at least some should follow.

CHAPTER 10
THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS

1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”4Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

17While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. 19While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
21Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 22The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along. 24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

27Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?” 30Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” 34Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. 39“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47“Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

To put into perspective what is occurring in the above passage we should consider the path to salvation as God purposed it. In the book of Genesis we read that God destroyed all mankind except Noah and his family. That is, Noah, his wife, their three sons (Shem, Ham and Japheth) and their wives. From these three sons would be born many sons and daughters and in turn they would procreate and so repopulate the earth.

From the lineage of Shem would come Abraham, and from him would issue Isaac and from Isaac, Jacob (whom by God was renamed Israel) and from Israel, twelve sons who would grow into a large family, a family that would eventually become a nation. Genesis chapters 11 and 12 mark an important turning point in God’s dealing with humanity. Heretofore, the history has been that of the whole Adamic race. There has been neither Jew nor Gentile, all have been one in the “first Adam.” However, as we read through the Bible, we find that God chose a certain family through whom He would eventually bless all of mankind, the aforementioned Abraham, and God would increase his line into the nation of Israel. We read from Deuteronomy 7.6 concerning them:

“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.”

The nation of Israel was to be God’s testimony to the rest of humanity, the testimony of His holiness, love and righteousness. Israel was to be a royal priest-hood between God and man. Ultimately mankind’s savior (the Lord Jesus Christ) would issue from them. God gave them laws by which they were to live, and as they lived according to those laws, humanity was to see God’s grace, love, mercy and benevolence toward them (Israel). All other persons (non-Israelite) were excluded from these blessings unless they became proselytes of the covenant by which God blessed Israel. God wasn’t being unfair or unjust in this. All mankind were corrupt, including those under covenant. All mankind was separated from God, including Israel; all persons because of sin were lost. God didn’t have to save any.
He would have been just in destroying all man-kind, separating Himself from them for eternity, but God’s plan was to establish a way in which man could stand righteous before Him. Not all men, but those who came to faith in Him. In relation to Israel, this covenant was established with Moses, a descendant of Abraham. The covenant looked forward to God’s provision to mankind, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As we come to the New Testament, this remained true, but God established a new covenant with a different chosen people, the people of the Church of Jesus Christ. A covenant established through His shed blood (Matt. 26.28; 1 Cor. 11.25), the purpose, however, remained the same. The church from this point was to be the testimony of God’s grace, love, mercy and benevolence.

As the previous covenant, the new covenant was established so that righteousness could be imputed to all who believed (trusted) God. In Old Testament times, the prophets delivered God’s message concerning His promise to the children of Israel, but now it was to be delivered by regenerated (born again) Jews, not only to Israel, but to the Gentiles also. These new messengers were to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He (the Holy Spirit) arrived to indwell these believers on that first day of Pentecost, after the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into heaven. Those who received this indwelling on that day were all Jews (about one hundred twenty persons — Acts 1.15). The first converts were Jews (Acts 2.5-11) and these, along with many of the one hundred twenty, going back to their own areas, were to deliver this wonderful message in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1.8). All mankind (from the time of Noah until now), chased after gods of their own making, and because of sin, separated themselves from the true God. God, however, by predetermination, had planned to reach out to the world in order to save many. He first reached out to the children of Israel, bringing a remnant to faith in Himself, and then to humanity through them. Thus, we come to the conversion of Cornelius. Cornelius and his household, by the record, are the first converted Gentiles to Christianity. Jesus had said in Matthew 16.18 that He would build His Church, and now He reaches out and adds to that Church, the first Gentiles.

There are some very interesting things said about Cornelius in verses 1 and 2 that we perhaps should take notice of:

(1) He and all his family were devout and God-fearing
(2) He gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly
(3) He was a Roman soldier and therefore, by worshipping God, lived in violation of Roman law. Roman government
was tolerant of religions practiced by those who had been conquered, but showed no such tolerance of its own citizens

(4) He feared the God of the Hebrews, the one and only true God, and was devout, to the extent that his knowledge allowed him
(5) He led his whole family in worship of Him

He was allowed by God, even though as of yet he was a natural man (1 Cor. 2.14) to see an angel of God coming to him and was able to understand him. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

The word “angel” in Scripture means messenger, and therefore, whether this messenger was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Gen. 16.1-13; 21.17-19; 22.11-16; 31.11-13; Ex. 3.2-4), a created spirit being (2 Sam. 14.20; Ps. 103.20; 104.4), or some man (Lk. 7.24; Jas. 2.25; Rev. 1.20; 2.1, 8, 12, 18; 3.1, 7, 14), it was a messenger with a message that would change the life of Cornelius forever.

We have no record of what had occurred in the life of Cornelius prior to the vision but, it is certain that the Holy Spirit had been active in his life. John 3.8 says that everyone who is born of God is so born because of the activity and power of the Holy Spirit; “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” When we see this in the light of Paul’s address to the Romans (Rom. 9.15-26), we come to understand that Cornelius had been chosen (elected) by God for salvation long before the vision. Whatever occurred in his life prior to the vision was that which brought him to the point of fearing God, of worshipping Him, of praying to Him, and had created in him a generous and giving heart. The interesting thing, however, is at this point, no matter that Cornelius was a very religious man, he still needed to be born again (Jn. 3.3); this, of course, is true of everyone. Consider Paul’s address:

“15For he says to Moses,“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. 19One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” 20But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ 21Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? 22What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—24even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles? 25As he says in Hosea: “I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,” 26and, “It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’” they will be called “sons of the living God.”

A TRANSFORMATION ALSO IN PETER’S LIFE

While Cornelius was being led to that which is about to happen in his life, there was at the same time something very interesting occurring in Peter’s life. He is about to be used in a powerful way, and he is about to learn a great lesson.

Acts 10.9-20 9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. 17While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. 19While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

As we consider what is taking place here, we should also consider our own lives. Many times we have the idea that things happen by chance. In the conversion of Cornelius, however, and in the life of Peter, we see the sovereign hand of God at work.

First, God spoke to Cornelius through His messenger, as he gave him direction as to what he should do.

Second, God was working in the life of Peter. Peter needed to understand that no matter what, God is sovereign over all mankind, and that even though He (God) had chosen Israel as His people, He was not excluding Gentiles from salvation. Because of human prejudices, Peter’s understanding of this would have been impossible except for the overwhelming influence of the Holy Spirit. We of the church today might well appreciate what occurred between God, Peter, and, Cornelius. Many times, we, even as Bible-believing, God-loving Christians, shut out people of other races, nationality, community stature, and even people of other denominational persuasions. God, however, is no respecter of persons, but has chosen to save many out of all humanity. Consider, for instance, what is written in Revelation 7.9 about those who have been martyred during the tribulation:

“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands”;

The God during the tribulation period was the same God of that first century and is the same God of today. He is no respecter of persons when it comes to salvation. Peter needed to understand this, and God used the example of the consumption of food that was at one time proclaimed to be unclean for the Jews to consume. At the time he didn’t readily understand what God intended, but would be led to make the connection when he met Cornelius.

Third, God brought both Peter and Cornelius’ representatives to the same location at the same time. This was not by mere coincidence but under direction of God.

Acts 10. 21-24: 21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 22The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to have you come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests. The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went along. 24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.

Peter didn’t go alone. Verse 23 tells us that certain Christian brothers went with him to Caesarea to meet with Cornelius. The probable reason for this was that they also needed to see what God was going to do among the Gentiles. Verse 45 tells us that they were astonished when the family of Cornelius and his friends (Gentiles) received the Holy Spirit, as had they. What an impact this must have had on them, but that is what God had intended. Verses 27-35 show us that whatever wall existed between them (Jew and Gentile), had been broken down.

29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?” 30Cornelius answered: “Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.” 34Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

We learn from verses 34-48 that Peter’s message was about God’s anointed, the Lord Jesus Christ, and that through Him men could be saved. This, by the way, is the same message that all need to hear and believe in order to be saved.

The message of: His Death: for the satisfaction of God’s righteousness; His Resurrection: proof that God accepted His sacrifice; and His Ascension: declaring that the means of salvation had been accomplished, nothing more needed to be done or added. Consider Peter’s Holy Spirit-inspired message:

34Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. 39“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47“Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

What a wonderful revelation is given in verse 35, but it may create a supposed contradiction to some:
A paradox concerning verse 35 and mans fallen nature

If all persons are lost (separated from God), according to John 3.19-21 and Romans 3.10-12, how then, that it can be said (vs. 35) that there is found in every nation those that fear God and work the works of righteousness? Is there a contradiction here? Not if John 3.21 is taken into account. Consider:

John 3.19-20: 19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

Romans 3.10-12: 10As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

John 3.21: “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

In John 3.19-20 Jesus points out to Nicodemus that all of mankind turn away from the Light of God because their deeds are evil. In fact, Jesus says, that because man’s deeds are evil; they hate the Light. And in the Romans passage, Paul is led to write that there is none righteous, there is none that seek God. However, God is not idle. He is active in the lives of those who are called. In the conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus not only proclaimed the condemnation of those who love evil and will not come to the light that they might be saved, but added in verse 21 there are some who do walk in truth and come to the light. Is this a contradiction? Not when the last part of the verse is considered!

“But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (Jn. 3.21).

The very deeds of walking in truth and coming to the Light find their beginning in God. So it was with Nicodemus, and so it was with those of Peter’s statement (Acts 10.35). And so it is with you and me, if we have turned away from spiritual darkness to spiritual light and have turned from evil deeds to righteousness. It is not because of some goodness in us, but because God worked a work in our lives that brought about those changes. Thank you, Lord, for involving yourself in my life as you brought me out of spiritual darkness into your marvelous light and for creating in me a desire to renounce the sin that plagues me, turn from it, and glorify you. And thank you for doing the same in all those who have come to you (because of your efficacious call) for mercy and grace.

CHAPTER 11
PREJUDICES OVERCOME

1The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4Peter began and explained everything to them precisely as it had happened: 5“I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. 6I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the air. 7Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ 8“I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

9“The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ 10This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. 11“Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. 14He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15“As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?” 18When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.”

We must remember as we study through the book of Acts, that the period in which it finds its setting is a transitional period, where God began to address humanities spiritual need through the church rather than the nation of Israel. According to Unger’s Bible Dictionary, in past times the Gentiles could become Jewish Proselytes if they agreed to and adopted certain stipulations addressed in the Mosaic Law. They could become naturalized citizens by adopting those stipulations and by being circumcised. They thus bound themselves to observe the whole law and were admitted to the full privileges and blessings of the covenanted people, Israel (Ex. 12.48, 19; compare Rom. 9.4). The people of Israel (the Jews), however, considered them as a subject class, and in most cases, never fully accepted them as equals, neither temporal nor spiritual. End of quote!

This helps us understand the attitude of the early Jewish Christian converts when they heard that Peter had gone into the home of a Gentile (Cornelius) and ate with him, his family, and acquaintances. We read from our text; 2So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.

Peter, however, patiently reported to them all that had happened from the time he was at Simon’s house in Joppa until the time when the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles as He had upon the Jews. We learn from verse 12 of our text, the number of men who had traveled with Peter on that journey was six. The number is not important other than the confirmation of Peter’s report was just that much more powerful; another evidence of God’s involvement. He knew beforehand the hardness of heart and the belligerence of the early Jewish Christian converts. Truly they had been born again but maturity would take time. It’s no different with us of today. Romans 8.29 tells us that we (everyone of the Church) are being conformed to the image of Christ. Being conformed is in the present tense, meaning that it is an ongoing process.

Peter’s strong presentation (empowered by the Holy Spirit) of the events and the confirmation of the six witnesses convinced the apostles and brethren that were in Judea that God had also granted repentance to the Gentiles. Note verse 18:

“When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, ‘So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.’”

We should take note of the word “granted” in this verse. The word granted is translated from the Greek word didōmi (did’-o-mee) with a meaning of to give or bestow. God was not merely allowing the Gentiles to repent, but was bestowing to them the ability to repent.

Repentance comes from the hand of God – at His determination. It is impossible for man to repent, (turn from his or her sin on his own). As we remember the time when we turned from sin (repented of our sin), how thankful we should be, for it was His (God’s) goodness that led us to that point (Rom. 2.1-4).

Also, from verse 18 we learn that the Jewish Christians to whom Peter gave his report, did come to accept that the church was to be inclusive of the Gentiles. It says “When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God.” This determination came not only to the Jewish Christian’s in Judea, but would permeate the whole Church. We read from verses 19-26:

19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 25Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

The introduction of Christianity to Antioch was an important step in the forward march of the church. Antioch was located on the river Oronetes in Syria, north of Palestine. From here, Paul and his companions went forth on their missionary journeys, taking the good news to the Gentiles.

When the news of the Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit (as they had), and of their being added to the Church reached Jerusalem, it was decided to send warm-hearted, kindly Barnabas to Antioch. Upon arriving, Barnabas saw at a glance that the Lord was working mightily among these Gentiles. The work in Antioch grew to such proportions that Barnabas needed aid, and he could think of no one better suited for the work than Saul, who was living in Tarsus (cf. 9.30). Remembering Saul of Tarsus (It was Barnabas who had introduced Saul to the apostles at Jerusalem), he departed to Tarsus and brought him to Antioch. Under their combined ministry, many people were added to the Church. The proof of these Gentiles’ true conversion is found in what followed:

Acts 11.27-30: 27During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians together aided the Jewish Christians in Judaea. This unified effort would not have been given or received just a few months earlier. A tremendous change had been wrought in the heart of the believer, both Jew and Gentile. They had been made one in Christ.

The above-mentioned relief (aid) was to be delivered by Barnabas and Saul. When we come to chapter 13, these two men will be called and sent out by the Holy Spirit on a missionary endeavor to both the Jew and the Gentile. Before reading of that commission, we read that James, the brother of John, had been martyred, and Peter had been cast into prison.

CHAPTER 12
GOD INTERVENES

1It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 4After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

We recall that James and John were two of twelve that had been called by Jesus to be apostles. And we read from Acts 8 that a great persecution had begun against the Church shortly after its beginning (probably within the first year). Stephen had been murdered, and the Christians of Jerusalem had been scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the apostles. The apostles stayed in Jerusalem as a witness to the Jews, refusing to be intimidated by these persecutions. Herod Agrippa, in succession of his grandfather, Herod the Great, had been appointed the Procurator (representative) of Rome over the Jews. Realizing the impact the apostles were having among the people moved against them, killing James and put Peter in the prison, hoping to bring some charge against him that would at least keep him in prison and away from the people. God, however, had other plans for Peter and the Church, for we read:
5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. 8Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. 11Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”

This certainly was a miracle of God. Peter said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating” (verse 11).

Acts 12.12-17 12When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” 15“You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” 16But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the brothers about this,” he said, and then he left for another place.

This James was not the brother of John, for he had been killed, but was the half-brother of Jesus and was evidently the pastor of the church in Jerusalem.

Have you ever wondered how many times each day that God intervenes on our behalf? We will not know this, of course, until we find ourselves in His presence, but every once in a while, He allows us to have a glance. Note an article in many of the national newspapers in late February of 2006:

Kabul, Afghanistan—An Afghan man is being prosecuted in a Kubal court and could be sentenced to death on a charge of converting from Islam to Christianity, a crime under this country’s Islamic laws, a judge said Sunday. The trial is believed to be the first of its kind in Afghanistan and highlights a struggle between religious conservatives and reformists over what form Islam should take here four years after the ouster of the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban regime. The defendant, 41-year-old Abdul Rahman, was arrested last month after his family accused him of becoming a Christian, Judge Ansarullah Mawlavezada said. Rahman was charged with rejecting Islam, and his trial started Thursday. During the one-day hearing, the defendant confessed that he converted from Islam to Christianity 16 years ago while working as a medical aid worker for an international Christian group helping Afghan refugees in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, Mawlevezada said. “We are not against a particular religion in the world. But in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law,” the judge said. “It is an attack on Islam.” Mawlavezada said he would rule on the case within two months. Afghanistan’s constitution is based on Shariah law, which is interpreted by many Muslims to require that any Muslim who rejects Islam be sentenced to death, said Ahmad Fahim Hakim, deputy chairman of the state-sponsored Afghanistan independent human Rights commission.

Repeated attempts to interview Rahman in detention were barred. The prosecutor, Abdul Wasi, said he had offered to drop the charges if Rahman converted back to Islam, but he refused. “He would have been forgiven if he changed back. But he said he was a Christian and would always remain one,” Wasi said. “We are Muslims, and becoming a Christian is against our laws. He must get the death penalty.”

Rahman was eventually released but was forced to leave his family and all he possessed as he was exiled to a non-Islamic country. Surely he would have been killed if not for God’s intervention.

We close out the chapter 12 as we read verses 18-25:

18In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there a while. 20He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. Having secured the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply. 21On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” 23Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24But the word of God continued to increase and spread. 25When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.

Even though a miracle had occurred (Peter’s release from jail), we find the hardness of the human heart.

In the case of Herod: Rather than believe in God and commit himself to His authority, he commanded that those who had not prevented Peter’s escape from jail should be killed. And he accepted the acclaim of the people of being a god rather than saying back to them that there is really only one true God.

In the case of the Christians: Even though they had been praying for Peter’s release, they had a hard time accepting the report that he had been released. Before we become too critical of them, however, we must examine our own lives. We often times pray for something not really expecting God to answer. If we truly expected God to answer in the way we expected, we wouldn’t insert an escape clause at the end of the prayer by saying, “If it is Your will.” May God continue the softening of our hearts.

Chapter 13
Paul & Barnabas Called and Sent

We read in Acts 11.27-30 that Paul and Barnabas had been commissioned by the Christians in Antioch to carry relief to the Christians in Jerusalem. While in Antioch, James the brother of John, had been murdered by order of Herod, and Peter had been cast in prison and by intervention of God, been released (chapter 12). We also read in chapter 12 that Herod, becoming more and more arrogant, died a dreadful death. Even though the Church had been impoverished by a famine and had gone through severe persecution under Herod, the Word of God grew and multiplied to such an extent that Barnabas and Saul were able to leave the work in Jerusalem and journey back to Antioch. They took along with them a young man by the name of Mark, a cousin of Barnabas. This man would later write the Gospel that bears his name. So, as we come to chapter 13 we read:

At this time, the Church at Antioch this time was still in its infancy and had within it several men designated as prophets and teachers. Prophets were men specially gifted by the Holy Spirit to receive direct revelations from God and to speak forth those revelations to others, the congregation.

In a real sense, the prophets were mouthpieces for the Lord, often foretelling coming events. Teachers were men to whom the Holy Spirit had given the ability to expound or explain the Word of God to others in a simple and understandable manner. As we read of the five men mentioned, we note the diversity.

(1) Barnabas. We have already been I ntroduced to this splendid
servant of Christ and Paul’s faithful co-worker.
(2) Simeon, who was called Niger (Nye-
jer). He was evidently a Jew by birth,
perhaps from an African-Jewish
community. Or perhaps he adopted the
name Niger (black or swarty) for
convenience in working with Gentiles.
Of course, he may have been black, as
the name would suggest. Nothing else
is known of him.
(3) Lucius of Cyrene. He is probably one
of the men of Cyrene (mentioned in
Acts 2.10) who were gathered in

Jerusalem on that day of Pentecost
when the Holy Spirit came.
(4) Manaen. He is listed as one who had
been brought up with Herod the
tetrarch. It is interesting to think of
one who had lived in such close
Relationship with the wicked Herod,
becoming a Christian.
(5) Saul (Paul). He, who would be so
mightily used of God not only among
the Jews but especially among the
Gentiles.

What a diverse group of people! But this was God’s plan all along. It had been the commission of Israel (Abraham’s descendants through the line of Isaac and Jacob/Israel) to be the witnesses to the whole world of God’s grace. God foreknowing, however, that they would fail in that commission, had already made provision, in that He would not leave Himself without witnesses. He was to call out of humanity another people for that purpose, the Church. Peter, in his first letter, refers these people this way:

9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy (1 Pet.2.9-10).

The five men mentioned above are just part of the diverse Church. The Church, however, was not so diverse in its beginning.

It began with the eleven apostles (Judas was a traitor and met his just end) who all were Jewish, and the one hundred twenty of Acts 1.15 were also Jewish. Not until Acts 10 do we find that Gentiles are added to the Church, and then by Acts 13, thousands have been added to the Church, mostly Jews, but also some Gentiles. But now, in God’s providence, it is time for Gentiles on a larger scale to hear the Word of God and be converted. Our text (Acts 13.2-3) states; 2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

These verses are of tremendous practical importance in emphasizing the role of Holy Spirit in the guidance of the early Church and the sensitivity of the disciples to His leading. If the Church had been the product of man’s ingenuity, it would never had lasted. But when we read of the Holy Spirit’s involvement, we must understand that the Church was birthed, nourished, and directed by the absolute power of God. We read that it was He, the Holy Spirit, who now speaks through one of the prophets mentioned above (or perhaps a prophet not mentioned) who directs these Christians to “separate Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” These men are going to go forth in the power (authority) of God Himself, and the world will forever be changed.

13.4-5 4The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

Words have meanings, especially, when communicated by God. Today we note that Luke (the inspired writer of the Gospel that bears his name and our present study, the book of Acts) writes that Barnabas and Paul were sent out, not by the church, but by the Holy Spirit.

It is important for us to understand that the true Church of Jesus Christ (the possessing church) is not just another organization, such as the Salvation Army, the Boy Scouts, or Girl Scouts, but it has been created by Jesus Christ and energized and equipped by the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 16.18 that He would build “His” Church. And to these same disciples He said, “16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (Jn. 14.16-17). And He said to them in John 15:26, “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.
Also, He said to them, 6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. 12“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you (Jn. 16.7-15).

We must also remember that first “Day of Pentecost” after Jesus’ ascension, when the Holy Spirit came as a rushing mighty wind and filled the place where the disciples were gathered, empowering them with super-natural power (Acts 2.1-13). And we should remember when Jesus, in dialogue with Nicodemus, said of the Holy Spirit that He comes and goes as he desires, being restricted by nothing, nor anyone, regenerating those elected unto new spiritual life (Jn. 3.1-8). The point to all this is, as we come to Acts 13, Barnabas and Saul (Paul) are selected, called, and sent out by the Holy Spirit, a person of the God Head, equal in all things with God the Father and God the Son. God the Father and God the Son are seated in Heaven. It is God the Holy Spirit who is active on earth carrying out the pre-planned plan of God. And it is by His authority that Barnabas and Saul (Paul) are sent out. Acts 13.2: “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

Of course the Holy Spirit did not speak to them in an audible voice, but rather, He spoke to them Spirit to spirit. As those certain prophets and teachers – Barnabas, Simeon that was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul – ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit led them to choose and send out Barnabas and Saul (Paul) as missionaries. Now, one might ask, “Just how did the Holy Spirit speak to those mentioned above? How did He lead them to send out Barnabas and Saul?” The answer is: “from within; it was a spiritual communication.” John 14.16-17 and John 16.13 give insight into this:

John 14.16-17: 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

John 16.13: 13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.

He speaks and leads us today from within, Spirit to spirit and through His Word.

Jesus was not about to leave His disciples (of any generation) alone, neither the generation that was alive during the time He walked among them, the first-century Christians, or all the generations that have followed, including our own. As the Holy Spirit communicated with the Old Testament prophets, so He communicates with us today. The only difference between them and us is that they received revelation, and we receive illumination. It is confirmed in 2 Timothy 3.16 that God’s message (His Word) was given to man by inspiration. Further Romans 8:16 states that the Holy Spirit bears witness with the spirit of the Christian that he or she is a child of God. Therefore, when those gathered in Antioch considered what the Lord would have them do, the Holy Spirit impressed upon their minds that they should send forth Barnabas and Saul (Paul). It was time in God’s program for the Church to reach out beyond Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, to the uttermost part of the earth. It is also of importance to remember that His (the Holy Spirit’s) activity in the church is ongoing. It did not end there at Antioch. Jesus Christ is building His Church (Matt. 16.18), and it is the Holy Spirit that is accomplishing it.

It should be understood that He (the Holy Spirit) is not on some enterprise of His own, but in accord with God the Father and God the Son. Beginning with that first day of Pentecost after the Lord’s accession into heaven, He (the Holy Spirit) birthed the Church, empowered Peter to speak with such authority that several thousand souls were added to the church. An Ethiopian eunuch, Saul, Cornelius and thousands of others had become followers of Jesus Christ. Now, He has caused (influenced) the above- mentioned leaders of the Church in Antioch to select and send forth Barnabas and Saul on a mission evangelizing Asia Minor.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Beginning with Acts 13.4 we read:

4The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 5When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper. 6They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, 7who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. 8But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. 9Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, 10“You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? 11Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. 12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

13From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. 14From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch.

The Lord had called Saul to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9.14-15). Before we finish this chapter, we shall find that his endeavors will be directed more and more toward them. However, as he and Barnabas begin this first journey (Paul will be involved in at least two more trips), they start by going to the Jews first. In each of the first two areas they came into (Seleucia and Cyprus), they entered into the Jewish synagogues preaching the Word of God, that is, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. As they left the seaport at Seleucia, they sailed to the Island of Cyprus, and again in the cities of Salamis and Paphos, they entered into the Jewish synagogues preaching the Word. At Paphos they met a Jewish false prophet, a sorcerer who had become closely associated with Sergius Paulus, the Roman proconsul (Roman administrative officer of the island). When this man, the Roman proconsul, called for Barnabas and Saul to come to him so he could be instructed in the Word of God, the sorcerer tried to interfere. Realizing that Sergius Paulus was an earnest seeker after the truth, and that the sorcerer was an enemy of the truth (he may have been demonically possessed), Saul, being filled with the Holy Spirit, openly rebuked him in unsparing terms. Lest one might think that Saul was speaking in the energy of the flesh the passage explicitly states that he was filled with the Holy Spirit. With the illumination of the Holy Spirit, Saul was able to see beyond his rhetoric to his motivation, for he said of him in verse 10: You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Saul’s charge was not of himself, but of the Holy Spirit, and that is affirmed by what followed: 11Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun. Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
We also note from verse 12 that Satan was no match for the Holy Spirit. Even though Elymas, the sorcerer, was under Satan’s influence and control he could not thwart (prevent) the redemption of Sergius Paulus; 12When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. We, of today, can rest in this truth, what God attempts He will accomplish. He, Himself, said in Isaiah 55.10-11; 10As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

As we continue through the book of Acts, we will note many attempts of unregenerate man and of Satan to stop the spread of the Gospel, but again Scripture affirms that “greater is He (the Holy Spirit) that is in the Christian than he (Satan) that is in the world of the lost, the unregenerate. The Christian must also fight against the flesh. Satan, not being all knowing, nonetheless, is a reactionary, and will exploit the weakness of the flesh in attempts to thwart the spread of the Gospel. We note one such instance in the next verse: 13From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.

John Mark, who had departed from Antioch on this journey with Barnabas and Saul, left them and returned to Jerusalem. They had come to depend upon him as an aide, but for whatever reason, in mid-journey, he left. Paul would not take him on his next journey, and that decision caused such a great cleavage between Paul and Barnabas, that they went their separate ways. Paul would take Silas, and Barnabas would take John Mark on separate endeavors. Note Acts 15.36-41:

36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Satan may have thought that he won a battle here, but what a mistake. The Lord now had two teams in the field rather than one.

To be noted: According to 2 Timothy 4.11, somewhere along the line, the Holy Spirit would heal the wound between Paul and John Mark. In that passage Paul says that John Mark had become profitable to his ministry.

Even though we have been referring to Saul as Paul, it is at this point that Saul drops his given Jewish name and adopts the Greek name, Paul, and, it is at this point that he begins to evangelize the Gentiles. Consider the area they would cover in this endeavor and the related map. Leaving Antioch they traveled through Seleucia, a seaport about sixteen miles away, to the Island Cyprus. On Cyprus they were to visit the cities of Salimis and Paphos before sailing to Perga in Pamphylia. From Perga they traveled across land to Antioch in the province of Pisidia. Up to this point the Holy Spirit had led them mainly to the Jews. However, as we shall find from the text (13.46), because of the Jews’ rejection, from this point their attention will be to the Gentiles. Upon leaving Pisidia, they traveled to Iconium, Derbe and Lystra. From Lystra they returned to Antioch from where they had begun the journey.

Many things occurred on this journey that had they not been called and empowered by the Holy Spirit. They most likely would have, like John Mark, folded their tents (so to speak) and returned to safer surroundings. Their journey took them approximately two years and covered by land and sea about one thousand, two hundred miles. We will also find from the record of this first journey that no matter the opposition and discouragements they suffered, the Holy Spirit established churches in many of these cities.

Acts 13.14-41: 14From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.” 16Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me! 17The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt, with mighty power he led them out of that country, 18he endured their conduct for about forty years in the desert, 19he overthrew seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as their inheritance. 20All this took about 450 years. After this, God gave them judges until the time of Samuel the prophet. 21Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years. 22After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ 23From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. 24Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. 25As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you think I am? I am not that one. No, but he is coming after me, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’

26Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people 32We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers 33he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’ 34The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’ 35So it is stated elsewhere ‘You will not let your Holy One see decay.’36 For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. 37But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. 38Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. 39Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. 40Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you: 41Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.”

By this time word had spread about Barnabas and Paul traveling from province to province, speaking in the synagogues as they went. Evidently it was the Jewish custom that any Jew could stand in the synagogue expounding (giving his thoughts) about things concerning the law. This courtesy is now extended to them, and Paul, through the power of the Holy Spirit, delivers unto them a message that sparked the interest of the whole congregation, both the Jews and Jewish proselytes (coverts to Judaism), to such an extent that one week later almost the whole city gathers to hear the Word of God. However, the popularity of this “alien message” filled the Jewish leadership with such envy and rage that they began angrily contradicting Paul, rejecting what he had taught. Paul and Barnabas, however, rather than being swayed, boldly said: 46“We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth” (vv. 46-47). The Jewish leadership was closing the door to the Gospel, but the Holy Spirit was opening the door to the Gentiles. We read in verses 48 and 49: 48And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 49And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. So as God had promised, the Gospel was now being preached to the Gentiles. Many of them became spiritually born again.

50But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

CHAPTER 14
INDIGNATION AND REJECTION

Acts 14.1-7: 1In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 3Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. 4But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. 5And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers, to mistreat and to stone them, 6they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; 7and there they continued to preach the Gospel.

Even though the Holy Spirit was convincing and convicting many people (both Jew and Gentile) of their sins, bringing them to repentance and commitment, Satan was working in the hearts and minds of others to oppose not only Paul and Barnabas, but God Himself. Satan was finding willing accomplices in both the Jews and in the Gentiles. We have to remember that before regeneration, all of mankind is in a fallen state and at enmity (war) with God. Paul and Barnabas came preaching the good news (salvation by grace), and yet they are angrily expelled out of Antioch in Pisidia. Opposition arose in Iconium, in Derbe and in Lystra. Paul will be stoned at Lystra and left for dead. Why? What is going on here? Why such hatred? Why such antagonism? The answer, of course, dates back to the time of Lucifer’s (Satan’s) fall and what followed in the Garden of Eden. Consider: Isaiah 14.12-16 and Genesis 3.14-15:

Isaiah 14.12-16: 12“How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! 13“But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’”

Genesis 3.4-15: 14The LORD God said to the serpent,“Because you have done this, cursed are you more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly you will go, and dust you will eat all the days of your life; 15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.”

God, in His sovereignty (righteous choice), allowed Lucifer (Satan) to exist after his rebellion and allowed him to bring ruin (temporary) to humanity. This temporary ruin includes man’s fall and spiritual death. There is a lot of theology here, but it is necessary if we are to grasp the severity of the hatred man has towards Christ and those who are his. Remember what Jesus said to His disciples? 18“If the world hates you, you should realize that it hated me before you. 19If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you do not belong to the world and I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you” (Jn. 15.18-19). So, as we consider our text of today, we see this envy, jealousy, and animosity (hatred) toward Paul and Barnabas. It is not just envy, jealousy, or hatred found in the being of Satan, but also in the heart of man. Again we turn to the words of Jesus in John 3.19-20 and find: 19And this is the basis for judgment: The light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light because their actions were evil. 20For everyone who practices wickedness hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his actions may not be exposed.

As Paul and Barnabas speak about salvation through Jesus to the Jews, a prideful self-righteousness swells up in their spiritual leaders. After all, they (the Jews) were God’s chosen people, to them pertaineth adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises (Rom. 9.4). What right did Paul and Barnabas have in speaking against their laws and declare forgiveness of sin and salvation through a mere man who had been born illegitimately (to their thinking), who was a blasphemer, and had been convicted of crimes against the government of Rome and executed by it? These leaders were in spiritual darkness. Satan, of course, relished this, and in Lystra brought their hatred to such a level that Paul was thrown out of the city and stoned. However, we also find in our text that many Jews and Gentiles believed. This, again, could only have been brought about by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must always come back to the truth of John 3.8, which states: “The wind blows where it wants to. You hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. That’s the way it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” If we today have come to Christ, it is only because the Holy Spirit has first regenerated us unto spiritual life, granting light where there was darkness and causing within us a desire to forsake self and follow Him (Jesus).

Returning to Acts 14, we read from verses 8-19: 8Now in Lystra there was a man sitting down who couldn’t use his feet. He had been crippled from birth and had never walked. 9He was listening to Paul as he spoke. Paul watched him closely, and when he saw that he had faith to be healed, 10he said in a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” Then the man jumped up and began to walk. 11When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us!” 12They began to call Barnabas Zeus, and Paul Hermes, because he was the main speaker. 13 The priest of the temple of Zeus, which was just outside the city, brought bulls and garlands to the gates. He and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifices. 14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 15“Men, why are you doing this? We are merely human beings with natures like your own. We are telling you the good news to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own ways, 17yet he has not left himself without a witness by doing good, by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, and by filling you with food and joyful hearts.” 18Even by saying this it was all they could do to keep the crowds from offering sacrifices to them. 19But some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds by persuasion. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, thinking he was dead.

To recap: We learned from Acts 13.46-49 that it was now time for Paul and Barnabas to focus their ministry toward the Gentiles, consider:

46Then Paul and Barnabas boldly declared, “We had to speak God’s word to you first, but since you reject it and consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are now going to turn to the Gentiles. 47For that is what the Lord ordered us to do: ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles to be the means of salvation to the very ends of the earth.’” 48When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. Meanwhile, all who had been destined to eternal life believed, 49and the word of the Lord began to spread throughout the whole region.
The Lord had called Paul to salvation (back in chapter 9) and set him aside to be a missionary to the Gentiles. Up to this time, Paul’s main thrust has been toward his own people, the Jews, but now, because of the animosity and antagonism of the Jews, he and Barnabas begin to focus their attention on the Gentiles. They had received good response from the Gentiles in Antioch of Pisidia, and this might have been what led them to this decision. Even though they had been expelled from Antioch of Pisidia by the Jews and an attempt had been made by the Jews to assassinate them at Iconium (14.5), they remained filled with joy and the Holy Spirit (13.52). Coming into Lystra they met a man who had been lame since birth. In that nothing happens by circumstance, in reality, we should understand that this was a meeting arranged by God.

By this time, Paul and Barnabas have been on their missionary excursion for over a year, and their main focus had been to the Jews. Having now turned toward the Gentiles, God had prearranged this meeting in order to affirm not only their ministry, but also to affirm that the God of the Jews was, in fact, the true God. We find from the text that an attempt was made by the Gentiles to worship Paul and Barnabas, bestowing upon them the names Zeus (the national god of the Greeks) and Hermes. The true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was unknown by them. They, as all Gentiles, worshipped gods of their own imaginations and manufacturing. But none of these so called gods brought healing to this man, the God of whom these two spoke however, did. The miraculous does get attention. How the word of this man’s healing must have spread! It was undoubtedly the talk of not only the town, but also the region. The word of his healing did reach back to the Jewish leaders of Antioch of Pisidia and Iconium, who traveled to Lystra with the express purpose of putting a stop to the preaching and teaching of Paul and Barnabas. We read from chapter 14, verse 19: But some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds by persuasion. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, thinking he was dead. Whether or not Paul actually had been killed by this stoning, the Jews at least thought him to be dead.

Verse 20 tells us: 20But the disciples formed a circle around him, and he got up and went back to town. The next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe (End of recap).

What amazement there must have been in that city! Paul, having been stoned and left for dead, is well enough to travel the next day back to Derbe. In the city of Derbe, he is found, along with Barnabas, to be preaching the Gospel and teaching many people. And then he returns to Lystra, the very city where an attempt had been made on his life. Was this Paul’s tenacity or was it a power beyond himself? This had to have been the question in many of the minds of the people of those cities. God, however, had a purpose in all this:

14.21-28: 21As they were proclaiming the good news in that city, they discipled a large number of people. Then they went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith, saying, “We must endure many hardships to get into the kingdom of God.” 23They appointed elders for them in each church, and with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 24Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia.

25They spoke the word in Perga and went down to Attalia. 26From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had completed. 27When they arrived, they called the church together and told them everything that God had done with them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28Then they spent a long time with the disciples. Souls were saved and confirmed (established in the faith). Leadership was established in each church, and the door had been opened to the Gentiles.

CHAPTER 15
COMING TOGETHER

Acts 15.1-6: 1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. 5 Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” 6The apostles and elders met to consider this question.

How difficult it is for many of us who have truly been reborn spiritually (have become Christians) to shake off old beliefs and/or customs with which we were raised. Such is the case with certain of the sect of the Pharisees who had come to put their trust In Jesus the Christ for their salvation. It is not clear from the text whether these persons were some of the same as mentioned in verse 1 or not. Those in verse 1 may not have been Christians. They may have been those of Israel who were yet in darkness who were trying to stop the spread of the Gospel, or they may have been Jewish Christians who had not yet understood their liberties in Christ.

Speaking of those who believed (the believing Pharisees), it would seem from the usage of the word “believed” that they were truly Christians. That word “believed” as used in verse 5 is from the Greek word pistĕuō, pist-yoo-o, with the meaning “to have entrusted one’s well being to Christ.” If they truly had been redeemed (born again), these believing Pharisees had a difficult time separating themselves from the law which they had been taught from youth.

My own father had a difficult time understanding that salvation was by the grace of God – that is, by the unmerited favor of God. He always held that, yes, one had to trust Christ for his or her salvation, but that one also had to work at his salvation to be saved. Personally, it took considerable time for me to shed the belief that for one to be saved, he or she must be baptized with water. We should be baptized (and I was), as it is commanded of the Lord, but it is in response to our salvation, not the means or even part of the means by which we are saved. Salvation, as borne out by Scripture, is by grace alone. It is not grace plus works (of any kind), or it would not be by grace. Paul writes of this in his letter to the Galatians. Note the following:

Galatians 3.1-12: 1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing? 5Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? 6Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”

Paul was not – and we should not – diminish the importance of the law, as it was the schoolmaster, to both the Jew and ourselves, showing us the righteous character of God and our sinful nature and our need of a Savior. Circumcision was part of the Mosaic law, and some of those early Christian Jews could not shake the concept that this was part of salvation, especially those who were coming out of Pharisaism. Verse 1 of our text states:

1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Verse 2 states: This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

Satan was trying, by encouraging dissension between the Jewish believers and Gentile believers over this issue, to disrupt the spreading of the Gospel. But as we shall now read, the Holy Spirit, who is greater than Satan brings the whole Church to a proper understanding of God’s grace.

15.6-35: 6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us, and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to me. 14Simon (Peter) has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: 16 ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ 18 that have been known for ages. 19It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.” 22Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, two men who were leaders among the brothers. 23With them they sent the following letter:

The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

30The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. 33After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. 35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord.

May the Church of today find perfect peace and rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ. Salvation for all those who are saved has been accomplished by the will of God.

God the Father calls the redeemed out of spiritual darkness, Jesus (God the Son) paid the price of that redemption by His death on the cross, and God the Holy Spirit is regenerating those who are called.

Another Look:

15.1-2: 1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

15.5-8: 5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” 6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
In verse 9 Peter testifies that God did not save the Gentiles in a different way than He had the Jews. He (God) purified their hearts by faith. We find from the book of Ephesians (2.8) that faith is the gift of God and not of one’s own effort. Peter, understanding this truth, declared that of a surety God had also given them (the Gentiles) the Holy Spirit. His decision concerning the keeping of the law [narrowed by the Pharisees to the discipline of circumcision], was not necessary for salvation, but was in fact an unnecessary burden which their own fathers were not able to keep. His statements open the door for Paul and Barnabas to testify (vs.12b) of the miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them. In that it was hard to argue against the first-hand experience of these two men, the gathered held their peace and James (the Lord’s half-brother) spoke up saying:

15.13b-21: “Brothers, listen to me. 14Simon (Peter) has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: 16 ‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ 18 that have been known for ages. 19“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

The Jewish believers respected James, knowing that he was the Lord’s half-brother and that he was ascetic and scrupulous in keeping the law. They looked to Him for support, knowing his legal qualifications as well as his personal qualities.

James reminded them of what their own prophets (Mic. 4.2 and Zech. 8.21-22) had written concerning the Gentiles, that God would also include the Gentiles as His people. His (James) aim was to shift the discussion of the conversion of the Gentiles from a proselyte model to an eschatological one, taking out from among the Gentiles a people for His name. [Eschatology is the study of future events. In this case, the future was all that which was future from the time of the prophets.] This change is what was to concern the Church. The Gentiles were to become part of the called-out assembly. He then gave His Holy Spirit inspired conclusion, that such an imposition (the circumcision of the flesh) for salvation was not just. He did conclude that the Gentiles should abstain from those things that would be upsetting to their Jewish brothers. This pleased the apostles, the elders, and the whole Church, and they determined to send chosen men of the Church back to Antioch with the following message:

15.23b-31: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. 24We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. 25So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—26men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. 28It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell. 30The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message.

Again we find that even though Satan tried to circumvent the truth through the misunderstanding and prejudices of the some of the Jewish Christians “the believing Pharisees,” the Holy Spirit was able to bring confirmation of salvation by grace to the Church, and the Church was edified.
Post Script: In the above passage, we are introduced to a man named Silas who would be greatly used by God in the spreading of the Gospel to the Gentiles. Merrill F. Unger (Unger’s Bible Dictionary) writes that his name was probably derived from the Latin Silva, “wood,” betoking him as a Hellenistic Jew, and he appears to have been a Roman citizen (Acts 16.37). He is probably the same as Sylvanus, mentioned in Paul’s epistles.

15.30-41: 30The men were sent off and went down to Antioch, where they gathered the church together and delivered the letter. 31The people read it and were glad for its encouraging message. 32Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers. 33After spending some time there, they were sent off by the brothers with the blessing of peace to return to those who had sent them. 35But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, where they and many others taught and preached the word of the Lord. 36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

Having come to a Holy Spirit-influenced agreement concerning how Jewish believers of the Church should conduct themselves with Gentile believers concerning the law, Paul and Barnabas, along with their fellows, journeyed back to Antioch and delivered the decision to the believers there. Both the Gentile and Jewish believers were happy to receive this decision. The Church, instead of being torn apart, was lifted up. But Satan is relentless, as we shall see shortly, hating God and all that is His.

Several of those who had journeyed to Jerusalem and then back to Antioch in confirmation of the council’s decision, leave and go back to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas, however (verse 35), remained in Antioch, where they and many others (including Silas – KJV) taught and preached the Word of the Lord.

The Holy Spirit has foreseen a split arising between Paul and his friend and fellow missionary, Barnabas, and has already provided one to accompany Paul on his next journey. Silas will now travel with Paul and will be with him through most of the remainder of his (Paul’s) travels.

The Split: Acts 15.37-41:

As they prepared to depart on the second missionary journey, 37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

We are not told in Acts 12.13 or anywhere else why Mark left them on that first trip. We are told, however, that; 39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Remember, however, God (the Holy Spirit) had already provided for this, having encouraged Silas to remain in Antioch instead of returning to Jerusalem with many of the others. Being a Roman citizen (Acts 16.37), as was Paul, would be of great importance over the next several years, as under the protection provided by that citizenship, they were to continue on for several years.

We, the Christians of today, are warned by the words of Peter (1 Pet. 5.8) to be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and Mark were all born-again Christians, and yet divisions arose between then. This may have been because of their own personalities, or it may have been of some perceived flaw in Mark’s character by Paul, but certainly we cannot discount the truth that Satan is a reactionary “looking for someone to devour.” We are told in Ephesians 6.10-18a to:

10 be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

Satan may have thought he won a victory here (Acts 15.38-39a), but God overcame what he intended and put two teams in the field instead of one, encouraging not only the Christians on Cyprus, but also those in Syria and Cilicia where they, no doubt, were under attack by the non-believing Jews.

A PARENTHETICAL

As was considered above, Paul chose not to take Mark with him on his second recorded missionary journey. As was mentioned, we are not certain why he thus chose, but for whatever reason, it caused dissension between Paul and Barnabas to the extent that they split up. Two possible reasons were suggested. Perhaps Mark, because of his youth, was afraid of what lay ahead of them concerning the antagonism of the Jews. Or, maybe, because he was Jewish himself, he didn’t want to have the message of the Lord taken to the Gentiles. Remember the book of Acts, in a sense, is a book of transition for the Jew, from Judaism (followers of the law) to Christianity, which encompassed the mercy and grace of God to all of mankind, not just to the children of Israel. Maybe at this time in his life it was hard for Mark to make that transition.

Paul and Barnabas had been called and separated to the mission field by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13.1-4) but not John Mark 13.5:

1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. 4The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. 13.5: When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

It may have been too soon for Mark to venture out with such a pro-Gentile apostle as Paul. At any rate, Barnabas, his cousin, did see potential in him, as they (Barnabas and Mark) ventured out on a journey to Cyprus. Later on in the record (Col. 4.10; 2 Tim. 4.11; and Phile. 24;) Mark is reconciled with Paul who refers to him in those letters as being very profitable to him and a fellow laborer. If the assumption above is correct concerning Mark it is a great enlightenment to the church of our day. We are not to be exclusionist, but we are to take the Gospel to the whole world. Not preferring some above others. Recently I came across a wonderful sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon which addresses this well, consider:

FROM THE EAST AND THE WEST
FROM ALL WALKS
Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Look at my text again, and you will see where these people come from. They are to “come from the east and the west.” The Jews said that they would all come from Palestine, every one of them, every man, woman and child; that there would not be one in heaven that was not a Jew. And the Pharisees thought that if they were not all Pharisees, they could not be saved. But Jesus Christ, said, there will be many that come from the east and the west. There will be a multitude from that far off land of China, for God is doing a great work there, and we hope that the Gospel will yet be victorious in that land. There will be a great multitude from this western land of England, from the south in Australia, and from the north in Canada, Siberia, and Russia. From the uttermost parts of the earth there shall come many to sit down in the kingdom of God. But I do not think this text is to be understood so much geographically as spiritually. When it says that they “shall come from the east and the west,” I think it does not refer to nations particularly, but to different kinds of people. Now, “the east and the west” signify those who are the very farthest off from religion; yet many of them will be saved and get to heaven. There is a class of persons who will always as looked upon as hopeless. Many a time have I heard a man or woman say of such a one, “He cannot be saved: he is too abandoned. What is he good for? Ask him to go to a place of worship—he was drunk on Saturday night. What would be the use of reasoning with him? There is no hope for him. He is a hardened fellow. See what he has done these many years. What good will it be to speak to him? Now, hear this, ye who think your fellows worse than yourselves—ye who condemn others, whereas ye are often just as guilty: Jesus Christ says, “many shall come from the east and west.” There will be many in heaven that were drunkards once. I believe, among the blood-bought throng, there are many who reeled in and out of the tavern half their lifetime. But, by the power of divine grace, they were able to dash the liquor-cup to the ground. They renounced the riot of intoxication—fled away from it—and served God. Yes! There will be many in heaven who were drunkards on earth. There will be many harlots: some of the most abandoned will be found there. You will remember the story of Whitefield, once saying that there would be some in heaven who were “the devil’s castaways;” some that the devil would hardly think good enough for him, yet whom Christ would save. Lady Huntington once gently hinted that such language was not quite proper. But, just at the time, there happened to be heard a ring at the bell, and whitefield went downstairs. Afterward he came and said, “Your ladyship, what do you think a poor woman had to say to me just now? She was a sad prolifigate, and she said, ‘O, Mr. Whitefield, when you were preaching, you told us that Christ would take in the devil’s castaways, and I am one of them,” and that was the means of her salvation. Shall anybody ever check us from preaching to the lowest of the low? I have been accused of getting all the rabble of London around me. God bless the rabble! God save the rabble! Then, say I, “But, suppose they are “the rabble,” who needs the Gospel more than they do? Who requires to have Christ preached to them than they do?” We have lots of those who preach to ladies and gentlemen, and we want some to preach to the rabble in these degenerate days. Oh! Here is comfort for me, for many of the rabble are to come from the east and from the west. Oh! Would what you think if you were to see the difference between some that are in heaven and some that be shall be there? There might be one whose hair hangs across his eyes, his looks are matted, he looks horrible, his bloated eyes start from his face, he grins almost like an idiot, he has drunk away his very brain until life seems to have departed, so far as sense and being are concerned; yet I would tell you, “that man is capable of salvation”—and in a few years I might say “look up yonder”; see you that bright star? discern you that man with a crown of pure gold upon his head? Do you not notice that person clad in robes of sapphire and in garments of light? That is the self-same man who sat there a poor, benighted, almost idiotic being; yet sovereign grace and mercy have saved him! There are none, except those, as I have said before, who have sinned the unpardonable sin, who are beyond God’s mercy.

Go ye out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in that my house may be filled, says the Master.” Many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.” End of transcription.

May we, as Spurgeon, reach out to all men, testifying of the grace of God. Let’s not miss the blessing of someday seeing someone in heaven that we thought would never be there.

Acts 15.40-41: 40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

CHAPTER 16
LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

16.1-5: 1He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 2The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

In these passages we find Paul and Silas leaving Antioch journeying through Syria and Cilicia confirming (strengthening) the churches of those areas. No doubt, they (the churches) were under challenge, and in many instances, persecution. Coming into the cities of Derbe and Lystra, they meet a young disciple by the name of Timotheus whose mother was Jewish and whose father was Greek. As we journey through Scripture we find Paul mentioning him in several of his epistles (letters). We also find Paul writing two letters (1 and 2 Tim.) to him instructing and encouraging him in the ministry. Church tradition has it that he was martyred by Domitian, as he pastured the church of Ephesus. By that same tradition, Timothy was mightily used by the Holy Spirit in building up the Church in those early years. We do read from our text that he began to accompany Paul and Silas on this present (second) missionary journey. Coming to chapter 16, verses 4 and 5 we read:

4As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Christianity is spreading across the land, and as we shall read shortly, even into Europe. In this progression it is important for us to understand that Paul and his band are completely surrendered to the Holy Spirit. We read from verses 6-15 the following:

6Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

11From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. 12From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Had they gone into Asia, they would not have been on hand to witness to Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened (vs. 15), and the Philippian jailer of whom we shall read next. Not only did they become Christians, but their households also. As we read the text we have to realize that these two people and their households didn’t become Christian by chance. God was active in their lives (as He was in the lives of Philip and the eunuch (chapter 8), not only directing the paths of Paul and his fellows, but was also preparing the hearts of Lydia and the jailer to receive the Word.

LUKE JOINS PAUL AND HIS FELLOWS

Luke, the inspired writer of the account (the book of Acts), evidently now joins the group as they are on the way to Troas. We begin to read in verse 10 that the writer begins to use the pronoun “we” instead of “they.” Luke becomes an eyewitness to the ministry of Paul. We recall from Acts 1.1-5 that Luke is indeed the writer of the account:

Luke had written, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Gospel that bears his name to one named Theophilus, and this treatise was a follow up, or continuation of what he had written previously. Traditional information found in the “Clementine Recognitions” (x, 71) has Theophilus as head of all the men of power in Antioch. Accordingly he was a man of great influence. It is possible and probable that Luke wanted to assure Theophilus that what he would be reading from this point was coming from first-hand experience, proving not only what he was now reading, but what he had formally read, the Gospel of Luke, was an accurate account of those things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and the spreading of Christianity as He (Jesus Christ), even though not bodily present, was building His Church. What an impact these two letters must have had on his life and of those whom he was in authority over. What an impact the two accounts should have in and on the lives of we who have been brought to salvation.

THE HOLY SPIRIT DIRECTS PAUL AWAY FROM ASIA TO MACEDONIA
THE CONVERSION OF LYDIA

As we reread verses 16.6-15 we find the Holy Spirit preventing Paul and his company from preaching the Word in Asia at this time. Paul, instead, receives a vision of a certain man in Macedonia calling them into that area. They would, in Macedonia, meet a woman by the name of Lydia, one who worshipped God, a Jewish proselyte. They would also later on in the chapter meet a Philippian jailer whom the Holy Spirit would bring to salvation.

16.6-15: 6Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. 11From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. 12From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days. 13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. 14One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

We read from verse 14 that Lydia worshipped God, or at least her perception of God, but in reality was still in her natural state. She was as yet, without Christ, without salvation. This truth causes us to think of John 3.3 and 2 Corinthians 2.14 once again:
John 3.3: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

1 Corinthians 2.14: The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The word “see” used in John 3.3 is from the Greek word “ĕidō,” a verb, and has the idea of understanding. To understand the truth about heaven and God, one must be born again. That is, one must be renewed spiritually, made spiritually alive. This truth is affirmed in 1 Corinthians 2.14.

Lydia, by the terminology of the passage (who worshipped God), was a Jewish proselyte and worshipped the “God of the Hebrews” according to Mosaic Law. She, like most of the Hebrews, was lost. This is confirmed by the middle of verse 14, “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.” By the word “heart,” the Scripture sometimes is referring to the mind, as when Moses said, “But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind (heart) that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear” (Deut. 29.4). So likewise in this passage, Luke does not only signify unto us that Lydia was brought by inspiration of the Spirit with affection of heart to embrace the Gospel, but that her mind was enlightened, and she was able to understand it.

This makes us pause to consider those of other religions. Certainly, many of the Muslims, Hindus, and the Islamists worship their concepts of God. But as Jesus said to the woman at Jacob’s well, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4.21-24). All men must worship the one true God, the God of the Jews. Jesus’ point in the passage is that a person must worship not by external conformity to religious rituals and places, but inwardly (“in spirit”) with the proper heart and mind attitude which is only found in truth. The truth is that Jesus is God’s anointed and that no one can come to the Father, but by Him.

When one considers the religions mentioned above, one comes to the realization that all are based on works. That is, salvation can only be gained according to said religions, by works. Scripture confirms, however, it is by grace one is saved, through faith, and that not of one’s self, it (faith) is the gift of God (Eph. 2.8-9). This refutes the concept that many roads lead to heaven and refutes the concept that all religions believe in the one true God.

Lydia, while she worshipped God according to the light given her, did not know Him, and thus could not worship Him in spirit and in truth. The Holy Spirit, however, had been preparing her heart and mind to receive the truth. Luke, in referring to her, said, “whose heart the Lord opened” (see comments on heart above). The Jews themselves had lost sight of the True God and rejected His anointed, the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says of them in his letters to the Romans 10.1-11:

1Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. 5Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: “The man who does these things will live by them.” 6But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7“or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Lydia’s heart and mind had been prepared, and when she heard Paul and his fellows speaking the truth of God, she believed and was baptized, confirming her trust in Christ, not only she, but also her household.

THE HOLY SPIRIT OVERCOMES A SPIRIT OF DARKNESS

16-24: 16Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. 19When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to

face the authorities. 20They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

This passage introduces us to a new attack against the spreading of the Gospel. Most attacks thus far have been by Jews who were opposed to the teachings of Jesus; that salvation was in and through Him. We now find an attack by the powers of darkness, the demon world. We are introduced to a young Gentile girl possessed by a spirit, a demon, a spirit of divination.

Divination was and is the practice of foreseeing or foretelling future events, or the discovering of hidden knowledge by the interpretation of omens, or by the aid of supernatural powers.

That this attack was of the supernatural (a demon) is evidence by the fact that Paul, by the power (authority) of the Holy Spirit, cast said demon out of her. This is evidence that the Christian of today not only is opposed by unsaved humanity who know not the truth, but also by the powers of darkness. Paul in a letter to the Ephesian Church, wrote; For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph.6.12).

This reminds us of what God said in the Garden of Eden to Satan after he had tempted Adam and Eve to sin. 14So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Gen. 3.14-15).

From the time of his rebellion, Satan has opposed God, and we find throughout the biblical account (especially in the New Testament), he has possessed certain ones in an attempt to circumvent the work of God. Such is the case here.

The young girl (damsel), by following Paul and his fellows around day after day declaring “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved” (16.17), was weakening said proclamation because people knew her for what she, was and many would not have believed her report. Satan, many times, works in subtle ways, and such is the case here. Why believe Paul and his fellows if they were associating themselves with one such as her? This is why God’s people are commanded that: “10Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you” (Deut. 18.10-12). The Holy Spirit was in control, however, and through Paul, cast the demon out of her.

Even though many had witnessed the young girl being relieved of the demon’s possession, we read that various ones realized their potential monetary loss and mounted an attack against Paul and Silas by bringing an untruthful charge against them, saying: “20These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice” (16.20-21). Unregenerate mankind of today are not much different. Many try to profit by distortion of the truth and become angry when untruth is spoken against. In the case of Paul and his fellows, we find the following action taken against them:

“22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks (vv. 22-24).

God, however, is always the victor. His Word shall not return unto Him void (Isa. 55.11), but will accomplish its purpose. We will find this to be true in the lives of the Philippian jailer as he and his whole household believe and become Christians. Only when we get to heaven and meet those whom became Christians because of their (the Philippian jailer and his household) testimony, will we know the full impact of the Gospel preached to them.
1 Corinthians 1.18-25 says:

18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

God was the victor in the Philippian jailer’s life (and those of his household), and He shall always be the victor. What He attempts, He accomplishes.
The Conversion of the Philippian Jailer
and His Household

16:25-33: Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown in jail (vv. 23-24) because they had inadvertently cost the masters of a young demon- possessed girl much revenue. They (the masters of the young girl) were more concerned with their financial gain than her welfare or the truth of the Gospel. They had stirred up the citizens of Philippi to have Paul and Silas beaten and jailed by the Romans. We read of this from Acts 16.25-34.

25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.

Oh, the power (spiritual authority) of the Holy Spirit! The Philippian jailer and his household were brought out of spiritual darkness. Spiritual darkness is the condition of all mankind because of sin, excluding none.

Adam and Eve, before sinning, had firsthand knowledge of God, as the Lord God himself (in a theophany –a manifestation of deity) walked and fellowshipped with them in the Garden of Eden. Their knowledge and first-hand experience of God, however, became darkened when they disobeyed. God could and would no longer walk and fellowship with them. They were severed from that intimacy of which they once enjoyed. They, rather than being one in mind and will with the Lord God, began living a life that now was influenced by the power of darkness, Satan. They were now blinded toward the true God. This is borne out in Eve’s statement of “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man” (Gen. 4.1). She mistakenly believed that he was the promised seed (Gen. 3.15). No longer did they know God in the way they did before sinning. They lost the ability to see or understand God; spiritual darkness was now their portion. Scripture tells us that this darkness has been passed to all of mankind (Rom. 5.12-18). By the time we come to Genesis 6 we read that mankind had become so alienated toward God that He destroyed them all except Noah and his family, and they were saved only by grace, that is, unmerited favor.

Having established the truth then that all of mankind, everyone, is born into spiritual darkness, we wonder, how does one come out of that darkness, or better asked, “How is one brought out of spiritual darkness?” It is certain that man is not able in and of himself. Jesus said to Nicodemus: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (Jn. 3.3), and as we have read earlier from 1 Cor. 2.14; The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. Jesus went on to explain to Nicodemus in John chapter 3 being reborn spiritually (being born again) was a work (an activity) of the Holy Spirit.

So as we read of the Philippian jailer and his household being brought out of spiritual darkness, we recognize that this was a work of the Holy Spirit. In recalling the conversion of Lydia (16.14-15), we should remember that the Lord opened her understanding in order that she could understand the truth of God. It was the same with the Philippian jailer and his household. God the Holy Spirit opened their understanding. Beyond that, He replaced their heart of stone with a heart of flesh. God, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah about the children of Israel, said:

“I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart” (Jer. 24.7).

And through Ezekiel, He said of them: “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh” (Ezek. 11.19).

Granted, both references refer to the nation of Israel in the future, the tribulation period and beyond, when God will bring Israel back to Himself, but the method of conversion is the same. It is God who prepares the heart to receive the truth, and it is God who opens one’s understanding. Yet further, it is God who creates, in one, the desire to forsake sin and turn to Him. This is called repentance. Romans 2.4 addresses this in this way: “God’s kindness (goodness) leads you toward repentance.” The Philippian jailer and his household were convicted, converted, and brought to commitment by and through the Holy Spirit. This is borne out by what followed: (vv. 33-34).

33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.

Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan,
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man,
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary!

Acts 16.35-40: 35When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” 37But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” 38The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left.

Rather than admit error, the magistrates sought to expel Paul and Silas and their fellows from Philippi privately, even after it was discovered that they (Paul and Silas) were Roman citizens. In the mind of the magistrates, there was a lot at stake.

(1) The city’s indirect loss of revenue being generated from such persons as, the young girl who had been
possessed with a spirit of divination,
(2) The loss of revenue from the manufacturing of idols; and
(3) Becoming responsible to the God of these Christians meant having to renounce their lifestyles.

It really isn’t much different today. The love of money, so called prestige, or renouncing a sinful lifestyle keeps many from truly seeking God. Satan, of course, has a hand in this as he whispers in the ear of the unbeliever, suggesting that happiness and fulfillment come from material things and from a lifestyle that is not subject to a higher authority. Many have found, though, that it is a false promise. The Holy Spirit continued going about His work, and many came to Christ in the next cities visited, including Thessalonica and in Berea.

CHAPTER 17
OPPOSITION AT THESSALONICA TO BEREA

17.1-10: 1When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said. 4Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. 5But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. 10As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue.

Some Jews, a great multitude of Gentiles (Greeks), and many prominent women, were being added to the Church, no matter the oppression of those Jewish religious leaders who tried to circumvent the spreading of Christianity. We find the motive of their oppression to be envy and greed. Envy moved these Jews to concoct a lie about what Paul and Silas and their fellows were preaching and teaching. They charged that they were encouraging people toward sedition and that Jesus was the true king and that Caesar was but a usurper. While a lie, still it caused enough uproar in Thessalonica that the Christians thought it wise to send Paul and Silas into Berea.

17.11-15: 11Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. 13When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up. 14The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

In Berea many people, Jews and Gentiles alike, readily received the Word of God and searched the Scriptures (Old Testament) in verification of what they had heard. As a result, many believed. We find, however, that many of the unbelieving Jews who had been in Thessalonica traveled to Berea with the express purpose of interfering with the preaching and teaching of the Gospel. We must always remember as we read of these various oppositions to the Gospel, that it (the Gospel) is a penetration of spiritual light into spiritual darkness, and there is always a resistance to it, a resistance not only by man, but by Satan himself. The unbelieving Jews may have believed they were resisting for right reasons, but in their spiritual darkness they were blinded to the truth.

It is amazing that in their spiritual darkness, the unbelieving Jews who opposed the teaching of the word in Thessalonica and who had traveled into Berea to interfere thought nothing about concocting a lie to prevent its spread. Their own law, in which they trusted, said, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Ex. 20.16). Today, many change what is written in the Bible to fit their own determinations. One such change is what is written in John 1.1. Consider:

The original – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The change – In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a God.

They do this because they want to deny that Jesus (The Word) was and is God. There is another group who change the truth that Jesus was and is the only Son of God to, a Son of God.

Now, it doesn’t take much consideration to travel back Scripture to Genesis 3.1-5 where we read:

1Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4“You will not surely die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5“For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Satan was and is in the business of changing and causing to be changed the truth of God, all for the express purpose of denying that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father but by Him.” As we have already found, however, whenever and wherever spiritual darkness is penetrated by spiritual light, souls are saved. It reminds us of Romans 8.28-30:

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

The passage is written in the past tense. Those who are called become saved, and they are glorified. No matter the opposition, the opposition at the time of; the book of Acts, nor of our time, The Holy Spirit will accomplish what He desires to do.

17.15-21: 15The men who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible. 16While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. 18A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. 19Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.” 21(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)

Paul had been advised and encouraged by the Church (the brethren) to leave both Thessalonica and Berea because of the opposition raised against him by the Jews.

AT ATHENS

At first glance, it might appear that Satan was gaining the upper hand, but the Holy Spirit was leading him deeper and deeper in Gentile territory as he was taken by the brethren to Athens, a city of Greece, a city steeped in idolatry. Being moved by the Holy Spirit because of that idolatry, he understood the enormous task and opportunity and sent word to Silas and Timotheus who were still in Berea to come as soon as possible. He was not idle while he waited for them, but began reasoning with the inhabitants concerning Jesus Christ both in the synagogue and in the market place.

As he reasoned in the market place, certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks began disputing him as one who was promoting a strange god of whom they had never heard. They took him to Areopagus (Mars Hill), an area in the city where both the citizens of Athens and strangers gathered together doing nothing else but telling or hearing some new thing. This gave Paul a great opportunity to present the Gospel.

The Epicureans were disciples (followers) of Epicurus (342-271 B.C.) who had abandoned as hopeless the search by reason of pure truth (cf. John 18.38), seeking instead true pleasure through experience.

The Stoicks were followers of Zeno (B.C. 280) and Chrysippus (B.C. 240). Their philosophy was founded on human self-sufficiency, inculcated stern self-repression, the solidarity of the race, and their unity with Deity.

Much of the world today has adopted one or both of these philosophies. Some say, “If it feels good, do it,” while others hold that each one is a god unto himself, determining for himself or herself, what is right.

17.22-34: 22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 24“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

29“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.” 32When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33At that, Paul left the Council. 34A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

An opportunity was afforded Paul as he observed a sign which read: “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.” Paul proffered that this unknown God whom they worshipped was indeed the True God. It was He who had made the world, and in Him do all things consist, including life and breath. It was He who had created all things including man, and He (God) was not to be thought of as something created by man’s device.

Paul moved on after this introduction to the Truth that time was running out, God was no longer going to look over (excuse) their ignorance. He (Paul) pointed out that there was a day in which “this unknown God” was going to judge the world by the man called Jesus, and the truth of this was in the fact that He (God) had raised Him (Jesus) from the dead.

There was mixed reaction among these philosophers. Some mocked, others wanted to hear more about He whom Paul claimed was God and His anointed. Still others such as Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, believed. The Holy Spirit was at work (Jn. 3.1-8).

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” 4“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” 5Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

CHAPTER 18
THE LORD HIMSELF ENCOURAGES PAUL

1-11: 1After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks. 5When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ. 6But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” 7Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. 8Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized. 9One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” 11So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

Verses 1-3: The Holy Spirit, having accomplished what he had set out to do, now moves Paul along to Corinth. At Corinth Paul finds a Jewish man and wife by the names of Aquila and Priscilla who had just recently arrived there themselves, from Rome. There is not much to consider here other than the fact that nothing happens by coincidence. God had, before Paul arrived, prepared a place for him to stay; not only a place for him to stay, but Christian fellowship, and a means of earning his own living. It will be interesting when we get to heaven and learn how God has arranged certain things in our lives to bring about His purpose.

Verses 4-5: As he waited for Silas and Timotheus to come down from Macedonia Paul went every sabbath to the synagogue as he reasoned with both the Jews and the Greeks. As we turn to his first letter to the Corinthian church, we gain an insight into the heart and mind of Paul (1 Cor. 2.1-4):

1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.

Paul wasn’t “superhuman,” nor did he try to persuade the Corinthian listener with enticing words that would tickle their ears. He spoke only about Jesus Christ. Perhaps there is a lesson we can learn from this. We, too, in our witness, should speak about Jesus, telling of His crucifixion, His resurrection, His ascension, and that He will return someday to rule among men, not some “pie in the sky” message that will do nothing to change a person’s life.

We notice from the letter, that even though Paul was led by the Holy Spirit, and even though he trusted in God for his protection, still he spoke to them in “weakness and fear, and with much trembling.” By the time of his visit to Corinth, he had been beaten on several occasions, had been jailed, and, on his previous journey had even been stoned. Still, he spoke that which he knew would get him into trouble; however, he knew the power of the Gospel and what it would accomplish. Even though there was much rejection of his proclamations wherever he went, there were many who came to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

We find from verse 6 of our text (Acts 18.1-11) that there were many Jews who opposed Paul’s message, consider 6a: “But when the Jews opposed Paul and became abusive; still, he did not back off but said “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Is there is a suggestion in Paul’s words “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean of my responsibility” that the Christian who does not speak forth the word of God to the lost will be held responsible in some way or other by God? God through Ezekiel (Ezek. 33.6-9) warned:

6But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.’ 7“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 8When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 9But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.

Paul was a Jew, and those, who, for the most part, were rejecting his message, were Jews and knew well their history. Paul most likely was drawing upon these words spoken through Ezekiel emphasizing the point that he had done all he could in turning them away from their peril. There was nothing else he could do; they bore their own responsibility. But this does make us consider our responsibility toward the lost. Every man is responsible for his own soul. God will not take away one’s salvation if one does not warn the lost about their situation, but certainly, there is accountability.

FROM THE SYNAGOGUE TO THE HOUSE OF JUSTUS

In verses 7-8: We find Paul leaving from the synagogue and entering into the house of one called Justus, a Gentile, who worshipped God. It may be that Justus had earlier become a Christian and worshipped God in Spirit and in truth (Jn. 4.23-24), or, it may be that he was not yet a Christian before Paul entered his house. He, perhaps, was worshipping God in the same sense as had Lydia who was a Jewish proselyte, but had not come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s answer to sin. He did come to saving faith at some point as he was later baptized by Paul (1 Corinthians 1.14 where he is called Gaius).

The beautiful thing about this whole situation is that even though Paul no longer taught in the Synagogue, its ruler, Crispus, also believed and was converted. Not only Crispus, but his whole household believed and were baptized. Eventually many of the Corinthians also believed and were likewise baptized.

In verses 18.9-10: The Lord spoke to Paul in a night vision reassuring him after this manner:

“9Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

Paul was yet to go through much persecution, and even though the Lord was going to give him certain ones to encourage him at times (such as Silas and Timotheus), yet He (the Lord Himself) encouraged him. There will be times in our lives also that we will need that encouragement. God will supply our needs.

It is difficult to know for sure what is meant by the Lord’s words “I have many people in this city.” It is doubtful that He meant that there were already many Christians in Corinth. He probably meant that He had many in the city who were to be saved. The future of one’s salvation is history in the mind of God. No matter the correct meaning, Paul was in God’s hands. Again, we think of Romans 8.8-30:

8And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

The phraseology of the passage is in the past tense, from the foreknowing, to the calling, to justifying to the glorifying of the individual.

18.2-18a: 2While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him into court. 13“This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.” 14Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to the Jews, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16So he had them ejected from the court. 17Then they all turned on Sosthenes the synagogue ruler and beat him in front of the court. But Gallio showed no concern whatever. 18Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time.

We gain an insight into why the Lord appeared to Paul in a night vision (18.9-10) as He encouraged him to continue preaching and teaching the Gospel, from our text above. The Jews not only opposed his message, but went so far as to take him by force to the Roman authority (Gallio) of the province. As we read through the remainder of the book of Acts, we shall find that their attacks will continue, inflicting on him persecution and suffering, culminating in his arrest. According to church history Paul would eventually be beheaded. This tells us something about our Lord. He did know beforehand what was going to happen to Paul, and He does know beforehand what is going to befall us, His people. We need not fear what lay ahead of us, knowing that in the end, He is still in control.

An important point: Just because He knows beforehand what lays ahead for us doesn’t mean that it won’t happen. He does permit persecution, suffering, and even the death of the physical body of some of His people. He certainly knew what lay ahead for Paul. Back in Paul’s life when he was still known as Saul, when the Lord called him out of spiritual darkness making him one of His own, the Lord had said to Ananias that He (the Lord) was going to show Paul “how much he must suffer for my name” (Acts 9.16). It is the same for many of God’s people today; some will suffer tremendously because of his (or her) testimony. But with said suffering, the Lord gives the grace needed to endure.

Sometime or other, however, each one of God’s people needs encouragement to continue on. Paul was probably at a low point when the Lord appeared to him. The encouragement came just at the right time, as it comes to all those who are being led by the Holy Spirit. It does take surrender, however, on our part, as it took surrender by Paul. He was able to say: “7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Phil. 3.7-8).

As we return to our text, we find that God had already worked in the mind of Gallio, for he said unto the Jews, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16So he had them ejected from the court (vv. 14-16). Gallio certainly had the authority to arrest Paul and at least put him in prison. God, however, influenced him [either through Roman law or by the Holy Spirit] to decide to not get involved, which put the matter back into the hands of the Jews who had no legal authority under Roman jurisdiction to put Paul to death, which, of course, was their aim. Having no recourse against Paul, the Greeks, who held animosity toward the Jews to begin with, were stirred up by them (the Jews) to take Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, to beat him. The aim of both, the Jew and the Greek, was to make an example of him.

Paul remained in Corinth approximately 18 months. The actual length of Paul’s stay is unclear because the eighteen months (vs.11) may be dated from his vision (vv. 9-10) or it may include his entire time in Corinth. It was, of course, the amount of time determined by the Holy Spirit. During his stay in Corinth, Paul wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians. From verse 18 we learn that it was time to move on. In rejoining the text, we read:

18.18-23: 18Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken. 19They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22When he landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch. 23After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Can you imagine the report Paul must have given to the church at Antioch, the church that had launched him on both missionary journeys? What a time of rejoicing that must have been!

After spending an amount of time with them, “he set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples” (vs. 23). It was of importance that Paul should do this as from His letter to the Galatians we learn that it wasn’t long after he had left Galatia and Phrygia that Judaizing missionaries from Palestine arrived attempting to bring them back into the bondage of the law. Note what Paul writes in the beginning of a letter he would later write them:

6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! (Gal. 1.6-9).

APOLLOS

It is important for the Church of our day to follow up with new believers because Satan will attempt to lead them away from the true Gospel.

18.24-28: 24Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. 25He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. 27When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

In this passage we are introduced to a man by the name of Apollos, a Jew born at Alexandria. Verse 1 says of him: He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.

Merrill F. Unger’s writes (Unger’s Bible Dictionary): Apollos was well acquainted with the Old Testament Scriptures and the Jewish religion (Acts 18.24). About A.D. 56 he came to Ephesus, where he began to teach in the synagogue “the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John” (vs. 25). Here he met Aquila and Priscilla, who “expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly,” and Apollos preached Christ with great zeal and power (vs. 26). After this he preached in Achaia, especially at Corinth (18.27, 28; 19.1), having been recommended by the brethren in Ephesus (vs. 27). On his arrival at Corinth he was useful in watering the seed, which Paul had sown (1 Cor. 3.6). Many of the Corinthians became so attached to him as to well nigh produce a split in the Church, some saying “I am of Paul;” others, “I am of Apollos” (1 Cor. 3.4-7). That this party feeling was not encouraged by Apollos is evident from the manner in which Paul speaks of him, and his unwillingness to return to Corinth (1 Cor. 16.12). Apollos was, doubtless, at this time with Paul in Ephesus. Paul again mentions Apollos kindly recommending him and Zenas, the lawyer, to Titus, knowing that they planned to visit Crete, where Titus was (Ti. 3.13). The historian Jerome thinks that Apollos remained there until he heard that the divisions in the Church at Corinth had been healed by Paul’s letter, and then returned and became bishop of that city. End of transcription.

John MacArthur writes in The MacArthur Study Bible, Apollos was an Old Testament saint and was a follower of John the Baptist (vs. 25). After further instruction by Aquila and Priscilla (vs. 16), he became a powerful Christian preacher. His ministry profoundly influenced the Corinthians (1 Cor, 1.12). He had been born in Alexandria, an important city in Egypt located near the mouth of the Nile. Alexandria, in the first century had a large Jewish population, thus Apollos, though born outside of Israel, was reared in a Jewish cultural setting. “Mighty in Scriptures” used only here, refers to Apollos’ knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures. That knowledge combined with his eloquence allowed him to overcome his Jewish opponents in debate (vs. 28). Having been instructed in the way of the Lord (vs.25) did not include the Christian faith (vs. 26). The Old Testament uses the phrase to describe the spiritual and moral standards God required His people to observe (Gen. 18.19; Jud. 2.22; 1 Sam. 12.23; 2 Sam. 22.22; 2 Ki. 21.22; 2 Chr. 17.6; Ps. 18.21). Despite his knowledge of the Old Testament, Apollos did not fully understand Christian truth. John’s baptism was to prepare Israel for the Messiah’s arrival (Lk 11.6,17). Apollos accepted John’s message, even acknowledged that Jesus of Nazareth was Israel’s Messiah, but he did not understand such basic Christian truths as the significance of Christ’s death and resurrection, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and the church as God’s new witness people. He was a redeemed Old Testament believer (vs. 24). Aquila and Priscilla completed his understanding in divine truth by instructing him in the fullness of the Christian faith. End of transcription.

OBSERVATIONS

Apollos was saved according to Old Testament illumination; that is, he was brought to faith under the law. However, it was now time for Apollos to fully understand the truth of God. His salvation rested in the end of the law, Jesus the Christ.

The law was his schoolmaster, and it is ours. While the law itself could not save, it pointed to the one who could. This is equally true of us today. The Old Testament saint and we today are saved by grace (the unmerited favor of God) by grace alone.

It wasn’t by coincidence that Aquila and Priscilla had come to Ephesus, and it wasn’t by chance that they remained there, as Paul felt compelled to go to Jerusalem, and it wouldn’t have been good at this time to leave the young Church without a leader, such as Apollos. This was all in the province of God. Our own salvation was not by chance, but was by circumstance(s), in which God was involved. We need to be always thankful that it was God the Father who drew us to Christ (Jn. 6.44), and in that drawing, He provided the message and the messenger. And we need to always be thankful that it was God the Holy Spirit that brought conviction and illumination to our souls (i.e. Jn. 14.16-17). From verses 27-28 of our text, we learn that he (Apollos) was to be mightily used of God. Note:

“27When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. 28For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”

As MacArthur writes, his ministry profoundly influenced the Corinthians (1 Cor. 1.12).

May this be said of us, that because of His grace we have an influence on those around us, an influence that would lead to their salvation.

CHAPTER 19
AT EPHESUS

1-7 1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. 4Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 7There were about twelve men in all.

Who were these disciples? From the context, we gather that they were disciples (followers, learners) of John the Baptist. His followers, like this group, existed on into the second century. Several passages speak of many such persons:

Matthew 9.14: Then John’s disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”

Matthew 11.2-3: 2When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples 3to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Mark 2.18: Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”

Luke 5.33: They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”

Luke 7.18-20: 18John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” 20When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

John 1.35-37: 35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
Being a follower, a learner of John, they were Old Testament seekers who had not yet fully understood the Christian faith.

Paul’s question: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Their answer: “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit” indicate that they were not yet truly saved, as, all persons who are saved upon salvation are given the Holy Spirit to indwell. The Spirit of God makes His home in every person who trusts in Jesus Christ, i.e., 1 Cor. 3.16. Don’t you know that you your-selves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? 1 Cor. 6.19: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? 1 Cor. 12.13: For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

The evidence of one’s Christianity is the fruit the Holy Spirit produces in and through one’s life: Galatians 5.22-24: 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

The disciples (followers) of John had not yet realized that Jesus of Nazareth was the One to whom John’s baptism pointed, 4Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” Notice, Paul did not instruct them on how to receive the Holy Spirit, but about Jesus Christ. Being convicted and convinced that what Paul said was true, they came to saving faith in the Lord, 5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Baptism followed believing, not the other way around, believing followed baptism.

In securing them in their faith, that they were now part of the Church, Paul laid his hands on them for their receiving the Holy Spirit. This was in the manner the Samaritans had received the Holy Spirit. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8.17). And, as had Cornelius and his household, 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, 47“Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days (Acts 10.44-48). These also received the Holy Spirit after the apostles had laid their hands on them.

By their speaking in tongues, the Holy Spirit gave each of these peoples, (Cornelius and his household and the Ephesian believers of our text) tangible proof that they were now part of the church.

A question now arises: Is speaking in tongues a necessity in our day to prove one’s being in the Body of Christ, that is, the church?

To put into proper perspective each of the situations above, the Samarians, speaking in tongues (Acts 8.17), the Gentiles, speaking in tongues, (Acts 10.44-46; and these twelve Ephesians, Acts 19.1-7 speaking in tongues, we must recognize this sign followed the laying on hands of an apostle, or apostles. The Church was in its infancy, and the result of an apostle or apostles laying on of the hands on various individuals and the following result of such had a securing and stabilizing effect on the recipient of the laying on of the hands, on the apostles themselves, and, of all who witnessed such an event. Remember, an apostle was one who had been chosen by Christ, and who had personally witnessed His ministry. Acts 1.21-22 states: 21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” The only exception was Paul, Galatians 1.11-12; 11I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

As we have already read the affirmation of one’s having been born again and made part of the Church today is the evidence produced by the indwelling Holy Spirit, Galatians 5.22-23, 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Paul, later in his ministry, wrote the Corinthian believers and stated:

1 Corinthians 12: 1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.

In fact, Paul goes on to say in the next chapter, chapter 13:

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Thank you, Lord, for what you are producing in us, we who have trusted in you.

19.8-22: 8Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord. 11God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

We read from verses 8-10 that Paul remained in Ephesus for two years preaching and teaching the Word concerning the Lord Jesus Christ to both the Jews and the Gentiles. He began by going first, as was his custom, to the synagogue, but because of the hardness of many of the Jews, many of whom rejected the truth, Paul went rather to the Gentiles and reasoned (disputed) daily in the School of Tyrannus. Those of the Jews who did believe (the disciples of the way, Christians) followed along after Paul and the Word spread throughout Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Churches were established in Colosse and Hierapolis, as were, possibly, some of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2.3 during this two year period, other than the church at Ephesus. In that churches were being founded throughout Asia Minor it is precluded that the Holy Spirit, through Paul, was bringing many out of spiritual darkness into spiritual light. As always, however, wherever the truth is being preached and received there is also opposition to and rejection of said truth. Such is the situation we find in our text: 9But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. We must understand that it was by the power of the Holy Spirit that many were brought out of spiritual darkness, convicted, convinced, and converted not by the eloquence of Paul. Paul testifies of this in a letter he would later write to the Ephesians, consider Ephesians 2.1-10:

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Paul emphatically declares that it was God the Holy Spirit that brought the disciples of Ephesus out of spiritual darkness, regenerating in them new spiritual life. This was the message he had been declaring for his two-year sojourn at Ephesus. What could have been so objectionable to those who hardened their hearts (Acts 19.9).

Colossians 1.9-22 helps answer that question: 9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.

While at Ephesus and the surrounding area of Asia Minor, Paul faithfully declared that salvation was not to be found in the law of the Jew, but in whom the law pointed. Salvation was in the One they had rejected, the One they had crucified, the man, Jesus. He also, is our only hope of salvation; it is not to be found in good works, the keeping of the law.

In affirmation of Paul’s message, we read from Acts 19.11-12:
11God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

Who could argue against such testimony? And yet there were some, and there are some today. In Ephesus, there were those who tried to manipulate the truth, we shall read of some of these in verses 8-41.

19.8-41: In the approximate two years that Paul spent in Ephesians, many came to faith in Jesus, but Satan was also active opposing him and his message. As we read through the Gospels, we found many times that he (Satan) would incite the Jewish leaders to verbally and/or physically attack Jesus and His disciples. We now read how he used the greed of certain Jews (vagabond Jews) to thwart Paul’s message.

13Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.

Satan, in his plan of attack against Paul, and the message he was preaching and teaching, employs the greed of the above mentioned Jews. They perhaps saw a means of financial gain, or possibly a means to authority and power, or an influence over the Jews of Ephesus, and/or the Greeks. Satan, however, used their desires in an attempt to disrupt the message of the cross and to prevent many from coming to faith in Jesus. Like Simon Magus (the sorcerer), of Acts chapter 8, these Jews sought to use sorcery as a means of gaining their pursuits. Recalling Simon Magus to our thinking, we read from Acts 8.9-11:

Specific mention is made of seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests who attempted to, as had Simon, use sorcery to bring about whatever their desire may have been.

These seven sons had no doubt been listening to and watching Paul as he cast demons out of many who had been possessed by invoking the name of Jesus (“In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out”) and thought to do the same. However, God was still in control, and we find Him, commanding the demon:

15One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?” 16Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

For whatever reason, they (certainly they were illegitimate reasons) made a mistake when they invoked the name of Jesus. God was protecting His name, His servant, and His servant’s message. Rather then being elevated in the eye of the beholder, the beholder realized what charlatans they were and more importantly, Paul’s message found affirmation in their eyes.

17When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. 18Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. 19A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. 20In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

Instead of having a victory here, Satan lost on several fronts
(1) Fear fell on all of them (vs. 17).
(2) Many that believed came, and
confessed, and showed their deeds (vs.
18).
(3) Many of them also which used curious
arts brought their books together, and
burned them before all men (vs.19)
(4) Mightily grew the word of God and
prevailed.

Satan, though, made another attempt, for we read from verses 23-41:

23About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. 24A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. 25He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. 26And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

27There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

28When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 29Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater. 30Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. 31Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

32The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. 33The Jews pushed Alexander to the front, and some of the crowd shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. 34But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 35The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? 36Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and not do anything rash. 37You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. 38If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. 39If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. 40As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of today’s events. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” 41After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
Again, however, we see God overruling as He persuades the town clerk of Ephesus in this ruling.

19.8-41, continued: Reflecting back to what we just read, we find there is a message for us of the Church today in the account of Demetrius, the silversmith, and the town clerk. Also, we find in Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, examples how we should be.

We should understand that there will always be Demetrius’ in the world, men who would rather realize some worldly gain or another rather than accept the truth of God. Natural man’s heart is so set against the truth and so in love with the things of this world that in pursuit of these things, he will protect his turf with whatever means it takes.

The Demetruis of our story was so in love with the money he was making from his craft, that in order to protect its continuation, he coerced those of like craft, the silversmiths, to incite the townspeople to wrath. To be honest with ourselves, we must acknowledge that before God called us out of spiritual darkness we were all natural men or women (1 Cor. 2.14) pursuing one thing or another, rejecting the truth of God. In that pursuit, we stood opposed to Him, as, we didn’t want to give up or lose something we had gained from that pursuit. In our witness, then, we should understand that we are witnessing to people who are still in spiritual darkness and love the things of this world. We should always pray beforehand that God would open the eyes and hearts of the one to whom we are witnessing to. That He would soften their hearts, as He did ours, to receptive hearts.

Second, there will always be “town clerks” in our lives who seem to be supportive, but in reality have their own objectives. In the case of this town clerk, he was protecting his turf. He didn’t want the Roman governors coming in and possibly removing him from his position. Our “town clerk” may have a similar objective. Many of our elected officials, while seemingly in support of Christianity, are behind the scenes attempting to vote it out of existence. The same stands true of individuals (common citizens), many of whom, while befriending us, distort our testimony because of the fear of being identified with us or of losing some gain.

Third, our objective should always be the proclaiming of the truth concerning Jesus Christ, not fearing in reprisals. Gaius and Aristarchus faithfully spoke the Word of truth. Reprisals were expected, yet they did not shun their commission. Do we of the Church today (do I) sometimes cower under the threat of embarrassment or ridicule? Or, are we (am I) faithful to the proclamation of the Gospel? The apostle Peter wrote “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that ask you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (1 Pet. 3.15). Paul and his fellows were faithful, and as a result, many throughout the above-mentioned areas had come to faith in Jesus. Recalling just a few of these people, we remember:

Sergius Paulus (Acts 13.6-12); Many unnamed Gentiles of Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13.14-48); Jews and Gentiles in Iconium (Acts 14.1); Jews and Greeks in Derbe and Lystra (Acts16.1-5); Lydia in Philippi (Acts 16.12-15); the Philippian jailer and his household (Acts 16.25-34); Some Jews and many Greeks in Thessalonica (Acts 17. 1-4); Jews of Berea (Acts 17.10-12); Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others in Athens (Acts 17.15-34); Crispus of Corinth, his household and many others (Acts 18.1-8); Sosthenes, also of Corinth, the chief ruler of the synagogue (Acts 18.12-17); In Ephesus, the twelve disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19.1-7) and, the Greeks of this present chapter, 19. Of course, each of these persons became witnesses of the Lord Jesus, testifying of His saving grace. All of these folks came to faith in Jesus because of the work of Holy Spirit as God the Father called them out of spiritual darkness, and it was also because of the faithfulness of Paul and those who accompanied him on these missionary endeavors. We find from a letter Paul would later write to the Corinthians, that he came to them in the power of the Holy Spirit:

Paul, through the Spirit, had learned to abide in Christ (Jn.15.4-5), and thus the Holy Spirit produced the result of regeneration in all those lives mentioned above. Paul did not pretend to be an excellent speaker or have worldly wisdom. He feared his own inadequacy, not puffed up in self worth. He did not try to win over the Corinthians with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but declared unto them the testimony of God. He was attached to the vine. This is why Demetrius called together the craftsman of Ephesus in an attempt to disrupt the testimony of Paul and his fellows. He said to them, “And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all (Acts 19.26). God was blessing the ministry of Paul and his fellows. The Holy Spirit continued to add to the Church those that were being saved.

God said through the prophet Isaiah: “10As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isa. 55.10-11). God has been, and is, accomplish-ing that which He has set out to do. He is calling many people out of spiritual darkness into spiritual light, redeeming their souls, and conforming them into the image of Jesus Christ.

Satan and the powers of darkness are set against this. From this point on in the epistle, we will see his attacks intensify as he attempts to bring an end to the life of Paul.

CHAPTER 20
PAUL GATHERS AID FOR THE JERUSALEM CHURCH FROM GENTILE BELIEVERS

From verse 21 of chapter 19 we read: After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit (in his own mind), when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome. Paul has come to the point in His ministry that he is determined to go to Jerusalem and then on to Rome. As we follow him on that journey we find him, at first, heading in the opposite direction: Romans 15.22-27 gives the reason for this:

22This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. 23But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, 24I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. 26For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

Paul’s determination was to go to Rome and then on to Spain, but along the way, he wanted to bring aid to the Church at Jerusalem. From verses 25 and 26 of the above passage, we learn of the reason he went the opposite direction into Macedonia and Achaia, to gather up said aid. He reiterates this in 1 Corinthians 16.1-3; and again in 2 Corinthians chapters 8-9. We should keep in mind that, for the most part, the citizens of Macedonia and Achaia were Gentiles:

1 Corinthians 16.1-3: 1Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.

2 Corinthians 8: 1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. 6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

10And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. 13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 15as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”

16I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men. 22In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

2 Corinthians 9: 1There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the saints. 2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.

4For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so con-fident. 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. 6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

As we consider what has been accomplished here, we can well understand why Satan, from this point on in the record, intensifies his attacks against Paul and the Church. Just a few short years ago, the Gentiles were considered by the Jews as infidels, and such they were, as Ephesians 2.11-12 tells us:

11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)—12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.

God, however, was and is in the business of bringing the Gentile to oneness with the Jew, as the remainder of Ephesians 2 explains:

13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

This is ongoing and will continue “until the full number of the Gentiles has come in” (Rom. 11.25).

Satan hates this, and, as stated above, he will be relentless from this time on in his efforts to stop Paul, as if stopping Paul could stop the spreading of the Word and the growth of the church! Just to get an idea of the obstacles he laid in the path of Paul, we read from 2 Corinthians 11.24-28:

Satan was and is on the attack, but God has not been rendered powerless. He is building the Church, and “the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matt. 16.18).

THE JOURNEY BACK THROUGH MACEDONIA AND GREECE
1And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia. 2And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, 3And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia. 4And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus. 5These going before tarried for us at Troas. 6And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.

Having accomplished his goal of collecting aid for the Church at Jerusalem from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia, he now reverses direction and heads toward Palestine and to Jerusalem. On the journey, however, he becomes aware of a plot of the Jews to waylay him. By this time, their hatred had so intensified for him, that they begin plotting ways by which they may apprehend and kill him. Of course, they needed to use extreme caution, as he was a Roman citizen. What better chance would they have than now? He is about to sail on a small ship loaded down with fellow Jews as they sailed toward Jerusalem for the Passover. Paul thus changes direction once again, going back through Achaia and then north through Macedonia. This would take him across the Aegean Sea to Asia Minor. Here he again would board ship and sail toward Jerusalem. Because of the delay, he would now miss Passover, but still hoped to arrive in time of Pentecost. At Philippi from whence they sailed, we find Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, rejoining Paul. We know this because the words “we” and “us” are now employed once again. Evidently Luke had joined Paul earlier on this third journey (16.10) and had been with him for many months but had left him at Philippi (17.1). Now once again he joins him there (20.6) and will be with him at least until Paul’s first imprisonment at Rome. The things that Paul will endure from this time on will be witnessed by Luke himself. They were to spend a week in Troas waiting for a ship, and while there, Paul had opportunity to speak to the disciples, encouraging them in the faith. On the first day of the week, he spoke to them concerning Jesus Christ, and his sermon lasted through the night and into the early morning hours.

Acts 20.6-12: 6But we (notice the we) sailed from Philippi after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and five days later joined the others at Troas, where we stayed seven days. 7On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. 8There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. 9Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. 10Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” 11Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. 12The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted.

As he was preaching, something very interesting happened; Young Eutychus falls asleep, falls out of a window, is killed from the fall, and is brought back to life by the Holy Spirit working in and through Paul! What excitement this must have caused among those disciples! In fact, the testimony is: and were greatly comforted; meaning, there was great excitement. We ask ourselves, “Why does Luke include this in his letter to Theophilus?” Certainly this was a miracle worth noting, but assuredly there were other miracles involving Paul that he did not write about. Perhaps Luke wanted Theophilus to know that he (Luke) himself had witnessed this miracle, giving added credence to his letter. Or, perhaps the Lord was doing a work in Luke’s life, as from this time on he will accompany Paul. There will be many perilous times between the witnessing of this miracle and their arrival at Rome. Perhaps God was strengthening Luke.

20.13-16: 13We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot. 14When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene. 15The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus. 16Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

Paul was not just an evangelist; he had a pastor’s heart. He believed that this would be the last time he would see many of these Christians’ brothers and sisters, many of whom had come to the Lord through his faithfulness. Luke makes a point of mentioning Assos, Mitylene, Chios, Somos, Trogyllium, and Miletus, cities of the Greek Isles and cities that had been and were steeped in mythology and the worship of false gods. Paul, in his travels, no doubt had a great impact in many of these cities and wanted to encourage them by his presence one last time. We can be assured of this, as from Miletus he sent word via the Ephesian elders to come to him there so that he might encourage and instruct them:

20.17-38 17From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. 18When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. 20You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 21I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. 25“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 32“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 36When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

A love had grown in Paul that consumed his life; a love for his Savior, a love for his countryman, and also, a love for the Church. This is the love that God desired for Peter when He said to him (three times): if you love me, feed my lambs, and this is the love that God desires of us.

CHAPTER 21
ARRIVAL AT JERUSALEM

1-26: 1After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara. 2We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail. 3After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home. 7We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. 8Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’” 12When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” 15After this, we got ready and went up to Jerusalem. 16Some of the disciples from Caesarea accompanied us and brought us to the home of Mnason, where we were to stay. He was a man from Cyprus and one of the early disciples. 17When we arrived at Jerusalem, the brothers received us warmly. 18The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” 26The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

As we read from chapter 19.21, Paul was deter-mined at this time to journey to Jerusalem and then on to Rome. From chapter 20.1-3 we are informed that he became aware of a plot by the Jews to waylay him, so he reversed course and went back through Achaia and then north through Macedonia. This took an extra amount of time, and he missed the festival of Passover. Remember, he was carrying relief to the Church in Jerusalem from the Gentile Churches in Macedonia and Achaia and had hoped to make it in time for that festival when the city would be filled with Jews from all over. Not being able to arrive in time for Passover, he hoped to arrive in time for Pentecost, as most of those Jewish people would still be there.

Paul knew the impact the impartation of this gift would have on those Christians who would be in that city at that time and also on those of the Jewish population that were not Christian. Gentiles were giving financial aide to Jews! Who would have believed it? Thus we can understand why Paul was bound in the spirit (20.22) to travel there. But now in chapter 21 we are told that he is warned twice of the danger that awaits him in Jerusalem:

21.4: 4Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

21.10-11: 10After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

Luke testifies in verse 12 that he and their (his and Paul’s) traveling companions (at least, Sopater of Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus, if not many of the disciples of Caesarea) tried to dissuade Paul from going. But notice his response in verse 13: Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. What an impact we would have on our world today if we were so bound in our spirits as was Paul. Paul was ready to be imprisoned and even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

They relented trying to persuade Paul and, arriving at Jerusalem, lodged with a disciple who had come to Jerusalem from Cyrus and owed property in Jerusalem, one by the name of Mnason. Mnason is a Greek name, and he, therefore, was a Hellenistic Jew. Paul and his companions probably sought to stay with him, as he would have been more familiar with Greek culture then a non-Greek speaking Jew and a Jew who had not adopted the customs and culture of the Greeks as had he. The next day, after having arrived in Jerusalem, we read:

21.18-26: 18The next day Paul and the rest of us went to see James, and all the elders were present. 19Paul greeted them and reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. 20When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. 21They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.

22What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law. 25As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.” 26The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.

In verses 18-20 Paul informs James, the Lord’s half-brother, and the elders of the Church, of those things that had been accomplished among the Gentiles by the Holy Spirit on this last missionary journey. This, of course, brought great joy to them, and in response, they pointed out how many thousands of Jews there were which believe and that were zealous of the law:

One might ask, “If these thousands truly believed, why were they still zealous of the law?” Evidently they had truly come to faith In Jesus Christ and were not like the Jewish Judaizers. They no longer believed that salvation was by the keeping of the law but still wanted to observe its ceremonial aspects. They did not view the law as a means of salvation.

Remember, the period in which they lived was a transitional period, and old customs were hard to break, as we shall now see; we read from verse 21 that a story was circulating: Paul was teaching all the Jews who lived among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. A story that was not true but to head off misunderstanding and division, James (the pastor of the Jerusalem Church) and the elders persuade Paul to join himself with four other Jewish brethren who had taken a vow to purify himself with them.
There was nothing wrong with Paul doing this. It was a Jewish custom, but in order not to confuse the Gentile believers, they (James and the elders) recalled what they had written in an earlier letter; a conclusion that they (the Gentiles) were not to be held accountable to the strict letter of the law as were they (the Jews) but were to “abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood” (Acts 15.20). This had been concluded in the Jerusalem council after Paul and Barnabas had journeyed to Jerusalem from Antioch (Acts 15) informing the Apostles that many Gentiles had also been saved. Note this meeting once again as told in 15.1-21:

1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. 5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses.” 6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to me. 14Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: 16“‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, 17that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’ 18 that have been known for ages. 19“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

This reminder of that meeting helped encourage Paul to understand that they, James and the elders, would not look upon him as being double-minded. If it wasn’t a reminder, but an affirmation of what they held at the present time, it had the same effect; Paul was convinced that this was a right thing to do. The Church was satisfied with this, and unity without compromise of doctrine was maintained – something that the Church of today must strive for if it is to have an impact on those who are lost.

Another Look
Chapter 21.27-40:

Verses 27-32: 27When the seven days were nearly over, some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul at the temple. They stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, 28shouting, “Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.” 29(They had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with Paul and assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple area.)
30The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple, and immed-iately the gates were shut. 31While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

In this passage, we again read of an assault made against Paul to stop him from preaching the Gospel. This has been ongoing, and mostly it has come from the Jewish quarter. Beginning with the first missionary journey, we first read of an attempt by them in Chapter 13.44-45; and 50 where at Antioch of Pisidia the whole city had come to hear the Word of God. Verse 45 of that passage says:

When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying. And verse 50: But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region.

At Iconium we read: 1At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. 2But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders. 4The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. 5There was a plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. 6But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, 7where they continued to preach the good news (Acts 14.1-7).

At Lystra: 19Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.

During the second journey, we read that he and Silas were beaten and cast into prison at Philippi (Acts 16.16-24) as a result of false accusations by the Jews. At Thessalonica (17.5) we read that the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd.

These same Jews followed Paul and Silas to Berea (17.13) and stirred up the people against them. At Athens we find the Jews mocking him because he taught about the resurrection of the dead (18.32). Again, at Corinth they opposed him (chapter 18). We find that at the end of this second journey Paul spent considerable time at Antioch (18.22), but as we join him on the third journey, we find that the opposition against him and the preaching of the Word of God has not subsided, but intensified. Jews were following him everywhere he went, and as they followed him out of Asia into Greece, they began making plans how they might take and kill him. They knew he was determined to go to Jerusalem in order that he could deliver to the Church financial gifts from the Christians of Macedonia and Achaia. As we come to the above text (21.27-40) we find Paul back in Jerusalem which was predominately Jewish and they, the Jews, thinking no better chance would arise, find occasion to have him arrested.

Acts 21.28: They (the Jewish antagonist) incited the Jewish populace by charging: “This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.” If it were just the first part of this verse that was in play, we might be able to accept that by ignorance they misunderstood these things. Paul himself said of his own conduct before regeneration, that he persecuted the Church ignorantly in unbelief (1 Tim. 1.13). But when we read the second part of the verse and find that they brought an untruthful charge against him, that he “brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place,” it then became more than ignorance. They violated the law themselves by bringing a false accusation. Even though he had been seen with a Greek by the name of Trophimus in the city, they had not, as they charged, seen said Trophimus in the temple. In doing this they had opened themselves up to Satanic influence. The Christian is warned in Ephesians 6.12-18 to put on the whole armor of God for he “struggles not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (vs. 12).”

Much more is the non-believer subject to these attacks in regards to his or her own inhibitions, the inhibitions of the flesh. This has come to fruition in the lives of these truth-denying Jews who have come to hate Paul. They incited the whole unbelieving populace of the city against Paul and locked him out of the temple and sought ways by which they might kill him. We know from Scripture that they will ultimately succeed in having him put in prison in Rome, and, from church tradition we learn that he is put to death by decapitation in the summer of A.D. 67 or 68. His death will come after several years of imprisonment, then a release and a final imprisonment. The Jews will finally get their way, but not before he writes letters to many of those churches he had established or had nurtured during his travels. During the period between his two imprisonments, he would once again visit several of those churches. Satan nor the unregenerate Jews were winners. Thousands, perhaps millions, of people have come to know Christ as their savior through his letters and by spiritual procreation.
In order to preserve his life at this time, (the time of his last visit to Jerusalem mentioned above) God causes the chief captain of the Roman garrison to come to Paul’s assistance.

21.31-40: 31While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar. 32He at once took some officers and soldiers and ran down to the crowd. When the rioters saw the commander and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. 33The commander came up and arrested him and ordered him to be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done. 34Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another, and since the commander could not get at the truth because of the uproar, he ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. 35When Paul reached the steps, the violence of the mob was so great he had to be carried by the soldiers. 36The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Away with him!” 37As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, “May I say something to you?” “Do you speak Greek?” he replied. 38“Aren’t you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?” 39Paul answered, “I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.” 40Having received the commander’s permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic: 22:1“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.”

CHAPTER 22
PAUL’S DEFENSE BEFORE THE JEWS

To be remembered: It had been several years since Paul had been commissioned by the Lord Jesus to be a proclaimer of the Gospel. Many in Jerusalem, at this time, were the adult children of those who were themselves adults at the time, when on the Damascus road, Jesus apprehended Saul (Paul). This generation knew they hated Paul, because their fathers had hated him. The stories were long and in-depth as to how this man was (supposedly) attacking their religion, attempting to change their laws and customs. Many others also had moved into Jerusalem since that time, from all over the area, from such places as the far regions of Judea, Mesopotamia, Cappadocia, Asia Minor, Egypt, Libya, and Italy (Acts 2.9-11) who would not have had first-hand knowledge of Paul. He would have been a stranger to many of these people; this new generation, those who had moved into Jerusalem from the above-mentioned areas, and the many visitors who came for the celebration of Passover and had remained for Pentecost. What an opportunity for Paul, to once again give testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ to his own people, the people of his flesh! His heart for them is exposed in his letter to the Church at Rome, for we read: 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, 4the people of Israel (Rom. 9.2-3). What an opportunity to reach out to a new group of his own people:

Having identified himself to the chief captain (Lysis) as being in fact, a Jew, and not the Egyptian Lysis thought him to be, Paul is given license to speak to his accusers, his fellow Jews. He begins his defense by addressing his hearers in Aramaic (a Hebrew dialect); 22: 1Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense which I make now unto you.” 2And when they heard that he spoke in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence. He then spoke to them what he had oftentimes spoken before to others concerning his conversion:

3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. 6“About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ 8“‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. “‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.

10“‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’ 11My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me. 12“A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him. 14“Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’ 17“When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance 18and saw the Lord speaking. ‘Quick!’ he said to me. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19“‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these men know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you. 20And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

The crowd was probably stirred somewhat as Paul mentioned the name of Jesus of Nazareth, who was considered a blasphemer and a convicted felon, and as he (Paul) reminded them of the stoning of Stephen and of the many who had been cast into prison because of following this Jesus. But, when he (Paul) said this Jesus (the Lord) 21 said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles; they had had enough. Verse 22 says, “The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!” They could not, or would not, tolerate the suggestion that Gentiles could be saved without first becoming Jewish proselytes. A Gentile could not be spiritually equal with a Jew in their minds. Their fury raged against Paul into such a frenzy that they became riotous and began tearing off their clothes and throwing them and dust into the air. These actions, along with their loud shouting, cause the captain of the guard to command (vs. 24) that Paul to be taken into the barracks. He then directed (vs. 25) that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.

The Roman captain of the guard had a responsi-bility to maintain order in Jerusalem and took the easiest route to accomplish that responsibility. Rather than arrest the crowd, he arrested Paul. Thinking that he might find out what had caused the Jews to riot, he ordered Paul to be beaten. But Paul would not be badgered, and as they stretched him out to flog him, he said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?” This put the brakes on the mistreatment and opened the door for an appearance before the Jewish council, (vv. 26-30):

26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
27The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I am,” he answered. 28Then the commander said, “I had to pay a big price for my citizenship.” “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied. 29Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains. 30The next day, since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.

Thus begins the chain of events that will lead Paul to Rome, imprisonment and eventual execution. Along the way, however, Paul will speak before many of his brethren and Gentile authorities, testifying of the Lord Jesus Christ. And, during his two imprisonments, he will write some of the most powerful Spirit-breathed words that have ever been written. Much of the direction for the church would be penned during those years.

CHAPTER 23:1-10
PAUL BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY

22.30: 30The next day, since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.

Rome may have been barbaric in the way it treated those of other peoples who were subject to its authority, but in regards to its own citizens (even those who lived in such places as Jerusalem and away from Rome itself), they were given due process of law and such is afforded Paul in the above passage by the commander of the Roman guard. Because Paul was a Roman citizen (22.25-29), the commander wanted to afford him a just hearing. Thus, he releases Paul from being bound and calls for his accusers. Paul then began his defense:

23.1-5: “1Paul looked straight at the Council and said, “Brothers, with a clear conscience I have done my duty before God up to this very day.” 2Then the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near him to strike him on the mouth. 3At this Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there and judge me according to the Law and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” 4The men standing near him asked, “Do you mean to insult God’s high priest?” 5Paul answered, “I didn’t realize, brothers, that he is the high priest. After all, it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’”

Paul addresses his accusers as brothers, Jews. The customary way of addressing the Sanhedrin was “rulers and/or elders of the people (Acts 4.8). Paul’s intent by this address (brothers) was to identify himself with them. Most likely, many of his accusers had set with him, before his conversion, at the feet of Gamaliel. He may even himself been a member of the Sanhedrin, after all, he had gone by its direction in pursuance of the Church arresting and putting its followers in prison. He was, according to Philippians 3.5-6, a Pharisee, and many of those he now faced were of that sect. Paul thought of himself as equal with his accusers. He evidently didn’t realize that among them stood the high priest. In this opening statement, Paul asserted that with a clear conscience he had done his duty before God, up to this very day. He had faithfully discharged his responsibility before God declaring the truth of the Gospel. It may have been this statement, or of not addressing the high priest in the correct manner that prompted Ananias (the high priest) to have him struck. Whichever it was, he (Ananias) was not just in doing so. In fact, according to the law, he had Paul struck in violation of the very law he claimed to represent. As is the case of many religious (and, unfortunately some Christian) leaders of our day, when their authority is questioned, they strike out.

Being struck without righteous cause, Paul said “3God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! How can you sit there and judge me according to the Law and yet in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” In reply to that statement those standing around Paul said “4Do you mean to insult God’s high priest?” In response to that Paul replied, “5I didn’t realize, brothers, that he is the high priest. After all, it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people’” (Ex. 22.28). What a start to an inquisition, how these statements must have rankled his accusers!

Paul, however, wasn’t a novice concerning the law. He, being a Pharisee, fully knew the law and the differences between the Pharisees and the Sadducees concerning certain beliefs, and exploits these differences in his defense:

6When Paul saw that some of them were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he shouted in the Council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee and a descendant of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” 7After he said that, an angry quarrel broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection and that there is no such thing as an angel or spirit, but the Pharisees believe in all those things.

This ploy worked, as we read in verses 9-10: “9There was a great deal of shouting until some of the scribes who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and argued forcefully, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” 10The quarrel was becoming violent, and the tribune was afraid that they would tear Paul to pieces. So he ordered the soldiers to go down, take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks.”
Paul knew that he was under the sentence of death, that is, he knew the high priest and many of the religious leadership wanted him dead. He was a threat to their authority. He was fighting for his life. Not that it was so dear to him, as, he well knew that eventually he would most likely be killed but he wanted to reach as many people as he could, and, wanted to confirm others. While at Ephesus he had said that he resolved (had decided) to go through Macedonia and Achaia, down to Jerusalem and then to Rome (Acts 19.21). We learn from Romans 1.13-16 the reason why: “13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I often planned to come to you (but I have been prevented from doing so until now) so that I might reap a harvest among you, just as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14Both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to foolish people, I am a debtor. 15That is why I am so eager to proclaim the gospel to you who live in Rome, too. 16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for the salvation of everyone who believes, of the Jew first and of the Greek as well.”

And from Romans 15.22-32 we read: 22This is why I have so often been hindered in coming to you. 23But now, having no further opportunities in these regions, I have the desire to come to you, as I have had for many years. 24Now that I am on my way to Spain, I hope to see you when I come your way and, after I have enjoyed your company for a while, to be sent on by you. 25Right now, however, I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26For the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have been eager to share their resources with the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27Yes, they were eager to do this, and in fact they are obligated to help them, for if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they are obligated to be of service to them in material things. 28So when I have completed this task and have put my seal on this contribution of theirs, I will visit you on my way to Spain. 29And I know that when I come to you I will come with the full blessing of Christ.30Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that the Spirit produces, to join me in my struggle, earnestly praying to God for me 31that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32and that by the will of God I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.

GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

23.11-35: We read from verse 23.10 that Paul, in danger of losing his life, is once again saved by the intervention of the chief captain of the Roman guard. We learn a great deal from this verse con-cerning God’s sovereignty. In planning the course of the Church, God had made provision that Paul would be born a Roman citizen (22.28), affording him due protection under Roman law. God had planned, before He called Paul, that before his death he would testify of Him in Rome. We read from 23.11: The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Even though certain ones of the Jews had taken an oath (verse 12) that they would neither eat nor drink again before they had killed Paul, God was to preserve his life. Our text reads:

11The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” 12The next morning the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. 13More than forty men were involved in this plot. 14They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 15Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him before you on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about his case. We are ready to kill him before he gets here.” 16But when the son of Paul’s sister heard of this plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul. 17Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.” 18So he took him to the commander. The centurion said, “Paul, the prisoner, sent for me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” 19The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside and asked, “What is it you want to tell me?” 20He said: “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of wanting more accurate information about him. 21Don’t give in to them, because more than forty of them are waiting in ambush for him. They have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They are ready now, waiting for your consent to their request.” 22The commander dismissed the young man and cautioned him, “Don’t tell anyone that you have reported this to me.” 23Then he called two of his centurions and ordered them, “Get ready a detachment of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea at nine tonight. 24Provide mounts for Paul so that he may be taken safely to Governor Felix.”

This should encourage us in that God also has a plan for each one of us. Romans 8.28 promises that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” If one is a Christian, he or she has been called by God, and in that calling, God works for the good of the one called. That good cannot be compromised. The good for which He works may not be the preservation of physical life, as in the case of Paul (for a time) but it is for the ultimate good of said person. God has set a course for each of us, and we can rest assured that He will bring us to that eternal good. We can also be confident that if we are to be a witness to someone, even if that someone has not yet been born or lives on the other side of the earth, we shall witness to him or her. God will bring it about. Of course, God does not necessarily promise long life or the avoidance of hardship or grief. We can rest assured, however, that God is involved, and the end of our journey is the glorification of the one we are to witness to, or of ourselves. Our reward is that we shall see Jesus and shall ever be with Him. What else matters? The Lord may not appear to us as He did Paul on that night (of our text), but He has left us His assurances (e.g. Romans 8.28) and speaks to us through them.

We can also take courage in the fact that Paul wasn’t really much different than us. We find from 23.10 that he is once again in custody, not certain of what the future held. We may not be in custody, but we may not be certain what the future holds. For comfort and assurance the Lord Himself appeared to Paul. He had not abandoned Paul, and He does not abandon us. He may not appear to us as he did Paul, but in a sense He does, He appears to us through His Word, through fellow believers, and/or as we communicate with Him through prayer.

We read of several ways that the Lord intervened on Paul’s behalf. He moved the commander of the Roman guard to afford Paul protection (vs. 10). He moved Paul’s nephew to warn him of the conspiracy (vs. 16). He moved one of the centurions who was in charge of the garrison to comply with Paul’s request that the chief captain be notified (vv. 17-18). He moved the chief captain not to fall prey to the trap of the Jews, and he moved said captain to have him brought before Felix the governor. The motivations of the chief captain, the centurion, and the Roman commander most likely were political and not humanitarian; nonetheless, it was God who brought about the effect of the cause. We are not sure of the reason why Paul’s nephew was moved to warn him of the conspiracy and trap. According to Phil. 3.8, Paul had lost everything for the sake of Christ, possibly even the closeness of family, and yet, we find that his nephew moved on his behalf. We must be careful here and not suppose more than Scripture tells us. By this time Paul’s sister and her son may also have become Christians, or it may have been because of family ties (even though estranged) that the nephew was moved to warn Paul. Whichever may have been true, the captain was moved to the action he took.

23.26-30: The chief captain wrote a letter to Felix. 26 Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings. 27This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, but I came with my troops and rescued him, for I had learned that he is a Roman citizen. 28I wanted to know why they were accusing him, so I brought him to their Sanhedrin. 29I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment. 30When I was informed of a plot to be carried out against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also ordered his accusers to present to you their case against him
Paul is now under the protection of Imperial Rome, but he has always been in the hand of God.
31So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul with them during the night and brought him as far as Antipatris. 32The next day they let the cavalry go on with him, while they returned to the barracks. 33When the cavalry arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and handed Paul over to him. 34The governor read the letter and asked what province he was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia, 35he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers get here.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.

CHAPTER 24
PAUL BEFORE FELIX

24.1-9: 1Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor. 2When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented his case before Felix: “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. 3Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. 4But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly. 5“We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect 6and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. 8By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.” 9The Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true.

The high priest, Ananias, is determined to stop Paul from preaching and teaching the Gospel – the Gospel that could save even himself. What blindness! It is hard to fathom how this could be, and yet, is it not the same today? We have many who sit in high places of religious authority who subvert the truth because of spiritual blindness.

Their actions are played out in different ways. Many claim, for instance, that the Word of God (the Bible) cannot be taken literally. Some say that only specially trained men are able to understand its content. Others have attempted to rewrite what it says, changing, deleting, or adding to it.

The truth that Ananias was spiritually blind does not negate the fact that he was politically wise. We find that to bolster his case before Felix concerning Paul, he hires the services of Tertullus who was of Italian (Roman) origin. The high priest and the Sanhedrin, realizing their own inadequacies concerning the Latin language and the ordinary procedures of the Roman courts, sought an advantage with Felix. Most of us today have witnessed or at least watched many attorneys with a glib tongue, as they, because of excellence of speech try to persuade the courts to their clients’ advantage. That’s what is being done here against Paul. As we reread verses 2-8 above, we see with what smoothness Terullus approaches Felix:

2We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you, and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation. 3Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude. 4But in order not to weary you further, I would request that you be kind enough to hear us briefly. 5“We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect 6and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. 8By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.”

The high priest and the Sanhedrin must have thought they were about to bring an end to Paul and this Nazarene sect, Christianity. To bolster what their spokesman had laid out before Felix, we read that The Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true (vs. 9).

Paul, however, is not a novice in relation to Roman law. He recognized right away that no charge had been brought against him that was in defiance of that law, only that of the Jews religion. Note:

10When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.
17“After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. 18I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. 19But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me. 20Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin—21unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.’”

In his own defense, Paul goes to the heart of the matter explaining to Felix that the charge laid against him had nothing to do with Roman law or the subversion of it. Rather, it had to do with their (the Jews’) own religion and customs. So that Felix could better understand what Paul was referring to, he (Paul) laid out a specific of that religion, that of the resurrection. Paul probably had at least two reasons for inserting this into his defense. First, it set the Jews, who were accusing him, at odds with one another as the Sanhedrin (the religious political body) was formed of both the Pharisees and the Sadducees. The Pharisees believed in resurrection while the Sadducees did not. Secondly, it gave Paul an opportunity to present to Felix, a worshipper of idols, the case of true God, the God of the Hebrews. We read from verse 22-26 of the impact that Paul’s testimony had on not only Felix but also on his wife, Drusilla:

22Then Felix, who was well acquainted with the Way, adjourned the proceedings. “When Lysias the commander comes,” he said, “I will decide your case.” 23He ordered the centurion to keep Paul under guard but to give him some freedom and permit his friends to take care of his needs. 24Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” 26At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him. 27When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

According to verse 27, Paul had been granted at least another two years – two years in which he was able to testify time and time again before Felix and his wife. Most likely, others also were in the hearing of Paul. Only when we get to heaven will we know of the full impact this had on all who heard the message of the Gospel during these two years.

CHAPTER 25
PAUL BEFORE FESTUS

Verses 1-9: 1Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, 2where the chief priests and Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. 3They urgently requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. 4Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. 5Let some of your leaders come with me and press charges against the man there, if he has done anything wrong.” After spending eight or ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. 7When Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.

8Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.” 9Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”

Two years have passed since Paul had been arraigned and brought before Felix. Two years of opportunity to declare the Gospel to Felix, his wife, and no doubt, many of their household, friends, and governmental officials. As mentioned above, only when we get to heaven will we know of the full impact this had on all who heard the message of the Gospel during these two years. The high priest and the Jewish leaders, however, are determined to end Paul’s life and scheme to have him removed from Caesarea to Jerusalem and be tried in the courts there. They did not intend for him to reach Jerusalem but thought to ambush him along the way and kill him. It seems that Festus, however, saw through their scheme and decided that it would be safer for Paul and more responsible to the Roman judicial system. to keep Paul at Caesarea. (Remember, Paul was a Roman citizen.) He determined that he would travel to Caesarea and hear this matter. About ten days later he, along with Paul’s accusers, traveled to that city and heard the matter.

According to verse 7, his accusers brought many charges against Paul, none of which they could prove, and after hearing Paul’s defense (verse 8), Festus, hoping to appease the high priest and the Jewish leadership, asked Paul if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem under guard and be tried there.

The matter should have ended when the Jews were unable to prove anything against Paul, but Festus, trying to keep peace and not have an uprising of the Jews on his hands (he of course was responsible for keeping the peace), sought to afford Paul protection, yet satisfy the Jews.
Verses 10-11: Paul, however, knew well his rights under Roman law, and said: “I am now standing before Caesar’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. 11If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

Festus also knew the law and his responsibilities under it, and after conferring with the council decreed, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!” (verse 12).

This tells us something about our Lord. He brings about that which He decrees. Remember back in chapter 23, verse 11 He appeared to Paul and said: “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome” Nothing could have prevented Paul from reaching Rome—not the hatred and schemes of the Jews nor the political maneuverings of government officials. He doesn’t necessarily always accomplish things by the miraculous, but by imposing His will through the laws of man, laws that He Himself caused man to initiate. Maybe this is why he instructs that we are to be subservient to those who are in authority over us (Rom. 13.1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established, the authorities that exist have been established by God). Rome may have been tyrannical, but by its laws, Paul’s life is preserved until such time that his course (ministry) was finished. We know because of the Old Testament records that God many times used individuals, even though they themselves were of corrupt hearts, to bring about His will in relation to Israel. We see that happening now on behalf of Paul in what follows, 25.13 through chapter 26.

King Agrippa II appears on the scene with Bernice his sister and is instrumental in assuring that Paul is sent to Rome. According to Unger’s Bible Dictionary, King Agrippa II and his sister Bernice lived together and were probably involved in an incestuous relationship, and yet by their authority Paul was to fulfill what the Lord (Acts 23.11) had decreed. We find from the remainder of this chapter that the Lord has been active in the minds of both Felix and King Agrippa II as they determine to hear Paul’s defense and eventually determine to send him on to Rome, to appear before Caesar. Consider:

Verses 13-27: 13A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. 14Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. 15When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned. 16“I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges. 17When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in. 18When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. 19Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. 20I was at a loss how to investigate such matters; so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. 21When Paul made his appeal to be held over for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.” 22Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” He replied, “Tomorrow you will hear him.” 23The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high ranking officers and the leading men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. 24Festus said: “King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, you see this man! The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he made his appeal to the Emperor I decided to send him to Rome. 26But I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation I may have something to write. 27For I think it is unreasonable to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”

CHAPTER 26
PAUL’S DEFENSE BEFORE KING AGRIPPA

King Agrippa II was of the Herodian family who, under Roman rule, had been chosen to govern over Palestine. Merril F. Unger, citing Josephus, writes, “the Herodian family were of Idumaean blood and descendants of Esau and were of the Edomite stock.” Mr. Unger writes that they occupied the southern district of Palestine known as the Negeb, located between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea and southward. By conquest John Hyrcanus brought the Idumaeans into Palestine about B.C. 130 and as they conformed to the Jewish rite of circumcision they embraced the Jewish religion, thus the Herodians were Idumaean in race but Jewish in religion.

Their family history proved them to be heathen in practice and monstrous in character. The Jews regarded them with suspicion and prejudice and thought of them as only “half-Jews.” Rome decided that there could not be a better representative found than this family to stand between themselves and the Jews as a governing force. The family was more political than religious, and yet because they were Jewish, they were more readily acceptable to the Jews than one of Roman descent. That they were without scruples is confirmed by the account of Herod, Agrippa’s grandfather, having all the male children killed up to the age of two years old at the time of the birth of Jesus (Matt. 2.16-18).
Paul, a Roman citizen, knew that he had a right of appeal to any and all charges that may have been brought against him according to the laws of Rome. He, having declared himself a Roman citizen (Acts 22.25-29), had requested a hearing before Caesar. As we come to chapter 26, he has already appeared before Felix, the Roman governor, and his successor Festus, and now is brought by Festus to King Agrippa II. As we come to this chapter then, it is helpful to remember that Agrippa II is part Jewish, and even though he is Idumaean in race, he is Jewish in religion and understands its tenets. As we read down through the chapter we will find that even though he has a hatred for the one Paul speaks of (Jesus the Christ), yet he could find no fault in him.

1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 2King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently. 4The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. 7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me. 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? 9I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

12On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads. 15Then I asked, Who are you, Lord? I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, the Lord replied. 16Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me. 19So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds. 21That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—23that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles. 24At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. You are out of your mind, Paul! he shouted. Your great learning is driving you insane. 25I am not insane, most excellent Festus, Paul replied. What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do. 28Then Agrippa said to Paul, Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian? 29Paul replied, Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains. 30The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31They left the room, and while talking with one another, they said, This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment. 32Agrippa said to Festus, This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.
Festus gave Paul a way out by the standards of our judicial system today. He said of Paul “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane.” Paul could have pleaded insanity, and he would have been found not guilty. But Paul was (as he had been since his Damascus road experience) gripped by the truth concerning Jesus Christ and was completely committed to glorifying him. He was not about to compromise.

King Agrippa found nothing that Paul was guilty of, neither of the Jews’ own religion nor of sedition against Rome, however, because of Paul’s appeal to Caesar, to Caesar he must go. We should remember that this wasn’t just in compliance with Roman law, but was a fulfillment of what God had decreed: (Acts 23.11): “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

CHAPTER 27
PAUL SENT TO ROME

1When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment. 2We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.

King Agrippa, having decided that Paul was in his legal rights to appeal to Caesar, sends him and other unnamed prisoners to Rome. They are placed in the custody of a Roman centurion by the name of Julius. We read from verse 2 that Aristarchus also accompanied them. We were introduced to this man and one named Gaius back in chapter 19. According to 19.29 they had been Paul’s companions for some time, and we read of him again now. Just how long he and Gaius had been with Paul is not certain. Certainly it was over two years as they had spent that much time in Ephesus and then Aristarchus journeyed with Paul through Greece on the way to Jerusalem. Several months had elapsed from their arrival in Jerusalem until the time of our text.

They have been together for at least a few years, if not several. We also note from the words, “When it was decided that we would sail for Italy,” that Luke is also with them. The Lord has not abandoned Paul. About a year ago, he had personally appeared to Paul in a vision, and now in this time of trial He provides him with companionship.

We also note from verse 3 that Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs. This certainly was not the normal action of a career-minded battle hardened soldier “who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.” He would not have risen to the rank of Centurion (a leader of one hundred men) nor been assigned to the Imperial Regiment had he not proven himself, but yet, he affords Paul kindness. This had to have been the work of the Holy Spirit in his heart. This is not to say that he was a Christian, but it is of note, that he, a servant of Rome, would act in such a way.

Rejoining the text at verse 3 we read: 3The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs. 4From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7We made slow headway for many days and had difficulty arriving off Cnidus. When the wind did not allow us to hold our course, we sailed to the lee of Crete, opposite Salmone. 8We moved along the coast with difficulty and came to a place called Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. 9Much time had been lost, and sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was after the Fast. So Paul warned them, 10“Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.” 11But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship. 12Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided that we should sail on, hoping to reach Phoenix and winter there. This was a harbor in Crete, facing both southwest and northwest. 13When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the “northeaster,” swept down from the island. 15The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure. 17When the men had hoisted it aboard, they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.

21After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”

27On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. 29Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall away.

33Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 35After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

39When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they saw a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could. 40Cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea and at the same time untied the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and made for the beach. 41But the ship struck a sandbar and ran aground. The bow stuck fast and would not move, and the stern was broken to pieces by the pounding of the surf. 42The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44The rest were to get there on planks or on pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land in safety.

What a tumultuous fourteen days this must have been! What fear must have grasped them, yet it was the calming assurance of Paul that moved the centurion and the soldiers to act in a way that prevented any from abandoning the ship. Abandoning the ship at this point would have resulted in all their deaths. We read from verses 33-35 that just before dawn on the fifteenth day Paul urged them all to eat, as for the last fourteen days none of them had eaten anything. He prophesied that not one of them would lose a single hair from his head, that is, none of them would be lost. Having told them this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. What a testimony!

Paul also foretold that the ship would flounder and be lost along with all its non-human cargo. As it floundered, we see the kind action of the centurion once again as he intervened on the behalf of Paul and the other prisoners. The soldiers feared that the prisoners would escape to kill them all, but he, commanding with an iron fist, prevented it.

CHAPTER 28
IN ROUTE TO ROME

Having survived the storm and shipwreck by the hand of God, we now, at the beginning of chapter 28, find the entire personage of the ship safely on shore. The sailors, the guards, and the prisoners have all been saved. Of the two hundred seventy-six persons, none were lost, just as Paul had said. Remember their anguish and Paul’s assurance in chapter 27? We pick up with the voyage in verses 14-25 where we read:

13When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the “northeaster,” swept down from the island. 15The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure. 17When the men had hoisted it aboard, they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. 18We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
21After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss.

22But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me 24and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”

What a powerful assertion of Paul, that He belonged to God (vs. 23), and that nothing could or would prevent him from appearing before Caesar. The fact that they all survived should have convinced the soldiers that Paul was someone to be considered, but instead, in verse 42 of chapter 27, we read that “the soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping.” We see in these men (the soldiers) the hardness of men, and yet we also see the compassion of those whom God has moved upon for we see such compassion in the heart of the centurion, verse 43: “But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan.” We also see this compassion exemplified by the islanders of Malta. Remember, they were Gentiles and up to this point the Jew and the Gentile held each other in contempt. We read from 28.1-2:

1Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.

Their compassion was shortly to be rewarded, but first, God was going to get their attention. We read from verses 3-6:

3Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

Paul should have died from this bite, or at least become very ill, but instead he suffered no ill effects. God had their attention. At first they assumed that Paul was an evildoer, but because of this miracle, they now assumed him to be a god. God wasn’t going to leave it at that, that is, He wasn’t going to allow Paul and his fellows to leave the island without first demonstrating what He, the true God, was all about. He now was to show through Paul His love, compassion, and mercy.

Verses 7-9: 7There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. 8His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured.

Even though we are not told, we can rest assured that God not only healed the father of Publius and the rest of the sick of the island, but through Paul they also received the Gospel. What an impact this must have had on them and on the sailors, the soldiers and the Centurion. We, of course, are not told, and we have no way of knowing, but as we are again reminded by Isaiah 55.10-11; God accomplishes what He sets out to do:

“10As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return o it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Many of that island assuredly came to know Jesus Christ as their personal savior. It will be interesting when we join them in heaven, to sit around and discuss our relationship, one with the other. Remember, this is only possible because of His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.

We are not given much insight as to what happened in their hearts; we can only assume, but Luke does tell us that: “10They honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.”

11After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island. It was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. 12We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15The brothers there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.

According to verse 11 they had spent three months on Malta, and then, gaining passage on a ship that had wintered in the island, sailed again for Rome. They paused for a week in a city called Puteoli where God encouraged Paul and his fellows as He brought Christian brothers from the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet them (us). Thus they came to Rome.

VERSES 16-31: THUS THEY CAME TO ROME

16-31: 16When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him. 17Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. 19But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—not that I had any charge to bring against my own people. 20For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.” 21They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of the brothers who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. 22But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.” 23They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. From morning till evening he explained and declared to them the kingdom of God and tried to convince them about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. 24Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.

Paul’s course is not finished. Even though many of the Jewish leadership have sought for years to end Paul’s life, we find him in Rome still reaching out to his Jewish brothers and to the Gentiles as he presents the Gospel to them. We are told later on in this closing chapter (vs. 30) that it will be at least two years before he appears before Caesar, but being a Roman citizen, he was afforded some semblance of liberty until the time of his trial (vs. 16). Even though he was under house arrest and chained to a guard (vs. 20), he was free to receive visitors.

We should remember that several months have passed since he had been arrested in Caesarea and his subsequent appearances before Felix and Festus. Winter had come and gone, and some of the fervor over him has died down. Perhaps the high priest and Jewish leadership who sought his life had not yet arrived in Rome to level their charges against him. Whichever was the case, Paul, in an attempt to keep the door open to his countrymen as long as possible, sent for them in order that he could explain why he was under arrest and present them with the Gospel before the inevitable disruption would come.

We learn from verse 22 that these Jews of Rome, had heard of the sect (so-called) of Christianity and wanted to know Paul’s position concerning it. Their assessment of it was that it had been and was being spoken against everywhere. This gave Paul an opportunity to present Jesus Christ to them out of the Law of Moses and from the prophets. We read from verse 24 that: “Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe.” This reminds us again 1 Corinthians 2.24, which says:

“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

And it reminds us of what Jesus said to Nicodemus (Jn. 3.3; 3.5-8):

3“I tell you the truth, no one can see (understand–a proper synonym of see) the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

Spiritual rebirth, according to Jesus’ claim, must occur before one is able to understand or enter the kingdom of God. This had not yet occurred in the lives of those Jews who would not believe. This truth (that spiritual rebirth is necessary for one to believe) is confirmed in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:
Ephesians 2.1-5: 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

Verses 1 and 5 emphatically state that all people are spiritually dead (spiritually separated) toward God before the Holy Spirit works the miracle of rebirth in he or she who are made spiritually alive.

It is interesting, however, that verse 24 of our closing chapter of this study (the book of Acts) says that those who did not believe; did not believe because they would not (would not, not could not).

“Would not,” according to Jesus’ assessment: John 3.19 “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”

Because mankind will not, they cannot. Natural man will not listen to or believe the truth. Believing and accepting the truth about Jesus Christ is only possible for those whom the Holy Spirit has given the desire and the ability to believe.
Some might ask, “Why hasn’t the Holy Spirit given this desire and ability to all persons?” That’s a difficult question and probably cannot be answered in a fashion that will adequately do justice to the question. Probably the most God-honoring answer is: God has offered salvation to all, excluding none, but because none would accept that which He has offered (salvation) He, in order to assure that Jesus sacrifice on the cross would not go unrewarded (the salvation of some) went beyond giving a general call (whosoever will may come) to an efficacious call, which assured that those thus called would come.

If some might contend that this isn’t fair, they should rest in the thought that God does not prevent one from choosing to believe. He does not stand in the way. Believing, however, is not a passive word, but an action word, an action that demands a renouncing of sin and a commitment to following Jesus. Following without wavering – what could be more fair than that? One should not blame God for what he or she is not truthfully willing to do. As to those of Rome to whom Paul testified, God had determined that some would believe, and these were convinced, convicted, and converted by the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3.5-8).

Verses 25-31: 25They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your forefathers when he said through Isaiah the prophet: 26 “‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” 27For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ 28“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” 30For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

According to church tradition, after a dismissal of charges, Paul was released, and after traveling over much of those areas where he established churches, eventually traveling into Spain (disputed by some), he was rearrested, retried, and was eventually martyred in the summer of A.D. 67 or 68.

So ends the book of Acts, the Acts of the Apostles. But not really, the Acts of the Apostles carry on through their letters and through spiritual procreation as many in each generation are brought to newness of life through whom they wrote about the Lord Jesus Christ. The book of Acts, however, is not only the activity of the apostles; it is the record in those early years of the activities of God the Holy Spirit as He brought many out of spiritual darkness into spiritual light, regenerating in them new spiritual life. His work is on going today. It has not ended. He will continue until the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in (Rom. 11.25) as He regenerates many to newness of life, both of the Jew and the Gentile. He will continue His work during the seven-year tribulation as hundreds of thousands will come to saving faith in Jesus. At least one hundred forty-four thousand Jews, and according to Revelation 7.9, “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.”

John 3.36: Whosoever believes (trust) in the Son has eternal life, but whosoever rejects the Son will not see (experience) life, for God’s wrath remains on him.

Have you trusted in Jesus, God the Son, for your salvation?

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” Acts 4.12.

Blessings

stevelampman@comcast.net
stevelampman.com

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