Author: Charlie Garrett

Domed thingy. Montpelier.

Friday, 7 April 2023

Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. Acts 15:37

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

In the previous verse, Paul suggested to Barnabas that they go back and visit the brethren in all the places they had previously preached to them, desiring to see how they were doing. With that, it now says, “Now Barnabas was determined.”

Using the word “determined” is agreed by many scholars to be too strong for the statement. The Greek word focuses on the planning of an action rather than the desire behind it. Thus, something like, “Now Barnabas was minded to,” gives the sense.

It was his intention to take Mark. Based on what will be said in the next verse, this intention will turn into determination. But the initial act is what is being referred to here, and that intention was “to take with them John called Mark.”

This is Barnabas’ cousin who went with them on the first missionary journey but who then departed from the trip upon arriving at Perga in Pamphylia –

“So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. ⁵ And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.” Acts 13:4, 5

“Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.” Acts 13:13

This is all that was stated about John at the time. No reason was given for his departure, but the fact that he left the missionary work early will now become a source of contention between Paul and Barnabas.

Life application: Each person will find offense in different areas of life. What one might find trivial, another may find the same matter inexcusable. Some of this may be cultural, at times it may be how one is personally geared towards stress, forgiveness, honor (of self or for another), etc.

As an example of a cultural offense, one could make dinner plans with a family in Malaysia. If a time is set for 5 pm, an American will normally be ready at the scheduled time, awaiting his guests. When 5 pm comes around, and the guests don’t arrive, he may be perplexed. By 6 pm, he may be worried. By 8 pm, he will consider that any chance for the dinner to come about will be gone. The food will be put away and the night will be over.

And yet, the family arrives at 9:30 pm with big smiles on their faces, ready for dinner while Andy American stands there in his night clothes wondering what has just taken place. No explanation is given by the family as to the delay. And they are as surprised at there being no food for them as the American is that they even showed up at such a late hour.

Who is in the wrong? It depends on the perspective of the one standing on either side of the door. The culturally accepted norm for an American is that when dinner is set for 5 pm, anyone showing up more than 10 minutes late and without an excuse and an apology is the offender. For a Malay, 5 pm really means 9, or 10, or even 11 pm. No excuse is needed, and no apology should ever be expected.

Paul and Barnabas will have an issue arise based on the events taking place in the verses now being analyzed. Who is right and who is wrong? What good or harm will come from what occurs? Take a broad view of what transpires and consider the matter from both sides as the words are evaluated.

Then take time to consider a similar event that may have occurred in your own life. Is there something that could have been done to avoid the outcome? Or did the outcome eventually lead to something good even though it was not a happy thing at the time?

Life is filled with events that we often cannot resolve, and which may turn out negatively. And yet, God can use them to bring about something good in another area. Think about such things and consider them. You may be surprised at what you eventually see has arisen.

Lord God, help us to consider things that occur in our lives that were either beyond our control or that we were unwilling to resolve. May we evaluate what eventually took place and try to see how You have brought something good out of what took place. When we do, we will surely find that Your guiding hand has brought about something far better than what first occurred. We know that You have a great plan that even includes our temporary failings. Thank You for Your guiding hand in all things. Amen.

Trees and (I think) servant’s quarters. Montpelier.

Thursday, 6 April 2023

Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” Acts 15:36

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse noted that Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word. With them there, it next says, “Then after some days.”

There is no indication of how long this is. Charles Ellicott notes, “The commonly received chronology of the Acts makes the interval between the Council of Jerusalem and St. Paul’s second missionary journey somewhat more than a year.” How this was determined is unknown, but it seems likely that the time is certainly more than a few months based on the word “remained” in the previous verse and “some days” in this one.

After this extended but indeterminate time, “Paul said to Barnabas.” Paul is the one to initiate the idea and it is reflective of the type of man he was because he next says, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city.”

The Greek word is an aorist participle. Literally, “Having turned back, indeed, let us look upon our brethren in every city.” Paul is concerned about those he previously evangelized wondering about their state and desiring to meet up with them again. This is all inclusive of the cities where the two of them had gone. Paul truly cared about these people and the churches that had been established among them because they were “where we have preached the word of the Lord.”

Everything came back to the knowledge of Christ with Paul. It certainly burned within him that not only were converts made, but that they were living in accord with the word they had heard. To him, if their ministry were to be considered effective, it would mean that it continued to make new converts whose faith was based on the truth of the word. The Judaizers had followed along after them as they went to new locations. How much more could they infect the churches when there was a long interval without any teaching support! As such, he adds a final note, saying, “and see how they are doing.”

The Greek is more succinct, “how they are.” Taking the first clause and the last, the main focus of Paul is more clearly seen – “Having turned back, indeed, let us look upon our brethren in every city – how they are.” He cared about the brethren who had received the word of God, and he cared about them in every city they had been to. His heart and desire were geared toward the converted lives in Christ to be established and flourishing. The thought is expressed throughout his epistles, a few examples of which are –

“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, ¹⁰ making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. ¹¹ For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— ¹² that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.” Romans 1:9-12

“…besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11:28

“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, ¹⁶ do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, ¹⁸ the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1:15-18

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, ⁴ always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, ⁵ for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:3-6

These, and other such verses, reveal the caring nature of Paul. He was not just an evangelist who passed through with the gospel. Rather, for those who heard and accepted it, he became a father to his children, a teacher, and a mentor. The connection to those he preached to remained, even after he had physically departed from them.

Life application: It is the job of an evangelist to evangelize. There is nothing wrong with a person sharing the gospel and moving on. Likewise, there are those who are geared toward remaining in the same place and who preach and teach, even if they have never gone out to evangelize the community in which they live.

There are those who establish a church, pass the reins on to another, and move on to establish another new church. There is nothing wrong with any of these approaches. We have all been given certain abilities that can be used to glorify God. Paul did all three of these examples just mentioned and so much more. Even if we don’t do all of the things Paul did, we can still do our part and learn from his example. Above all else, the things he did were intended to glorify God through Jesus Christ.

If we can make that the main focus of what we do, our time will be well spent, even if it is simply checking people out at the grocery counter, fixing someone’s plumbing, or writing out insurance policies. Whatever we do, it should become evident to those we encounter that we are people of integrity and caring because we are people in Christ. Let us have this attitude in all we do.

Lord God, may our lives be used as instruments of honor to the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us to be willing to live in a manner that others can see the difference in us and want to know why we possess the joy that is in us. May it be so, to Your glory. Amen.

Garden at Montpelier.

Wednesday, 5 April 2023

Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also. Acts 15:35

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse contained the disputed words, “However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there.” Whether that verse is original or not, the words now are without dispute, but the translation of the conjunction will depend on how one views the matter. If those words are accepted as original, the words of this verse will say something like, “Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch.” If they are not accepted, then translators will say something like, “Paul and Barnabas, however, remained in Antioch.”

The conjunction can be rendered either way depending on the context. Whichever is correct, Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch after the matter of the Judaizers was settled. However, with it settled, Luke now returns to placing Paul’s name first – Paul and Barnabas. Together, they remained in Antioch “teaching and preaching the word of the Lord.”

As elsewhere, the word translated as “preaching,” euaggelizó, signifies to proclaim the good news. It is less a formal sermon and focuses more on evangelizing. They continued sharing the gospel which is the word of the Lord for salvation. Along with them, it also says, “with many others also.”

The meaning is that the church was filled with people who were willing to go out and tell others the good news about Jesus. With the approval by the council that Gentiles did not need to adhere to the Law of Moses after coming to Christ, the church was able to go forth and evangelize the gospel in the purity with which it was originally intended, meaning salvation by grace through faith in the full, finished, final, and forever work of Christ Jesus.

The idea comes through a bit more clearly when it is translated in the same order as the Greek –

“And Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming good news — with many others also — the word of the Lord.” (YLT).

In Young’s translation, one can see that he punted on the conjunction, translating it as “and.” In doing this, it allows for either option concerning the previous verse being genuine or not. He also, rightly, offsets the words “with many others also” giving a greater force to them. The church was highly evangelistic.

The reason for this being so important to highlight is because this may have been the time when the sad events of Galatians 2 took place –

“Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; ¹² for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. ¹³ And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?’” Galatians 2:11-14

Others disagree and say this cannot be the time when these events took place, instead placing them in Acts 18:22. This is less likely because Paul says that Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. However, Paul and Barnabas are never mentioned as being together again after Acts 15. Further, this probably did not occur as is supposed by the Pulpit Commentary, which says –

“But it is quite inconceivable that Peter, with all the influence of the Jerusalem Cornell fresh upon him, and after the part he himself took in it, and when his own emissaries, Silas and Judas, had just left Antioch, should act the part there ascribed to him. Nor is it within the region of probability that, so soon after the council, any should have come ‘from James’ to unsay what James had said and written at the council. We may with much confidence place Peter’s visit to Antioch before the council.” Pulpit Commentary

The reason this view is unlikely is that Paul says in Galatians 2:9 –

“…and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”

The only record of Paul and Barnabas being together in Jerusalem before the council in Acts 15 is in Acts 11 & 12 at a time when this issue had not yet come to light. The point of the council was to determine the acceptability of the message that Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed to the Gentiles. That was decided, as indicated in Galatians 2:9, at the council.

And more, apart from the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 and the conversion of the household in Acts 10, the main conversion of the Gentiles only began to occur after Paul and Barnabas were called by the Holy Spirit to their first missionary journey in Acts 13:2. Therefore, it is most probable that Peter’s great failings, along with those of Barnabas, occurred at this point in Acts 15, shortly after the council had taken place.

Peter came to Antioch, realized the freedom that came from faith in Christ, ate with Gentiles, probably enjoying pork chops, bacon, and ham for the first time in his life, and then withdrew from this fellowship because he was unsure if the Jews who came from James would accept his move so far away from the restrictions of the Law of Moses.

Life application: If the timeline suggested here is correct, and the words of Galatians 2 fully support that it is, it shows how quickly we can backpedal from the truth and soundness of proper doctrine when faced with a little bit of external pressure.

Peter had spoken boldly in the council of Acts 15 concerning Gentile conversion and their not needing to adhere to the Law of Moses. This, by default, meant that the law was set aside in Christ. And yet, he peevishly backtracked from this fundamental truth when it personally affected his appearance before those who may condemn his departure from the customs of the Jewish people.

If this can happen to Peter so quickly, it can happen to any of us if we allow our guard to come down. Stand firm on the freedom of the gospel, do not allow anyone to bring you under the yoke of the law or of legalism. There is freedom in Christ and we must proclaim it as such.

Thank You, O God, for the freedom we possess in Christ. May we never fail to speak out just what Your word proclaims. Help us in this because it is so easy for us to get distracted or to not want to deal with conflict that may arise over one issue or another. Help us to stay on the right and sound path at all times. We pray this so that You will be glorified through our conduct. Amen.

Cool wall and gate. Montpelier.

Tuesday, 4 April 2023

However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there.  Acts 15:34

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse said, while speaking of the emissaries from Jerusalem, “And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles.” Now, a verse that is not found in many manuscripts says, “However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there.”

The context of the previous verse was based on verse 15:32 which spoke of Judas and Silas. As it said in verse 15:33 that “they were sent back,” it would be assumed that it also spoke of Judas and Silas. However, in verse 15:40, it will say that Paul chose Silas to join him on a second missionary journey.

Because of this, it is believed by many that the words of this verse now were a later insertion to explain why Silas was available to join Paul. Some believe it to be a margin note that crept into the text. It is not found in the Syriac, Arabic, and Coptic versions. On the other hand, the Latin Vulgate says, “It seemed good to Silas to remain, but Judas went alone to Jerusalem.”

Supposing it belongs there, the plural of the previous verse could indicate that others came from Jerusalem with Judas and Silas, and together they left while Silas remained behind. However, that would seem to fly in the face of verse 15:27 where the council only mentions Judas and Silas.

Supposing it doesn’t belong, no contradiction between verses 15:34 and 15:40 should be assumed. Verse 15:36 will say, “Then after some days.” There is nothing to suggest the timeframe. It could be a few weeks or a year. It is a statement that could mean almost any amount of time. Therefore, Silas could have returned to Jerusalem and decided to go back to Antioch during those days, weeks, or months.

No matter what, either one text added a thought which is spurious, or a part of the true text was dropped out that does not affect any point upon which the overall narrative or any set doctrine hinges. If it is included in a version, it should be footnoted with a comment concerning why it is not in other versions. If it is not included in a version, it should be footnoted why it is not.

Life application: God has allowed man to copy and pass on His original word. God is not fallible and the word He originally breathed out is perfect because it comes from Him. However, man is fallible. Anytime man is involved in something such as this, a process of corruption will result because of man’s inability to maintain the perfection of the original.

We cannot reasonably look at such differences in texts and say, “This cannot be the word of God.” Rather, we can look at the whole and feel confident that it is the word of God, but that man has been graciously allowed to transmit it, causing contamination of it. And yet, God has preserved His word in a sure enough form that it still can be rightly considered His word.

It is certain that if a copy of a manuscript of Shakespeare’s work was found and it had spelling errors, transpositions, margin notes, missing words or sentences, etc., anyone who evaluated it would say, “This is a copy of Shakespeare’s work.” In fact, it would be ridiculous to say otherwise. And yet, naysayers of the Bible demand perfection of transmission to be a part of the process of conveying His word. If such perfection does not exist (which it could not because of the nature of man), then to them it somehow cannot be God’s word. The thinking is biased and flawed.

This is the trap that too many Christians have fallen into, thus believing that God has somehow preserved His word in an exacting manner that is 100% infallible in one particular version or another. They then choose a version, claim that the version they have chosen is God’s only infallible word, and condemn all others as being of the devil. This leads to a cult-like mentality and very poor theology.

But this claim has been made time and again over various versions in various languages. Rather than look at the matter from this viewpoint, we should look at the massive number of texts available as a blessing by which comparisons can be made to weed out obvious errors that have entered the various texts. This is responsible and it is certainly what God intended so that His word would be safely transmitted in a form that carries with it the essential information we need to share with others.

Lord God, do we have a sure word? We sure do. Thank You for Your precious word, O God. Amen.

James and Dolly, Montpelier.

Monday, 3 April 2023

And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles. Acts 15:33

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

The previous verse said that Judas and Silas encouraged and strengthened the brethren at Antioch. With that, it now says of them, “And after they had stayed there for a time.”

No specific time is stated, but it was long enough to accomplish whatever goals were intended to be met but not recorded in Luke’s narrative. The main goal, that of encouraging and strengthening was certainly fully met. Confidence in the teachings of Barnabas and Paul would have been realized and even bolstered, and anyone who was found to be harming the congregation would have been weeded out and expelled.

With the time for their return having arrived, it next says that “they were sent back with greetings.” Rather, the Greek reads, “they were sent away with peace.”

It is a Hebraism signifying a blessing for peace to be upon them. The traditional words in Hebrew are normally shalom aleichem, peace unto you. Some form of blessing such as this would have been pronounced over them as they were sent “from the brethren to the apostles.”

Here, some manuscripts state, “to those who had sent them.” The meaning is basically unchanged. Either way, these two men had fulfilled their task, they had confirmed the gospel Barnabas and Paul had proclaimed, it being the same gospel as that of those in Jerusalem, they had refuted the falsities of the Judaizers, and they had encouraged and strengthened the church at Antioch.

Life application: It is hard to imagine how people can continue to teach such heretical ideas as that of the Judaizers, meaning adherence to the Law of Moses, or those of hyperdispensationalists, meaning the teaching that there are two gospels – one for the Jews and one for the Gentiles – after going through this account in Acts. But they are out there, ready to destroy the faith of congregations and bring them into the bondage of heresy.

Variations of these heresies abound as well. So be sure to read your Bible, study proper theology, and apply right doctrine to your walk before the Lord. Don’t be duped by those with pious-sounding arguments about how holy they are because of what they do. Rather, remember that you are made holy because of what Jesus has done.

And that holiness is bestowed upon all in the same way. It is through faith in the finished, final, and forever work of Jesus Christ. Any who come to Him, Jew or Gentile, is saved by simple faith in what He has done. Hold fast to this precious message of salvation.

Lord God, thank You for the simple gospel that saves. Thank You that Jesus has done it all. Now, all we need to do is believe. Yes, thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.