Author: Charlie Garrett

Somewhere in Washington State.

Sunday, 30 July 2023

And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. Acts 19:8

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 finished the account concerning those who had been disciples of John and who had received Christ and been baptized into Him. Now, the direction changes as Luke records, “And he went into the synagogue.”

This is referring to Paul. It was his custom to commit himself to speaking in the local synagogue if they would have him. It is also the fulfillment of the promise made in Acts 18:19-21 where he promised he would return to the synagogue and continue to reason with them –

“And he came to Ephesus, and left them there; but he himself entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to stay a longer time with them, he did not consent, ²¹ but took leave of them, saying, ‘I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.’ And he sailed from Ephesus.”

He has honored his commitment by now returning to them. And his offer was accepted, as it next says, “and spoke boldly for three months.”

This is a long time to debate the issues at hand, but their curiosity had been piqued in verse 18:20. On his return, he gave them a full hearing on the matter. If they were only opened on the Sabbath, three months would mean about twelve gatherings. If they were like the Bereans, meeting daily, it would be a lot more time in the word.

Either way, this means that they were at least willing to take an in-depth look into the matter at hand. His efforts were involved in, as it next says, “reasoning and persuading.”

The first word that we notice is the same one used when he was previously there in Acts 18:19, dialegomai. It signifies to get a conclusion across. He had a subject that he wished to discuss thoroughly. As such, he carefully went through the entire subject very thoroughly in his attempt to convey what brought him to his own understanding of the matter.

The second word is correctly translated as persuading. He was involved in the process of persuading his audience of the truths “concerning the things of the kingdom of God.”

Paul had come to understand much more fully what this term entailed. The Jews anticipated an earthly kingdom patterned after the kingship of David. Paul showed them that this view, at least in the immediate program, was faulty. Though not denying a future literal reign of Christ on earth, he carefully explains how the kingdom involves more than just that.

Writing to those of Ephesus who had accepted the message, he gives insights into this kingdom –

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-7

He specifically calls this new dynamic a kingdom in Ephesians 5:5 and elsewhere in his other epistles. He further writes of the citizenship of believers. A person who is a citizen of a kingdom is a citizen under a king. It is these types of things that Paul would have carefully conveyed to those in the synagogue at Ephesus. Despite this effort on his part, it should be remembered that during all this time, Paul continued to work with his own hands, as will be seen in Acts 20:34.

Life application: Paul writes about the state of believers, demonstrating that we are subjects of the King, Jesus. He notes that we are members in His kingdom, he speaks of our citizenship in this kingdom, etc. And yet, there are those who deny that Christ is a King reigning over the Gentile-led church. In Romans 14, he writes –

“Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; ¹⁷ for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.” Romans 14:16-18

One cannot be in a kingdom unless there is a king over that kingdom. We are both members of a kingdom now and yet we await our state in the kingdom that is to come. There is nothing contradictory in this.

And yet, Paul does not deny that there will be a literal kingdom on earth as prophesied in the Old Testament. His focus is on the church and its condition, but he also speaks of Israel’s national salvation in Romans 9-11. Their national salvation implies that they will then be in the position promised by the prophets. That is clearly explained by Jesus in the gospels, and it is confirmed in Revelation 20.

The word “kingdom” as noted in this verse of Acts is not a single topic, but it is a broad and all-encompassing term used to speak of the various aspect of the headship of Jesus over His people, both now and into the future – as well as over His church and over Israel the nation.

Be careful to not fall for the illogical arguments of those who deny Christ as our reigning King (such as hyperdispensationalists) or who deny Christ as the King who will reign over Israel during the millennium (such as that taught by replacement theology).

Lord God, it is amazing to see redemptive history unfolding before our very eyes. We are citizens of a kingdom that is spiritual in nature. Someday, we will be brought into that heavenly kingdom in a new and eternal way. And yet, we see Israel regathered from among the nations and being prepared for an earthly kingdom. Someday, that will be realized and will endure for a thousand years. Our own eyes are beholding these things. How amazing it is for us to see! Amen.

Saturday, 29 July 2023

Now the men were about twelve in all. Acts 19:7

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 what occurred after Paul baptized the disciples introduced in verse 19:1. He subsequently laid hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. When this occurred, they were speaking in tongues and prophesying. With that remembered, Luke provides detail about them as a group, saying, “Now the men were about twelve in all.”

It is a curious verse because the word “about” leaves one to wonder. How simple it would be to just say, “there were eleven of them,” or “there were twelve of them.” However, this misses the point of what is being said. To get what is being presented, there are a few things to consider.

First, this is something Luke does elsewhere, such as –

“Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age.” Luke 3:23

&

“For there were about five thousand men.
Then He said to His disciples, ‘Make them sit down in groups of fifty.’” Luke 9:14

In the first example, Luke – under inspiration of the Holy Spirit – appears to have been purposefully making a connection to Genesis 41:46 which would then tie his ministry into the typology set forth in the life of Joseph.

In the second example, one could argue that it would be much harder to be definitive about five thousand than it would be about twelve. But the point is not the number at all. Rather, it is that these are men.

In other words, the counting of numbers in this manner is focused on the men alone. Therefore, including women and children, the number would probably have been between fifteen and twenty thousand people. In this case, it can be assumed that these disciples, being fully grown people who had been to Israel and heard John and received his baptism, also included women, whether wives, sisters, daughters, mothers, etc.

The people may have gone as a group on a pilgrim feast and while in the land heard John’s words and became his disciples. This is all speculation, but the matter that there were certainly women included is valid. Therefore, the number was probably between thirty-five and fifty in total.

The “about twelve” makes complete sense when considered from this perspective. The man is the head of the household. Saying “about twelve men” would be equivalent to saying, “about twelve households.”

One can see Luke talking to Paul and asking him about the event so that he could record it in his ongoing narrative, “Well how many were there?” Paul responds, “Oh, about a dozen men.” Thus, Luke wrote down what he heard, “Now the men were about twelve in all.” These men, along with any family that held to the baptism of John, would have made a rather sizeable addition to the body of Christ in Ephesus.

Life application: Despite the brevity of the verse, there are quite a few variations in the translation. All say essentially the same thing, but some contain commas for clarity, one version makes this verse parenthetical, various translations change the order of the words, etc.

Taking the older translations and considering what they say, it is good that newer translations have rearranged the words. Versions such as the Coverdale (1535), the Bishop’s Bible (1568), the Geneva Bible (1587), and the KJV (1611) say, “And all the men were about twelve.”

Though the translation is acceptable, it leaves an unnecessary ambiguity in the predicate. Saying that “all the men were about twelve” can actually mean that their age is about twelve. With a little thought, this could have been easily corrected.

In other words, someone could say, “That is the age of the bar mitzvah! The disciples were just young men.” As crazy as that may sound, even more ludicrous ideas about Scripture are set forth on any given day. A humorous, if not incredibly sad, example of this is using Ezekiel 13:20 as rendered by the KJV to deny the doctrine of the rapture –

“Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.”

Yes, really.

If there is one thing man is inclined to do, it is to abuse Scripture to make it fit presuppositions and biases. Faulty or ambiguous translations naturally lead to this type of thing. Be sure to not jump to hasty conclusions without doing a thorough study of what is being presented. The word of God is far too precious to abuse just to supposedly prove one’s presuppositions.

Lord God, it is so wonderful to be a part of Your church. It is a church that has had previous souls added to it for two thousand years. People who have lived in darkness have been brought into Your marvelous light through the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Help us to continue to spread the word. May we be willing to share this good news with any and all who cross our paths. Amen.

Somewhere in Washington State, along the coastline.

Friday, 28 July 2023 

And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:6

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, the disciples Paul was speaking to were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Despite this, and unlike Cornelius and his household, it does not say that the Spirit fell on them. Rather, something similar to what occurred in Acts 8 now takes place. They were first baptized. After this, it says, “And when Paul had laid hands on them.”

The word “when” is not in the Greek, it more rightly says, “And Paul, having laid on them the hands.” As this is not what has previously occurred with Paul’s baptisms, the Spirit seems to have impelled him to do this. Whether this is the case or not, this is the same order as the events in Acts 8 –

“But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. ¹³ Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
¹⁴ Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵ who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” Acts 8:12-17

With that remembered, and continuing in the same order as in Acts 8, it next says, “the Holy Spirit came upon them.”

Nothing like this is recorded in Acts 16 when Lydia and her household were baptized. Likewise, nothing like this is recorded when the jailor and his household were baptized later in Acts 16. Despite this, Luke carefully records the events now, revealing a particular sequence of events that are followed by more details. As it says, “and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.”

As the verbs are imperfect, it should say “they were speaking with tongues and prophesying.” This event is not unlike that which occurred in Acts 2 –

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4

The speaking in tongues and prophesying by these people in Ephesus would also have been as the Spirit gave them utterance. The word “tongues” signifies a known language, not gibberish. Prophesying refers to the praising of God, possibly foretelling, and also possibly forth-telling.

Some possible reasons for how things have transpired here are.

• This was to confirm to these Jews that Jesus truly was the Messiah John prophesied of. The evidence of this was the Spirit coming upon them.
• This was to confirm that their water baptism into Jesus was accepted.
• As these disciples of John had not been a part of the rejection of Jesus, there was no need to repent of that as was the case with the Jews in Acts 2.
• The laying on of hands was to confirm Paul as a true apostle to these people who were first hearing the saving message concerning Jesus.

Life application: The events taking place in Acts 19 are different than any other conversion experience found in Acts. There are good reasons for the things that have taken place as noted above. So, when you are reading the Bible, stop and make notes or lists to reasonably explain what might be taking place.

You can refer to them when evaluating other passages that are similar but which may not be identical. This will help you to more readily grasp why the differences may exist. We are being given instruction concerning what God wants us to know as we read the Bible, but it can be complicated. Making such notes is a good way of helping you to process why things are set forth.

The more time and effort you put into your reading and study of the Bible, the more grounded you will be in your relationship with the Lord who gave you this word to ponder.

Lord God, it is so refreshing to search out Your word and to find wonderful insights into the wisdom that is presented there. May we be responsible to spend quality time in it each day, cherishing its contents and reveling in its wonders! Thank You for Your precious word. Amen.

Getting baptized is super. Obedience to the word of the Lord. Happiness at the salvation granted.

Thursday, 27 July 2023

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 19:5

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 noted that John’s baptism was one of repentance and that John told his audience that they should believe on Him who would come after him. With that, the account now continues with, “When they heard this.”

Rather, being an aorist participle, it reads, “And they, having heard.” They were listening to Paul, they were moved by his words, obviously believing what Paul had said, and so “they were baptized.”

It is the normative action that takes place upon conversion, for both Jew and Gentile, during the church age. There is belief followed by baptism. These were followers of John who believed his words about the Messiah that was coming. Paul proclaimed the Messiah that had come, thus fulfilling John’s words. And so, they were baptized “in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

These people had obviously not participated in the crucifixion of Christ Jesus. Therefore, they did not have to “repent” as Peter called out to Israel in Acts 2. This is purposefully left out of the account by Luke.

There are various ways of looking at what occurred here. The first is that they were literally baptized in water and then Paul laid his hands on them. Thus, it is a re-baptism of water. If so, it is the only explicit instance of it in the New Testament. No such record of the 11 apostles being baptized was given, and yet they had the Spirit.

However, it would be an argument from silence to say that this was not the normal practice for those who had once been baptized by John to be rebaptized into Jesus after He completed His work. In fact, this account in Acts 19 suggests that this is exactly what occurred.

Another possibility is that they were baptized into the name of Jesus by their belief, not literally in water. However, as noted in a previous commentary, it is Jesus who baptizes with the Spirit, not an apostle. The order of what occurs here is baptism, then the laying on of the hands (in the next verse), at which time the Spirit is received.

Thus, this is – with all certainty – water baptism that is being referred to. This is what occurred with those in Samaria in Acts 8, even if the time between baptism and then the laying on of hands and the reception of the Spirit was greater.

Life application: As can be seen the record of what occurs in Acts 2, 8, 10, and 19 (and in other accounts) baptism is different for each. To pick one account, such as Acts 2, and claim that this is what must happen in the church today, is arbitrary and has no merit. Each account simply describes what occurred without regard to prescribing anything.

The only normative part of the process is that all who believe are saved and the customary rite that is involved after belief is baptism. There is also no instance where a person is baptized into Jesus prior to conversion. That is also not taught anywhere in the epistles. Therefore, infant baptism has no standing within biblical Christianity.

With the church fully established and the word of God complete, the proper order for what is to be done is:

• Hear the gospel (Romans 10:17).
• Believe the message (Romans 10:17).
• Receive the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13, 14).
• Be baptized as directed by Jesus (Matthew 28:19).

Not yet been baptized? You are not fulfilling your obligation to the directive of the Lord who saved you. Go get baptized.

Lord God, how good and precious it is to our souls to be in Your presence and to share in Your goodness. For those who have believed the gospel, we are in Christ. We have gone from death to life, from futility to surety, and from hopelessness to a sure and eternal hope. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

It’s a long bridge. Washington State.

Wednesday, 26 July 2023

Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” Acts 19:4

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 had asked the disciples that he had met, “Into what then were you baptized?” Their answer was that they were baptized into John’s baptism. With that, it next says, “Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance.’”

This was the point and purpose of John’s baptism. He spoke to Israel, under the law, about their state before the law. John was calling the people back to obedience to the law because the law anticipated the coming of Christ. Three times in Matthew 3:1-12 he spoke of repentance. The word repentance comes from the Greek word metanoia. It means “a change of mind.” One is thinking one way and he is to change his mind and think another way.

In Matthew 3, when asked who he was, John cited the prophet Isaiah. A fuller portion of what Isaiah said was –

“’Comfort, yes, comfort My people!’
Says your God.
² ‘Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her,
That her warfare is ended,
That her iniquity is pardoned;
For she has received from the Lord’s hand
Double for all her sins.’
³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make straight in the desert
A highway for our God.
⁴ Every valley shall be exalted
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough places smooth;
⁵ The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together;
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’” Isaiah 40:1-5

John claimed that he was the voice calling the people to repent, to change their minds about how they were living, and to turn to God in preparation for the coming of the Lord – the Messiah. This is not at all what Paul and the other apostles proclaimed. In Acts 2, Peter did tell the people of Israel to repent, but it wasn’t in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Rather, it was that the Messiah had come and they had crucified Him. They needed to repent of this, to change their mind about what they had done.

In the case of these disciples in Ephesus, they had been baptized into John. They had been told that the Messiah was coming and they needed to prepare themselves for that event. Paul then explains exactly what that meant with the words, “saying to the people that they should believe.”

There is no hint of repentance in the directive. The repentance John called for was directed to those of Israel under the law in anticipation of the coming Messiah. When He came, they were to believe. They would need no change of mind because their minds had been prepared for His coming. In the case of those in Acts 2, they had to change their minds because they had failed to be prepared for His coming. Now that the Messiah had come, they simply needed to believe “on Him who would come after him.”

John said He was coming. When He came, it would be evident. He would fulfill the ancient prophecies, He would be spotless before God in relation to the law, and He would fulfill the law in that capacity, etc. Their repentance, their changing of their minds, was to prepare their minds under the law to accept His fulfillment of the law. With that understood, Paul then explains who John was speaking about, saying, “that is, on Christ Jesus.”

The word Christ is Greek for the Hebrew word Messiah. Paul proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah and these disciples were to believe on Him. There is nothing affixed to that, just believe. With this verse, John the Baptist is never mentioned again in Scripture. The time of the law has given way to the time of grace. Salvation is something that is appropriated by belief in God’s provision of grace in the giving of His Son. Nothing can be added to that. The work is complete.

Life application: As noted above, the word “repent” means “to change one’s mind.” It means nothing more. The word does not mean, “turn from your sin before you can be saved.” When a person is presented with the gospel, he is told that he is a sinner – “Christ died for your sins.” If Christ died for sins, it means that there are sins in his life that Jesus needed to die for. In believing this, it is an acknowledgment by the person that he is a sinner in need of a Savior.

No list of sins is necessary to be presented to the person, identifying what it means to sin before God. The statement “Christ died for your sins” is all-encompassing. When the person believes this by faith, his sins are forgiven – all of them. Only after this occurs does a person then find out what is pleasing to God and what is displeasing to Him.

In other words, someone may be a notorious liar, a homosexual, a brawler, a thief, and a murderer. When he is given the gospel, “Do you know that you are a sinner and that Jesus died for your sins?”, the person giving the gospel may not know a single thing about that person. The person being spoken to may say, “I know I am a sinner and I know I have offended God. I am so relieved that God sent His Son to die for me. I believe!”

It is at this moment, and no other, that he is saved. He has not yet given up on any of the wicked things he has been doing. He may not even know which things he is doing are offensive to God. Only now, after his salvation, does he start to learn what he does that is in need of change. By saying, “You must give up XX, XX, and XX before you can be saved,” you have presented a false gospel of works. This person may do what he is told and he now believes he merits God’s forgiveness. This is not the gospel at all. It is an affront to God who sent His Son to die for this person’s sins. His turning from those things may not equate to belief in Jesus’ work at all.

Be sure to get the gospel down properly. If you misrepresent the gospel, you are not presenting the gospel.

O God, we just can’t seem to get grace. We say we believe it, we tell people about it, and yet we then add to what Jesus has done when telling others about what they need to do in order to be pleasing to You. We remove grace from the equation and bring back deeds of self. Forgive us of this. Help us to properly present the gospel of grace. Jesus has done it all. What we need to be saved is faith in Jesus, plus nothing. Amen.