Author: Charlie Garrett

Sergio believed.

Friday, 23 December 2022

Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord. Acts 13:12

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, a dark mist fell on Elymas and he wasn’t able to lead himself any longer. Now, it will explain the reaction to what occurred. The structure of the NKJV deviates too much from the structure of the Greek. It should more rightly read, “Then the proconsul having seen what had been done, did believe, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord” (CG).

Therefore, we begin with, “Then the proconsul.” This is Sergius Paulus, introduced in verse 13:7. He has been described as an intelligent man. Despite that, he had been led astray into the false doctrine of Elymas. Now that Elymas has been overwhelmed by the power of God, Sergious Paulus’ intelligence can be properly directed. And so, the narrative continues with, “having seen what had been done.”

It is obvious that the differences in opinion about the proper ways of the Lord were argued right in the presence of Sergius Paulus. Hence, the blinding of Elymas demonstrated an immediate eyewitness event to the fact that Elymas was not at all what he claimed to be and that his doctrine was false.

Further, it was verifiable proof that the power of God was to be found in the message of the gospel. As such, Sergius Paulus “did believe.”

The verb is a perfect participle meaning: 1) it is a completed action and 2) its results continue to the present. His faith in the gospel had been settled and he was added to the faith, once and for all time. And this was in conjunction with his “being astonished.”

He had seen the verifiable proof of Paul’s words with his own eyes, and his heart was overwhelmed by it. The word translated as “astonished” is ekpléssó. It is a word signifying to strike out of one’s senses. There is a sense of fear mixed with amazement in the word where one will gape in astonishment. And this astonishment was “at the teaching of the Lord.”

Ellicott notes that the use of the genitive case “is, probably, that of the object, the teaching which had the Lord, i.e., the Lord Jesus, as its main theme.” In other words, Paul was doing his job and he was teaching about the Lord Jesus, meaning the gospel. An obvious exclamation to that would be, “Duh, what else would he be doing!” This is what he was called to do.

Of this account, the Pulpit Commentary says, “We cannot, perhaps, conclude positively from this that Sergius was baptized and became an avowed Christian, though the usual language of the Acts rather leads us to infer it.” From there, they proceed to cite scholars who adamantly argue why he was not converted and cite some that take the opposing view.

The argument is ridiculous. First, it is rather certain, based on the renaming of Saul to Paul at this time, that the name change is based on the events now recorded. He was Saul and from this point on he is Paul. But more, to argue against the conversion of Sergius Paulus is to argue against the words of Paul in his epistles –

First, Paul’s citing of the gospel: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴ and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures…” 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4

Next, he says what happens when that is believed: “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”

Luke records that Sergius Paulus believed. He records it in the perfect tense. And this was “at the teaching of the Lord,” meaning the teaching about the Lord. To argue against the salvation of this man is as ridiculous as using beach sand as an additive to a bowl of ice cream. The purpose of the account is to demonstrate that the gospel was presented, it was presented with power, and the one hearing and seeing believed and was saved.

Life application: Sergius Paulus was given a visual demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit in silencing the opposition of Elymas. This should no longer be expected within the church. The reason for this is obvious. The word concerning what occurred has been recorded. Luke sufficiently explains how the early gospel was communicated and about the signs that accompanied it through the hands of the apostles.

Now that the apostolic age has ended, and with the completion of Scripture, there is no longer a need for such demonstrations of power. As Paul says elsewhere –

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:16, 17

The word of God carries the power of what it records because it is a true, literal, and accurate account of what it details. It calls for faith in what it proclaims. Having sight, such as seeing what happened to Elymas, does not require faith. Jesus’ words to Thomas show this –

“Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” John 20:29

With Scripture’s completion, we are asked to believe what it proclaims. The Spirit has inspired accounts of Jesus’ miracles as well as the miracles of the apostles. What more do we need? Nothing. What more should we expect? Nothing.

Have faith and believe.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your precious word. Help us to be reliable in reading it, reliable in attending Bible studies that explain it, and reliable in attending church that glorifies You through the proclaiming of it. What we do reveals where our priorities lie. May our priorities be centered on Your word first and foremost because Your word tells us of Jesus! Amen.

Honoring the pilgrims of the Mayflower.

Thursday, 22 December 2022

“And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.” And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Acts 13:11

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).

Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, had just verbally come against Elymas. Now, to confirm that his words were those led by the Spirit, he will utter a divine punishment against him. That begins with, “And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you.”

The meaning is “the chastisement of the Lord.” Saying “The hand of the Lord” is a device known as anthropomorphism. It is ascribing human traits to the divine working of God. In this case, the word epi, or upon, is used. But the meaning of its use is derived from the context. In this case, it means that the Lord is as a foe to him. The word is used in this manner, for example, in Matthew 10:21 –

“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.”

This thought is expressed in the Old Testament where the hand of the Lord is upon a person for strengthening and power (such as Ezekiel 1:3), or it is against him indicating disaster is upon him (such as in Psalm 81:14). In the case of Elymas, the obvious meaning is that the Lord’s hand was set as a foe against him. And so, he will now be punished. That is indicated in the next words, “and you shall be blind.”

As noted before, the Holy Spirit is speaking through Paul, and the punishment He determines is the same as that which came upon Paul when he was made blind for three days (Acts 9:9). So complete was Elymas’ blindness to be that it next says, “not seeing the sun.”

One can see a similarity to what occurred with Paul. It says in verse 9:3 that light shone around him from heaven. In verse 22:6, it notes that this great light came about noon. The meaning is that the light from heaven was more radiant than the sun itself. In this, the Lord alerted Paul to the error of his ways, blinding him.

Now, the same punishment has come upon Elymas, even if the manner in which it occurred is different. Paul simply spoke out the word to Elymas, but when he did, his words indicate that what occurs is a corrective punishment. This is seen in the continued proclamation, saying, “for a time.”

The meaning and intent of this is that the Lord, even in His judgment, has granted mercy. The punishment will not be permanent, and it is – like that of Paul’s blindness – intended to give Elymas the opportunity to view his conduct in a different manner and in hopes of him changing his mind about the life he has been leading. With that understood, it next says, “And immediately a dark mist fell on him.”

Rather, it is two separate nouns and more correctly reads, “and fell upon him mist and darkness.” The word translated as “mist” is achlus. It signifies a dimness of sight, as if a cataract. It is found in the writings of various classical poets and authors. At times, it is used metaphorically of a mist of the mind. Exactly what came upon Elymas is uncertain, but its effect was total, and it was also immediate, as it says, “and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.”

These words reveal the suddenness and the scope of what occurred. Elymas had sought “to turn the proconsul away from the faith” (13:8). He acted as a guide on the path, leading Sergius Paulus in the direction he determined, but which was contrary to the straight ways of the Lord. Now, God had frustrated his efforts, causing him to be blind and unable to even direct himself. The contrast is stark and ironic.

Life application: Within the Bible itself certain claims about it are made in various ways and at various times. One of the most memorable is from Psalm 119:105 –

“Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.”

The sense is that our lives are like a journey. The way we go and the path we are on is confusing and dark. We cannot truly know if we are taking the right way or not without a guide. Parents teach their children, and the children learn from them. Schools educate young minds and form those minds in various ways. But the Bible alone can light up our path of life to reveal where we should place our spiritual feet. The path becomes knowable because of the words of Scripture.

Elymas did not follow the word of the Lord and his walk in life was confused, even if he thought he was walking properly. When the Holy Spirit spoke through Paul, the physical blindness that came upon him was simply a reflection of the spiritual blindness in which he existed. The punishment of the Lord was intended to show him this and bring him to the right path.

Nothing is stated as to whether Elymas came to the truth or not, but he was given the opportunity to hear the word and see its effective power spoken forth by Paul. And we too have such an opportunity. We can see the lives changed by the power of the word. Alcoholics become sober. Brawlers become gentle, kind souls. Adulterers find new love and faithfulness in their marriages.

These things testify to the power of the word. Let us consider it and cherish it all our days. It truly is the light and the lamp that we need to know the proper place where each step we make should be.

Glorious God, we thank You for Your word. It illuminates our path, and it leads us on our trek back to You. May we hold it close in our lives, thinking about it and applying it to our walk every moment. To Your glory, may it be so. Amen.

Vermont capitol staircase.

Wednesday, 21 December 2022

and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? Acts 13:10

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 was preparing to speak to Elymas, looking intently at him. With that, it next says, “and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud.”

Paul lays into Elymas with heavy words of accusation. Using the word “full” to begin the description is the same way we speak even today. It implies that there is no room for anything except that which a person is full of. In this case, it is first “all deceit.” The word signifies bait. In other words, Elymas used bait to hook his prey and thus deceive. Because of the use of this word, it means that Elymas wasn’t just one who deceives. But more, he is one who intentionally does so. Accompanying that, Paul adds in “all fraud.”

This is a word found only here in Scripture, rhadiourgia. The original sense was “ease in doing.” Therefore, it signifies recklessness because the person is always ready to turn and act, whether it is good or bad. In this case, it is in a highly negative way. Fraudulent intention defined his actions at all times. Because of this, Paul – under inspiration of the Spirit – calls out “you son of the devil.”

There is no article before “devil” in the original. Hence, he is the son of a devil. Remembering that Elymas is also known as Bar-Jesus, it is an ironic pun. Bar-Jesus means “Son of Salvation,” and yet the Spirit, through Paul, makes a complete and ironic contrast to that saying he is the son of a devil. The word diabolos [devil] is defined by HELPS Word Studies as “literally someone who ‘casts through,’ i.e., making charges that bring down (destroy).” Elymas brings destruction instead of salvation. And more, Paul speaks, saying, “you enemy of all righteousness.”

The words are based on the previous descriptions. As Elymas is “full of all deceit and all fraud,” then he can be filled with nothing else. As he is a “son of the devil,” then that is how his character is defined. In other words, in Hebrew thought, the term “son of” defines the nature of a person. In 2 Samuel 12:5, David uses the term, “son of death” to describe someone who has done a despicable thing –

“And the anger of David burneth against the man exceedingly, and he saith unto Nathan, ‘Jehovah liveth, surely a son of death is the man who is doing this” (YLT).

Likewise, Jesus called Judas a “son of perdition” in John 17:12 –

“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”

Using the term “son of” in these cases defines the very nature of the person. Saying that Elymas is a “son of the devil” defines his nature. Today, we would use the term “spawn of a devil,” or “spawn of Satan” to convey the same intent. Or, more specifically, we would say, “Like father, like son.” Because of his completely unholy character, Paul next says, “will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?”

It is an obvious reference to Isaiah 40 –

“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 40:3-5

John proclaimed the coming Messiah and the straight ways of the Lord. Jesus came and revealed that straight path, but Elymas – by his word – caused those who would seek the Lord’s straight ways to turn from them, as the word diastrephó implies. It signifies to twist or turn thoroughly.

Life application: Remembering that Luke specifically said that Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit, this tells us that the words of Paul were carefully guided by the Spirit. Every one of them was given to describe the object of them (meaning Elymas) adequately and fully.

Today, we have the inspired word of God fully expressed to us in the pages of the Bible. In other words, what is recorded there can be described just as Paul was described – “filled with the Holy Spirit.” As this is so, every word in Scripture is given to tell us exactly what God wants us to see and to know in the areas it refers to. If we want to know what an unrighteous person is like, all we need to do is go to Scripture. If we want to know how the Bible anticipates the coming Messiah, Scripture will tell us.

If you want to know if you are pleasing to God or not, you will find out by going to Scripture. In examining it, we can find out if we are pleasing to God in the matter of salvation. Have we trusted the gospel alone, through faith? If so, then we have pleased God for salvation. From there, we can find out if we are pleasing to God in our salvation. Are we living according to what the epistles tell us in that regard? If so, then we will receive rewards. If not, then we will suffer loss, but we will not lose our salvation (1 Corinthians 3:15).

The Bible is God’s word to us. Let us consider it at all times and apply it to our walk before the Lord all our days.

O, Glorious God, You have breathed out Your word in a way that we can know exactly what to do so that we may be pleasing to You. Give us the wisdom to learn it and live by it all our days. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Born in Vermont.

Tuesday, 20 December 2022

Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him Acts 13:9

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 revealed the opposition of Elymas the sorcerer who was seeking to turn Sergius Paulus away from the faith. With that, it now says, “Then Saul, who also is called Paul.”

This is the first time that Saul is called Paul in Scripture. From this point on, it is the only name he will be called by apart from when citing past events in his life. As noted when Sergius Paulus was introduced in Acts 13:7, the name is the same for both. In Greek, it is Paulos. The name means Little. However, it is derived from pauó, signifying cause to cease, stop, finish, etc. Thus, it could refer to “the Stopper.”

Abarim Publications takes the similar-sounding Hebrew pa’a along with the connecting letter L (lamed) to form a name that sounds like Paul and defines it as “A Small Whisper That Propagates Into A Roaring Multitude.” Despite the name “Paul” originally being of Latin origin and not connected to the Hebrew, the name provided by Abarim well defines the effect Paul’s works have had on the world at large.

What appears to be likely is that the similarity between the name Saul and Paul was close enough that Saul decided to use this name henceforth. As such, it would be a bond of affiliation with Sergius Paulus and a memorial to the first recorded Gentile convert of his.

Some commentators disagree with this, noting that it was common for Jews to have two names (as has been seen repeatedly in Acts), but the fact is that he was called Saul up until this point and he is henceforth referred to as Paul.

This moment is a definitive moment in the life of Paul, and this first recorded Gentile conversion serves as a point on which the Acts narrative clearly turns. That will become more perfectly evident in Acts 13:46, but the conversion of Sergius Paulus – which is coming in the verses ahead – sets the tone for the future actions of Paul and his determined evangelization of the Gentiles.

As for Paul, it next says he was, “filled with the Holy Spirit.” Rather, it is an aorist participle in the passive voice – “having been filled with the Holy Spirit.” Luke is penning the account in a lively manner, showing the sequence of events as they had occurred. In this case, the events caused by Elymas were so distressing that Paul leaned wholly on the guidance of the Spirit. He opened himself up and allowed the Holy Spirit to direct him in what he would do.

With that noted, it next says that Paul “looked intently at him.” Rather, this is also an aorist participle, “having looked intently at him.” However, the voice changes from the passive (having been filled) to the active (having looked intently). Having opened himself up to the filling of the Spirit, he then prepares to engage Elymas.

Life application: It is a good time to be reminded that the filling of the Holy Spirit is a passive, not an active, occurrence. When Paul says, “be filled with the Spirit” in Ephesians 5:18, it is in the middle voice. This means that the subject (the one being filled) is both an agent of an action and somehow concerned with it.

A way to look at this would be for one to step out of the way concerning the matter and let the matter continue without active effort. One might say, “The books he writes sell themselves.” The person has written a marvelous novel, now the novel takes on its own ability to act. In the case of being filled with the Spirit, a person will know the power of God and receive the gospel. That will then lead to the reception of the Spirit.

However, in our lives, we may later rely on ourselves to get things done. But when the time comes for the Lord to lead, we step out of the way and allow Him to fill us and take the reins. In the case of the passive voice, such as is recorded with Paul above, he yielded himself and the Spirit filled him.

So how do we allow this? We do so through knowing the word, praising God, fellowshipping with others, etc. We have our part in the process. When prepared in this manner, we can then allow the Spirit to fill us and take the helm as we encounter the waves that buffet us. A wine glass will not fill itself. It must stand ready to receive the wine. The filling is externally accomplished. Be ready to receive by being in a position that the reception is possible.

Lord God, may we learn to step out of the way and allow Your Spirit to fill us at all times. Help us in this so that we will be vessels properly prepared for the purpose. May we know Your word, be in close fellowship with You, and allow ourselves to be filled with Your Spirit. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

A guy who did something.

Monday, 19 December 2022 

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Acts 13:8

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).

In the previous verse, Sergius Paulus called for Barnabas and Saul seeking to hear the word of God. With that remembered, it now begins with, “But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated).”

As has been seen, it is not uncommon for people to have more than one way to designate them. In the case of this man, he was “Son of Jesus,” but his given name is Elymas. Thus, his name would more fully be stated as “Elymas, the son of Jesus.” The name Elymas is hard to pin down, especially because it is a transliteration into Greek. Despite this, it may mean “Wise.” If so, he may have let his skills, abilities, and wisdom go to his head because of the meaning of the name. The thought might be, “I am Wise and hence I embody wisdom.” Concerning Barnabas and Saul and their message, it next says that Elymas “withstood them.”

The word gives the sense of opposition in a 180-degree contrary position. He was like a wall that refused to be moved. It was obvious that Sergius Paulus was highly affected by the word of God that was proclaimed and sat listening in rapt attention. In seeing this, it next notes that Elymas was “seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.”

Elymas could see that the influence of the word of God would diminish his own influence over Sergius Paulus. And so, as the two men spoke, he would inject his own words, “That’s balderdash!” “Barnabas, you don’t know what you’re talking about!” And so on. The word translated as “turn away” signifies a total corruption or twisting of something. He attempted to pervert the sound teaching of Barnabas and Saul hoping to maintain his control over the proconsul.

Life application: The tactic employed by Elymas is as common as aisles in a Walmart. If someone posts a theologically sound sermon or study on the internet, those who wish to draw attention to their own crummy doctrine will post an endless stream of negative comments in order to draw attention away from the word of God and towards themselves or their perverted doctrine.

This happens on live streaming as well. Right during a sermon, people will sign on and start bad-mouthing what is being presented. At times, however, it may be that the person who has signed on has a legitimate argument against the bad doctrine that is being presented. And so, how does one tell what is right and what is not?

The only way to do so is to READ AND KNOW THE BIBLE before such attacks come. It is so easy to be led astray by fine-sounding arguments when you are not already grounded in the word. Another thing to do is to watch out for fallacious thinking. But one cannot know what fallacies are being presented unless the fallacies are known. So, it is good to read up on them.

For example, someone may say, “Look at him, his appearance is terrible. Who would listen to him!” That is an immediate (and fallacious) appeal to the source. It doesn’t matter what someone looks like. He can be Chinese, shabby, wearing a top hat, or sitting in a bland room with nothing but a white background. What matters is the message and whether it is correct or not.

Be careful to know your Bible, understand fallacious arguments, and prepared to defend why you believe what you hold to. These things are important, so be sure to spend the necessary time in knowing your subjects properly.

Lord God, thank You for leading us to teachers and preachers who rightly handle Your word. But Lord, we have to know Your word well enough to know that we are not being duped in the process. And so, we have our part to do as well. Give us the strong desire to know Your word, and then when You direct us to teachers, we will know when they are properly dividing it. Amen.