Acts (Written)

Senate (I think). Vermont State Capitol.

Thursday, 2 February 2023

Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. Acts 14:1

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 and Barnabas had been expelled from the region of Antioch of Pisidia. Following that, they went to Iconium. With that remembered, Luke next records, “Now it happened in Iconium.” The distance from Antioch of Pisidia to Iconium is about 100 miles. It is apparent that once there, they immediately sought out the next place to spread the message of the coming of Christ, because it next says, “that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews.”

The first and most obvious thing to discern from this is that the words of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13:46 were not stated concerning the future after leaving Antioch –

“It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.”

Rather, they meant that they would turn to the Gentiles in that area and have nothing further to do with evangelizing the Jews at the synagogue in Antioch. Paul’s first evangelism, wherever he went, was to the Jews. His ministry to the Gentiles is one of predominant focus, not exclusivity. His first attempt, however, was to convince the Jews of the coming of their Messiah in the coming of Jesus.

Going to the synagogue was a logical place to start their efforts because there were both Jews and Gentiles who gathered there. This was seen at the synagogue of Antioch, and it will be the case again in Iconium in the words which begin with, “and so spoke that a great multitude.”

Iconium, being a sizeable city, obviously had a large synagogue. It was a marvelous place to first herald to the people the good news about Jesus. And even if many Jews rejected the message, it would still be heard by the proselytes who attended. From there, they could pass the word to others in the Gentile community. This is obvious because the great multitude was comprised “both of the Jews and of the Greeks.”

The Greek is simpler, saying, “both of Jews and Greeks.” The term “great multitude” may indicate that before the Sabbath Paul and Barnabas had already started to evangelize whoever they came across, telling them to come to the synagogue on the Sabbath. Or it may be that there were often a large number of Greeks who attended. Either way, the effect of their words was that a great multitude of both Jews and Gentiles “believed.”

This is the standard word used throughout the New Testament to indicate saving faith in the gospel, pisteuó. Among seemingly innumerable other times, it was used by Jesus in John 3:16. It is what is said of the believers in Acts 2:44, Acts 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, and so on. It is the word of saving faith of Romans 10:9, 1 Corinthians 15:2 & 11, and Ephesians 1:13.

Because of this, there is absolutely no reason to suggest that the word means anything other than “belief unto salvation” for those Jews and Greeks now being referred to. A few points about this are necessary to understand the importance of the event –

• The message spoken by Paul and Barnabas was the gospel and its effects were exactly the same for Jews and for Gentiles, meaning that belief alone is the requirement for salvation.
• Like in Antioch of Pisidia, there is no record of tongues or other signs having come upon the believers.
• Baptism is not mentioned here or in Antioch, showing that it is not a necessary part of salvation. And yet, it would be an argument from silence to say that the new believers were not baptized. It would be a false inference.

These and other points of doctrine are clear indicators that the continued record of Acts is a descriptive account of what occurred. Not everything that happened is recorded, but those things that are recorded are there to reveal truths about the effectiveness of the gospel alone to save.

Further, the events are not normative. If they were, for example, it would be required for every evangelist who entered a new city to go to the local synagogue in order to speak to the Jews. That cannot be inferred from the narrative, nor would it be logical to make this conclusion. Further, the epistles say nothing of such an approach.

Life application: Quite often, what is not said in an account can teach us as much as what is said. Nothing that is essential for doctrine will be left out, but not everything left out is necessarily unimportant.

As noted above, there is nothing about baptism or speaking in tongues recorded here. It simply says that Paul and Barnabas spoke and the people believed. This is perfectly in accord with Paul’s words elsewhere in the epistles, such as “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

It is faith that saves. If speaking in tongues was a necessary proof of salvation, it would be incompetent of Luke to not record tongues being spoken in each instance of salvation recorded in Acts. But he only records such signs at key points in the ongoing narrative. This is true with baptism as well.

Despite this, the requirement to be baptized as spoken forth by Jesus does not need to be recorded unless it is a formal part of the salvific process. As it is not always recorded, it is obviously not. And yet, the absence of recording the event does not mean that it did not happen. Rather, it can be assumed that it did because it was a command of the Lord. This is no different than the absence of recording the taking of the Lord’s Supper.

The Lord’s Supper is commanded by the Lord, and it was practiced by Paul constantly, as can be inferred from his words in 1 Corinthians 11:25, 26. And yet, it is never mentioned in Acts. Hence, it is a command of the Lord that was obviously carried out by Paul among his converts, and yet it is not something that necessarily needs to be highlighted.

Consider these things and ponder what God is doing, why certain things are recorded regularly, why things are only highlighted at certain times, and why some important things are not even mentioned. Remember that Jesus’ commands are applicable to all when they are spoken in the proper context, such as the Lord’s Supper and baptism. Remember that the epistles set forth doctrine for the church. Also remember that Acts is a descriptive account that sets forth a normative practice at times, but not at all times. As such, care must be taken to know when things logically follow and when they do not.

Lord God, help us to think clearly about how You have presented Your word. May we consider what You are saying and why You are saying it. Also, help us to overcome our biases and presuppositions so that we will be properly grounded in what is right. May Your hand guide us in such matters, and may You be glorified through our lives as we adhere to Your word. Amen.

Fancy stuff. Vermont State Capitol

Wednesday, 1 February 2023

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:52

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 and Barnabas “shook off the dust from their feet” against those who expelled them from the region. They were now set to continue elsewhere with the evangelization of those they encountered, but they had made a life-changing difference in many while in the region of Pisidia, as testified to in the final words of Chapter 13 which begin with, “And the disciples.”

This is not referring to Paul and Barnabas but to the converts in the area, both Jew and Gentile. The word translated as “disciples” is mathétés. It signifies a learner or a disciple. It is thus not referring to Paul and Barnabas who provided the instruction, but to those who received it. That it is a word that refers to both Jews and Gentiles is most poignantly revealed in Acts 15. There, when referring specifically to the Gentiles, it says –

“Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. ⁷ And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: ‘Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. ⁸ So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, ⁹ and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. ¹⁰ Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples [mathétés] which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? ¹¹ But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.’” Acts 15:6-11

The noun mathétés is not used after Acts 21, but the verb from which it is derived, manthanó, is used by Paul in nine of his epistles. If one learns, he is a disciple. The idea is that those now referred to by Luke are those in the region of Antioch of Pisidia, both Jews and Gentiles, that had received the gospel of Jesus Christ. With that noted, Luke records that they “were filled with joy.”

This is the exhortation Paul will later write to those in Thessalonica and elsewhere, saying, “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). These disciples apparently didn’t need the exhortation but were simply filled with joy because of the freedom they now found by being in Christ. Along with that, Luke completes the verse and the chapter, saying, “and with the Holy Spirit.”

Again, this is as stated elsewhere by Paul, such as –

“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.” Romans 14:16, 17

As for the whole thought of being “filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit,” the verb is both imperfect and it is in the passive or middle voice. The meaning is that they were filled and continued to be filled (the imperfect tense), and they were both agents of the action and yet concerned with the action (middle voice).

In other words, the Spirit acted upon them as they interacted with God through the knowledge they possessed. The joy and the filling came about by the mutual relationship that was occurring in their lives.

Life application: Why is it that we may be lacking joy and the filling of the Spirit? It is because we have lost focus on what it means to be saved. When we are saved, at that moment in time, it becomes the main issue of our life. We let go of our sin, acknowledging it before God and placing it on Christ. The burden and the debt were lifted from us, and we experienced the knowledge that God had done this for us, apart from any effort.

That brought the joy and the filling of the Spirit. Eventually, we allowed this current life to overtake our thoughts. We struggle at work, we fight with family or friends, our faithful dog dies, or we have our car repossessed. In this, we are no longer filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Why? Because it is no longer the central focus of our existence. This is not how our life is to be conducted.

Rather, the most important event in our life occurred the moment we came to Jesus. Since that time, and forevermore, nothing will come to pass that can exceed the weight and marvel of what took place. The problem isn’t that the moment is over and gone forever. Rather, our focus has turned from that key and pivotal event.

Instead of having the attitude that existed then, our eyes, our attention, and thus our lives are redirected to that which is of less value, and we are consumed by the world once again. Rather than “Work is such a burden, but it is nothing compared to Jesus,” we collapse under our own misery.

Rather than “My wife says she is leaving me, but Jesus will never leave nor forsake me,” we have placed this temporary and earthly relationship above the Lord. Rather than “I miss Fido so much, but Jesus gave him to me for a span and I am so grateful for those years,” our thoughts are consumed with this loss as if the dog is more important than the relationship we have with God in Christ. This is true with any earthly relationship or possession.

The key to joy is not focusing on what this world offers, no matter how great it was or how great it might be. The key to the joy the Bible speaks of is to know that God saved us, He is there with us, and we are guaranteed to have a restoration that is beyond anything we can imagine at this point. God has done it, God is with us now as we await its completion, and God will bring us to that state of completion, without fail.

This is the heart of joy in the Lord. And this is why so many Christians are so miserable in their walk with Him. They either have had their eyes redirected from what Jesus has done, or they believe that what Jesus has done is conditional. Who can have joy and be filled with the Holy Spirit at such times? Rather, FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS and be ASSURED OF YOUR SALVATION because the word assures you of it. Be FILLED WITH JOY AND WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT all your days. To the glory of God who is with you as you continue this walk to glory.

Heavenly Father, forgive us for diverting our eyes from Jesus and looking back to this temporary, fallen, and even dirty existence. We have the purity of Christ before us, and yet we cling to that which is hopeless and miserable. And, Lord God, forgive us for questioning Your word and the salvation that You have granted to us. It is no longer about us, but about Jesus, when we call out to You through Him. Forgive us for such a faithless attitude. Redirect us and reassure us, and we will be sound in Christ once again. Amen.

The continued journey.

Tuesday, 31 January 2023

But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium. Acts 13:51

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 last verse, Paul and Barnabas were expelled from the region of Antioch of Pisidia. With that, Luke next records, “But they shook off the dust from their feet.”

This was obviously a way of demonstrating their displeasure with those who had expelled them, revealing that even the dust on the apostles’ feet that was associated with those of Antioch was detestable. It is what Jesus instructed His apostles in Israel to do, if necessary, while proclaiming the kingdom of God, as is testified to in the gospels –

“Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. ⁵ And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” Luke 9:4, 5

This is recorded in Matthew and Mark as well. Matthew’s words explain the matter further –

“Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. ¹² And when you go into a household, greet it. ¹³ If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. ¹⁵ Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” Matthew 10:11-15

Quite often, this act of Paul and Barnabas is directly associated with the words of the Lord in those gospel passages, such as –

“The act was one of literal obedience to our Lord’s commands (see Note on Matthew 10:14), and may fairly be regarded as evidence that that command had come to the knowledge of Paul and Barnabas as well as of the Twelve.” Charles Ellicott

Actually, there is nothing to suggest this, for several reasons. One is that if this were “literal obedience to the Lord,” then other such instances where they failed to do this would be considered “literal disobedience to the Lord.” Further, the surrounding context of Jesus’ words demonstrates that this was never to be taken as a command during the church age, such as other words found in Matthew 10, and which are also summed up in the other gospels as well –

“These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: ‘Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. ⁶ But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. ⁹ Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, ¹⁰ nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.’” Matthew 10:5-10

If Paul and Barnabas were following the command of the Lord from the gospels, they would not have been going to the Gentiles, they would not have been carrying money, which they obviously did in order to sail on ships, etc. Rather, Jesus’ words were to the twelve apostles and were directed to the ministry within Israel while still under the law.

With Jesus’ work completed, a new dispensation had entered. The shaking of dust off of their feet was obviously a sign that was known and practiced at the time, and which Jesus directed his apostles to employ for those who saw them do it as a witness against them. The same is true with Paul and Barnabas. This is all the more evident because, in Acts 18, Paul uses a different method of employing the same general thought –

“When Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. ⁶ But when they opposed him and blasphemed, he shook his garments and said to them, ‘Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.’” Acts 18:5, 6

This was a similar sign of displeasure that was directed to his Jewish audience. It was something they would have fully understood from their own Scriptures –

“Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. ¹³ Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, ‘So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied.’” Nehemiah 5:12, 13

If Jesus’ words were still in effect, Paul and Silas would have needed to shake the dust off of their feet at that time as well. But verse 13:51 is the only instance in Acts where this is recorded. The use of such gestures is simply a way of demonstrating frustration at the circumstances that have arisen. In this case, it was shaking off the dust of the feet “against them,” meaning the Jews, the devout and prominent women, and the chief men of the city mentioned in the previous verse.

Of this, Ellicott rightly says, “It was in itself, however, the language of a natural symbolism which every Jew would understand.” Even more, anyone – Jew or Gentile – would understand with only a moment of thought.

If this were a sign as commanded by the Lord, it would then include all of the inhabitants of the city as noted in the Matthew citation above. But the city was also filled with new believers. The action was not directed against them. It was merely an open gesture of displeasure to those who had been so rude to them. With that, it next says that they “came to Iconium.”

The name in Greek is Ikonion. Strong’s supposes the name is derived from eikon, meaning “image,” and thus it means “Image like.” On the other hand, John Gill says –

“It was called by the Syrians, ‘Ik-ona’, which signifies ‘the bosom of sheep’; the country round about it being famous for feeding great numbers of sheep; and here afterwards was a church of Christ, a bosom for his sheep.”

Of this location, the 19^th Century theologian Albert Barnes provides these words –

“This was the capital of Lycaonia. It is now called Konieh, and is the capital of Caramania. ‘Konieh extends to the east and south over the plain far beyond the walls, which are about two miles in circumference … Mountains covered with snow rise on every side, excepting toward the east, where a plain, as flat as the desert of Arabia, extends far beyond the reach of the eye’ (Capt. Kinnear). ‘Little, if anything, remains of Greek or Roman Iconium, if we except the ancient inscriptions and the fragments of sculptures which are built into the Turkish walls.’ ‘The city wall is said to have been erected by the Seljukian sultans: it seems to have been built from the ruins of more ancient buildings, as broken columns, capitals, pedestals, bas-reliefs, and other pieces of sculpture contribute toward its construction. It has 80 gates, of a square form, each known by a separate name, and, as well as most of the towers, embellished with Arabic inscriptions … I observed a few Greek characters on the walls, but they were in so elevated a situation that I could not decipher them’ (Capt. Kinneir).”

Today, the name is Konya. It is a major city in Turkey, being the sixth most populous and having over two million residents.

Life application: Understanding the dispensational model for interpreting the Bible is crucial to possessing proper theology. When someone claims that the words of Jesus in a particular section of the synoptic gospels still applies today, just take them to the surrounding verses and ask them, “Then why aren’t you doing this also.” There will almost always be obvious indicators that Jesus was speaking only to Israel about matters that pertain solely to them.

To tear verses out of their context, and then shove them into church-age doctrine, is damaging for several reasons. Probably the main reason is that an inevitable contradiction in theology will arise. What is prescribed in the epistles is based upon the finished, final, and forever work of Jesus Christ. What is presented in the gospels is not. In those gospels, He was still in the process of fulfilling the law, and his apostles and disciples were a part of that until His work was complete.

Once the law was fulfilled and set aside, Jesus gave them new instructions and poured out His Spirit on them to lead them in a new direction. This includes Paul. These instructions are now found in the epistles.

Having said this, dispensationalism can be taken too far, wrongly dividing the church age further than intended. This mainly comes from a lack of scholarship in understanding the symbolism and typology of the Old Testament, something that pointed to the work of Jesus. This was not “Jewish” symbolism, but “Christ-centered” symbolism. By misunderstanding this, heretical teachings have arisen that further, and incorrectly, divide the church.

Be careful what you assimilate. Everything must be taken in its proper context. When this does not occur, you are assured of having unsound doctrine.

Glorious Lord Jesus, thank You for Your work under the law to free man from law and to bring us into the state of grace that brings us back to our heavenly Father. For those who have come to You, we are safe and secure forever from condemnation. Thank You, Lord, for what You have done. All glory to Your magnificent name! Amen.

Looking out window of Vermont State Capitol.

Monday, 30 January 2023

But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. Acts 13:50

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 “the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.” Because the gospel is a message of freedom, and because Satan and his followers hate freedom, blowback from the apostle’s efforts was inevitable. This had repeatedly been the case since the first proclamation of the gospel by Peter in Acts 2. With the successful efforts of Paul and Barnabas in the region, the resulting antagonistic attitude of the opposition grew. Luke now records who was behind it, beginning with, “But the Jews.”

The contrast between Paul and Barnabas, who are both Jews, and “the Jews” noted here is bold and striking. Despite being Jews, Paul and Barnabas have a message to convey that goes beyond the Jewish people. The Jews do not. Their message is one of bondage. If there are those who are not Jews who accept their message, they are brought into a position of subservience, not freedom.

On the other hand, the message of Jesus allows people to remain who they are in a manner that is not seen in the message of the Jews. The gospel calls for a change in heart toward God, and it is offered to anyone of any station in life. This is not the case with the Jews as is seen in the next words. They “stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city.”

The Jews did not go out into the streets and alleys and proclaim freedom from sin. Instead, they established themselves in a city, brought their religion with them, and allowed the prominent and wealthy to join them, thus gaining influence at the higher levels. Though a bit long, the words of Charles Ellicott explain this situation –

“The fact stated brings before us another feature of the relations between Jews and Gentiles at this period. They ‘compassed sea and land to make one proselyte’ (Matthew 23:15). They found it easier to make proselytes of women. Such conversions had their good and their bad sides. In many cases there was a real longing for a higher and purer life than was found in the infinite debasement of Greek and Roman society, which found its satisfaction in the life and faith of Israel. (See Notes on Acts 17:4; Acts 17:12.) But with many, … the change brought with it new elements of superstition and weakness, and absolute submission of conscience to its new directors, and thus the Rabbis were often to the wealthier women of Greek and Roman cities what Jesuit confessors were in France and Italy in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Here we get the darker side of the picture. The Jews stir up the women of the upper class, and they stir up their husbands. The latter were content apparently to acquiesce in their wives accepting the Judaism with which they had become familiar, but resented the intrusion of a new and, in one sense, more exacting doctrine.”

It is these Jews, with a finger on those who were politically established and who possessed great wealth, that “raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas.” Here, Luke uses a word, epegeiró, for the first of two times in Scripture. It signifies “to rouse upon.” In other words, their influence is used upon the minds of the people to stir them up against the message that has been conveyed. In their arousal, it is to a state of persecution against Paul and Barnabas.

The type of persecution the apostles faced is not stated, but exacting examples of such persecution will be seen as Acts continues. Quite often, it will be because of the Jews who oppose them.

A notable example of this is found in Acts 19. In that chapter, there was a great disturbance that resulted from Paul’s sharing of the gospel. In proclaiming Jesus as God, it means that idols are false gods. Because of this, a state of friction arose in Ephesus because of the great idol that was worshipped there. Smaller images of the great statue of Diana were made for people to purchase. But if the gospel flourished, these idol makers would lose their source of revenue. Hence, those who made them stirred up the masses. There it says –

“And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, and wanted to make his defense to the people.” Acts 19:33

The Jews used the situation in Ephesus as a pretext to silence the spread of the gospel. But even more, this may be the same Alexander who continued to harass Paul as noted in 2 Timothy –

“Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. ¹⁵ You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.” 2 Timothy 4:14, 15

If this is the same Alexander, he not only wanted to silence the gospel because he had rejected it, but he also profited off the sales of these idols. That could be inferred from his being a coppersmith. It is this same attitude that caused the Jews to stir up those in Antioch against Paul and Barnabas. From there, Luke notes they “expelled them from their region.”

With the message widely spread in the area, and with the Jews exerting their influence over those in power, the Lord knew that it was time for the apostles to move on. What initially seems like a defeat will prove to be another victory as Chapter 14 opens. The apostles will move on and bring the message to another area where a great multitude will again receive their message.

Life application: The Jews brought their situation upon themselves. Exactly as the Law of Moses said would occur, they went into an extended period of punishment for their rejection of Jesus. But it should not go without noting that this included Paul too. He was as opposed to the message of Jesus as anyone. And yet, the Lord, through His grace and mercy, brought Paul to Himself –

“For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
¹⁵ But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, ¹⁶ to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.” Galatians 1:13-17

This is further explained by Paul to Timothy –

“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, ¹³ although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 1:12-14

Paul was given grace and mercy, and he used it to the glory of God from that moment on. And despite his anger at the state of his people in rejecting Christ Jesus, he understood their attitude because he had shared in it. His first allegiance was always to Jesus, but he also remained troubled in his heart over the state of his people (See Romans 9:1-3).

This should be our attitude as well, both to the Jews and to the Gentiles who have rejected Jesus. We should be angry at their state of rebellion and their active resistance to the gospel. But we should also be troubled in our hearts at their pitiful state of condemnation. In other words, we should be willing to go in both directions.

We should strive against them as they attack the message while striving with the gospel’s proclamation in hopes that some may be saved. Let us do our best to be responsible with our state in Christ in this manner. Hold fast to the truth of the gospel proclaiming it and allowing it to have the effect that God intends for it at any given time and place.

Help us, Lord God, to never be shy about being Christians. May we faithfully proclaim that we are saved believers of Christ who will stand on His gospel no matter what. Those who oppose it will receive what they are due. And those who accept it will be granted Your mercy and forgiveness. May our words go forth! From there, they will do as You have purposed. Help us to be responsible and to speak out so that this can happen. Amen.

Cam checking out a guy leaning on a musket.

Sunday, 29 January 2023

And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. Acts 13:49

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).

By citing Isaiah, Paul and Barnabas have noted that the message of Christ was to be a light to the Gentiles, leading to salvation to the ends of the earth. In their stating this, the Gentiles of Antioch of Pisidia “were glad and glorified the word of the Lord.” From there, it noted that those who believed were appointed to eternal life. Now it says, “And the word of the Lord.”

This certainly has the full meaning of “The Lord God of Israel who has come in the person of Jesus Christ.” In other words, it was the “word of the Lord” through Isaiah that made the Gentiles rejoice. And it was the word concerning the Lord Jesus, as the fulfillment of the words of Isaiah, that brought them to salvation. Hence, “the word of the Lord” is the full message of the God of Israel.

If one of the people listening said, “Why do we need to be saved?” Paul or Barnabas could tell them about the fall of man in Genesis. If one of them in the audience said, “But all paths lead to God,” one of the apostles could speak about the exclusivity of salvation because it is the work of God and not of man. As this is so, then God – who is not fickle – would not accept any other path than that designated by Him.

The word of the Lord from the Hebrew Scriptures would provide the baseline for understanding what the situation of man was and what God was doing about correcting it. The word of the Lord concerning Jesus would explain what God had brought about in fulfillment of that plan. With this in mind, it next says that this word of the Lord “was being spread.”

The word used here, diapheró, signifies “to carry through.” For example, when the head of John the Baptist was brought before Herod, the word pheró was used. It was carried to him. The prefix dia signifies “through.” This is what happened in Acts 5. The early persecution of the church did not dissuade the gospel’s proclamation. Rather, it enhanced it. The apostles dug in and continued to proclaim the word. In Acts 5:16, it says –

“Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”

This also happened after the death of Stephen, the persecution at that time only increased the spread of the gospel –

“At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” Acts 8:1

As the leaders of Israel persecuted the early church, it spread. Now with the opposition to the message of Paul and Barnabas by the Jews in Antioch, the gospel has continued to spread in a great new way, going forth to the Gentiles. These men carried the word through each area they went which was “throughout all the region.”

Of this, Charles Ellicott notes, “This clearly involves a considerable period of active working. It was not in Antioch only, but in the “region” round about, the border district of the three provinces of Phrygia, Lycaonia, and Galatia, that the new faith was planted.”

Life application: Just when people think they have their fingers pressed upon God’s people and His word, they find that their actions have increased the spread of the gospel. If people are willing to be chased from their homes for being Christians, they will continue to be Christians where they are chased to. When they get where they are going, they will be more, not less, willing to share their faith.

This has been proven true throughout history. For those who truly believe the word, there will only be an increased passion to share their message when asked who they are and what brought them to where they are. It is true that this happens with false religions and false sects of Christianity as well, but this is something that must come about because of the fallen state of the world.

Mormonism flourished in the US because of the religious protections provided for those who practiced it. This is also true with numerous other aberrant cults that arose around the same time. But the true message of the gospel also was allowed to expand as well. People have choices to make, and they are responsible for what they believe. The onus is on man to think through what is presented, to accept what is right, and to be saved in believing what is true.

The very nature of how the gospel is communicated calls out for man’s response – “Believe and be saved. But be careful what you believe.” There is one message of salvation that is found in the one gospel message.

Lord God, just when the world thinks it has stopped the message of Jesus from going any further, it finds out that it has not only gone further, but it has flourished. Your word has stood the test of time, and it has spread to the uttermost part of the earth. It is so wonderful to be a part of Your glorious plan of the ages. Thank You for Jesus who has made this possible! Amen.