The pseudonym "Philo Vaihinger" has been abandoned. All posts have been and are written by me, Joseph Auclair.

Sunday, August 28, 2016

Acts 13

New Living Translation.

Peter has escaped prison and Herod is food for worms.

At the command of the Holy Spirit, Saul and Barnabas take ship from Antioch for Cyprus, their first adventure as designated missionaries (v. 1-5).

They are preaching in the synagogues (v. 5).

We are told Saul is also known as Paul (v. 9a).

Hereafter in Acts, he is Paul, and Acts will be increasingly his story. 

New believers are said to believe in the Lord, in an apparent reference to Jesus Christ.

The gospels are described as the teaching about the Lord (v. 12b) miracles are now done in the Lord's name or done by the Lord (v. 11).

Titles more common in the gospels - Christ, Messiah, Son of Man, Son of God - are less frequent here.

In Antioch of Pisidia (in Anatolia), Paul preaches in a synagogue, beginning (v. 16b)

"Men of Israel, and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me."

He summarizes the sacred history of Israel (v. 17-37), beginning

v. 17 "The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt."

continuing with the promise of a Savior of Israel (v. 23) and announcing he has come in Jesus (v.23), of whose teaching, trial, death, and resurrection he quickly tells.

And ending,
v. 38 "Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.

39: "Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God - something the law of Moses could never do."

Shortly thereafter (v. 46-52), still at Antioch, some Jews reject Paul's inclusion of the Gentiles.

Paul and Barnabas reply,

46 "It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.

47 "For the Lord gave us this command when he said 'I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth (Isa 49:6).'"

Paul does not quote Jesus or refer to incidents in his teaching life to justify offering the message to Gentiles.

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.

49 So the Lord's message spread throughout that region.

50 Then the Jews stirred up the influential religious women and the leaders of the city, and they incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town.

It is already "you Jews" and "the Jews."

Not "we Jews."

The conflict will continue throughout Acts as Paul continues everywhere to preach in synagogues, with Jews repeatedly rejecting his message, physically attacking Paul and others, and trying to kill him.

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