Acts 9:1-9

I have often joked that Saul’s conversion was easier than mine. Paul was knocked from his horse. (Really? Yeah, maybe not in the text, but check out the hundreds of paintings of Saul’s conversion!) And Jesus identified Himself and spoke directly to him! It took a young man named Jim 3-1/2 years to get through to me!! But like I said, I joke…!

I’m trying to imagine this “light from heaven” (v. 3). And what I see is a lightening strike that STAYED! Not a flash, but a prolonged presence, enough to blind Saul, all the while that Jesus was speaking to him.

In verse 2 we see the first use of the term “the Way” in reference to these new Christian believers. We’ll see this reference again in Acts 19:9, 19:23, 22:4, 24:14, 24:22. This is another item close to home for me… There is a pseudo-Christian group out there calling themselves “The Way (International)”. Many (if not most) Christian leaders would refer to this group as a cult, but to the uninformed they look very much like Christians and are particularly attractive to students and are strong on college campuses. On the day that Carol and I met – 40 years ago this past January 24^th – I had been invited to a Bible Study by a student who had attended this Bible Study group. She had heard of groups like The Way and wanted me to see if this group was legitimate. (It was!) Carol was also invited that night for the first time. So a connection to “the Way” is what brought us together!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 8:26-40

Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch… But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. (v. 40) My Study Bible points out that we do not hear from Philip again until Acts 21:8 when Paul and Luke stayed at his house in Caesarea around 57 AD. The Spirit had taken Philip to the south, toward Gaza where he met the Ethiopian eunuch. Then after the eunuch was baptized, the Spirit “snatched” Philip away and he “found himself at Azotus”, one of the five Philistine cities (from King David’s time). Then he preached along the way until he got to Caesarea. The Chronological Study Bible places Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch at 32AD, with Philip later in Caesarea in 57AD. So upon arriving at Caesarea, he stayed, evidently for a long period of time. What’s new to me here is that I’ve often connected Philip in Acts 21 with Philip in Acts 8, but I’ve never made the connection in Acts 8 that we ever heard from Philip again. Small item – interesting to me…

After being baptized the eunuch went on his way “rejoicing”. So I wonder what happened after that? The eunuch had come to Jerusalem to worship (Acts 8:27), so clearly he was familiar with Judaism. I’m guessing that there must have been a synagogue in the capital city where he lived and he might have been a regular there, one of those “God-fearing Gentiles” that we read about later. Now as he returns to Ethiopia “rejoicing” I’m sure that Philip’s teaching stayed with him and that he shared Jesus with others in his synagogue. No doubt many of the Jews at his synagogue had been in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, so they would have known about Jesus. Put it all together and I can see many conversions of the Jews there, maybe even a full-scale revival! We don’t know that, but the excitement that new believers exude can be infectious! So where does that leave us “old believers”? Are we rejoicing and sharing? I regularly go back to Peter and John in Acts 4:20: We can’t help but speak of the things we have seen and heard!

Slava Bohu

Acts 8:14-25

Yesterday I suggested that we list Simon the Sorcerer as a believer and see what follows in the next reading. Well, the next reading, itself, is mixed. First Peter condemns Simon for wanting to buy “Holy Spirit power”. Then Simon apparently “repents” and asks for prayer that Peter’s condemnation not fall on him. But does Simon really ask forgiveness and truly repent? To me, it seems not. It seems that he was mainly concerned, in the immediate, …that nothing of what you have said may come upon me (v. 24b), but was more interested in the miracles and having that power that he saw displayed from the laying on of hands. The Chronological Study Bible has a large box item on Simon, with a focus that he was considered a heretic by the early church. I would encourage you to read that for yourselves or look him up online. Here’s one reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Magus. (Please forgive the Wikipedia cite, but it’s a good starting point.)

Theologians and Bible scholars have a lot of fun with Acts 8:14-17, specifically …they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (v. 17) In a nutshell, the argument is whether the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands or was that simply a manifestation of the Holy Spirit that they had received at Baptism? In simple terms, overstated, it is basically a Baptist vs. Pentecostal issue.

I am impressed by the early church’s apostolic oversight – sending Peter and John to Samaria when …the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God (v. 14a). In so doing they uncovered the beginning of this possible heretical work of Simon the Magician. Later the apostles will want to hear from Peter about his visit to Cornelius (Acts 10-11) and Paul’s outreach to the Gentiles. They provided us a good model for our own diocesan structure.

Slava Bohu!

Acts 8:4-13

We were talking in our Men’s Group recently about healing. I asked/wondered why we saw all these miraculous healings in the 1^st century church, but we see fewer miraculous healings today. There followed a lengthy discussion, the most of which I recall as the “miracle of modern medicine”, which did not satisfy me as to my earlier questioning. Today’s reading possibly enlightened me a bit: For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. (v. 7) I began to wonder if these 1^st century infirmities were the result of unclean spirits inhabiting peoples’ bodies, and that the miraculous healings were the results of the casting out of these unclean spirits. The text mentions the paralyzed and the lame, but I also wonder if the blind and deaf would be included in those (or later) healings, again all the result of the casting out of unclean spirits. We pray and ask God for healing today. But do we need to engage in more spiritual warfare? To me, that’s a really scary thought.

We’ll read more about Simon the Sorcerer tomorrow, but for today let’s embrace the fact that Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip (v. 13). So let’s list him as a believer today and talk more about him tomorrow.

Slava Bohu!

Acts 8:1-3

Only three verses today, but an information-packed three verses, with Saul as a major player. …they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (v. 1b) My Study Bible made two points here. First, this verse is the fulfillment of Jesus’ prediction/charge from Acts 1:8, “…you will be My witnesses…, and second, that the apostles remained behind in Jerusalem so as to offer comfort and encouragement to those in prison. They also provided the necessary leadership for other believers in Jerusalem.

I’m trying to understand the “great persecution” that arose following Stephen’s death. Was it the “smell of blood” that turned normal men into savages? (Please forgive the overstatement.) Or was it the fear of the new Christian “sect” upsetting the Jewish status with the Roman authorities? And how could they simply imprison men and women? On what charge? And whose prison? And were the Romans compliant in all this? All in all, sad events – but the beginning of worldwide evangelism…!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:54-60

I have often commented on Stephen’s seeing Jesus …standing at the right hand of God. (vv. 55b, 56b), noting that Jesus’ normal position is to be seated at the Father’s right hand, as He Himself said (Luke 22:69, Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62). But Stephen sees Jesus STANDING at God’s right hand. I’ve pictured Jesus as Stephen’s defense attorney standing before the Father, the judge if you will, pleading for Stephen’s life, his entry into heaven upon his death. But what I had not noticed before is that Luke writes these exact words TWICE, in verses 55 and 56. I sense that Luke wanted to make that point crystal clear, that Jesus stands before the Father in defense of any who come before the Father and have committed their life to Him. That’s powerful!

Stephen also …saw the glory of God… (v. 55), something that I don’t recall reading anywhere else except in John’s Revelation.

The Jews stoned Stephen outside the city (v. 58). They had cast him out (driven him out, dragged him out, according to different translations), so it was imperative to them that they commit this deed outside the city. Did they consider the city itself, not just the temple, such a holy place? Strange.

Stephen has two of the same quotes as Jesus on the cross: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. and Lord, do not hold this sin against them. (vv. 59b, 60b) It’s easy to ask whether Stephen really said these things, since these quotes from Jesus are from Luke, chapter 23 (vv. 34, 46), and are not in the other Gospels. I accept all words of Scripture as “God-breathed” (II Timothy 3:16), so I do not dispute that Stephen said these words. But it’s one of the ways in which non-believers attack Scripture as a product of men, not inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Just that…

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:44-53

I’ve always loved Stephen’s change of tone at verse 51 (and following): You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit… Before that he had been basically a story-teller, recounting Jewish history, although he was clearly leading up to temple worship and Jesus’ death. We have a hint of a change in tone in verse 48: Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says… I can sense the Jewish leaders taking offense at that statement, but they let him go on, not wanting to challenge his Isaiah quote. But then verses 51 to 53…!! Powerful!

At times I wonder about these speeches (and even some of the events). Luke was not one of the twelve apostles; how did he get his information when he wrote his Gospel or when he wrote Acts? He had to have access to some insiders who could relay the details of the events or of the speeches. For this particular event and Stephen’s speech, however, Luke had a trusty eyewitness – Saul, later named Paul, who was present at the event (v. 58b). I can imagine Saul’s rage, along with the others when Stephen changed his tone and charged the Jewish leaders with Jesus’ death. I can also imagine his later contrition at being part of Stephen’s death, although I don’t recall that he ever mentions it in his writings. Stay tuned!

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:37-43

…and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. (v. 41b) I may not have made a golden calf, but I have too often “rejoiced at the work of my hands”. Not literally – my hands are better for typing than for most any other skill – but for what “I” have done. It was later in life that I began to realize that any gifts that I had were bestowed to me at birth and through my environment – then again, much, much later that I began to fully realize that it was God working through me, using the gifts that I had been given to His glory. I’ve long believed that I was gifted with numbers and with a teaching ability and those two gifts combined perfectly for me as an economics professor. But now, fully retired, I serve as church treasurer and as the Avanza Bible lesson leader. And while people thank me for my service in each of those areas, to me I am truly using my gifts to God’s glory, serving His people in a couple of small ways to advance His kingdom. So now if I “rejoice in the work of my hands”, I thank God for using me as His messenger.

Slava Bohu!

Acts 7:30-36

…this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer… (v.35b) and This man led them out, performing wonders and signs… (v. 36a). Stephen is building his case, clearly looking forward to Jesus in these two sentences. His “this man” in both sentences is referring to Moses, but it is also clear to Stephen that another “this Man”, Jesus, was doing the same things – ruling and redeeming and performing wonders and signs. And as Moses was rejected by his own people, so will Jesus also be rejected by the Jewish leaders.

A thought on God sending Moses back to Egypt. Stephen does not go into detail as to the rest of that conversation between God and Moses, but Moses clearly did not want to go back. In the book of Exodus Moses tries three times to turn down the mission. After first asking “Who are you?”, Moses says, “What if they won’t believe me? (Ex. 4:1) Then he claims to be clumsy of speech (Ex. 4:10). Finally he implores the Lord to please send someone else (Ex. 4:13), at which the Lord’s anger “burned against Moses” (Ex. 4:14) and Moses relented. I’m trying to think whether I have ever refused or argued with God about His call on my life. I’ll continue to think about that. And you…??

Slava Bohu!