Acts 12:1-4 Luke writes a lot in these four verses: James is killed; the Jews are happy; Peter is imprisoned; and the disciples are praying (oops, one verse too many!). Here we see an identification for one of the three “James” names – this one the brother of John and son of Zebedee. We had …
Category Archives: RTB 2020 – Epistles
February 14 / Acts 11:19-30
Acts 11:19-30 (Barnabas) …he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord. (v. 23b) Here we see Barnabas again encouraging the believers as he did when he gave proceeds from the sale of land (4:36-37) and when he affirmed Paul to the Jerusalem church (9:27). One of …
February 13 / Acts 11:1-18
Acts 11:1-18 In today’s reading Luke retells the Cornelius incident from the previous chapter, this time from Peter’s perspective as he related the incident to the Jerusalem faithful. I have often found it strange that Luke repeated the incident in such detail, even word-for-word quotations in verses 7-9 and in verse 13. On considering that …
February 12 / Acts 10:34-48
Acts 10:34-48 Peter: Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him. (vv. 34-35) Obvious question: Gandhi…? My Study Bible goes on to point out that Cornelius “qualified” under this guideline, but that was not enough – He “lacked …
February 11 / Acts 10:24-33
Acts 10:24-33 Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. (v. 24b) There are a couple of interesting items about this statement. First, Cornelius gathered all of those closest to him. So, (a) he must have had every expectation that Peter would come when he sent for him, and (b) …
February 10 / Acts 10:17-23
Acts 10:17-23 In an unworthy, hastily written post late yesterday I remarked on the “voice” (Acts 10:13, 15), with a comment that it was a “voice”, not an angel or the Holy Spirit. Today we correct that observation. Today’s reading specifically says …the Spirit said to him… (v. 19). Interestingly the delegation from Cornelius tells …
February 9 / Acts 10:9-16
Acts 10:9-16 9:27 pm, a full day after RTB, and I suddenly realized that I had not posted today. But quickly – the one thing that stuck out for me was that …there came a voice to him (v. 13). Not an angel, not God – a voice. Strange! Slava Bohu!
February 8 / Acts 10:1-8
Acts 10:1-8 An item from yesterday, repeated today… Yesterday’s Acts 9:43 and today’s verse 6 noted that Peter was staying in Joppa with “Simon, a tanner”. My Study Bible noted that a tanner would have regularly dealt with the skins of dead animals and therefore would have been unclean and rejected by “devout” Jews. Peter’s …
February 7 / Acts 9:31-43
Acts 9:31-43 My Study Bible pointed out that Jesus had brought three people back from death – Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5), the only son of a widow (Luke 7), and Lazarus (John 11). But there is one item particularly significant in Peter’s raising Dorcas – before Peter spoke and Dorcas awakened, Peter knelt down and …
February 6 / Acts 9:20-30
Acts 9:20-30 More Saul activity today… When many days had passed… (v. 23a) Luke writes “many days”, but to learn more we have to go to Paul’s own writings. He tells his story in Galatians 1:13 ff, and his “many days” turns out to be three years. So he was in Damascus and the neighboring …