Last time, we examined Paul’s epistle – the book of Galatians (see Power Driven by Lies and Division).
To continue on the apostle’s chronological timeline, we must re-visit the book of Acts a second time.
Paul and Barnabas were favored with a great move of God, as they successfully planted their Gentile churches. Simultaneously however, the Pharisees in Jerusalem were still teaching the Gentiles that they must be circumcised to become Jews, and to fully obey the Mosaic law to earn their salvation.
When Paul and Barnabas got wind of this, they were filled with ire, and in approximately 48 or 49 A.D., they traveled to Jerusalem, for what would be called the ‘Jerusalem Council’. It was convened for the purpose of uniting the Jewish and Gentile followers of Christ.
The apostles and church elders assembled. The first to speak was Peter – making the case for the salvation of Gentiles. He argued that God did not distinguish between Jew and Gentile, borne out of the fact that Jehovah has sent the Holy Spirit to them both.
He also pointed out that it did not make sense to hold the Gentiles to strict adherence to the Mosaic Law, when the Jews themselves were not able to do so.
Paul and Barnabas then addressed the council – revealing all of God’s signs and wonders that He used the apostles to render for the Gentiles.
Finally, James (the brother of Jesus and the head of the church in Jerusalem), read aloud Scriptures that prophesied about the salvation of the Gentiles:
‘Afterward I will return to the fallen house of David. I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, so that the rest of humanity might seek the LORD, including the Gentiles – all those I have called to be mine. The LORD has spoken’- Acts. 15:16, 17. NLT (see also Amos 9:11, 12.)
The apostle James is saying that God replaced the Temple with the Church of Christ – both as a center of worship, and a place(s) to learn about salvation through Jesus.
James offered a solution for bringing the Christian Jews and Gentiles to come together in mutual respect – even so far as to gather in worship. And he agreed with Peter about how unjust it was to hold the Gentiles up to perfect obedience to the Mosaic law.
Then, James advised the church to teach the Gentiles not to engage in idolatry, sexual immorality, or ingesting blood, so that their Jewish brothers and sisters would not consider the Gentiles ‘unclean’.
In conclusion, James reminded the council that it was in one’s best interest that they obey the Mosaic law to the best of their ability, but not under the burden of the rigid Pharisaic demand for perfect compliance.
The Council sent a letter with Paul and Barnabas, to bring to the church in Antioch, stating the Council’s resolutions., which greatly encouraged the Gentiles.
While in Antioch, Paul asked Barnabas to accompany him on a return trip to the churches that they planted in the region of Galatia. Barnabas agreed, but he wanted to take the apostle Mark along. This did not sit well with Paul because he felt that Mark had abandoned them on his first missionary journey. (The Bible does not tell us why).
The contention between Paul and Barnabas got so heated that Barnabas and Mark set sail for Cyprus. Paul chose a prophet named Silas and Paul’s disciple, Timothy, to accompany him to Syria, Cilicia, and Galatia. This trip constitutes Paul’s ‘second missionary journey’.
Paul encouraged and strengthened the churches, and their congregants multiplied in number. He and his entourage left Galatia after he received a vision that prompted him to travel to the Roman-ruled country of Macedonia. He stayed for a few days in the city of Philippi. The apostle Luke met him there.
As they ministered, they were followed for days by a woman fortune teller, who kept shouting:
“These men are servants of the Most High God, and they have come to tell you how to be saved.” Acts 16:17 NLT
This irritated Paul, (we are not told why). In response, he evoked the power of Christ and cast the ‘spirit of divination’ out of her.
Well, this woman was a slave to her masters, who were making money off her fortune-telling.
The masters dragged Paul and Silas to the Roman magistrates, accusing them of being Jews (who were held in disdain by the Romans), and charged them with inciting mayhem by way of teaching ‘illegal customs’ that opposed Roman laws.
An unruly crowd gathered. Paul and Silas were not allowed to speak in their own defense. They were summarily beaten with rods and imprisoned with their feet shackled in stocks.
Despite their punishment, Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God through the midnight hour – within the hearing of all the other prisoners. Then, an earthquake struck, the chains fell off all the prisoners, and the doors of the prison flew open.
The commotion woke the jailer, who was then going to kill himself, because he knew that he would be severely punished because of the prisoners’ escape. Yet at that moment, Paul called out to him, and told him that no one left the prison, even though they had been free to do so.
Trembling, the jailer brought Paul and Silas out and asked them:
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” Acts 16:30, 31. NLT
It’s always about the faith.
Paul and Silas baptized the jailer and his household, and then returned to the prison to spare the jailer punishment.
In the morning, the magistrates sent word to the jailer to free his captives. Shockingly, Paul resists, declaring:
“They have publicly beaten us without a trial and put us in prison – and we are Roman citizens. So now they want us to leave secretly? Certainly not! Let them come themselves to release us!” Acts 16:37 NLT
Paul was invoking his rights as a Roman citizen (conferred upon him by being born in a Roman colony). He was not going to allow the reputation of himself, the church in Philippi, or the Gospel itself, be tarnished.
When the magistrates heard of this, they grew fearful, apologized, and begged Paul and Silas to leave town.
So, they moved on to the city of Thessalonica, where they preached, established another church, and converted many Jews and Greeks to the Way.
Again, some non-believing Jews tried to make trouble for them. In the middle of night, Paul and Silas slipped away to the city of Berea, where they were well received. Yet, some of those same Jews followed them there and made trouble for Paul.
For his own safety, the church sent him 100 miles away to the city of Athens. Timothy and Silas stayed behind.
When he arrived, Paul was appalled at the large number of pagan temples and idols. It motivated him to fiercely preach the Gospel. The Athenians were always hungry for ‘new philosophies’, so they gave Paul a chance to speak in the Areopagus (called ‘Mars Hill’ by the Romans) – where the court of appeals was held.
Paul begins:
“Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God’. This God whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.
“He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and humans can’t serve his needs – for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.
“From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him – though he is not far from any one of us.” Acts 17:22 – 27. NLT
God, through Paul, is giving the Athenians a lot of information here. He says that He is the only true God, the Most High. In addition, He reveals that all people are descendants of Adam and Eve and that our time on this earth and where we spend it, is under His control.
Finally, Jehovah says that He wants everyone to come to Him.
Paul continues by quoting a Greek poet to warm up his crowd:
“For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.” Acts 17:28, 29. NLT
Next, Paul lowers the boom:
“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30, 31. NLT
Paul is saying that up to now, his audience has been ignorant of God and His intentions, but that they will be held accountable from this moment onward for their actions – especially for practicing idolatry and worshiping false gods…
The apostle sends for Silas and directs him to the other churches in Macedonia. Likewise, Timothy is called and directed to Thessalonica.
Paul himself, traveled to the city of Corinth, (about 50 miles from Athens). There, he runs into some trouble from the local Jews. He writes them off for good:
…Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “You blood is on your own heads – I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.” Acts 18:6 NLT
Silas and Timothy meet up with Paul in Corinth, sharing good tidings regarding the churches that they visited. Together, they made many converts. Even God Himself encouraged Paul in a vision, regarding his efforts:
“Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” Acts 18:9, 10. NLT
Paul wouldn’t be run out of this town; God had his back.
He stayed in Corinth for 18 months, teaching in this new church. It was here, that it is believed that Paul authored the letters referred to in the Bible as the books of 1 and 2 Thessalonians.
Next time…
Goodnight and God bless.