Lesson for February 15, 2017
The Book of Acts
Chapter 13:44-52
Verses 44-45
“The next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled to hear the word of the Lord.But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and begancontradicting the things spoken by Paul and were blaspheming.”Paul and Barnabas were still inAntioch of Pisidia which is not the same Antioch from which they came. In verses 16-43 they had been asked to speak in the synagogue on the Sabbath after the tradition of reading the Law and the Prophets (Old Testament Scriptures). Paul, of course, jumped at the opportunity to speak to those who had gathered which included both Jews and Gentiles.
Verses 44-52 is the beginning point of Paul’s missionary activity to the Gentiles. We see almost an entire city coming out to hear the Word of God on the second Sabbath. The constant teaching of the Word of God had a great impact on this city. There is power in the Word of God when it is communicated accurately. In only one week, after Paul and Barnabas taught a series of Bible classes, new believers began to understand and orient to the grace of God. This was what upset the religious Jews.
As with the entire ministry of Paul, there were always religious Jews who did not accept Christ as Savior. Both Jews and Gentiles had responded to the Gospel, but there were some hard-core Jews who had rejected the Gospel message and wanted to stir up problems. The response to grace in Antioch was so great that the mental attitude sin of envy or jealousy occurred in the minds of these religious Jews who had rejected the Gospel. Their jealousy led them to attack the message of grace which was being preached by Paul and Barnabas. Their method of attack was to contradict the message of grace. Remember, these were religious Jews who depended on the keeping of the Law of Moses for salvation. They were very legalistic and opposed grace.
The Greek word for blasphemingis “blasphemeo,” which means to revile, to slander, to speak evil of or to defame. Religion cannot tolerate the truth, cannot tolerate grace and since religion is based on human works for salvation and for the Christian life, the only recourse to grace is to contradict it. The only protection against religion is accurate Bible doctrine and the religious Jews refused to accept it.
When faced with religious attacks against grace, those who teach the Word of God must follow the pattern of Paul and Barnabas and be bold and speak the truth with confidence and love. The Greek actually says, “they spoke dogmatically with confidence.” Only accurate, emphatic, absolute truth will counteract any attack against the truth of God’s Word.
Verse 46
“Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.’” Paul was speaking directly to those religious Jews who had rejected the Gospel. The Greek word for repudiateis “apotheo,”which means to thrust from you or reject something. Because these religious Jews had rejected the Gospel, they in effect judged themselves to be unworthy of everlasting life. Their negative volition was their judge. The Jews used their own free will to condemn themselves. All human good is “unworthy” of eternal life, it can never have any part in the plan of God. Some Jews had responded to the Gospel, but apparently not many. Therefore, Paul now turned to the Gentiles where he had found more positive volition.
Verse 47
“For so the Lord has commanded us,‘I have placed You as alight for the Gentiles,That You maybring salvation to the end of the earth.’” Paul takes an Old Testament Scripture, Isaiah 49:6, to show that he will have a ministry to the Gentiles. The message of the Gospel was never to be an exclusive right of the Jews. The nation of Israel actually failed in their responsibility to disseminate the Gospel to the Gentile nations. Gentiles were scattered all over the earth, some with positive volition, and Paul’s job was to go share the Gospel with them. Because the Jews failed to take the Gospel to other nations, the Gentiles were always a thorn in their side and came at them to conquer them, God used Gentile nations to administer the fourth and fifth cycle of discipline to the nation of Israel, which ended in their destruction as a nation in 70 A.D.
The use of the word light is for the purpose of reminding people that theirexistence depends on light from God. (Genesis 1:3; Ecclesiastes 11:7; Jeremiah 31:35)Light is used for the divine guidance of Israel by night. (Exodus 14:20) Light also illustrates the essence of God. (I John 1:5; I Timothy 6:16)Jesus Christ, as the manifest person of the Godhead, is called Light. (John 8:12; I Timothy 6:16)The Gospel is called light because it deals with Christ. II Corinthians 4:3-4; II Timothy 1:10)Being saved brings the believer out of darkness into light. (Luke 1:79; I Peter 2:9)Light is used to portray Bible doctrine in the soul. (Psalm 119:105, 130)The Edification Complex of the Soul is said to be constructed of Bibledoctrine or light. (Psalm 43:3, 119:130; Romans 13:12; Ephesians 5:8; I John 2:8)Light depicts the believer’s entrance into the spiritually mature life. (II Corinthians4:6; Ephesians 5:14)
Walking in the Light
(I John 1:5-7; Ephesians 5:8)
Walking in the Light is analogous to being filled with God the Holy Spirit and executing the Christian Way of Life. The command to walk in the Light is a reference to experiential sanctification. The Greek word for walk in these verses is “peripateo,” which is used to express the entirety of a believer’s spiritual life. Just as walking in the darkness is incompatible with walking in Light, so carnality is incompatible with the execution of the Protocol Plan of God. Walking in the light is a term used specifically for the believer’s execution of God’s will, plan and purpose for the Church Age. Therefore, walking in the Light is synonymous with the Christian Way of Life. The command to walk in the Light is a command to be filled with the Spirit and learning and applying Bible doctrine under the filling of the Spirit.
Verses 48-49
“When the Gentiles heard this, they beganrejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.And the word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region.” Verses 48-49 are the positive results of the positive volition of the Gentiles in believing the Gospel. They were rejoicing at the good news of the Gospel all over the city. They had the inner happiness which comes from Bible doctrine in the soul and they were glorifying the source of that happiness – the Lord Jesus Christ.
And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.Contrary to those who teach that Christ died for only those who had been chosen by God to be saved, the Scriptures are very clear that Christ died for the entire human race. Salvation is a matter of individual choice and is not preordained by God. The Scriptures teach that anyone may come to Christ by a simple act of faith in Christ. So, the question is what does it mean to be appointed to eternal life? The answer to this question is found in the meaning of the word appointedin Greek and the context of the chapter. The Greek word for appointedis “tasso,” which means determine, to have a disposition toward, to place in order or to arrange. So, it was not a matter of predetermination by God, it was a matter of determination on the part of those who heard the Gospel to receive eternal life by believing in Christ.
The omniscience of God knew in eternity past who would believe in Christ, therefore He predetermined a plan for them. First, they would receive eternal life by believing in His Son Jesus Christ. Then they are given a plan found only in the Word of God for the execution of the Protocol Plan of God. So, stated simply, this was not a predetermination but rather a determination by those hearing the Gospel.The result of many Gentiles believing in Christ was that the word of the Gospel spread rapidly through the region not only by means of the apostles but was carried to other areas by those who had believed in Christ.
The context of this statement is that the Jews judged themselves unworthy of eternal life by rejecting the truth of the Gospel. In contrast, the Gentiles who believed judged Christ worthy to give them eternal life based on their faith in what Christ had done for them on the Cross.
Verses 50-51
“But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district.But they shook off the dust of their feet in protestagainst them and went to Iconium.” The religious Jews began to stir up the devout (religious) and well-known women, and the leading men of the city – they used politics to raise persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drove them out of their district as a result. The preaching of the Gospel is an offense to those who reject it. Of course, these religious Jews were also protecting their way of life and livelihood by rejecting Christ. They intimidated with guilt and fear.
Verse 52
“And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”The disciples were those who had believed in Christ, not the apostles.Those believers who Paul and Barnabas left behind were the ones who were continually filled with joy (inner happiness from truth), and with the Holy Spirit. Inner happiness was based on Bible doctrine, and the filling with the Spirit, meant they understood the basic techniques of the Christian Way of Life.