BIBLE STUDY: An Introduction to The Acts of the Apostles (Lesson 9 – Dec 3, 2024) Chs.: 23-25

 

An Introduction to The Acts of the Apostles

(Lesson 9 – Dec 3, 2024) Chs.: 23-25

 

 

CHAPTER  23

 

Vv. 1-11 Paul’s defense before the Sanhedrin.

o   The incident where Ananias the high priest has Paul struck during his trial is similar to the blow to Jesus before Annas (Jn 18:10-24)

V. 1 “I have conducted myself with a clear conscience before God to this day”

V. 3 The high priest Ananias, son of Nedebaeus (47-59 A.D).

Josephus reports that he was later assassinated in 66 A.D. at the beginning of the first revolt.

V. 5 Paul, because of his reverence for the law (Ex 22:27), withdraws his accusation of hypocrisy,  “whitewashed wall” (Mt 23:27)

V. 6 “I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees...for his belief in the resurrection of the dead, angels and spirits.

Vv. 12-35 Plot against Paul and his transfer to Caesarea but it was the Roman who protected him.

V. 13 (40 men took an oath not to eat and drink until they killed

Vv. 26-30 The letter emphasizes the fact that Paul is a Roman citizen and asserts the lack of evidence that he is guilty of a crime against the empire. The tone of the letter implies that the commander became initially involved in Paul’s case because of his Roman citizenship, but this is not an exact description of what really happened (see Acts 21:31-33; 22:25-29)

 

CHAPTER 24

 

Vv. 1-21 Paul’s trial before Felix

V. 6 “..he creates dissension among Jews all over the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the sect of the Nazoreans. He even tried to desecrate our temple...”.

        -  An early Jewish name for Christians was “Nazoreans”

- It is a parallel false charge against Jesus to Pilate: that he incites revolt,    opposes tribute to Ceasar, and claims to be king (Lk 23;2)

Vv. 10-21 Ananias employs an advocate Tertullus (v. 24:1). It is self-defense of Paul.

- He stresses the continuity between Christianity and Judaism.

- Christianity is seen as a form of Jewish worship and expectation of resurrection.

- Jewish presentation to Gentiles usually stressed judgment after death based on how one lived. Paul’s witness to Jesus’ resurrection comes under the general theme of the resurrection of the dead.

V. 17  Why he enter the Temple??? He ends the speech by saying, “After many years, I came to bring alms for my nation and offerings”. It was for the Church of Jerusalem.

Vv. 22-27  Captivity in Caesarea

Vv. 24-25 The historian Josephus says that Felix had stolen his wife Drusilla from her first husband.

- Felix, entered into an adulterous marriage with Drusilla, daughter of Herod Agrippa I. This marriage provides the background for the topics Paul speaks about and about which Felix does not want to hear because of his sexual morality.

-      It reminds us of John the Baptist’s rebuke of Herod for his adulterous marriage – Philip, Herodias, Salome’

- The first and second centuries often focused on righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment (Act 24:25).

Felix knew Paul was innocent. But why did he not free Paul? Luke notes that Felix was (1) expecting a bribe; (2) he wanted to please Jews.

Paul is an example for Christians of suffering for refusing to perform an unjust practice.

 

CHAPTER 25

 

25: 1-12 Trial before Festus and appeal to the Emperor

            - Luke frequently parallels Paul’s trial with Jesus’ trial.

- Only his Gospel mentions all the following: Jesus before the crowd that captured him, the Sanhedrin, the Roman governor (Pilate) twice, and the Jewish king Herod (Lk22-23). Likewise, Paul addresses the mob that seized him, the Sanhedrin, two Roman governors (Felix and Festus), and the Jewish Herodian king Agrippa (Acts 21-16)

Vv. 9-12 Paul refuses to acknowledge that the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem has any jurisdiction over him now (v. 11). Paul uses his right as a Roman citizen to appeal his case to the jurisdiction of the Emperor {(Nero A.D. 60; (vv. 12)}. This move broke the deadlock between Roman protection custody of Paul and the plan of his enemies to kill him (v.3).

Vv. 13-27 Festus invites Agrippa to hear Paul

- King Agrippa and Bernice – brother and sister, children of Herod Agrippa I whose activities against the Jerusalem community are mentioned in Acts 12: 1-19.

- Agrippa II was a petty ruler over small areas in northern Palestine and some villages in Perea. His influence on the Jewish population of Palestine was insignificant.

- Only Luke 23:6-12 mentions Pilate inviting Herod Antipas to try Jesus.

- Members of the Herod dynasty: Agrippa II to try Paul.

         Herod the Great (Mt 2; Lk 1:5)

 

Herod the Tetrarch (=Herod Antipas) who killed John the Baptist and appeared in Jesus’ passion in Lk 23,

         Herod in Acts 12 (= Herod Agrippa I) who killed James.

        Agrippa (= Agrippa II) son of Herod from Acts 12 and judge at Paul’s hearing in Caesarea in Acts 25-26

V. 19 Pilate in Luke 23:15, 22 declared the innocence of Jesus. So also Festus and many others asserted Paul’s innocence. Festus considered charges against him were mere intra-Jewish squabbles, “about a certain Jesus who had died but whom Paul claimed was alive”. 

 

 

 

A BRIEF REVIEW (Acts.  Chs. 23 – 25)

 

1.  What did the Sadducees believe that the Pharisees did not? Acts 23:7-8

      Pharisees: Resurrection. Angels, Spirits. Sadducees….

2.  How many Jews took the vow against Paul? Acts 23:12

3.  What was the plot? Acts 23:15

4.  Who helped Paul and what did the commander tell him? Acts 23:15; 23:22

5.  What were the charges brought to Felix?  Acts 24:5

6.  What did Paul preach to Felix? Acts 24:25

7.  Why would Felix send for Paul again? Acts 24:26

8.  What did Festus decide about Paul? Acts 25:7

9.  What is said in Acts 25:9-12

10. An early Jewish name for Christians was ……

11.  Why was Paul in Jerusalem Temple? Acts 24:17   

12. How does Luke compare Felix and Herod   Acts 24:24-25

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

BIBLE STUDY: An Introduction to The Acts of the Apostles (Lesson 8 – November 19, 2024) Chs.: 20 - 22

 

An Introduction to The Acts of the Apostles

(Lesson 8 – November 19, 2024) Chs.: 20 - 22

 

CHAPTER 20

 

V. 2: He provided many words of encouragement.

 

V. 10:  As Jesus so - the action of Paul in throwing himself upon the dead boy recalls that of Elijah in 1 kgs 17:21 where the son of the widow of Zarephath is revived and that of Elisha in 2 Kgs 4:34 where the Shunamite woman’s son is restored to life.

 

Vv. 17-38: Farewell address to the Ephesian elders. Luke gives us two farewell speeches – Jesus’ at the     Last Supper in Luke 22:15-38 “Do it in remembrance of me - Paul’s in Acts 20:17-38 how a Bishop or presbyter should be. This might be his time of gathering information.

Elements in Paul’s farewell speech in Acts 20:

1.     He summons the elders.

2.     Points to his mission and example.

3.      Testifies he did not fail in his duty.

4.     4. It alludes to his imminent death.

5.     Exhorts them regarding future problems.

6.      6 prophesy and false teachers after his death.

7.     Bless his followers.

8.     8. Prays with them, and

9.      9. Exchanges farewell gestures.

 

Vv. 25-34: The predictions of Paul: you “will never see my face again…keep watch over yourself and the whole flock…. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you…..from your group, men will come forward perverting the truth to draw the disciples away after them. So be vigilant……

 

V. 35: Keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”.

V.  36: He knelt and prayed.

 

Vv.  4-5: Further voyages to Caesarea in Palestine. The Christians in Tyre gave him prophetic warnings against going to Jerusalem.

 

 

 

CHAPTER  21

 

Vv. 8-10: Philip was one of the Seven scattered by Paul and other persecutors when Stephen died. Acts 21 calls him “the evangelist.” Philip had four virgin daughters who were prophets. Luke probably mentions them to illustrate the fulfillment of the Joel 3 prophecy quoted in Acts 2, that “your sons and daughters” shall prophesy.

 

Vv. 10ff: Agabus, the Jewish Christian Prophet from Judea (Acts 11:28 predicted famine in the time of Claudius was emperor), performed a prophetic sign of binding Paul’s feet and hands, as Jeremiah had worn a wooden yoke to illustrate the slavery he was prophesying (Jer 27:1-15; Is 20:2; Ez 4:1; Jer 13:1). Agabus’ binding of Paul illustrates his prophecy of Paul’s arrest.

 

Vv.  17-26: The leaders of the Jewish Christians of Jerusalem inform Paul that the Jews there believe he has encouraged the Jews of the diaspora to abandon the Mosaic Law. According to Acts, Paul had no objection to the retention of the law by the Jewish Christians of Jerusalem and left the Jews of the diaspora who accepted Christianity frees to follow the same practice.

 

Vv.  23-26: The community suggested to Paul that on behalf of four members of the Jerusalem community, make the customary payment for the sacrifices offered at the termination of the Nazirite vow (Num 6:1-24) to impress favorably the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem with his high regard for the Mosaic law. Since Paul himself had once made this vow (Acts 18:18) his respect for the law would be on public record. The fulfillment of Nazirite vow – Num 6: 14-15.

 

V. 25: Paul is informed about the apostolic decree, seemingly for the first time (15:13-35) – Decree was suggested by James. According to this decree, nothing is imposed upon Gentile Christians in respect to Mosaic law. Whereas the decree instructs Gentile Christians of mixed communities to abstain from meats sacrificed to idols and from blood-meats and to avoid marriage within forbidden degrees of consanguinity and affinity (Lev 18) all of which practices were especially abhorrent to Jews. Luke seems to have telescoped. Luke shows that Paul did not turn Christian Jews away from what they had taken on as Jews.

 

Did Paul tell non-Jews that they did not have to follow Jewish laws???

 

James distinguished between the obligations of Jewish and non-Jewish Christians, the four stipulations from Acts 15:20 and 15:29 recall the obligations of Gentile Christians who share community and meals with Jewish Christians.  For the ritual itself, compare 18:18 and the remarks there – At Cwncheae he had a haircut.

 

V. 33:  The cohort commander = literally, “the leader of a thousand in a cohort – usually led six hundred soldiers but the number varies.

 

Vv.  27:40: Jewish rioting against Paul in the Temple – Paul’s arrest.

Jews and Christians had surprising mobility in the first century. Roman peace (Law and order) made that possible. The charge of profaning the temple stirred up a riot among the Jerusalem Jews. Luke shows that the Jewish mob would have killed Paul if the Roman army had not intervened.

 

The mob’s cry, “away with him” (or kill him), is the same as the cry against Jesus when Pilate held him (Lk 23:18).

 

CHAPTER 21

 

             Acts 21:37 and 21:40-22:2: show that Paul was fluent both in Greek, the international language, and in Hebrew, the related Aramaic then spoken in Palestine. Luke may be combining several uprisings in this account, but his main is clear: Roman officials recognized that Paul and the Christians did not rebel against Rome.

 

 

 

A BRIEF REVIEW (Chs. 20 – 22)

1.     What is the difference between the terms “breaking of Bread” in 20:7 and 20:11(see Acts 2:42-46)

 One is the Lord’s Supper in worship (20:7; 2:42) second is a common meal (20:11; 2:46)

2.     What is the name of the young man that Paul raised him from death? (20:9)

3.     How did the Holy Spirit tell Paul he would be bound at Jerusalem (21:10-11)

4.     What was the problem that James was concerned about Paul? (21:20-25)

5.     Thousands of Jews believed that he taught anti-Moses, not to be circumcised, nor to keep customs??

6.     What did Paul do to convince Jews? (21:26)

7.     Who rescued Paul from being beaten? (21:3      1-40)

8.     How did Paul use his Roman Citizenship? (22:25-29)

9.     Who was the teacher of Paul? (22:3)

10.  Where Paul's nephew, his sister's son, is mentioned in Acts? (23:16)

11.  Did Paul preach anti-Mosaic Law, and why did he do it? (21:17-26)

12.  What do we learn from 23:21B???

 

 

 

 

BIBLE STUDY: An Introduction to The Acts of the Apostles (Lesson 7 – November 5, 2024) Chs.: 16-19

 

An Introduction to The Acts of the Apostles

(Lesson 7 – November 5, 2024) Chs.: 16-19

Chapter 16

 

Vv 1-5 (3)

o   Paul circumcised Timothy not because he needed it for salvation but only “on account of       the Jews of that region. He was a son of a mixed marriage – a Jewish mother + Greek father created a stumbling block to win Jews.

o   The last mention of the original twelve apostles in Acts. He begins to show Paul’s missionary activities from now on.

Vv 6-10

o   God’s Spirit uses many means to guide Christians.

o   “We” first person plural and not “he” or “they” (vv 20: 5-6; 20:13-14) refer not Paul but his companions.

Vv. 11-15: The First city in Europe that Paul evangelized was Philippi in Macedonia.

o   Christians did not usually begin from scratch trying to convert pagans. But in Athens it was Pagans.

o   Lydia in the letter to Philippians, a wealthy business woman hosted Christians for their worship in her house (16:40); Cornelius, the Jailer at Philippi (16:33) and Crispus in Corinth (18:8) – whole household was converted.. including children were Baptized.

o   It is the evidence for the beginning of infant baptism – as Jews circumcised infants and raised them to be Jews. So the Christian children to be Christians.

Vv. 16-24 at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Luke’s Gospel

o   A  demon-filled man named Jesus identified as Christ and son of God until he silenced them (4:33-35), similarly, the Philippian girl with the occult spirit identified Paul and the missionaries as “Servants of the Most High God”.

o   Acts clearly shows that the charge against Paul and Silas was false. They were not disturbing the peace or Greco-Roman customs but had angered the owners of some of the slave girls by taking away their source of income.

o   The magistrate had ordered Paul and Silas to be stripped and beaten with rods, which Paul suffered three times (1 Cor 11:25) – 1 Thess 2:2 might be referring to this incident as “humiliation we had at Philippi”.

 

Chapter 17

 

   Vv 1-9 – Paul is trying that Jesus was the Messiah.

o   It is the work of the Acts and Luke

o   But eventually, Luke’s argument led to Christian apologetics, which is the rational explanation of Christan faith in the face of opposition. Luke certainly sees no contradiction between faith and reason. He is not afraid to use reason to explain and defend his faith.

o   Jewish resentment in the mixed group of faithful in Paul’s mission is seen in the PRODIGAL SON.

Vv.10-15 Paul in Beroea:

o   about fifty miles southwest of Thessalonica (in modern Freece) these Jews were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica in accepting the Word of God. 

o   Letter to the Thessalonians confirms that the Church there was able to endure without Paul. Another pattern in Acts is how Jewish hostility was so deep that Jews followed Paul long distances to cause him trouble in the next city – hostility toward Paul rather than Timothy and Silas.

Vv. 16-34 Confrontation with Greek Philosophers at Athens  with popular philosophers.

o   Luke tends to parallel Epicureans with Sadducees, and Stoics with Pharisees. Stoics believed in gods and natural law. And Sadducees like Epicureans ignored gods.

o   In the first century Roman Empire, many new religions and cults were spreading, especially from the East. Paul might well seem to be promoting another eastern god like that of Jesus and Anastasis (GK resurrection sounded like a name of goddess) which was not tasty to Athens.

 

Chapter 18

 

   Vv. 1-11 Paul found a church in Corinth.

o   He meets Aquilla and his wife Priscilla in Corinth (they are co-workers of Paul – Rom 16:3-5; 1 Cor 16:19; and 2 Tim 4:19).

o   They had the business same as Paul i.e., tent making.

o   Although Acts mentions only his teaching on the Sabbath in the synagogue, he was believed to have preached while tentmaking.

Vv. 18:5 But when Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, they changed this style and devoted themselves totally to preaching.

o   He was supported by churches in Macedonia, by the money they brought.

Vv.6 “Your blood be on your heads!” =33:4 is a reference to Jew’s responsibility for their responsibility for their refusal to believe – deciding to take the Gospel to the Gentiles.

o   So, moves from the synagogue to the neighboring house of Titus Justus. Converts Crispus with his whole household (1 Cor 1:14)

Vv. 9-10 Jesus appears to Paul – “I have many people in this city” – refers to Gentiles.

Vv12-17 Gallio refuses to Judge between Paul and the Jews (AD 51-52)

o   The Roman magistrate found nothing in Christianity to condemn despite the accusation of Jews,

o   The story ends with the humorous story beating of Sosthenes, implying that the Jews turned on their leader in frustration.

Vv 18-23 Return to Antioch and begin the third Journey. Paul’s voyage from Corinth, hundreds of miles back to Antioch in Syria.

§  Acts maintains to show that Paul remained a practicing Jew.

§  It mentions shaving his head according to the Nazirite vow (Num 6:1-21). Unspecified vow. These Nazarite vows have expired (1 Mac 3:49).

§  PAUL’S journey in Jerusalem: The Third Journey: Acts 18: 24-21:14

Vv 18:24-19-7 Apollos, Priscilla and Aquilla, and Paul at Ephesus

o   Although there are points for questions in these stories, the main point is that Paul’s followers corrected the teaching of Apollos.

o   The extraordinary miracles through Paul in Acts 19:11-12 parallel those of Peter in 5:12-16. People try to them or grab some article of their clothing, despite all their efforts to get people to focus on God and not on them.

o   Some exorcists tried to use Jesus’ name magically but Luke mocks them. And they repented for their magical practices and burned their magic books - without submitting or surrendering to Jesus.

Vv 19:21-22 Pastoral planning and Teamwork.

o   Paul habitually sent disciples ahead or had them stay behind to prepare or finish his work. It shows a similarity between how Jesus and Paul used disciples to help in their mission.

Vv 19:23-40 Riot of the idol makers and silversmiths. The idle makers’ fear of financial loss caused the riot, just as monetary loss angered the owners of the slave girl who prophesied in 16:18-21.

o   It happens very well in the world and in the churches too.

 

 

A Brief Review (Acts 16:19)

 

1.     What things are said about Timothy? Acts 16:1-2

2.     Who forbade them to preach in Asia and Bithania? 16:6-7

3.     Who would the household include? (16:15)

4.     How did Paul drive out the demon from the slave girl? (16:18)

5.     What did the jailor request from Paul and Silas (16:30)

6.     What was Paul trying to convince in Thessalonica? (17:3)

7.     Why the Jews in Beroea were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica? (17:11b)

8.     Read 17: 26-27……………….

9.     What did the Lord say to Paul in a vision? (18:9)

10.  Why Sosthenes was seized and beaten? (18:17)

11.  How did Paul do with the people who were baptized with the Baptism of John? (19:3-5)

12.  Why was the riot of Silversmith? (19:27)

13.  Who was Apollos? (18:24-25)

14.  What did the town clerk say to the Ephesians? (19:35-36)

15.  What are the missionary journeys of Paul {(Acts 13–14) (Acts 16:23–20:38) (Acts 18:23–20:38)}