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February 26th, 2022

2/26/2022

This Sunday is the Last Sunday in the Epiphany season, the Sunday which is called ‘The Transfiguration of Our Lord’. The transfiguration is the last, great epiphany, that great manifestation of Jesus, before he makes his way to Jerusalem and the cross, and that ‘movement’ will be the focus during Lent. The Epistle for this Sunday is from Hebrews [3:1-6], and the text starts out by calling Jesus both an apostle and a high priest. In other words, he was sent to do something very important, and his manifestation on the mountain where he was transfigured helps to make that point (and the unique emphasis on ‘glory’ in the Gospel according to Luke within the gospel reading [Luke 9:28-36] also emphasizes the ramifications and great significance of the event, in preparation for the tremendous significance of Christianity in the Book of Acts).

Recently I have been writing about how Christianity was spoken against in the book of Acts. And in response to those words AGAINST Christianity, Acts 26 contains another defense IN SUPPORT OF Christianity. This happens to be the last of the lengthy speeches. After this, there will only be a few words here and there. This speech, therefore, is very important.

The following is St. Paul’s case before King Agrippa, his wife, Bernice, and a few others—commanders and the chief men of the city (see Acts 25:23). There are MANY ways in which this case COULD have been summarized, and this follows a typical line of defense, laying out what happened, especially the important evidence, and usually stating one’s innocence—although that word or words connected to it never occur within this speech. St. Paul, in this speech, has his focus on something else.

To help see a structure behind the speech, and not giving it the task of simply conveying information, this speech will be given in a somewhat-literal translation. What makes this speech difficult to follow is that it is an EXTREMELY long speech. You may wish to break it up into parts as you read it, or you may pick an easier translation to read first—or instead! The following is Acts 26:2-23. And I hope that it is not too distracting that some words which I will be pointing out later are given in bold print here:

Concerning all things of which I am being accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate [this could be translated as ‘happy’; this is the same word as in the beatitudes, usually translated there as ‘blessed’] being about to make a defense before you today; especially since you of all, being knowledgeable among Jews, of both the customs and questions [or ‘controversies’]; therefore, I beg you, patiently to hear me.

Then, the way of my life from youth, from the beginning, having been in my nation, and in Jerusalem, all the Jews know, previously knowing me from the first, if they are willing to witness, that according to the most exact sect [literally, ‘heresy’] of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.

And now on hope of the promise to our fathers, having happened by God, I stand, being judged, to which our twelve tribes, in earnestness, night and day worshipping, they hope to arrive; concerning which hope I am accused by Jews, king.

Why unbelievable it is judged by you [all] if God raises dead persons?
Then, I indeed, thought to myself, toward the name of Jesus of Nazareth, it was necessary to do many things contrary; which also I did in Jerusalem, and also many of the saints I shut up in prisons, [and] from the chief priests, having received authority, and them being killed, I cast a vote.

And throughout all the synagogues, many times punishing them, I compelled [them] to blaspheme; exceedingly and being furious against them, I pursued until even into the outside cities.

In which, journeying into Damascus with authority and decision-power of the chief priests, at mid-day, along the way, I saw, king, from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining around me, a light, also those journeying with me.

And we, all, having fallen down to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Hard for you to kick against the goads.’

And I said, ‘Who are you, lord?’

And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But, rise up, and stand on your feet; for I appeared to you for this, to appoint you an attendant and a witness of what both you saw me and what I will appear to you, rescuing you from the people and from the nations, into whom I am sending you, to open their eyes, and to turn from darkness into light and the authority of Satan to God, that they receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among the ones sanctified by faith into Me.’

From which, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision; but to those in Damascus first, and also Jerusalem, and to all the country of Judea, and to the nations, I proclaimed to repent and to turn to God, doing works worthy of the repentance.

Because of these things, Jews, having seized me, being in the temple, tried to lay hands on me [to kill me]. Then help, having obtained from God, until this day, I have stood, witnessing to both small and great, saying nothing apart from saying the things which both the prophets said, being about to happen, and Moses, if the Christ is subject to suffering, if first by a resurrection of dead persons, he is about to announce light to both people and to the nations.

St. Paul describes his conversion experience elsewhere (see Acts 9:1-19; 22:6-16), and there are some interesting details given here. Some people have taken the time to compare the retelling of this experience to those previously in Acts. But the way in which St. Paul related all of the above events, and not just his conversion experience, that seems to be a bit more interesting.

There are some additional things that may point to a helpful theme within that long defense. St. Paul could have said some things in a much simpler manner (and I should add here that having to translate this was not easy). And saying those extra things, St. Paul certainly did add to the speech, but they also gave a reminder of what was important.

There seems to be a progression within the speech from the word ‘day’ to the word ‘light’. And the reverse progression happens on the first day of creation. And if one does not take into account the mentions of ‘day’ when this speech was given, the words ‘day’ and ‘light’ happen at somewhat regular intervals within the speech. [To give some exact numbers, the following is from the Greek of the Fifth Revised Edition of The Greek New Testament, published in 2014.]

Start of speech                        97 words
‘day’ (v. 7)                               1 word
Continuation…                         94 words
‘day’, ‘sun’, and ‘light’ (v. 13) 16 words between (and including) ‘day’ and ‘light’
Continuation…                         94 words
‘light’ (v. 18)                            1 word
Continuation…                         109 words
‘light’ (v. 23)                            1 word
End of speech                         8 words
TOTAL # OF WORDS                421

This somewhat-evenly spaced mention of ‘light’ and its related words could, of course, be a coincidence, but I think that everyone would agree that light is an important thing. (And one would probably also agree that both St. Paul was a great speaker and St. Luke was a great writer.) And the one occurrence of the three-fold emphasis above in verse thirteen is the retelling of the time that Jesus appeared to St. Paul on the road to Damascus, and that was literally a life-changing experience for him. (And there were witnesses to testify as to what happened on that special day.) And the light that was created on the first day of creation was also significant—although there was not much around that was created yet to appreciate such an important thing.

Where would we be without light? Where would we be without God? Where would we be without such a Savior?

Those questions are important, and they make people think. And that is pretty much what King Agrippa had to do. The interesting reaction of Festus to St. Paul’s speech was that his great learning was driving him mad (Acts 26:24). St. Paul is not very distracted by that accusation, but he wants to focus on what the King thinks about the prophets and this Jesus (26:26-27). And it is certainly not a bad thing to think about these things.

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February 19th, 2022

2/19/2022

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This Sunday is the Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany, and we are getting very close to the end of the Epiphany season. The Epistle Reading is again from 1 Corinthians [15:21-26, 30-42], and we are continuing to see how, in the past, Christianity was spoken against in some very important places. St. Paul was arrested in Jerusalem, and in that important city, by some powerful people, Christianity was being put down. And Paul is getting closer to making his trip to the extremely important city of Rome (see Acts 19:21). Will anyone else say something positive about Christianity?

After the arrest of St. Paul, and after his insistence that he did not sin against the law, the temple, or against Caesar, he then appeals to Caesar (Acts 25:8, 11). And this seems to be an excellent way to make his start toward Rome. But before Paul leaves on his boat trip to Rome, he will make his case before King Agrippa and his wife Bernice. A king is obviously an important person, even with an emperor. Paul will have an important (and long) defense to make before him, and we will look at that next week.

This time we will be looking at the words of the new governor, Festus, and his perspective of the situation. The somewhat-literal translation will begin at Acts 25:14.

And as [King Agrippa and Bernice] stayed there more days, Festus set out the things regarding Paul to the King, saying, “There is a certain man, having been left before by Felix, a prisoner, about whom, on my being in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders for the Jews informed, asking against him a sentence [of condemnation]; toward whom I answered that it is not a custom with Romans to grant [this is connected to the word for ‘grace’] any man, before the one being accused, against his face, should have the accusers place [i.e., opportunity] and receive an apology [i.e., defense] concerning the charge. Therefore, they coming together, here, having made no delay, on the next one [i.e., day] sitting on the tribunal, I commanded the man to be brought; concerning whom, the accusers standing, brought no charge of things which I suspected evil, but certain questions concerning their own demon worship [i.e., religion], they had with him and concerning a certain Jesus, having died, whom Paul asserted to live. And being perplexed concerning this, a searching, I said if he wished to go into Jerusalem and there to be judged concerning these things. But Paul, having appealed, himself to be kept into the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept until I may send him up toward Caesar.”

It may be helpful to read the above verses (25:14-21) in other translations. What comes across is that this is an unusually fair perspective to the current situation of Paul.

The next day, before King Agrippa and his wife, and others, and this includes St. Paul, Festus makes this presentation, and he also gives another fair summary (and what follows is also in a somewhat-literal translation, starting at Acts 25:24; it should be noted that the importance and what the whole problem ‘boils down to’ is shown by starting out this talk with a historical present, to introduce this important perspective, ‘And Festus SAYS….’):

“King Agrippa and all those men, present together with us, you are beholding this one about whom all the multitude of the Jews pleaded with me in both Jerusalem and here, crying out that it is not necessary, him to live longer. But I having perceived nothing worthy of death he had done, but he himself, this one appealing to Augustus, I decided to send. Concerning whom certain I have nothing to write to the lord; so I brought forth him before you all and, most of all, before you, King Agrippa, so as there, having been an examination, I may have what I write; for it seems unreasonable to me, sending a prisoner, not also the against him, to signify charges.”

There is a wide range of things covered here (Acts 25:24-27). There are Jews that are saying that this person must die. That idea of necessity has been prominent throughout Luke-Acts (see Luke 2:49; Acts 17:3). And Festus is saying that he does not know of a charge that would deserve death for this man.

This is, quite literally, a life-and-death situation. But perhaps a better name for it is a death-and-life situation. St. Paul does not seem put off by the fact that he might be killed. And Jesus was the same way. They were both on the same side—along with the Christians today who are being persecuted for the Faith.

Jesus said things that were different. His words continue to ring true, even after his death and resurrection. Jesus SAYS things that are different.

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February 12th, 2022

2/12/2022

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This Sunday is the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany. And last week we looked at how, in the book of Acts, the last three uses of that important word ‘grace’ was, in a way, changed to a ‘favor’, and, more specifically, a favor with the hope that this ‘troublemaker’, St. Paul, would die. In a similar way, in a couple of weeks we will be looking at how St. Paul’s detailed boat trip to Rome may be compared to the uneasy life of the Christian Church. We are all on a significant journey, with some ‘hardships’ along the way (pun intended).

We have been seeing how Christianity has been spoken against in different ways, and we also have been seeing how Christians have responded to these accusations. The Epistle Reading for this Sunday continues to be in 1 Corinthians [15:12-20], and the difficulties that those early Christians were going through were many. And so, very appropriately, the good news that comes from Jesus Christ was given to them in many ways. This time it concerns the resurrection of the body, and this good news is also appropriate for Christians today.

In Acts 25, the new governor, Festus, agreed to go to Caesarea in a short while and hear the accusations regarding Paul, to see if there is ‘in the man, anything out of place’ (25:5, a somewhat-literal translation). The text then goes into slightly more detail, although much is summarized within these few words: ‘And when [Paul] arrived, the Jews, having come down from Jerusalem, stood around him, bringing against him many and heavy charges, which they did not have the power to prove (25:7, again, a somewhat-literal translation).’

The defense of St. Paul at this point is quite clear—and is quite significant—within the text (and this is also a somewhat-literal translation). Paul, defending himself: ‘Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar I sinned (25:8).’
Translators usually put the fact that St. Paul says he did not sin early within the sentence. And that certainly makes sense. But given the order of the actual words of the original text, there is a triple emphasis on what St. Paul had not sinned against, and the first of those things is ‘the law of the Jews’. And this is a significant phrase since it appears nowhere else in the New Testament.

Now, certainly, the word ‘law’ appears in many places. And, of course, the word ‘Jew’ also appears in many places. And there are certainly some phrases that come close to these two things when they are together. But the phrase ‘the law of the Jews’ is unique, and, therefore, much could be said about it.

It will be helpful to see the use of the ‘base’ word, the law, before (and after) this text. Here comes another instance where you could look up the following passages in another translation. The translations below are also somewhat literal. And often some words have been added to make it helpful to know what is going on and, more importantly, to help clarify what is understood by the word ‘law’. Some of the phrases below are closer to the phrase ‘law of the Jews’ than others, and sometimes the order of the words is very telling. The Jews are important, the temple is certainly important, and certainly Caesar is also important. But, again, the word law is first. (To help find the word, since some of the quotations are quite long and contain the word more than once, when it is simply the word for ‘law’, that word will be capitalized within the following sentences.)

6:13     And [some people who hated Stephen] stood false witnesses, saying, ‘This man ceases not, speaking words against the place of this holiness and the LAW.’

7:53     This is the very end of Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin: ‘[You are those] who received the LAW by the ordinances of angels, and you did not guard it.’

13:15   St. Paul is about to give a word of exhortation at the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch, and there was first the ‘… reading of the LAW and of the prophets…’.

13:38f St. Paul, in his word of exhortation, just brought up Jesus’ death and resurrection. And then he says this: ‘Therefore, let it be known to you, men, brothers, that through this one, to you, forgiveness of sins is announced, and from all things of which you could not, in the LAW of Moses, be justified, in this one, all who believe are justified.’

15:5     ‘But some of the ones from the ‘heresy’ of the Pharisees, having believed, stood forth, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise [the Gentiles] and to charge them to keep the LAW of Moses.”

18:12ff And Galileo, being proconsul of Achaia, the Jews set upon, with one mind, Paul, and they led him to the tribunal, saying ‘Against the LAW, this one urges the men to worship God.’ And Paul, being about to open the mouth, Galileo said to the Jews, ‘If indeed it was some crime or villainy evil, O Jews, according to the word I would endure you. But if it is questions concerning a word and names and LAW—the one according to you—you will see yourselves. I do not intend to be judge of these things.’

21:20… And [the Christian leaders] hearing [Paul’s report], they glorified God and said to him, ‘You are beholding, brother, how many thousands there are in the Jews, having believed, and all are zealots of the LAW. And they were informed about you, that you are teaching apostasy from Moses, throughout the nations, all the Jews, telling them not to circumcise the children nor to walk in the customs. What, therefore, is it? At all they will hear that you have come. Therefore, do this which we tell you: There are to us four men, having a vow upon themselves. These, taking, be purified with them, and spend on them that they will shave the head, and all will know that things of which they have been informed about you, there is nothing, but you also walk, you yourself guarding the LAW….’ And as the seven days [of purification] were about to be fulfilled, the Jews from Asia, beholding him in the temple, stirred up all the crowd, and they laid on him their hands, crying out: ‘Men, Israelites, help! This is the man, the one against the people and the LAW and this place, teaching all everywhere, and even also Greeks he brought into the temple and has made common this holy place.’ For they were, having previously seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, in the city with him, whom they supposed that Paul brought into the temple.

22:3… Paul has this to say at the beginning of his defense before the Jews in Jerusalem: ‘I am a man, a Jew, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and having been brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, having been trained according to the exactness of the paternal LAW, being a zealot of God, just as all you yourselves are today…. Later in his defense, he describes Ananias as, ‘a man, devout, according to the LAW, being witnessed by all the Jews dwelling there….’

23:3     Then Paul said to [Ananias, the high priest, after he had commanded Paul to be struck], ‘God is about to strike you, whitened wall, and you sit, judging me according to the LAW, and, contravening law, do you command me to be struck?’

23:29   This is part of the commander’s letter to Felix, the current governor at the time: ‘I found him being accused about questions of their LAW, but having a charge, not worthy of death or of shackles.

24:14   Paul’s defense before Felix included this statement: ‘But I confess this to you, that according to “The Way”, which they say “a heresy”, thus I worship the paternal God, believing all the things according to the LAW and the things in the prophets, having been written….’

25:8     [SEE ABOVE]

28:23   Right after it is said by the Jews in Rome that Christianity is ‘everywhere spoken against’ (Acts 28:22), the following is said: ‘And arranging with [Paul] a day, they came to him into the lodging many, to whom he set forth, solemnly witnessing the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus from both the LAW of Moses and the prophets, from morning until evening.’

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February 5th, 2022

2/5/2022

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This Sunday is the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany. The Epistle Reading continues to move on with 1 Corinthians [14:12b-20], and we continue to see how Christianity is being spoken against [see Acts 28:22] in the book of Acts.

Last week we looked at Governor Felix’s reaction to Christianity, and it was an interesting one. He had heard about faith in Christ, about righteousness, about self-control, and about the coming judgment, and his response was one of fear. Yet it was not a significant amount of fear that would lead him to repentance and faith, since he not only gave the excuse that he was busy, but he still wanted to be paid off by Paul [Acts 24:24-26].

People like to make up their own rules, their own ideas of right and wrong. And it follows, after their own ideas of what is good and bad, that people like to make up their own version of law and gospel, of bad news and good news. In the end, people like to justify themselves, to make themselves look good.

Christianity ended up using some good words that were already being used in other ways. The word ‘grace’ is a good example. Given the importance of the word ‘grace’ in the New Testament, it is interesting to see how it started to be used within the New Testament. It can be understood in a different way, depending on its context. It is essentially connected to the word for ‘what delights [see Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, volume 9; Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: Eerdmans Publishing, page 373]’, and sometimes in a less-Christian context, it can mean ‘favor’ instead of ‘grace’. After all, the world is not used to a gift with no strings attached.

The last verse of the previous chapter relates that Felix want to show ‘favors’ to the Jews, and so he left Paul in prison [Acts 24:27]. Festus is now the new governor in Caesarea. And the high priest and the ‘first ones of the Jews’ made a statement against Paul. It is interesting that they also ask for a ‘favor’ against Paul, that he might be sent to Jerusalem, so that he could be killed along the way [Acts 25:3]. A similar idea is repeated just a little bit later in the chapter [Acts 25:9, in a somewhat-literal translation]: ‘But Festus, wishing to show the Jews a “favor”, answered Paul and said: “Do you wish, going up to Jerusalem, to be judged before me concerning these things?”’

Either translation of ‘favor’ or ‘grace’, at the root of it is a good thing. And the very best things that are good ultimately come from our gracious-giver God. And it may be helpful to see the use of this word elsewhere in the Acts of the Apostles. There are, by the way, no uses of this word in the Gospel according to Matthew or the Gospel according to Mark, and the word appears only three times in the Gospel according to John (in 1:14, 16, & 17). In what follows, only a minimal amount of the text is given, only enough to give you an idea of the word’s use. You may wish to look them up in another translation. And the translations here are somewhat literal. And hopefully they will direct you to something that is extremely good.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE:

1:30     And the angel said to her: ‘Fear not, Mary; for you have found favor with God.’

2:40     And the child grew and became strong, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

2:52     And Jesus progressed in wisdom and stature and favor before God and men.

4:22     And all bore witness to him and marveled at the words of grace proceeding out of his mouth….

6:32, 33, 34     …what favor is there to you?

17:9     Does he not have favor to the slave because he did the things commanded?

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES:

2:47     They were praising God and having favor with all the people.

4:33     And with great power the apostles gave the testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

6:8       And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

7:10     And [God] rescued him out of all his afflictions, and he gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh.

7:46     [David] found favor before God and asked to find a tent for the house of Jacob.

11:23   [Barnabas], arriving and seeing the grace of God, rejoiced….

13:43   And when the synagogue was broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

14:3     Therefore, [Paul and Barnabas] continued speaking boldly a considerable time regarding the Lord, witnessing to the word of his grace….

14:26   [Paul and Barnabas] were having been commended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

15:11   But through the grace of the Lord Jesus, we believe that we will be saved in the same way as those also.

15:40   But Paul, having chosen Silas, went out, being commended to the grace of the Lord by the brothers.

18:27   And he intended to go through into Achaia, being encouraged, the brothers wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and having arrived, he contributed much to the ones having believed through the grace.

20:24   But on the contrary, I make account of nothing, nor do I make my life precious to myself, so I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus is solemnly witnessed, the gospel of the grace of God.

20:32   And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, being able to build up and to give the inheritance among all the ones having been sanctified.

24:27, 25:3, & 25:9 [SEE ABOVE]

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