Superior Word Daily Devotional on the Book of Acts

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:8

Thursday, February 9th, 2023




And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. Acts 14:8


Upon arrival in the cities of Lycaonia of Lystra and Derbe, Paul and Barnabas were preaching the gospel there. With that noted, Luke continues with the words, “And in Lystra.”



The events that will now take place in Lystra are surely what Paul refers to, being remembered by him many years later when he wrote his second letter to Timothy –



“But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.” 2 Timothy 3:10, 11



Timothy would have known these things because this is the general area he came from, as will be noted in Acts 16 –



“Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. 2 He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.” Acts 16:1, 2



There it says Timothy was a disciple, and so he was probably converted during the events of Acts 14. As for the events at Lystra, the details begin with the next words, saying, “a certain man without strength.”



The word is adunatos. It signifies “without power,” and it is quite often translated as “impossible.” At times it is used concerning Christians whose faith is not yet very firm. In this case, it is a man who had no power “in his feet.”



In other words, there was a disconnect between his brain and the feet which left him without any power of locomotion in that regard. This is further explained by the next words that say he “was sitting.”



The verb is imperfect, thus denoting a regular and continued state. He was helpless in this regard and thus sat while life went on around him. The reason for his helpless state is that he was in this condition all his life, being “a cripple from his mother’s womb.”



This is the same condition, using the same word, chólos, as the man who was healed by the Lord through Peter and John in Acts 3 –



“And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple.” Acts 3:2



In this state, even from before his birth, Luke next notes that he was one “who had never walked.” The words are not said of the man in Acts 3, but they are implied to some extent. There, it said that he was carried to the temple each day to beg. In Acts 4:22, he was then noted to be over forty years old.



Walking is a real thing that people do, and it is also a metaphor commonly used in Scripture to speak of one’s conduct before the Lord. One of many examples of this would be Ephesians 2 –



“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” Ephesians 2:1-3 –



As this is so, we can guess that metaphor is being conveyed in these two men. The man of Israel was over forty and had to be carried. EW Bullinger defines the number as “a period of probation, trial, and chastisement—(not judgment, like the number 9, which stands in connection with the punishment of enemies, but the chastisement of sons, and of a covenant people). It is the product of 5 and 8, and points to the action of grace (5), leading to and ending in revival and renewal (8).”



This is an exacting description of Israel. Like the Jew in Acts 3 who was healed after forty years of life, they have always been in a state of probation, trial, and chastisement. During this entire time, they have been carried by the Lord because they could not properly walk before Him. Their conduct has been defiled. And yet, He has preserved them and will heal them as a nation someday.



Likewise, the Gentile in Acts 14 has also been lame from birth, never having walked. And yet, the Lord will now be attentive to him through the ministry of Paul and Barnabas.



The care of Luke to document these relevant facts is to be noted. Through his meticulous writings, the state of things among both the Jews and the Gentiles is clearly and precisely detailed for us to see patterns develop. These then provide an explanation for the expansion of the church beyond Israel and into the rest of the world.



Life application: The history of Israel is one of being called by God, accepting that call, imperfectly living life with the Lord, and then eventually rejecting Him. And yet, despite the rejection, there is the promise of being called back to the Lord and wholly restored someday.



It is a pattern that speaks of the eternal salvation of Israel, despite their personal failings and apostasies. If people can come to the realization that national Israel is being given as a template for individual salvation, there would never be a question in their minds about the doctrine of eternal security.



Man is called by God when the gospel is preached. Those who accept the gospel are saved. Even in their salvation, they live imperfect lives before the Lord. Some are even dismissed from the congregation, or they walk away from Him entirely. For examples of this, refer to 1 Corinthians 5:4, 5; 1 Timothy 1:18-20; and 2 Peter 1:9.



There are those who are to be cast out of the church for wholly inappropriate behavior, there are those whose feet get so far off the path that their faith is shipwrecked, and there are those who are cleansed from their past sins and yet have forgotten it was so. Despite these things, the Bible teaches that they have been saved and they will not lose that state, even if their earthly lives face incredibly unhappy times.



Israel was handed over to their own depraved ways for judgment. And yet, the Lord has kept them as a people and has brought them back to the land of Israel to restore them to Himself. This is just what Paul says is to happen to the wayward man in 1 Corinthians 5. This state of eternal security is not because either Israel or that man deserves it, but because God has spoken it. It is His name that is on the line, and so He will perform. He says this explicitly in Ezekiel 36 –



“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.”’” Ezekiel 36:22



If you are somehow convinced that a person can lose his salvation, you are in error. Your understanding of the character of God, the eternal nature of His decrees, and the sacredness of His covenant-keeping are deficient. Look to Israel with the right eyes and your faulty view of these things will be corrected.



O God, our minds are often confused about what You are doing and why. And this isn’t because we have not been given the information to figure it out. Instead, it is there to understand. But we have biases, presuppositions, and a failure to fully explore Your word. Help us to be more attentive to what You are telling us in this precious word. In this, we will have a confident and settled walk before You all our days. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:9

Friday, February 10th, 2023


This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, Acts 14:9




The verbs of the verse are not well translated. The verse should read, “This man heard Paul speaking, who having looked intently at him and having seen that he has faith to be saved” (CG). This will be used for the commentary.



The previous verse said that “in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting.” He was noted as a cripple from birth who had never walked. With that, the narrative continues, saying, “This man heard Paul speaking.”



The tense of the word translated as “heard” varies in manuscripts. Some have it as an aorist verb, some as an imperfect verb, and so on. Either way, the crippled man listened to Paul as he was speaking, probably on several separate occasions. Paul noticed this, probably realizing that the man was truly and attentively focused on what was being said. In response to the heartfelt focus toward what he was saying, it next says of Paul, “who having looked intently at him.”



Just because the man was a cripple, Paul did not neglect focusing on him. Rather, it probably captured his attention even more, realizing that the man was truly convicted in his heart at what he had been hearing. Because of this, Paul returned a fixed and focused attention on him as he sat there. With his eyes having so alighted upon him, it next says, “and having seen that he has faith.”



The words here must be taken in the context of what has been said. Before this man was introduced in the previous verse, it said, “And they were preaching the gospel there.” Paul and Barnabas were not carrying out a healing ministry. Rather, they were preaching the gospel concerning Jesus. This is key to understanding what the man’s thoughts must have been.



Paul was speaking about the salvation that comes through the finished work of Christ. He could tell that the man understood his words and accepted them as truth. This is faith. That faith then led to him believing the message in his heart. This can be deduced from the words “that he has faith.”



Faith and belief are not the same thing in the Bible. Concerning the difference, HELPS Word Studies provides these words –



“Faith (4102/pistis) involves belief but it goes beyond human believing because it involves the personal revelation (inworking) of God. Faith is always God’s work. Our believing has eternal meaning when it becomes ‘faith-believing’ by the transforming grace of God.



Reflection: Demons believe (and shudder) . . . but they do not have (experience) faith!”



The account of this man tells us that he had faith. But it is faith in what? Some commentaries cite similar examples in the gospels, such as –



“For she said to herself, ‘If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.’ 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, ‘Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was made well from that hour.” Matthew 9:21, 22



“And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’

They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith let it be to you.’” Matthew 9:28, 29



These and other similar accounts clearly indicate that the people anticipated healing. This is because this was an expected indicator of the ministry of the Messiah. The idea of being saved from sin was not what they were thinking of. Rather, they were considering physical restoration whether they were considering the issue of sin or not.



On the other hand, Paul and Barnabas are proclaiming the gospel which focused first and foremost on the issue of sin, from which man needed healing. As such, commentaries and translations need to consider this when presenting the final words of the verse, which say that he had faith “to be saved.”



The Greek word is sózó. It can mean saved, heal, preserve, rescue, make whole, etc. The context will determine what the meaning is. For example, in the account of Matthew 9:21, 22 above, the woman was clearly anticipating physical healing. On the other hand, the word is used in Matthew 27:42 where it twice says, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save.”



In that, it is not speaking of healing, but of saving one’s physical life. The scribes and elders may have been thinking of Lazarus or another person who was saved from physical death, and yet, there Jesus hung supposedly unable to save himself. In Acts 2:21, Peter spoke to Israel at Pentecost and said –



“And it shall come to pass

That whoever calls on the name of the Lord

Shall be saved.”



Peter then went on to explain that those words from the prophet Joel were anticipating salvation from sin and the saving of one’s soul. It is this, not physical healing, that Paul and Barnabas were proclaiming, meaning the gospel. Hence, rather than having faith to be healed, the translation should say the man had faith “to be saved.”



What happens afterward in his physical healing is only a bonus to the salvation from sin that he experienced. This is quite different from what occurred with the man in Acts 3. Peter and John spoke to the man but never mentioned anything about the gospel or cleansing from sin. That may have occurred later, but it was not a part of what Luke recorded. Rather, the healing was first and foremost a physical one.



To understand the difference more fully, go back and read the Acts 3:16 commentary. In short, in Acts 3, it was not the man’s faith that healed him. Instead, Peter and John healed him based on “the faith” which is established by Jesus Christ. One might say, “The church is established upon the faith found in (as the basis of) the name of Jesus.”



In the account now in Acts 14, it is the man’s faith in the gospel, leading to belief, that has saved him from sin. In his commentary on these words concerning this crippled man, Albert Barnes says –



“He had heard Paul, and perhaps the apostle had dwelt particularly on the miracles with which the gospel had been attested. The miracles performed also in Iconium had doubtless also been heard of in Lystra.”



There is nothing in the account to substantiate this. The only thing said is that these men preached the gospel. This man heard, believed, and the door to salvation was opened to him. As a witness to this, the events that will follow are then recorded. The physical healing is only a sign of the more perfect spiritual healing that has occurred.



Life application: When talking to others about Jesus, in noticing their amount of attention based on how their eyes are fixed or their other facial responses, one can then adjust his approach and words, directing them accordingly.



This is what Paul did. He was speaking out the gospel, he noticed a man’s facial expressions, and he realized that the man had faith in what was being said. With that, he more fully directed his attention to that man.



Be attentive to such things. If you are not having an effect with your words, redirect them. There is one gospel, but there are many ways to present it. Keep working with your presentation to bring about understanding in your audience. Salvation might be just a few words away for those who are listening.



Lord God, thank You that You have offered us Jesus Christ as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. And more, You have given us the choice to believe or disbelieve. Your greatness is displayed in this. You do not force Yourself upon Your people but appeal to them, asking us to reason with You and do what is right. Thank You for this. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:10

Saturday, February 11th, 2023




said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. Acts 14:10




In the previous verse, it noted that Paul was observing the cripple as he spoke. As he did, he saw that he had faith to be saved. With that noted, Luke now records that he “said with a loud voice.”



This wasn’t just Paul stopping what he was doing and quietly walking over to the cripple and helping him up. There is no hint of physical contact as occurred with the cripple in Acts 3 –



“Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.’ 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” Acts 3:6, 7



Rather, Paul spoke the words of faith, “Stand up straight on your feet!” These were words of faith by Paul because he had to possess the faith necessary to proclaim them, being certain that the impulse within him was truly of the Spirit. In his exclamation, a new word to Scripture is introduced, orthos. It signifies straight as in upright. A different word eythos means straight horizontally.



The word will be seen only one more time, in Hebrews 12:13 where it will be used in a moral sense, referring to “straight paths.” The sense is “paths of moral uprightness.” As for the word itself, one can see the etymological root of our modern words such as orthodox, orthopedic, orthodontist, etc. Paul commands the man to go from his position of being crippled to being fully healed. With that, the narrative records the joyous words, “And he leaped and walked.”



Rather, the second verb is imperfect. He leaped up and was walking. There is the idea of continuance in the words. One can see the high level of excitement as he walked around on legs that had never done so before. It was an entirely new experience for him, and he soaked it in with each new step he took.



Life application: In the healing of this man, there is a hint of the doctrine of justification which occurs when one is saved, meaning by faith through grace. The man had faith to be saved, as the previous verse indicated. He was not vertically “straight” but was helpless and incapable of saving himself.



However, through faith in the message of Jesus, he was made morally straight. The sin, meaning the moral cause of his helpless state, was removed. At that moment, he was made straight, meaning morally upright. As noted above, the word is used that way in Hebrews 12 –



“Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight [orthos] paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:12, 13



At this time, the man was completely straightened out. Nothing was lacking in his ability to move about freely using feet that had never been used before. But more, the healing wasn’t just for a moment. Rather, with the use of the imperfect verb, the action continued. As nothing is recorded elsewhere to suggest that this man later went back to his former state, the imperfect nature of the action continues in our minds to this day.



In type, he is a person who has gone from being completely bound by sin (total depravity) to one who is completely free from sin (morally upright). This is the power of Christ in a person who has accepted the gospel.



Christ’s purification isn’t just something that partly cures. Rather, the scope of His healing is total. As this is so, we have yet another picture of eternal salvation. The man’s sin debt is paid for, he is brought to a state of restoration before God, and henceforth, he is no longer imputed sin (2 Corinthians 5:19). As this is so, the effect is total, it is continuous, and it is permanent.



If you have called on Jesus, believing the gospel, this man’s healing is a picture of what happened in your life. The depraved state has been replaced with one of moral purity. As this is so in how God sees you, there are a few things you can do:



Be assured that God’s perfect work is complete in you. Your salvation was secured, and it remains forever secured. BE CONFIDENT!

Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16) that God has saved you and perfectly healed you as you await the day of Christ’s coming for you. REJOICE!

Live in a manner worthy of your salvation. As you are deemed morally upright, live in a morally upright manner. WALK THE STRAIGHT PATH!

Tell others about the healing and the cleansing power of Christ in your life. You were a cripple from birth and now you are whole. TELL!

Do these things, and your life will be way more content than it would otherwise be. You are the redeemed of the Lord. Show it henceforth!



Lord God, we were broken and useless. And yet, through simple faith in Your gospel, we were saved, healed, and made whole. We can walk in liberty from this day forward. Help us never to return to the law which only brings a curse. Help us to be confident in our salvation, and help us to walk morally right before You each day. And, Lord, help us to open our mouths and tell others about what You have done. Thank You for Jesus who has brought about such a marvelous change in our lives! Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:11

Sunday, 12 February 2023



Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” Acts 14:11




The wording of the NKJV does not give the proper sense of the verse. It should more closely read, “And the crowds, having seen what Paul did, lifted up their voice, Lycaonially, saying, ‘The gods, having become like men, came down unto us’” (CG). This will be used to evaluate the verse.



In response to Paul’s authoritative words for the cripple at Lystra to stand up straight and walk, the man did just that. With that, the crowds were obviously amazed. As such, Luke records their reaction, saying, “And the crowds, having seen what Paul did.”



Paul was preaching the gospel to a crowd of indeterminate size. However, when people preach, there will be different levels of attention being paid by those in the area. Some may listen intently, some may be curious and listen while fiddling around with their children, and some may just be passing by without paying much attention. Therefore, the actual crowd in the area could have been larger than those closely heeding Paul’s words.



However, with Paul stopping his preaching, calling out to a cripple to be healed, and the cripple suddenly being healed, everyone would stop and observe what was going on. This is especially so because the healed cripple walked and continued walking, as the verb indicated. While doing so, every eye would be on him as he stepped and rejoiced, probably lifting up his voice with each step. In response to this amazing sight, the crowd followed suit, as Luke next notes, saying that they “lifted up their voice, Lycaonially.”



The word translated here as Lycaonially is an adverb. To get the closest sense, this word was coined for the commentary. The point is that Paul was surely speaking in Greek. That can be inferred from the change to the native dialect. As they started shouting in their own language, it revealed a couple of things.



First, it is natural when suddenly amazed or stupefied for someone to return to his natural, default language. This is something seen anywhere one travels. It is how spies were identified during WWII. Those suspected of spying were tested in various ways, including suddenly surprising them to see if they reacted in their native language.



Second, it made it more likely that those who didn’t speak Greek would be able to hear and understand the magnificence of what the apostles had to say, thus increasing the state of arousal of all in the area.



For these, and whatever other reasons, it is evident that neither Paul nor Barnabas spoke in the Lycaonian tongue. This can be deduced from the delay in their petitions coming up in verse 14. As such, it explains what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians 14:18, where he says, “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.”



The tongues Paul refers to were not supernaturally given for him to evangelize wherever he went. Rather, he would normally speak the lingua franca of the empire, Greek. The tongues he refers to in 1 Corinthians are the many languages and dialects that he had learned throughout his life. As for the ongoing narrative, Luke next continues, noting that the people were “saying, ‘The gods.’”



Those of the crowds around them had either not heard Paul’s speech or they had not paid attention to it. They were caught up in the belief that there were many gods instead of the one God that Paul proclaimed. Because of this, and because of the miracle that had occurred which they assumed had been accomplished by Paul personally, they thought he and Barnabas must be a couple of those many gods, saying, “having become like men.”



The notion of gods assuming the form of man was not an uncommon theme in Greek writings, and it is found in many cultures of the world. Even today, the Japanese believe that their emperor is of divine descent. At the end of WWII, Hirohito had to give up his claim to divinity, but this does not mean that his line is not still considered divine.



And more, there are people who follow supposed gods around the world elsewhere today. For example, Kumari, or Kumari Devi, is supposedly the Living Goddess. This is a tradition of worshipping a particular virgin as a manifestation of the divine female energy (Shakti) in Dharmic religious customs. Others claim to be the Messiah, the Mahdi, or other divine manifestations of a god. This has been the case throughout human history. As for those in Lystra, they believed that Paul and Barnabas were gods who, as they said, “came down unto us.”



This is another aspect of the divine that is almost universally understood. The gods are above, and those on the earth are below. The symbolism itself permeates Scripture. There is the heavenly, which is above, and there is the earthly below. The gods coming down, then, is a part of the universal conscience of man going all the way back to the Garden of Eden where the Lord was in the garden with Adam and Eve. It is a state that is anticipated to be restored someday –



“And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.’” Revelation 21:3



This is what those in Lystra believed had happened with the coming of Paul and Barnabas. They assumed that the divine gods had come among them, having missed the intent of the apostles’ words that proclaimed the One true God. Paul and Barnabas had proclaimed Christ and they were His sent ones to bring them out of pagan darkness and into His light.



Life application: The account of Paul and Barnabas here in Acts 14 gives a clear indication that the tongues (meaning languages) he speaks of in 1 Corinthians 14 are not supernatural gobbledygook supposedly spoken by charismatics today. Those are false tongues intended to bring glory to self and inclusion in a body that is unsound in its theology.



Those utterings are not “divinely inspired,” nor are they “the tongues of angels.” They are nonsensical gibberish that distract from the beauty of what God has done in the giving of Jesus for all nations, tribes, and tongues of the world. True tongues will always be a known language. At the time of the apostles, some were given divine utterances as a validation of the coming of the Spirit.



With the completion of the Bible, divinely inspired tongues are no longer necessary. The record has been given, the details confirm the word, and we now must learn the language of those we intend to evangelize. Nothing else will do. If you want to know the biblical languages, get to work and study. If you want to be a missionary in a foreign land, you will need to learn the language of the land you go to. Again, nothing else will do.



Lord God, there is a world full of people who need Jesus. Give us the desire and the ability to get the word out to them in a manner so they can understand that He is the answer to our deepest needs. May we be willing to expend ourselves to further this wonderful gospel message while there is time to do so. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:12

Monday, February 13th, 2023




And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. Acts 14:12




In the previous verse, those in Lystra who had seen the miraculous healing of the crippled man had raised their voices and exclaimed that the gods had come down to them in the likeness of men. With that remembered, it now says, “And Barnabas they called Zeus.”



The verb is imperfect and more rightly says, “And they were calling Barnabas Zeus.” They proclaimed him Zeus and kept telling everyone that came around that he was Zeus. The name translated as Zeus is found only here and in the next verse, Dzis (vs. 12) and Dzios (vs. 13). Strong’s defines the name as, “Zeus, the Greek god of the sky in all its manifestations, corresponding to the Roman Jupiter and to the leading god of the native Lycaonians.”



Along with this name for Barnabas, it next says, “and Paul, Hermes.” This name, Hermés, is found only here and in Romans 16:14 when referring to one of the congregants by that name. Strong’s defines the name as, “Hermes, the messenger and herald of the Greek gods, or rather the corresponding Lycaonian deity.” The name may come from the verb ereó, to speak or say. He would correspond to the Roman god Mercury. This name is applied to Paul “because he was the chief speaker.”



It is clear that Paul was the main orator. As this is so, these people probably thought that he spoke on behalf of Zeus as a herald might call out a proclamation while the royal figure who issued the proclamation stood by.



Those in Lystra were set in their minds that the gods had truly come among them. Giving them names only helped establish this supposed truth in their minds.



Life application: Simple logic can nail down that there is only one God. It can also tell us that this one God has a plurality within Himself. A monadic “god” would have no ability to reach out beyond himself. These things can be deduced by simply thinking through what are known as the First Principles. Take time to consider them.



They are not intended to be a tool for evangelism. The gospel is that tool. God has made the gospel extremely simple, and we will only taint the message by adding superfluities. However, it is good to be able to explain complicated matters to those who ask. And so, make yourself aware of these First Principles, consider them, and be ready to defend what is logical and orderly, because God is the author of logic and everything He does is purposeful and with order.



The First Principles as outlined by Dr. Norman Geisler are as follows:



‎1. Being Is (B is) = The Principle of Existence

2. Being Is Being (B is B) = The Principle of Identity

3. Being Is Not Nonbeing (B is Not Non-B) = The Principle of Noncontradiction

4. Either Being or Nonbeing (Either B or Non-B) = The Principle of the Excluded Middle

5. Nonbeing Cannot Cause Being (Non-B>B) = The Principle of Causality

6. Contingent Being Cannot Cause Contingent Being (Bc>Bc) = The Principle of Contingency (or Dependency)

7. Only Necessary Being Can Cause a Contingent Being (Bn —>Bc) = The Positive Principle of Modality

8. Necessary Being Cannot Cause A Necessary Being (Bn>Bn) = The Negative Principle of Modality

9. Every Contingent Being Is Caused by a Necessary Being (Bn—>Bc) = The Principle of Existential Causality

10. Necessary Being Exists (Bn Exists) = Principle of Existential Necessity

11. Contingent Being Exists (Bc Exists) = Principle of Existential Contingency

12. Necessary Being Is Similar to Contingent Being(s) It Causes (Bn —similar —>Bc) = Principle of Analogy



Doctor Geisler’s First Principles are either undeniable or they are reducible to the undeniable. Hence, any attempt to deny them will validate them. This is evident from an analysis of them –



‎1. Being Is (B is) = The Principle of Existence

To say “There is no being” is self-refuting. One must exist in order to make the claim.



2. Being Is Being (B is B) = The Principle of Identity

To say “Being isn’t being” is self-refuting. One must be a being in order to make a claim about not being a being.



3. Being Is Not Nonbeing (B is Not Non-B) = The Principle of Noncontradiction

If being exists (see Principle #1), then it cannot be non-being. The principle is self-evident and undeniable.



4. Either Being or Nonbeing (Either B or Non-B) = The Principle of the Excluded Middle

Either I exist (asking the question means I do) and thus I am being, or I do not exist. If I am being, then I am not non-being. The principle is self-evident and undeniable; there is no wiggle room.



5. Nonbeing Cannot Cause Being (Non-B>B) = The Principle of Causality

Something cannot come from nothing (and we cannot have an infinite regress in matter or being). This is proven by Einstein in his Theory of General Relativity. The principle is undeniable.



6. Contingent Being Cannot Cause Contingent Being (Bc>Bc) = The Principle of Contingency (or Dependency)

This would lead to an infinite regress of causes which is disproved by Relativity – Time, Space, and Matter came into existence simultaneously and are dependent upon each other. The principle is undeniable.



7. Only Necessary Being Can Cause a Contingent Being (Bn —>Bc) = The Positive Principle of Modality

A being that cannot Not exist must, therefore, exist if contingent beings exist. The principle is reducible to the undeniable.



8. Necessary Being Cannot Cause A Necessary Being (Bn>Bn) = The Negative Principle of Modality

The principle is undeniable. Only one Necessary Being can exist. Any being which exists apart from a Necessary Being is contingent and could Not exist. It is self-evident.



9. Every Contingent Being Is Caused by a Necessary Being (Bn—>Bc) = The Principle of Existential Causality

The fact that there are contingent beings (I think, therefore I am, and I am not necessary) necessitates a Necessary Being. We exist, therefore a Being that cannot Not exist must exist. The principle is undeniable in and of itself.



10. Necessary Being Exists (Bn Exists) = Principle of Existential Necessity

Contingent beings exist (see next principle); therefore, a Necessary Being must exist. The principle is reducible to the undeniable.



11. Contingent Being Exists (Bc Exists) = Principle of Existential Contingency

The principle is undeniable. To say “I (a contingent being) don’t exist” is self-refuting. I do exist (Principle 1), which is self-evident.



12.Necessary Being Is Similar to Contingent Being(s) It Causes (Bn —similar —>Bc) = Principle of Analogy

Nothing can exist which doesn’t reflect the nature of the Necessary Being. To state something doesn’t is self-refuting. The principle is undeniable.



Based on these 12 First Principles “belief in God” is “rationally justifiable.” Further, “belief in God is rationally required.” To not believe in God, then, is both irrational and illogical. Unless these principles, which are undeniable, can be logically denied (please do so if you can!), then there are no “reasons to think that belief in God is not rational.”



Further, there are no “reasons to think [that] belief in God is not required.” In other words, belief in God is both rational and required. The reciprocal must then be true. To deny God is both irrational and illogical. It is a form of arrogance that is revealed in one who cannot face the logical, orderly, and harmonious universe in which we live, and which is clearly guided by an unseen hand. After all, ex nihlo nihil fit – out of nothing, nothing. There must have been a Being (who is God) who has brought all things into existence.



However, to bring this to the simplest and most basic of human levels for those who simply want to argue against what is self-evident, all we need to do is look at the reaction of anyone – be it a fully developed believer in “God,” or a self-purported atheist – who faces a major disaster in his life. Let us go with the death of a child. When the child is run over in front of the parent, whether in a Hollywood movie or in real life, the very first reaction from any of them is inevitably and invariably to cry out “O GOD!”



The Necessary Being of these great thinkers of the past has infused even the most depraved soul with a purposed knowledge of Himself deep in the recesses of their minds. Though we can actively shut Him out most of the time, when we face our most primal moments, we turn back to Him for an answer to the horror which we have faced, thus demonstrating that we do, in fact, find Him both rational and required in a world of confusion and chaos.



Lord God, help us to think rationally about You and what You have done. Our emotions should not be a basis for our faith in You, but a result of it. They should also not drive our theology, but they should result from it, exclaiming, “How great You are, O God, for what You have done for us. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord.” Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:13

Tuesday, February 14th, 2023




Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. Acts 14:13


In the previous verse, those at Iconium had proclaimed that Barnabas was Zeus and Paul was Hermes. Having been designated gods by the masses, it now says, “Then the priest of Zeus.”



In other words, this is the man who was designated to mediate between the people and their god. He would consult the supposed deity, offer sacrifices to him, lead the form of worship necessary to supposedly appease him, and so on. For those who worshiped Zeus, this would be the most important person in their Zeus-directed spiritual lives. Of him, it next says, “whose temple was in front of their city.”



This is more of an explanation of the Greek than a translation. Also, the tense of the verb is incorrect. Rather, it simply says, “that, being before their city.” Taken together, the two clauses would then read, “Then the priest of Zeus, that, being before the city.” It surely means that the temple itself, or an idol in the image of Zeus, was there before the city and it is where he ministered to Zeus. It is probably a temple though based on the next words, saying that he “brought oxen and garlands to the gates.”



Rather, the verb is an aorist participle, “having brought oxen and garlands to the gate.” He had arrived with his objects of ceremonial worship and sacrifice, and he was ready to use them in honor of these supposed “gods” who had come among them.



As can be seen, if the priest had oxen and garlands, it is likely he had charge of an entire complex dedicated to Zeus, including the necessary altars, lavers, a spot for keeping the instruments of worship, animals, and so forth. Now, believing that his god had come down among them, he is bringing garlands to adorn them and oxen to butcher to them. That is seen in the words that he was “intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.”



The order of the words by the NKJV gives the sense that he intended to sacrifice and was bringing the multitudes along for the ride. Rather, the Greek more closely reads, “with the crowds was desiring to sacrifice.”



In other words, it wasn’t just the priest who wanted to sacrifice while the crowds watched. It is the crowds who proclaimed Paul and Barnabas gods. It is they who obviously ran to the priest outside the city to tell him the news. It is they who now, along with the priest, were in a frenzy to sacrifice to these men. The same crowd who had heard the gospel had forgotten that good news and conjured up another idea in their minds about what had taken place.



Life application: What has occurred at Iconium is not that unusual. People can easily get crossed thoughts in their heads about the message of Jesus. This can happen directly, as it did with Paul and Barnabas, where a person starts attending a church because a preacher’s message convicted them. In their minds, they then substitute the message about Jesus with the one who gave the message. The preacher becomes the object of their worship in some fashion.



This can also happen when someone knows that the Bible can change lives, having seen it in others. They then substitute what the Bible says with the King James Bible itself. The book becomes the object of their idolatry. This may sound laughable, but there is an entire cult built around the King James Version of the Bible. The same is true with the Greek Septuagint, the Masoretic Text of the Hebrew Scriptures, and so on.



To them, the writings as a text, not what the writings say, take the preeminent spot in the lives of the people. This is also true with denominations, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Roman Catholic Church, the Mormons, and so forth. There is an idolatrous fixation on the communicating body rather than on the One who is supposed to be proclaimed out of the sacred writings.



Remember the simple words of Scripture and keep them in your mind always, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). He is to be the Source of our lives, worship, prayer, attention, and hopes. In all things, and at all times, let us honor God through the honoring of Jesus Christ our Lord. To the glory of God above all else, let us do this.



Heavenly Father, forgive us for diverting our eyes from Jesus. We look to the left and to the right in an innumerable number of ways, missing the target when we do. Instead, help us always to fix our eyes on Him. May our hearts be directed toward Him, and may our souls be filled with You because of what You have done through Him. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:14

Wednesday, February 15th, 2023


But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out Acts 14:14




In the previous verse, the priest of Zeus brought oxen and garlands to the gate of the city intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. In response to this come Luke’s next words, saying, “But when the apostles.” There is this sudden realization that whatever had been occurring around them was not at all what they had thought.



The people were crying out in the local language and the apostles probably thought they were excited about the gospel message. But now, seeing what is taking place, they have come to the realization that their thinking was entirely incorrect. Instead of calling out for Jesus, the multitudes were crying out for a sacrifice to their “gods” who had come among them. In response to this, the words continue with, “Barnabas and Paul.”



Here, Barnabas is placed first in the account. Paul was speaking and Barnabas was probably more closely paying attention to the events around them. When the realization of what had begun to transpire came to their minds, he probably shouted something out to Paul and started their actions in motion. This is speculation, but it fits with the word order of Luke. Together, when they “heard this, they tore their clothes.”



The word “tore” is an aorist participle. It says, “having torn.” They first did this and then their actions continued. It was an open display to catch the people’s attention, and it is a sign of the greatest distress and even anguish. The first time it is mentioned in Scripture is when the brothers of Joseph had sold him off to the Midianite traders to be taken down to Egypt. Reuben was unaware of it –



“Then Reuben returned to the pit, and indeed Joseph was not in the pit; and he tore his clothes. 30 And he returned to his brothers and said, ‘The lad is no more; and I, where shall I go?’” Genesis 37:29, 30



So great of a mark of distress is this that the high priest of Israel was forbidden to ever do it, for any reason –



“He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes.” Leviticus 21:10



The reason for this prohibition is that he was distinguished by the office of high priest. This was elsewhere explicitly noted in the mentioning of the anointing oil that was poured on him. He alone was allowed to wear the garments of the high priest. These two things in particular distinguished him as Israel’s high priest.



As seen, first and foremost he was commanded not to uncover his head. Specifically, this meant that he was not to allow his hair to be loosed, meaning be unkempt. This was a sign of mourning, and he was never to demonstrate such an attitude. He was, above all, to always be holy to the Lord.



Further, he was not to tear his clothes. To do so, as noted above, was an indication of distress or anguish. As the intercessor between the Lord and the people, his conduct in one of these ways would give either a sense of utter despair to the people, or that he was impugning the Lord’s fairness, justice, or ability to control any given situation. It is ironic that this command to the high priest of Israel was openly disobeyed in the presence of the incarnate Lord (Jesus) who gave the command –



“And the high priest arose and said to Him, ‘Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?’ 63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, ‘I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!’

64 Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’

65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, ‘He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy! 66 What do you think?’” Matthew 26:62-66



Jesus was placed under oath by the high priest. Because of the position of the high priest, He was bound by the Law of Moses, which He gave to Israel, to tell the truth. He did, and therefore He remained without guilt in the matter. And yet, the high priest was guilty of violating a precept of the very law that he said Jesus was guilty of violating. There is a lot of irony that runs through the Bible that is truly amazing when such things are put in their proper light.



With this background concerning the tearing of garments, one can see what a great display of grief is occurring with Barnabas and Paul tearing theirs. Whether those in Lystra understood the significance of the act or not could be debated, but a “god” would never have done such a thing. So even if the act was cultural and isolated from the understanding of its full significance, it would still have been comprehended on some level. After this, it says they “ran in among the multitude, crying out.”



The word translated as “ran in” is eispédaó. It literally means “to leap in,” or “to spring in.” They were probably standing on something to elevate them. This would allow them to speak to the people while being seen. In their horror at the scene, and after having openly torn their garments, they jumped into the crowd crying out. What they were crying out will be seen in the next verse.



As a side note, some translations of the word eispédaó rather use the prefix ex instead of eis. Thus, it would say they sprang out into the crowd. If your translation says this, make a mental note of the difference, but the overall intent remains the same because the word is followed in the Greek in either text with the word eis. And so, they either sprang in, into the crowd, or they sprang out, into the crowd.



Life application: Making note of the unusual things that occur in the Bible, like the tearing of garments, can be a great exercise in discovering other truths that are recorded there. As noted above, the high priest of Israel violated the very law that he was charged with while charging Jesus with violating the law. Jesus could have called him out on this, but He silently took His trial and the resulting punishments without protest.



This shows us the nature of the love of God for the people of the world. The highest official in Israel, and the one who was to mediate between God and the people, was guilty of violating the very law that he was charged with overseeing and mediating. This is true with every high priest who ever lived under the law. How imperfectly the Law of Moses could satisfy the appeasement of God who is infinitely holy!



And yet, despite these things, even the high priest was given grace each year on the Day of Atonement. And the Day of Atonement was given as an anticipation of the coming of Christ. All the symbolism of the sacrifices of the law looked to His coming. And there He stood, being judged by the very people who were given the charge of that law.



Now think of yourself. You were also to be condemned because of the sin in you. And yet, Jesus took all that you have done wrong upon Himself, if you will just believe. God asks you to acknowledge your sins, admit that you cannot save yourself, and place your trust in Him. In this, you will be justified from all things that the law could never justify a person from. Be pleased to commit your eternal soul to God through Jesus. You will prevail because He has prevailed!



Lord God, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord who has done all things for us to be reconciled to You. Yes, thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:15

Thursday, February 16th, 2023




and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, Acts 14:15






Barnabas and Paul were thoroughly distressed at the events taking place in Lystra. Therefore, they tore their clothes and leaped into the multitude, crying out “and saying, ‘Men, why are you doing these things?’”



It is most likely that the apostles speak their words in the Greek. They had certainly been preaching in Greek, but when the people were so astonished at the miracle they saw, they began speaking in their own language. Barnabas and Paul now attempt to bring them back to their senses by speaking in Greek.



By asking a question rather than making a statement, the effect is even more pronounced. A question asks the mind of the hearer to stop and think. From there, a response is expected. By speaking in Greek, it will beg for a response in Greek. This should begin to quell the excitement of the crowd while the minds adjust to the question and the answer that is provided.



From there, they next say, “We also are men.” In other words, and quite obviously, “We are not gods.” However, the people had assumed that the gods had come down among them in the form of men, and so to further dispel that thinking, the words continue with, “with the same nature as you.”



The word is homoiopathés. It is found only here and in James 5:17. It is a compound word coming from homoios, meaning resembling, equal to, etc., and from paschó, signifying to feel heavy emotion, especially suffering. Together, they give the sense of one who is like in nature and able to go through the same experiences with the same results occurring that would come about in another. The use in James provides the sense of the word –



“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” James 5:17, 18



In telling the people this, they are adamantly stating that they are not gods, nor could they be gods. They are simply men like any other men. They have come from another area, not heaven. With that, they continue, saying, “and preach to you.”



Here, they use the word euaggelizó. It is the announcement of the good news. Anyone can come and preach anything on a street corner, but the apostles have come to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. It is He who has come down from heaven, not they. They are simply His sent ones telling others of what has transpired. And more, they tell the people “that you should turn.”



The word means just that. They are on one path, and they are to turn from it. It is not a literal, physical turning, but a figurative one. Their lives are headed in the wrong direction and the apostles have come to redirect them. And what is it that they are to turn from, that is next proclaimed with the words, “from these useless things.”



The obvious meaning is what they were doing right then and there. They were in the process of worshiping the created rather than the Creator. They were inventing a religious expression from their own minds and preparing to bow down to the objects of their invention. They had taken myths from the past concerning the Greek gods and brought them alive in their own minds in the physical manifestation of Barnabas and Paul. But these two apostles were telling them that this was wrong and that they were to turn from that “to the living God.”



“The living God” is an expression that goes back to Deuteronomy 5 where Moses reminded the people of the events at Sinai –



“Now therefore, why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore, then we shall die. 26 For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 27 You go near and hear all that the Lord our God may say, and tell us all that the Lord our God says to you, and we will hear and do it.” Deuteronomy 5:25-27



This term, the living God, continues to be seen throughout the Old Testament and is brought into the New with the proclamation of Peter that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The words of the apostles are intended to direct the minds of these people to this living God and then explain how He came in the flesh in the Person of Jesus Christ. Those in Thessalonica heard this message and they got it. Paul referred to this when he wrote his first epistle to them. His words mirror what they are trying to teach those at Lystra now –



“For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10



With this understood, the apostles next state that it is this living God “who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.” This sums up the creation and it dispels the Greek notion of there being many gods, each having power over one part of the creation or another.



For example, they had Uranus, the personification of heaven. Zeus was the king of heaven and earth and of the Olympian gods. Gaia was the personification of the earth. Poseidon was the god of the sea and of water generally. He is also the god of earthquakes and horses. But there was also Pontus, the personification of the sea and the oldest Greek divinity of the waters. These and numerous other gods were supposedly running the show in the various levels of creation and how it is manifested.



On the other hand, the apostles proclaim one true and living God, asking the people to turn from their pagan ways to a full and mature understanding of who He is and of what He has done in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.



Life application: Though we traditionally don’t ascribe deity in the way that those of Lystra did, there are groups of people who worship various gods in the world today. There are those who do believe in Gaia or the god of the sun or other gods. But there are also temptations to deify people, such as politicians, even in our own hearts. We need to not ascribe the all-powerful workings of God to a man. Rather, we elect people to serve over us and to direct us for a temporary time in a fallen world.



We also create gods of money, sex, friendships, or even ease and convenience to relieve the course of our lives. We must be careful to never place anything or anyone to the level of devotion or worship. We should not let things of this creation consume our thoughts or our time in an unhealthy manner. Rather, let us always focus on Jesus, direct our hearts and minds to Him, and serve the living God by honoring the Son. This is what is right and proper. In this, we will have pursued the right and good path that God has set before us.



Lord God, help us to conduct our lives in a manner that exalts You at all times. May we never find our hope or life’s purpose in something that is a part of the created order itself. Instead, may our hopes, our desires, and our constant attention be directed to You alone. Only You can truly satisfy our every need. And so, help us to look to You always. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:16

Friday, February 17th, 2023


“who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Acts 14:16




In the previous verse, Paul and Barnabas spoke against those who were preparing to sacrifice to them, attempting to correct their faulty thinking by saying there is one God, the living God, who made all things. With that, they continue speaking of Him, saying, “who in bygone generations.”



The meaning is that up until this point in time, God had set forth parameters by which something had been the case, but which would no longer be the case. With the introduction of the gospel, a new order and direction had come into play. What was the case before is next explained, saying, “allowed all nations.”



There is an article before the word translated as “nations.” But more, it should say, “the Gentiles,” as it is translated often elsewhere, such as Matthew 6:32 –



“For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”



The reason it should be translated this way is that the words of the apostles do not include Israel. Rather it is a general statement concerning all of the nations outside of Israel. That is seen in the next words where it says, “to walk in their own ways.”



God allowed the nations to conduct their own affairs under the dispensation of government while Israel was set under different parameters, meaning the dispensation of the law. They were not allowed to walk in their own ways –



“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess.” Deuteronomy 30:15-18



Verses such as this in Deuteronomy set forth the parameters for the conduct of Israel. However, and more directly to the matter that is being relayed to those at Lystra, the Lord’s words to the people of Israel through Ezekiel clearly and unambiguously set Israel apart from how the Lord conducted His affairs with the Gentiles –



“What you have in your mind shall never be, when you say, ‘We will be like the Gentiles, like the families in other countries, serving wood and stone.’” Ezekiel 20:32



In God’s previous dealings with humanity, there was a complete contrast between how He dealt with the nations and how He dealt with Israel. It is true that God judged the nations for their wicked conduct bringing them to an end as He saw fit, but they were not imputed sin without law. This is explained by Paul in Romans 2:12 where he notes that “as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law.”



The law was given to Israel. It was not given to any nation under the heavens except Israel. Thus, Israel’s judgment would be greater because of the imputation of sin that came from being under law. With that understood, the apostles will continue to appeal to the crowd, making their defense concerning the nature of God in relation to the people of the world.



Life application: The thoughts that are being explained to these Gentiles by the apostles are quite clear when properly translated and considered. The law, rather than giving freedom from sin, only increases sin. It is true that the nations without the law would perish apart from the law, but the guilt of Israel was far greater than the other nations because they had the law and still did not obediently follow the Lord –



“If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, 59 then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. 60 Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. 61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed. 62 You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God. 63 And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess.” Deuteronomy 28:58-63



This was the burden laid upon Israel. They were to be an object lesson to the world that all people, Jews and Gentiles, needed something greater than law. What we all need is grace. That is the grace that comes through the giving of Jesus Christ.



Wanting to go back under the law is as nutty as putting square tires on a bicycle. It is contrary to the smooth and even path set forth by God in Christ. Don’t be nutty! Trust in God’s grace, live by God’s grace, and be set in your mind that you will find that alone sufficient to bring you back to Him. Nothing else will do.



Lord God, help us to rightly contemplate what You have done in the sending of Jesus. He has accomplished everything necessary to bring us to a right standing before You. What more could we add to that? Help us to trust that Your grace is sufficient and to rest our souls in what You have done through Him. Yes, Lord God, thank You for the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:17

Saturday, February 18th, 2023


“Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.” Acts 14:17


The apostles are in the process of telling the Gentiles at Lystra about God, the Creator. In the previous verse, they said, “who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways.” With that, the words continue, saying, “Nevertheless.”



Despite not giving the Gentiles the revelation of the Law of Moses nor being selected as His covenant people to bring in the Messiah, “He did not leave Himself without witness.”



The Law of Moses, the utterances of the prophets, the use of the Urim and Thummim, and so forth are known as special revelation. God specifically revealed Himself or His intentions through these things. What was revealed in these ways would not have been attained any other way. However, despite not having these things, God still did reveal Himself to the Gentiles in a general way. This general revelation witnesses to the workings of God, testifying to His nature and to the fact that man is accountable to acknowledge Him and seek after Him.



Paul writes of this in Romans 1. It is something that man understands, and yet he suppresses that knowledge, thus bringing wrath upon himself –



“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:18-20



The apostles, appealing to this precept, next explain some of the ways that man can generally understand God and what He must be like, even if in a limited sense, saying, “in that He did good.”



Rather, the verb is a present participle, “doing good.” It isn’t that He did good and then it ended, but it is ongoing even to this day. Within the creation, we know that there is goodness, David testified to this in the 19th Psalm by noting that what God has done in creation for the benefit of man is something that reveals God’s glory –



“The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

2 Day unto day utters speech,

And night unto night reveals knowledge.

3 There is no speech nor language

Where their voice is not heard.

4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,

And their words to the end of the world.” Psalm 19:1-4



This goodness that David writes about is next explicitly explained by the apostles, saying that He “gave us rain from heaven.”



Again, the verb is a present participle, and the noun is plural, “giving us rains from heaven.” The words are intended to wake the people up to the state of things. It’s not, “Rain came 47 years ago, and we had crops and fruit trees to sustain us.” It is, “The rains come each year at the set time. The calendar returns to the time when the rains were here before and they are here again. The cycle of life is predictable, and what happens provides just what we need to again have what we had before.”



This cycle of life gives evidence of order and harmony. It also gives evidence that God is attending to the needs of His creatures. He has set things in order, and they continuously provide for man’s needs. As such, these rains bring about “fruitful seasons.”



Man exists because God created a world where man can exist. The house was prepared, and then the guests were invited in. Within this world, however, is more than simple sustenance. God could have created a single type of food that would sustain man. Although this would have been acceptable to keep him going, it wouldn’t have had the excitement that comes through the stimulating of taste buds.



But God has sent the rains to moisten the land, and then from the land have come an incomprehensible number of delightful things to satisfy man’s tastes and yearnings. From the king of all fruit, the durian, to the harvests of the field such as barley, spelt, lentils, and wheat. There is corn, there are potatoes, and there are taro plants.



As one travels throughout the world, different plants are seen – various fruits, various vegetables, and various grains. The world is filled with tastes that excite, delight, and satisfy. All of this gives witness to the wisdom and goodness of God on man’s behalf. This is all the more evident because the tastebuds of man can process these many tastes, identifying them and allowing man to rejoice over them. As the apostles note, saying “filling our hearts with food and gladness.”



It is reminiscent of the 104th Psalm, and it could be those words that were on the minds of the apostles –



“He sends the springs into the valleys;

They flow among the hills.

11 They give drink to every beast of the field;

The wild donkeys quench their thirst.

12 By them the birds of the heavens have their home;

They sing among the branches.

13 He waters the hills from His upper chambers;

The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.

14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,

And vegetation for the service of man,

That he may bring forth food from the earth,

15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man,

Oil to make his face shine,

And bread which strengthens man’s heart.” Psalm 104:10-15



Instead of appealing to the law and the prophets (special revelation) as was done while evangelizing the Jews, the apostles appeal to the created order (general revelation) to evangelize the Gentiles. But the result is the same. Both lead to the need for a Messiah in the lives of man. It is this Christ who has been the focus of Barnabas and Paul’s words to lead the Gentiles to a right understanding of God.



Life application: As David noted in the psalm, the creation testifies to the glory of God. But one might say, “But my son got stung by a scorpion and died. How can God who is supposedly good make something that is harmful and bad?”



The question fails to understand the entirety of the biblical narrative. It was not God who brought these things about, but man. What has happened is a result of man’s turning from God and the entrance of sin into the world. The supposed “bad” that occurred is simply the lack of a good thing. Man was in Eden. All was good at that time. Only after man disobeyed came the curse upon the land, including thorns and thistles, bee stings and shark bites, killing and adultery, and so forth. This was not the original intent for man. These have come as a result of our failing to rightly fellowship with God.



But God promised that these things would not be permanent. He would send the Messiah to restore all things to perfection. Isaiah prophesies of a time on earth when things will be glorious for man for a thousand years. But beyond that, Revelation goes further and reveals the details of eternal glory for the redeemed of mankind.



Restoration is ahead, and it is available to those who accept God’s offering of pardon and renewal that has come in the giving of Jesus Christ for the sin of man. With sin dealt with, and only after it has been fully dealt with in the redemptive process, can man experience the fullness of what God promises for His people. Everything is working toward that time.



We, however, must live through these difficult and trying times. But God is with us in them, and He will get us through them. Trust in this and be thankful to God who has provided the remedy to restore us to idyllic perfection someday. Be patient and wait for it. It will be worth it!



O God, how grateful we are for the promise of restoration that lies ahead for Your redeemed. And yet, we know that we have the sealing of the Spirit now that guarantees our future redemption. Thank You that we have this sure and firm hope. Thank You, above all, for Jesus Christ who has made this possible. Amen!

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:18

Sunday, February 19th, 2023




And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them. Acts 14:18


The apostles have made their appeal to the multitudes before them at Lystra. They have told them about the nature of God and how He has left a witness of Himself in the created order. Despite their appeals, it next says, “And with these sayings.”



Rather, the Greek reads, “And these things saying.” The word “saying” is a present participle verb, not a noun. They were speaking to the people, and even while they continued to appeal to them to be reasonable in their thinking, “they could scarcely restrain the multitudes.”



One can imagine the scene. Someone thought these were the gods having come down among them. And so, they prepare a sacrifice. Even while the apostles are appealing from reason for them to not do this, the crowds remain unreasonable, totally caught up in their vain imaginations. The thought can be summed up in the idea of being in a darkened state, without knowledge, and then acting on a false view of how things really are.



Because they were in this state, and because they were unwilling to believe the words of the apostles, they could scarcely be restrained “from sacrificing to them.”



The crowds had become so deluded in their own thinking that they were willing to ignore the words of the supposed “gods” that they were about to sacrifice to. Though that thinking is wholly illogical, it is as common among readers of the Bible as it could be.



Life application: The attitude of the people, as noted above, was based on either a lack of information, thus acting on a faulty understanding of what was occurring, or it stemmed from a sort of cognitive dissonance where the people simply went ahead with what they believed, even though they had been clearly shown that it was the wrong avenue to pursue.



To understand these two possibilities, one can use any faulty view of a particular matter. For simplicity’s sake, we can use King James Onlyism to explain what is wrong. King James Onlyism is the misplaced belief that the King James Version of the Bible is the only inspired and authorized version.



Using this to look at the two possibilities, the first can be corrected by gaining the knowledge necessary to correct one’s thinking. Suppose someone is told, “You should only read the King James Version. It is inspired by God and all other versions came as an attempt to lead people away from God.” As stupid as that sounds, it is what is commonly taught in this cult.



A person could say, “Ok, I have been told this. Now I will check it out to see if it is true.” In checking it out logically and methodically, he finds out that the KJV is riddled with translational errors so that it contains contradictions, incorrect theological presentations, and so forth. The matter has been investigated and found to be false.



The second possibility, that of cognitive dissonance, is actually harder to resolve. A person is told that the King James Version is the only Bible that should be read. He simply trusts what he is told and allows this thinking to become the predominant thought in his mind from week to week. Eventually, he deceives himself into believing this lie that he has never checked out. Finally, he is presented with a list of errors found in the King James Version, including those of Acts 14:18. (There are at least four translational errors in this one verse in the original KJV. The NKJV cleared up two of them.)



In being presented with the error and shown from the original Greek where the error lies, the man’s mind mentally denies what he sees and it conjures up an excuse to suit his thinking, “Well then, the original Greek is wrong. I know God inspired the KJV, and so the text from which it is derived is obviously in error.” As crazy as that sounds, this is the view of those who are in this cult. They deny the reasonable and go forward in their state of delusion.



This is what occurred right before the eyes of Barnabas and Paul. They had provided the truth and the people had failed to check it out with what is logical and reasonable. But more, when they were presented with evidence, from the source of the events that had transpired (meaning the healing of the crippled man by the Lord through the word of the apostles), they simply continued to believe what their own minds had conjured up.



The Bible is showing us, in its own pages, that we are to think. We are to use logic and reason because God is both logical and reasonable. He has endowed these traits in us, and He expects us to use them along with our faith to make a right determination about who He is, what He has done, and what He continues to do in the world around us.



Be aware of how your mind works and be aware of how your own thoughts can deceive you if you are unwilling to accept that it may be wrong. This is an important lesson from Acts 14 that you should consider.



Lord God, help us to think clearly and reasonably in how we approach You, Your word, and our interpretation of the world around us. We are to be people of faith, but we are not to be people of blind faith. You have revealed Yourself to us through Scripture, so our walk is to be in Your revealed light, not helplessly groping around to find our next step. Thank You for Your word. Now help us to consider it properly, all the days of our lives. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:19

Monday, February 20th, 2023



Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. Acts 14:19


In the previous verse, it was seen that the apostles could scarcely restrain the crowds from sacrificing to them, even after appealing to them concerning who God is and who they were in relation to Him. With that noted, the truly fickle nature of the minds of the people is now revealed. Luke begins with, “Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there.”



The meaning of “Antioch” is “Antioch of Pisidia” where they had recently departed. It appears that these Jews had learned that the apostles had left their areas and gone on to Lystra. These people had made a trip there in an attempt to bring the apostle’s message into disrepute. To do this, they had made a journey of about 130 miles for this purpose.



It is rather astonishing to consider, but it is not uncommon. Great pains are commonly taken to destroy the truth of the gospel as is found in Scripture. With the arrival of these Jews noted, it next says, “and having persuaded the multitudes.”



Think of the effectiveness of the lie! Think of the fickleness of the people’s minds! In just the previous verse, the apostles were scarcely able to convince this same multitude that they were not gods, and they were not to be sacrificed to. Now, the false words of the Jews have convinced this same crowd of their own false message.



With that, Luke next records, “they stoned Paul.” Rather, it is an aorist participle, “having stoned Paul.” This action leads to the next. The people were brought to such a frenzy in their thinking by these Jews that they completely rejected the words of the apostles and decided to stone their supposed messenger god Hermes of verse 14:12.



It should be noted that not all of the people were involved in this. As was previously seen, Timothy was from this area. And more, Paul and Silas will return to this area in Acts 16 to visit “the brethren,” demonstrating that there were other converts there as well.



As for the events now, having stoned Paul, they “dragged him out of the city.” The event now became a point of “boasting” by Paul, as is noted in 2 Corinthians 11 –



“Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep.” 2 Corinthians 11:22-25



Paul wasn’t really boasting in this, but he was making a point about what he had suffered for the gospel, not being inferior to those who would attempt to destroy his gospel message. As for those in Lystra, they dragged Paul out of the city, “supposing him to be dead.”



Dragging him outside of the city was a way of saying, “This man does not deserve a burial, nor will we allow his corpse to rot in our gates, thus infecting and smelling up our city.” It was an expedient way of disposing of a malefactor. He would be left to rot and be eaten by the beasts dwelling outside the city walls.



As for Paul, there is no reason to assume that he died and was restored to life. The word “supposing,” combined with the words of the next verse shows that they simply made an incorrect assumption. If Paul had died, Luke would have carefully chronicled this as he does elsewhere. Rather, he was stoned, and the people assumed they had finished him off without carefully checking. Such an event is not unknown and many people who were supposed dead have continued to live on.



Life application: The Jews of Antioch and Iconium traveled a long way to destroy the message of the apostles. This may seem unlikely or even improbable, but it is not so. Throughout the history of the church, there have been people who have gone across continents and even over the sea to destroy the gospel message.



This continues today. For every teacher of the true gospel, there are people who will follow in their footsteps bringing along a false message. Missionaries will go to the deepest jungles of the Philippines, risking their lives to tell about the freedom that is in Christ. Following closely on their heels are the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons. They see where a fellowship has been established, and they immediately jump in and supposedly “correct” the thinking of these people.



The importance of having the word, properly teaching the word, and having people continue reading and sharing the word cannot be understated. Satan is using real people with twisted messages to destroy whatever hope he can in humanity. The freedom of the grace found in Christ and His gospel will be quickly converted into bondage, works, and legalism unless those who share the message do their part to warn those they evangelize.



Be sure to tell people that you talk to that they need to get into the word. Offer to help them understand it. Be ready to give of yourself to protect the purity of the gospel.



Lord God, what a precious message You have given to us. The gospel is a door into eternal fellowship with You. And yet, there are those who would exchange this freedom and restoration with bondage and legalism. Some will even deny the glory of Jesus in order to bring people into a cult of lies. May we be willing to defend the truth of the word and of our Lord Jesus who is revealed in it. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:20

Tuesday, February 21st, 2023




However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. Acts 14:20


Note: The NKJV does not accurately translate the verbs, so the sense of action is lost. It should read, “However, the disciples having surrounded him, having arisen he entered into the city. And on the morrow, he departed with Barnabas to Derbe” (CG). This will be used to evaluate the verse.



The previous verse told of the Jews from Antioch and Iconium coming to Lystra. They got the crowd to side against Paul, and they stoned him and dragged him out of the city, supposing he was dead. Now, Luke continues with, “However.”



Despite having been stoned, something that would be considered a curse in Israel, the disciples decided to go out to Paul, maybe planning to have a funeral and bury him. Once there, it says, “the disciples having surrounded him.”



It is of note that Barnabas is not mentioned at this time. Because of the nature of the situation, he was probably secreted away in the house of one of the disciples.



As for their surrounding him, this seems to indicate just what was supposed. They probably went forth from the city to pray over his dead body and then give him a decent burial. It was a kind gesture demonstrating that they really were converted and cared about the one who had brought them the message of life found in Christ. And yet, despite their certain grief, Luke continues with, “having arisen he entered into the city.”



The lack of detail from Luke surely indicates that Paul was not dead. He may have been knocked out, but Luke seems to purposefully shy away from any supernatural explanation for Paul’s ability to stand. Nothing is said of the disciples praying over him, helping him stand, praising God for a miracle, or any other such thing that Luke is normally so meticulous to include.



If anything, the miracle is in the fact that Paul hadn’t died, that he didn’t need help up, that he could walk into the city, etc. It was as if the rocks that came at him were entirely ineffective in bringing harm upon him. Nothing is said of broken teeth, lumpy bumps on his head, sore muscles, or the like.



It is such a rare thing for Luke to overlook details like this that it causes the mind to wonder what type of force field was set up to protect him. Whatever happened, Paul obviously was fine and was able to sleep soundly in the very city whose occupants had just stoned him hours before. With that noted, the narrative continues with, “And on the morrow, he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”



Because of the fickle nature of the people, the animosity stirred up by the Jews, and the resulting lack of evangelistic opportunities at that time, heading out of the city seemed to be the prudent thing to do. It will not be long, however, before they return to Lystra.



As for the name Derbe, its meaning is not known. This is the second of three times the city is mentioned. The last will be in Acts 16:1.



Life application: What occurred with Paul was obviously not unexpected. If it was, he and Barnabas would probably have said, “This is getting a bit too rough, let’s head back home.” Instead, they seem to accept that the opposition, even to the point of a stoning, was part of what was to be expected. And more, they saw it as being worth the cost.



To this day, missionaries suffer such calamities in their mission fields. It may be as a direct result of their teaching, or it may be that they are in an area so poor or wild that they are targets simply for the goods they have carried with them. And yet, they press on with their work, considering all such things as loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ their Lord. They are willing to suffer the loss of all things, counting them as rubbish, for the mere chance to bring others to Christ as well.



Such people are to be commended, treated well when they are on home visit, and prayed for as they continue their work sharing the most important news ever published.



Lord God, thank You for our missionaries who have gone forth to share the word of Christ with a world that is still living in darkness. Bless their efforts, and may their lives be used for Your glory. Through life or death, they are Yours. So be with them and give them resolve in their hearts and comfort in their minds. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:21

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023


And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, Acts 14:21


In just the previous verse, it noted that Paul and Barnabas departed to Derbe. This was after Paul had been stoned by the inhabitants of Lystra. Once arriving in Derbe, Luke now records, “And when they had preached the gospel to that city.”



Without timidity because of what happened in the nearby city of Lystra, the men went forth and preached the gospel. Nothing is said of entering a synagogue, so there was probably no synagogue in that town. Beyond that, Luke leaves out any of the finer details and simply notes their going forth and preaching the gospel. And this was not without a positive result as is evidenced in the next words, saying, “and made many disciples.”



Rather, it is a present participle verb, saying, “and having discipled many.” They not only had converts, but they also stayed long enough to disciple those who had accepted the message of the gospel. It is evident that to these men, sharing the gospel and obtaining converts was only the beginning of the matter. They carefully ensured that those who were converted were discipled.



If this were not the case, these convert’s new life in Christ would quickly devolve into something other than what the Lord intends for those who are saved. One cannot live according to life in Christ unless he knows what is expected. With that noted, and without telling how long this process took, the narrative continues with the note that “they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch.”



In reverse order of their travels as far as Lystra, the apostles returned by way of the three cities they had previously been at. Noting the circumstances in which they left each city will help provide clarity concerning the boldness of their return travels:



Lystra – “Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. 20 However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.” (Acts 14:19, 20)



Iconium – “But the multitude of the city was divided: part sided with the Jews, and part with the apostles. 5 And when a violent attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to abuse and stone them, 6 they became aware of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding region.” (Acts 14:4-6)



Antioch of Pisidia – “But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium.” (Acts 13:50, 51)



The purpose of their return to these three hostile cities should be obvious, and it will be detailed in the verses ahead. For now, it is simply a remarkable note that the apostles were fearless in their desire to not only evangelize places that had not been previously evangelized but to return to places that were evangelized and yet where there was brutal hostility to their message.



Life application: Wherever you are, if you are a faithful believer, you should consider yourself in a mission field. Quite often, Christians are admitted to the hospital for some life-threatening physical disability or disease, and yet they are willing to share their hope in Christ during such an event. In this, they demonstrate that the physical danger to their lives is not even comparable to the spiritual danger to the lives of those around them.



Believers may sit in a restaurant and tell of the hope they possess, letting the waiter or waitress know that even though they are servants to the table, they have importance. The server may be in a second job just trying to pay the bills, and yet the message of Christ says, “Your spiritual state is more important than even your current lack of money.” Letting him know there is hope beyond the struggles of this life can be of life-changing value for him. And be sure to leave a good tip J.



These are but two examples of how you can tell others about Jesus in your daily life. Think of it! You can hand a tract to the checkout clerk at the store. You can explain what Jesus means to you at the paint store while getting a gallon to touch up your house. You can share Jesus any time and with anyone.



Have you told the lawn guy who tends to your house about Jesus? The pest control person? The mailman you see every day? Keep the word on your tongue and be willing to share it. Paul and Barnabas risked their lives to share it and then to reaffirm it in very hostile places. You can do it in a friendly atmosphere!



Lord God, how grateful we are for the salvation You have granted to us. And that didn’t just come about as we walked down the road by ourselves. Rather, we heard the word spoken, we read a tract that someone shared with us, or maybe we were saved after reading the Bible. However we heard the message, it came through the efforts of someone else getting that word to us. Help us to now go and do likewise. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:22

Thursday, February 23rd, 2023




strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

The previous verse noted the effective preaching of the apostles in Derbe and then their subsequent return to Lystra, Iconium, and Derbe. Of their time in these cities, it notes, “strengthening the souls of the disciples.”



This includes a new word in Scripture, epistérizó. The word signifies the process of strengthening the understanding that precedes by building upon it. One might say, “to further support.” There is a knowledge that exists. By building upon that knowledge, with further instruction, the original basis of the faith is strengthened and built upon. The word will be seen three more times, all in Acts. Next, the narrative continues with, “exhorting them.”



This is a common word that is widely translated based on the context. It can mean to implore, beseech, encourage, comfort, and so on. It is an action that is close and personal. In this case, the apostles are imploring these disciples “to continue in the faith.”



One must ask, “Is this referring to the faith possessed by the disciple (their trust in the gospel) or is it the faith that is the basis (the substance) of what the apostles taught and in which they then trusted?” The answer is most certainly the latter.



To the apostles, what difference does it make if these disciples have faith if it is not in the faith that has been taught? If they went back and placed their faith in Zeus and Hermes again, that would be a pointless waste of everyone’s time. Rather, the term is being used in the objective sense, just as it is elsewhere, such as –



“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” 1 Timothy 5:8



Paul wrote those words to Timothy, a person who is certainly included in the words of Acts 14:22 as he is from the area of Derbe and Lystra, as will be seen in Acts 16. That this is an objective faith, and not merely the personal faith of the believer is seen in the next words. In their exhorting these new believers, they explained to them, saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”



The Greek more literally reads, “and that through many tribulations it is behooving us to enter into the kingdom of God.” By placing the words “We must” before “through many tribulations,” the NKJV makes it seem as if the kingdom of God is earned. However, by changing the structure to correct that, the sentence then requires the addition of the word “to” before “enter.” This then almost makes it seem like it is a necessity to experience tribulation before entrance can happen, which is not the case.



The verb translated as “enter” is aorist. It signifies a completed action at a particular time. Before that time, something will necessarily occur as stated by the apostles.



The word translated as “must” is a verb signifying that which is necessary or inevitable. As such it is translated as should, ought, must, and so on. The same general thought is expressed later by Peter –



“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 1:6, 7



Peter says, “if need be.” There is a purpose for all things that come upon man. They come according to God’s sovereign decisions. In the book of Job, Satan afflicted Job terribly, but he did so only as allowed by the Lord. There was, in fact, a need for this trial in his life, and there is always a reason for that which occurs in our lives as well.



For some, they are temporary. Job was afflicted and then restored. However, others may face a particular affliction (or afflictions) for their entire lifespan. Here in Acts, the apostles are not telling these disciples that they had to earn entrance into the kingdom of God (a necessity), but that tribulations will necessarily occur in this life, which must be lived first, to enter the kingdom of God.



This is certainly the case. Paul and Barnabas were saved, and yet they include themselves in the exhortation as indicated by the first-person pronoun “us.” They were not saying, “We must go through tribulation in order to enter into the kingdom of God,” but surely, “We must inevitably go through tribulations before entering the kingdom of God.”



The difference may seem like splitting hairs to some, but to misunderstand this will lead to the thought of our earning what has already been earned by Christ for us. Both thoughts are expressed by Paul in Colossians 1 –



“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:9-14



Paul speaks of longsuffering with joy. It is something that he assumes will necessarily come upon believers. He speaks of the inheritance, something that is granted but not yet received in actuality. And then he speaks of having been delivered and conveyed into the kingdom at the same time. In other words, we are in the kingdom, but we are also awaiting it as an inheritance. This is the substance of the words of the apostles now.



Life application: The apostles now in Acts are speaking to disciples about the kingdom of God. It is something that Paul refers to numerous times as well in his epistles. One cannot have a kingdom without a king. In the case of the kingdom of God, it is referring to that of Jesus Christ.



There are numerous teachings that deny that Christ is our King. This is done in order to justify various heretical doctrines. One of them is hyperdispensationalism. It improperly divides the dispensations that God has set up as He works out the redemptive narrative in human history saying that the church age began with Paul, not with Acts 2, and then saying that the seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation are directed solely to the Jews of the end times.



No such distinction as this exists. Paul and Barnabas have been sent on a missionary journey. There is no set time when they suddenly started the church as this false doctrine would claim. There is simply a slow and gradual diversion from the prime focus being on Jews to it being on Gentiles.



Hyperdispensationalism is so arbitrary and unsound that one could say, “It was on the walk between Lystra and Derbe that the church began.” There is not even a breath of a hint of this. Rather, the focus has been on one gospel throughout the entire Acts narrative. The book records the rejection of Jesus by the Jews while at the same time, there has been a wholehearted acceptance of it by many Gentiles.



Eventually, the nation of Israel will no longer be a consideration in the church age, but this does not mean they will not be a consideration later. And it does not mean that those Jews who were saved early on are not a part of the church. Rather, it means exactly the opposite. Someday, the church will be removed from the picture at the rapture. After this occurs, the narrative will again focus on Israel as a nation in their land.



The world is being prepared for this right now. Unfortunately, because of various nutty doctrines, such as hyperdispensationalism and replacement theology, many who are left behind (nonbelievers) will not understand when the events take place. This is too bad, and it could have been avoided if proper doctrine was taught in advance, even if initially rejected by those who heard it.



Lord God, please help us to learn Your word and understand it properly. Keep us from false teachings and false teachers who are untrained or incorrectly trained in proper theology. Lead us to those who will properly instruct us on what is occurring in the biblical narrative. Please hear our petition according to Your great mercy. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:23

Friday, February 24th, 2023




So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Acts 14:23


The previous verse indicated that the apostles strengthened the souls of the disciples, exhorting them that tribulations could be expected. With that, the narrative continues with, “So when they had appointed.”



The word is a new one to Scripture, cheirotoneó. It comes from cheir, the hand, and teinó, to stretch. Thus, it signifies to stretch out the hand for voting. It is an election by popular vote. If this is the intent now, and it certainly seems like the best intent for the word, then it should be translated as “chosen,” rather than “appointed.” However, some scholars argue that such a vote would be unlikely and that the apostles would rather appoint elders, thus stretching out their hands toward them as in the act of commissioning. The only other use of the word is found in 2 Corinthians 8 –



“And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, 19 and not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind.” 2 Corinthians 8:18, 19



It does not seem unreasonable that the apostles would allow for a vote. The people would not want such a matter forced on them, and they would know best whose life was the most suited to such an office. Therefore, these elders were either “chosen” or “appointed.” This process was conducted for “elders in every church.”



The word is presbuteros, and it is where the word presbyter is derived from. It signifies a mature man who is experienced and has seasoned judgment. In the Bible, the office is always male. The feminine singular, presbytera, is not to be found in Scripture nor can the selection, appointment, and ordination of females be inferred from Scripture.



As for the establishment of this office of elder at each church, it was a necessary point that is fleshed out further in the pastoral epistles. A church body needs someone to guide it and to bear the responsibility of keeping the doctrine sound and the people properly trained. Without this, the church would become a rudderless ship, floundering in a sea of whatever strange teachings came along. But with a sound leader, the chances of the church maintaining the right course would be far better. Once these elders were selected it says they, probably meaning both the apostles and the church as a whole, “prayed with fasting.”



This is an obvious thing to occur in such a situation. These people had no idea if they would ever meet again. A church was being left in the care of men who did not have the completed Bible to guide them. Their training in the doctrines of Christ was, by today’s standards, extremely limited. Such prayer and fasting would have been to acknowledge this and to petition the Lord to favor their efforts into the future. With this then complete, it next says, “they commended them to the Lord.”



The word signifies to commit in a very close and personal way. It is as if the care of these elders is transferring from the apostles directly to the Lord, just as these apostles were set apart to the Lord in Acts 13:2. They are now the leaders who would shepherd or pasture the flocks. Therefore, they would need the hand of the Lord upon them in their duties. Of this word translated as “commended,” Albert Barnes notes the following –



“The word is the same as in Acts 20:32; Luke 23:46. It implies the confiding trust of one who commits what is very precious to him to the keeping of another. So in 2 Timothy 2:2 it is used of the depositum fidei, the treasure of truth which Timothy was to commit to faithful men. Here it implies an absolute trust in God as ordering all things for His Church and those who love Him.”



This thought is then intensified by Luke’s added words about their relationship with the Lord, saying, “in whom they had believed.”



The verb is pluperfect or “more than perfect.” These men “had believed,” and this is the state in which they then conducted their lives since that defining moment. These were not just capable men of the town, known for their great administrative or oratory skills. Rather, they were men who had – first and foremost – believed the gospel message. Whatever other skills were noted that made them the ones to be chosen to lead the church, their status as believers was the issue for even being considered for leadership. Without this necessary qualification, no other attribute or skill could even be considered.



Life application: Of the prayer and fasting mentioned in this verse, Charles Ellicott states the following –



“It is a legitimate inference, from this recurrence of the act, that Paul and Barnabas recognized it as an established rule or canon of the Church that these two acts should jointly serve as a preparation for the solemn work of appointing men to spiritual functions. Without prayer such an appointment was a mockery, and fasting served to intensify prayer.”



Ellicott finds it a legitimate inference that this should be “an established rule or canon of the Church.” Although that may seem reasonable, it dismisses the fact that Acts is a descriptive account of what occurred in the establishment of the early church. It is true that one can often see what is normative from such repeated actions in the early church, such as baptism. However, it must be remembered (as noted above) that these men may never again have had anyone to guide them in their leading of this church, and they had no completed Bible for their instruction.



Instead, they were left solely to the care of the Lord and their own heart for Him as to how they would conduct their affairs. Today, we have seminaries set up to train and instruct leaders. We have churches that are already established and that have evaluated potential candidates, for extended periods of time. And, above all, we have the Bible as the rule and guide of our faith.



The instructions for selecting and ordaining elders are set forth there and nothing is said of fasting. As such, this is not to be considered a rule or canon for the church, even if it is a sound practice. With the lengthy process of preparing a person for church leadership, there is nothing wrong with ordaining an elder, praying over him, and then having a large celebration to acknowledge the many years of preparation that have readied him for that day.



If the Bible does not mandate something we cannot add to it without becoming legalistic. With each legalistic addition, there is a greater chance that more legalism is soon to follow. This cannot be tolerated. There is freedom in the church to express itself as a church in the local cultural setting. There is freedom in a church to meet when it wants to meet. There is freedom in a church to celebrate whatever days or events it chooses. In all things, the Lord is to be the consideration, everything else is secondary. And the Bible tells us the will of the Lord for the church.



Lord God, help us to never deviate from what Your word commands. Also, help us to never legalistically add to what Your word does not include. May we use our freedoms in Christ and in the church wisely and to Your glory. Yes, Lord! May all that we do be done to glorify You. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:24

Saturday, February 25th, 2023


And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. Acts 14:24



Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)



You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).



The previous verse told of the selection of elders in every church, commending them to the Lord. From there, they obviously moved on, as it next says, “And after they had passed through Pisidia.”



This is the opposite movement of what occurred in Acts 13 –



“Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. 14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.” Acts 13:13, 14



The apostles are certainly retracing their steps and ensuring they would meet any who had converted in order to bolster their faith. That this is the opposite movement is seen in the next words, saying, “they came to Pamphylia.”



As can be seen, this is the same area where John had departed from them quite some time ago. The detail of this stop will be more fully explained in the next verse.



Life application: Though nothing of substance concerning conversion was recorded during their previous trip through Perga in Pamphylia, the apostles are careful to have returned there. It may be that there were no converts or very few converts. However, even if there were no converts, they may still be able to break through to some who were close to conversion on the previous visit.



Even if it was just a stop that needed to be made on the journey home because it was a logical stop on the road, they will take the time to speak out the word, as will be seen next. It is never a futile thing to repeat the gospel to those who have heard it previously and turned it down. Some people have taken years to come to the Lord, hearing the message many times before the thought clicks in their minds.



Be willing to expend yourself in repeating this wonderful message to those who have previously rejected it. One can never tell when the right moment for the heart to be stirred will arise.



Lord God, others were patient with us as they waited for our hearts to be changed. Some of us may have heard the gospel many times before accepting it. Should we be less willing to share it with others? Rather, help us to be patient and to share this wonderful word of life as much as it is needed to obtain the right response. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:25

Sunday, February 26th, 2023




Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. Acts 14:25




The previous verse refers to the apostles passing through Pisidia and coming to Pamphylia. With that short note to cover whatever happened in that area, it next says, “Now when they had preached the word in Perga.”



This is something that they may or may not have done when passing through the first time. In Acts 13, it said –



“Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. 14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down.” Acts 13:13, 14



Scholars either ignore the reason why this area was not previously evangelized, or the comments are generally in line with the thought that they could tell there was no visible fruit and so they simply ignored the area. But the context of the passage may explain itself. One cannot know if there is “visible fruit” unless he first goes forth and preaches.



The most likely reason is that they did, in fact, preach to the people in Perga, but because there was no synagogue mentioned, it means the only preaching that occurred was to Gentiles. John Mark may have not appreciated this and got bent out of shape and departed. Or it could be that without any synagogue, they decided to go directly to where a known synagogue was, which was in Antioch. If this was so, then maybe the opposite occurred. John Mark may have said, “Why aren’t we preaching here instead of heading off to Antioch?” Not appreciating the situation, he packed up and left.



Either way, it is in Perga that John Mark became disaffected. With that remembered, it now notes definitively that this time they did preach in Perga. With that noted, it next says, “they went down to Attalia.”



Perga was not on the coast. Rather, it was upriver. The location of Attalia is described by Cambridge –



“A seaport of Pamphylia, at the mouth of the river Catarrhactes. … The Apostles had sailed, as they came from Paphos, directly to Perga, which they reached by coming some way up the river Cestrus. Now they go by land from Perga to the seacoast at Attalia, where there was more likelihood of finding a vessel in which they could sail into Syria.”



Of the city itself, it is next described by Albert Barnes –



“Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamus, whose dominions extended from the northwestern corner of Asia Miner to the Sea of Pamphylia, had built this city in a convenient position for commanding the trade of Syria or Egypt. When Alexander the Great passed this way, no such city was in existence; but since the days of the kings of Pergamus, who inherited a fragment of his vast empire, Attalia has always existed and flourished, retaining the name of the monarch who built it. Its ancient site is not now certainly known. … It is probable that it is the modern Satalia.”



This is the last stop of the missionary journey before returning home. Nothing is recorded of evangelizing here. It may simply have been used as a transit city to return home, at least as far as Luke’s records indicated.



Life application: Nothing is said of evangelization on the way from Perga to Attalia, nor of the time spent in Attalia. Nothing will be said of the trip from Attalia back to their home station. But this does not mean that the apostles didn’t preach to the people. Just as with Perga where nothing was recorded in Acts 13, to say that no evangelization took place is what is known as an argument from silence.



This is a logical fallacy where the failure of the source (in this case, Luke) to mention a given fact, or facts, becomes the ground for an inference. Such an inference is then turned into a conclusion that the supposed fact is untrue, or the supposed event never occurred.



In this case, the fallacy would be, “Because nothing is spoken of concerning evangelization of the people in Attalia and on the ship back home, the apostles failed to tell any of those people about Jesus.” The only facts we have are what Luke has recorded. Paul and Barnabas may have had many converts in Attalia, and it may be that the entire ship converted to Christianity on the way home. Luke is recording what the Holy Spirit inspired him to write. That is what we need. Everything else is silent and we cannot add to the historical record by making unfounded claims either way.



The point is that just because nothing is recorded concerning such things, we cannot use that silence to say, “I don’t need to tell people about Jesus at a particular time because Paul and Barnabas decided to not speak about Jesus at a particular time.”



We need to be willing to speak about Jesus all the time. Whether on a ship, on a bus, or at a stop awaiting the next part of the journey, we should look for an opportunity to open our mouths and speak. Let us do so, to the glory of God who has given us mouths to speak with. We are the redeemed of the Lord. Let us speak out the good news!



Most glorious Heavenly Father, we have been saved by the precious blood of Christ. May we not fail to tell others of this wonderful gift of healing and hope. Give us hearts to speak forth Your saving gospel message to any and all that we encounter on the path of life. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:26

Monday, February 27th, 2023




From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. Acts 14:26


The previous verse told of the apostles preaching in Perga. That was followed by their going down to Attalia, a port on the coast. With that noted, it next says, “From there they sailed to Antioch.”



This is Syrian Antioch from which the apostles first departed in Acts 13:3. Unless this is a note of completion that ignores various stops the ship may have made, this is a direct trip even up the river to where Antioch was. It is possible the ship made stops or even completed its journey at Selucia and then the apostles traveled up the river to Antioch. The details of any such traveling are simply being left out of the record. No matter what, the record of the missionary trip is complete with these words.



With the journey home behind them, it next says that this is “where they had been commended to the grace of God.”



That was recorded in Acts 13:3 –



“Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.”



Luke is reminding the reader that everything recorded is for the purpose of revealing what had occurred since that time and that it was a journey that these men were specifically commissioned to accomplish. They had fulfilled their assignment as witnessed by his written record. From there, it next says, “for the work.”



These words are based upon what is stated in Acts 13:2 –



“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”



The work they had participated in was an assignment first directed by the Holy Spirit. As God knows the end from the beginning, and as they were directed by the Holy Spirit, it can also be deduced that they were led by the Holy Spirit. Even the departure of John Mark from them is to be considered as an important point purposefully directed by the Holy Spirit to later be included in the Acts narrative by Luke.



It is this journey “which they had completed.” Their actions bear witness to their completion of what was directed. The recorded aspect of it, which is now included in the Bible, is a sufficient witness to that fact. With this note of completion, Barnabas is no longer to be considered an apostle. He was an apostle, a sent one, from Antioch, but only Paul was a sent one from Jesus. With this thought, the next verse will continue with the post-missionary journey details.



Life application: As noted in the previous verse, there are many things that may have occurred that are not recorded in the narrative by Luke. A preacher or teacher might attempt to justify divine protection of his missionaries by saying, “Do you see how God protected these two men throughout the entire journey? Neither one ever got sick on the entire trip. God will divinely protect you as well.”



This is both an argument from silence and an illogical conclusion concerning his own missionaries’ coming travels. For all we know, Barnabas was prone to sea sickness and was sick for the entire journey anytime he was on a ship. Paul may have eaten something bad in Iconium and been in bed for five days. We have no idea about such things, and we should never come to faulty conclusions based on what is not said.



There are times when what is not said is telling, but those things must be logical inferences that are in accord with the surrounding text. We must always be very careful to not insert fallacious thinking into the Bible. Rather we should only deduce what is right and logical. As an example, it says this in Deuteronomy 16:11 –



“You shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are among you, at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide.”



It is notable that the wife is missing from the list. Moses says you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, but nothing is said of the wife.



What seems obvious is that this is not saying that the wives were to stay home and take care of the pets. Rather, it is a way of acknowledging her importance within the household. The words take the reader back to the very beginning of man’s time on earth –



“And Adam said:

‘This is now bone of my bones

And flesh of my flesh;

She shall be called Woman,

Because she was taken out of Man.’

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:23, 24



Rather than being an oversight by Moses, it appears he is reiterating the fact that the man and his wife are one. In mentioning him, she is implicitly mentioned as well. Therefore, there is no reason to include her in the list. It would be unthinkable for him to observe the feast without her. Thus, all were to attend, including the unstated wife. This is a logical deduction that is supported by the previous biblical narrative, as well as other such passages.



Let us always be attentive to what the word is saying, what the word is not saying, and what can be logically deduced from the omissions and what cannot be. The word is too important to manipulate or twist for our own agendas or perverse desires.



Exalted Heavenly Father, we have a pure and precious word that has been granted to us to lead our lives and direct our feet. Help us to treat it with the utmost care and never twist what is presented into something other than what You intend for us to see. Help us to be responsible in this manner. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:27

Tuesday, February 28th, 2023




Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 14:27


In the previous verse, Paul and Barnabas had left Attalia and returned to Antioch from where they had begun their missionary journey. Having now arrived, it says, “Now when they had come and gathered the church together.”



Luke omits any details between arriving on the ship and the gathering of the church. The effect is to show the importance of the event and to give a sense of immediacy, even if the two arrived on a Wednesday and the church didn’t meet until Saturday or Sunday. In this, he is highlighting the mission and not the life of the missionaries.



It is this same congregation that had sent them forth with fasting, prayers, and the laying on of hands in Acts 13:2, 3. It is unknown if letters were sent back to the church or if this is the first time any word concerning them had come since John’s departure in Acts 13:13. With their return, however, there would be excitement to hear what the Lord had done through them, knowing that it was the Holy Spirit who originally called for them to be sent.



Once the church was gathered together, it next says, “they reported all that God had done with them.” Rather, the verb is imperfect, saying, “they were reporting all that God had done with them.” They probably started right from the beginning as they arrived downriver at Selucia and just kept talking the audience through the entire journey.



Of certain note would be the animosity of the Jews along the way concerning the message of Jesus being the Messiah. And yet, there was also another remarkable detail that would hopefully bring great encouragement to the church, but which may also have brought a measure of concern or even jealousy to a portion of it. That begins to be seen in the words, “and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.”



There is no article before “door.” It more closely reads, “and that He had opened to the Gentiles a door of faith.” The meaning is obvious. Unlike the Jews who were required to circumcise, even before the introduction of the Law of Moses, the Gentiles were not given such a requirement. This then once again set Israel’s circumcision apart as a cultural identity, but not a requirement for salvation. It is the state in which Abraham was admitted into fellowship with God in Genesis 15, before he was circumcised –



“And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.’ 5 Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’

6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:4-6



Circumcision was mandated for this covenant group of people years later in Genesis 17. Eventually, it was mandated under the Law of Moses. But the Gentiles had now been admitted apart from circumcision, and thus, apart from the Law of Moses and without the cultural identifier of physical circumcision.



In addition to this, the term “a door of faith to the Gentiles” brings in an entirely new dynamic that has not yet been seen, demonstrating that the missionary trip was not “to the Gentiles” in the minds of the church, only in the mind of God. The evangelism of Paul and Barnabas never noted Gentiles on the island of Cyprus. Not until Sergius Paulus called for them to speak was any contact with the Gentiles noted. Rather, only preaching in the synagogues was.



This was such a remarkable event that it was deduced at that time that this is when Saul’s name was changed in the narrative to Paul. The purpose of his apostleship was apparently becoming clear to him.



Upon arriving on the mainland, it wasn’t until Acts 13:46 that Paul and Barnabas exclaimed to the Jews, “but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.” It can be seen that this was the defining transitional moment when it was realized what God was doing and why these two had been sent. A door of faith had been opened to the Gentiles and these men were there to usher them through it via their preaching.



This will become perfectly evident as Chapter 15 begins and the word of these events reaches the ears of the Judaizers. What occurs there and after will become the basis for the writing of the book of Galatians.



Of the term “door of faith,” Charles Ellicott notes the following –



“This is noticeable as the first occurrence, as far as the chronological order of the books of the New Testament is concerned, of a very characteristic phrase. It would seem to have been a favourite metaphor of St. Paul’s (comp. 1Corinthians 16:1; 2Corinthians 2:12; Colossians 4:3), and comes in here, probably, as a fragment from his speech. From this point of view it is interesting to note the recurrence of the phrase in Revelation 3:8, both St. Paul and St. John, representing as they did different sections of the Church (Galatians 2:9), agreeing in the thought that the door of the Father’s house was now opened wider than it had ever been before, and that no man might shut it.”



His words are well stated and they, again, demonstrate that the door is faith and that it is referring not to Jews of the end times. Rather, it is an offering to Jews and Gentiles during this dispensation known as the church age. The Law is fulfilled in Christ, and thus works are excluded. It is faith in the accomplished work of Jesus Christ alone that allows entrance into the kingdom.



Life application: The transition of stewardship of the faith is being made from Jewish leadership to Gentile leadership in these chapters of Acts. Eventually, that transfer will be complete and the nation of Israel will be dispersed and without any standing in what God is doing in the redemptive narrative.



And yet, Jews are not excluded from what He is doing. Rather, they are on the same level as the Gentiles, as is evidenced in verses such as Galatians 3:28. Despite this, it does not mean that God is through with Israel as a nation. Rather, Paul explains that issue in Romans 9-11. As a very simple example of what is occurring, we could say that the Hatfield family is given the stewardship of an apple orchard. For a McCoy to be a part of the farm, he needs to join the Hatfield family.



However, the Hatfields eventually have their stewardship taken away from them and it is transferred to the McCoy family, but with a proviso that the Hatfields will again, someday in the unknown future, be granted the stewardship again. In the meantime, any Hatfields – still remaining Hatfields – may enjoy partaking in the stewardship transferred to the McCoys if the preconditions for inclusion are met.



This is what is happening now in the transition of stewardship from Jew to Gentile in Acts. In the past, Gentiles who wanted to participate in what God was doing under the law had to join Israel, becoming a part of them. Under the new stewardship, the commonwealth remains the same, but the stewardship is granted to a new entity. Those of Israel who do not accept the current provisions are not a part of that commonwealth, even though they are of Israel the nation. Those of the Gentiles who accept the provisions are included in the commonwealth even though they are not a part of Israel the nation.



Keep the boxes straight, understand that God is in charge, and accept that His choices in these matters are what is important. What we like or do not like is wholly irrelevant. This is God’s world, it is His offering of salvation, and we are obligated to what He is doing at any given time in the process of living through His dispensations.



Lord God, we are so thankful to You for allowing us to be a part of what You are doing in the world. You have sent Jesus Christ to save us from this life of corruption and death, giving us a new hope that we shall dwell in Your presence for all eternity. Thank You for what You have done for us, O God. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 14:28

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

So they stayed there a long time with the disciples. Acts 14:28


The previous verse detailed the first coming together of the church after the return of the apostles. They gave a report of all that God had done with them, also noting that He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. With that remembered, it next says, “So they stayed there.”



This refers to Paul and Barnabas. After giving their report, they remained in Antioch. With that understood, the next words are as debated as where government officials think the people’s money should be spent. Luke records that they stayed there “a long time.”



The Greek reads, “no little time.” The indefinite nature of the words leave much to be guessed at. Without knowing how long the missionary journey was, there is no way to know how long the stay after it could have been. Some think this stay was a year, others say two or three or even five. Some say the missionary journey was probably two years. Others say the methodical nature of Paul would mean it was as much as four.



As usual, Barnes provide his thoughts, they are as acceptable as any other, remembering that the duration of the missionary journey would change the length of the stay now recorded –



“If the transactions recorded in this chapter occurred, as is supposed, about 45 a.d. or 46 a.d., and the council at Jerusalem assembled 51 a.d. or 53 a.d., as is supposed, then here is an interval of from five to eight years in which we have no account of them. Where they were, or what was their employment in this interval, the sacred historian has not informed us. It is certain, however, that Paul made several journeys of which we have no particular record in the New Testament, and it is possible that some of those journeys occurred during this interval. Thus, he preached the gospel as far as Illyricum, Romans 15:19. And in 2 Corinthians 11:23-27, there is an account of trials and persecutions, of many of which we have no distinct record, and which might have occurred during this interval.” Albert Barnes



No matter what, they didn’t just stay in Antioch and pick flowers. Rather, the verse and the chapter end with the words, “with the disciples.”



This obviously could allow for Barnes’ thoughts because it might be that one was with the disciples constantly while another traveled, or they each came and went as they decided. Nothing is specifically stated and so those matters cannot be known. However, those in Antioch were instructed and built up in the Lord. But what is more than probable is that during this time many Gentiles began to join the church.



The precedent had been set on the missionary journey and it meant that Gentiles could come in, joining the church, and not even need to be circumcised. This thought then will establish the basis for the opening verses of Chapter 15.



Life application: We cannot be dogmatic about what is left unstated. Inferences can be made, but unless there are set parameters in the surrounding text, our guesses are only that. In the case of the indeterminate time mentioned in this verse, we must not be overly dogmatic about our viewpoint. This is true with other points of doctrine as well.



There is a set and specific amount of information to derive our theology from. Quite often inferences must be made, and that is fine. And more, the more we know the rest of the word, the better our inferences might be. But if they cannot be pinned down exactly, we should always note that what we state is inferred. In this, we will be responsibly conveying the truth of the matter to those we instruct.



In all things, let us not purposefully twist or distort what Scripture says to form an opinion. The word is too precious to allow that to occur. Eventually, all things will be revealed. Until that day, certain things will remain undetermined.



Lord God, thank You for the chance to contemplate things that are not explicitly stated in Your word. We can form conclusions and modify them as we consider other things that come to mind. There is no end to the chance to grow in this precious word because of this. It is alive and it feeds our minds. The more we study it, the more our minds will grow in the knowledge of who You are and of what You are telling us. Thank You for this precious word! Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 15:1

Thursday, March 2nd, 2023


And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” Acts 15:1






Acts 14 ended with a note that Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch with the disciples for a long time. What becomes certain now at the start of Chapter 15 is that their doctrine was noticed by the Judaizers and spoken against. Gentiles had begun to enter the church and yet remained uncircumcised. That is evident by noting Luke’s opening words of the chapter which begin with, “And certain men.”



The word “men” is inserted. They are identified by an indefinite masculine pronoun. It could rightly be translated, “And some.” Inserting men is fine because the pronoun is masculine, but Luke is certainly being imprecise, demonstrating that these were people with no standing or authority to do what they will do. He does not identify them as “brethren,” nor does he describe any ranking or authority as he did in Acts 6:7 (for example) when he said –



“Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.”



What is meant by this is that these priests, the stewards of the Law of Moses, had placed themselves under a new authority. They had gone from Moses to Christ. As for these men now being mentioned by Luke, no names are given, implying that they are just a group of men with obviously no authority to direct matters. This is in contrast to Paul and Barnabas who are called apostles in Acts 14:14, even if Barnabas’ apostleship was temporary and under the authority of the church at Antioch. Of these unnamed men, Luke says that they “came down from Judea.”



Rather, the verb is an aorist participle, “having come down from Judea.” Because of the use of the participle, one thought will lead to the next. For now, it is noticeable that it doesn’t say that they were from Jerusalem, of the Levites, of the priests, or sent by the apostles. There is no hint of any authority at all, whether in the church or of the leadership of Israel. Instead, these men – seemingly converted to Christianity – were merely from Judea without any recognizable qualifications. And even if they once had standing, such as the priests mentioned above from Acts 6, they have no recognizable standing with the church. All that is given is that they have come from Judea. And yet Luke next says, “and taught the brethren.”



Imagine someone coming from Washington DC, a nobody with no authority at all, who knocks on your door and says, “I am here from Washington DC to explain to you why you cannot possess a gun.” Will you listen to him? What authority does he actually possess? This is what Luke is trying to get his audience to think about by the way he has structured his words.



Some people, who obviously have no authority at all, have been introduced into the narrative. Luke has not even called them “brothers” as is so often the case in Acts. The only thing that identifies them is that they are from Judea. And yet, they are now teaching a congregation without recognizable authority. And what do they say? Luke next records their words as, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”



Rather, the Greek more poignantly states the matter using negatives – “If you are not circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you are not able to be saved.” There is a mark of total exclusion in their words. And more, they don’t simply say, “If you are not circumcised, you cannot be saved.” Rather, they say, “According to the custom of Moses.”



This is not an identifier with Abraham as the father of the Hebrew people as recorded in Genesis 17. Rather, it is an identifier with the Law of Moses received at Mount Sinai. In other words, these few words, spoken by these anti-Christian Judaizers, heap the entire Law of Moses, with all of its many rules and regulations, directly on the shoulders of the Gentile believers.



With no standing other than where they were from, these unnamed have thrown the congregation into an uproar. It is true that Moses was told by the Lord before the introduction of the law that those who participated in the Passover were to be circumcised, as is recorded in Exodus 12:44-48. However, that was later codified into the law itself in Leviticus 12:3 for all born under the law. Thus, this supposed teaching of these unidentified men has set aside the grace of Christ and brought the Law of Moses back to the main center of attention.



Life application: In the example above concerning someone coming from Washington DC, it is obvious that the place where he came from does not give him any authority at all. He is a nobody that has no power. And yet, because of where he is from, you might say to yourself, “I’d better listen to this guy. He is from D.C. and so he must know what he is talking about.”



Now transfer that exact same thought to your life in Christ and see if you, or someone you know, are guilty of making the same error in the past. Have you ever turned on the TV or the internet and seen someone who is from Israel (or simply some Jew) tell you that you shouldn’t be eating pork or that you must support Israel in order to be saved? If not, this may sound ridiculous to you, but both of these teachings are heard among the Judaizers of today.



Maybe you heard from someone who is in the Seventh Day Adventists say that unless you observe the Sabbath you cannot be saved. Have you been told by someone in the Church of Christ that you must be baptized in the Church of Christ in order to be saved? Have you ever heard that unless you are under the authority of the Roman Catholic Church, you can’t be saved? Each of these is a claim made by people today.



The list goes on and on of people claiming what saves and that if you don’t do what they tell you then you cannot be saved. Who are these people? What authority do they possess? The only source we have for such matters today is the Bible. It is the authority by which God has spoken out these matters and there is no other. This is because it is the word of the Lord through His chosen prophets, apostles, and authors.



If the word does not agree with what they say, then they are false teachers. And this goes directly to the heart of whether extra-biblical revelation is still given today. Because if it is, then the Bible is not the final source for such matters, and we are left in a sea of absolute chaos.



The Seventh Day Adventists believe that Ellen G White, their founder, received extra-biblical revelation. Likewise, Mormonism makes the same claim concerning Joseph Smith. The Roman Catholic Church believes it has authority over the word and it accepts that extra-biblical revelation is valid. People believe Jesus speaks to them in dreams and visions. If we accept one word of extra-biblical revelation, then we must accept them all because there is no standard to determine which is true and which isn’t, because the authority of the Bible is not absolute.



Think these things through. Either God has spoken and that is it, or we have no sure word by which to guide our lives in Christ. Be grounded in the word, reject anyone who teaches contrary to what the word says, and ignore anyone who claims a dream or vision from God. People like that have been around since the very beginning of the church and they are still out there today. The challenge of Acts 15:1 is the first main internal challenge the church faced, and the church is still facing it to this day.



Lord God, how evident it is that we need to know what the word says. Without that, we are possibly placing ourselves under the whims of anyone who claims some type of authority that is not granted by You alone. Your word is truly to be our guide, and so may we be competent in our pursuit of knowing it more from day to day. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 15:2

Friday, March 3rd, 2023


Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. Acts 15:2




The previous verse told of the Judaizers coming to Antioch and telling the brethren that unless they were circumcised, they could not be saved. With that remembered, it next says, “Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them.”



The first word, translated as dissension, stasis, was used concerning Barabbas in Luke 23:19 and translated as insurrection or rebellion. It is the etymological root of our current word, stasis, which is used at times to refer to a civil war. The sides were drawn up and there was no agreement to be found between them. Paul will say to the Galatians these words –



“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?” Galatians 3:1-4



The answer to the question for the Galatians to consider was obvious. They had heard the gospel, they had received the Spirit, and they were saved. Why would they need to then be circumcised if God had accepted them as they were? But as would happen later in Galatia, this is what the Judaizers were trying to get those believing Gentiles in Antioch to do. Obviously, Paul and Barnabas would not budge an inch. The Spirit had accepted the Gentiles as they were. Unless the Spirit was fickle and the giving of the Spirit was not a sound guarantee, there was nothing necessary to be added to His work.



The next word, translated as dispute, zétésis, is translated elsewhere as controversy, speculation, and so on. It signifies “a searching.” The YLT translates it as disputation. It is as if they had set forth a formal debate in order to settle the matter. They presented why they believed what they believed in order to convince others. But a resolution was not forthcoming. Hence, “they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem.”



This is the logical avenue to take in this case. There was an unresolved dispute, the apostles had been set forth as those who were to speak on behalf of the Lord, and so the matter would rightly be elevated to them. Paul, even though appointed an apostle, would certainly have agreed to this because he knew that:



1) God is not fickle. He had called Paul to this ministry and had given him sufficient instruction to know that what he was doing was right and appropriate. As this is so, He would not suddenly call out Paul’s stand as incorrect and requiring amendment.



2) The Lord had approved of the actions of Paul and Barnabas through “signs and wonders” (Acts 14:3, etc.). Thus, He would certainly be among the apostles to support the work that had already begun and which was approved by Him.



3) At whatever point in the timeline it had actually occurred, the conversion of Cornelius and those with him was prior to this time. The Spirit had come down upon those Gentiles without any hint of law observance. Peter and those with him were witnesses to this fact and he would have to acknowledge this, thus making a logical and indisputable defense for Paul’s position.



Along with this, Albert Barnes provides further reasons for why these Judaizers would also surely be happy to have a trial in Jerusalem. He says –



——————–



(1) That Jerusalem would be regarded by them as the source of authority in the Christian church, as it had been among the Jews.

(2) most of the apostles and the most experienced Christians were there. They had listened to the instructions of Christ himself; had been long in the church; and were supposed to be better acquainted with its design and its laws.

(3) those who came from Judea would not be likely to acknowledge the authority of Paul as an apostle: the authority of those at Jerusalem they would recognize.

(4) they might have had a very confident expectation that the decision there would be in their favor. The question had not been agitated there. They had all been Jews, and it is certain that they continued as yet to attend in the temple service, and to conform to the Jewish customs. They might have expected, therefore, with great confidence, that the decision would be in their favor, and they were willing to refer it to those who resided at Jerusalem.



——————–



These points are validated by the next words, which note that they were going up to Jerusalem “to the apostles and elders.”



If the Lord had established a New Covenant and there was a new direction in the redemptive events taking place among the people, it would be appropriate to go to the body that was designated by Him to conduct the affairs of that body. There would be no need to go to the stewards of the Mosaic Covenant because they had missed the train on what God was doing. And so, it was to the body who were assigned to the affairs of the New Covenant that the men went up to Jerusalem “about this question.”



The word translated as question is zétéma. It is found four times, only in Acts. It is from the same root as the word translated above as dispute. This refers to the underlying idea behind the dispute. It is intended to probe the principle at stake. In order to obtain a resolution, the matter will be fully explored and contemplated.



Life application: God provided revelation to the people under the law as He saw fit. An explanation of this was given as the first words of Hebrews were penned –



“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.” Hebrews 1:1, 2



This was needed during the time before and during the law. The reason for this is that the Old Testament was not yet complete. Prophets spoke to instruct the people. But the words of many of them were recorded. Eventually, the Old Testament was complete and the prophetic word ceased. The time after the final words of the Old Testament were received is known as the intertestamental period.



With this body of literature complete, the people waited for the Messiah. God again spoke to the people at the time of the coming of John the Baptist. However, the record of that is found not in the Old Testament, but rather the New. The Old Testament stood as its own witness and it was sealed as complete.



With the coming of Christ and the completion of His work, God moved among the people once again. This, as in the completion of the Old Testament, would eventually end. With the completion of the New Testament, there is – like during the intertestamental period – no longer a need for the prophetic word in visions, dreams, or other various ways.



And so, we must each question where we will set our doctrine. Is it in the completed canon of Scripture or are we still seeking out more information? The surest way to run off course is to deviate from what God has conveyed to us in His word. Israel continuously failed to discover this, and the church in large part has failed to pay heed. Be content that God has provided all we need to rightly conduct our affairs and know what He expects as He has detailed in Scripture. Hold fast to the word! The apostles have spoken and the word is compiled.



O God, it is such a blessing to our souls to know that Your word is written and that it is sufficient for us to know what You expect of us. We can easily ignore those who claim a word from You today, knowing that we have THE WORD from You. With this knowledge, we are sure to be kept from going astray. Thank You for this precious gift. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 15:3

Saturday, March 4th, 2023




So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. Acts 15:3




Based on the dispute that had arisen between the Judaizers and Paul and Barnabas, it was determined that Paul and Barnabas, with certain others, should go up to Jerusalem to obtain a resolution to the matter. With that, it now says, “So, being sent on their way by the church.”



The Greek is more precise, saying, “They, indeed, therefore, having been sent forward by the church.” Here, the word propempó is introduced. It carries one of two meanings. The first is sending forward with necessities for the journey included. All the provisions would be supplied for the travel. The second meaning is to accompany the traveler part or all of the way.



It is debated which is intended here, and the intent might be both. It would be unheard of to send them without supplies for the journey. At the same time, it would be a mark of respect to have a delegation accompany them as they traveled. This was seen as far back as Genesis 18:16 –



“Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.”



With this, it next says, “they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria.” Rather, the verb is imperfect. It says, “they were passing through.” They didn’t just hurriedly pass through, but took their time, ensuring that they would stop along the way and greet the believers who lived in those areas. As they went, they had great news to share with them. They were “describing the conversion of the Gentiles.”



In this, the second and last use of ekdiégeomai is found. The first was in Acts 13:41 –



“Behold, you despisers,

Marvel and perish!

For I work a work in your days,

A work which you will by no means believe,

Though one were to declare it to you.”



The word signifies to completely recount a matter. It is the strongest and clearest declaration of the events that have occurred. With this recounting of what had taken place among the Gentiles, it next says, “and they caused great joy to all the brethren.”



Again, the verb is imperfect, “and they were causing great joy.” Each place they went and with each recounting that was made, joy was springing forth from those who heard. Those in Phoenicia were first evangelized by Stephen, as recorded in Acts 11 –



“Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only.” Acts 11:19



Those in Samaria were noted in Acts 8, beginning with –



“Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.” Acts 8:4-8



It is these groups, previously established by those coming from Jerusalem and Judea as they traveled, that are now being told the good news that the command of Jesus from Acts 1:8 was being brought about –



“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”



Life application: Even today, the custom of attending those heading out on a journey continues. We will often go along with travelers to the airport, train depot, or bus station. If they are taking a ship, we may take them to the port and wave them off as they sail away.



This is something we should especially consider doing for those who are going off as missionaries. Their last moments before leaving the friendly land of their departure will be remembered while they are gone, and it will be a note of encouragement while they are in their mission field.



And be sure to write to them from time to time, letting them know they are appreciated. They are doing a job that was directed by the Lord over two thousand years ago, helping bring the command to its conclusion. The locations where missionaries go can be fraught with difficulties and perils, so remember them, pray for them, and extend kind words to them from time to time.



Lord God, how good it is to be a small part in helping the missionaries who are doing Your labors in the world today. We pray for them and ask that Your hand of grace and blessing will be upon them as they continue the jobs set before them. Thank You for our missionaries. Amen.

[PrisonerOfHope]

Daily Bible Verse, Acts 15:4

Sunday, March 5th, 2023


And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. Acts 15:4


In the previous verse, Paul and Barnabas were on their way up to Jerusalem passing through Phoenicia and Samaria describing the conversion of the Gentiles. With that, this verse begins with, “And when they had come to Jerusalem.”



Jerusalem is the focal point of the religious life of the church at this point. Those in authority were there and they oversaw the affairs of the church. It is for this reason that the company had been sent to Jerusalem. The matter to be decided was of the utmost importance because it dealt with the very heart of the gospel, which is salvation by grace through faith.



If it was determined that the Gentiles had to observe the Law of Moses before being saved, or after being saved in order to continue to be saved, it would essentially mean that Christ’s coming was for naught. It would have been a pointless gesture that changed nothing. As such, they went to Jerusalem to see what the leaders determined, and “they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders.”



The sense is that there would have been a meeting of the church body that worshiped in the various individual locations around Jerusalem and maybe even in Judea. Mentioning the apostles would then be referring to those who were designated by the Lord for the apostolic ministry. This would have included Matthias, who was selected by lot in Acts 1. The specific naming of the elders would be those who presided over the individual bodies throughout the area.



To get a sense of the gathering, one might think of a corporate board meeting where there are stockholders, the corporate board, and then the heads of the individual offices. These have all come together to determine a matter set forth before them. Once gathered, Paul and Barnabas would then be asked to speak. With this, it next says, “and they reported all things that God had done with them.”



Their words would have spoken of their time in Antioch, the words of the Holy Spirit, saying, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2). The details of their long and productive missionary journey, their time back in Antioch teaching the disciples, and finally the assault by the Judaizers throwing the believers into confusion while they were still in Antioch.



It is most likely that at this point that the words of the next verse will come forth. Paul and Barnabas would have spoken of freedom in Christ, the conversion of the Gentiles, the signs and wonders that had come about through their ministry, etc. But for such joyous things and such great freedom, there will always be those who want to steal those things away.



Life application: The events taking place in Acts 15 have a great bearing on everything that will follow in the church age. If the determination sided against the stand of Paul and Barnabas, the church would have become a chaotic offshoot of Judaism, like the many sects that were in Israel at the time. It would have been a religion of bondage and legalistic standards heaped on top of the words of Moses, just as all of the other sects had become.



But this is not unusual even in today’s world. There are many cults and sects within Christianity that return to Moses in part or (supposedly) in whole. They demand observance of those things Christ came to fulfill. Others make various demands on individual freedoms.



For example, some fundamentalist churches teach that men should not wear beards, as if that has any bearing on a relationship with Christ. Such things only damage the freedom of worship that has been ordained by God through the giving of His Son.



Let us hold fast to the words of Scripture, allowing what it does not forbid, and forbidding what it does not allow. Those things on which it is silent are not something God determined we need to fret about. If you are unhappy with the way an individual church meeting gathers, don’t attend there. But if it is not doing anything contrary to Scripture, let them be. Let the word be the rule and guide for what you do, and you will do well.



Lord God, may we hold fast to Your word, letting it fill us with right thinking and proper instruction. May we not legalistically add to it, and may we never consider that it gives us license to do that which is wrong. Rather, help us to be steadfast in holding to Your word at all times. To Your glory, we pray this. Amen.