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2
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- ζηλωτής - zelotes
- τήν όδόν - hodos
- διώκεις - dioko
- μάρτυς - martus
- πίστειs – pistis
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3
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- ζηλωτής - zelotes (dzay-lo-tace');
from 2206; a "zealot": KJV-- zealous.
- 2206 zeloo (dzay-lo'-o); from
2205; to have warmth of feeling for or against: KJV-- affect, covet
(earnestly), (have) desire, (move with) envy, be jealous over, (be)
zealous (-ly affect).
- 2205 zelos (dzay'-los); from
2204; properly, heat, i.e. (figuratively) "zeal" (in a
favorable sense, ardor; in an unfavorable one, jealousy, as of a
husband [figuratively, of God], or an enemy, malice): KJV-- emulation,
envy (-ing), fervent mind, indignation, jealousy, zeal.
- 2204 zeo (dzeh'-o); a primary
verb; to be hot (boil, of liquids; or glow, of solids), i.e.
(figuratively) be fervid (earnest): KJV-- be fervent.
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4
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- τήν όδόν - hodos (hod-os');
apparently a primary word; a road; by implication a progress (the route,
act or distance); figuratively, a mode or means: KJV-- journey, (high-)
way.
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5
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- διώκεις - dioko (dee-o'-ko); a
prolonged (and causative) form of a primary verb dio (to flee; compare
the base of 1169 and 1249); to pursue (literally or figuratively); by
implication, to persecute: KJV-- ensue, follow (after), given to,
(suffer) persecute (-ion), press forward.
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6
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- μάρτυς - martus (mar'-toos); of uncertain
affinity; a witness (literally [judicially] or figuratively [genitive
case]); by analogy, a "martyr": KJV-- martyr, record, witness.
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- πίστειs – pistis; persuasion, credence;
moral conviction – translated: faith, belief, assurance, fidelity
- sacred word
- moral conviction (of religious truth, god, religious teacher) religious
conviction
- From peitho – (v) to convince (by argument the tellos of Greek writing)
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8
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9
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- 1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the
Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest
- 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he
found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might
take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
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10
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- Before Christians were called Christians, they were referred to as a
Jewish sect
- Natzratim or Notzrim
- The Way <teen Hodos>
- Saul was disciple of Gamaliel
- 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone!
Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it
will fail.
- 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you
will only find yourselves fighting against God."
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11
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- Pharisee
- Of the Jerusalem School
- More lenient than other Pharisaic schools
- Jerusalem
- Alexandria
- Babylon
- The Gallil (Galilee)
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12
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- Apparently, Jerusalem was a lost cause and the only hope the Sanhedrin
though it had was to uproot the problem of “the Way” before it spread
- They might also have been happy to get rid of Saul—these issues require
delicacy and Saul was not delicate
- Roman Law, at this time protected the Jews and Christians were held to
be a Jewish sect all the way to Claudius
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13
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- Saul’s actions were patently illegal under Roman Law
- Saul was a Roman citizen – he was planning to bring people across 2
boarders to try them for an act that was not illegal
- Sanhedrim might have wanted to present a group that might be considered
not Jewish so they could get “the Way” ruled not religio licita (legal
religion).
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14
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- 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven
flashed around him.
- This is farther than Jesus when during his life (except for Egypt)—this
shows the power of God in Christ—not just in Judea, but also across the
world—continued theme in Acts
- 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul,
why do you persecute me?"
- bat-kol – voice of God in Jewish thought
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15
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- 5 "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am <Ego emi>
Jesus, whom you are persecuting<dioko>," he replied.
- Ego emi
- It is hard for you to kick against the pricks
- severe for you to fight against the goads – in other words, it is
tearing you apart to fight against that which you already know (image
of the priests and Pharisees in Jerusalem fighting against the truth
that they personally experienced)
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16
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- 6 "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you
must do."
- 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the
sound but did not see anyone.
- 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see
nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
- 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
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17
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- 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to
him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he
answered.
- Idou ego – behold I – in Hebrew Hineni “here I am” the words of Abraham, Moses, Isaiah
- 11 The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street
and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.
- 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands
on him to restore his sight."
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18
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- 13 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports
about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
- 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest
all who call on your name."
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19
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- 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen
instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and
before the people of Israel.
- HS is the focus and the theme is brining the Way to the Gentiles
- 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
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20
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- 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on
Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord-- Jesus, who appeared to you
on the road as you were coming here-- has sent me so that you may see
again and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
- 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he
could see again. He got up and was baptized,
- 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent
several days with the disciples in Damascus.
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21
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- 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of
God.
- 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, "Isn't he the
man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And
hasn't he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief
priests?"
- 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in
Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
- Saul already knew everything he needed to prove Jesus was the Christ!
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22
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- 23 After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him,
- 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch
on the city gates in order to kill him.
- 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket
through an opening in the wall.
- 26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they
were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple.
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23
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- 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them
how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken
to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of
Jesus.
- 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem,
speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.
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24
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- 29 He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill
him.
- 30 When the brothers learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea and
sent him off to Tarsus.
- 31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time
of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it
grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.
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25
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- Don’t hear anything about him for 14 years
- Return to Antioch
- 3 missionary journeys
- Journey to Spain
- Final journey to Rome
- Following his 3 missionary journeys
- After return to Jerusalem…
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26
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- 1 "Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense."
- 2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.
Then Paul said:
- 3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this
city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers
and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
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27
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- 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way <teen Hodos> to their
death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,
- 5 as also the high priest and all the Council can testify. I even
obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and went there
to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
- 6 "About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from
heaven flashed around me.
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28
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- 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do
you persecute me?'
- 8 "'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. "'I am Jesus of Nazareth,
whom you are persecuting,' he replied.
- 9 My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of
him who was speaking to me.
- 10 "'What shall I do, Lord?' I asked. "'Get up,' the Lord
said, 'and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have
been assigned to do.'
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29
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- 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the
brilliance of the light had blinded me.
- 12 "A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of
the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.
- 13 He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And
at that very moment I was able to see him.
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30
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- 14 "Then he said: 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to know
his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.
- 15 You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
- 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your
sins away, calling on his name.'
- 17 "When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I
fell into a trance
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31
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- 18 and saw the Lord speaking. 'Quick!' he said to me. 'Leave Jerusalem
immediately, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'
- 19 "'Lord,' I replied, 'these men know that I went from one
synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you.
- 20 And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there
giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing
him.'
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32
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- 21 "Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the
Gentiles.'"
- 22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their
voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to
live!"
- 23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust
into the air,
- 24 the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks. He directed
that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out why the people
were shouting at him like this.
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33
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- 25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion
standing there, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who
hasn't even been found guilty?"
- 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported
it. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "This man is a
Roman citizen."
- 27 The commander went to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman
citizen?" "Yes, I am," he answered.
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34
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- 28 Then the commander said, "I had to pay a big price for my
citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," Paul replied.
- 29 Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The
commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a
Roman citizen, in chains.
- 30 The next day, since the commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul
was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief
priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had
him stand before them.
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35
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- CHAPTER 23
- 1 Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, "My brothers, I
have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day."
- 2 At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to
strike him on the mouth.
- 3 Then Paul said to him, "God will strike you, you whitewashed
wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself
violate the law by commanding that I be struck!"
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36
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- 4 Those who were standing near Paul said, "You dare to insult God's
high priest?"
- 5 Paul replied, "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high
priest; for it is written: 'Do not speak evil about the ruler of your
people.'"
- 6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others
Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a
Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in
the resurrection of the dead <Sadducee issue>."
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37
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- 7 When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the
Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
- 8 (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are
neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)
- 9 There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were
Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. "We find nothing wrong
with this man," they said. "What if a spirit or an angel has
spoken to him?"
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38
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- 10 The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul
would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and
take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.
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39
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- Stuck in the proconsul's prison
- Appealed to Caesar
- Festus, the governor of Judea
- King Agrippa wanted to hear what Saul had to say
- Agrippa II
- Last Herodian king
- Galilee – capitol Caesarea Philippi
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40
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- 1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for
yourself." So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense:
- 2 "King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you
today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,
- 3 and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish
customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me
patiently.
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41
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- 4 "The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child,
from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem.
- 5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are
willing, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived
as a Pharisee.
- 6 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers
that I am on trial today.
- 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as
they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this
hope that the Jews are accusing me.
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42
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- 8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
- 9 "I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to
oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the
chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put
to death, I cast my vote against them.
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43
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- 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them
punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession
against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.
- 12 "On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the
authority and commission of the chief priests.
- 13 About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven,
brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.
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44
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- 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in
Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to
kick against the goads.'
- 15 "Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' "'I am Jesus, whom you
are persecuting,' the Lord replied.
- 16 'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint
you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I
will show you.
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45
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- 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am
sending you to them
- 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the
power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and
a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
- 19 "So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from
heaven.
- 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all
Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and
turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
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46
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- 21 That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill
me.
- 22 But I have had God's help to this very day, and so I stand here and
testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the
prophets and Moses said would happen--
- 23 that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead,
would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles."
- 24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of
your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving
you insane."
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47
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- 25 "I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied.
"What I am saying is true and reasonable.
- 26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to
him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it
was not done in a corner.
- 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do."
- 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short
time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"
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48
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- 29 Paul replied, "Short time or long-- I pray God that not only you
but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for
these chains."
- 30 The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those
sitting with them.
- 31 They left the room, and while talking with one another, they said,
"This man is not doing anything that deserves death or
imprisonment."
- 32 Agrippa said to Festus, "This man could have been set free if he
had not appealed to Caesar."
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49
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- Following this incident he was sent to Rome where he was put to death
- Will look at this separately
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50
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- Saul was an eye witness to all the Gospel events
- Disciple of Gamaliel
- Pharisee
- Well trained from Jerusalem School
- Saul sent to Damascus to get rid of him
- Saul’s calling was to Gentiles
- Saul’s message was wholly a call to examine historical events
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51
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- Missionary Journeys
- Acts 13-28
- Purpose
- Focus
- Events
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Notes