“Acts 13:13-31”

Friday, January 15, 2016

“Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, ‘Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.’ Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, ‘Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about four hundred and fifty years. After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.” From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, “What do you suppose that I am? I am not He. But behold, one is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.” ‘Brethren, sons of Abraham’s family, and those among you who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent. For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead; and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people.’”

---End of Scripture verses---

A few observations:

“Paul and his company” (verse 13) – Paul has clearly been given the position of prominence by the writer from this point onward. In verses 2 and 7 we read about the things that “Barnabas and Saul” were doing. After the events that unfolded at Paphos on the Island of Cyprus (verses 6-12), Paul is no longer referred to as Saul, and he is recognized as the leader of the group by his words and actions.

Paul gives his Jewish audience a history report (verses 17-22) – Just like Peter (Acts 2) and Stephen (Acts 7) who taught before him, the Apostle Paul used a tried and true, effective technique to get the attention of his patriotic audience, and open a doorway to the hearts of potential converts. It is either appropriate or ironic, depending on the way you look at it, that Paul followed in the footsteps of the first martyr of the faith; the very one who, as he was being stoned, Paul assented to the death of and held the coats of the men committing the murder (Acts 7:58; 8:1). (Okay Jerri Wold Caliguiri I am ready for a grammar lesson on the best way to phrase that last improper sentence!)

Verses 22-31 – From the historical vantage point of King David, Paul preached Jesus unto them. Jesus was the One in whom God fulfilled all the promises that He had made from Abraham to David. In Jesus God blessed all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:3), and in Jesus God raised up a King to sit on the throne of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 132:11). When God speaks it is always the truth, and when God makes a promise it is always fulfilled. The problem has never been with God’s word or with His plan. The trouble with mankind is that most people don’t take the time to know Him, and don’t make the effort to learn His will (verse 27).

Please read Acts 13:32-43 for tomorrow.

Have a blessed day!

-Louie Taylor

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