Christ Suffered and Risen Again - Acts 17:3

The beloved physician Luke wrote how Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke himself, “passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, ...”, and in chapter seventeen and verse three of the book of Acts Luke shared how Paul was, “opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead” where we read:

Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead;

and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

The verse begins, “Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead;” Luke began with the words, “opening and alleging” which means “causing the Jewish people to be open in their minds, understanding and to have the desire of learning and setting forth, entrusting as well as committing to their charge”, “that Christ” or “that the anointed One, Messiah and Son of God”, “must needs have suffered” which means “that it was needed, ought to be and necessary to suffer sadly, be in a bad plight and experience passion”, “and risen again” or “be resurrected” “from the dead” which means “to be moved apart and separate from the non-living, deceased and destitute of life”. Luke shared how “Paul” caused the Jewish people in the synagogue to understand the anointed Messiah of God needed to “suffer”, die and be resurrected from the dead.

The verse continues, “and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.” Luke added the words, “and that this Jesus” or “and the selfsame Jesus whose name means Jehovah is Salvation and is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate”, “whom I preach unto you” which means “who I, Paul, herald, proclaim and declare to you, Jewish people in the synagogue”, “is Christ” or “exists as the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”. Luke shared how “Paul” told the “Jewish” people in the synagogue that “Jesus” is the Messiah, “Christ” and Son of God.

When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn what “Paul” did when he entered the “synagogue” in “Thessalonica”. He referred to the “Holy Scriptures” and helped the “Jewish” people understand that Jesus needed not only to suffer and die, but also to be “raised from the dead” because He is the “Christ” and Son of God. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (See John 3:16), and anyone who yields their life to Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted eternal life with God. Let all who read these words surrender to Jesus who is God's Christ, Son and Savior of the world.

Next time Luke shares how, “some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".