Luke the beloved physician wrote how, “Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present. And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had worked among the Gentiles by his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law”, and in chapter twenty-one and verse twenty-one of the book of Acts Luke shared how the Jews told Paul, “you teach all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses” where we read:
And they are informed of you, that you teach all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
The verse begins, “And they are informed of you, that you teach all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, ...” Luke began with the words, “and they are informed of you” which means “and the thousands of Jews who were zealous for the law were instructed, taught and apprised through you, Paul”, “that you teach all the Jews” or “that you, Paul, instruct, inform, apprise and teach each, every, the whole and everyone of the people in the Jewish nation” “which are among the Gentiles” which means “who live alongside and abide with the non-Jewish people who are pagans and heathens” “to forsake Moses” or “to defect and fall away from Moses whose name means drawing out and was the legislator of the Jewish people and in a certain sense the founder of the Jewish religion”. Luke shared how “James and the elders in Jerusalem” told “Paul” that all the “Jewish people” knew that he “taught” the “Jews” who lived among “Gentiles” to do away with “Moses” and his “law”.
The verse goes on to say, “... saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.” Luke continued with the words, “saying that they ought not to circumcise” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming that the Jewish people should in no way cut off the prepuce (used of that well known rite by which not only the male children of the Israelites, on the eighth day after birth) of” “their children” or “belonging to the Jewish people's male offspring and progeny”, “neither to walk after the customs” which means “no and not in any way to follow, conduct, regulate and obey the manners, institution, prescription and rite of the Jews”. Luke shared how “James and the elders in Jerusalem” also said that “Paul” told the Jewish people living among the Gentiles that they did not have to follow or keep the “manners and rites” of the Jews either.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “James and the elders in Jerusalem” were focused upon “Paul” teaching the nonobservance of “law and customs” of the Jews to the “Jewish people” who were living among the “Gentiles”. God did indeed give His “law” through “Moses”, and it's intention was to show the exceeding “sinfulness” of all mankind. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”, (See Romans 3:23) and “there is none righteous, no, not one.” (See Romans 3:10). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord” (See Romans 6:23). Everyone who believes and trusts in Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God. Those who understand the words of “James and the elders in Jerusalem” should turn themselves over to Jesus who alone is able to forgive their sins and provide them with eternal life.
Next time Luke shares how the Jews ask Paul, “what is it therefore?”, 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".
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