The physician Luke wrote how Jesus' apostle Philip was sent from Samaria toward Gaza where he met an Ethiopian man who was reading the prophesy of Isaiah but did not understand what he read. He asked Philip to help him, and “ Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what does hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea”, and in chapter nine and verse one of the book of Acts Luke shared about, “Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” where we read:
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord,
went unto the high priest,
The verse begins, “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, ...” Luke began with the words, “and Saul” which means “and Saul whose name means desired and was the Jewish name of the apostle Paul”, “yet breathing out threatenings” or “still also and further uttering threats with his every breath” “and slaughter” which means “and murder” “against the disciples of the Lord” or “towards the pupils, students and attendants of the One to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title give to God the Messiah”. Luke shared how “Saul” was “threatening with his every breath to murder” the “disciples” of Jesus.
The verse continues, “... went unto the high priest,” Luke added the words, “went unto” which means “arose and approached” “the high priest” or “the chief and principal priest”. Luke shared how “Saul” approached the “high priest” so he could obtain authority to do what we shall see in our next verse.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn about “Saul”, whom we were introduced to in Acts chapter seven and verse fifty-eight, at whose feet the people who stoned Stephen laid their garments. “Saul” was now heated in opposition to the “disciples” of Jesus, and he purposed to rid the world of them. “Saul” watched “Stephen” be stoned to death, and he consented to his death. Jesus said there would be “persecution” for His believers in this world, and many have faced the hatred of Him in their lives. God loves every person, and when they put their faith and trust in Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. There may be a price to pay for believing in Jesus, but let everyone who considers Luke's words concerning “Saul's” actions receive and trust in Him when they encounter heavy opposition.
Next time we see how Saul, “desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
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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