Luke the physician wrote how Peter told the Jewish “apostles and believers” in Jerusalem, “three men were already come unto the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me. And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house. And he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter. Who shall tell you words, whereby you and all your house shall be saved. And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life”, and in chapter eleven and verse nineteen of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “they which were scattered abroad” where we read:
Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
The verse begins, “Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen ...” Luke began with the words, “now they which were scattered abroad” which means “at that time therefore, accordingly, consequently and these things being so the believers in Jesus who were dispersed and distributed in foreign lands” “upon the persecution” or “who were separated because of trouble, affliction, anguish and burdens” “that arose about Stephen” which means “that happened and came into existence concerning and against Stephen whose name means crowned and was one of the seven deacons in Jerusalem and the first Christian martyr” did the following. Luke shared how the believers in Jesus were dispersed into “foreign lands” because of the persecution against “Stephen” who died because of his faith in Jesus.
The verse continues, “... traveled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.” Luke added the words, “traveled as far as Phenice” which means “journeyed until they reached Phenice whose name means land of palm trees and was a territory of the province of Syria, situated on the coast of the Mediterranean between the river Eleutherus and the promontory of Carmel, some 30 miles (50 km) long and 3 (5 km) broad”, “and Cyprus” or “and Cyprus whose name means love: a blossom and was a very fertile and delightful island of the Mediterranean, lying between Cilicia and Syria”, “and Antioch” which means “and Antioch whose name means driven against and was the Capital of Syria, situated on the river Orontes, founded by Seleucus Nicanor in 300 B.C. and named in honor of his father, Antiochus”, “preaching the word” or “uttering, emitting and announcing the speech, decree, mandate or order of the moral concepts, doctrine and teaching of gospel of God” “to none but unto the Jews only” which means “to no one or nobody except the people of the Jewish nation by origin, religion or birth”. Luke shared how the Jewish believers in Jesus were “scattered” and journeyed outside of Jerusalem to the cities of “Phenice, Cyprus and Antioch” where they “shared” the “good news” of God through His Son Jesus only to the Jewish people located in those places.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the believers in Jesus were being spread out to other areas from Jerusalem. God intended for His “gospel” to begin in Jerusalem, then into Judaea, then to Samaria and afterward to the whole world. God loves people from around the world, and His desire is to have a personal relationship with them through His Son Jesus. When they submit to Jesus, He will forgive their sins, grant them everlasting life and be with them as witnesses to others. God will use every person to spread His “good news”, and when they surrender to Him, He will use them in His Kingdom to tell others about His “salvation” offered through Jesus.
Next time Luke shares about, “some of the men of Cyprus and Cyrene”, 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".
No comments:
Post a Comment