The beloved physician Luke shared how Paul said, “the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set you to be a light of the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region”, and in chapter thirteen and verse fifty of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city”, where we read:
But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
The verse begins, “But the Jews stirred up the devout and honorable women, and the chief men of the city, ...” Luke began with the words, “but the Jews” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover the people of the Jewish nation by birth, origin or religion” “stirred up the devout” or “incited and stimulated the religious, revered, adored” “and honorable women” which means “and elegant, graceful, influential, wealthy and respectable female human beings who were Jews”, “and the chief men” or “and the principle, first in rank, influential and honorable Jewish male human beings” “of the city” which means “belonging to the dwelling place, habitation, abode and town”. Luke shared how “Jewish people” began to incite the “wealthy, influential and revered” Jewish men and women who lived in Antioch in Pisidia.
The verse goes on to say, “... and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.” Luke continued with the words, “and raised persecution” which means “and excited or roused up maltreatment and abuse” “against Paul” which means “in opposition to Paul whose name means little or small” “and Barnabas” whose name means “son of rest” and was “the surname of Joses or Joseph, a Levite, a native of Cyprus who was a distinguished Christian teacher and companion and colleague of Paul”, “and expelled them out” which means “and cast or drove Paul, Barnabas and their companions out” “of their coasts” or “from the boundaries of their city”. Luke shared how the influential, wealthy and revered Jewish people in Antioch “persecuted” and drove Paul, Barnabas and their companions out of their city.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how these influential Jewish men and women not only “persecuted” Paul, Barnabas and their companions, but also threw them out of their city. Their crime? Telling the people about the eternal salvation that is offered by God through His Son Jesus. God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross to pay for the sins of the whole world, however, not everyone receives God's message. Many “cast” Him “out” of their lives, and they do so to their own eternal demise. This same Jesus who died for the sins of the world will be the judge of every person when they die, and what shall they say then? (See John 5:26-29). God's invitation is to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life by believing and trusting in His Son Jesus as “Savior and Lord”, and may all who read these words surrender themselves to Him.
Next time Luke shares how Paul and Barnabas, “shook off the dust of their feet against them”, 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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