Luke the beloved physician shared when Paul, Barnabas and their companions came to Jerusalem, “a certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed” were “saying” about the Gentile believers “That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, you know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us. And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt you God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them”, and in chapter fifteen and verse thirteen of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me” where we read:
And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:
The verse begins, “And after they had held their peace, ...” Luke began with the words, “and after they” which means “and following the time when the Jewish believers who were gathered” “held their peace” or “kept quiet and were silent” the following happened. Luke shared how the crowd of Jewish believers were silenced after “Barnabas and Paul” shared about the “miracles and wonders God” worked in the midst of the Gentiles, and the following occurred.
The verse continues, “... James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:” Luke added the words, “James answered” or “James, whose name means supplanter and was the half-brother of Jesus, responded and began to speak”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “Men and brethren” or “male human beings and fellow believers who are united to another by the bond of affection ”, “hearken unto me” which means “be endowed with the faculty for hearing, perceiving and understanding me, James”. Luke shared how “James” began to speak to the crowd of Jewish believers who were gathered and exhorted them to “listen” to him.
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the crowd of assembled Jewish believers became quiet again after “Barnabas and Paul” told them about the “miracles and wonders” God worked among the “Gentiles”. This prompted “James” to speak to them, and he exhorted them to “listen to” what he had to say. God was at work in the “first church council”, and because this was a major change in the thinking of the “Jewish believers” who were gathered, it was necessary to have a significant time for them to understand that God desired to “save” the whole world. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”, and every nation, race, people and creed are invited to receive God's Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”. No one is exempt from God's “saving grace”, and those who are wise receive Him into their lives regardless of their origin.
Next time Luke shares how James says, “God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name” 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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