The beloved physician Luke wrote, “Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spoke against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming”, and in chapter thirteen and verse forty-six of the book of Acts Luke shared how, “Paul and Barnabas waxed bold”, where we read:
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
The verse begins, “Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you:” Luke began with the words, “then Paul” which means “at that time 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” “waxed bold” which means “spoke freely, confidently and with assurance”, “and said” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “it was necessary” which means “it existed as indispensable, dutiful, needful and required” “that the word of God” or “that the sound and tone of uttered words from the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”, “should first have been spoken to you” which means “must chiefly in rank and honor to be uttered, declared and proclaimed to you, Jewish people”. Luke shared how “Paul” confidently told the envious Jewish people that it was needful and required for them to be the “first” to hear the “words of God” concerning His salvation.
The verse goes on to say, “but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” Luke continued with the words, “but seeing you” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover since, because and on account that you, Jewish people” “put it from you” which means “thrust away, refuse, reject and repudiate the word of God concerning His salvation apart and separate from you, Jewish people”, “and judge yourselves unworthy” or “and determine, resolve and decree your own Jewish selves as not befitting, without value and not worth” “of everlasting life” which means “pertaining to eternal, endless and without ceasing life real and genuine which is active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever”, “lo, we turn to the Gentiles” or “behold and see, we, Paul and his companions, twist ourselves away from you and revert to the multitude of individuals who are non-Jew and of the same nature or genus”. Luke shared how “Paul” told the Jewish people who opposed him because they rejected God's words of salvation and thereby have “judged” themselves not worthy to receive “everlasting life”, he and his companions would offer God's salvation to the “non-Jewish” Gentile people.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “gospel of Jesus Christ” was offered to the Jewish people “first”, however, when many of them refused to receive God's Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, Paul and his companions began to focus their efforts on sharing with the “non-Jews”. God's love is for everyone, Jews and Gentiles, and He will forgive anyone of their sins who yield themselves to His Son Jesus. Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for the sins of the world, and anyone, regardless of their national, ethnic or racial background, who believes and trusts in Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and receive everlasting life with God.
Next time Luke shares how Paul says, “the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set you to be a light of the Gentiles”, 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