The beloved physician Luke 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.” After much discussion, the church in Jerusalem, decided to, “send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia. Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, You must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment. It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”, and in chapter fifteen and verse twenty-seven of the book of Acts Luke shared how the letters said, “we have sent therefore Judas and Silas” where we read:
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
The verse begins, “We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, ...” Luke began with the words, “we have sent therefore” which means “we, the believers in the church in Jerusalem have dispatched and assigned then, wherefore, consequently and these things being so” “Judas” whose name means “he shall be praised and whose invoked name, Barsabas, means son of Sabas” “and Silas” whose name means “woody and was a Roman citizen and the companion of the apostle Paul on several of his missionary journeys”. Luke shared how the church in Jerusalem “dispatched and assigned” “Judas and Silas” to the church in Antioch.
The verse continues, “... who shall also tell you the same things by mouth” Luke added the words, “who shall also tell you” or “Judas and Silas will even so and indeed report, declare and bring tidings to you, the believers in the church in Antioch” “the same things by mouth” which means “the selfsame ideas from the church in Jerusalem by the use of the speech from their mouths” Luke shared how the letters told the believers in the church of Antioch that “Judas and Silas” would confirm with their voices what they were declaring in their letters.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Judas and Silas” were sent to the church in Antioch to verbally declare to the believers there what the church in Jerusalem wrote in their letters. God was at work unifying His church, and He is willing to receive into His church body and family anyone who surrenders to His Son Jesus. God wants to forgive the sins of people to establish a loving personal relationship with them, and He will grant them everlasting life when they surrender to His Son Jesus. Let all who read these words discover the purpose of sending “Judas and Silas” to the church of Antioch and be mindful of the intention of God Almighty to allow them to read and study these words.
Next time Luke shares how the letter says, “it seemed good … to lay upon you no greater burden”, 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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