Luke the beloved physician wrote how Paul, “reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ”, and in chapter eighteen and verse six of the book of Acts Luke shared how Paul, “shook his raiment” when the Jews “opposed themselves, and blasphemed” where we read:
And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
The verse reads, “And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads;”: Luke began with the words, “and when they opposed themselves” which means “and at the time and moment the Jewish people resisted their own selves”, “and blasphemed” or “and spoke reproachfully, railed at, calumniated and reviled”, “he shook his raiment” which means “Paul began to swing and violently shake his garments, cloak, mantle or tunic ”, “and said unto them” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed to the Jewish people”, “your blood” which means “your, Jewish people's, own bloodshed” “be upon your own heads” or “exist on your, Jewish peoples', own persons”. Luke shared how the “Jewish people” began to resist and refuse the words of “Paul” by speaking reproachfully toward him and reviling him to which “Paul” responded by “shaking off” his clothing and pronouncing upon them their own “bloodshed” and demise.
The verse continues, “I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.” Luke added the words, “I am clean” or “I, Paul, exist as pure, ethically free from all sin and guilt, blameless and innocent”: “from henceforth” which means “from this time forward and at the present time” “I will go unto the Gentiles” or “I, Paul, will pursue, continue and depart to the non-Jews and pagans who are individuals of the same nature or genus”. Luke shared how “Paul” declared himself “blameless and guilt free” because he shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with his fellow Jews, and he made the decision to “depart” from them and go to the non-Jewish people in the world. .
When we consider Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Paul” was deeply motivated to share God's good news of salvation through Jesus Christ with his fellow Jews. However, they resisted Him and began to speak reproachfully against him. This caused “Paul” to “shake off his clothing” as a sign against them (See Matthew 10:14), and he told them he was going to the “Gentiles”. God's gospel is for everyone to receive, however, not all will. Jesus said, “Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it.” (See Matthew 7:13-14) God loves people, and He wants them to find the “strait gate and narrow way”, and anyone who yields to His Son Jesus will discover them by being forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life. Let all who read these words take heed to them and submit themselves to Jesus who alone is able to give them eternal life with God.
Next time Luke shares how Paul, “departed from there, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or 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