The beloved physician Luke wrote how Paul continued to give defense for himself before a hostile Jewish crowd in Hebrew by saying, “when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance. And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get you quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive your testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on you. And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send you far hence unto the Gentiles”, and in chapter twenty-two and verse twenty-two of the book of Acts Luke shared how the crowd shouted, “away with such a fellow from the earth” where we read:
And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said,
Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
The verse begins, “And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, ...” Luke began with the words, “and they gave him audience” which means “and the hostile Jewish crowd granted, bestowed, supplied and furnished Paul with attention, the faculty for hearing, perceiving and understanding” “unto this word” or “toward the speech, utterance, decree and mandate of Paul”, “and then lifted up their voices” which means “and at that time the Jewish people raised and exalted the sound and tone of uttered words”, “and said” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed” the following words. Luke shared how the hostile “Jewish multitude” “listened” to the declaration of “Paul”, raised their “voices” and declared the following.
The verse continues, “Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.” Luke added the words, “away with such a fellow” which means “raise, draw up, elevate and move apart this kind and sort of person” “from the earth” or “apart from the arable land, territory, country and main land”: “for it is not fit” which means “because, since and on account that it is unbecoming and inconvenient” “that he should live” or “that he, Paul, be allowed to exist among the living and breathing”. Luke shared how the hostile “Jewish crowd” yelled out that “Paul” should be “killed” because he was unworthy of living any longer.
When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we learn how the “Jewish multitude” listened to “Paul”, but they rejected wholeheartedly his witness among them. In fact, they were so “hostile” toward him that they wanted him to “die” because of his declarations. “Paul” thought if he had the opportunity to share with His testimony and the gospel with the Jewish people, they would submit to Him, however, they rather resisted so much that they wanted him dead. God offers salvation from the penalty of death for sins to every person in the world, however, they make a choice as to whether to receive His Son Jesus as their “Savior and Lord” or not. In other words, Jesus invites everyone to come to Him, and their eternal life or death depends upon it. Let all who read these words examine closely the decision of this Jewish crowd, and choose to “come” to Jesus.
Next time Luke shares, “as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air”, 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".
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