Sent to the Gentiles - Acts 22:21

Luke the beloved physician 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 in chapter twenty-two and verse twenty-one of the book of Acts Luke shared how Paul said the Lord told him, “depart: for I will sent you far hence unto the Gentiles” where we read:

And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send you far hence unto the Gentiles.

The verse begins, “And he said unto me, Depart:” Luke began with the words, “and he said unto me” which means “and the Lord Jesus in the trance uttered, declared and proclaimed to Paul”, “Depart” or “leave and go forth from this place”. Luke shared how “Paul” said the Lord Jesus instructed him to leave “Jerusalem”.

The verse goes on to say, “ for I will send you far hence unto the Gentiles.” Luke continued with the words, “for I will send you” which means “because, since and on account that I, Jesus, will dispatch and assign you, Paul” “far hence” or “a great distance away from here, Jerusalem” “unto the Gentiles” which means “to the non-Jews, pagans, heathens and individuals of the same nature or genus”. Luke shared how “Paul” said Jesus told him He would dispatch him far away from the city of Jerusalem to the “pagan and heathen non-Jews”.

When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we learn how “Jesus” instructed “Paul” to leave “Jerusalem” because he was to be “sent” to the “Gentile” nations. Because “Paul” would not be accepted among his fellow “Jews”, God would use him to spread His “gospel” to the foreign nations. “God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life”, (See John 3:16) and everyone in the “world” is invited to receive His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”. “Jews and Gentiles” may come to Him, receive forgiveness of their sins and be granted everlasting life. Let all who read these words realize the value of “Paul” being sent to the “Gentiles” because this made provision for everyone to be “saved”.

Next time Luke shares how the crowd shouts, “away with such a fellow from the earth”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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