Early Enemies of Christianity # 4
Some of the strongest condemning words in the NT were written by Paul against the Jews in Thessalonica (1Thes 214-16). The history behindthese words is contained in Acts 17. Paul was persecuted by the Thessalonian Jews who followed him all the way to Berea to turn people against him.
In Acts 203 we read that the Jews had a formed a plot against Paul but he avoided it and set sail for Syria. Later, after asking for the collection for the "poor saints in Jerusalem," Paul returned to Jerusalem and was very much welcomed by James and the elders there (Acts 2118). Then James asked a favor of Paul. He told Paul that there were tens of thousands (Greek word = myriads which means ten thousand) of the Jews who were believers who had heard rumors and false accusations that "you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children not to walk according to the customs" (v 20-21).
James asked Paul to go to the temple with 4 men who were completing a vow and to purify himself along with them. He felt that the Jews would see that "there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law" (v. 24). But, James emphasized once again that the decision regarding the Gentiles made in Acts 15 still stood (v. 25).
You may wonder why that decision focused on "blood, things strangled, and fornication." They come right out of Lev. 17-18 where there is strong emphasis on these things for Israelites as well as "aliens." "And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood" (Lev. 1710-12). There were further commands to drain the blood from all animals as well as a prohibition of eating anything that died of itself (vss. 13-16).
Paul did as asked. He went to the temple and paid for the sacrifices for the other four men. But when the days of purification were almost over, he was spotted by Jews from Asia (the province not the continent). Asia is where Paul established the churches of Ephesus, Pergamous, Thyatira, Laodicea, Sardis, Philadelphia and even Colosse. He converted many Jews and Gentiles in this area to the frustration of the religious Jews there. The Jews from Asia caused a stir crying out against Paul falsely accusing him of "preaching against our people, and the Law and this place" (v.28). They then said he brought a Greek into the Temple area because they had seen Paul in the city with Trophimus and just supposed that he brought him to the temple(v. 29).
They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple area and were going to kill him when the Roman military leader was informed of the uproar and confusion (v.31). Rome allowed local areas to govern themselves as long as there was order. But they intervened immediately when disorder occurred. Paul was saved by the Roman soldiers who took him by force away from the Jews who wanted to kill him.. Paul spoke to the chief captain of the Roman soldiers there in Greek and asked it he could speak to the people. The commander of the soldiers then realized that he had confused Paul with an Egyptian who had caused a great deal of trouble. He allowed Paul to speak to the Jews there (Acts 2133-40).
Paul then spoke to the crowd in Hebrew and they listened. He recounted his history as a Jew from the city of Tarsus. He told them that he had been taught "at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day" (223). He told them how he had persecuted those who had believed that Jesus was the Christ. He went on to say that he was struck blind and encountered the risen Jesus personally who talked to him. He even explained how he was baptized but that before he had even been in agreement with the killing of Stephen. Then he told them what Jesus said to him, "And he said unto me, Depart for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles" (v. 21). At the word "Gentiles" the Jews began the uproar again yelling out that Paul was not fit to live. They tore off their clothes and cast dust into the air. It was at this that the captain took Paul and brought him into the barracks (vss. 22-24).
The Roman leader decided to examine Paul by flogging him (v. 24). As they were stretching him out to flog him, Paul asked, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?" When the centurion heard that he went straight to the captain to tell him. For Rome protected its citizens. They were entitled to fair trial sand to face their accusers. Roman citizens could not be crucified either. That was reserved only for slaves and non-citizens. So Jesus was crucified but Paul could not be by the Romans. Nevertheless he did say, "I am crucified with Christ." He was one with Christ.
The captain asked Paul, "Are you a Roman." Paul simply answered, "Yes." And the captain took his word for it. You might wonder why. It was because it was a crime punishable by death to claim to be a Roman citizen when you were not one. The captain told Paul that he obtained his citizenship by paying quite a some of money. To which Paul replied, "I was born a citizen" (vss. 27-28). They immediately backed away from Paul even fearing retribution from Rome for having even tied him up.
Nevertheless, the captain wanted to get to the bottom of why the Jews were accusing Paul. So he brought asked the Jews to come in and meet with Paul so that he might find out what was going on (vss. 29-30). When they met Paul began to speak saying that he had lived in all good conscience before God. But the high priest commanded someone to strike Paul on the mouth. Paul flared back, "God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?" (231-3). Paul didn't know Annias was high priest that year for he was mindful of the command not to speak evil of the ruler of the people (235).
Paul realized that the Jews who had come to accuse him were part Pharisees and part Sadduccees. So he cried out that it was for his belief in the resurrection of the dead that he was on trial. The Pharisees wanted to let him go but the Sadduccees wanted to condemn him. They got into a fight and nearly pulled Paul apart. Once again the Roman soldiers were there to rescue Paul from harm (236-10). Following this the Jews formed a plot. They asked that Paul be brought to Jerusalem that they might try him there according to the authority given them under Roman rule. But their plot was to ambush Paul and kill him. For they had vowed not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul (2311-12).
Somehow, Paul's nephew found out about this plot and was able to bring it to the attention of the chief captain whose name was Claudius Lysias. When he heard of the plot he decided to send Paul to the governor in Caesarea which is near the coast. He wrote a letter to the governor explaining how he had rescued Paul and that he had found nothing about Paul worthy of death. Thus Paul was brought to Caesarea where he was to await a trial and a hearing.
Having been rescued by the Romans and protected from being killed by the Jews, is it any wonder Paul wrote to be subject to the government when writing to the Romans (131-8)and to pay taxes! We'll continue with the history of the New Testament Church and its early enemies.
In Acts 203 we read that the Jews had a formed a plot against Paul but he avoided it and set sail for Syria. Later, after asking for the collection for the "poor saints in Jerusalem," Paul returned to Jerusalem and was very much welcomed by James and the elders there (Acts 2118). Then James asked a favor of Paul. He told Paul that there were tens of thousands (Greek word = myriads which means ten thousand) of the Jews who were believers who had heard rumors and false accusations that "you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children not to walk according to the customs" (v 20-21).
James asked Paul to go to the temple with 4 men who were completing a vow and to purify himself along with them. He felt that the Jews would see that "there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the law" (v. 24). But, James emphasized once again that the decision regarding the Gentiles made in Acts 15 still stood (v. 25).
You may wonder why that decision focused on "blood, things strangled, and fornication." They come right out of Lev. 17-18 where there is strong emphasis on these things for Israelites as well as "aliens." "And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood" (Lev. 1710-12). There were further commands to drain the blood from all animals as well as a prohibition of eating anything that died of itself (vss. 13-16).
Paul did as asked. He went to the temple and paid for the sacrifices for the other four men. But when the days of purification were almost over, he was spotted by Jews from Asia (the province not the continent). Asia is where Paul established the churches of Ephesus, Pergamous, Thyatira, Laodicea, Sardis, Philadelphia and even Colosse. He converted many Jews and Gentiles in this area to the frustration of the religious Jews there. The Jews from Asia caused a stir crying out against Paul falsely accusing him of "preaching against our people, and the Law and this place" (v.28). They then said he brought a Greek into the Temple area because they had seen Paul in the city with Trophimus and just supposed that he brought him to the temple(v. 29).
They grabbed Paul and dragged him out of the temple area and were going to kill him when the Roman military leader was informed of the uproar and confusion (v.31). Rome allowed local areas to govern themselves as long as there was order. But they intervened immediately when disorder occurred. Paul was saved by the Roman soldiers who took him by force away from the Jews who wanted to kill him.. Paul spoke to the chief captain of the Roman soldiers there in Greek and asked it he could speak to the people. The commander of the soldiers then realized that he had confused Paul with an Egyptian who had caused a great deal of trouble. He allowed Paul to speak to the Jews there (Acts 2133-40).
Paul then spoke to the crowd in Hebrew and they listened. He recounted his history as a Jew from the city of Tarsus. He told them that he had been taught "at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day" (223). He told them how he had persecuted those who had believed that Jesus was the Christ. He went on to say that he was struck blind and encountered the risen Jesus personally who talked to him. He even explained how he was baptized but that before he had even been in agreement with the killing of Stephen. Then he told them what Jesus said to him, "And he said unto me, Depart for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles" (v. 21). At the word "Gentiles" the Jews began the uproar again yelling out that Paul was not fit to live. They tore off their clothes and cast dust into the air. It was at this that the captain took Paul and brought him into the barracks (vss. 22-24).
The Roman leader decided to examine Paul by flogging him (v. 24). As they were stretching him out to flog him, Paul asked, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?" When the centurion heard that he went straight to the captain to tell him. For Rome protected its citizens. They were entitled to fair trial sand to face their accusers. Roman citizens could not be crucified either. That was reserved only for slaves and non-citizens. So Jesus was crucified but Paul could not be by the Romans. Nevertheless he did say, "I am crucified with Christ." He was one with Christ.
The captain asked Paul, "Are you a Roman." Paul simply answered, "Yes." And the captain took his word for it. You might wonder why. It was because it was a crime punishable by death to claim to be a Roman citizen when you were not one. The captain told Paul that he obtained his citizenship by paying quite a some of money. To which Paul replied, "I was born a citizen" (vss. 27-28). They immediately backed away from Paul even fearing retribution from Rome for having even tied him up.
Nevertheless, the captain wanted to get to the bottom of why the Jews were accusing Paul. So he brought asked the Jews to come in and meet with Paul so that he might find out what was going on (vss. 29-30). When they met Paul began to speak saying that he had lived in all good conscience before God. But the high priest commanded someone to strike Paul on the mouth. Paul flared back, "God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?" (231-3). Paul didn't know Annias was high priest that year for he was mindful of the command not to speak evil of the ruler of the people (235).
Paul realized that the Jews who had come to accuse him were part Pharisees and part Sadduccees. So he cried out that it was for his belief in the resurrection of the dead that he was on trial. The Pharisees wanted to let him go but the Sadduccees wanted to condemn him. They got into a fight and nearly pulled Paul apart. Once again the Roman soldiers were there to rescue Paul from harm (236-10). Following this the Jews formed a plot. They asked that Paul be brought to Jerusalem that they might try him there according to the authority given them under Roman rule. But their plot was to ambush Paul and kill him. For they had vowed not to eat or drink till they had killed Paul (2311-12).
Somehow, Paul's nephew found out about this plot and was able to bring it to the attention of the chief captain whose name was Claudius Lysias. When he heard of the plot he decided to send Paul to the governor in Caesarea which is near the coast. He wrote a letter to the governor explaining how he had rescued Paul and that he had found nothing about Paul worthy of death. Thus Paul was brought to Caesarea where he was to await a trial and a hearing.
Having been rescued by the Romans and protected from being killed by the Jews, is it any wonder Paul wrote to be subject to the government when writing to the Romans (131-8)and to pay taxes! We'll continue with the history of the New Testament Church and its early enemies.
<< Home