Blog

⁹ But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, ¹⁰ to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” ¹¹ And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. ¹³ Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. ¹⁴ Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵ who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰ But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! ²¹ You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. ²² Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” ²⁴ Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” ²⁵ So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Simon Says (Acts 8:9-12) — The conjunction of 8:9 has is usually translated but (δέ – ESV, KJV, NKJV, ESV); that word is used to introduce this part of the Samaria story as contrast with what was previously said. (In the wider scope this part of the story is still about Peter and the Lord’s work through him. The segue to the importance of Peter’s role in ministry to the Samaritans is through the account of what happened with Philip when he left Jerusalem.) Immediately prior Luke says that there was great joy in that city (Acts 8:8). Now Luke says there were some bad things happening as well; or “but concerning a certain man called Simon what is about to be related is not part of that great joy.” The Simon of this part of the narrative, is described thus:

• practiced sorcery in the city — Simon Magus was a sorcerer. He used unauthorized means or witchcraft to interact with the spiritual realm for his own purposes. God had forbidden this among the people of Israel (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:26, 31; Leviticus 20:6,7) and cited witchcraft as a reason why he was deposing rulers (2 Kings 21:6) and removing nations (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).

Ungodly spiritual leaders operate in illegitimate spiritual activity. They do not work 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ witchcraft their work 𝑖𝑠 witchcraft — an ungodly means of using the spiritual to obtain and keep control of things and people.

• astonished the people of Samaria — Through witchcraft Simon did things that were astonishing. How? First, the evil spirits he was working with could give him insights about other people and things that no human could know. (He was receiving information from evil spirits that was mixed with lies in order to become credible. These spirit that provide him information are demons that want to deceive people and want worship and sacrifices that belong only to God [John 10:10]. See Leviticus 17:7; Deuteronomy 32:17; Psalm 106:37; Isaiah 13:21; 1 Samuel 16:14-16. The teachings that are inspired by these spirits are doctrines of demons; See 1 Timothy 4:1.) Second, the evil spirits he worked with could interact with our world in ways that would have made Simon look more powerful than any human could be. Through cooperation with unseen evil spirits Simon could be made to look like he had influence over the spiritual and material world. But the cost was high. His collaboration had facilitated the demon possession of many Samaritans (Acts 8:7). Today sorcery is still taking place. In what ways?
  1. Divination: This is seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means (e.g., tarot cards, crystal balls, astrology, and Ouija boards). Even in Christian circles there a people who constantly seek a word about what lies ahead without clearly indicating that they are seeking it from God. Something, then, dropped in their spirit. References: Deuteronomy 18:10, Ezekiel 21:21
  2. Sorcery and Magic: Practitioners of witchcraft perform rituals and cast spells (runes and incantations) believed to invoke supernatural forces. References: Galatians 5:19-21, Revelation 21:8; Isaiah 47:9, 47:12
  3. Necromancy, Consulting Mediums or Spiritists: Communicating with the dead or attempting to summon spirits of the dead. Seeking guidance or knowledge from those who claim to have contact with spirits or the dead. References: Deuteronomy 18:11, 1 Samuel 28 (The Witch of Endor) References: Leviticus 19:31, Isaiah 8:19
  4. Witchcraft or Casting Spells: Performing rituals or spells to influence people or situations through supernatural means. References: Exodus 22:18, Deuteronomy 18:10
  5. Astrology: Believing that the stars and planets have an influence on human affairs and natural phenomena, often used for guidance. References: Isaiah 47:13-14
  6. Fortune-Telling: Predicting or foreseeing future events, often through palm reading, crystal balls, or other occult practices. References: Acts 16:16
  7. Potion-Making and Use of Charms: Creating and using potions, amulets, or charms believed to have magical properties for healing, harm, or protection. References: Ezekiel 13:18-20
  8. Idolatry and Sacrifices to False Gods: Worshiping idols or making sacrifices to gods other than the God of the Bible, often involving occult rituals. References: 1 Corinthians 10:20-21, Leviticus 20:2-6
• self proclaimed greatness — As with all false leaders, Simon claimed to be someone great. People taken with his lies believed that he was someone important with God. The belief was broad; the least in the city and people of great influence or importance were all deceived into believing that Simon was from God.
• they heeded him (obeyed him) saying “This man is the great power of God” — Simon presented himself as an emanation from God; that emanation was called The Great Power of God. This is a gnostic idea. (He is often said to be the father of Gnosticism. Justin Martyr, a church father from Samaria, says that this same Simon was the source of gnostic heresies.) The astonishing things done by Simon were aimed at controlling others. The goal was always to be in power and to have people under his control. Evil spiritual leaders enslave people. Godly spiritual leaders set them free.

Sorcerers bear an uncanny resemblance to their father the devil. In what way? They cannot resist the temptation to self promote (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 12:7-9; Matthew 4:8-10); they are unable to stop using the spiritual realm to (1) draw attention to themselves, (2) promote their own agenda, and (3) lead people into bondage. Their messages, although mixed with truth, are poison. The antidote for the venom of these asps is the work of God in the hearts of the deceived. That work accompanies preaching powered by the Holy Spirit.

Simon Sees Part 1: Figuring Out Philip (Acts 8:13) — The believing of Simon would seem to be a good thing. Not so fast. We are hasty and naive when we jump to the conclusion that the mention of faith means salvation. No New Testament writer hits harder than James when he says this:

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! (James 2:19)

But you will answer, “When [Simon] was baptized he continued with Philip.” With the mention of his faith and baptism was the participle: seeing the miracles and signs which were done. Luke is trying to say something about this magic man’s faith and conversion. A similar thing was said in John’s gospel (John 2:23-3:4).

Judas was with Jesus. And Simon Magus is with Philip. Don’t get too excited by attendance or early participation. People will be present in your ministry for motives outside the mission. And they will ride with you for reasons that are not right.

With the introduction of the gospel, Simon has lost his influence and the means to his affluence. From Simon’s perspective, Philip is a more powerful magician. Simon’s goal is simple: figure out Philip.

Apostolic Approval and Learning (Acts 8:14-17; Luke 9:51-54) — Why was the Spirit not given when the people of Samaria believed and were baptized (Acts 8:12)? Was the preaching of Philip somehow deficient in its description of what is required for salvation (Acts 8:4)? No. Deacon Philip has been trained by the apostles for three years, selected for leadership by the congregation in Jerusalem, and given apostolic approval for ministry. There is no mention made of the need to correct the message that had been delivered by Philip. Peter and John had been sent from Jerusalem when it was heard that the Samaritans had receive the word of God (Acts 8:14); there is no indication that they went with doubts about the quality of teaching. The apostles were sent by the church to provide what was lacking — approval.

Figure 1: The population of the world broken into the categories of Short and Tall.

Figure 2: The population of the world broken into the categories

of Jew, Part Jew, and Non-Jew or Jew, Samaritan, and Gentile.

The numbers shown here are examples and not to be regarded as

representative of the world in 36 AD.

Ministry Validation

The ministry, prior to this point, has been to the Jews. By taking the gospel to the Samaritans the almoner Philip has started a new type of ministry. (It was prefigured by Jesus Himself in the gospel of John. See John 4:1-42. However, it had not been revisited since then.) Philip’s work cannot be given Heaven’s endorsement until the appointed authorities have indicated their approval. In particular, Peter must sanction the work. This was indicated earlier in the ministry of Jesus:

• Peter Looses (Matthew 16:17-19) – The you (δώσω σοι τὰς κλεῖδας τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν) of verse 19 is singular; Jesus was not talking to all of the disciples. In context, it is plain that the Lord was talking to Simon (Matthew 16:17-18). The big fisherman was given a new name and then declared to be a large part of the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:19-20; Revelation 21:14). (Jesus, though, is the chief cornerstone.) Peter, in particular, had a role of spiritual binding and releasing. He did not take this to himself and was not able to confer the ability on anyone else. If Peter has been able to pass the position or authority to approve new ministries to others, the laying on of hands for the seven deacons would have made requesting the Holy Spirit for the Samaritans unnecessary; Philip would have done it. The ministry, with regard to the receiving of the Holy Spirit, is still locked. Simon Peter has the keys (Matthew 16:19). (Some will use these comments to say that I am with a particular denomination or promoting the papacy. I am doing no such thing; these are merely my meager efforts to explain the text to my brothers and sisters.)
• Peter Leads (Luke 22:31-32; John 21:15-17) – His fall is foretold by Jesus (Luke 22:33-34); so is his restoration (Luke 22:32). Peter is called upon to lead the leaders. When they have all been weakened by the trials of Jesus execution and the betrayal by Judas, Peter will strengthen them (Acts 1:15-26). He feeds his fellow disciples the word of God (Acts 1:16, 20).

In summary, the sending of the apostles was manifold in what it accomplished. The apostles are now seen as being over the Samaritan church as well as the church in Jerusalem. In this way the church is protected from division that was so prominent in the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans (John 4:9; Luke 9:51-53). Another good outcome of sending the apostles to Samaria to verify the claims was that John’s perspective on Samaritans is further adjusted. Fruchtenbaum says it succinctly:

First, so that Samaritan salvation could be authenticated by apostolic authority; and second, because Peter had the keys of the kingdom. John was sent so that the matter could be established by the mouth of two witnesses. Furthermore, this was to be a personal lesson for him, because he and his brother James had wanted the Samaritans destroyed (Lk. 9: 54). (Fruchtenbaum, 2020, Kindle Locations 3454-3456)

Upon arriving they found that the new believers had yet to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15). Why? That is, again, why was the Spirit not given when the people of Samaria received the word of God. The Lord wanted everyone to know that this ministry to Samaritans cannot be deemed valid until His man Peter had used his keys to unlock the door or loose the spiritual blessing of the Holy Spirit to them. The apostles do that by praying for the Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit. And when their hands were laid on these new believers they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:16).

Simon Sees Part 2: Getting Control (Acts 8:18-19) — It is the “aha” moment that the magician was waiting for. Philip had received the Spirit by faith. But with the laying on of hands of the apostles he was granted special authority for signs. Now, although the people had already believed in Jesus, with the apostles approval they receive the Holy Spirit. Simon wants power. That is what he says: Give me this power also. He is not interested in people or the kingdom of God; he wants to be someone great again. This power is the means.

Getting to God is not the goal for everyone going to church.

Peter Puts it in Perspective (Acts 8:20-23) — Simon’s heart is exposed in his offer to buy power. It is explained in Peter’s comments. Listen as Peter puts Simon’s issues in perspective:

• Simon’s Path – he is on the path to destruction. Peter says that the money can perish with him.
• Simon Perversion – he has turned the Holy Spirit, grace, and the gift of God into a thing things to be controlled for money. In the mind of the magician the gospel is merely means for manipulating people.
• Simon’s Problem – he is not a member of the church (part) and has no inheritance in Christ (portion/lot). Why? The reason is given: a heart condition (Jeremiah 17:9).
• Simon’s motives reveal him to be bitter (Hebrews 12:15) and bound (John 8:36) by iniqity.

Simon Says Part 2: You Do It (Acts 8:24) — Notice that Simon does not obey. His response seems like humility. “I do not have a right standing with God and therefore cannot pray. Pray for me.” Rather, it reveals that (1) he was not submitted to leadership, (2) he did not respect God’s right to reign in his life, and (3) was not wanting to be in God’s will. Consider what he wanted Peter to pray for: that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me. What about forgiveness? He was not after forgiveness. Why? Forgiveness is of no value when there is no desire for fellowship. Simon’s primary concern was avoiding the penalty of sin.

The Grace of God

Even after being exposed as having evil intent the opportunity to get right was offered to Simon. That is grace and mercy. Have you fallen? Are you having a hard time believing that there is hope for you. Call on the Lord who is rich in grace and mercy. Admit wrong motives and confess any attempts to use spiritual things for selfish purposes. If you will draw near to God he will draw near to you.

References

Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum. (2020). Commentary Series: The Book of Acts. Ariel Ministries. Kindle Edition.

End Notes

They had not yet been baptized by the Holy Spirit. He had come upon the Jews, but not yet upon the Samaritans. The reason was that the Messiah had given the keys of the kingdom to Peter, and it was up to Peter to allow any new group into the body. As previously mentioned, in New Testament times, the three main people groups were the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Gentiles. (Fruchtenbaum, 2020, Kindle Locations 3465-3467)

The purpose was authentication. For the Jerusalem apostles, it authenticated Samaritan salvation, proving that Samaritans were savable. For the Samaritans, it authenticated apostolic authority, because they received Spirit baptism by the laying on of hands by Jewish apostles from Jerusalem. That meant they were not to set up a separate, rival Samaritan church, as they had set up a separate, rival Samaritan temple. (Fruchtenbaum, 2020, Kindle Locations 3510-3513)

¹ Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ² And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. ³ As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. ⁴ Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. ⁵ Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. ⁶ And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. ⁷ For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸ And there was great joy in that city.

Introduction

What are you going to do when the consequences of keeping company with Christ come home? We cannot be so naive as to think that periods of peace will last always. Indeed, it is not wise to ignore the advisories and admonitions of Scripture regarding persecution:

• Positive Perspectives on Persecution (Matthew 5:11-12 – part of the profile of a prize winner) ¹¹ “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹² Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

persecution is an indicator of imminent great reward

• Promises of Persecution (2 Timothy 3:12 – more than a high probability) Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

persecution is an indispensable part of godly living

• Purposes of Persecution (1 Peter 4:14-16 – promotion of God’s glory; Romans 5:1-5; James 1:1-2 – purifying of character) ¹⁴ If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. ¹⁵ But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. ¹⁶ Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

persecution is an instigation of glory for God

All of these words from Scripture are helpful insofar as they keep me from falling into despair. But what are we to do when it is our day to pay for following Jesus? If you think this question is little more than the rhetoric required for opening this message consider the following:

• Sang-chul: North Korea – The Story of Pastor Han, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGqEgxkF7I8)
• BBC News, Christian Persecution at Near Genocide Levels (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48146305)
• The Guardian, In China, They’re Closing Churches, Jailing Pastors, and Event Rewriting Scriptures (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/13/china-christians-religious-persecution-translation-bible)
• Persecution, Pastor Left Hospitalized After Attack by Religious Fanatics in Northern India (https://www.persecution.org/2020/10/08/pastor-left-hospitalized-attack-religious-fanatics-northern-india/)
• The Gospel Coalition, Is There Really Anti-Christian Discrimination in America? (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/anti-christian-discrimination-america/)

Do not be deceived into thinking that modern persecution of Jesus followers is fiction, or that it is random, or that it is seldom, or that it is remote. The opposition to following Christ is real, it is frequent, it is progressing, and it is local. What should we do? Thank God for the Bible! His word is telling us the perspective to have and the plan to execute when adversity arrives; the precedents and guidance are found in the history of our faith as recorded in Acts. Specifically, we need to study the writings of Luke in Acts; there are principles for us in this book. Concerning the situation in Jerusalem, J. B. Polhill writes

The opposition to the Christians had been gaining momentum throughout chaps. 4–6. It came first from the Jewish officials in the arrest of the apostles and the two hearings before the Sanhedrin. The first resulted in a warning (4:21); the second, in a flogging (5:40). With the Hellenist Stephen came a third Sanhedrin trial, and this one resulted in death for the Christian witness (7:58–60). The new factor was that this time the officials had the backing of the people (6:12). (Polhill, 1992, p.211)

In Acts 8 we are reading about the intolerance that was heaped on the early Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) because of their grand view of God and their promotion of Jesus. They insist that God is global in His concerns and that the true temple of God is not a location on earth (Isaiah 66:1-2) but the moving body of Christ. They have the audacity to say that the purpose of the law in preparing for the coming of the Christ has been fulfilled (Galatians 3:24) in Jesus of Nazareth and that now the relationship between Jew (or Gentile) and God will not be based on the law of Moses. The former things had become items of pride for many Jews; the idea that the law and temple were no longer needed was threatening to the egos, empires, and economies of people who had learned to use the law and the temple for self-promotion.

The Hellenist vision of an “unbounded God” was intolerable, particularly for the “Zionists” of the Diaspora-Jewish synagogues; and they unleashed their fury on these Greek-speaking Christian “radicals” in their midst. (Polhill, 1992, p. 211)

These new perspectives coming out of the Jesus community were threatening to people who used the religion to ruthlessly control others, stay in power, feed their appetites for vain glory, and line their pockets. They saw no choice but to rid their communities of the new sect of Jesus followers.

Questions for Consideration

1. How have you experienced persecution for your devotion to Christ, for being godly, or being truthful? Are you willing to accept that it is part of the promises of God (2 Timothy 3:12) and consequence of keeping company with Christ (1 Peter 4:14-16)?
2. The command and approved response to being mistreated for serving Jesus is worship (Matthew 5:11-12; 1 Peter 4:16) and giving thanks (1 Thessalonians 5:18). What are you doing with this command from Christ?
3. You have been counted worthy! Of what? Read all of these verses and then answer the question (Matthew 5:11-12; Acts 5:40-41).

Your persecution is your participation in the suffering that was once directed at the head. Now the body of Christ is suffering. To be included in that suffering is confirmation that you are His and that He is yours. Rejoice that you have been counted worthy to suffer shameful treatment for His name.
Acts 8:1 Saul (Σαῦλος) was consenting to the death of Stephen (Acts 7:60). The word translated consenting comes from the verb συνευδοκέω; it can mean either approval and support (Luke 11:48; Romans 1:32) or merely a willingness to accept (1 Corinthians 7:12, 13). When Saul, years later, recounts this event to his Jewish brethren he sheds additional light on what his consenting meant:

¹⁹ So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. ²⁰ And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ (Acts 22:19-20, NKJV)

In his own words Saul says that consenting was more than a passive acceptance of what was being done to Stephen. His approving attitude toward the martyrdom of Stephen was accompanied by the action of assisting Stephen’s executioners. In order to be unhindered in stoning Stephen, the high priests and the well-dressed of the sanhedrin disrobed. Some of the expensive items they were wearing would have been stolen if not for the role that Saul played. In this way, working as a guard over the clothes, the young Saul aided in the murder of the Lord’s servant Stephen (7:58). While the Sanhedrin unjustly executed a godly man, Saul made sure that they were able to do so without fear of someone stealing the clothing that they had taken off; elaborate robes and costly religious garb were guarded for the stone-throwing mob by the young Pharisee.
The martyrdom of Stephen was the beginning of an outbreak: At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem. Literally the text reads, “There, also, arose in that day a great persecution came upon the church” (Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ διωγμὸς μέγας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν). The conjunction after the verb (δὲ) shows either contrast or continuation. In this case it is continuation; what began with Stephen expands into an all out assault on the church in Jerusalem. Hell broke loose!
Am I being crass by saying “Hell broke loose?” No. The church, empowered by Jesus and led by an ignorant and untrained fisherman, has been assaulting the gates of hell… and winning.

¹⁸ And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18, NKJV)

Indeed, it is more appropriate to say that the Savior has been using surrendered souls as soldiers in a siege on dead religion, hypocrisy, and in His mission to set captives free. Crucifixion did not stop Jesus; but He was just One. Threatening Peter and John did not stop Jesus; they were two. Arresting and beating the apostles did not stop Jesus; they were twelve. This persecution could have been predicted as the anxious response to a growing number of Jesus followers; there are thousands of them.
On account of this great persecution on the church the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. Yes! This is a good thing. Why? Once again the enemy is exploited to execute the plan. Let me say that again. The enemy of God is being exploited in the plan of God. Look back to the beginning of Acts.

⁸ But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, NKJV)

Where were the people scattered? They were scattered to the places that the Lord wanted to Go! The persecution was being used to push the people of God into the places that Jesus had already said they would go.
Persecution is used by God to further His own plan. The attempts of the enemy to hurt saints and hinder the church will actually help with what God is doing to sanctify His people and advance His own agenda. The setbacks intended by the enemy are setups for springing forward.

Are there people persecuting you because your light interferes with their evil plan? God is going to use the persecution to further his plan and your faith (Genesis 50:20) and reveal that you are in His will. Abide in Him and do not believe for a moment that this is not going to be used for the Lord’s glory, the Lord’s goals, and your good (Romans 8:28).

Questions for Consideration

1. Is persecution pushing you in a certain direction or to a different place? Is it possible that the persecution is being used by God to promote a plan that He has already revealed and to move a saint into another place needing your light?
2. When was the last time you sat with the Lord to review what He has revealed as His plan for you? Are you afraid that persecution will stop His plan from coming true? Talk with Him about your fear and make sure that you are not trying to make His plan happen. He will.

² And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. ³ As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
The vile and violent victory of the liars and haters that killed Stephen was the start of an uprising against Greek-speaking Jesus followers in Jerusalem. But in the midst of all the growing animosity toward the first Christians, some people took time to feel. Although it was inconvenient and more than a little dangerous, devout men took time to say “I love you, Stephen” and saw to the burial of his broken body. And they wept greatly for their fallen brother.
The decision to mourn our martyrs matters. In the time intentionally set aside to be sorrowful we recognize the loss, reflect on their light, and thereby also become reinforced in our resolve to live more like them (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4).
Taking time to mourn our fallen heroes, good friends, and light-bearing leaders is part of (1) respecting them, (2) thanking God for their contribution to our lives, and (3) beginning the process of good changes in the heart, and (4) picking up where they left off. As we embrace the loss and think on their legacy, we can be led into deeper commitments, repentance, and revival. For those of us who want to move in the direction of being better persons, good grieving is key. Consider the words of Solomon on the matter:

² Better to go to the house of mourning

Than to go to the house of feasting,

For that is the end of all men;

And the living will take it to heart.

³ Sorrow is better than laughter,

For by a sad countenance the heart is made better.

⁴ The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,

But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

The house of mourning, in the passage above, is the place and time dedicated to grieving the loss of someone. We go to that house when we choose to mourn our dead. This is better than trying to cope with their loss through escapes into pleasure or the decision to go to places dedicated to feeding the flesh (house of feasting). Why? Solomon goes on to explain that the dead we mourn have gone where we too are going: “For that is the end of all men,” he says. While we are still alive, we can be fundamentally changed for the better if we will intentionally go look upon the fact that our time is short and that we cannot escape death. When the living look intentionally at the loss of life it affects them profoundly… they taken to heart (Ecclesiastes 7:2).
The decision to mourn the loss of Stephen was a decision to become better men through grief. Their faces and voices visibly expressed the excruciating pain of parting ways with a beloved brother. The text says they made great lamentation over him (Acts 8:2). But notices what Solomon says about this:

³ Sorrow is better than laughter,

For by a sad countenance the heart is made better.

In this moment the mourners are being made better. They are facing facts and their hearts, the place from which spring our words, work (Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:45), and the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23), are being refined.

Questions for Consideration

1. Are you taking time to mourn the losses of loved one and important relationships? Why would you intentionally enter the sadness of thinking over someone’s life and the loss? (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
2. Can you think of someone that you have loss that had a trait that you admired or work that you appreciated? What would it look like for you to embrace the pain of their departure, think soberly about your eventually end on earth, and then prayerfully consider how you might continue their work?

It was an act of real courage to take time to mourn the loss of Stephen. Jewish law forbade funeral observances for condemned criminals; Stephen had been the victim of mob violence and those who stoned him viewed him as a blasphemer and law breaker. They will look for his friends, associates, and family. The courage of these devout men is a reminder of the similar valor shown by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus in the burial of Jesus (Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:42-46; Luke 23:50-54; John 19:38).

The Leading Persecutor of the Church (Acts 8:3; 26:9-11; Galatians 1:13)

Saul, is at work fanning this flame into a blaze. He leads the charge against the Jesus followers by going methodically from home to home, and from synagogue to synagogue to persecute them. The description of his activities is called havoc in Acts 8:3. It carries the meaning of the damage caused by a wild animal. He reflects on his violence toward the church later in life:
And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities. (Acts 26:11, NKJV)
Leading the work of hurting the church was the young man who had stood with the clothes of those who stoned Stephen. He was not content to support Stephen’s death; he obtained permission to pursue people that tried to run away while continuing to promote faith in Jesus:

The prime agent in the repressive campaign was Saul of Tarsus, who now carried into more effective action the attitude to the new movement which he had displayed at the stoning of Stephen. Armed with the necessary authority from the chief-priestly leaders of the Sanhedrin, he harried the church, arresting its members in their own homes and sending them off to prison. A zealot for the ancestral traditions of his nation, he saw that the new faith menaced those traditions. Drastic action was called for: these people, he thought, were not merely misguided enthusiasts whose sincere embracing of error called for patient enlightenment; they were deliberate impostors, proclaiming that God had raised from the tomb to be Lord and Messiah a man whose manner of death was sufficient to show that the divine curse rested on him. (Bruce, 1988, p. 163)

From his perspective the Jesus followers had to be stopped. And he was going to do it.

Moving On with the Message (Acts 8:4)

⁴ Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
The consequence of the persecution is a scattering of the believers (Acts 8:2, 4). With their scattering the word of God is also scattered. The gospel of Jesus Christ is now being preached everywhere. In particular it is now being proclaimed in those places (Judea and Samaria) that Jesus wanted to reach (Acts 1:8).
They were scattered like one scatters seed. But scattered seeds grow, Christian. See the irony! The persecution and scattering of the Christians only led to the growing of the movement. With the dispersal of the Hellenist Christians, the fulfillment of the second phase of Jesus’ commission began—the witness to all Judea and Samaria (8:1b; cf. 1:8).
Learn to look at life through the lens of the Lord’s program. In that view nothing is wasted and the things that seem like setbacks are actually used to spring forward in doing His will (Romans 5:1-5; 8:28).

The Principle of Persisting (Acts 8:4)

The nation of Israel had been dispersed among the Gentiles (James 1:1). Through that scattering of God’s people other nations came to know about God’s plan to bring them salvation through the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:1-2; John 4:19, 25). Now the new people of God are being dispersed among the nations. But what will they do among the nations? Be witnesses, of course!
The church had grown extensively; it was to grow more than ever, but now by being spread abroad. Luke’s figures and further notes about the growth make the estimate of 25,000 believers in and near Jerusalem at the time of Stephen’s martyrdom seem conservative. The persecution aimed to destroy the infant church; in the providence of God it did the very opposite. It started a great number of new congregations especially in all of Palestine, each becoming a living center from which the gospel radiated into new territory even as Jesus had traced its course by adding after Jerusalem “all Judea and Samaria” (1:8). (Lenski, 1961, p. 311)
Over the nearly two years since Pentecost (33 AD) thousands of Jesus followers have been trained by the apostles to pursue holiness, present the gospel, and mentor others in following Jesus. They have been empowered, equipped, and educated in evangelism and discipleship. It is time for the highly trained church to be deployed. Luke says that the response of the church was logical; Therefore (οὖν) those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word (Acts 8:4). What else could they do? Witnessing, for the Christian, is not activity; it is an essential identity (Acts 1:8; Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:12; 44:8). When they could not be accepted for who they are, they go elsewhere in their new identity.
How would you respond? Before you answer, consider what Jesus means by giving the Holy Spirit. It was not to simply facilitate activity; he baptized the new believers of Jerusalem into Himself to give them a new essential identity:

• Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV)
• For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. (Galatians 6:15, NKJV)

That identity is not a function of location. They are new creations wherever they go. And so the new creation of God has just been scattered abroad. This is what Jesus wanted (Matthew 10:23). The setback of persecution was a setup to spring forward in the mission of taking the gospel to the world.

Questions for Consideration

• Am I regularly taking time to think about what Christ did for me?
• Can I see God’s hand in moving me from one place to another?
• How can I bring the message to the places He has moved me?

References

Bruce, F. F. (1988). The Book of the Acts. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House.
Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 211). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

³² At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. ³³ And the whole city was gathered together at the door. ³⁴ Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him. ³⁵ Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. ³⁶ And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. ³⁷ When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” (Mark 1:32-37)

Although the day is done, the demands have not diminished. When the sun had set the people are still bringing their diseased and demon-possessed loved ones to Jesus. Why? For healing and the delivering effect of the power that was in Him (Mark 1:32; Acts 10:38). Diseases and demons are no match for Him… and the people now know it; accordingly they are going to Him for help even when the hour is late (Luke 4:40-41). Notice this, fellow Jesus follower:

There is an occupational hazard to becoming effective in the enabling of God. It is an unending pressure to relieve pain, release prisoners, and remain in place (Luke 4:42).

There are no off hours. Jesus has no time to call His own. Look at our Lord in this scene and get insight for what lies ahead for those who would become Spirit-filled servant leaders (John 12:26).

The best part, though, is the response of Jesus to the pressures. (See also Luke 5:12-16.) In His handling of the situation I am made to see at least two things. First, I can what pleases the Father. (This is always true when watching Jesus. See John 8:29.) Second, I can see the main thing for my own ministry (Mark 9:28-29; Luke 6:12-13; Matthew 9:37-38; John 15:5-7; Luke 11:1-13; Mark 1:35-38). For the sake of time, let us focus on the former – what pleases the Father as it is revealed here in this part of Mark’s narrative.

More important than getting enough rest is the practice of pulling myself away from the crowed to be before God requesting His help for myself and His people. I must be willing to lay aside lying down, set aside slumber, and become at times intentionally inconvenient to reach (Matthew 6:6; Luke 5:15-16; Luke 6:12; Matthew 14:22-23). Why? So that I can, at last, be undistracted in hearing God (Acts 6:4) and unhindered being helped by God for His ministry. It was pleasing to the Father that His beloved Son prioritized the humbling act of prayer before rest, before planning, and the unending pressures of the crowd.

Jesus’ Model of Ministry versus Hyper-Connectivity

In our text Jesus has retreated to pray. Both his core and the crowd are looking for Him (Mark 1:36; Luke 4:42). They have to look, beloved, because Jesus made Himself less available on purpose. You have to see that the Son of Man removed Himself from easy access so that he could be uninterrupted in prayer.

Momentarily detaching from the social scene was intentional. Jesus wants unbroken time asking and listening; He is not going to be disturbed by casual conversation in the room or the person just passing by where He was praying.

God’s grace for personal growth and effective living has been made available to us for the asking (Matthew  7:7-8). In the spiritual discipline of prayer we position ourselves to receive that grace. But there is a modern theological and practical model of ministry irreconcilably at odds with the way of Jesus in prayer and ministry. The inveterate antagonist of Jesus’ model is hyper-connectivity. Let us compare these models:

Making It Practical (Psalm 63:1; Acts 6:4)

• PRIORITIZE YOUR PRAYING (Psalm 63:1; Mark 1:35) → Psalm 63:1 presents prayer as the first movement of the soul: “Early will I seek You.” David’s prayer is oriented toward God before circumstances are addressed. Mark 1:35 shows Jesus rising “a long while before daylight” to pray. He is going after time with the Father after a successful ministry day and before the next demands arrive.

Practical Implication – Give God the first fruits of the day, not the tired remainder. It must be regarded as non-negotiable.

Figure 1: Pirates do not politely ask for valuables.
We should not be too nice about getting time with
God. It is a non-negotiable.

• PROTECT and PLAN YOUR PRAYING (Acts 6:4; Luke 5:16) → Acts 6:4 records a deliberate apostolic decision: “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” The phrase “give ourselves” implies intentional allocation and protection. Luke 5:16 says of Jesus: “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” “Often” indicates a pattern, not an exception. Prayer does not survive on good intentions. In Scripture, it survives because it is: (1) Protected from intrusion, (2) planned into life rhythms, and (3) pursued when other things are pressing in.

Practical Implication – Schedule prayer (time with God) as deliberately as meetings with supervisors, coworkers, congregants, and friends. Create physical and temporal boundaries. Be okay with the fact that some good things are going to be sacrificed for the best.

• PERSIST in YOUR PRAYING (Daniel 6:1-10) → Daniel 6:10 records Daniel’s response to a legal threat against prayer: “He knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” Prayer here is three things: (1) Custom (“as was his custom”), (2) Costly (it risks death), and (3) Continuous even when the conditions were contrary. Daniel does not increase prayer for show, nor does he reduce it for safety. He simply continues.

Practical Implication – Persisting in prayer means praying when answers delay (Daniel 10:2-3; Daniel 10:12-13), when obedience becomes costly, and when pressure increases rather than receding.

Figure 2: Daniel did not compromise his commitment to prayer.
When it became inconvenient or could cost him his life. This
custom has been part of forming his excellent spirit (Daniel 6:3).

In His grip by His grace,
Roderick L. Barnes, Sr.

Before we excuse ourselves from serving God because of our many flaws, we should remember the people that God used mightily were also flawed. And they were used while still full of faults. (God did not endorse their sin. But He also did not refuse to summon them until they had purified their own lives.) The Lord met them where they were. Consider with me just a few examples:

1) Rahab – This woman is introduced not as a moral example. She is presented to the reader as Canaanite prostitute living in a condemned city (Joshua 2). She is triple marginalized: by occupation, by ethnicity, and by gender. What is striking is that God does not reform Rahab before using her to help others. He first reveals Himself to her. Rahab’s journey begins not with covenant knowledge, but with fear-informed faith. Listen to her:

For the LORD your God,
He is God in heaven above
and on earth beneath.
Joshua 2:11

She does not yet possess Israel’s law, worship, or moral framework. What she possesses is a growing conviction about who God is — and the courage to act on it at great personal risk.

2) Gideon – Although many commentators find fault with this man for his repeated requests for proof, God does not reprimand him. Gideon was raised in a household of idolatry and needed time and mentoring to come out of Canaanized thinking. God met Gideon where he was – fearful, secretly threshing wheat in a wine press, and ignorant of what God could do.

3) Samson – Although he had been given great gifts for helping others, this man would not move to help anyone. He was only motivated by self interests. And so God used Samson’s narcissism to nettle the man into the work that was needed by the people. How? When it seemed like all was in ruins, this egotistical womanizer called out to God. And God met him where he was and gave him the strength to die doing what he was supposed to be doing all along. You will reply, “But, he died!” And I will answer, “On purpose! That is, although he had been distracted and nearly destroyed by his own desires, Samson was now focused on striking a blow against the enemies of God and his own people. Yes, he died. But he died in the purpose that God had given him as God met him where he was.”

4) Peter – After his tragic failures, Peter could not bring himself to say that he had agape (ἀγάπη) love for Jesus. So Jesus met the big fisherman where he was and said that if philia (φιλία – brotherly love) was all that Peter could muster, then let it be demonstrated by feeding Jesus’ sheep.

I could go on. But these are enough to show the truth: God is not waiting for you to get it together so that you can live in a way that pleases Him. He is meeting you where you are. How? Through Jesus Christ. The Father has sent the Son into the world to save us (John 3:16). Christ came here to meet us where we are in the human condition (John 1:14). He went beyond becoming a human being to paying the price of our rebellion against God (1 John 4:10). A life of purpose and living effectively, like Rahab or Gideon or Samson or Peter, begins with acknowledging and accepting who God is and what He has done for us.

Rahab did not know a lot about God. But she accepted that He is sovereign and had a right to reign in her life (Joshua 2:11). Next is admitting our great need (Romans 3:23); it is best if we look to the example of children (Matthew 18:3-4; Matthew 19:14). They know they need help. They are ever mindful of their need for help and the possibility of getting help through a parent or guardian. Acknowledge your need and then receive the Son by faith (John 1:11-12) and begin letting Him teach and care for you (Matthew 11:28-30; John 5:24). Under His teachings you will become a blessing to others… like Rahab, and Gideon, and Peter.

In His grip by His grace,
Roderick L. Barnes, Sr.

Before the coming of Messiah there must be the coming of His messenger. This is what the prophecies had foretold and this is fulfilled in a wily wilderness preacher around the time of Jesus.

• The messenger will be a desert prophet (wilderness) crying out for repentance in preparation for the coming of the Lord. (Isaiah 40:1-3; 740 BC – 680 BC) ¹ “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God. ² “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.” ³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.“

Matthew, the tax-collector-turned-apostle, tells the reader that John the Baptist is the person of Isaiah’s prophecy. The strange prophet in the wilderness crying out for change, according to Matthew, is the prophesied voice. Look at it! In Matthew’s narrative John is referred to as the voice of one crying in the wilderness: this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 40:1-3). The main idea of Isaiah’s prophecy is that the person crying out is trying to get the people ready for the arrival of the Lord. Now think about what John the Baptist, according to Matthew, was saying to the people:

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:1)

It is clear that John the Baptist is trying to get the people ready and that Matthew, a Jewish man, sees in the ministry of the baptizer the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.

• The messenger will confront evil, call for true righteousness, and then the Lord will come to His temple. (Malachi 3:1; 432 BC – 425 BC) ¹ “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts.

The prophecies foretold a person who would prepare the way before the Lord Himself: Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me (Malachi 3:1). That is what John was doing – preparing the way before the Lord. John’s ministry attempts to ready the common people and priests for the coming of the Lord to His own temple. The baptizer had spoken openly and directly to the scribes and Pharisees about their need for repentance (Matthew 3:7-12). John’s denunciation of their ministry was aimed at helping them avoid an unpleasant confrontation by the Lord of the temple. Why? In the previously mentioned prophecy from Malachi there is a prediction that warns the priesthood (Malachi 3:2-3). It says to the religious leaders that the Lord they claim to be seeking will come suddenly or unexpectedly to His own temple. They did not listen to John and the Lord whom they were seeking suddenly came to His own temple (Malachi 3:1). [What Jesus found was precipitated a physical reprimand by the Lord Himself (John 2:13-17). The response of Jesus to uncleanness in the temple was itself a sign. He cleansed it by removing the corruption and chastening the corrupters. See Malachi 3:2-3.] John the Baptist, is a messenger arriving before the Messiah (Jesus of Nazareth) preparing the people and promoting genuine repentance in the priesthood.

• The messenger will succeed in promoting a revival characterized by a turning of hearts Malachi 4:4-6 (432 BC – 425 BC) ⁴ “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments. ⁵ Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. ⁶ And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

This prophecy from Malachi mentions the return of Elijah. It says that Elijah the prophet would be sent before the coming of the day of the Lord. Both Matthew and Luke provide accounts of Jesus telling people that the Elijah of this prophecy is… John the Baptist (Matthew 11:7-15; 17:1-13; Luke 7:24-29; Mark 9:2-13). In essence, Jesus says that John, if they are willing to receive it, is the Elijah that that was mentioned by the prophet Malachi (Matthew 11:14-15).

¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear! (Matthew 11:14-15)

If you are not willing to receive it, as evidence by a refusal to repent, then John is not Elijah to you; John himself would deny being Elijah when asked by the unrepentant religious leadership (John 1:19-21). To those willing to receive the gracious gift of a warning from God through the prophet in the wilderness, John is Elijah. In person? Reincarnation? No, he is Elijah in spirit (personality type) and power (Luke 1:5-17).

The Relevance

God still works this way. That is, Christ does not come casually into a life, a church, or a community. Before His arrival there will be people who will promote preparation. They are Elijahs if you are willing to receive them. These people will speak unapologetically about repentance, reordering priorities, and truth-telling. These things come before revival; repentance precedes renewal. (Among Gentiles repentance is not the same as among the Jews. John the Baptist could say repent because he is speaking to the Jews. They had been tutored by the law. Paul, an apostle to the Gentiles, starts the spiritual conversation differently. As Gentile they are ignorant concerning the law and the prophets. If he had started with “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” they would have had questions? E.g., repent from what and whose kingdom. For the Gentile a repentance is still needed. But it is from believing in things other than Christ for salvation. After receiving Jesus, Gentiles willing to place their faith in Christ must be patiently taught to live for Him. See Matthew 28:18-20). Repentance is not entry-level Christianity. It is ongoing spiritual realism. It is the ongoing the refusal to make peace with sin wherever it is found.

John’s words to the Pharisees also remind the modern Jesus follower that heritage is not a substitute for holiness (Matthew 3:8-9).

In His grip by His grace,
Roderick Barnes

Galileans Speaking Other Languages (Acts 2:5-6)

⁵ And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

The sound of Jesus’ disciples declaring the wonderful works of God cannot be ignored (Acts 2:5-6,11). When His followers had been baptized with the Holy Spirit they began, as led and enabled by the Spirit, to speak in other tongues – and not too quietly. When the devout Jewish men from every nation under heaven hear their excited voices they respond by going to investigate. As the curious multitude begins arriving on the scene where the sound is coming from it is a bit much to take in. A crowd that has come looking for answers gets something else: confusion. Why? This scene does not make sense. Imagine it. Regardless of where you are from you hear people in this group exalting God in your native tongue. And this is all the more remarkable because the people doing this have a hard time speaking their own language.

The Power of God in a yielded person

works to make them worship and to

make those who watch… wonder why.

How Is This Happening ?(Acts 2:7-11)

⁷ Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”

It does not take long for the arriving observers to take stock of the people making the noise: Look,… all these who speak are Galileans. How did the crowd know that the people speaking were Galileans? There were a few things that may have marked the Spirit-filled group as being from the region of Galilee. Of those things accent ranks foremost. Remember, the multitude was drawn by the sound of their speech. It would be natural as they neared the group to be able to hear them with increasing clarity. Arriving at the place where the apostles and other disciples were speaking in tongues it would have been obvious to people of that time and region; the Galilean accent could not be hidden.

“The pronunciation, the dialect, ἡλαλία of the Galilæans was defective in the utterance of the gutturals, so that no distinction was perceptible between ה ,ע ,א. Besides, the Galilæns also pronounced the שׁ like ח.” De Wette. The pronunciation of the people of Galilee was uncouth and indistinct; hence they were not allowed to read aloud in the Jewish synagogues. The Talmudists relate a number of amusing anecdotes about the curious misunderstandings occasioned by the indistinctness of pronunciation in Galilee. See Friedlieb, p. 84.

Lange, J. P., & Schaff, P. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Matthew (p. 498). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

Galilaean speech was easily recognized because of its loss of laryngeals and aspirates; cf. A. Neubauer, “The Dialects of Palestine in the Time of Christ,” in Studia Biblica, I (Oxford, 1885), p. 51; G. Dalman, Grammatik des jüdisch-palästinischen Aramäisch (Leipzig, 1894), pp. 33–40, 42–51; F. Rosenthal, Die aramäistische Forschung (Leiden, 1939), p. 108 n.; E. Y. Kutscher, Studies in Galilaean Aramaic (Bar-Ilan University Press, Israel, 1976)

Only weeks prior to all of this Peter, in a moment of terrible weakness, attempts to deny association with on-trial Jesus. But try as he might his accent gives the big fisherman away:

And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” (Matthew 26:73, NKJV)

The onlookers are all amazed and marveling. These devout Jews cannot

• The Numerous Languages – There are fifteen countries mentioned in this list. The people from each country came with their own dialect of common languages (Aramaic) or an entirely different tongue (Assyrian).
• The Notorious Limitations – Without question it is striking that the Galileans are speaking with these other tongues. Although they are considered weak in their language skills they are displaying the power of God for being a witness.

What looked like a horrible handicap was actually God’s plan for ensuring that the disciples understand this simple truth:

The Holy Spirit is Himself the sufficiency

of the weak for the work of being a witness.

9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Let us not miss what it seems that the crowed did or could not observe: There is no mention made of the multitude marveling about the sound of the wind or the divided tongues of fire that sat upon each of the recently baptized disciples (Acts 2:3). While the sound of wind and flames were apparent to the people who were baptized it seems that those who had not received the Holy Spirit either (1) arrived too late to view the tongues of fire or (2) were not able to see the tongues of fire. In either case this sign was not mentioned by the people that entered the company of Jesus’ disciples; it seems that they were only given the words of Jesus witnesses – in their own tongues. These signs are sent to simply to say, “I am with you!” They come to create confidence that Christ is in me. They have indeed been baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; cf. Mark 1:8 with emphasis on the Spirit).

A Just Man Named Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25)

Introduction

The gift giving of God exceeds our imagination.

Matthew 1:18 – The lineage of Jesus, proving Him to be both a Jew and candidate for the crown, has been presented in the prior text. Matthew now segues into the marvelous manner in which the Son enters the world. A tax-collector-turned-Jesus follower wants his audience to know that the birth of Jesus Christ was nothing short of a messianic prophecy-fulfilling sign.

In the culture of the Hebrews Joseph and Mary are in the first part of wedding — the betrothal (erusin); this period where they are promised to one another and yet living apart is called the sanctification (kiddushin) because in this period the bride is sanctified unto the groom (Wikipedia, n.d.).

Matthew 1:19 – Unknown to a just man named Joseph is the fact that Mary’s pregnancy is not an early insight into immoral character but the handiwork of the Holy Spirit. What seemed to be a problem was really part of the prescription for what ails man most.

A virgin birth, though initially problematic for the carpenter, was an essential element in Heaven’s effort to save mankind.

But God does not tell Joseph about the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. He is left to look at the outworking and draw his own conclusion. He is abandoned by the Almighty to assess unaided the situation and formulate a response (2 Chronicles 32:31). God has withdrawn in order that in the hurt inflicted by Mary the heart of Joseph could be held up for all to see. What are we seeing? To understand what we are seeing we have to refrain from a rush to interpret Joseph’s actions. He is a Jew and has a Jewish culture and an Jewish understanding of who God is and what God wants.

• Key Characteristic of the Creator – (Psalm 89:11-14)
• Majors in the Marriage of the Almighty to His People – (Hosea 2:16-20)
• Expectations on the Nation – (Hosea 12:6)
• The Goal God Gives Each Person – (Micah 6:8)

This just man is the epitome and example of the man described by the prophet Micah:

⁸ He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?

The New King James Version (Micah 6:8).

Who is the man that would have a hand in raising the Son of God? Who is the man that can be given charge of the greatest of all gifts and provide guidance to the Son of God for living godly. This is the man!

Foremost in my mind, as I examine this passage, is the difference between Joseph’s concept of forgiveness and my own. For me forgiveness is transactional and involves a trade. But if forgiveness is the idea that, after the transaction based on the proper trading, (1) if I can hurt you I won’t and (2) if I can help you I will, the prerequisites are conspicuously absent. He is like the sermon that tells me to love my enemies and the supplication from the cross to forgive the people jeering. Forgiveness here is not a doing that can be derived from a policy but is an emanation from a nature, an expression of my identity, and an outworking of my commitment to be godly.

Forgiveness, as it is seen in Joseph, is not (1) a function of the offenders offer of an acceptable apology and (2) is not based on the behavior of the person that has bruised me or beaten me or crucified me. It proactively protects and promotes when the other person persecutes me, it helps when the other person hurts me. Flowing out of a heart that has been forgiven by God is devotion to doing right by God in a forgiveness that engages the enemy with mercy.

Matthew 1:20-21 – The Comfort of God and Character of Joseph

• Joseph is Calm (Matthew 1:18-19; James 1:19-20) – Jesus grew in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52). Before Jesus would come to clearly understand his identity and calling God would have real manhood demonstrated by a godly man.
• Joseph is Compassionate (Micah 6:8; Matthew 1:19; Leviticus 20:10) – The aim of Joseph is to do justly and to love mercy. He is, by his actions, an effective exhortation toward being both just and merciful.
• Joseph is Considerate (Matthew 1:20) — The carpenter considers his steps. In a sense he measures twice so that he will only have to cut once.
• Joseph is Commandment Keeping (Matthew 1:24-25) — Notice that Joseph is a man of obedience. We see it in three ways: (1) He took to him his wife (Matthew 1:24) and (2) He named the boy Jesus (Matthew 1:25).

Matthew 1:22-23 – The Bigger Picture of Pardon and New Life

Referring to the plural they of they shall call His name Immanuel, Nolland posits the following possible reason:

the plural may be to distinguish the literal naming of Jesus by Joseph from this metaphorical naming; it may be to allow the naming to function as a profession made by people saved from their sins (v. 21) (Nolland, 2005, p. 100)

Though the role attributed to the Spirit has already implied that Mary’s pregnancy is not the fruit of sexual activity, only by means of the quotation is she identified specifically as a virgin. The LXX wording lends itself admirably to Matthew’s interpretation. First it uses παρθένος, which normally implies virginity, where the underlying Hebrew ʿalmâ has no such implication (though a young woman who was a virgin would be quite naturally termed ʿalmâ). Then, it represents Hebrew hārâ with ἐν γαστρὶ ἕξει which, while quite a standard LXX rendering, focuses on the state of pregnancy rather than the process of becoming pregnant. The combination of these two features (probably unanticipated by the translator) makes it quite natural to read the text as speaking of a virgin who will be pregnant as a virgin rather than as speaking of one who is a virgin at the time of speaking but who will become pregnant in the normal manner. (Nolland, 2005, p. 101)

1:24–25 Joseph is the first person in the Gospel called upon to commit himself to the significance of Jesus in the purposes of God. ἐγερθεὶς … παρέλαβεν (lit. ‘having risen … he took’) links this episode to 2:13–15, 19–21, where the language recurs (see at v. 20 for other language links). The detail offered here, with its emphasis on full obedience to the angel’s directive, is not repeated in the linked pericopes but is intended to be carried forward from here. (Nolland, 2005, p. 103)

• Tutoring of the Law – Galatians 3:24-25
• The Promise of a New Covenant – Jeremiah 31:31-34
• The Deliverance – Ezekiel 11:19-20
• Receiving the Gift – John 3:16

References

Nolland, J. (2005). The Gospel of Matthew: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 100). W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press.

Probasco, Jim. (9 December 2022). Average Cost of American Holiday Spending. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1112/average-cost-of-an-american-christmas.aspx

Seeing the Son of David (Matthew 1:1; 22:43; 45)

What is the point of telling me that Jesus is the Son of David? To answer that question we have to look at what the term means to the people of the New Testament. To people living in the New Testament period, the phrase Son of David was loaded. Using it meant that the person was expressing messianic expectations. All by itself the term Son of David is a messianic title. We miss the speaker’s message when we see them refer to Jesus as the Son of David and think of this as merely a genealogical description. Son of David carried royal, covenantal, and eschatological meaning. Those meaning can be found in the Hebrew Scriptures and Second Temple Jewish expectations.

• The Royal Aspect of Son of David – The foundation of regarding the title Son of David is based on God’s covenant with David. The LORD promises King David a line and lasting kingdom through his descendant: “I will raise up your seed after you… and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel 7:12–13) Thus, to a Jewish hearer, “Son of David” meant: (1) A legitimate heir to David’s throne,  (2) a king whose right to rule came by divine promise, and (3) a ruler whose kingdom would have enduring, even eternal significance. This title was not merely a metaphor; it was a reference to God’s promise to David — a line and a lasting kingdom.

• The Roles of the Son of David – Most Jews expected the Son of David to be: (1) a national deliverer, (2) arestorer of Israel’s sovereignty, (3) One who would defeat Israel’s enemies (Rome, in their context), and (4) A restorer of justice, law, and worship. How did they get these expections? These expectation were birthed and shaped by texts such as:

• • Isaiah 11:1–10 (a shoot from Jesse)

  • Jeremiah 23:5–6 (a righteous Branch from David)

  • Ezekiel 34:23–24 (David as shepherd-king)

Thus, Son of David implied political restoration, even if Jesus redefined how that restoration would occur.

What follows are my findings on the phrase Son of David in the Gospel of Matthew.

• Matthew 1:1 —² In the opening of the gospel and the beginning of Jesus’ genealogy. We must not miss that the first thing that the author would have us to know about His subject: He is descended from David. In this way Matthew sets out the premise of the book and begins his proof.
• Matthew 1:20 — In the address of the angel to Joseph concerning Mary’s Baby we are told that the angels regard Joseph as a descendant of David. Through Joseph the Baby will inherit a legal right to the throne of David. It is important to note that Joseph is descended from David through Solomon and Jeconiah; this blood line cannot ascend to the throne.¹ Mary is also descended from David through his son Nathan. Through her Jesus receives his blood right to the throne.
• Matthew 9:27 — In the importunate prayers of the two blind men of Capernaum we are told that they regard Jesus as being the heir to the throne of His father. The blind can see who He is, friend!
• Matthew 12:23 — In the question of the amazed multitudes concerning the identity of Jesus, there is the question of whether or not Jesus is the Son of David. The question of the crowd shows that Jesus is viewed through the lens of messianic expectations. To see Jesus properly is not to see him as a son of David (υἱὸς Δαυίδ) (Matthew 1:20) but the Son of David (ὁ υἱὸς Δαυίδ)(Matthew 12:23). Jesus of Nazareth is not merely in the line but is in fact the culmination of the line.
• Matthew 15:22 — In the crying out of the Gentile woman of Canaan as she requested help for her daughter. The Gentiles know that the help of the nations will be a Jew (Matthew 15:27) and that he will be the heir to the throne of David.
• Matthew 20:30-31 — Jesus is referred to as the Son of David twice in the requests for mercy of two blind men. It is not to be overlooked that in each case where he is addressed by the blind that they call him Lord and Son of David.
• Matthew 21:9 — In the crying out of the multitude as Jesus enters the city.
• Matthew 21:15 — In the crying out of the children as Jesus enters the temple.
• Matthew 22:42 — In the answer of the Pharisees to the question of Jesus concerning the genealogy of the Christ.

Besides these occurrences David is mentioned by Jesus in His response to the criticism of His disciples (Matthew 12:2) and in exposing the ignorance of His enemies (Matthew 22:41-43, 45). The first and last mentions of David are key. In the former we are told that Jesus is descended from David. In the latter we are told that the expectation of the Israel was that the Messiah will be a descendant of David. Everything between these two statements serves to show that Angels, Jews, and Gentiles know or expect Messiah to be the Son of David. What is Matthew’s point? For those who are willing to look, the former tax collector would have us to know that Jesus is obviously the long-awaited Son of David. Matthew wants us to see that those who were willing could see it. Even the blind guys could see it (Matthew 9:27; 20:30-31). Do you?

In His grip by His grace,
Roderick L. Barnes, Sr.

Notes

¹ Joseph’s line is considered disqualified from the throne of David because of a specific divine judgment pronounced on King Jeconiah (also called Coniah or Jehoiachin)—a judgment that affects the royal, legal line descending through Solomon (Jeremiah 22:24–30). This is a well-recognized issue in biblical theology and is central to understanding the genealogy of Jesus.

² It has been said that the emdash is a sure sign that content has been generated by AI. In this case the emdashes represent the fact that the author is a nerd and uses them for writing and actually knows the keystroke in Windows to produce the character.

The Principle of Revelation and Doing-it-Differently Ministry (Matthew 2:9-11; John 12:29; Acts 26:12-14; 22:6-9)

⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

The wise men, accustomed to working in the service of kings to get answers, departed in search of the Child. What happens next was unexpected even by them. The star which they had seen in the East went before them. This raises the question about what it is they were seeing. Was it an actual star? Even a rudimentary understanding of what a star is says that what they saw was not what modern readers call a star. A fusion reactor based on the combining of hydrogen atoms to make helium atoms that was close enough to stand over where the young Child was… don’t make no sense. A literal star would incinerate Bethlehem, Judea, the continent, and the planet. So what was it? It was what had appeared around the angels to the shepherds and what had led the Jews in times of old at night – the shekinah glory of God.

Is it strange that only the wise men saw it? That is, does it seem odd that only the wise men could see what they called a star leading them to a particular home in Nazareth? Not really. Consider these other two cases where a revelation or word was not for everyone although it was given publicly:

• Word of Encouragement for Jesus Alone (John 12:29) – ²⁹ Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”
• Calling for Saul Alone (Acts 22:6-9) – ⁶ “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. ⁷ And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ ⁸ So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹ “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.

This brings us to what God wants from people that are given a vision:

What God Wants – The principle is plain. Revelation is given to the worker for the work and not to the crowd for general consumption. As God is working in and through you to do something new it is often the case that others cannot see what you see. It is for your eyes and ears only. What you see or what He is leading you to will eventually become apparent. Until then you may have to accept the fact that your vision for a ministry, for a change in your church, for a different way of doing things is for your eyes.

A mentor and good brother, Dr. Alejandro Mandes, shared this word with me years ago as I was starting a ministry. “Roderick, do not be upset with late adopters.” He was telling me that there are things that I would have a vision for that would not get the support I wanted when I started. I would need to go on in the light that had been given to me and work with those who could also see the vision. Some people are going to be late adopters… because the vision has not been revealed to them yet. And the people who are not following the star should not be condemned. The star was not for them.

In His grip by His grace,
Roderick L. Barnes, Sr.

The Sinister Plot to Kill the King (Matthew 2:7-8; 16-18)

⁶ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” ⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.

The sinful ruler, upon hearing that the real King of the Jews has arrived, begins concocting a sinister plot to eliminate Yeshua. To be effective in the elimination of his rival, Herod has to gather some information. His goal is to develop a profile that can be used to target anyone that might be the actual King. Creating a good profile requires answers to two questions:

• Target Region Question – Where was the King of the Jews born? With this question Herod is trying to narrow the geographical scope of a search. He is also attempting to mitigate the number of people that will have to be killed. It is not that he cares for the people. If he cannot minimize the number of people that have to be killed he will catalyze and invite scrutiny from Caesar Augustus that he would rather avoid.
• Target Age Question – What time did the star appear? With the question Herod is determining the age of the Christ. This information can be used to decide which children will be put to death (Matthew 2:16-17)

Good religious people, even if they have no real interest in the Person or program of God, can give you some great information. They are full of it. Herod knew that the religious rulers could be consulted for the whereabouts of the birthplace of the King of the Jews. To get what he wanted Herod called a secret meeting. Why was it a secret? I see three reasons. First, when people are up to no good they want to remain in the darkness lest their deeds come to the light and be clearly seen (John 3:20-21; Ephesians 5:11-13). Second, people who want to remain in control compartmentalize information so that no one but them has the big picture (Wikipedia, Compartmentalization). Third, because the Sanhedrin has made consulting with the wise men a crime punishable by death, Herod wants to avoid the appearance of conspiring with them to get information. He does not fear execution by the religious leadership but needs to mitigate the appearance of being altogether without regard for Jewish law and customs.

In that clandestine meeting with the religious leaders Herod is told that the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. The priests and scribes knew that much; this information had been provided by God through the prophet Micah over 700 years earlier (Micah 5:2). When King Herod got his information he was ready to put the next phase of his evil plot into action – use the wise men to get the exact location of the target. After all, they are really good at using information to find things. Let them finish the work they have begun and use the the results (Matthew 2:16-17). This brings us to the theme of this article.

What God Wants – What part am I playing? Am I a help to God as He brings the King and His kingdom. Or do I (1) harbor a wicked desire to remain in control, (2) have people thinking I am trying to help, while I (3) hinder the work, and (4) plot to harm the workers. God wants me to prayerfully and in light of His Scripture to consider what role I am playing in His work to tell the world about the Son.

This type of self-assessment is part of why the Scriptures were given to us. Instead of looking down over our noses at Herod, shaking our heads in disapproval at the priests, and condemning the other criminals we see in the pages. What does God want? God wants us to use these pages to come to Him with the hard questions about who we really are.

¹¹ Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Corinthians 10:11)

In His grip by His grace,
Roderick L. Barnes, Sr.