F. F. Bruce thought the apostles felt their duty remained in Jerusalem in spite of persecution (Acts, 162-3). What grace God has shown to mankind, even before this sinning race was created, God had devised a way for us to be saved from our sin. John Calvin starts by reminding us that Jesus commanded them to begin at Jerusalem (Acts 1:4,8), and says that it makes sense that they would stay there until "being brought into some other place by his hand": But here may a question be asked, forasmuch as they were commanded to preach the gospel throughout the whole world, (Mark 16:16) why they stayed at Jerusalem, even when they were expelled thence with force and hand? For ~1200 years, if a gentile wanted to join Israel, they would proselytize (meaning, they would be circumcised and take on the yoke of Torah) and join the covenant people of God. This verb () is only used here in the New Testament, but in the LXX it had the sense of a violent oppression (1 Chron16:10) or even rape (Judith 9:2, 4 Mac 18:8). ", Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Many reached out to neighbors. Romans 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? Now a branch of Judaism with Messianic belief (which by the way, wasn't the issue -- many sects of Judaism had messianic belief and were tolerated) was stating that because of what 'this' Messiah did, God had made a way for gentiles to join the family of Abraham through belief in 'this' Messiah. Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular. Perhaps he did not want Hellenistic Jews to be seen as Jesus followers and so he went out of his way to persecute those who were Hellenistic and followers of Jesus. I personally do not believe there is enough evidence to prove that Saul was targeting Hellenistic Jews. Many Christians are familiar with God and Jesus being identified as being the faithful or good shepherd of the flock. Never having picked up a paint brush in his life, he then painted Yes, we have no bananas, a blurry, badly painted picture of a Pacific islander woman holding a banana over her head, having just killed a man and putting his skull on a stick. I also believe that the amount of change and upheaval the disciples and leaders of the Christian church were causing was quite intimidating to Saul and the other Jewish leaders. Stephen is characterized as a powerful prophetic figure who is filled with the Spirit and thereby performs signs and wonders (Jipp, 2018). This is seen when Saul asked the high priest for letters to capture anyone following the way (Acts 9:1-2). Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen. James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. Will the ship sink? Backward we are". In Acts 8:18 the church underwent tremendous persecution. And some will hear another call that their eyes have been opened up to the possibility of the parish church, hosting house church in their own neighborhood. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me." John 16:31-32 NLT The apostles (presumably) could remain due to their being pure Israelites (even with this Messianic belief -- which wasn't the real issue -- other sects of Judaism which had messianic beliefs were tolerated within Judaism [in some cases not tolerated by Rome as we hear Gamaliel tell us in Acts 5, but this is likely because they were trying to reproduce the exploits of the Maccabeans and throw off the yoke of Rome]). Meanwhile, the apostles never dispersed and scattered to other cities like Judea and Samaria to stay safe (Polhill, 2008, p. 2096). While the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) are not clear as to whether the fragments were of bread alone (they only mention 12 baskets of leftovers), the gospel of John indicates that the fragments were indeed of bread.. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Saul then just seized his opportunity and tried to kill off and frighten Christians into not preaching anymore. In Zechariah, the one struck is close to God, and the scattering of the sheep is because of the shepherd being lost rather than due to the unfaithfulness of previous shepherds. INDIA: 180 Hindus accept Jesus in Uttar Pradesh after miraculous healings through our workers confirm the gospel. Local: 704-401-2432 "Although this message was sent to the south, and referred to the seed of Israel, it may profitably be a summons to ourselves. Here is what Luke tells us, On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. And why did he do it? If you have enjoyed reading this, please consider joining our email list! Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. (2008). According to the Acts of the Apostles (the historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles is disputed), the Jerusalem church began at Pentecost with some 120 believers, in an "upper room," believed by some to be the . How should one interpret the words "Jews only" in light of Jesus' command in the "Great Commission" ( Matthew 28:18-20 ); namely, that his disciples go into all the world making disciples of all the nations ( = panta ta ethn) and not just the Jewish nation? He does, however, hold that these churches all came in due course under the supervision and guidance of the church of Jerusalem. When it comes to why the apostles stay in Jerusalem the answer is simple, it was because of obedience. falsely accused and impiously condemned of the council; NT Gospels: Mark 14:50 They all left him and fled (Mar Mk Mr). New Living Translation On the way, Jesus told them, "Tonight all of you will desert me. A: Yes, repeatedly Jesus assured them that although He would be put to death by His enemies, He would come back to life by the power of God. 8 Bible Verses about The Church Scattered Most Relevant Verses Acts 8:1-3 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. No. Assuredly, they provide neither for their ease, nor yet for their own commodities either for being void of care by staying at Jerusalem; for they have a painful charge, they are continually amidst divers dangers they encounter with great troubles. For. Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Plural. It is when they start to confirm prophecies that they start to ruffle the feathers of the high priests. A primary verb; to 'grave', especially to write; figuratively, to describe. Note that last sentence, "Jerusalem alone had business enough for them all." The meaning is ultimately the same. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. One reason is because they didnt understand what He was sayingbut didnt want to embarrass themselves by admitting it. up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt The, the definite article. However, from ethnic Israel's perspective, this is a matter of 'unclean' gentiles coming in polluting their nation. A flock (of sheep or goats). As practicing Christians, we would not want non-believers to associate ALL Christians with this person, thinking that we are all hypocrites. See: I think you misunderstood the question. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. According to the book of Acts, Saul was a devout Jew and was present at the stoning of Stephen and approved of his death, later on he sets out to arrest and bring Christians to Jerusalem to be punished. appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my 2023 BGEA How to properly align two numbered equations? The Impact of Christ'S Resurrection on His Disciples (1) The idea that someone might die and then come back to life again was so fantastic that they just couldnt grasp it. Looking back through history, one can see examples of how an ideology can become so distorted to the point where violence becomes the way to silence the opposers. It was a figurative expression referring to His future death. To flee, escape, shun. Many will return to their churches, and that is a good thing. The apostles are not scattered, but remain in Jerusalem. Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Is a naval blockade considered a de-jure or a de-facto declaration of war? How do Christians who insist upon keeping the 7th day Sabbath explain Acts 15? In the face of complacency, we try harder. It is quite possible that the apostles took Jesus final commission to them seriously and stayed in Jerusalem because they were to evangelize the world starting in Jerusalem. "You, Lord, are all I want! With Saul no longer ravaging the church and the brothers sending him out, Christianity was spreading rapidly (9:30-31). This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. When Jesus tells his apostles not to "go the way of the Gentiles and Samaritans," He could be reminding the apostles to walk as He walked. 3But Saulbegan to destroy the church. apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: There was a window of opportunity in time for the nation of Israel to receive her King and bring in the kingdom that all were expecting. As Election Day finally arrives, Americans look forward once again to the majestic panorama of American democracy, in which men and women gather peacefully to choose their leaders while radical leftists burn their cities to the ground all around them. However, I do think that in Acts 8, the apostles stayed in the city of Jerusalem to allow people to see how God protected them during this awfully violent time after the death of Stephen the first martyr. To that extent the middle to upper class citizens could be considered as the societal influencers of the day whose conversion had a greater impact in leading the society on a way to conversion. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural. If Jesus had been received by Israel before his crucifixion, the Roman army would probably have come into Israel and put him to death after which he would have been raised from the dead and everything would match what Daniel had written. David Garland catches the language of this passage, and its connection with previous imagery in the gospel, well when he states: They will all be scandalized and scattered when their shepherd is struck. Scattered, but Preaching - Read the Bible But here, Matthew, like Mark, quotes Zechariah 13:7: Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me! declares the LORD Almighty. But Saul began to destroy the church. They have confidence and boldness in the things they are sharing. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Matthew 24:9,10 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. Just as Phinehas had stayed a judgement on Israel by executing the one who blatantly disregarding God's commandment; the priests (and other non-levite Israelites) who had maintained this 'zealous' attitude were continuing the tradition. - John 16:32. How do Christians tell whether they lack or have the "power" promised in Acts 1:8? New King James Version Phinehas, one of the family of Aaron grabs a spear, goes into the tent and runs both of them through in the act of intercourse. If any man object that they might have divided the provinces amongst them, that they might not all have been occupied in one place, I answer, that Jerusalem alone had business enough for them all. He did this when Joseph went to Egypt, setting up the growth of the Hebrew people in Egypt and the eventual Exodus. Matthew 27:27 states that Jesus was forsaken by the disciples when the Roman soldiers arrested Jesus after Judas betrayed Him. Matthew 26:31-35 Scandalized and Scattered Disciples Maybe he was jealous or afraid of what the witnesses might tell people. to Samaria (Acts 8:14) and Barnabas to Antioch (Acts 11:22), and when the apostles tell Paul that he should go to the Gentiles and they to the Jews (Galatians 2:9). Giving by credit card To make an tax-deductible donation to The Elijah Challenge please click on the link below. Yet they will all scatter and leave Jesus alone. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 31 Then Jesus said to them, You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.. Solicitation Disclosure Statement God approves and commends him saying, "because you were zealous for my instruction and my statutes your family will enjoy peace " and the judgement is stayed against Israel.
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