Atos 13
James Montgomery Boice · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 13
Boice reminds us that "Although ours is an age of great grace, God is nevertheless also a God of great judgment, and sin must be judged if it is not atoned for by the work of Christ.” Behold (2400)(idou) is an aorist imperative command emphasizing calling for immediate attention to what follows! Paul us quoting Habakkuk 1:5+, not from the Hebrew but from the Septuagint translation which gives the following rendering in English. God was speaking through His "mouthpiece" Habakkuk to warn the rebellious nation of Judah ... Behold, ye despisers (ED: scoffers ~ those who think lightly of), and look, and wonder marvelously, and (vanish or) faint with fear: for I work a work in your days, which ye will in no wise believe, though a man declare it to you. In Habakkuk 1:5+ God warned that He would used the wicked Babylonians to destroy wicked Judah! Paul takes this same warning and in the context of Acts 13, applies it as a warning to his Jewish audience in essence not to reject the Gospel, for their fate would be far worse than a Babylonian invasion. Rejection of the Gospel would result in their everlasting death and separation from the presence of God! The Lord stirring up the Babylonians to discipline Judah was a great work, but the saving work of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was an even more incredible work "which you will never believe." While the Babylonians would bring temporal judgment, the rejection of the Messiah would bring eternal judgment! You scoffers, marvel and perish - Paul issues two commands to scoffers (1) marvel or be astonished and (2) perish or be destroyed. Those who despise the word of God will one day marvel at the work of God! Scoffers (mockers)(2707) (kataphrontes from kataphroneo = to think little of, to despise, look down, think lightly) means scoffer, despiser, scorner. Kataphrontes is used 3x in the Septuagint - Hab. 1:5; Hab. 2:5; Zeph. 3:4 ("profaned [despised] the sanctuary") Marvel (2296)(thaumazo from thauma [from thaomai = to wonder] = wonder, admiration) means to wonder, marvel, be struck with astonishment. Thaumazo describes the human response when confronted by divine revelation in some form (Mt 9.33) and denotes incredulous surprise. The aorist imperative (USED 3X IN THIS SHORT SENTENCE!) calls for an urgent, immediate response and is the same command given for perish. Perish (853)(aphanizo from a = without + phaino = to appear) means to cause to vanish, make disappear. Metaphorically, the idea of aphanizo is to destroy the value or use of something. The process does not result in annihilation but changes whatever is affected from one state to another. The upshot is that that which "perishes" ceases to be useful. The verb is in the aorist imperative, so it is not a suggestion, but a command for scoffers to "vanish." This recalls a similarly frightening command by Jesus in Mt 7:23 "“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART (aorist imperative) FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE (present tense = habitually, as their lifestyle) LAWLESSNESS." To reject the Gospel is to perish eternally in torment in Hell. This is why the write of Hebrews gave a similar warning... For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? (Rhetorical question - There is NO OTHER ESCAPE!) After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, (Hebrews 2:1-3+) For - Term of explanation. He explains why they need to marvel and why they will be destroyed. Jack Arnold points out that "Man's rejection of Christ is also somehow in God’s plan. “for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed” (1 Peter 2:8+). God will not be defeated if men reject Him. You do not have to be appointed to doom. You must accept Jesus Christ as King, Messiah and Savior if you are to be saved and go to heaven." (Paul's First Recorded Sermon) Jack Andrews - God told the people in the days of Habakkuk that the people would not believe the mighty work of God that will be done in their days! They will not believe even in the midst of the work of God! How is it that God can work in a place or in people and some people never get it! The prophet said that God would do a work which they would by no means believe. That means that they will not be convinced of the truth, they will not conform to the truth, they will not be corrected by the truth! We live in a generation that will by no means believe the work of God! We live in the midst of scoffers, unbelievers, and doubters! I am accomplishing a work in your days - In the original context, as noted above God through His prophet Habakkuk was warning the nation that Babylon would ascend to power and would be His instrument for judgment on the nation, destroying the city of Jerusalem and the Temple. Steven Ger explains that "The work which God had accomplished was the Messiah's resurrection, Paul was providing the "description," and the people were left with the responsibility of "believing" the message. Just as the prophet of old had warned Israel of impending disaster, so, too, Paul warned this people to prepare for imminent judgment. It was high time to break Israel's cycle of scorning God's provision." (Ibid) Accomplishing (2038)(ergazomai from ergon = work) means to bring about a result by effort. The verb accomplish stresses the successful completion by God. Ergazomai is in the present tense which indicates God's work continues to be accomplished through the proclamation of the Gospel. A work which you will never believe - The negative never is actually a double negative (2 negatives together - ou me) which signifies the strongest negation possible.
Atos 13
Boice comments that "We should not miss an emphasis on events in Paul’s preaching here; it is so evident that it can be missed. He focused on things that actually happened, not on philosophy or even theology. “Christianity is not just a philosophy or a set of ethics, though it involves these things. Essentially Christianity is a proclamation of facts that concern what God has done.” As Luke had written earlier Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us– beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us–one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” (Acts 1:21-22+) Larkin comments that "Theophilus (Lk 1:3+, Acts 1:1+) and inquirers into Christianity’s credibility in any time or place are given assurance once again that the central events of its saving message can stand, indeed invite, the test of public scrutiny."(IVP Commentary - Acts 13:1--21:16 Paul's Missionary Journeys) He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem - The verb appeared highlights the supernatural character of the resurrection (compare Ge 12:7; Jdg 6:12; Lk 1:11; 24:34; Acts 2:3; 7:2; 9:17; 26:16). The phrase those who came up with Him from Galilee is another way of describing the 11 (12 minus Judas) disciples, who clearly were in a good position to identify Jesus, since they had been part of His ministry band. Paul summarizes these appearances what I think is the single best Scriptural "definition" of the Gospel For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas (PETER), then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now (~AD 56 which was about 8 years after Paul's sermon in Acts 13), but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8+ - see also verse by verse comments on 1 Cor 15:1-58) The very ones who are (continually - present tense) now His witnesses to the people - Paul is referring to himself (cf 1 Cor 15:8+), to whom the resurrected and ascended Jesus had appeared on the road to Damascus (read Acts 9:3-9+). Paul is saying that he has seen the One who fulfills all the OT prophecies. One has to wonder what was going through the minds of his Jewish audience! One can see the crowd beginning to fidget and become uneasy (aka "convicted" cf Jesus' words in Jn 16:7-11, especially Jn 16:9)! See John MacArthur's sermon refuting the various theories attempting to explain the resurrection. Witnesses (3144)(martus/martys gives us our English martyr) describes one who remembers something and testifies concerning what they remember. In other words, a martus is one who attests to a fact or event, one who gives evidence (testifies in a court to the truth), one who has seen or has personal knowledge of something or someone, and especially one who was an "eye witness" as in this passage where Paul relates his personal knowledge of Jesus' post-resurrection appearance. A witness is one who furnishes evidence or proof, confirming the truth by verbal testimony. Luke's uses of martus - Lk. 11:48; Lk. 24:48; Acts 1:8; Acts 1:22; Acts 2:32; Acts 3:15; Acts 5:32; Acts 6:13; Acts 7:58; Acts 10:39; Acts 10:41; Acts 13:31; Acts 22:15; Acts 22:20; Acts 26:16; JESUS’ APPEARANCES AFTER HIS RESURRECTION Mary Magdalene Mark 16:9–11; John 20:10–18 The other women at the tomb Matthew 28:8–10 Peter in Jerusalem Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5 The two travelers on the road Mark 16:12–13; Luke 24:13–35 Ten disciples behind closed doors Luke 24:36–43; John 20:19–25 All eleven disciples (including Thomas) Mark 16:14; John 20:26–31; 1 Corinthians 15:5 Seven disciples while fishing on the Sea of Galilee John 21:1–14 Eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee Matthew 28:16–20; Mark 16:15–18 A crowd of 500 1 Corinthians 15:6 Jesus’ brother James 1 Corinthians 15:7 Those who watched Jesus ascend into heaven Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:3–9 Saul/Paul - Acts 9:3-6 Acts 13:32 "And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, (NASB95) KJV Acts 13:32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, And we preach to you Acts 13:38; Isaiah 40:9; 41:27; 52:7; 61:1; Luke 1:19; 2:10; Romans 10:15 of the promise made to the fathers Acts 3:19; 26:6; Ge 3:15; 12:3; 22:18; 26:4; 49:10; Dt 18:15; Isa 7:14; Isa 9:6,7; 11:1; Jer 23:5; Ezek 34:23; Da 9:24-26; Mic 5:2; Hag 2:7; Zech 6:12; 9:9; 13:1,7; Mal 3:1; 4:2; Lk 1:54,55,68-73; Ro 4:13; Gal 3:16-18 Acts 13 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PAUL PREACHED THE GOSPEL And we preach to you the good news (2097) (euaggelizo/euangelizo from eu = good, well + aggéllo = proclaim, tell; English = evangelize) means to announce good news concerning something. Euaggelizo was often used in the Septuagint for preaching a glad or joyful message (cf. 1Sam. 31:9; 2 Sa 1:20; 4:10). Euaggelizo/euangelizo in its original sense could be used to refer to a declaration of any kind of good news, but in the NT it (with 2 exceptions discussed below) refers especially to the glad tidings of the coming kingdom of God and of salvation obtained through Jesus Christ's death, burial and resurrection. Euaggelizo is a favorite verb of Luke - notice the concentration of of euaggelizo in the Book of Acts (15/52 NT uses) Lk. 1:19; Lk. 2:10; Lk. 3:18; Lk. 4:18; Lk. 4:43; Lk. 7:22; Lk. 8:1; Lk. 9:6; Lk. 16:16; Lk. 20:1; Acts 5:42; Acts 8:4; Acts 8:12; Acts 8:25; Acts 8:35; Acts 8:40; Acts 10:36; Acts 11:20; Acts 13:32; Acts 14:7; Acts 14:15; Acts 14:21; Acts 15:35; Acts 16:10; Acts 17:18 Of the promise made to the fathers (our Jewish ancestors, our Jewish forefathers) - The promise is identical to the message of salvation in Acts 13:26. The promise is ultimately that God would send the Messiah and He would be a Redeemer (cf Ps 19:14, Ps 78:35, Isaiah 41:14, 43:14, 44:6, 24, 47:4, 48:17, 49:7, 49:26, 54:5,8. See especially Isa 59:20, 60:16). Paul again alludes to Messianic Prophecies. In Romans Paul wrote "that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision (JEWS) on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the (JEWISH) fathers." (Ro 15:8) The word promise is a verbal commitment by one to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future. Throughout the Old Testament God had spoken over 300 Messianic Prophecies each being a promise of the Messiah Who would come through the line of David (cf Mt 1:1). Promise (1860) (see epaggelia/epangelia) indicates God made a verbal commitment (recorded in the inspirited Scripture = When Scripture speaks, God speaks!). Acts 13:33 that God has fulfilled this [promise] to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, 'YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.' (NASB95) KJV Acts 13:33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. YOU ARE MY SON Ps 2:7; Hebrews 1:5,6; 5:5 Acts 13 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries CHRIST'S RESURRECTION PROPHESIED IN PSALM 2 That - This continues the thought from the previous sentence. Paul will proceed to conclude this review of the resurrection by appealing to three of the promise (s) made to the fathers quoting from Psalm 2:7 (Acts 13:33), Isaiah 55:3 (Acts 13:34), and Psalm 16:10 (Acts 13:35). As an aside, Paul is clearly focusing his main argument on his Jewish audience, for they would have been the ones who were familiar with the preceding history of Israel, the allusions to John the Baptizer and now the allusions to three OT prophecies that predicted Messiah would be resurrected from the dead. While some of the God fearing Gentiles may have had some understanding of the significance of the OT prophecies, they would not be nearly as familiar with them as the Jews who had heard them read in the synagogue all their lives. Now Paul is helping them understand what they had been reading and had failed to understand. God has fulfilled this promise - "Promise" is added by the translators but is clearly implied. Fulfilled is in the perfect tense indicating the promise was fulfilled at a point in time in the past and has continuing effect or efficacy in the present (and throughout the eternal future in this case!) What promise? The promise is explained as the resurrection of the Messiah Jesus, which in turn is the foundational truth of the Gospel, for without the resurrection, there would be no good news! (read 1 Cor 15:12-19+) Jack Arnold - God made a promise to King David. God's promise to David was kept through the Messiah Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead. All the promise made to David is fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Paul's First Recorded Sermon) To our children - Our children refers to the Jewish offspring all those related to "the fathers." Children (5043)(teknon from tikto = bring forth, bear children, be born) is strictly a child produced, male or female, son or daughter. In the plural as here in Acts 13:33, teknon is used generically of descendants or posterity. In that He raised up Jesus - This is the "promise of promises" that God would raise Jesus from the dead. Raised up (450) see anistemi below. The Jews and the early church held that Psalm 2 was clearly a Messianic Psalm. As it is also written - The verb written (grapho) like the verb fulfilled is in the perfect tense indicating the Messianic Psalm 2 was written down or inscribed at a point in time in the past and continues to be true and valid in the present (and throughout eternity!) As Jesus (the Living Word) affirmed “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." (Lk 21:33+, read also Ps 119:89) In the second Psalm, 'YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU - In the NAS all caps signifies a direct OT quote. Paul confirms that Psalm 2 is clearly a prophecy of the Messiah. He equates "You" with "My Son" in essence saying that the Son is also deity. Jesus is God’s Son in the fullest sense of the word, for He shares God's very nature. Here is the full passage Psalm 2:7... “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Paul quotes this passage as an allusion to the resurrection (in that He raised up Jesus as it is also written), but in the NT is also quoted in reference to the incarnation, the birth of Jesus (Heb 1:5+ = " “YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”") Henry
Atos 13
Boice comments that "“In our day, people are overwhelmed with information. We have radio, television, newspapers, magazines. People did not have any of this in that day. So when somebody came through from another city, the person was a source of precious information and people naturally thronged about him. The missionaries were proclaiming something new. (ED: AND SOMETHING "GOOD" - GOOD NEWS!)” Ray